Yesterday at 6:30 pm I boarded a plane in Greensboro, North Carolina, I then sped through an airport in Philadelphia, and landed in Dublin, Ireland, at 7:30 am the next day, that is today, Tuesday. There’s really not much to write about an overnight airplane flight, except to say that it is over with. Not too painful, but not something to look forward to with much eagerness.
When I arrived in Dublin I was half expecting that the most necessary piece of luggage I had checked, indeed the only piece, would not arrive with me. Since that is a bicycle, and the plan is to begin cycling in Germany tomorrow, its absence would present a serious problem. That happened once a couple years ago, when Richal, Brian and I had a cycling trip from Milan to Amsterdam all planned out. Their trusty steeds arrived but mine did not. In fact the airline did not finally get the bike into my hands until I had suffered the ignominy of having to take the train through the Alps to Switzerland, while the others earned boasting rights by cycling the route. But this time, while I had already seen all the rest of the luggage spewed out onto the conveyer belt, and I had obtained the proper forms from Lost Luggage, my anxiety was allayed as a smiling baggage handler brought the bike to me. Do I qualify for the saying, Oh, you man of little faith. Or for being wise in learning from past experience...???
Before leaving the States I had made a reservation in a hotel for this first night. I meet Brian tomorrow but, with schedules as they are and knowing the possibility of some baggage problem, I have decided that a day of margin (and rest) is a good idea at the beginning of a trip. I had looked at hotels at the airport, but decided instead on one that was easily reached by public transportation, was in a more interesting location than an airport flight path, and which, given the high prices of airport hotels, was more reasonable. So after checking my bike in the Left Luggage counter at the airport, where I will recover it tomorrow, I hopped on the Dublin City Bus #102 and in 30 minutes, and after some nice conversation with local fellow travelers, I was deposited at the front door of the White Sands Hotel in Portmarnoch. Since it was only around 10 am I had planned on leaving my luggage at the hotel and walking around the area, but the desk clerk found a room for me that was already cleaned, and signed me into it.
Portmarnoch is just south of Malahide, the site of one of the great estates and castles of Ireland, Malahide Castle. It is on the east coast of Ireland, a short distance north of Dublin, and boasts exceptional sandy beaches. The hotel is just across the road from the beach, and my room gazes out on a sandy shoreline, several small islands, and the waters that separate the large islands of Great Britain and Ireland, the Irish Sea. It is gorgeous…
As soon as I had put my luggage down in my room I headed out and walked the beach for an hour to stretch my legs after the long travel. A local supermarket provided the ingredients for a light lunch, then a short nap and then three more hours of walking—along the beaches, up to Malahide, to the castle tea room (closed when I arrived), and who knows where else (at times I certainly had no idea where I was). The newspaper announced today that this summer has been the wettest summer in record in some parts of Ireland. All parts got lots of rain, but some beat records kept since 1866. And the paper added that the Irish will hope in vain for any improvement in the month ahead. But today was wonderful. Not cold, scattered clouds, lots of sun and no rain at all. A perfect welcome to this Yankee and a great start to this adventure.
Tomorrow I meet Brian at the airport at 10:30 and we head off for Hamburg, our starting point. Our plan is to go south about 1,000 miles, finally flying out of Venice, Italy on the 25th. We will follow rivers, go through Bavaria, experience Austria and climb the Alps or Dolomites, possibly through both Italy and Slovenia. I marvel at the grace of God who gives me such opportunities, and look forward to what he has to teach me along the way through the places, people and experiences. Those lessons are what each of have the opportunity to learn every day, not just while on trips like this but wherever we are and whatever we encounter. The lessons are there to learn, all we need to do is open our eyes and our hearts and see…As the great hymn says, Open my eyes that I might see…
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