Where is Doha, you might ask, it’s probably not a well known place. It’s in Qatar, on the Arabian peninsular, not very far from Dubai, not far from Shiraz in Iran, not far from Kuwait. So obviously it’s an Arab and an oil nation.

Enough of the boring school lesson. The city of Doha off in the distance looks interesting, sea to the right of the city, I wonder if it might be interesting to break a trip and explore Doha for a few days? Note to self – check it out!

As we go outside to get into the bus to get to the plane we see the dust haze, you can feel hot desert air and I’m glad we are moving on, I want to see a bit of green with the warmth, should get that in Ireland I hope.

We have mixed lot of passengers, lots of brown skinned babies, about 70 Irish senior ( older than me I reckon) choir members who have just done a 2 week trip to India, thankfully they don’t break out in song. Surprisingly and thankfully there are no metro’s with waxed twirly wirly moustaches, and hipster clothing, and just a few with Ned Kelly beards and man buns – is this a sign I’m getting old? A g&t at 11am after breakfast is just what I needed!

The seats on the Boeing Dreamliner we’re on now are pretty cramped compared the A380, we’re really squished in, 6’4″ Mark’s knees are sideways and when the woman in front leans her seat back he can hardly breath. A quiet word from Genelle and the steward asks her to move it forward. She got Genelle’s gentle “fireside chat” look and clearly saw it was a good suggestion. Genelle has done pretty well so far, her behaviour has been ok, only minor food spills on herself, but the cramped quarters results in a milk sachet malfunction and she squirts milk over the seat in front and her table, accompanied by a loud “shiiiit”. It was probably overdue, and little damage done, a good job out of the way. The noise cancelling headphones results in her speaking VERY loudly sometimes, and my subtle hand wave suggesting she ” lower her voice” is met with a glare, but all that’s never bothered the people with the same genes as her, except Mark who speaks very gently and only occasionally raises his voice.

For me the news is good, no spills, no pain killers, knees are good, no pain other than needed a good stretch and walk around, but everyone needs that. I reckon I’m in way better shape physically for traveling than the last 2 or 3 trips.

Dublin for lunch, and a Guinness, we just have to get sorted to get from the airport into the city after we land, always interesting after a long haul flight when you’re all tired and don’t want to be bothered. Could be interesting. I think there are €6 bus tickets running every 15 minutes.

it’s raining lightly when we land in Dublin. We dismount the plane ( I know what the correct word is you grammar Nazi’s!!!), a €40 cab ride into the Temple Bar to Blooms Hotel where we are staying. Rooms are tired but great location. A quick rest, clean teeth, a bit of deodorant then out into the fray of Dublin for the afternoon. Genelle and Mark do as students tour of Trinity College for €14, I go walking and meet them back at Trinity. Amazing how much work has happened here in 10 years, the place has gone ahead.

We’re dog tired by 7pm so we head back to Blooms and the Vat House for drinks and dinner. Music is playing, great atmosphere but we dog it and head to bed, can’t keep our eyes open.

Tomorrow we’ll be right

Ciao

Paul