|
Marathon adventure in the saddle  Artist
and cyclist-explorer Sima Gonsai has just returned home to Birmingham
following an extraordinary 900 mile trip of coastal Ireland — on
her bike.
Sima has mapped an alternative Ireland inspired by the stories and recommendations
of those willing to join in with the adventure. Some of these people she
met en route in Ireland and other ideas came from the Irish community
in Birmingham.
Starting from Dublin and finishing in Belfast six weeks later —
she pedalled 40 miles a day passing through many counties, cities, towns
and villages asking local Irish folk where to travel next.
Sima stopped at Wicklow, Waterford, Cork, the ring of Kerry, Clare, Galway,
Connemara, Donegal, Derry and completed the grand tour in Belfast.
She met an array of enthusiastic strangers including Irish Elvis, The
Best Barmen in Wicklow, Conrouche’s very own John Wayne, the quarrymen
from Sneem, Billy the Pro in Lisdoonvarna, Mayo Man from Galway, the Donegal
Carpenters, Terry from Derry and the show dogs from Larne.
Over 70 people filled in postcards telling Sima a story and destination
to discover and over 600 people followed her blog on the internet.
For the six weeks of her trip, Sima cycled against all the elements, up
mountains, along dual carriageways, braving gale force winds, 100kph speed
limits — and miraculously, she didn’t get one puncture.
But the cycling was only half the work.
Having spent the morning travelling to a destination, Sima would spend
the rest of the day getting locals involved with the project.
She said: “I met so many wonderful people who were enthusiastic
about the trip.
“They were absolutely shocked that I was travelling alone and sent
me on my way with helpful routes and personal stories.
“The project had a huge response with the press following my story
and people recognising me along the way.
“I would reach a village in the evening and the whole place would
know who I was by the morning.”
Sima’s aim for the project was to create a portrait of Ireland that
contrasts and compares memories, stories and experiences from migrant
Irish communities in Birmingham (her adopted home city), resident Irish
communities and her own perspective as an artist from a family that migrated
to Britain from India in the 1970s.
Sima’s adventures are now to be written into a book and made into
a film, both outlining an alternative map of Ireland with anecdotes and
stories from the Birmingham and Ireland communities which will be distributed
to people who contributed to the project.
She said: “I am now writing my travel book which will include many
of those I met that inspired and helped in making this adventure a success.
“I want to give back to those who willingly gave their time and
friendship.”
See www.myspace.com/cycledialoguespress
for further details. |
