ARV-G-10-21051997_Unusual Visitors_Tony Hawkes_21may1997

Tony Hawkes is traveling around Ireland with a fridge as part of a bet. He hitchhiked from Dublin to Donegal, meeting people and doing activities with the fridge along the way. People are fascinated by his journey and have been offering accommodations. He has about two and a half weeks left before he needs to be back in England. He's in contact with the friend who made the bet and is doing well so far. Tony is enjoying the journey and growing fond of the fridge, which he named Searshire. He is heading to Galway next and would appreciate any lifts from listeners. And with me in studio now is Tony Hawkes, who's travelling around Ireland with Fridge. You're very welcome, Tony. Thank you very much. It's a great surprise altogether. It's a great honour for you. Tony, tell us, why are you travelling around Ireland with Fridge? It's a question I'm being asked a fair bit, I have to say. Well, the reason is, it's actually for a bit. But it goes back to the first time I came to Ireland about nine years ago. I was travelling from Dublin to Cavan, and I was being driven there. And I saw someone by the side of the road hitchhiking with a Fridge, quite a big Fridge. And I said to the guy that was driving me, I said, was that guy hitchhiking with a Fridge? And he just went, oh yeah. And he wasn't fazed by it at all, he took it in his stride completely. And I always remembered this. I thought, well, this is a bizarre incident. Did I really see a man hitchhiking with a Fridge? And then, it was actually about six months ago, I remembered the story. We were counting at someone at a party, and we got quite drunk. And I remember saying, well, Ireland is the one country in the world where you could hitchhike with a Fridge. And he was saying, no, you can't. And I said, yes, you can, and you could. And I got involved in a bet, basically, a bet that I could hitchhike round Ireland with a Fridge. And the bet was £100, and I decided to see if I could do it. A Fridge, I have to say, cost me £130. So I'm already down on the deal. But I think, you know, it's a great way of seeing a country. You meet far more people this way. Okay, so where are you from? I'm from London. You're from London. And how long have you been in Ireland? I've been here now a week, just about a week and a half. So what has been your route? Have you hitchhiked everywhere? Yes, hitched everywhere. I started just outside Dublin. I got a bus out of Dublin to a place, Navon. I didn't really want to start hitching in the city. And then I got as far as Donegal town. And then I went all around Donegal, Bunbeg, went up to Torrey Island, right up in the north, on a ferry, hitched on a ferry, on a fishing boat. So you took the Fridge on the ferry as well? Took the Fridge to meet the King of Torrey Island. And then came back, headed back down through Strand Hill, Westport, Letterfrack, head of the universe, centre of the universe. Absolutely. And I was just setting off this morning to head for Galway, and I got intercepted and kidnapped and brought in here. Great. Well, I'm glad you did. What has been the reaction of people, Tony, to you hitching around? Well, I have to say, you know, it's as you might expect. It's like Jesus and Egypt. But usually the next line is have a pint of Guinness, you know. It's kind of tremendous, fascinated by it. And they just think it's a great crack. They can't believe it to begin with. But then they think, well, you know, good on you. You're going for it. And people get involved in thinking of things to do with the Fridge. It's been surfing. Took it surfing in Strand Hill. I managed to put it on a surfboard and managed to get it in on one wave. The guy down in, I think it's Ennis Tymone or something, down in County Clare, he's met him in a pub in Westport. He does scuba diving. He's going to take it underwater and get some pictures of it there. People just fill with ideas for this Fridge, what to do with it. So, I mean, you have a very small, two very small bags plus the Fridge. The Fridge is quite small. It's not like, you know, a Fridge that you'd have in a kitchen, but it's still a Fridge. But do you have any more bits and bobs inside the Fridge or is it? Well, I've got sort of an overspill. I use the Fridge for an overspill for what doesn't fit in the rucksack. So it's got clothes and tapes and things like that. Shoes, a pair of shoes in there. So where are you going next? Well, I was heading, I don't know really, it depends whether there's another radio station on the way before I get to the road. But I'm heading down, just down the road, and I'm going to stick my thumb out in a minute and try and get to Galway. I wouldn't mind taking it slowly. It's not that far, I don't think, Galway. So I've got all day to get there. So I might stop for lunch somewhere. And you're staying in hostels and stuff like that? Well, I've been staying in bed and breakfast. Some places I've been going, they've heard that the man with the Fridge is coming and they've offered accommodation. I've been staying, last night I stayed in a hostel. It's the first time I've stayed in a hostel for ages. How much more time have you left? That sounds like a general question about my life. No, no, I mean how much more time have you got to hitch around? Right, well I've actually got about another two and a half weeks before I need to be back in England. I took a month off. So I reckon I might do it in about, the whole trip in about three weeks. But I've got another two and a half weeks in Ireland if I survive it. So have you been in contact with your friend that you've got the bet on? I phoned him yesterday, yeah. And you've told him you're doing very well? I've told him I'm doing well. He's rather pleased, secretly. I mean, I think he was rather pleased to get rid of, you know, the fact that for £100 he could get someone to go and do something ridiculous. He's done rather well on the deal. I mean, I say I'm already down financially on this, but I think the fridge may still work at the end of it. So, you know, I'm growing rather fond of it. It's called Searshire, which I think means freedom in Gaelic. So it's a freedom fridge. Great. So you're going to be on the road to Galway today. So if anyone's listening this morning and they see Tony with his fridge, he'll be delighted with the lift, I'm sure. I would. And the very best of luck on your journey. Thank you very much. And I hope you get your £100. Thank you very much indeed. Thanks for coming in. Pleasure.