Week 16 (Day 104-110) Dolgellau sesiwn, Paul McCartney Cardiff

I was in Pencader again.  I don't really remember what happened there.  I know we went for a big walk around the fields.  Found out there's a farm called Plwmp.  "What, there's another Plwmp?"  I remember taking the bus back to Aber, just relaxed a bit.

There was another session in Dolgellau that week.

Day 48 and 49 - back to Cardiff and Aberdâr

"Dark night of the soul..."

I couldn't sleep this weekend.  There are many worries on my mind...

I came at a bad time.  I had to leave Aber because I couldn't stop playing the harp and my fingers hadn't calloused over yet.  My fingers were starting to squeak against the strings which is never a good sound.

So, off to Cardiff and my timing wasn't good.  Mel, Paul and the boys were having a tough weekend.  That should teach me.  Can't just keep showing up at people's doorsteps unannounced.

Shame though, cause I like the idea and it reminds of the way the old Melba used to be.

Let me explain the Melba.

Day 2 and 3 - Caerdydd (Cardiff)

Spent the next few days in Cardiff, the Welsh capitol.  Cardiff only has about 350,000 people but it feels much bigger than that. There's a very frantic energy in the city especially downtown Cardiff. The Welsh Assembly, Welsh National Museum, Millenium Centre, Millenium Stadium and the new St. David's Mall are all here which might explain the frenetic excitement in the city.

The first day in Cardiff, I caught a bus downtown and

Day 1 - March 9, 2010

I arrived in London with no problems. Even got to sneak my trombone on board. The pilot must have been particularly good because my ears didn't even pop on the landing. I was sitting beside a Canadian military gun machinist heading to Afghanistan which was both interesting and disconcerting. He had another two month tour there. He was a very friendly fellow, I think originally from New Brunswick. I suppose that paradoxical nature pretty much sums up Canada really. Dylan Thomas once described Swansea as "an ugly, lovely town" and I can't think of a more appropriate way to describe Canada, and more specifically, Alberta.

After landing, I caught the National Express bus from Heathrow to Newport.