|
Caroline Casey chronicles
the adventure in the diary below in Aoife's
absence:
Day 071 > Monday 11
November > San Francisco
Thought of the Day
Shopping with Boys! Change of climate means
change of uniform. With the major decrease
in temperature it was agreed that our lightware
combats were not suitable for American conditions
unless we wanted to contact pneumonia so
it was agreed that the lower half of our
uniform had to be adjusted. Jeans and cowboy
boots were agreed upon. Oh you would think
that was so simple - all we had to do was
pick up two pairs of jeans each and a pair
of boots. What could be so difficult about
that?
Firstly, buying jeans is one of those pet
hates of mine and requires serious focused
concentration to make sure you get the right
pair. Secondly when you add to that mix,
shopping with four boys, it gets a little
more difficult. Thirdly, when one of the
guys is completely blind and the other in
a wheelchair it requires a level of creative
thinking you have never had to manage before.
I pity the poor unfortunate shop we walked
in on today at 4.00pm.
2 and a half hours later we re- emerged
leaving the shop assistants dazed and confused,
hundreds of pairs of jeans all over the
floor and feeling exhausted. Thankfully,
American shop assistants seem to have the
patience of rocks and regardless of how
many times we called on them they returned
smiling. Every pair of jeans tried on had
to be approved of. Discussions on suitability,
coolness, taste, length, waist height, and
colour had to be discussed with each of
the boys, and that was why I was trying
to check out myself in the mirror to see
if my bum looked too big! Never LET it be
said that men don't care how they look -
they were far worse than me with endless
need of reassurance that they looked good!
And as for making a final decision - forget
it - that was like signing some massive
political treaty! Business that day was
slow, which allowed us to take over 5 fitting
rooms and any spare floor space. Without
doubt we must have tried on a hundred pairs
of jeans between us and all those beautifully
folded piles of jeans were left ramshackle
and crumpled. In the end everyone got something
they wanted and felt that they could strut
their stuff with confidence!
Mike's day was made when he got himself
a pair of trousers, found himself a magical
tailor who measured his leg length on the
side of the street, to return to us five
minutes later as we were having a beer,
with perfectly adjusted trousers. The speed
of the alteration and the fact that it only
cost $7 dollars has Mike now on a trousers
shopping spree stock up. However the thought
of going through another afternoon of buying
jeans is not something I am yet ready for!
Recovery is required to blot out the memory!
Magic Moment of
the Day
Dinner with Richard! Richard Dupell, our
San Francisco host is one of those rare
and wonderfully fascinating individuals
that you find you can not listen to enough.
A 52 year old actor, he has packed so much
into his mad and crazy life that we all
squirmed in our seats with inadequacy as
he ran through some of his life's adventures
which ranged from the Vietnam war, his modelling
and acting past, his hedonistic days in
the 70s and the work he does now with his
unique concept of Business Theatre. As we
ate the most divine fish and sipped on Manhattan
cocktails (Richard's favourite) iced teas
(which caused Miles to fall comatose) and
Californian wine Richard had us literally
in the palm of his hand. I have never quite
met anyone like him but he is what I had
hoped to meet in San Francisco - a laid
back, soft, crazy, talented, creative, out
there Thespian whose life is like something
out of a cult book or psychedelic movie.
With him as our host, San Fran is looking
good!!
Hiccup of the Day
Not being able to sleep. Returning from
dinner with Richard we were all bright eyed
and bushy tailed due to confused and screwed
up body clocks. In our time warped hotel
we congregated in Mike's room to partake
of a bit dancing to Miles' pirate Bee Gees
CD from Penang and Mike's bottle of Duty
Free Chivers. A big mistake on our behalf
which resulted in one of the hotel security
guards asking us to keep it down. Understandably
so since playing chasing and hide and seek
with a blind man is not necessarily the
best hotel behaviour! But God we had fun!
Day 072 > Tuesday
12 November > San Francisco
· Cable Car
Thought of the Day
Amazing the people you meet. We could only
be in California. In one day we have met
an array of bizarre and friendly people
who have offered us free Irish Coffees,
balloon rides in Napa Valley, free rides
on Scooter cars, a night singing the blues
and free trips on cable cars. I feel like
I have stepped into the twilight zone or
onto some movie set. Riding the cable car
up and down hills that resembled gradients
of a rollercoaster on streets that are so
familiar from the movies, to taking over
a cowboy shop in our desire to purchase
the perfect cowboy boot, to eating lunch
at the San Francisco yacht club with promises
of support and encouragement after only
a 90 second speech - we all agreed that
this place more than lives up to its reputation.
I can really understand the whole - "if
you are going to San Francisco be sure to
wear flowers in your hair" song now.
The people we have met are so chilled out,
in everything they do - in the way they
speak, move, and make decisions. When talking
with some of them, I nearly find myself
rocked to sleep with the gentle drawl of
it all, mind you that is if they speak English.
What has been a great surprise is that I
came across more people who spoke English
in Hong Kong than I have here - it is amazing
the assumptions we make. In fact the San
Francisco population is made up of 40% Asian
people. It seems to be a melting pot of
many races, religions and colours which
strikes you so much in its diversity. It
really is a place I would like to spend
time in, to get to know. It hits you as
a place where so much goes on; somewhere
so individual and unique with an intoxicating
atmosphere!
Magic Moment of the
Day
Irish Coffees in the Buena Vista Bar. Irish
Coffees have become one of our team drinks,
so when we heard about the Buena Vista bar,
famous for its claim of not only making
the best Irish coffees, but being the first
bar to bring Irish coffees to American people
back in 1954 - now that required testing!
So after our cable car ride which conveniently
dropped us directly outside the premises
we went inside for quality assurance! And
loathe as I am to admit it, they were probably
one of the best Irish coffees I have tasted
and made even better by the fact that they
were on the house once the proprietor heard
of our round the world escapades.
We made a real motley bunch - 9 of us seated
around a table. Since arriving in Cisco
we have accumulated a few more team members
- Alison and Nena, two film students who
are Helping Mike McNamara's quest for perfect
shots for the documentary, the very unique
and witty Ed Gallagher, who is blind and
has organised a day's sailing for us on
Thursday in association with BAADS - an
organisation to facilitate sailing for people
with disabilities and of course the colourful
Richard. With a bunch like this and of course
the rest of us, we just could not go unnoticed
and by the time we had left, we had not
paid for one drink and had just about been
wished good luck by ever other person in
the bar. It was one of those great afternoons
when you meet the weirdest people, have
the funniest conversations and end up behind
a bar doing a quality check on the secret
behind the perfect Irish coffee!
Hiccup of the Day
Blue hands are back! I predicted it - I
have got too soft. On the infamous San Francisco
cable cars, hanging off the runners I realised
that we have left the tropics! Even though
the sun was shinning and I had a sweater
and a t-shirt on, my hands turned blue with
the cold. I could not believe it when I
looked down at my mitts and saw that familiar
tinge of cold creeping up my hands leaving
them an unsightly blue. I mean, a November
in San Francisco is as warm as any day in
August. What has happened me? Have I become
a total softie! Maybe the only solution
is to move somewhere hot and set up a banana
stall!!
Day 073 > Wednesday
13 November > San Francisco
· Art cars
Thought of the Day
This could only be San Francisco! As part
of the San Francisco program, Richard had
put together one the most unusual fundraisers
to date - a thing called the Life Game.
In brief this is a theatre based improvised
performance, with a paying audience with
Around the World in 80 Ways as the storyline
and the four adventurers as the main characters.
Words such as theatres, performance, main
characters, storyline, paying audiences,
props, improvisations, blocking, lighting,
and dressing rooms were all very alien to
the old dogs and myself and to say we were
slightly unsure as to how it would go would
be an understatement.
The idea behind the Life Game was that
Richard, as interviewer would interview
the team and then a group of improvisers
would act out specific scenarios or events
that came up in the interview. It was sort
of like - "Whose Line Is It Anyway"!
10 minutes before the performance I found
myself back stage with the 10 actors doing
rounds of dirty Limericks to get the creative
juices flowing and talking about Viz magazine
and eating trail mix! From start to finish
the whole experience was bizarre but totally
fantastic. Once on stage, as with any event
we have spoken at, nerves dissipated and
we just went with the flow.
It was hilarious to watch the actors so
accurately depict some of the things that
have happened to us over the last two and
a half months and get our characters down
so well. The audience were permanently in
stitches as some of our favourite moments
such as our ostrich dance, Jon singing the
fish song, the Malaysian Grand Prix race,
and the two Casanovas at work. The most
bizarre scene however was when three improvisers
tried to capture elements of my elephant
experience and acted out me riding Bhadra
as she went to the toilet. Never in my life
did I imagine I would see a human acting
as an elephant turd! It really was a spectacularly
insane night.
A huge compliment to the team however was
the fact that the actors who were supervising
found it hard to call scenes because they
were too engrossed in listening to us. On
reflection, there are times when the magic
or skill of the team is obvious and tonight
was one of them. It is quite a feat, that
no matter what audience we have been put
in front of, in whichever strange circumstance,
we have managed to win them over. I think
this is not only testament to the group
of us as a whole, but the fact that we are
talking about something that everyone, regardless
of culture or country can relate to - that
life is what you make of it and though it
is unfair hard and difficult, with the right
attitude you can overcome most challenges!
Magic Moment of
the Day
Travelling to Theatre in the Art Cars. I
had heard of the Burning Man Festival years
ago and have been threatening to go and
experience the desert madness for myself.
Today after riding the art cars that travel
to the festival and meeting their drivers
I have made a commitment that it is time
to actually do something about going. We
have done some seriously strange modes of
transport over the past 70 something days
but tonight topped it off.
Each of us found ourselves in the seat
of what was originally a car but had been
transformed into a piece of moving art.
Mike rode in a VW van that had been transformed
into a submarine complete with sound effects
and water sprinklers! Miles travelled in
a gold station wagon that was covered with
every type of wire object you could imagine
spray painted in gold. You could spend hours
looking at all the objects bolted to its
surface and Gary, the owner still had two
cardboard boxes in the boot with detachable
pieces which he added if the mood took him.
I have promised him an elephant which he
gladly said he would attach to this insane
vehicle - mind you I am not exactly sure
he will find the space. Robin travelled
in a truck that had been converted into
a 10 foot high fat silver shark, teeth,
fins and tail included. I, as the supposed
princess travelled in a car called Devolution
- meaning that car was evolving into a fish.
The scales and fin of the fish were made
out of CDs and covered every inch of the
outer car surface while the interior was
covered in sparkles, crystals and every
type of shining beads imaginable. The love
and dedication that has gone into each vehicle
is obvious. The incredible attention to
detail even more so. But if I am ever to
be asked what the most unusual mode of transport
was - I now have an answer - a car called
Devolution!
Hiccup of the day
Too foggy to fly. Yesterday I met a man
called Peter Stonemberg at lunch in the
yacht club. A man after my own heart - someone
who loves speed. The difference however
between he and I is that he actually races
vintage Formula 1 cars, of which he owns
four. Once he heard what we were doing he
offered his help in providing us with a
mode of transport that we had not yet used.
I tried Jet Pack, but as he had Nassau connections
we stuck with a balloon flight. So at 5.00
we were picked up by Saint Nena (McNamara's
film helper) and headed to Napa valley for
a 6.30 flight. Squished into the Nena's
de-seated people carrier amongst camera
equipment and wheelchairs we passed the
hour in the car singing every ridiculous
song we could think of from Jingle Bells,
to Yellow submarine, to the infamous Duck
tour song from Singapore to Old Macdonald
had a farm - I fear, I really do, for our
sanity! However on arrival we discovered
the fog was too low to balloon and we therefore
had to reinvent ourselves back into sardines
again for the return trip home, where on
arrival we ate breakfast and went to bed
for the day.
Day 074> Thursday
14 November > San Francisco
· Yacht
· The Alma - 112 year old hay carrier
sailing boat
Thought of the Day
Can you get more relaxed! While we sailed
across San Francisco Bay today I have grave
concerns as to whether my brain is actually
operational. Chatting with the people on
board the Alma, the 112 year old Hay carrier
that took us on our journey I found myself
in a daze. I am unsure as to whether it
is latent jet lag or just a rapid slowing
down of my mind, speech and movement under
the influence of Californians, but I feel
like I am moving in slow motion. The feeling
here is so different to the frantic pace
of Hong Kong - I feel like I am being constantly
cuddled up in a cosy blanket. I seriously
hope this feeling passes as I am unsure
as to how I will have enough energy or conviction
to wash my teeth if this continues!
Magic Moment of
the Day
Sailing under the Bay Bridge. What a way
to spend an afternoon, sailing the bay on
an old hay carrier in shinning sunshine
and little wind. We sailed across to Oakland
this afternoon in glorious sunshine and
in excellent, if not strangely unique company.
With our Fuzzy White captain Al, who has
to be a relation of Grizzly Adams for all
his facial hair, plus his permanent crew
Gill and Lynn (equally as intriguing), along
with resident inquisitive dog Joe, who had
a talent for getting tangled in the sheets
and, to cap it all, shy boat cat, Stretch,
the volunteers of the Alma made us very
welcome.
The weather could not have been kinder
to us. The sun literally sparkled the bay.
Sat in t-shirts and jeans we soaked up the
heat on the wooden decks as we passed under
the stunning engineering feat that is the
Bay Bridge watching the golden bridge disappear
behind us. Slowly Alcatraz, treasure Island
and the down town Cisco sky scrapers slipped
by as we shared the waters with tankers,
dingy boats, hover crafts, stunning sailing
boats with puffed up spinnakers and a monstrous
aircraft carrier. I will never forget this
afternoon not just because it was so visually
stunning, or because I was sailing on a
bay I had seen so many times on celluloid,
or for the strange and wonderful conversations.
I will never forget it because how lucky
I felt to be sitting on a wooden deck feeling
as relaxed and happy as I did singing a
song with one of the volunteers on a Thursday
in November. For me, it is everything that
is wonderful about travelling - the totally
unpredictable great moments that leave you
feeling like you are experiencing life,
not just living it.
Hiccup of the Day!
Eating too much bread! I am lying here tonight
with a tummy that resembles the abdomen
of a five month pregnant woman. Why? Because
since arriving into the Sates I have been
unable to avoid the one thing I should be
steering clear of - bread and pastries!
I just do not seem to be able to be disciplined
enough to walk by the bakeries boasting
soft bread sandwiches, warm croissants,
sweet muffins and banana bread. Due to the
fact that I have Candida, the worst possible
thing I could eat is the produce of a bakery,
but for reasons better known to myself,
discipline has shot out the window and in
its place are bagels, carrot cake and a
big cup of café latte thank you!
Day 075 > Friday 15
November > San Francisco > In the
air
Thought of the Day
Travelling home alone!
It is 10.15pm somewhere across the Atlantic.
I left San Fran this morning at 8.30 to
come home to pick up an Irish Rehab People
of the Year Award. My venture home is to
be only 26 hours from the moment I touch
down to the time I take off again to return
to San Fran to meet back up with the team.
I had to fly to New York first and then
get my connection to Dublin. It felt so
incredibly lonely and strange to be travelling
alone, to be without the team, not to have
to charm people for an upgrade or deal with
Mike's needs.
This time I was the one who needed help.
I never realised how much I have followed
the boys through the complexities of airports.
I had forgotten how intimidating they are
and how easy it is to get lost. I felt as
if half of me was missing on my flight to
New York as I kept looking around for those
familiar faces. It is the first time in
2 and a half months I have been alone, independent
and having to look after just myself - and
it feels so strange.
Arriving at JFK airport I was back to my
old battles of having to beg for assistance
because they could not understand what partially
sighted meant! Travelling with the visibility
of a white stick and wheelchair has made
help so constant and available. No one questions
such obvious needs, but when the disability
or need is hidden it is so much harder to
be taken seriously. Even though at San Fran
I had discussed a need for assistance to
help me transfer terminals to guarantee
me getting on to the right plane, on arrival
at JFK they could not understand my need.
For the first time in a very long time I
felt the minor extent of my own limitations.
On this trip I have been able to feel utterly
capable beside Miles and Mike. Because I
help them both so much I have totally forgotten
there are some things that I do not do so
well. This evening I was reminded that I
need people to help me too and the strange
thing was, that those people I have come
to rely on were just not there.
I am now sitting on my flight back to Dublin.
My body clock is once again all over the
place, I know I should sleep but I can't.
I am dying to go home, but I am nervous.
I am hungry but I am stuffed. I am thirsty
but if I drink any more water I will burst.
But most of all I have begun to realise
that the end of this adventure is drawing
near and I am not sure how ready I am for
it.
Day 076 > Saturday
16 November > Dublin, Ireland
Thought of the Day
As I write this I am back on a plane facing
into the 10 hour and 45 minute flight to
LA. I am shattered, happy, still probably
drunk, on a high, need some sleep, too awake,
confused as to my whereabouts and heading
back to the team. It was strange but wonderful
to be home; strange because of the nature
of the trip back and also for the fact that
I knew that I would only be home for 26
hours. Wonderful because I got to see Fergal
and my family and friends again. Everytime
I travel, leaving Fergal is the hardest
part of going, leaving the person who knows
and understands me best in the world. Your
partner is the one person who is ACTUALLY
interested in the minor drivel of your day
and life and so it was fantastic to be able
to sit down and talk to him and tell him
of all the adventures over the last two
and a half months. As we were talking I
listened to the words tumbling out of my
mouth and realised how much we have done
and how small things in me have changed
as is always the way after travelling.
Though I was home, it really wasn't like
being at home at all as I never left Citywest
hotel where the awards ceremony was being
held. The day passed by in a blur as I tried
to catch up on sleep, decrumple my dress,
from the bottom of the 80 ways bag, try
to resurrect my over worn shoes, go to rehearsals
and apply fake tan to try and cover up the
various scars I have managed to acquire
on this trip. Late as usual I just about
made it to the press reception sewn into
my necklace that broke as I put it on and
clutching a red bull in the hope of injecting
energy into my by now weary body.
From the beginning of the night to its
close, which was sometime around 5.00am
I had a blast. It was wonderful to see everyone
again, and under such fantastic circumstances.
I was so honoured to be a recipient of the
award and still can not believe it. Sitting
with the other awards winners I wasn't exactly
sure where I fit in and I felt so humbled
to be among Niall Quinn, Joe Kieran, Rosemary
Daly, Colm O'Gorman, Frances. These are
all people who are so incredibly inspirational
in their attitude, the way they live their
lives and their achievements. It was a very
real honour to be amongst them. Typically
I balled crying when I went up to receive
my award and forgot just about everything
I wanted to say. The main reason for this
was watching the video footage RTE had put
together to introduce me. Watching clips
of myself and Bhadra, the Ability conference
and then the real tear jerker - the Malaysian
Grand Prix footage which I had not yet seen
had me in tears. The Grand Prix piece they
included saw me rush from the car and run
to Miles whooping and screaming with sheer
joy after the race. Just watching that I
was reminded how much that day had meant
both to myself and Miles, but also just
seeing the team on the screen was ridiculously
emotional. I think I really need to get
some kip!
After blubbering my way onto stage I continued
to embarrass myself in my interview with
presenter, Mary Kennedy where I talked about
the smelly aspects of travelling with boys,
the smell of the Gents toilets and being
a biker chick - put it this way you would
never imagine that I had been speaking my
way around the world, either way there was
an awful lot of laughing from the audience
and I just hope they were laughing with
me and not at me!
Once the official part of the night was
over then the real celebrations began. The
atmosphere in the room was so celebratory
and everyone oozed party and good form.
Between the usual sucking of helium balloons,
dancing like lunatics, acquiring bottles
of champagne, singing and believing that
you were the next best thing to Britney
Spears it was just great to talk and catch
up with everyone. I was so proud to have
everyone who has made the Aisling Foundation
what it is there - I may have been the one
to receive the award but I believe the award
goes to everyone that was there last night
and to everyone who has given their time,
support, encouragement, skills and expertise
to the Foundation. I could not have achieved
any of what I have done over the last 2
years if it had not been for everyone who
has helped me and put up with me. We are
not islands; we do not operate it isolation.
I have so much to owe to everyone who has
believed in me and helped me, thank you
so so much for everything you have done
- as far as I am concerned the award is
ours!
Day 077> Sunday 17
November > San Francisco again
Thought of the day
I spent most of today flying. I never seem
to think that the American west coast is
so far away - the same flight time within
a few minutes between Hong Kong and San
Francisco. I am beginning to feel that planes
are my second home and the thought of flying
to Washington tomorrow at 7.15 am seems
unthinkable.
|
|