Dublin Holiday May 2024 (flight)

Great, got up in morning with not far to go to the airport (just down the road), so we will have time for breakfast before the flight. When we got there, there were no signs for the park and meet area so we followed signs to purple car valet area (which I normally book but didn’t have that option this time). Parked up and went to go and and see, the man there was very friendly and said we were in the wrong place and before we could say anything, he said I know it’s not sign posted but you can still unload here and then began to tell my son where to drive the car to the right place which was just below us and how to get back up to me and Chloe (who would be waiting with all the bags). Although it was only one level down, it wasn’t as easy as that to get there. No real surprise that they went to the wrong place again but as they say third time lucky.

When we all met up together again, off we go to the terminal and check in at zone 8. As we get to zone 8, all was looking very good only a small queue. After quite a while in the queue my boy said to me, Dad you’ve brought me to the shortest, longest queue I’ve ever been in 😄. To be fair to the attendants I think they were having a little problem with the system plus, as we found out, there are a few more questions to be answered as you book it being disabled. The really good thing was I could ride my scooter all the way to the aeroplane then fold it up and take the small battery out (which you have to take on the plane with you).

Then we get to the security check, I have to take all the usual stuff off and out and put into the trays. Then ride scooter up to the guy, who asked if I could stand up in the X-ray machine, I said yes, I just sometimes lose my balance. So I went to stand on the spot marked for each foot then looked up and the image showed with your arms up in the air. I thought to myself oh dear well here goes and put my arms up, the machine very quickly did its thing. I stepped out and saw he had got me something to hold onto and told me to hold onto this we’ll have to do it with the hand held as the image was no good (as I couldn’t stand still long enough). Then one of my shoes went missing in the x-ray machine that the trays go through. My shoe was found quickly then it seemed all the trays with my stuff in got pulled out to one side for extra inspection. The guy asked me about one off the cases containing three electronics, I could remember two of them camera and lens but just really couldn’t remember the third until he got it out which was the bolt on flash. I felt a bit embarrassed about it and also that he might be thinking the man doesn’t even know what he has packed or maybe he’s smuggling something🫤.

By the time this was all done there was no time for breakfast so grabbed a quick sandwich and drink before going to the gate. When got to the gate all good priority boarding but as I said earlier I think they was having trouble with their system (not sure) but had to go through the information about the scooter as it was put on system as manual, yet the ticket on it said electric and safe but other than that, all was good and easy. Folded scooter up and took battery out and extra cushion off and went on board.

First time I’ve flown since being diagnosed with nerve damage and all the other things (heart attack, etc). Last year we was all going to go to the Dominican Republic for my boy’s 18th and probably be the last holiday the whole family goes on (as the kids are getting older). I asked the heart specialists if they think it would be okay for me to fly, they said if it was only the heart yes but as there is a lot going on with me they wouldn’t like to say. But we hadn’t thought of travel insurance when we booked the holiday. When I looked up travel insurance for myself, first of all loads of companies wouldn’t insure me and the few that would it was for £4500 - £5000 so I didn’t go. Wife and the kids wasn’t happy about it but holiday already paid for and my sister, family and friends would look after me.

So was a little apprehensive about the flight. All was good other than about half way through the flight I found out that when I started chatting my chest would start tightening up and hurting as long as I stopped it would loosen up and stop. Also I had noticed when we started to descend and I chatted everything was ok so all in all a good flight but probably best to watch something next time so I wouldn’t be so inclined to chat. So looks good to go on short flights in the future maybe👍🏻.

We had assistance help off the plane which was great but we’ve never done this before so we found ourselves split up from the kids. My wife panicked a little and said to the guy “Oh we have got split up from our kids” who then thought oh no and asked how old are they? to which I smiled (he looked a bit puzzled) and said 18 & 26 . With which he replied well good excuse to get rid of them and smiled, then said it be alright you’ll meet up with them before passport control.

The assistance was great, the young helper took us to where the kids were waiting. As we were going through passport control. She asked us where were we from, to which my boy replied Dublin, to which we all laughed and himself as he realised just what he had said 😂. She then took us straight to the right carousel to get our bags then took us straight through and got us a taxi right away. Absolutely brilliant help at the airport.

The scooter was great again folding it up to put in the taxi (by the way the helpers back at the airport were fascinated by it). The taxi driver was very helpful putting the stuff in and out of the car also helping across the road and into the hotel with it all as couldn’t park outside the hotel because of the tram lines. Although he was very hard to understand by us all, not just me (although he did have a bit of a natural body odour about himself, he was a very nice man).

Also the man at the hotel door was so helpful getting our gear across the road and into the hotel especially as there are only steps to get into the hotel.

Once into the hotel the staff were very friendly and helpful too, it was easy to move around and there were nice lifts up to the floors and a small lift to get from the reception area to bar and dining area. Although I personally didn’t have to use it as I’m able to walk a little and go up and down a few steps. The room looked lovely, big bed and lovely looking shower area was awesome. Shame air con wasn’t working just the heating in the room but there was a Dyson fan to keep cool.

We decided to have lunch/dinner in the outside bit of the hotel, which looked very nice too as you sit there eating and drinking. We all agreed the food was awesome and also the service as well. We then went out around town (me on my scooter). The weather was very nice too, my neck started to hurt (so ended up taking a lot of painkillers on this break) after a while probably because the paths and streets are a bit bumpy and the suspension on this scooter is not quite as good as the other one but all in all a great scooter to take on holiday.

We came across the Temple Bar which seems to be the most famous bar in Dublin so we just had to go in and check it out. The great thing was that we was able to go inside, you could say quite a busy bar because with my new scooter, we were able to fold it up to go in. So this was brilliant, able to take in the great atmosphere of the live band music and pub atmosphere, the people were very friendly too, although the drinks were pretty expensive. We was only going in for one and ended up staying for a few drinks.

Then we went back to hotel to have a drink and chat about tomorrow. I had to go up after a little while, the others stayed down playing cards and having a couple of drinks. Got to the room to go to bed. I had two pillows, two cushions, one small window that you can slightly open and the Dyson fan so fingers crossed for some sleep 💤.

Got some sleep although the room was still quite stuffy and hot even with the fan on. I was dripping with sweat but the wife had a lovely sleep. The bed was lovely especially the size. Wife said we could change rooms but I said no especially as we had already unpacked and was only here for a few days. By the way the wife found out that the Hotel was the first in Dublin to run fully on green energy. The shower was awesome too (although did miss my stool and got tired showering but there was no rush so plenty of time to rest before breakfast). We had decided to try the breakfast at the Hotel first morning.

The kids came to our door and we all went down for breakfast, very nice sitting area. It’s done as a buffet with teas and coffees served as much as you like. The food and service was very nice and good, so good that we decided to have breakfast at the hotel every morning.

We had decided to go to the Irish Rock & Roll Museum today. When we got there, we found out there are set times for the tour round the museum so decided to book a slot that would allow us enough time to go have a cup of tea / coffee somewhere close by and come back for the tour. We found a cafe sat outside and my boy converted my scooter into a chair (this was very easy and quick to do). This was a good idea they have done with the scooter, as the seat with the extra cushion is comfortable and I can sit up to the table and feel more like I’m with everyone than being on the out skirts (if you know what I mean). We then went off to the museum. The man that took us round the museum tour was very good and a very nice man, his name was Alan. He really made the tour very interesting, informative and very enjoyable. We all thoroughly enjoyed it also I think I speak for all of us that we wasn’t expecting to enjoy it so much. I would say a must see if you are ever in Dublin. They was also very helpful to me and making sure I was alright all the time round the tour.

Someone had told us to go to Toners Bar for a Guinness so off we went to find the bar. Didn’t go inside the bar went round the back which was a huge area some of it under cover, very characteristic and they come round to take your order so had a couple of drinks and played cards. I then felt that I needed to get back to the hotel so me and the wife decided to go back and leave the kids there. This is when we found out our phones which are both 4G didn’t really work whereas our kids have newer phones 5G and using google maps to get about was great but we didn’t have that luxury so back to old fashion way of asking people where to go, it’s just picking the right people that you would think seem to know their way round town (guess going back to my old days as a photographer trying to find places for all them years, you kind of get to know who to ask). So just happens to be no problem (lucky me 😊) except when we went through the park there which is right near our hotel which was very nice to go through and it was a nice day too. The route we decided from the entrance we went in on the parks map got changed when the wife spotted a bridge she’d like to walk over so when we got to the middle of the park. We had forgotten this and went the direction from the middle on the original route but soon realised and corrected ourselves. We all decided to have dinner at the hotel later, which was lovely too and very friendly staff as well. The barman there somehow found out that the next day was Max’s Birthday and surprised him by getting the staff to bring him out a birthday cake (very nice of them).

Next day Max’s Birthday 🥳, we went to Max’s room and gave him some of his presents that we had taken with us then went down for breakfast. When we went back up to our rooms, Max had gone into his room and surprised the lady, who was still blowing up the balloons to put round his room and couple small gifts (we had organised) to surprise him so not quite the surprise we expected but made it more funny to talk about I guess 😆. For the day we had booked up the Guinness Tour so off we went. The Tour was very good we also had an unexpected pint of Guinness. We got in line for the picture on the Guinness but the man said our ticket is for pull the perfect pint so off we went and straight in we went. As we were sitting down drinking our perfectly pulled pints especially mine 😄 other than Sam (my wife, she doesn’t like Guinness so wasn’t drinking it, more for Max). She said I’m sure we paid extra for the print on the pint so started looking on my daughters phone for the email found it and we had so then went off to see the man about it. He was very sorry and said the man downstairs had given us the wrong tickets and said we could go straight in. So off we did and got our pint with the pictures on our pints and sitting in the priority area for disabled very nice of them 👍🏻 (So extra pint all round). The entertainment area was very good too, the music was great and so was the dancing whilst having a drink.

When we went to get the lift to get up to the bar on the top floor, one of the staff saw us waiting for it and said no problem I’ll stop the lift for you, empty it and sent it up for you (the lifts have signs saying give priority to the disabled also the man happened to be the same guy who let us in the printed pint area earlier). When the lift stopped which was on it’s way down the man told the 4 people to get out please as the lift is now going up as priority for disabled gentleman. The woman then protested and said “but I’m on my way down”, the man repeated himself and in a kinder way that he meant it so they stepped out and we went in and then I think the man was taken back a bit as they quickly got back in and pushed there button but when the doors shut the lift still went up 👍🏻😁. She was moaning all the way up, mainly saying I was going down, why isn’t it going down. This made me feel not so bad about the man getting them out for us earlier (very nice one for the staff Thank you). I have to say I couldn’t believe the amount of people using the lifts when they didn’t really have to.

I suppose before as was disabled I would and I think I’m right that pretty much everyone I’ve gone out with would use the stairs as it’s good exercise for you to do. I remember when we was a lot younger me and my mates at one of the stations on the London Underground (one of my mates wound know which one), probably 99% of people use the lift to go up and out but the odd time we would go up the stairs and about 3/4 of the way up, we would be moaning to the one who’s idea is was to go up them😂 but we’d do it again another day. I’m pretty sure none of them would do it now. Also in our early teens we wound run up the down escalators, not many of us would make it. I did 😁).

Back to the Guinness Tour. On the other side of the coin when we got up there some people got off their seats round this table and offered us it, when we sat down there was a sign saying give priority to disabled and that was exactly what they did very nice of them 👍🏻. Have to say. 97% of people I have met when I have gone out are very thoughtful 👍🏻 or have apologised if they hadn’t spotted me earlier. I think in the end we had spent 4 hours on the tour and had a nice time.

We went back to hotel to have a little rest before our early evening table, booked at a restaurant which we booked back at home to make sure we had things to do and go for on Max’s birthday. We got there very nice restaurant and the food was nice too but I didn’t think wow or like to back again but also wasn’t really sure why. My boy said as we was going back to hotel “that was a bit too posh for us I think”. My wife also said she felt like they were looking down their noses at us so maybe that was it. When got back to hotel and had a drink we told the staff where we had gone and about it. They said they wouldn’t have recommended that restaurant to us. They had earlier recommended a pub down the road that was good nice place to go one night. I had to go to bed but I’m glad they all went there and they had a good time and managed to get a feel of what a great night you can have in Dublin’s great night life.

Really that was the end of the holiday in a small way for me made couple of hours or so Saturday and went to bed. Lucky for me they had a great night before so late start and they like the idea of a rest before going out for dinner which was recommended by the staff. I didn’t make it but they all enjoyed it and the night. Sunday we didn’t have to get of our room until 12 midday so stayed in bed till then. Went down town for a little while then come back waiting in lobby till taxi arrived. I think this is when Max and Chloe started not feeling too good. Taxi driver was very friendly guy too. Flight was ok and journey home was ok too.

The kids were ill next day and my wife started then I think, I spend the next few days in bed so tired and I had caught a cough. Which I’ve said before I think each time I cough my pins and needles in my arms and legs go mental (which I have 24/7) and also they go over my whole head, which isn’t too bad if it was only one but as I was coughing several times. This effects my head and I can’t get out of bed some days so for the last 3 weeks apart from the odd day and even then just for couple hours or so I’ve made it downstairs. I have asked for some antibiotics should get some later and be alright for next week but I am feeling better as sitting up doing this a bit at a time over last couple of days also hence so late in posting this. Oh and one other thing yesterday received a ticket from Heathrow for going through drop off point when we was trying to get to meet and greet which as said before we had gone to wrong place, guess that’s why it’s not very well sign posted, £40 for the ticket (I wonder how more people like us get caught out).

Hope you enjoyed reading, till next time see ya.