Fly a kite
So, I've found that a popular past time here in Scotland is flying kites. Most likely because the wind is always blowing. I find this particularly annoying on my daily run, but I guess I should think positively. Along with a fresh, slightly windburn look, which makes me look "outdoorsy" I think my legs get a hell of a workout running against the constant gust.
Anyway, back to the story. So, kite flying. Now, it's not like the little wimpy paper/plastic kites that kids fly. No, they take the brisk breeze seriously up here. I'm talking about kites that can, and do pull people. Sometimes as in my case, drag them along the beach, but whatever.
My boss has a "buggy" which I think I'd call something else. Maybe, three-wheeled-beach-riding-thing-pulled-by-kite. Yeah, that's a little long. I guess I just have an issue with the British word "buggy."
This fascinated all of us who attended the lab beach expedition the other week. So, one of the students went out and bought a small version of the kite to learn how to control it.
On Saturday, her, her brother, and I headed out to the Isle of May. Very cool, has puffins and a small boat that made a lot of people sea sick. We loved it of course. I'll be sure to post on that later.
After a day spent among the birds, we headed back and stopped at the beach in St. Andrews to give her kite a try. Man was that tough! It's all fine once you get the kite up in the air above you, but then a shift in the wind and your tugging with all your strength as it plummets to the wet sand with a very satisfying thump.
My arms are still sore.
However, I am proud to announce that I was not taken off my feet that much, really.
I'm going to have to get the hang of this kite thing because the next step is not the buggy for me, nope, I want to take it into the sea with one of the kite-board-thingys. That too probably has a different name. I will update on that later. If I don't end up out at sea or something.
Anyway, back to the story. So, kite flying. Now, it's not like the little wimpy paper/plastic kites that kids fly. No, they take the brisk breeze seriously up here. I'm talking about kites that can, and do pull people. Sometimes as in my case, drag them along the beach, but whatever.
My boss has a "buggy" which I think I'd call something else. Maybe, three-wheeled-beach-riding-thing-pulled-by-kite. Yeah, that's a little long. I guess I just have an issue with the British word "buggy."
This fascinated all of us who attended the lab beach expedition the other week. So, one of the students went out and bought a small version of the kite to learn how to control it.
On Saturday, her, her brother, and I headed out to the Isle of May. Very cool, has puffins and a small boat that made a lot of people sea sick. We loved it of course. I'll be sure to post on that later.
After a day spent among the birds, we headed back and stopped at the beach in St. Andrews to give her kite a try. Man was that tough! It's all fine once you get the kite up in the air above you, but then a shift in the wind and your tugging with all your strength as it plummets to the wet sand with a very satisfying thump.
My arms are still sore.
However, I am proud to announce that I was not taken off my feet that much, really.
I'm going to have to get the hang of this kite thing because the next step is not the buggy for me, nope, I want to take it into the sea with one of the kite-board-thingys. That too probably has a different name. I will update on that later. If I don't end up out at sea or something.
posted by ldbug at Monday, May 19, 2008
3 Comments:
Wow. Kites and Puffins? Sounds like a great day. :)
'three-wheeled-beach-riding-thing-pulled-by-kite'
'kite board thingy'
You've become a native already!!
;-)
They have some absolutely monster kites over here. The biggest I've seen was two stories high and took a team of five guys to control it. I've never tried those three wheeled beach riding thing pulled by a kite, but have always wanted to. Will be very interested in the report.
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