Pacific Coast Highway
 

My wife always does walking holidays in the UK in April. This year she's going to Cornwall. Usually my daughter and I are at school and work while the wife is away. This year however the school Easter break falls conveniently with the end of term. It means my daughter's got two weeks off.

So we are going for a drive along the Pacific coast.

You all know the drill: start in Dublin. So that's where we're heading tomorrow. On Monday we are flying to New York. Tuesday to San Francisco. Then take a few days to drive down to LA. These are all new places for my daughter, so she is looking forward to our adventure.

I've taken advantage of a Bonvoy double points thing so we'll be staying at Marriott hotels mostly. Except Santa Barbara where the options were all ridiculously expensive and all too far from the beach.

We're pretty much all packed now so I'll say goodnight and sweet dreams.

Enjoy! As highway 1 is closed at the southern part of Big Sur, I’m excited to see what you end up doing. We just returned from a few days in Carmel.

Thank you!

Yes, we are going to have to double back at some point, then take the 101 down to SLO. It's a shame of course not to be able to see all of Big Sur.
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​​​Unfortunately, the road between Malibu and Santa Monica is also closed because of the terrible fires.

Good morning from Schiphol! No lounge photos today I'm afraid because we're flying Aer Lingus Y.

We got a lift to the airport because Nederlandse Spoorwegen decided to use the busy Easter weekend to renovate the railway between Leiden and Hoofddorp.

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Off to check in.

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Security was painless. Passport control took a little longer because you have to prove you aren't kidnapping your own child when travelling without her mother. Luckily my wife signed the form.

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No entry today.

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I keep seeing the word lounge.

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It says unlimited access to 1300 lounges. Like it's trying to taunt me.

Today we're on EI-LRB which unfortunately departed 40 minutes late from Dublin and hasn't arrived here yet. Hopefully they are not landing on Polderbaan.

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Phew, no Polderbaan.

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EI-LRB

Only just pulled up to the gate, but everyone has stood up and started queuing.

20 minute turnaround, I'm impressed!

We're on a 321neo that is also used for transatlantic flights, so there are six rows of aerspace seats in the forward cabin.

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Snacks ready!

Having just said I am booking Marriotts, our first hotel is the Radisson Blu.

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Nice clean room.

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Modern bathroom.

Now to find the 782 Dublin Express.
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Welcome to DUB.

Should have planned that better, didn't realise you were staying longer in Dublin, BMarkus. We passed the same sign as you.

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After checking into the hotel, we took the bus to town. We were hungry and so I looked up gluten free options for my daughter. The highest rated were Lemon Jelly Café and BóBós Burgers. She preferred the former. It's nearby the Millennium Bridge.

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Ha'penny Bridge seen from Millennium Bridge.

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Not quite the weather for sitting outside.

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Gingerbread Latte and a Bulmers.

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Strawberry Dreams crepe for the young lady.

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Ciabatta tuna melt for myself.

We polished those off quickly and set out for a wander.

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Crossing Ha'penny Bridge southwards.

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Fairly busy for Easter Sunday.

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Hire a bike, or fly home?

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City Hall.

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Castle Hall.

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Courtyard.

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Dublin Castle.

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Chapel.

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Dublin Garden.

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Wait, this isn't Molly Malone!

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St. Stephen's Green.

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O'Donovan Rossa memorial.

I wanted to see more of the sculptures but young lady wasn't so inclined. We headed out of the park back towards the Liffey.

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Mansion House.

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St. Ann's.

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Nassau Street.

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Trinity College.

We're back in the hotel now and planning an early night. Want to check out by 8am and breakfast in the lounge. Not sure which lounge it is for BA in T2.

Good night everyone! :)

Wait, this isn't Molly Malone!

Instant flashback for me to all the times I spent Dublin many, many years ago! Molly Malone ‘the tart with the cart’ and Anna Livia ‘the floozy in the jacuzzi’, two nicknames that stick with me nearly forty years later :)

Have a safe trip. I see what you did. We were really close to each other. Tomorrow I have to get up before 6am.

Wot, no Guinness! :)

Bwahaha :D

Shame we missed each other. I was totally convinced you were flying out before we arrived. Hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Dublin and that you find a pleasant spot for dinner tonight.