THE JOURNEY TO LONDON

THE JOURNEY TO LONDON
February 18

Yours Is not to wonder why
Ours is just to do or die

We left Galway, by bus, at 11:30 AM and arrived in Dublin about 3:20 PM. We checked some luggage and walked around the O’Connell Street area. Had a beer at The Old Oval, a classic Irish pub. We spoke with a short, fast talking Irishman and, after we mentioned the journey to be, he said, “Why?” We had dinner at O’Shea’s where I had a hamburger with ham and egg on top. We checked in at the bus station at 7:00 PM for our 8:30 departure. Considering the circumstances, we thought we got the best seats possible…last row middle for me (leg room) …second last row for Ann.

Left at 8:35 PM. The bus gets on the ferry and are asked to vacate it and enjoy the ferry lounge, which wasn't bad, restaurant, movies, etc. Here we hang out until 12:45 AM at which time we reload onto the bus and shortly arrive at Holyhead, Wales. Soon we’re going through customs where 3 people are singled out: Ann, me and a young black woman (who sardonically smiled when told to step aside.) At about 1:15 AM, the bus leaves the customs stop and heads south. We search for our sleep comfort zone but never find it. Every 2 hours or so, the bus stops, light come on and we hear the mellifluous sounds of our driver: “Birmingham, ladies and gentlemen…Leeds, ladies and gentlemen….rest stop, ladies and gentlemen…” Speaking of mellifluous sounds, there were two teenage French girls sitting gin front of Ann who either had triple doses of espresso or a single dose of methamphetamine.

We arrived in London at 8:45 AM, about 21 hours after leaving Galway. The English countryside was dark with nary a soul in sight. The trip was brutal. Explanations are not in order…how could we begin to explain… we both look at each other and wonder. At Victoria Station we purchase our Oyster Pass for the Tube and don’t look back.

Ann's Art Shop

Gerard's Deli he has always wanted

the last poster we saw in Dublin