Ethiopia trip: the day before departure

Julian Hills (director), Andy Edger (camera) and myself (location sound) geared up and met at Julian's house and got on the road to Kilkenny at 7.30. The purpose of the visit was to meet Tara, get her used to us and the prospect of having a camera, mic and director stuck in her face at all times of the day and night, and also to meet her family and reassure them that as a crew we were OK and non-intimidating. And also to film some biographical material for the documentary.

We arrived at Tara's family home and were welcomed by Mary and Rick, her parents. Got some tea down us after the peculiarly Irish trait of saying 'no' but meaning 'yes' and then started working with Tara. She's great, a natural and smart to boot. We shot some material around the stove and in Rick's workshop where it was devised. Rick is a fascinating man, and inventor-engineer-artist and lover of the sea, a man who is clearly a great influence on Tara, as is her mother Mary, from whom Tara inherits her wit, charm and élan.

We finished up in the afternoon when preparations were being made by Tara and her family to depart for Dublin that evening, ready for the 6.15 flight to London next morning.

The crew headed home to snatch a few hours sleep.