Chapter 28
twenty-eight
BéBHINN
Snowdonia Way Mountain Route
Daily Journal
Day 10
Holyhead Ferry to Dublin
Dad,
I’m on my way home, Dad! I did it! I completed the mountain route, and God, I wish you could have been by my side when I stood above Conwy Castle. I know exactly what you would have said in that moment. “We’re not in Oklahoma, sweet girl, that’s for sure.”
You’d be right. No red dirt here, but surely Wales and Oklahoma have the same stunning blue skies.
I just finished a greasy ferry meal and returned messages to my friends—I already called Mom, of course. I couldn’t wait to tell you how the last few days of the hike went until I got home, so here we are.
For starters, I got stuck in a snowstorm (yeah, I know, my sidekick, Hubris, thought we could beat the weather) and slept in a cave. Good news, your teachings and that badass survival course you made me take made navigation and building a fire a breeze.
Side note: I had a guest. His name is Dagr Griffiths, and he also got caught in the storm. See! I wasn’t the only one who thought they could make it out in time.
When I first saw Dagr from behind, I thought it was Bran or Pat. I know. Crazy. In my defense, how many people do you know with white, WHITE hair besides your sons and grandsons?
Well, it’s that white and his frame is similar to my brothers’. What was I to think? Anyway, he is great. He’s a solicitor in London. He grew up in Wales, though. I’ll tell you more about his job when I get to know him better.
I should have mentioned that we’ve decided to stay friends. I admit that I think he’s handsome, but I think he is only interested in friendship. Since I’ve gotten on the ferry, I’ve decided that it’s probably for the best.
He came along when I needed someone who was just mine. I know you know what I’m saying. You loved your whole family, but you had Mom. She was your person. I think Dagr could be mine.
You would like him. Of that, I am sure. Who knows, someday he might become friends with the rest of the family. For now, though, I’d like to keep him to myself.
I do promise never to forget the sat phone on any big hikes. #Regrets.
Mom sounded good on the phone. I know you probably always worry. I do too.
Back to the hike, I took a ton of pictures and plan on developing some of them to stick in this journal.
Wales doesn’t have big predators like the States, so the pics are mostly of small, scurrying animals, sheep, goats, and wild horses.
No big predators around these parts, thank Christ. Your home country can keep them.
So, I intended to write daily on this hike. There were a few impediments to putting pen to paper every day. I will still write to you, but not every day.
I want to give you my thoughts and feelings, and when they’re important enough, I will. I want to mark important events by talking to you this way. It helps me, and I’d like to believe that you know I’m doing it.
You will always be my dad.
You’ll always be my best friend.
You’ll always be my hero.
Until I pick up a pen again, you have my love, Dad.
Your daughter,
Bébhinn