This is part of the seventeenth section of our around the world trip.
Complete Trip Overview & Map

Coming from the United Kingdom or read our previous visit to Ireland
 
29/5/11 Crossed back into the Republic of Ireland and rode to just south of Dublin for a well deserved late afternoon rest

30/5/11 It seems necessary these easy information days to start planning a long way ahead. We started researching how to get the motorcycle to the US later in the summer. Toronto our preferred entry point, followed by a ride along route 66 to Los Angeles. Our leaving point from Europe not so important, cheapest for us and the motorcycle. A few emails sent to agents and airlines and we await replies. Staying with friends also requires a bit of planning, they would prefer exact dates, and preferably times, in this busy world, so ferry bookings, distance calculations, estimated times plus request and confirmation emails. It all seems almost easier travelling in third world countries when we just rode all day and grabbed the first hotel we noticed when tired. We managed a couple of hours outside in comfortable weather, a ride along the ocean front, coffee, shopping, and back to the B&B.

31/5/11 We have mentioned Ireland is in the grip of a recession, a bad recession, and one enterprising Irish person, just back from a year working in Australia, and unable to get work back home, spent his hard earned savings with a billboard advertisement, "Save Me From Emigration, joblesspaddy@Gmail.com". He certainly had the attention of the media, every newspaper and TV station was following his progress. Hopefully he will get a job here, Ireland needs enterprising people at this stage. Headed off to the ferry, where we saw the billboard. As we were tying the motorcycle down on the ferry we were informed by the crew, that we were tying it from the wrong side, pulling it down on the off stand side, which might topple the motorcycle. Apparently, like much of the world today, there is a pedantically correct way of doing everything, and to tie a motorcycle on a ferry, the across the seat tiedown must be ratcheted from the stand side, not the off stand side. Despite the fact that it would be almost impossible to pull our motorcycle over by an over the seat tiedown, by pulling it tight from either side, we are now in a world of mini rules and regulations, often created and dictated by insurance companies, we all have to comply. Apart from that minor annoyance the crossing was smooth from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead.

Home