My first trip to Ireland
(or “What I did on my holiday”)
Friday
Well I guess this is, firstly, a lesson in being prepared! I left sunny Surrey one Friday afternoon and made my way to the M25 where I was able to enjoy looking at the back of a lorry for a couple of hours as I was travelling 5 junctions!! but, hey ho though ‘tis but the M25, the M4 will be much easier. It is only 2pm after all.
Sadly, the M4 was not going to be nice to me either! I travelled easily down to junction 16 only for signs to light up “J18 SEVERE DELAYS”. Now, I happen to know some of the back roads (A & B roads) between there and Bristol, some of which are particularly lovely (no photos as I was driving by myself, you’ll here that lot in this story!). Instead, I took myself off through some lovely Wiltshire villages, crossing the M4 several times and seeing it stationary. I prided my self for moving at a nice pace, not admiring the back of an Amazon lorry! Of course this still left the M32/M5/M48 section, but I had missed loads of standing traffic!
Alas and alack, I had forgotten the Carn Gals tunnels, but at least I was nearly in Swansea a mere 60 miles to go. Swelling with pride I decided to fuel up at Cardiff Gate. Well, some of you might have read about my breakdown and recovery at the pump? I may have had a hot start failure! I finally got to Swansea and was able to enjoy a pint at 9pm. 8 ½ hours after starting off!!! Let us see if tomorrow goes better!!!
Saturday
So here we are! Clare fully loaded and ready to go (yay!) NOPE! The unnamed brother is about to tell me that he can’t afford the trip! (ok, he’s still alive but only just!!) So what do I do? As he’s been brewing for a fight all morning, because he’s not sure how to tell me, I’m now having this adventure by myself! Selfish? Maybe, but better than rowing all the way! So far from a good start to the day!
Now, here is an important message to learn from the Internet, I searched for ferries only from Fishguard to Rosslare. The booking mechanism booked me from Pembroke!! Did I check? Well that’ll be resounding “No” then! Anyway nice, but rainy, trip to Fishguard. I arrive 2 hours early and drive up to the gate.
“Sorry, mate you reg isn’t recognised”
I stop at the gate only to be told this by the staff! No panic, I get the paperwork, some cameras can’t read black and silver plates. The chap looks at my papers and declares “Wrong port, you should be in Pembroke!”
Well that’s ok 2 hours to do a 40 mile journey, hang on why is this guy getting out the car next to me? He seems very concerned about something, has he done the same thing? Ha, ha, ha! “Do you know your rear tire is flat?” No of course not!! What???? I filled up 300 yards down the road, I’d have noticed if I’d been driving on the rim! I literally must have done it as I stopped! OK! Now is the time to panic! Is my spare ok? Have I got the tools to change it!! AA again?
Quick tip people! Always chock the wheels that are going to remain on the ground, you may not notice but you could be on a slight slope! Chocks applied to front and rear wheels that’ll stay on the ground, jack grabbed from under the passenger seat and….. Oh, no! How to get the hub caps off!? Thank fully the staff nip off to get a flat head screwdriver.
20 minutes after hearing those fateful words “You’re in the wrong place” I’m ready to get back on the road! (Is that 3 things, I hope that’s 3 things? It is, isn’t it? Oh, please let that be 3 things). The wind is picking up as I make my way back to Pembroke Dock and I’m hearing on the radio that a named storm is on it’s way! Oh my, is this the start of another 3? Things are starting to look better it’s 1:35 and I’m arriving at the ferry port only a few cars and vans in front of me. Great I’ll be on first and away early!!
No such luck! There has been a hold up coming from the west, so once again the wrong port malarkey was a blessing in disguise! The sudden arrival of all the vehicles has caused a blockage on the roads near the hospital so, rightly, they have to clear them before we can start boarding, but finally we get under way and Ireland awaits!!
If anyone wants to hear more I’ll be sending the further adventures in time for the next mag!!