Saturday, April 13

Yesterday I skipped breakfast on the grounds that there is only so much fried food my body can take. Today I gave in, skipped the breakfast cereals and had the full Irish breakfast. Because I got there late, when almost everyone else had eaten, and because it was my last day, I got two eggs and two sausages.

I had a quandry. My flight is at 15:00 and I have to check out at 11:00. One look outside told me that it was raining and not likely to stop, and that a leisurely stroll around the centre would have the same effect as standing in the shower fully clothed. I walked to the bus station and got the airport bus. I was there by 11:50.

It turned out that Dublin has free wifi, and so I sat and caught up on my mail. Now I have remembered that I am likely to only get a sandwich between now and bed. I look around and decide that I don’t want to spend 15 euros on a pizza or pasta, and so I opt for a second sandwich. I am sitting eat a Boots meal deal which cost me 4.49€.

Both flights home will be full. The Air France flight will offer me a bottle of wine and a small packet of peanuts. Finnair will give me a ham and cheese sandwich and three glasses of tomato juice. Charles de Gaulle airport will be even worse transferring in the other direction. I will have to get a shuttle service in the company of Jutta Urpilainen, have my bags x-rayed twice, and have my ticket scanned five times.

Irma and Auo will meet me at the airport at 23:00, and I will be very happy indeed to be home.