Dublin to Chester with Friends |

Up on Monday thinking I should have drunk some water last night.

Went downstairs and had a full breakfast.

Signed up for the laundry card, using PayPal, so no personal details.
Whilst doing laundry I gave the bike some TLC.
Might as well while the sun is shining. Yes! Sunshine in Ireland!

Did my prep for tomorrow. Making sure my TomTom would take me to the right ferry, and on time.

Took a nap.

Up, showered and off to see the Guinness factory. A lifelong ambition 🙂
Caught the bus. Scored a seat at the front of the top deck. Like a personal tour of Dublin. And the bus driver was kind enough to direct me to the brewery 🙂
Luckily I had not booked a ticket. Did so whilst waiting in the queue. The confirmation email was messed. Looked as if my BlackBerry could not cope with the way the calendar entry had been setup. This meant that I ended up at the information desk, where it was recommended that I go directly to the 7th floor, grab my free Guinness (for booking online), and do the self-directed tour with my pint. Riding up the elevator showed me the “zoo” on each floor, so I decided to skip the tour. Got to the 7th floor and what a party! Nice view too……

End up at a table with a couple from Portland, and a couple from New York. Good craic.
Left to meet up with Stephen and Sarah, who live in Toronto!

Back to Porterhouse where the barman remembered me. Perfect timing. As I was ordering my beer, in walked Stephen and Sarah.
Nice to catch up with friends abroad. NB: Sarah is originally from Dublin.

A lovely evening.
After we said our goodbyes, I walked home.
Picking up good curry supper, enroute.

Tuesday morning dry, though there had been rain overnight.
Up, packed and on the road, arriving at the ferry for 7:30am. Bit of a biker’s convention.

Scott (Portland, Oregon, USA) with others, had rented bikes in Ireland. They were heading to Chester. Me too. Though I was going to have to fill-up enroute. Which I did, having jumped ahead, in preparation for my stop. Never did see the group again 🙁

Arrived in Chester, and the usual challenge with TomTom. I was ready for this. It did not know of my hotel, nor it’s address. Made more complex by a road closure. And TomTom’s refusal to recognise a valid road.
My apologies to Chester pedestrians.

Persistence paid off, and after a tour of Chester, I parked in front of the hotel.
Booked in.
Then off to meet Eilene.

Eilene and her son Lee are at Chester cathedral as part of the choir this week.
So a bit of a catch-up, and made plans for the evening.

I parked the bike in the recommended car-park.
Heard from a motorcycle courier and the hotel that the wardens are zealots here.
Already had one run-in with a traffic-warden. A first!‎ And after less than an hour in the city.

Unpacked.
Found a restaurant.
Attended evensong.

Supper at the Chef’s Table.
I had the quail….

followed by the lamb medley….

Both were excellent.