I met a coupla peeps on the Royal Mile in my targeted flyering efforts (that is where I scan the crowd and use my instincts and nearly flawless sense of character judgment to pick people who I think would actually enjoy my show instead of just handing them out to families and grumps) and they invited me back to their hang to perform in a show at a Himalayan enclave with live music and tasty homemade food which was free for performers, such as me.
It was a very warm, fuzzy, friendly environment.
Everyone was really nice and chatty and I made some new friends.
The other acts were really talented and interesting people. And it's right across the street from my house. Bonus!
Last night was the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, so a few brave souls met at our flat and plied ourselves with alcohol and warm layers in preparation to scale the massive Arthur's Peak together.
The plan was to view some meteors (shooting stars) and then watch the sunrise at 5:40 am. Around 3 am, a dedicated handful of us ate a hearty meal of grilled cheese & tomato sandwiches, soup and tea and wine and beer and then started getting sleepy, so we decided it was then or never. Grabbing a few last minute supplies (bottle of wine, candle, lighter) we began our ascent. Mike "I" who designated himself as the tour guide kept a very fast pace that left most of us panting and asking him to slow down, as we all stumble-climbed the very steep northern facing staircase of rocks in the complete pitch black darkness.
Before long, we were at the crevasse and atop the mighty hill. There were a friendly, young german couple already there, hanging out in the dark, alone.
We pitched a little area and I laid down a straw mat I carried up so that I didn't have to lay directly on the dirt. Passing around a bottle of wine and lighting our little candle light source, we joked around, froze in the relentless cold wind and saw at least 4 shooting stars. I didn't make even a wish on one, I'm realizing now! Damn.
After about an hour, our friends Matt and Amy showed up with breakfast -- vodka and pineapple juice -- just in time to see the sun rise. We took photos and then made our merry way back down to more level ground.
I'm so glad I got to do this!
Ben, Mike and I contemplated a press scheme in which "3 Americans hike to the top of Arthur's Peak and go missing" but got lazy and just came home and went to sleep instead.
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Yes, I'm wearing a "garbage bag" in this photo. I got made fun of relentlessly for wearing a poncho but I had the last laugh as my friends froze their sassy asses off while the wind bounced off my plastic. At one point, they even tried to cuddle up to me for body heat! Ha! (<-- last laugh)
Our mission is complete!
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