Day 1: To Munich

About two weeks out from this trip, I decided it may be about time I attempted to learn some German for my fifth trip to the country. Something tells me that starting so late to familiarise myself with a language that is probably more than a thousand years old is possibly going to leave me somewhat lacking. If only I could somehow forewarn those I will come in contact with and apologise in advance. Unfortunately, my explanatory t-shirt fails to arrive before we leave. Es tut mir leid.

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Day 1 – To San Sebastián via Bilbao

This trip should be a little different, by Sunday there will be 9 of us barrelling through the old town of San Sebastián. A quiet trip is not to be expected.

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It’s an icy, 8 am start on a Saturday morning in January and the body refuses to get out of bed. With just enough time for breakfast and a few jokes Orla and I pick up Eamon (not literally) and head off to Wicklow. Making great time, and having concerns about parking en route, we arrive to a, basically, empty car park. I’ve never seen Glendalough so quiet. The place is stunning as always.

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Day 1 – To Reykjavik & Staður:

By some bizarre coincidence, Orla’s second cousin (twice removed) Tyler is on our flight to Reykjavik en route back to the USA. So amazingly, we get to hang out with him for the day in Iceland. It works out pretty well for Tyler too as he has not booked anywhere to sleep in Reykjavik. A rental car does not make a good bed.

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Day 1: Zurich to Nuremberg

It’s nice to have the wedding of Heike & Paddy (Orla’s sister-in-law and brother) at the end of our trip to Switzerland. Sort of a long weekend break at the end of a week long holiday. Some life I suppose.

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Day 1: To Zurich

This trip started the planning phase all the way back in November or December 2015 with the tentative idea that we would ‘go somewhere’ on the way to Heika and Paddy’s wedding round 2. Switzerland was developed somewhere between then and now. We had some hiccups along the way, our excitement to discover a place called ‘Orla’ right there above Lucerne on Google Maps, only to breakdown in laughter when we realise Orla is just logged into Google Services and that IS her name at the top. Oh dear lord. Against all the odds, we somehow got through the planning stage and after what seemed like an eternity of exams, moving apartments and working, the time for holidays is here and hopefully, after a failed attempt to buy some 21 year aged Kilbeggan Whiskey, we should be landing in Zurich in a couple of hours.

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There are few things that beat realising you have arrived 3 hours before your flight to London takes off. Just about made it so…..ahhhhhhnd relax. Apparently, there are no seats pre-security in Dublin airport either, which only adds to the benefit of arriving real early. So if my screenshot boarding pass from Dave’s phone doesn’t work, I’ll be standing for another hour before the lads arrive. Full success. With fingers crossed, and Guy Garvey’s ‘Courting the Squall’ serenading me, I approach the turnstiles. Boooooop, I assume, and we’re through.

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After some short negotiations on our commencement time, we settle somewhere in the middle for an 8 o’clock kick-off. Some homemade flapjacks, bananas and walnuts in the bag to help us power through and I’m fully packed. After a quick revision of the old inventory, everything is not where is should be, the need for appropriate footwear being, apparently, only an afterthought for me. Trekking some part of Wicklow in my bear feet is probably not advisable. I have very sensitive toes…..

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Day 1:

It’s a snowy start to Friday morning. A quick look at Dublin Airport departures shows a high percentage of delays. It’s not looking good for us getting out on time, our plane has to get to Berlin and back before we get on it, but sure we live in hope. After an unannounced gate change, and a little bit of a dash, we’re only about 40 minutes behind schedule. Berlin bound for round two.

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Day 1 – To Marrakech:

It’s an unusually relaxed start to the day we’re flying out. Our flight at 4pm makes a welcome change to the mad dash to the airport at the crack of dawn. The only downside is, a few too many drinks the night before we fly and a subsequent ropey start to the adventure. This wouldn’t happen if we were leaving at 5am.

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