A blog by Jorge Garcia.

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Ireland: Tyre Troubles

Then we got a flat tyre. (That's how they spell it over there.)
How did we get a flat? Well it seems to have happened the only time that I was driving the car and was probably due to fact that I made the car do something depicted in one of the signs from the previous blog. 
I noticed it as we were about to descend a gravel hill in the most remote area of Ireland we had been in. We were in an area called Sheep's Head, practically at the tip of the peninsula. 
When I got out to look at the tyre there was only silence. I've never been in such a quiet environment that was outside. The silence was only broken by the sound of a sheep BAA-ing.
I changed the tyre and we turned the car around (because there was no chance we were going to risk going down a gravel hill on the "donut") and as a precaution, since the tyre was on my side I rode in the back seat. Which kind of made it feel like I was being chauffeured through the Irish countryside. 
Once we returned to "civilization" (the highway basically) we stopped at the first hotel we found. Just our luck there was a wedding going on that day. By the way I'm sorry if I seemed rude for refusing to pose for photos in the lobby, I was obviously not having the greatest day. 

This hotel was interesting. The elevator only went to second floor. Where you then had to walk through a hallway where the wedding party was watching a soccer game, and then go up another flight of stairs, down yet another hallway to the room. 

You know those luggage trollies hotels have to help you with your luggage? Yeah theirs didn't even fit in the elevator. 

We locked ourselves in the room and ordered pretty much one of everything on the room service menu. And... The best things were the grilled cheese and the "chips." By the way, here's a tip for American travelers. If you see egg salad on the menu? It's not what you think. It's hard boiled eggs on a bed of lettuce with a large dollop of mayonnaise  in the middle. 

14 comments:

Lisa-Maladylis said...

sounds like a exasperating day ! Those doughnut tyres are a pain in the butt ! ;-)

chefmom said...

GAG! A hard boiled egg with a dollop of mayo?! That's just wrong. I can't say I would have been to happy about the flat tyre either. I would have said "oh yes, wedding party, I'm happy to take pictures, looking a mess from changing a tyre in the middle of nowhere."

Ruthio said...

mmm...chips! And don't knock hard boiled eggs and mayop until you've tried them - yummy.

I'm from Wales, you should come here if you liked ireland. Just as beautiful and a brilliant adventure!

Douglas Kastle said...

West Cork tis a strange place altogether you were lucky to get out of there in one piece.

In reference to your previous blog post (the one with the crazy street signs) I'll never forget trying to learn to drive in the irish country side. The main problem is that Irish road, at least in the country side, are only 1 1/2 cars wide. This presents a problem when you meet another car going the opposite direction. With many years of practise, I learned to place one wheel in the ditch (ala one of the road signs) and bomb along at 60 MPH. Just as you pass the other car (usually a farmer in a suit and whellies (Whellington boots (also irish))) at that crucial moment where ye pass, you MUST wave. Gas altogether.

I have lived in the States and Oz since then and I have never experienced anything quite like it.

Geans said...

The last time I was in Ireland I was compelled to take a picture of what I got when I thought I ordered a 'chicken salad', so, I know what you mean!

Betsy said...

That kind of silence must have been amazing. I can see how it might also be terrifyingly quiet, but I'm going to stick with "amazing" since I've never heard (not heard?) something quite so calm.

I'm glad you were able to decline the photo-op. I'm sure saying no is a skill that someone so popular has to learn quickly, to avoid being taken advantage of by unwitting fans, eager for your attention regardless of the day's circumstances. That would be a big learning curve for me, in your position.

But of allll hotels to end up at, the one with the big wedding, and odd set-up.

By the way, thanks for the egg salad tip. Good to know!

Kristi_ said...

What is the point of having a luggage trolley that doesn't go into the elevator. There is a very bad planner somewhere in an Irish pub right now having a pint and working on his next project. A drive thru window too small to pass a drink tray through.

egg + lettuce + mayo = egg salad. I can see that but a bit too literal for my taste. : )

James Hernandez said...

Jorge,

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm donut!

Anonymous said...

eww, I don't think I would like that egg salad!

Rotten luck getting a flat "tyre" on vaca. That is the type of luck I have on trips! Something HAS to go wrong... breaking down, flight delays/cancelations, etc

redelf said...

I hate tyres!! I want a horse.

Greybishop said...

I imagine that it's a pain in the ass always having folks wanting to pose with you, regardless of your mood or what kind of day you've had.

I do wonder though, in all those various times when folks have wanted to take a picture with you, shake your hand, get an autograph or whatever because of your role on LOST, has anyone ever said "Dude! I love your blog!"?

john (not lennon) said...

that's what's usually refered to in Ireland as Egg Mayonaise, not Egg Salad, you must really have been in the middle of nowhere :)

Did the Bride have wellies?

Bethany James Leigh Shady said...

and then the next morning we drove about a half mile down the road and saw a WAY MORE awesome hotel. if only...

Nikki said...

I noticed the food was iffy over there too. Don't order the prawn sundae!! It is a sundae glass filled with shredded lettuce, itty bitty salad shrimp and topped with a gallon of 1000 Island dressing. ick!! The road signs cracked me up too. I especially like the "Dumb Tourist" ones painted on the streets at crosswalks. In big letters it says "LOOK RIGHT" LOLOL..that's because as Americans (and people who drive on the correct side of the road ::blinkblink::) we are taught to look left.