Travel Day - All Day!

We get up early for a 7:15am bus to the Ferry Terminal for our "sail/rail" journey from Dublin to Salisbury, England. There are two terminals, one for the Stena line and one for the Irish Ferries. The bus takes us to the Stena line terminal, and unaware that our tickets are for the OTHER boat, we get in line. We wait 10 minutes and when we get up to the counter are informed we are in the wrong place. Oi vey! Luckily, we are OK on time but have to walk to the other terminal, about five minutes away. Sheesh!

We finally get situated and spend the next 90 minutes crossing the sea to Holyhead, Wales. Once there, we wait for twenty minutes for the train. After several more trains and changes, one VERY LONG Welsh station name, and a total of almost 12 hours, we get into Salisbury and take a taxi to the YHA (Youth Hostel). We have arrived!

A short walk to the Cathedral Inn, we sup for the evening, then back to the Y for sleep, anticipating getting our bikes tomorrow.

Saturday - May 18
We walk to the bike shop where our bikes have been stored, mine for two years and Carl's for the last year. It's like getting your kid or pet out of boarding school. "Daddy's home!" Plus, we have had the shop install an extra low gear (we call them "granny" gears), better for negotiating the ups and downs (mostly the ups) of the English countryside.

I feel so much freer with the bike, not tied to walking to places. Cookie needs coffee, but I head back to the Y to unpack and get the bike adjusted and set up with my panniers (bags), side view mirrors and all the other paraphernalia (chotchkis) attached.

We head to Tesco for groceries and tonight's dinner, lemon chicken, rice, carrots with butter and cinnamon glaze and mini baguette toast. Sorry...no pics, all gone!

We are supposed to move to the campground tomorrow, but Cookie surprises me and asks if I want to ride north to Devizes. We have flipped our proverbial coin and have opted to go. No ties...no rules...riding the wind. Often, more wind than we bargain for.

©Mark Goldman 2013

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