The story begins on Day 3 of my trip:
I slept in again, actually to 12 this time. What a fantastic sleep it was. I got 11 hours of great sleep. Pretty sure it's still jet lag, but that is to be expected. I feel great but Sai (1) should have woken me up sooner. He informs me Jones (2) and I that he has to meet up with the city council to collect more welfare money.
(1) Sai hosted Jones and I in his house. Pretty cool and relaxed dude
(2) Gruffydd E. Jones is a friend I met one year prior when I went to Ireland for Saint Paddy's Day. We were staying at the same apartment with 6-8 other people. I connected with him the most as I met a bunch of people through the couch surfing network but something was different when we hung out. I was enamored with the way he lived his life and I believe he was only 19 at the time. He told me places to visit around the world and how great the country of Wales is. I told him I am planning to couch surf through Europe the next year and would love a travel partner. He promised to travel with me when I go through the UK (Northern Wales, Glasgow and Edinburgh). He evidently kept his promise. He also has the best Facebook profile photo I have seen to date
A pretty crazy system.
All Sai has to do is convince the council he is trying to find work and they'll give 300 pounds a week. That's nuts! I like Sai, but he is taking advantage of the system.
Anyway, due to this, we can't cycle down the coastline and visit the beaches like originally planned. Instead, Jones and I have to move along to our next place to stay. A small town named Nanttle. Jones already hooked up with the couch surfer host through text, so it's all good.
It's a bit hilarious and remarkable in the same breath since Nanttle has a population of 66, yet there is someone willing to share their home. It puts a smile on my face. So, we take the bikes back and say our goodbyes to Sai. He tells me he may meet up with me down the road, which I hope he does (3). He's a pretty cool guy and I would thoroughly enjoy his company. We will see though.
(3) He doesn't
Jones and I continue on by stopping at the market to pick up some food supplies to hold us over for two days. It only costs 11 pounds ($20). Superbly cheap. We take the bus to Talyfron and meet a young gentleman who is willing to show us the way to Nanttle. We have to walk around a bunch of quarries and a town where an emergency evacuation occurred. It was an old village with abandoned cars, ruined houses, poisonous waters, and mountains of slate.
The young man informs us the village was abandoned in the 1930's .
It's too bad. Slate is an expensive material and a lot of money could be made. I didn't understand while people just didn't come back here and take some to make a ridiculous profit.
As we walked through, the quarries and scenery is beautiful. It's absolutely remarkable to see the world through my eyes (4).
(4) I have a huge ego.
So much beauty .
I am constantly reminded of American Beauty and Lester Burnham's quote when I survey the land before me. Just breathe Derek (5)
(5) Lindsay's eyes are going to roll into the back of her head after she reads this.
Then, Jones spots a house on the highest peak in the quarry. Naturally, he suggests "Great place to have a picnic, eh Derek."
Of course I cannot say no, it is going to be great to take in the sights, plus I am fucking starving. We have rotisserie chicken, Welsh bread, hummus and various fruits to qualm our hunger. It's simply brilliant.
Afterwards, we move to our destination of Nanttle to meet George Lockett, our couch surfing host. He is a very nice fellow. He welcomes us with open arms and right as we are done putting down our bags, he offers to take us to the beach.
Fucking A Right
I have been looking to swim a bit after we were supposed to today anyway. On the trip over to the beach, I ask questions about George's life. What I hear blows my mind.
George Lockett is a semi-famous spiritual healer and been practicing it for 20 plus years. He has written multiple books about the subject, been interviewed countless times, and runs his own website. He followed this lifestyle after studying meditation for 10 years in monasteries around the world. Through his travels, he has met people who levitate themselves, objects, and even walk through walls (6). He states he obtained the ability to remove himself spiritually from his body and explore the universe. The man gets up at 4 or 5 everyday and meditates for hours. He is at total peace with himself. I can't help but admire and marvel at his life journey.
(6) I know this sounds crazy and unbelievable. I still believe him today. It was the way he was talking about it. Very calm and collected. Never sounded like he was gloating or bragging. He was just discussing his life work like someone explaining what they do as a bank teller. I don't know. It's just the way he was talking. It made me a believer.
We get to the beach and my excitement is overwhelmed when I see the water. I enter the other side of the Atlantic immediately.... and then Jones tackles me. It is pretty cold, but I have been in colder. I ask Jones what he thinks of George's lifestyle.
He's heard of it before and actually experienced this first hand.
Not himself exactly, but as a witness.
He was in the Himalayas and this Buddhist monk who has been teaching his practices for years was going to a special burial place to die and be reborn in another entity. This wasn't a funeral. It was a celebration. The whole community gathered around and cheered for him as this was the most beautiful way to pass on. Everyone was generally happy for him as he was practicing the most praiseful act one can perform. The most amazing thing is he just walked in a tomb to die under his own will and belief.
I still can't fathom how one person can just walk to his death when there is nothing wrong with that individual. It blew my mind.
After Jones told me the story, I swim a 1/3 of a mile to get some good exercise. It feels good to swim.
When George takes us back, Jones suggest our next adventure.
Hike Crib Goch and Snowdon Mountain.
I have never heard of Crib Goch, but we do some research and it is the number 1 trail in the UK for extreme hikers to partake in. I am excited until he shows me some pictures. It is a knife edge mountain cliff over 3000 feet in the air and many of people have died trying to cross it. I am now bound with fear and start to psych myself out. I regrettably look at some more photos and youtube videos about the mountain but one video raises my spirits.
These gents walk briskly across the mountain with ease and a hint. I got this.
The weather is sunny in the video and information suggests you don't traverse Crib Goch when it rains, fogs, and/or is extremely windy.
We shall see what tomorrow's weather brings.
Nighty night
The young man informs us the village was abandoned in the 1930's .
It's too bad. Slate is an expensive material and a lot of money could be made. I didn't understand while people just didn't come back here and take some to make a ridiculous profit.
As we walked through, the quarries and scenery is beautiful. It's absolutely remarkable to see the world through my eyes (4).
(4) I have a huge ego.
So much beauty .
I am constantly reminded of American Beauty and Lester Burnham's quote when I survey the land before me. Just breathe Derek (5)
(5) Lindsay's eyes are going to roll into the back of her head after she reads this.
Then, Jones spots a house on the highest peak in the quarry. Naturally, he suggests "Great place to have a picnic, eh Derek."
Of course I cannot say no, it is going to be great to take in the sights, plus I am fucking starving. We have rotisserie chicken, Welsh bread, hummus and various fruits to qualm our hunger. It's simply brilliant.
Afterwards, we move to our destination of Nanttle to meet George Lockett, our couch surfing host. He is a very nice fellow. He welcomes us with open arms and right as we are done putting down our bags, he offers to take us to the beach.
Fucking A Right
I have been looking to swim a bit after we were supposed to today anyway. On the trip over to the beach, I ask questions about George's life. What I hear blows my mind.
George Lockett is a semi-famous spiritual healer and been practicing it for 20 plus years. He has written multiple books about the subject, been interviewed countless times, and runs his own website. He followed this lifestyle after studying meditation for 10 years in monasteries around the world. Through his travels, he has met people who levitate themselves, objects, and even walk through walls (6). He states he obtained the ability to remove himself spiritually from his body and explore the universe. The man gets up at 4 or 5 everyday and meditates for hours. He is at total peace with himself. I can't help but admire and marvel at his life journey.
(6) I know this sounds crazy and unbelievable. I still believe him today. It was the way he was talking about it. Very calm and collected. Never sounded like he was gloating or bragging. He was just discussing his life work like someone explaining what they do as a bank teller. I don't know. It's just the way he was talking. It made me a believer.
We get to the beach and my excitement is overwhelmed when I see the water. I enter the other side of the Atlantic immediately.... and then Jones tackles me. It is pretty cold, but I have been in colder. I ask Jones what he thinks of George's lifestyle.
He's heard of it before and actually experienced this first hand.
Not himself exactly, but as a witness.
He was in the Himalayas and this Buddhist monk who has been teaching his practices for years was going to a special burial place to die and be reborn in another entity. This wasn't a funeral. It was a celebration. The whole community gathered around and cheered for him as this was the most beautiful way to pass on. Everyone was generally happy for him as he was practicing the most praiseful act one can perform. The most amazing thing is he just walked in a tomb to die under his own will and belief.
I still can't fathom how one person can just walk to his death when there is nothing wrong with that individual. It blew my mind.
After Jones told me the story, I swim a 1/3 of a mile to get some good exercise. It feels good to swim.
When George takes us back, Jones suggest our next adventure.
Hike Crib Goch and Snowdon Mountain.
I have never heard of Crib Goch, but we do some research and it is the number 1 trail in the UK for extreme hikers to partake in. I am excited until he shows me some pictures. It is a knife edge mountain cliff over 3000 feet in the air and many of people have died trying to cross it. I am now bound with fear and start to psych myself out. I regrettably look at some more photos and youtube videos about the mountain but one video raises my spirits.
These gents walk briskly across the mountain with ease and a hint. I got this.
The weather is sunny in the video and information suggests you don't traverse Crib Goch when it rains, fogs, and/or is extremely windy.
We shall see what tomorrow's weather brings.
Nighty night
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