|
Location: Ireland
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 3,922
|
|
Safely back from the great adventure!
I had an appointment today which meant going to Dublin City centre
having studied every form of public transport I decided that owing to the timings, I would be better off driving in.
I have driven through Dublin a few times, it's one of those places which is easy to get into but doesn't like you to leave so makes it hard, a bit like Milton Keynes.
Travelled in late morning, veered right at Heuston station and found my way onto the Quays. For once, I only ended up in the wrong lane twice and actually managed to go over the right bridge, knowing I had to go straight on I was met with a fork and took the wrong one
. Got totally lost but reckoned I needed to go left-ish, another feature of Dublin is one-way streets and the odd tram to contend with so after driving around in circles I saw a park, then a "P" sign so turned down a side street and found the only space available. I decided that I could walk the rest of the way, wherever that was!
Luckily, the park was the one I was trying to find! After squinting at street names and my Google map I even found the place I was going to - just a few minutes walk away!
Then it came to driving home. Despite trying to follow the sun as I needed to head West, I went round the Southside about four times without seeing the Liffey once, nor any road signs apart from one-way street signs and when eventually the grip of the city loosened a bit on my hot and bothered car I found myself in suburbia so I kept going on the basis that I should be heading out of town one way or another!
I found myself driving alongside the Luas track, at T junctions with no signs, down more one-way systems, even more traffic lights and all the time the sun kept shifting relative position.
Then I found myself, inexplicably, at the Irish Kennel Club
I would bet that if I tried to find it I would still be chugging round the city as darkness fell. Aha! I went there once with Rose - so I knew which road to take, then ....... couldn't believe it - got to another junction, couldn't decide which way to go and got lost again.
EVENTUALLY I fell out on to the N4 pointing West so I was finally on familiar territory - an hour and a half from a point ten minutes drive away - then joined the longest commuter queue in history.....
but at least I was on the right road. At last.
Next time I think I'll take the train!