When Ramblin' first suggested a trip to Wales to shoot some video I was a tiny bit  concerned knowing his taste for "summiting" any thing that tips up into the clouds. I had visions of dragging behind him up into the sky. He did actually get me some way up a very steep ( for me ) walk called Watkin's path which gave me a taste of why people do that mad stuff. It's not at all mad. In fact it is a clear indication of sanity in my opinion. I shall try it again and try to go further. We shot some yoiking at the edge of a beautiful lake by a tree that had bent in the wind and looked like a large bonsai. We shot some more on our walk. Some of the bits and pieces look quite good. I haven't seen what is on the other camera that Ramblin' used yet. Wind was a problem but I know how to fix that. main thing was we had fun. In the end it will be about ideas, atmosphere and spontaniety in an evocative setting. 

On the day before we left I could see Ramblin' needed to do his walking up mountains thing. 
We had been looking at some caves made by copper miners many years ago. These poor guys used to live in small stone huts in the mountains working all hours. The missus could visit once a week to bring them neccessary provisions. They could only buy the candles they needed for their work from the boss so he always took a percentage of their earnings back. It is difficult to imagine how these people survived on the slopes of Snowdon in winter. Their lives must have been sheer drudgery. I wonder what they enjoyed and how they relaxed if and when they could afford to. Fair days pay for a fair days work? Not for them.
We both sat looking at the mountain and Ramblin' decided he would try to reach the lower cave. I said I would stay in our camp while he walked up the mountain.

He is pictured below just before disappearing into the tree line at the base of the mountain.

I watched him through binoculars later on the top of the climb striding along with his hill walking sticks and then shooting some footage at the top. He waved and signalled he was coming down. In what seemed like a short time he re-appeared by our tents exhausted but happy. He'd failed to reach the cave so decided he would go to the top instead. 

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Camping with Ramblin' is like having an eccentric Sherpa who speaks your kind of language and knows you very well. He has all he needs with him and also all you need ( Apart from best Welsh bacon which I had to provide for myself. Fair enough he is a vegetarian after all lol!).

Ramblin'just called as I was writing this. I told him what I was doing and he said " How embarrassing". It's not though is it? I've bigged him up 'aint it tho?

Thanks mate it was fun, educating and, as always,  a bit special.

Update : There are now 7 available Fair days pay for a fair days work  shows for 2011.

peace