Day 10 - Montauk

The day started with a leisurely sleep-in. I slept well - the memory foam mattress at the B&B meant I got quite hot and sweaty. ODH (my roommate) had already decamped by the time I deigned to wake. A couple of cuppas, some gorgeous poppyseed cake, and through the hedge I went.

After another HUGE cuppa tea at Harri's (I'd run out of milk here), I sat about and chatted a bit, then decided to wander off towards town, perhaps a mile away, walking along the beach.



It was a mild, overcast day, with a light breeze - long sleeve t-shirt weather. I did dip my toes in the water, to wash the sand out of my shoes (crocs). I then stood on the sand in agony for a minute or so as the pain of the really very cold water wore off. No swimming for me!

Once in town, I went into the IGA and got a few essentials (milk, cereal, tea) and some lunch (it was noon by now) - a tub of yoghurt and some stuffed mushrooms from the hot food self serve. (Sorry, no pics) They were good - a spinach and breadcrumb mix, topped with cheese, baked, each about 1.5"-2" diameter, a little less high - four for $1.60 or so (sold by weight).

Montauk very much has a high season, and the rest of the year. I understand the town population swells from around 3,000 people to about 50,000 over the summer months, as those that can afford to escape the sweltering cesspit that NewYork becomes for a few months of the year.

So the IGA was running winter hours (still pretty good), the servo was undergoing major reconstruction, and closed for the winter, a number of the motels claimed "Open year round" suggesting that many of the others are not. The mini-golf was clearly in a state of disrepair (the fibreglass bear was standing at a very rakish angle), and a number of other businesses were closed/buildings vacated.

I walked back to where we were all staying, and rejoined the conversations - there were usually several going on at the same time, much like on BW. It was sort of like the stage show version of the book, but even louder and with less plot.

Mid-afternoon, I decided to go for a nanna nap, knowing I wouldn't last the evening otherwise (and whilst I love them all dearly, I also needed a little quiet time). A number of people commented that they wish they'd thought to have an afternoon kip too, and flaked relatively early.

The bonfire planned for this evening was thwarted by the high tide - with the tide up, there's not sufficient clearance from the dunes to have a fire, so we had hot dogs and red velvet cake and chips and cookies and cheetos and lots of other junk food. I paced myself with my alcohol, having only two rather large, but reasonably dilute V&Ts for the evening. I was still a little headachy, but I suspect that's more dehydration than anything else.

I was in bed by midnight, soberish, hoarse from talking and laughing to much, less sunburnt than many, having had a very delightful day with a good bunch of friends.