Saturday, 23rd August             BELFAST - DUBLIN

Robyn writes: Moving day, and a big one! We set the alarm for 7 am so that we would be able to get up and going early, but it took us a while to get motivated. Early mornings have that effect on us now, heaven knows how we'll go when we have to go back to work...

We went down for breakfast then headed up to complete our packing but it was still after 9 by the time we got away - about an hour later than we'd hoped! Then the satnav gave us a hard time; we travelled in circles a bit, then finally I became suspicious, checked the destination and it had us going to the place in town Lex went to yesterday. Finally, after about twenty lost minutes, we were on the main motorway and speeding out of Belfast.

Newgrange from the Bru Na Boise centre. A very impressive mound, fronted with white quartz.

This display shows what a passage tomb looks like inside

Many of the stones at Newgrange and the surrounding passage tomb sites are carved.

View from the road as we were leaving. Next time we'll make sure we are in plenty of time to take the tour and see inside!

Our first destination was the Bru Na Boise centre at Newgrange, the prehistoric passage tomb burial site down in County Meath. It was an easy hour's drive away and we got there about quarter past 10. Unfortunately, by that time, the next available tour wasn't until 11.45 (they take you up the hill to the site in a bus), and we had to have the car back in Dublin by 2.30 so we just weren't game to risk it. Instead, we went into the centre there and at least looked at all of the information and displays about it. They have a viewing platform so we went up there to see it on a neighbouring hill. While we were there, two blokes were talking about the landscape, pointing to things. One of them looked strangely familiar and I couldn't help staring I guess, because he looked at me and gave me a cheery "Hi!" before they headed off down the stairs. I said to Lex,

"I think that was Julian Richards!" (He's the TV archaeologist from "Meet the Ancestors.") Lex was quite doubtful, as the bloke in question had a beard and moustache, plus a bit of a receding hair line, but I've just checked on the internet and am now quite sure it was him. Celebrity moment! (Am quite excited - I loved "Meet the Ancestors".)

I really think this is the bloke I saw today!

We had morning tea in the cafe there, then headed off in the direction of Dublin (stopping along the way to get another view of the tomb hill.) The trip into Dublin was easy, it then became the usual challenge navigating our way into the city centre. Lex dropped me off in front of the Arlington Hotel, where we're staying, as there is no parking out in front (it's right on the street in front of the Liffey River.) I went and talked to the girl at the desk who said our room wasn't ready, but we could leave the bags, so James the porter and I met Lex at the back door and we left everything with him, before heading out to Avis on Old Kilmainham Road to get the car back. We managed all of this, handed it over and caught the Number 40 bus back into the city, feeling quite exhausted by this stage! Whew!

We got off the bus near the Temple Bar district, as it's an area we've never really explored before. We had a nice wander through it and found an outdoor cafe, the Vivaldi, for lunch. Dublin is having a cool but nice day and though it's been very overcast a few times, no rain yet. (Fingers crossed.) It was nice to sit and eat our lunch and watch the world go by - many of them toting HUGE cameras.

Mecca: we passed the Guinness factory on the bus coming back into the city.

Café Vivaldi in the Temple Bar district where we had lunch

Bridges of the Liffey

Art on display for sale along the fences of St Stephen's Green

The Arlington Hotel, where we're staying. It has a huge bar and restaurant area downstairs, so I hope that the sound of reveling Dubliners won't keep us awake all night....

By now it was after 2 and we could book in properly at the hotel, so we wandered back, booked in and got everything up to our room, then headed out across the river again for a last look at Dublin. We went up Grafton Street, around the fences of St Stephen's Green to admire the artwork there (it's a huge, open air art studio - must be frantic action when it rains!) and into the shopping centre for a cuppa, then back again across the Ha'penny Bridge to our hotel, where we SHOULD be doing a major re-pack but are both ignoring that for the time being. Tomorrow morning we take the ferry back to the UK - fingers crossed for a nice smooth sea for the sailing over.