The beginning of the Irish chronicle.

Our epic journey started in Plymouth with an easy two hour drive to Bristol airport one sunny Saturday afternoon. An easy drive hasn’t been guaranteed the last couple of months due to the Curse of the Acoustic Foam! No, it’s not a campy B-movie, but instead an attempt by Michelin to re-invent the wheel. That is cliché, but in this case it describes the situation perfectly.

Foam has been added to the inside of some tyres on heavier cars (in this case, the Polestar 2) to reduce road noise. Sounds gimmicky? Yes, yes it is. For most people it never becomes an issue. For a small but significant number, however, the foam separates and the resulting effect resembles an unbalanced centrifuge.

Remember kids, an unbalanced centrifuge is no joke. Don’t forget your balance. (I’m looking at you, oncoplastic breast theatre! I once watched a theatre charge nurse attempt to destroy a centrifuge while harvesting fat for reconstruction. It’s not a pretty noise, but apparently some people think a centrifuge should sound like a 1940s Ford).

The shift in material unbalances the wheels and leads to knocking through the steering between 50 and 70 mph, although the effect was becoming more pronounced at a wider range of speeds over time. After a few visits to the dealership, I managed to persuade the team to remove the foam which, surprise surprise, solved the issue. And thus, the drive was much smoother.

I digress. We made it to Bristol airport, checked in, and were shortly on the way to Dublin to collect the basic, but very efficient, Dacia Sandero. Having been a long time manual advocate, I wouldn’t go back from automatic now. It’s just one fewer thing to worry about. The real killer was the continuous “bings” from the various pervasive safety systems. On a number of occasions the car decided I was not trying to drive hard enough and would not stop making noise until I veered sharply to the left. Funny definition of safety.

The first stop of the journey was Magheralin where we spent a few days before heading up to the North Coast for the all time classic destinations including the Giant’s Causeway and Ballintoy Harbour. The Causeway was remarkably calm given the bank holiday. Ballintoy…was not. It was like the end of the world. The road leading down there is narrow with a number of hairpin bends and switchbacks. The situation was not helped by cars parking the length of the approach, and a stand-off at the entrance to the car park. I managed a rather perilous multi-point turn and escaped to drive another day. A bit more stress than we had intended, but we’ll get back on another trip.

The remainder of the day was rather more chill, with an easy walk around Portrush to Morelli’s for some excellent ice cream, and a stroll across the (packed) strand. I would hardly feel the need to leave the United Kingdom if every day was as beautiful as that one. Of course that’s an exception rather than the rule. For the most part it’s cloudy with a significant chance of rain.

I will get some more detail on here once I make my way through the photos on my camera.

More Cyberpunk

We’ve now managed to make it through both of the main scenarios towards the end of Phantom Liberty. If you haven’t played it yet, this is really worth picking up. The depth of story telling, the characters, the intrigue. They won me over before I knew Idris Elba was in the mix, and that really clinched it. And getting to watch a rocket launch? Pretty awesome. I have stopped short of getting the final ending so I can finish some of the other quest lines, but I am excited to complete it this time.

One thing I don’t appreciate as much is the need to stop you from playing on. I know there can be a story reason why it wouldn’t make sense, but in a massive open world game with loads of side quests, why wouldn’t you want someone to keep playing? Just stating “this is the end, sorry” is less satisfying for me than “the story ends here, but that doesn’t mean the fun stops”. But I guess I’m still pissed from all the time I wasted picking up items prior to the final ending which I never got to use (hint, don’t waste your time!).

New(t)s!

Removing the last of the decking in the garden revealed an exciting surprise. Three Smooth Newts (I believe) in their terrestrial phase. It’s great to see some more wildlife around the garden.

The garden is a work in progress, but it’s getting there.

Baking

One of my go-to bakes are amaretti biscuits. And by go-to I mean annual. And by annual I mean, if you’re lucky. I do try and make them at least once a year at Christmas, but this time I made an exception for a friend’s birthday. The recipe is from Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen, and they are one of the most reliable things I make. I would highly recommend even if you thought you weren’t that into amaretti (like me). These ones are soft and a little chewy rather than dry and brittle. Delicious.

One thing I tend to make more than once a year is Okinawan taco rice. I have mentioned it on the blog before and I will continue to sing its praises as a straightforward but delicious fusion meal with seasoned beef mince served on top of white rice and covered with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and cheese. This time we added some cucumber and a sprinkling of Tajin seasoning. I will never tire of taco rice, and with it the memories of that island paradise flood back.