The flight to Dublin was really quite good after all my traumas with the bookings. Aer Lingus had a brand new plane for us to travel on. They made quite a big fuss about loading rows 1 – 10 first which is quite unusual at a small airport like Aberdeen. The reason for this soon became apparent: there was no front door to the aircraft and we all had to get on through the back door – no I did not say anything about “Irish” or “Murphy”! The plane was very comfortable, the staff were fantastic and it ended up being a great little one and a half hour flight. So it is only the booking dept of Aer Lingus which needs to sort itself out!

On arrival in Dublin, the signposting was excellent and I made my way to the bus terminal / taxi rank. Decided to take the cheaper option, the Airport express bus at €6, which stopped just outside my hotel, The Gibson. They showed videos of several bus tours operating around Dublin and I soon switched off to the steam of info. We went through a huge tunnel which must have been twice as long as the channel tunnel and I was greatly relieved to see that we were still in Ireland when we eventually emerged from the other side! An automated announcement declared that the Gibson Hotel was the next stop. I waited for the bus to stop. Next thing another automated announcement announcing the next stop. I wandered up to the front of the bus which which then pulled in and stopped. “Is this the Gibson Hotel stop” I asked the driver. No came the reply, that was the last stop, however if you walk two blocks back and turn left you will find it! OK, so I am a country boy from Elgin & should not be let loose in the big city! 20 minutes later I find the hotel and check in.