There we were happily bouncing along in our 4 man jaunting car (pony trap) being drenched by rain hurled at us from the mountains surrounding us joy oh joy! ..... and the wheels fell off! Well the wheels didn’t fall off, but one wheel lost its hard rubber tyre and it seems that was it. So what now!? Our driver called for assistance. Hallelujah (and thank god for sat phones), off loaded 2 passengers to another cart - leaving me and himself on the roadside sacre bleu with mouths open! Wha... ! and half hour later when our boots were full of water and we were soaked to the bone, help arrived. Not for us the paying customer mind you, but for the bl....... wheel. Hello!? An hour later with two men working at the wheel - while we simply stood in the rain! Wryly I thought of all those Irish jokes ‘how many etc etc...’. You need to appreciate that we are a long way from anywhere out here in the mountains! The guys gave up on the wheel and gave us the option of walking through the mountain pass to the lakes... wha??, going on by car to the lakes - we were only half way through the Gap with a couple of hours on the lakes still to go in biting wind and rain, or to abandon our tour and return to the start. Ummmmm .... what to do??? You guessed it. We went back. What a dismal day! Exciting? Weeelll just a little bit, the scenery in spite of the shitty weather was pretty awesome and chugging along in an old horse and trap. Let’s say it was an experience!
Take home message for me is DO NOT try to relive memories! I had done this trip back in the 80s with my kids and wanted to show Lindsay. Well he was ecstatic as you can imagine!!
We’re warm and safe in our little van which looks a bit like a Chinese laundry with our clothes strung about to dry. But onward and southward to the edge of Ireland.
Such a wee cart!
I think this is where our hearts sank just a wee bit. Check out the sky
Part of the Gap. Just the very beginning in the distance.
Just a tad damp! Thank goodness for heavy duty parkas but the rain was running down my trusty coat into my pants. OMG. I’m still smiling - even if you can’t tell !!
Looking cute in spite of the rain
The scenery when you could see was rather speccy.
My poor darling walking up one hill because the poor horse couldn’t make it with a full load of 4 people. Not happy Jan!!!!
Getting bleaker
The water was raging through every tiny gully
Some colourful sheep sheltering under a big rock their branding colours blending so that the red and blue turned these pretty things into weird purple creatures.
The mountains were awesome
The offending wheel
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