Follow me up to Carlow

Left Stroud at 4.30 am on a minibus. Drove across the Cotswolds with the dawn breaking. So quiet, so beautiful. After pickups in Tetbury, Berkeley and Bristol, we ended up at Gordano services, south of Bristol. Did the luggage transfers, got on the coach, and we drove to Fishguard harbour in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, with only one stop en route.

Found a Duty Free shed at Fishguard. Excited to be sailing from there: last time I visited, it was in lockdown, shuttered and silent. Chatted to two women from Bath on the boat; they were on a gardens tour. I looked at their itinerary and realised I'd visited most of the places, though not recently.
Tried walking around on the boat and wobbled alarmingly. Decided it was easier to stay sitting. Time passed quickly with such excellent companions.  I'll call them Andrea and Myra. I shall probably never meet them again.

Once off the boat and clear of the port, we found ourselves in Co. Wexford, where there are many fruit farms. Berries are sold at sophisticated-looking stands at the side of the road. It's not the Ireland of my childhood now!

On and on we drove, eventually reaching our hotel in Carlow. Dinner was served at 7.15 but somehow took so long to get to us that we were in the restaurant a full two hours! Could not fault the food though, nor the views. Nor the maitresse d', Mary, who called everyone 'Pet'.

After dinner, I explored the hotel. It had many unique features, including a mezzanine level, a Driving Theory Test Centre (fully CoVid-Compliant, plastered with notices about hand sanitising and breathing ) and a 'Stillorgan room'. Well, I used to live very near Stillorgan. It was mostly made up of a concrete shopping centre in the 1960/70s, probably well ahead of its time. There was lots to like there, whatever we think of concrete now. Naturally,  I went to check out the Stillorgan room on the third floor.

To my surprise, it was but a small room, given over to being a temporary home for the Assembly of God church. There was a table with a few chairs around it, and something in the corner that  might have been used as an  altar. I guess there are not many members of that congregation.

As I had been travelling for thirteen and a half hours, I retired to bed. Today's shot is of the view from my hotel room. it was absolutely enormous, had beds for three, and a hidden kettle in the cupboard. All in all, delightfully bonkers and definitely recommended. I'm only sorry I won't be up at 6 am to use the gym and swimming pool.

Song: Follow me up to Carlow https://open.spotify.com/track/2b6ulXSZpOwY7kwm6qKzQw?si=NzT9IVkXQPi-hY_ocOqj6g