Dublin Town

A good but long flight across from Brisbane with a few dramas in Dubai. I managed to set off the alarms 3 times until the guard decided it was time for me to visit the “special room" for a search. I feel it may have been some metal that I have in my knee but I wasn’t prepared to try and explain this to a not very happy gentleman guard who spoke little English and as it was also very early in the morning his mood was a little dark. We had a 2 hour stop over and I still DO NOT like Dubai. The last leg of the flight was a Boeing 777 and the difference between the Boeing and the A380 is heaps. Arrived to a nice warmish day so will not complain as there was no rain.

We slept well that first night even if the locals did not. They celebrated their footy win over Italy into the wee hours of the morning. We headed out early up to the Liffey River to see the morning shadows over the river and bridges. Onto the Dublin castle and that area of town. This is the best time to take photographs – no annoying tourists.

After some breaky at McDonalds we then took out place in the lines of tourists and headed to the Christ Church Cathedral, afterwards we wandered around St Stephens Green – a large park and back via the Jeannie Johnston, a replica Famine boat moored at Customs Quay. A lovely day doing nothing.

Up even earlier this morning mainly because neither of us could sleep. Repacked as we head to the bus station very soon to catch the bus to the Leitrim area where we start our walk tomorrow. Why does nothing seem to fit in my case where I placed it 2 days ago in Brisbane.

 

We will be off line for a few days as the tablet is going with my main luggage when the Pathway Porter collects it and drops it off at the first rest day town, French Park. It will do me good not to have any internet or contact for a few days. We are carrying a phone is needed for an emergency.

See you all in a few days….

 

 

 

 

Ready to go

Today I started my 6 weeks long service leave which means we are only days away from leaving for the walk.

I have had some lovely surprises this week, farewell cakes and gifts to carry across with us to remind us of home. Donations have taken us over $8,500 so nearly at the promised amount of $10,000.

Walking has slowed down a little with short morning walks and one last one this weekend if the promised storm stays away.

We fly out of Brisbane this Tuesday evening, all I have left to do is pack and I will then see everyone in Ireland.

Keep watching this space..............................

Becoming more than just a Dream

We are now down to single numbers before we fly out, the ankle is OK and back walking, the head/chest cold has nearly gone but I will still take the walking a little careful this coming week.

I am "sort of " packed for the umpteenth time and probably not the last time, will still be adding or discarding things up to the moment my chauffeur says " I am leaving soon, get moving and get organised". Reality will hit when I pass across my passport to the Customs Control Officer at the airport and the first glass of wine that Sue and I will have on the Qantas flight will be well earned. We are flying on an Airbus 380 to Dubai where we will change to a Boeing 777 for the last leg of the journey to Dublin. where we will spend the first couple of days recuperating from jetlag and excitement.

I will walk some smaller 6 - 10klms before work this week, I only have 4 working days left before I  start my LSL and an early morning walk up Mt Cootha next weekend as my final walk before I leave.
A very good friend told me last night that the hardest part of this sort of trek is not the walking but the organising and the training and I feel he may be correct as I have walked over 1000 klms in the last 15 months. 500 klms will be a lovely walk in the the park

The Cancer donation page is now over $7600 so I am still hoping to reach $10,000 before we close it down on 12th September. I would like to thank everyone for their patience and support for me over the past 15 months, I really started to doubt myself at times - had I taken on too much?  I guess only time will tell.

I spent yesterday in Brisbane with my little grandson, a bit of me and him time before I go away and the next photo was taken as we sat having a picnic and watching the "ducks" - his version of anything that has wings and in this case they were pigeons. I will miss the three little ones while I am away. 

Keep watching this space as we walk through the green fields of Ireland for Cancer Queensland.

Walking timetable

The feet are back to training next week but short walks to start. I never realised how much I missed the walking.

2 weeks until we leave, the accommodation has been checked to be sure we still have a bed booked and all replied with "yes we have a bed." The Irish parks did not appeal to me.

Leitrim  -  Highwood  - Ballinafad - Ballaghaderran -  Frenchpark - FREE DAY      

Ballinlough -  Creggs - Ballygar - Aughrim - Clonfert - Portumna - FREE DAY

Ballingary - Moneygall - Upperchurch - Tipperary - REST DAY

Kilfannane - Churchtown - Newmarket - Mill Street - Ballevourney - REST DAY

Gourgane Barra - Glengarriffe -  Adrigole - Castletownbeare - Dunboy Castle Ruins

 

                End of the walk, 5 weeks, 500klms and all for Cancer Queensland  

The Cancer donation site has now reached over $7600 and our aim is to reach $10,000 before we close down the account in early September so please come on board and help us achieve our promised amount.

In June 2014 the O'Sullivan Chieftain, Michael O'Sullivan suggested that I walk the O'Sullivan March, in June 2015 I started to train for the walk and in June 2016 Sue and I will walk the O'Sullivan March.

Further updates to follow .......

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