Twisted Kites

Sorry it’s late…! Posting my journal from my holiday bit by bit.

Saturday
——–
Nice flight across, Aer Lingus are very good. Sat right at the back of the plane, by the window, accompanied by Nerina Pallot (playing on my iPod). Leather seats too! And the coffee on board was a fair price. Friendly staff, Irish of course. Captain was really good, had a relaxing Irish accent, much nicer to listen to than the English ones. Plus a near perfect landing it seemed. It was quite nice sitting at the very back row, some strange motions obviously and also interesting watching the flaps and actually seeing how they affect the ‘crafts movement.
Some nice views over Staffordshire, looking over at Runcorn, Liverpool then the Isle of Man on the right (I couldn’t what was on the left although obviously it was Cheshire and North Wales, plus some stunning views over Ireland as we approached, I need to find out where it was. Came into the far end of Dublin Airport so there was lots of fun heavy banking as it curved round. Must be something to do with wind direction and all that stuff.
Landed about 1530, my bag was on the carousel fairly quickly (every time I’m at that carousel I always think “will it arrive?!” Does everyone think that?). Quickly out of the airport, via the loo, and at the bus stop by 1600.

1615: Local bus from airport to Busaras was very quick, it only makes two stops in town so no messing about. Even better, where the bus stopped at the bus station, my hotel was almost immediately over the road! And I have a tram stop round the corner. The railway bridge runs behind, and Connolley station is a few minutes away. Nice!
Hotel Isaacs is very nice, room on 2nd floor with no view apart from a little courtyard thing and the backs of other building but that doesn’t bother me. I’m only a few minutes away from the Liffey. Checked in about 1630 I think, not too sure as I wasn’t paying that much attention. Staff seem friendly. Room has a keycard which is great. I much prefer the card locks as that fits nicely into my wallet. No physical keys that have to be lugged around or given to the desk each time, with the fear of losing it.

1700: It is hot and sunny in Dublin today. So after checking out the room, it was a quick change into t-shirt, shorts and sandals. If it’s nice weather I’m making the most! So off out again. First stop (after the information office, for some…umm…information) was a delicious crepe from Lemon, I love that little place. Then it was time for a nice stroll round the city, and the taking of some photos. Nice to see quite a few other people taking photos too, I don’t mean touristy shots but people making the most of the beauty with proper cameras.
Especially in St. Stephen’s Green, that is a lovely little park. A fraction of the size but probably more charming than the likes of London’s Royal parks. I wandered round there, went back into town, checked out the street acts around Grafton Street, of which there were plenty.
1830: Picked up a bag of chips from Dublin’s ‘oldest chipper’, which incidentally has been visited by tens of famous people, including U2 (guess they’ve been everywhere here!), Peter Andre, George Michael’s Band (I guess Georgie isn’t a chip fan) and many other names which I can’t remember, A list and Z list, mostly Irish. No doubt I’ll pop in again sometime, I’ll grab another look at the big board of fame on the wall inside. So I took my chips and went back to St. Stephen’s Green and lazed on the grass in the evening sunshine with loads of other people equally lazy (7pm, still lovely out!) munching and reading up on things to do. Beautiful.

Just that short spell a-wandering round Dublin is enough to remind me why I love the place. The people, the buzz, the colours and the charm. AKA ‘the craic’ so I believe. Hmm in that sentence TextEdit think that ‘colours’ is spelt wrong. Twice now. Anyway, where was I…

2030: Came back to my room for half hour or so for a rest, checked out the wireless networks and my room can get the hotel’s network. Well, just, signal is very low as I’m high up, but the provider’s welcome page works perfectly well so the rest of the net should be fine. Might treat myself to a voucher in the week, we’ll see. Then I started typing this ‘journal’ thing which I’ll probably post to my blog at the end. Yes I guess it will be long, so I’ll probably highlight words and phrases to break the monotony. Just to note, all times I’ve written here are approximate! There is more to life that looking at my watch in Ireland.
As for my room at Hotel Isaacs, it’s pretty nice. The view I’ve mentioned. I have two beds (shame there’s nobody to use the other one!), a TV with a nice selection of channels on some shelves, dressing table, bedside tables, stool, a couple of lamps, drawers, kettle and the usual tea making bits, iron and ironing board, a wooden thing with straps across it (no idea!), hairdryer, my own in-room safe, phone, obligatory bible (if I believed in all that) and a clothes rail.
Plus an en-suite of course, with the usual sink/shower/loo and a bath. A bath!! En-siute has a nice stone-tiled floor.
The hotel is different too, an open staircase and a lift goes up the the rooms, on my floor my room is around a few corners and up a little flight of stairs then past a mixture of normal/glass brick/open stone walls. Very unusual. There is also a cafe, a bar and a full on Italian restaurant on site.

2100: Off out again to catch the Saturday evening buzz. Got some nice pictures as it got dark. Including a drunken Irish bloke who really wanted to be in shot at the bottom of O’Connell Street. Had a nice stroll east towards the docks, about half a dozen French military boats moored up (not full frigate size ones). Returned via the Grand Canal Docks and Pearse Street back into the main area. Temple Bar was heaving. Well it is Saturday night, and full of Brits most likely.
Dublin really comes alive at night. Shops and bars open, thousands of other people all out enjoying it, lots of funky lighting, traffic traffic traffic! yes, whatever you may have heard about Dublin traffic it’s all true. About 2330 and it’s still queueing. OK not rush hour queues but, still.

2330: Back in now, call it a day. I must have walked miles today, I can sure feel it! Not a complaint, I enjoy walking. probably the best way to spend the first evening. Relaxing with a bit of Regina Spektor and a Guinness. Well I have to have Guinness on the first night in Dublin. Think I’ll ’sign out’ for today. Just realised how long these notes are…I don’t think I’ll post it to my blog in one chunk! Today’s will probably be the longest bit, seeing as its the first day. Sorry, I keep extending it…!

I have selected about 60 photos from my collection taken when I was away in Ireland.  These will be blogged shortly.

Do you want to see them before I blog them? Well I’ve uploaded them to my Facebook account. Find me on there to have a look. Or if you can’t be bothered, click here.

Hope you like them, any comments on them welcome.

Yes I’m back from my week in Baile Atha Cliath. I kept a little journal journal thing while I was away, which I will post over the next few days hopefully after I’ve transferred it to my PC and finished it off. The journal isbasically  just some notes for myself really, and also a sort of offline blog entry, something I did when I had those little bits of time to relax in my hotel room. I could have used wireless internet (Wifi by the Liffey?) while I was away to blog, but decided not to as a week without the WWW would be rare, although it felt weird, I was strong.

I also need to transfer the photos over from my Macbook, then I might pick out a few to share. Took hundreds in total, that’s the beauty of digital, so easy to get carried away. But deleted all obvious rubbish ones on the camera, and at the end of the day I uploaded them to the laptop and went through removing more. Not sure how many I have to choose from now, I’ll get them across tomorrow.

Well now I’m back after the worst flight ever! No it wasn’t bad at all, actually pretty turbulant, great fun, and with one heck of a low sharp bank coming into the far end of Birmingham on approach, I could almost see down people’s chimneys! Stunning stuff. No it was just ‘worst’ because of the weather, too many clouds I could hardly see a thing out the window. A quick glimpse of Ireland whilst rising, that was it until a glimpse of Merseyside, decent view over West Midlands then as we shot out past Solihull and did the low level sweep over west Warwickshire. As soon as I got through Arrivals, the clouds returned and i was welcomed back to heavy rain and a thunderstorm.

The airport at Dublin cost me too much money too. Bargains = simply buy more of. Oops.

Hope everyone had a good week.

Holiday today! About half an hour before I have to leave for the airport.

Hope I’ve not forgotten to pack anything. Already took some non essential out so I can bring goodies back without going overweight hopefully.

I’ve put in a tube of Pringles into my case. Hope it survives the baggage handlers. Pringlecrumbs just aren’t as tasty.

iPod is charged, I have a book to read, Euros sorted for the shuttle bus. Shame I have to buy a drink either on the plane or Airside, as I can’t even take my own bottle of water through. I always have a bottle of water with me. Sure I’ll survive a few hours.

Obviously, I might not be blogging while away unless I find bargain wifi! I think the hotel has it in places, something I’ll find out about when I get there.

BUT!! Through the powers of magic (or a Wordpress feature) some blog entries may appear randomly without me having to do anything. Yes, future scheduled posts, aren’t they fantastic.

Have a nice week everyone, doing whatever it is you’re doing.

Just over a week before I go away. Looking forward to it
Picked up an up-to-date small guide book (as my other one hasn’t even got the Spire in it), always useful to carry around even though I’ve been a couple of times before. My flight is early afternoon on saturday, probably the best time as I can get a lie in, not rush, jump on a train and mooch over to BHX, have a shop and a drink before take-off, arrive a couple of hours after check in-time (isn’t it annoying when some places don’t have you accommodation ready in time?!) and have the evening to stroll along the Liffey and relax.

It’s almost too perfect, but the hotel seems to be right opposite the central bus station and tram stop, and a tram ride or short walk to the main railway station. Last time I stayed it was a ‘healthy stroll’ to my digs. Doubt there’ll be much of a view, but I’m only there to sleep. If I want a view I’ll go outside
Hope to get some nice photos whilst I’m over there, although I have no confidence in having good weather! But, that said, wouldn’t you rather have crappy weather in Dublin than crappy weather stuck at home? Hope it doesn’t spoil the view from the plane, I like to look down on the world! Very pretty. Although if there is no view, at least it’ll be guaranteed to be gloriously sunny above the clouds.

Will try to visit the city, coast and hills if possible, plus have at least one day ‘away’ to one of the other main cities in Ireland, not sure which yet though.

My mum said she wants to visit Dublin sometime. So I told her to come over for a day trip. So she will, has booked a trip on Eurolines (out overnight, 12 hours there, return next night, quite ideal) as she could do with a day out, she’s not been too well lately so it’ll do her good (she’s been diagnosed with a muscle problem that’s uncurable so has to take steroids for a couple of years at least). She’s never been to Ireland so it’s somewhere new for her.

Return on the following saturday, midday flight again so will make sure I can have time to spend my last Euros in the airport shops. Last time I went I got there a bit early and spent ages wandering ‘The Street‘. Not a bad thing though, I’m always one to arrive preferably early than on-time.

It’s bank holiday weekend. I’m I’m working it yet again! The last couple of B/Hs have had relatively good traffic, not so much this weekend. Wonder if it’ll be any better this evening.

Managed to finally find some of those really nice chocolates that I mentioned on my old blog. Good old Woolworths! I thought I’d probably have to wait til I went to Ireland (as theyre Irish) so was nice to find them. They are milk chocolate filled with caramel and a dark chocolate top. Not too sweet, just right.

Less than 2 weeks til i go away. That is plenty of time for the sunshine to return. Yesterday was raining and windy and horrible to drive in. Even more so as the cars on the motorway cannot handle it (even drizzle) and slow to 50 like idiots (if they can’t drive on the motorway, get OFF the motorway!) so have to try weave round them using whatever gaps are possible (because they sit at 50 in all lanes no matter what’s around).

Even walking down the Chinese last night it was so cold and blustery it felt like November. Horrible.