Kilkeel 20:45

Oh, well. My trip to Ireland has started with frustration, or, perhaps, with another difficult lesson.

I got close to the AirBnB and the light was getting just incredibly gorgeous. It was setting over some hills and there are green meadows with sheep and stone walls, trees and light filtering through leaves. At one spot, driving on the road, the air was filled with sunlit flies. None of which, it turns out, did I photograph.

I had set my sights on shooting a funnel at the edge of a dam, and I thought I might just be able to get there before the light disappeared. It was a race against time, and I choose not to shoot the amazing scenes around me, in favor of trying to get to that location by car (although I did stop at one parking lot, which, of course, was the wrong location).

I got to the AirBnB and was greeted by two dogs in the driveway. A bit strange, given that I had rented the "whole house/apartment". This appears to be a true BnB. I went to the door and rang the doorbell, and was answered by what appeared to be about a 8-10 year old boy in Superman pyjamas. 

I told him I was looking for the given address, and he said, yes, this was the place, but his mom was away at the moment. I told him I had rented an entire house, and he said, no, it's just a room. Ah ha. 

A little later, his sister arrived (about 13-15, I'd guess). She gave me a number to call. I told her about the place I was trying to find, and she gave me access to their wifi and I got directions.

After driving by more wonderful scenes, as I had feared, I drove by gates claiming that something called the “Silent Valley <something>” was closed.

Of course.

It's open from 10am to 6pm.

No chance of good pictures there, or indeed at all, at least today. Disappointing, but what else can I do but take this as a lesson. “Forget about the picture you planned. Take the picture in front of you. Seize the opportunity when it's there.”

This gives me that unpleasant feeling in my gut, but there really isn't anything to do. It was, I should remind myself, a lovely drive. No one else is going to mourn the pictures I didn't take. So why should I?

So this is a true BnB, which suggests that perhaps I'll get breakfast. I've lost the only nice weather forecast for my trip, so I can relax about shooting for the rest of the trip. For the brief second that I was outside, at the first parking lot, I heard a small fly (mosquito? midge?) buzzing around my ear. I suspect I will have fun with them this trip. 

Ah, I think the owner is coming.