The best laid plans...

Alas, either we were totally misinformed or we totally messed something up - we didn't get to meet Prem. Very infuriating being in the same place as someone and having no way to meet them!

Time to go 'home'

It would seem that one of our trips is never complete unless there's a long, slightly uncertain and often rainy search for a restaurant. So it was again in Dublin, this time searching for a converted warehouse/market yard that is now a tapas place. Matt had been there many years ago, but that wasn't quite enough local knowledge! The search was in the end, however worth it.

In another piece of genius non-planning, we knew only the bus number that would get us to the hotel near the airport. We didn't know where to get it, or where to get off. We also didn't know how to contact the hotel! Matt's mum found us the phone number, the lady at the hotel told us the street where we could pick up the bus, and tried to give us an idea of where to get off, but [to Matt at least] it didn't make much sense. We found the street, but not the bus, asked a few people as we walked vaguely in the direction of the airport. Eventually we ended up on the bus route, and a short while later (and thanks to a friendly bus driver) we were at the hotel. It just goes to show how inhospitable bus travel is to the unprepared. The free Dublin guidebook kindly said in regard to bus travel that one should look things up on the internet before your trip. Quite.

I'm [Matt] writing this from something like 36,000 feet, on the way to Frankfurt. I don't have Birgit's in-transit sleeping skills. Hopefully in around an hour we'll be meeting our good friend Prem in the Goethe Café in Frankfurt airport. Assuming we make it through what is going to be a very rainy landing (which caused us to wait for 45 minutes on the tarmac in Dublin). Astoundingly, security took about 10 minutes in Dublin instead of the normal 30+. That left time for porridge for me and a croissant for Birgit, so at least we're not hungry!

A short trip back to Ireland

30 years of marriage for my parents, and about 70 days for us. With so much to celebrate, it was with the usual customary tiredness and stress that we set off for Munich airport on Friday night. Once finally on a bus up to Lisburn, all of that was forgotten, and the fun (after a cup of tea and some sleep) could begin.

Warming up by the fire

We've had a great weekend. People came from far and near for the party on Saturday night, we ate, drank, and listened to William and his son play guitar. Our relatives from Donegal, some of Matt's old friends from school and colleagues of Matt's mum made the trip all the way out to Aghalee. The rest of the weekend had its relaxing and not so relaxing parts - from sampling UK TV to planning the wedding album with Matt's uncle to walking in Lady Dixon park. But the highlight has to have been pirate golf!


Now we are sitting on the train, not far from Dublin. We were delayed almost an hour and a half thanks to some wannabe terrorists, but we had a film to watch so we coped. The next task is to figure out how to get to our hotel near the airport, and find some much needed food. In the morning we will attempt to cross paths with our good Indian friend Prem who will also be in Frankfurt airport. Excitement!