There’s a very slight chance that I may have had too much Guinness at my university reunion last night. Having been woken up at 4am and again at 5am by the fuckers in the adjoining rooms hasn’t really helped my general disposition.
Travel
☕️ Shortly heading out to meet a local friend for some coffee, catching-up and inevitable discussions about the state of the world. Looking forward to seeing him. I always learn a lot, and leave our chats with a face sore from laughing.
Also: trying a new (to me) coffee place here in Dublin.
After eventually getting to sleep, once the Americans had turned off their music, I was woken up at 1:15am by a maintenance guy opening an electrical cabinet in the corridor outside my room.
Rather than some kind of repair or emergency, he appeared to be given a lesson in basics to his colleague. Extremely loudly.
I think they’ll both remember my face and voice until the end of time…
Wishing all kinds of plagues on the revolting American tourists in the hotel rooms opposite and next to me.
After gathering in the corridor and swapping endless inane bullshit and “Night y’all!” at the top of their voices, they’re now in their respective rooms, blaring their music and TVs. Oblivious to anyone else who might be in the same hotel.
And a call to reception resulted in a call back “confirming that there is no noise”. WTF?!
🇮🇪 When in Rome…
It’s crucial to enjoy a Guinness when back home in Dublin. It’s practically the law!
📸 Looking down on Howth as we approach Dublin Airport
All in all, a pleasant flight over from London City. Passed the time with some political podcasts, a bit of planning, and a healthy dose of daydreaming. Before I knew it, it was time to prepare for landing in Dublin.
✈️ Next stop: Dublin
📸 An early start this morning! The scene as I left home to make my way to London City Airport for my flight by to Dublin. Beautiful clear blue skies, so I’m hoping for a smooth flight.
✈️ Staring the weekend in the face
Present day me would love nothing more than to cancel the whole thing and spend the weekend lying down somewhere comfortable.
👉🏻 Read on…
The darkness
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
I woke to complete darkness this morning, a rough reminder that we’re now in October. I didn’t grow up in tropical climes. Unless you consder Dublin a haven of sunshine and warm breezes. (It is not). But even now, in the midst of my forty-eighth year on this planet, I’m still not …🇭🇰 Doing some research…
When Sunday means 'pause'.
Sunday, September 29, 2024
📸 The view from here. Definitely having a lazy afternoon today. I’m researching a planned visit to Hong Kong and Taipei next year. Doing some online shopping. Planning for the work week ahead. All from my armchair. With no plans to leave the apartment whatsoever. I’ve a slightly quieter …✈️ A propos of nothing, just 44 days until my next trip to Japan.
Could I be more excited? I’m already making a todo list for the visit, taking in Osaka (again) and Tokyo (again!!!).
Right now, it mostly consists of places to go and soak in a hot public bath with strangers, but I’ll be adding food-related places too soon.
Who else flies to the other side of the planet for an onsen and some ramen? Obviously, there’s more to the visit each time I go, but I swear my happiest memories of Japan involve being boiled alive in a communal bath and then working my way through a seemingly bottomless bowl of delicious tonkotsu ramen.
Thursday, September 19, 2024 →
📸 When you realise it was your neighbour flying you home from Edinburgh!
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 →
🏴 After a lovely dinner and wander round town last night, my Edinburgh visit took a sour turn.
An almost sleepless night in possibly the noisiest hotel I’ve ever stayed in. And I’ve been in a few! Slamming doors, guests shouting, people running down corridors.
Yes, best to avoid the Ibis “Hotel” (hostel?) on South Bridge, Edinburgh. Unless you love plastic surfaces and want to relive life as a student, circa 1995.
Good thing I don’t have to run a workshop this morning… Oh!
🍜 Found a fab little ramen place minutes from my hotel. Had a delicious bowl of Tonkotsu ramen and a heaping dish of Takoyaki 🐙
📸 Beautiful evening light over Edinburgh.
📸 Gorgeous blue skies over Edinburgh today.
📸 Soaking up some Scottish sunshine ☀️ Carpe diem and all that.
☀️ Amazing but true: I’m wearing shorts and sitting out in the sun here in Fife this afternoon. Most unexpected and very welcome!
🐈 Still in Scotland and just back from the vet with my Mum’s cat. Thankfully he’s been given a clean bill of health after a few worrying days. Vet thinks he just ate something that disagreed with him.
🇪🇪 A photo-filled summary of my visit to Tallinn back in May:
I was quickly sucked in by the hardcore coffee and pastries videos, clips of medieval city walls and cute bars. And so we planned a long weekend – and enjoyed every single minute.
🦌 A travel memory from Japan back in 2017:
You only need to let your guard down for the moment and you’ll have a deer stealing the entire bag, or attempting to chew a hole in your shorts.
📸 Went for a walk around the lovely Pittencrieff Park in Dunfermline earlier and got quite up close and personal with some of the local peacocks. They have freedom of the entire park and go where they like.
Having a very lazing, relaxing morning here in Fife. I might go for a walk while it’s dry. Then it’s time for a roast dinner, followed by taking my mum to the cinema to see Alien: Romulus.
I’m sure we’ll all sleep soundly tonight!
✈️ On approach to Edinburgh.
I snapped this Friday evening as we flew over the Firth of Forth, just a few short minutes before landing in Edinburgh. If it’s not too cloudy, the views for the last ten minutes of this flight are always stunning.
📸 The view from take-off.
Friday evening, London City Airport, just before departure for Edinburgh. I thought the light looked incredible. And for once, the plane window wasn’t too filthy to take a pic through.
💻 A summary of what I did, thought and experienced this week:
📸 I snapped this out the window of my flight from Dublin to London on Wednesday. At the time, I thought the clouds looked impressive and a little weird. But that may have been my jet-lag addled brain seeing what wasn’t actually there…
✈️ My first day back at work since our break in Singapore. And so of course I’ve been wide awake since 3am, and now find myself in London City Airport, about to fly to Dublin for work.
Who manages my schedule?!??!
Oh. Right. 😳