Crossing From "Lit er pole"

In Liverpool there is a shortage of syllables. The trick to understanding is to correctly guess what syllables are missing and fill in the blanks. This works fine up to about three pints after which you are totally at your own peril.

I know this for a truth as the ferry to the Isle of Man was two hours late in putting in to Liverpool. Which meant there was just enough time to get up to some mischief in a dockside pub.

Back at the terminal I was able to watch the Canadian eight man rowing team beat the British for the gold. I took this as a great sign and let out a whoop! The room went silent. I quickly filled the void with a, "good show England, second place is quite something." I feared there might be another pub incident so I asked the steward where the first class section was. I think he said "Dis is da erst class ectin inin it surr! I went and sat with some Dutch bikers heading to the Isle of Man Grand Prix. The Dutch still love the Canadians.

Judging by the aging faces and gray hairs these bikers likely watched our fathers drive the Germans out.

Sometime early Monday morning Kerrion met me at the terminal in Douglas. I swear to you now if you ever hear me complain about the BC ferry system again, you get one free shot, just shout out, "this is from the Steam Packet Line," and let me have it.

They run a high speed ferry, The Viking, which is known far and wide up and down the Irish Sea as a cursed boat. Yet the crew is wonderful considering the state of the vessel, I feel sorry for them. In any event Kerrion soon had me strapped into his truck for his own personal high speed race across the Isle. Everyone drives fast on the Isle of Man. That little old lady in the Vauxhaul, zero to sixty in eight seconds and god help you if you get in the way.

Kerrions kayaking business adventerousexperinces.com is run out his Mom and Dad's rambling farmhouse which had been overrun by kayakers from across Europe and Great Britain for the kayak symposium. This family defines graciousness. On this occasion Kerrion put me up in his room. I learned the next day that he'd spent the night in a tent. Of course the rain fell sideways all night long.