Day: August 23, 2013

So here we are on the trip proper and off on the ‘fast’ very to Dublin. Unfortunately we don’t have the time to stay at Dublin, so it’s a trip from Holyhead to Belfast today. Kate has been a little worried about the troubles which have been on the news recently, but we told her that’s just usual…

Bit of a lie in today as we had allot of morning to kill, so a doss around, and then went to MaccyD’s for bacon rolls this morning. Then to Asda to make a pic-an-ic. I was desperate for a wee-wee which seems to happen more and more these days, so i was out of asda quick smart whilst they took an eternity to decide which charity they wanted to stick there little green disks in. Fifteen minutes of more dosing and it was time for the ferry. Not having done this before i was a little apprehensive, but it was fine. We got there about half an hour before the start and were pretty much last. Wait wait wait as all the others slipped up the ramp into the belly of the waiting ‘fast crossing’ Irish beast. Finally it was our turn, and he stuck us, at a weird angle at the very very back of the boat. Not in any of the car channels, just pushed sideways into the back…. Managed to secure some chairs by the TV which was pretty good, but even before the beast moved i felt sick. But there was wi-fi, but the bloody fantasy football is blocked by their filter, as it’s a ‘game’ dag-nammit…

Had a sneaky try of outside on the boat, and by god it was windy, but nice – made the inside feel odd when we got back. Once the film had finished we were nearly over. We snuck back to the car, and due to the fact we were at the back we could join a queue to get the funk out of there. We were in a foreign place. It was raining…

Out of the port and though the toll charged tunnel, then on the m1 to belfast. Rainy, and just that little bit different, is not quite the UK – close, bit no e-cig. We followed a little yellow car for miles, keeping speed with him, assuming that he knew where to go fast and where to go slow.. Not sure he really did, but it was nice. One little bit of a queue and we cruised the rest of the way, and had to pay another toll.. Before too long we were back in the USSR UK.

Two hours and we were at the hotel, another great room from the premiere team. Quick checkin, then my time to shine and show the gang all the best things i know about belfast. BT building, the coroners office (which i think really sums up the troubles), the road passed the Belfast social club and the town hall. They were not awfully impressed.. Kate thought bombs were going to go off, and at the least some fires.. They didn’t. We had a pint and sat outside in the fug of the smokers, next pub didn’t let us in, so we went back to a place i knew well, the holiday inn. Couple pints here then to pizza express, were we had a weird server, who was ace, but started with a very broad Irish accent, then went into a special Italian one. The food was absolutely wonderful – really enjoyed it. Long walk back, then bed.

Ferry – 5/10
Driving in foreign climes – 6/10
Driving back in UK – 9/10
Belfast pubs – 6/10
Pizza Express – 9/10

Shower – 6/10

So here we are at the start of the nee journey. Up early doors at around six, after yet another rubbish night. Toilet, then tea, then decided to head into Newport and fill up the tank with some cheap petrol curtsey of Tesco. Snuck through the old steelworks again, hopefully they will open this road for real one day, but sneaking through world for me. Some toast and a completely jammed car, and we were on or way, three minutes early at 8:27.

Roads were empty which was great, because i always think we’re are going to hit rush hour, bit after a few hours in the car we made it add far as dolgeddlau. We had to take a bit of a detor here, as i just had to take the team up the massive hill i did when i was cycling. I am not convinced they were quite as into it as i was, but it was quite interesting seeing what it looked like from a car perspective.. ( it was still hilly) we had a little pause here to see the view and then through dolgellau and onto Caernarvon.
We had pretty much followed the route we went with paul, at the start of the lon las, but we veered off into caernarvon. It was a cracking day, and typically i think i have probably burnt my mush somewhat, but we did manage food in the black boy ( or bouy) which was quite nice, but my beef with hoi soon was cold which surprised me. After caernarvon we decided to hear over to Bangor, which was shite. Brendon had been trying to get a joke through to us regarding a girlfriend and bangor, which never worked, and even that nonsence was a million times better than the real place. I never want to go there again, i cannot think of one redeaming feature of the place, although i suppose the multi story was quite nice.. It was full of people which you couldn’t help but think they just ‘didn’t know better’, we also saw, what Kate called an old Sea captain, who would have great stories, but was actually a stinky old wierdo, with a Captain Birdseye dirty beard, a long mac and wellies – ah, the innocence of youth….

After Bangor we headed over the Menai Bridge, which is an amazing feat of engineering, and then up the road to llanfairpull… The famous long named train station. Not much to sees here other than the sign, so we soon set of to Holyhead itself. Nipped up the A5 and before we knew it, we were in the second worse place of the day. Quick Checkin to the travel lodge, then a walk along the “promenarde” to a place for stella. Couple of beers and then we examined the food options, there were none. Kate thought she would hop up the steps from the prom and thought she had broke her tendons – don’t know where she gets this air of the dramatics from… So we went to the chinky, it was surprisingly tasty, and compared to the rest of the holes we saw uber luxurious. It would have been good in any town, nevermind this hellhole. After Garlick and satay chick chick, sizzling beef and black pepper and some amazing rice, we paid up and returned to the lodge – knackerred.

Trip – 7/10
Caernarfon – 7/10
Bangor – 3/10
Holyhead – 5/10
Food, lunch – 6/10
Food, supper – 8/10

Shower – 5/10