*Live blog* - Ben the Bendyman's Great GETAWAY - Maiden Voyage

[kylenyc]

Thank you!! Loving your review and photos.

 

Did you pre-purchase your Eurostar tickets? We are doing Europe this summer, and after we disembark in Barcelona will be flying to London, to stay for several days. We were thinking of taking a side trip to Paris for a day, and were told it would be smart to have the Eurostar reservation pre-paid, as the tickets sell out.

Thanks Michelle. You should definitely plan and book ahead. I didn't book ahead, and looking back, I was very lucky to get a ticket the day of. If you look at their website now, they are sold out on the weekends for the next few weeks. I just happened to be traveling on an off peak day. Tuesdays to Thursdays seem to be off peak while Fridays to Mondays are very popular and mostly sold out. You might want to check out a regional flight as long as you aren't bringing a lot of luggage. I was ripped off by Aer Lingus by their hidden baggage fees ($55 for one bag).

Edited February 10, 2014 by kylenyc

[HardHeadedWoman]

OMG Loving your review and I'm still only on the NYC posts! I live there, too, and I love how Ben makes taking the bus and subway look so easy!

 

Can't wait to keep reading!

[kylenyc]

OMG Loving your review and I'm still only on the NYC posts! I live there, too, and I love how Ben makes taking the bus and subway look so easy!

 

Can't wait to keep reading!

I'm glad you like it! It's not easy. He gets a lot of strange looks riding the MTA but luckily a few smiles too. :p Love your screen name. Now I'm wondering how you got it. Are you in construction and wear a hardhat? :D

Edited February 10, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Ben kicks his typist in the shins "Hurry and finish this overdue blog... We're leaving for another cruise in only 2 days!"

 

Day 5 - Friday morning, January 17, 2014

Au revoir, Paris; Aer Dingus to Dublin

 

Be reluctantly checked out of Hotel Mont Blanc, took a last longing glance of Notre Dame and Paris, and then bumped down on his porter's carry on luggage into the metro where he caught an affordable €1.70 Euros RER regional metro to Charles de Gaulle Airport. Aer Dingus did not have any self-service check-in kiosks so he approached the mostly empty counters. An agent told to weigh his carry-on bag and informed him he had to pay €40 Euros ($55 US dollars) for his 12.5 kg bag. (Regional flights on many other airlines have a 20 kg allowance).

 

Ben's porter was shocked and calmly explained how it was the same bags he'd carried on the very same Aer Dingus airline from the US to Europe and this was of multi-leg international flight. The disinterested condescending agents were not swayed and couldn't be bother with doing anything helpful. So Ben reluctantly paid the fee while trying to keep his fuming porter from blowing his top. His typist has never been so angry on a flight and felt positively ripped off. The flight half-empty and could easily have accommodated his 12.5 kg (27.5 lb) carry on. In hindsight, he could easily see why the flight was half-empty... if he'd only known sooner. He vented at the flight attendants who did their best to keep Ben from busting an injection molded seam but the damage had been done. Needless to say Ben recommends flying one of the many other airlines that have cheaper regional flights with double the baggage allowance over Aer Dingus.

 

Here's are some sample fare from Paris to London flights on airlines that are cheaper and have double the baggage allowance of Aer Dingus:

- Easyjet ($60) - No weight restriction for one carry on luggage as long as you can safely lift it unassisted into the overhead bin

- British Airways ($95) - 23 kg carry on

- SAS ($160) - 8 kg carry on plus 23 kg checked baggage

- Aer Dingus ($266) with only 10kg carry, €40/$55 fee for check in baggage

 

Heading into the metro.

 

 

Au revoir - A last glance at Notre Dame et Paris.

 

Aéroport Charles De Gaulle

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 5 - Friday morning, January 17, 2014

Aer Dingus to Dublin

 

After arriving in Dublin Airport, Ben found his way to one of the affordable €6 euro bus transfers into the city center. He bought a round-trip ticket for only €10. Ben recovered his smile quickly as he tried to enjoy the scenery on the short ride. The bus dropped him off on College Green across from the Regent House & Parliament Square, only a few blocks from his hotel.

 

 

Dublin Airport

 

The friendly flight attendants tried their best keep our bitter boiling Ben and his manservant smiling and calm.

 

 

 

Tickets for the bus transfer to the city center.

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 5 - Friday morning, January 17, 2014

Bus Transfer to City Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 5 - Friday evening, January 17, 2014

Temple Bar, Fleet Street Hotel, and the Old Storehouse

 

Our frugal figurine had booked another budget room this time at the Fleet Street Hotel in the Temple Bar area known for its busy night life, restaurants and pubs. He was pleased to find his room was more comfortable, spacious, and affordable than his previous hotels on this vacation at only $180 for two nights.

 

After Ben's porter dropped off his bags, our they quickly headed out for a walk around the Temple Bar are, enjoying the sounds of the pub nightlife and sidewalk musicians on a vibrant Friday night. With TripAdvisor guiding him, he found the Old Storehouse Bar & Restaurant, sat at the bar, and had a beer and a savory cottage pie while listening to live Irish folk music. He then wandered into the Brick Alley Cafe for a slice of pecan pie while watching the crowds and listening to the street musicians just outside the entrance.

 

Fleet Street Hotel

 

 

 

A savory cottage pie at the Old Storehouse

 

Enjoying some Irish folk music (listen).

 

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 5 - Friday evening, January 17, 2014

Temple Bar; Sandeman's Howth Tour

 

The next morning, Ben stepped out into a chilly rain, ducking between awnings and entryways on the way to City Hall where he was to meet up with another Sandeman's tour - Their Howth Day Tour. Despite the poor weather, he was determined to make the most of his day in Ireland. When he arrived he met the guide for the spanish language tour. Our Ben and his manservant were the only ones there for the english language tour (everyone else apparently knew better!) and was told that it was cancelled.

 

Still undeterred, he asked to follow along with the spanish tour group. The tour was €24 ($33 USD) and included train fare to Howth. So he thought he would go there alone and worst comes to worse, he could break of from the group once there and do a little shopping and exploring on his own. In the end however, he stayed the entire time with the spanish group. The tour guide and tourists were all very nice and did their best to make Ben feel welcome and explain some of the sights they they muddle along in mud, wind and rain.

 

The tour was 6 hours with about 4 hours of walking. It was a lot of effort for a little reward on this chilly, wet, rainy day, walking up steep hills, along muddy rocky trails looking for leprechauns who knew better than to be out this soppy day. He was glad for the much needed lunch break in Gaffney's Summit Bar where he had a bowl of fish chowder that barely had a chance to warm his polymers before they had to head out again to walk the chilly windy cliffs of Howth.

 

The Old Storehouse

 

Mochaccino and pecan pie at the Brick Alley Cafe

 

Listening to street musicians (Mutefish) playing outside (video)

 

Rainy start to Sandeman's Howth Tour

 

DART Irish Rail to Howth

 

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 6 - Saturday morning, January 18, 2014

Sandeman's Howth Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for Leprechauns (Hint... They're snuggling in front of a warm fire!)

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 6 - Saturday morning, January 18, 2014

Sandeman's Howth Tour (continued)

 

The spanish tour group didn't find any mystical Irish creatures but the did stumble upon a Bendechaun. As lucky as Ben is, he did little to keep everyone warm or dry!

 

 

 

 

Ben hopes this hike is worth the effort "Huff! Puff! Wait for me!"

 

Well the view sure is... Unforgettable!"

 

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc

[kylenyc]

Day 6 - Saturday afternoon, January 18, 2014

Sandeman's Howth Tour (continued)

 

Taking much needed shelter in Gaffney's Summit Inn

 

Trying to warm up with a salmon fish chowder.

 

A few in the group had mussels with garlic and oil. Yummy!

 

Onward back out into the rain...

 

 

 

[kylenyc]

Day 6 - Saturday afternoon, January 18, 2014

Sandeman's Howth Tour (continued)

 

More wet rocky paths...

 

An end in sight?

 

Now they tell us!

 

Howth Harbor

 

 

At least someone is enjoying the wet weather!

 

After finishing up the tour in Howth Harbor, we entered the train station only to be told there were signalling problems and we'd be better off taking the bus home. Ben returned to hotel two hours later chilled and tired, his manservant grateful to be out of his wet clothes and socks and into a warm bed. The luck o' the Irish was a mixed blessing on this trip but he was glad to have experienced what he could.

 

The next day he caught an early flight home on Aer Dingus. This time there was contention over his carry on, and he slept most of is flight, drifting in and out of sleep, reminiscing over the best of his short whirlwind Getaway vacation, catching up at work, trying desperately to finish blogging on both Cruise Critic and Facebook, all the while planning his next cruise vacation which he leaves for in just two day...

 

Thank you for gallivanting around Europe and the wonderful new Norwegian Getaway with Ben and putting up with his slow blogger!

 

The End

... Until Saturday when Ben is off to the Norwegian Jewel, the Big Easy, and Mardi Gras! Laissez les bons temp rouler!

Edited February 21, 2014 by kylenyc