Cardiff to Dublin (via Holyhead)

Thur 14th Oct

I had to be up at 4:30am to catch an early train from Cardiff to Holyhead where I would catch a ferry at 12pm to Dublin. So what to do for 7 hrs on the train... update my blog...

I wanted to sleep for the beginning of the train trip but was too scared of missing the stop that I needed to get off to change trains. The timing of the trains meant I was suck in Shrewsbury station for a half hour waiting for the next connection. The station was absolutely deserted and I felt like I was out in whoop whoop. Got on my connecting train bound for Holyhead ok. It ended up getting full at Chester, Wales.

This couple from Dublin sat across from me and just wouldnt stop talking to me, or rather at me. Dont get me wrong cos they were really nice but my patience wore thin at the end and the group across from me were clearly annoyed.

Passed quite a few of the seaside towns in north Wales. There were lots of demountables which I'm told are holiday bungalows and are actually quite pricey to own and even rent. There's nothing around there though. Even beaches are pretty crappy. I cant understand it but from what the Irish lady was saying, I'm guessing that owning one or holidaying in north Wales is somewhat of a status symbol.

Pass the town that has the longest name in Wales:
LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH.
Crazy!! I was asking how you would pronounce that and the Irish couple didnt know. A guy sitting nearby managed to say it. All the Welsh names seem to have lots of "LL's" in them. And I dont get it but the 'LL' sounds like a 'gacking' sound - it's like "che" or "hle". (Sounds like you're trying to bring up phlegm!!)

try to pronounce this...

Got to Holyhead about 11:30am. It was 2 hrs by ferry to Dublin so got in around 2pm. Dumped stuff at the hotel. Hehe managed to give Es a huge scare. She'd already arrived and checked in. I got my keycard and was searching for the room. Found it and I'm about to insert my keycard when the door opened. I was thinking 'good timing but she was about to go out so I gave her a huge scare by being right there in the doorway when she opened the door.

So what to do in Dublin? Museums, Trinity college, Dublin castle...

Nope... first stop... Guinness Brewery!! It's a self conducted tour on how they make beer... I took a subject called Biotech for my Med sci degree at uni so we got to go on cool excursions to Tooheys and Arnotts... so the beer making process isnt unfamiliar to me... The fun bit was doing a short tutorial on how to pour the perfect beer and then getting a certificate for it!

The bar at the top of the building has 360 degrees of glass walls so you can look out around Dublin as you drink the free pint of beer they give you. Only thing is it's an industrial area so the view is pretty crap. I guess the view in the distance is ok.

Had dinner around the Temple Bar district. It's definitely bustling and there's lots of pubs with live music. Noticed heaps and heaps of Chinese takeaway places along the main street...
I must admit though... call it intuition... but i dont feel safe walking around Dublin streets especially when they are a bit dark. Es and i got all day bus passes so didnt have to walk that far.

Absolutely knackered after a long day... zzzzz
Tomorrow arvo (15th Oct) the guided tour of Southern Ireland starts...

Click here to view photo album.