The plan was to meet up at the Brisbane airport before setting off on our different flights then meet up again at the Dublin Airport. Sue was flying UAE and I was on an Qatar flight and there was just an hour between them. Our planned departure meet-up never happened as the queue through security delayed Sue and I had to leave earlier than expected to walk a thousand miles to gate 73! It didn’t matter -we had phone contact.
I settled in beside my flying companions -Thelma and Louise (AKA-Ann). They were embarking on an incredible European adventure which sounded so intense I was exhausted just listening. I have no doubt they are in for quite a ride. The pair were so full of fun and laughter and obviously up for the adventure. Louise discovered the basic design fault in the cup-holder resulting in a new notion of ‘hot-pants’ and Thelma educated me on the amazing qualities of cob horses- renowned for their beauty and temprament. I was totally entertained.
Cattle-class is hard work and a fourteen-hour leg has become a little beyond this septuagenarian and lining up at Dubai for another seven and a half hour stint, I was contemplating the future of air travel for me and thinking how much I appreciated being horizontal and then the Irish National Rugby team saunted in and I was suddenly feeling quite petite. A few of them headed into business class but the majority joined us in economy and folded themselves into their seats. The only people that seemed comfortable were children under ten and babes in their mother’s arms.
Dublin airport is not very big but somehow I could still confuse Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, which by the way are both very small and separated by a very short walk. I was tired and telling my other half that I had landed and was waiting for Sue in Terminal 1 and she should be with me soon. A very polite man sidled over to me and whispered in my ear, ‘Oh please excuse me. I don’t mean to be rude but I heard you on the phone. You are actually in Terminal 2.’ OK – these sort of things are very important and I really need to get them right. I thanked him and checked the text I had sent. We met up, bought a Leap card for public transport and a Sim card for our phone and we were on a roll. Dublin…here we come!
Sue had mastered the data on her phone and calculated where we should get off and walk the short distance to the hotel. It was cold- eight degrees. We checked in and resolved to delay giving in to overwhelming tiredness. No sleep before eight- another four hours!!!!
We crossed the Ha’Penny bridge and just minutes into our sojourn we were captivated by the euphoric sounds of the Irish fiddle and guitar emanating from the quaint corner pub- The Quays Bar. It was pumping. It was time for a Guiness. Sue introduced our barman to the Aussie term ‘one pot screamer’ which in Irish is ‘one and done’. We had our beer, found James Joyce up on a table at the famous Temple Bar proclaiming something profound or berating Bloom – who knows. Next we indulged in ‘the best homemade vegetable soup’ from the Ha’Penny Bridge Inn which tasted remarkably like Maggi packet soup. We didn’t care. We were hungry and tired. It was delicious. And just to add a bit of serendipity to our experience, ‘one and done’ man was sitting up at the bar obviously finished his shift and indulging in a quiet one.
We made it to 8:30pm and after a shower and a quiet cup of tea and a biscuit, two exhausted seasoned travellers fell into comfortable beds with enough stimulating experiences to give their dreams a myriad of dramas.
Personal itineraries (Pi) 
Missed talking with you Deb before you headed off – on to another great adventure – and wouldn’t you know it – you’ve gone to Ireland – where Linda and I are headed in September. I’ll pick up so many ideas just from reading your blogs / emails.
Ha ha – fancy running into the Irish Rugby team – I’m sort of hoping that they will be in the Grand Final against … whoever .. at the Rugby World Cup – 28 October – Linda and I will be there .. the Stade de France will go off in a huge way if the Irish are involved – with possibly the French – or All Blacks.
Love to know your accommodation details – if that is possible.
By the way – Loretta Fitzgerald is living in Ireland if you get down her way in West Cork – she was in Year 11 when we were in Year 12 at ISHS.
Have another amazing trip – journey – adventure. Do you remeber any of your W B Yeats poems?
Tony C
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We hope to be in Cork Tuesday 2nd May. I would love to catch up even if I can’t quite remember her☺️. If you have her contact details you can let her know my email and we could catch up for coffee. Happy to give you all accommodation details.
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Hi Deb.
I hope you’re continuing to have another great travel adventure.
Do you remember any of the WB Yeats poems – I remeber we learned about a couple with Gary Lusk. Yeats came from up Sligo way – Noble prize for Literature.
If you can and have an opportunity probably best if you ring Loretta – she doesn’t live in Cork City – she lives in West Cork County in a beautiful place near Mizen Head (most southerly point of Ireland mainland) between Goleen and Schull).
Irish phone number is 0852446334.
Email loretta.fitzgerald@gmail.com
ADDRESS: The White House, Toormore, West Cork, Mizen Peninsula. Eirecode P81X984 (use this code on digital maps apparently).
I’ll email Loretta and let her know that if your busy schedule allows it you might contact her. She is a lovely person.
Cheers.
Tony
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