Tuesday 2nd September 2014 - The main aim of the game today was to catch the ferry to France. Simple enough, however I have been know to miss flights whilst sitting in the airport.
It was due to leave Rosslare at 3.30pm and I was only about 10km away. Relaxed start to the morning then.
Sun was out early and quickly got to work drying the dew off my tent. I went for a shower (I so miss my hairdryer) then slowly packed up, with a few lie downs inbetween wrestling my stuff into the ever narrowing pannier bags.
German woman was away. French guy was packing up same time as me. He had a trailer towed behind his bicycle for carrying all his kit in which looked good. Until he went to cycle off, turned too quickly and it all fell out. I didn't laugh, fearing the same tragedy.
So all set and on the road to Rosslare. Amazing sunny day. I went straight to the terminal to buy a ticket, got stung €99 for it. It was only €70 odd the other week, but didn't want to tempt fate and book it early.
Back up into town for brekkie of a turkey and egg sambo and a vanilla latte. The girl in the shop gave me a free bag of some new kind of flavoured popcorn too.
Sat and looked at the ferry, it was a fairly big ferry too, in the sun for a while killing time. This is the danger zone of my travelling history.
I got my act together when I could see the cars driving on (I had entered the danger zone again) and made my way to check in. I was herded along with all the cars and campervans, lined up, then told to 'follow that caravan'.
Cycled up the ramp and got told to get off and walk on board, no cycling. I must look pretty ropey on the bike today.
After telling the guy that came over to secure my bike that I was just going to get a few things out first, he disappeared, leaving me to secure it. I did my best with an oily strap dangling from the metal barrier and walked by the owner of the new gleaming Merc beside my bike, without making eye contact.
So this boat takes 19 hours to get to France. I declined the luxury of a cabin and opted for a cheap reserved seat.
Few hours of dandering around, getting dirty looks from the older generation because I was in my socks and not wearing shoes. They were clean flipping socks too. Some standard overpriced muck for dinner and then a bit of catching up and craic with the free WiFi.
Later that evening the room my seat was in resembled some kind of multi national slumber party. Well not so much a party, more body traps on the floor to stumble over, various different foreign types of snoring - and farting.
Now was the time for some music in my ears, thank you alt-J for your An Awesome Wave album for blocking out the horrors. With some tunes and the rolling vibrating judders of the ship, on the floor I finally fell into a very broken sleep, filled with crazy dreams.
Day 4 - 02.09.14
St Margarets Campsite to Rosslare
9.30am to 7.00pm
35min
10km
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