backpacking 
The drama has apparently passed - our great new Aussie friend, Ben, was at work today during the dayshift so that he could get his mate, Mark this evening. Ben's wifey was with them both tonite when I arrived and there was a fun buzz regarding the new myspace page. www.myspace.com/mervsrestaurant
Mark, like Ben, has done an impressive amount of travel in the past couple of years - he told me stories of southeast Asia, Europe, eastern Europe, and the states. I never began to travel until I got into trucking and could afford it, at age 38 or so, and Ben and Mark are in their mid-20's. Like them, I did a couple of years of hostels and backbacking, but unlike them, I have always been a bit intimidated with the more extreme ventures either in culture or in language. After a couple of years, I quickly graduated to nicer hotels and familiar places and I'm sorry I haven't found the strong adventure to pry myself away from the comfort of Ireland and get out to the south Pacific, or even China or Russia, all places I want to see someday. But Mark is still the carefree spirit letting his schedule be determined by the money in his pocket and the promises of places to stay he has gathered from previous trips. It'd be cool to go off with them for a while, but of course even Ben, now married, is probably beyond that freedom. Still, the stories set against the backdrop of good tunes, cold beer, and the click of pool balls is fun! Or, as the Irish say - good craic!
Cheers! Ben on the left, Mark on the right
