A grand day out – 2

We stopped only once on the way to Dublin.

Breakfast at McDonalds at Sprucefield retail park just south of Belfast. I feel like it is our regular stop-off point even though we’ve stopped there just two times before!

The girls were soon asleep again and we passed unseen from Northern Ireland to the Republic. Unseen only in the sense that there was no border control, no passport checking. Not even a sign indicating you were now in Ireland. I know that we were already in the island of Ireland but the South has different currency, road signs, sovreignty, political system and language and yet no outward national signals – flags or border posts.

Unseen except that as between Scotland and England there are cameras recording who comes in and goes out; not in your face tucked neatly beside a roadsign. Someone saw us.

We moved to 120kmh from the placid 70mph and continued South. The satnav started to behave itself – obviously this road was less new than those in the North. As we arrived in the Dublin suburbs, the girls woke: “Are we there yet?” “No – go back to sleep!”

The satnav came into its own now helping us navigate through a few odd side streets and then down a lane. You do what the satnav tells you – unless it’s illegal of course. An there we were at the entrance to the car park of Cassidy’s Hotel. Eventually we snuck into their very tiny and cramped car park with only a little difficulty and checked in.

The time was just after 10.00 and 5 hours till match time. We variously got a quick wash and brush up and those who were waiting chose one of the many attractions in the town.

When I returned from giving my face a quick wash, I sorted out the travel arrangements – walk to Abbey street, grab a Luas and go a few stops West.

Where did we go?

Come back tomorrow and foind out!

JohnF

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No it’s….

We headed down to Ayrshire yesterday.

We’ve had our caravan at Craig Tara for as long as I can remember now and we’ve pretty much decided to move it. Craig Tara is great for kids and those who want a beer drinking, nightclub-by, dancing and partying sort of holiday. Hang on though, I’m not saying that everyone who stays there does any or all of those things but that’s the kind of facilities that they offer and which we end up paying for as part of the annual site fees whether you want it or not.

We don’t, so we’re thinking of moving. We love Ayrshire now so we want to stay in the “shire” by the sea and we’ve found what could be the ideal spot – no holiday lettings; friends and family only. I’m not telling you what it’s called – I don’t want you getting there first! I promise though, when we move to let you into the secret.

Anyhow, on the way back up to Saltcoats to get a new bed for Moscow, our Big Black Daft Russian Terrier, we noticed, as we passed the big roundabout at Ayr on the A77, cars stopped in every lay-by, people out standing on the grass verge in our beautiful summer rain. Every slip road, country lane, every nook and cranny was filled with cars and people looking to the sky.

Maybe Airforce 1 is due to land at Prestwick (or as it’s known, Glasgow Prestwick International) Airport? Maybe the alien invasion is starting? Maybe our troops are coming home from Afghanistan?

We eventually pulled in at the next big roundabout and Maureen, my wife, got out and asked a person standing with his eyes, ears and binoculars all trained at the grey, low cloud that was Ayrshire on Saturday, 5^th September 2009.

“We’re waiting for the new Airbus 380. 500 seater. Can you imagine it”, he said, “a 500 seater?”

I couldn’t. But I didn’t have to wait too long: it flew over us a few minutes later what seemed like just 500 feet up in the air, did a major left hand turn over the airport and another loop round before flying off towards Northern Ireland. I think it had escaped from the Airshow at Portrush we’d heard about on the BBC Ulster travel report earlier that day. Since you missed it, here’s it’s picture in Emirates colours we saw it in Airbus colours.

500 seater, you know….!

JohnF