Freelance Writer
My loop of north-east Vietnam wasn’t my first bike trip, and I was happy that the sum total of my prior experience meant that, if nothing else had been learned over the years, at least on this one I didn’t pack much. Another product of experience revealed itself quite early on, as I became aware…
This is part 6 of a series about a solo motorbike trip I took around north-east Vietnam in December 2018. Each story can be enjoyed alone, and together they form one big over-arching story. It’s about road trips, motorbikes, solo travel and finding yourself on the open road. And of course, it’s about Vietnam. Sign…
Roundstone, Co. Galway, Ireland, where Tim Robinson lived for 40 years. It would be the base from which he mapped out Connemara, the Aran Islands and the Burren. Photo by Nick Kane on Unsplash Originally published on Substack 8th November 2020 This week’s book isn’t an historical favourite, but in line with a more traditional book club discussion,…
“I feed the pigeons, I sometimes feed the sparrows too, it gives me a sense of ENORMOUS well-being” – Blur – Parklife A momentary burst whips my attention, particles dispersing in a brief explosion before returning to their centre as if pulled back by the sharp inhale of gravity or a length of bungee cord.…
Not every day can be like this, unfortunately. Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash Enniscrone, Co. Sligo. We are still locked down and Claremorris hasn’t drifted any further towards the sea, so I’m still reminiscing on pre-Level 5 surfing days. The sunny respite today from this strange series of storms reminds me of one of my last day’s…
The country’s going into lockdown again, a glitch in the normal progression of time. I went for a morning walk around the lake and it seemed like everyone is out preparing for it. It might be just in my head – polluted by the news – but everyone’s stride seems to take on an extra…
Your first few attempts at something new are not always enjoyable, even if it’s something you really want to do. It might take a bit of practice before you even get to a point where you can call yourself a ‘Beginner’. But the feeling is worth it when you get there.
There are many reasons to run a long-distance race. Achievement is one of them. I’ve done that before, and it did me the world of good. But this time I decided not to ruin a sunny day.
In which I document my attempts to learn to surf over the coming winter in the west of Ireland. It seems like it will involve a lot of waiting around in the water.
Maybe it’s a reaction to the slow continuing churn of lockdowns, travel restrictions and the imminent end of summer, but I’ve been on a Parts Unknown binge this week, the travel show hosted by the charismatic and tragically late Anthony Bourdain. Naturally I began my journey in my home away from home, and the iconic…