Day 3 - Dublin to Lahinch

 Day 3 - Dublin to Lahinch

Lahinch Beach - Atlantic Ocean

Had a comfortable stay at the Grand Hotel in Malahide last night. Had a lovely dinner and crashed into bed about 8pm. Slept through till about 4.30am, then I was wide awake!!! Breakfast wasn't served until 7am so I got up and thought I would just check the blog and any emails etc, but the internet was really flaky in that room. Ah well..

I had yet another encounter with Irish showers!!! No matter where I go in Ireland, they always seem to dream up a new way of making the showers work!!!

When I got in yesterday, I was dying for a shower to freshen up after the long flights.

But once again I was thwarted.

Here's what confronted me in the shower...

Shower

Shower close up

Now, being a good Aussie, I assumed that if you turned the left tap on, hot water would come out.... and if you turned the right tap on, you could mediate it with cold.

Wrong!!!!

I turned that left tap on and left it on for maybe 10 minutes, and it was still cold. And the right tap didn't seem to budge either! In the end, I saw the people who clean the rooms and asked them..

Seems the right tap is the temperature control, and the left tap is the pressure. So you set the right tap,then turn the left tap on accordingly.....

Wattle is always living and learning on the journey!!!

I suggested at the desk as I was checking out that they might like to leave a note somewhere in the room for Aussies like me!!!

Anyway, moving right along..

I had a lovely breakfast this morning at The Grand.... I don't often indulge in cooked breakfasts, but this was delicious..

Cooked brekky at The Grand

Plus, of course, the compulsory toast and Vegemite (No comment, Colleen!!)

Then I had all my bags packed, but I needed to go and collect the car from the airport, so had an entertaining taxi ride to get there. I love the Irish taxi drivers... they're never short of an opinion about anything!!!

I picked up my new little baby.

Nice red Peugot

It's a manual car, and of course, the wipers and indicators are back to front...!! But it didn't take too long to adjust, and I love driving a manual again. 

I stopped on the way back to the hotel to pick up an Irish sim card. So much easier having my own online access, when there is no internet,  or it's very flaky like overnight. It also gave me access to Google Maps, which is my right arm when I'm overseas.

Then off for the big drive to Lahinch. 

Google did a brilliant job in navigating me out of Dublin and on to the road to Lahinch. I came via Limerick, because that is what it told me to do... 

Dublin - Lahinch

Once I was out of the city, it was very easy drive, with double lanes all the way, until Ennis. I was planning to stop quite early in the drive, but there were not many Roadside Service place. I eventually found one when I was nearly into Limerick.

Roadside stop outside Limerick

I also stopped at Ennistymon to pick up a few groceries.

Then I arrived in Lahinch. It's so good to be back. I feel like I'm home again, especially living in the same place again. it all feels very familiar.

In case you didn't see what it's like on last year's blog, here's a link to display it. Simple but nice... and so very convenient to everything.

https://www.lahinchpropertymanagement.ie/en/lui-na-greine-apartment---in-the-heart-of-lahinch

They've painted the place white

Then of course I had two very important things to do... visit the beach and have my half pint of Smithwicks!!!

Lahinch beach this afternoon

Medicine for the soul!

I called in to the little deli to pick up some water, (which I forgot in Ennistymon) and who should I run into but Declan, who runs the Atlantic Hotel. He welcomed me back, and assured me my dinner would be waiting at the hotel tonight!

So, as I sit here writing this, the Angelus bells have just rung at 6pm, as they do every day. They are a true reminder to me of how much I feel at home here.

However, I mightn't be able to get to Mass tomorrow, because my other religion might be taking precedence!!! 

The mighty Hawks are on my internet app at 10.30am, which is quite civilised for being in Ireland and watching footy!! Amazing how we can watch footy from the other side of the world.

 So, go my little Hawkies...