15/04/08

15/04/08
We woke this morning to a beautiful view of Poulaphouca Reservoir. The sun was shining and the water so flat 'twas impossible to see where the hills stopped and their reflection began. Unfortunately, as all the beautiful lakeside parking spots tend to locked overnight, and being as we were in Ballyknockan, in a very public pub carpark (anyone sensing a theme here), the portipotti had to rolled out for early morning ablutions. My aspirations for it remaining unused for all 6 months have shattered. Wow! 3 days and that's the first toilet story - being as most travel talk revolves around toilet humour, I've been remiss.

Before breakfast we drove a short way down the road and came across an even better spot where we could have parked up for the night, tis always the way. Oh well, we stopped anyway and sucessfully cooked up omlette, it's good we can add another meal to our repertoire.

Food - its a funny thing - one pot cooking is an art, i've also discovered that I'd prefer to boil food rather that fry. When frying I just feel an oily vapour sticking to my bedding, clothes and everthing else in the van; ick.

Yesterday we found out two things, nothing is open on mondays (we had a very nice walk around the outside of Castletown House in Celbridge), and that our maps are totally inadequate.

Today's tasks: to find a decent map, some bungy cords (to secure everthing currently located on the floor whenever we are driving), internet access and perhaps a camping gas supplier. The fridge works when we are driving and combined with cold nights is adequate enough that we haven't use gas for the fridge yet... this will not always be possible (40° in Spain, anyone?) so further investigations into gas supply options are required.

We are headed toward Glendalough today, I feel a nice forest walk coming on.