Tag Archives: europe

Dublin to London – Day 35

Today we had no breakfast included in our accomodation. So we slept in a little later and woke up around 9am. We got ourselves organised and went next door to Macas and had breakfast. I wanted hotcakes. I loooove Macas hotcakes. After breakfast we went back to the hotel room to grab our bags and check-out. We left our bags at reception and went walking around town. We didn’t feel we had enough time to do anything. What we really should have done is bought a ticket to the bus tour and seen the city on the bus.

We stopped for a Mocha at a cafe called The Sweetest Thing. Was a chocolate heaven. However was no customers so the owner was happy for us to kill some time here. After coffee we walked for some more, then some more again before stopping at another hotel near ours for lunch. It was a little pricey but Rhian was paying.

After lunch we went back and collected our suitcases from the reception. We decided we would just go to the airport and just wait it out there. Upon getting to the airport and dropping our bags off. The counter person told us to wait while he went to check our paperwork. I thought this might happen because I had a receipt for the baggage however our tickets still claimed that we had no baggage. Being a programmer I knew something had stuffed up and I was right. However after checking it out with a supervisor all was ok and our bags were accepted.

The time at the airport went by fast enough and sooner than later we were on our flight to London. I got the window seat this time and enjoyed looking out the window watching the land and sea fly by. Because it was only a short flight I don’t think we reached more than 10,000 feet. The ground was always close enough the see what was down below. Again we were sitting next to the engines but I was able to look down. I enjoyed the landing into the City airport as the desent is quite steep. This is a special airport that has a speical landing approach and you do feel the steep desent into the airport.

After landing at London City Airport we collected our bags but did not have to go through immergration. This was very strange as this was our fourth time through UK immergation and this time it did not exist. Every other time no matter if it was from an airport or ferry we have had to fill out an immergration card and go through immergration. However on this entry there was nothing. Seemed very strange. Next was customs. There was a red gate, a green gate and a EU gate. We went to go through the green gate because we are non EU but you could not walk through the green gate. Our only way through was the EU gate. So we walked through the EU gate and I was just waiting to get caught or grabbed. Nothing. Felt like we were doing the wrong thing. Technically we were but we could go through the correct gate. This was the most laxed entry into the UK we have had since visiting Europe.

After exiting the airport we headed straight for the train station. We topped up our oyster cards via the machine. Very easy. Tap your card. Insert credit card then tap your Oyster card again and job done. Perth has so much to learn. We caught the trains back to our new hotel. I pretty much got the underground sorted here thanks to Google maps. Our hotel is a bit of a dump this time but it’s not too bad. It will do for three nights. It is still better than the Umi hotel around the corner where we started our Europe Topdeck tour from.

After checking inn we went to a locat restraunt around the corner. Was an italian restraunt and wasn’t too bad. After dinner we walked back to the hotel and went to bed.
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Newry to Dublin – Day 34

Today we slept in. Seems to be a reoccuring pattern now our Topdeck tour is over. No times we have to be anywhere. No one who is not me making her get up so we sleep. Anyways we got up in time and organised to go and have breakfast. Breakfast was included but it was strange. We went to the breakfast room and ordered our breakfast with the waitress. Just seemed off.

After breakfast we had a few hours to kill before our train back to Dublin. We walked around the small town and found our way too one of two shopping centers. We went in and had a walk around. Shopping centers on this side of the world are just as annoying and boring as those back home. Rhian looked through clothes stores and I used free WiFi to entertain myself.

After the shopping center we went back to the hotel and got our bags. We went across the canal to the bus station. The information desk told us the next bus to the train station was at 13:15. Our train was at 13:30 we were not sure if we would make it to the train in time. After just deciding if we miss the train we would buy a ticket on the next we waited for the train. Turns out the bus was fine. We got to the train station with around six minutes to spare.

On the train we had a snack and I had a Heineken. After arriving in Dublin station we walked to the hotel which was only around 1km away. Our hotel this time was on the main street of Dublin but the hotel was very basic and not fancy. However both Rhian and I fell asleep for a couple of hours. After waking from our power nap we went for a walk around town. We purchased out fridge magnets from the store near the hotel. After exploring for an hour or so we found ourselves in the Temple Bar district. This is where all the toursits come apparently. Didn’t see any Aussies myself. We had dinner at a restraunt called Mexico to Rome. Food was ok but I stuffed myself and just had no room left for more beer.

After dinner Rhian and I walked back to the hotel and retired for the night.

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Dublin to Newry – Day 33

Today we had the chance for a propper sleep in. We woke up around 10am and went downstairs for breakfast. As usual Rhian was dragging her feet so I went down first. The food was awesome. Could eat there everyday and come home looking like dumbo. We checked out at 11:30 and went across the road to catch the tram to the train station. Rhian bought tickets from the machine and I minded the bags. The tram we were told to catch didn’t actually run on Sundays so we caught another one which pretty much goes to the same place. We only had to walk 300m to the station.

Once at the train station I was able to use the ticket maching to print out our tickets. I just had to enter the reservation number I got when purchasing them online. Was pretty cool. We waited in the waiting room for about half an hour for the train to board. We did have pre-booked seats but it doesn’t matter. People just sit where ever. Because we had suitecases we just needed to find somewhere close to our bags. Being a Sunday afternoon the train was not packed but it was about 80% full. Probably people going home after the weekend or something. The train does have free WiFi so that kept us both entertained.

When we arrived in Newry we walked the 2.2lkms to the hotel. I looked on Google but it didn’t tell me any bus route to our hotel. After checking inn we went to the cafe next door to meet Rhians friend. They brought their kids along which entertained Rhian. The girls talked for an hour and a half got bored and her friend went home. Rhian and I went back to the hotel bar and I began drinking. Around 8pm we left the bar looking for dinner. We found a restraunt just up the road and ordered tapas for dinner. Was good and we both left full. After dinner we returned to the hotel and went to bed.

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