Have camera will travel

Up early and on the coach, it was sunny around 6, but now it is raining – tears of sorrow that we are leaving.
It was a quick drive down to Troon. We got there early because there was little traffic, so we stopped by the beach for a bit. We wandered toward the North Sea, but got sidetracked taking photos we some of our fellow travellers. Once that was done, we quickly walked across the sand to the water. We each took off a shoe and stepped into the North Sea. It wasn’t really cold, actually it would have been if more than one foot was in it.
Off to the ferry, and luckily we weren’t one of the coaches to get searched. Half of us gotoff and walked on board, the rest of us were slow and stayed on the coach until Steve drove it on. The coach barily fit on. The front mirrors were about 2 inches from the low hanging wall, and it looked like the back was hanging off. For security reasons everyone had to leave the car deck and go upstairs. There weren’t that many people on board, so it wasn’t crowded. We found a seat up top – not outside – and cozied in for a 2 hr ride.
This ferry seems way smaller than the BC ferrys to the island. And the only place you can go outside is the smoking area. So inside it was. It was a little touch and go for a bit, but my stomach settled down and all was ok. I fell asleep fora bit, so the ride seemed short.
We walked off the ferry and then boarded the coach. Off we went through Northern Ireland, hugging the coast. Beautiful green grass and some sunshine. A few clouds but nothing serious, and the temp was 19 !
We made our way to the Giants Causeway. Wow ! Nice rugged coast line with about 40,000 basalt columns supposedly from a volcanic eruption.
According to legend (better story), the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant. The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool) was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet. In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realizes that his foe is much bigger than him. Fionn’s wife, Úna, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the ‘baby’, he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants. He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Fionn could not follow.[8] Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal’s Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.
We were there clammering over the rocks for about 2 hours. Nice, but a lot of people as this a “bank holiday weekend” – what the heck is that?
Then on toward Derry or Londonderry depending on where your sympathies lie. Again we went through green country side with sheep and cows (or as the Scots day coos).
Into Derry around 6, and then down for supper at 7:30. Lots of laughter and plenty of talk about just about everything, from the tour itself to world politics.
The Jazz festival is on so the hotel is jumping.