Filled up with the included breakfast and back into the car for the last time to drive back to Dublin.
Although Wexford is in the south and Dublin the north, it only takes about 2 hours to drive via the freeway, and since we’d seen Dublin decided to use the back roads to see more of the country. We stopped for a coffee in a small town that had a castle then continued on.
After about half an hour we were both a bit bored of the same hedges and fields and were still going to get to Dublin early so I looked at the map and decided to cut across the country through some hills.
This turned out to be a great idea because the scenery was amazing – almost like Iceland.
We drove along the top of the hills on a small road which I think was the most isolated I’ve ever been on. We saw a few cars but for the most part we were the only ones on the road. The landscape was as if it were another country – similar to moorland and vast, with hills all around.
We stopped for another coffee and scones in a small town, I checked the map again and set off along another minor road. We soon came across a waterfall pouring into a valley. Truly spectacular. I think we saw the best scenery in Ireland just by chance.
Finally drove out of the hills and headed to the airport to drop off the car, then went to get the Aer Lingus desk to see if we could change our flight. Brussels airport was running a limited service so we couldn’t change the time, but we were able to switch the flight to Amsterdam and leave in the morning. This would save us having to spend another day in Dublin and get the train to Bruges from Amsterdam, giving us some time in Bruges.
Got to the bus station and saw our courtesy bus waiting so hopped on and got to the hotel in 5 minutes. Looked at the hotel name, then at the booking and realised it was the wrong hotel. Ours was Clayton, we were at the Carlton. Close but no cigar. Got back on the bus to the airport then got on the right one.
Song wasn’t hungry so didn’t want dinner but I was so went to the hotel restaurant and had a burger plus a pint of Guinness – trying to bring Australia up in the rankings.
Getting up very early tomorrow to fly to Amsterdam, then on a train to Bruges.
