Dublin Diary(No pics!)

UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUMS THE UK PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS FORUM (INTERACTIVE)
1

As you may or may not know. I now work for myself via a courier firm in Plymouth. They supply the van and work, I charge them an hourly rate.
On Saturday morning, I received a call from the office asking if I wanted a run to Dublin on Sunday afternoon? I jumped at the chance,as my kids live there and my Son is not well. So I popped into Plymouth depot Sunday morning and loaded 6 small boxes containing a sign, broken into small pieces for reassembly in Dublin.

I was only driving a VW Transporter with SWB. Nice and nippy! So 5 0’clock Sunday afternoon, I headed to Holyhead from Torquay for the 0230 Stena Line boat. M5, M56, A55 nice and direct at 70MPH. Stopped for some MuckDonalds near Holywell and arrived Holyhead about 2200. Checked in and was sent to T5 and joined a very small queue. Couple of English trucks, 1 Polish and a few Irish reefers. Used the toilet there, and I had a nosey into the showers. They are spotless and modern too. It’s in a huge Portakabin with Freight drivers written on it, for those that don’t know. And they’re free.

Rang the dragon to say goodnight,and pot my head down for an hour or so. You get a cabin on Stena, but you normally ALWAYS share. Anyway, the boat docked 1230 ish, and I watched loads of the Irish fridges racing off the boat and head towards the exit. What a sight!!! :laughing:
I boarded about 0155 and went up to reception to stake my claim to a cabin. Then went into the drivers restaurant and found it almost deserted. Had a meal of cottage pie and huge potato wedges.Fat git aren’t I ?
(It’s paid for so why not?)

Then I bit the bullet and headed for the bunk. Wonder who I’ll end up sharing with?!
So I went in, and there he was…Big, fat, snoring monster on the bottom bunk, with his kit strewn all over the place.
Wet towels on the floor. PIG! :imp: So…No kip for me then. Off I went to a quiet corner of the boat, found a nice sofa and off I popped for the 4 hr crossing.

I arrived in Dublin at 0545, was more or less 1st off the boat. Sunshine! A rare sight in Dublin. I only had a 20 minute drive to Kilbride. A small village on the Dublin/ Meath border. I knew where the site was as some of you know I lived in Ireland for years and worked as a chauffeur. So no need for ■■■■ nav.
When I got to Rennicks signs,just after 06.30. A bloke turned up to open up. What yer’ got> He asked.
So I told him and showed him, and he said “Drop it near the roller door and be on yer’ way”. Result! :sunglasses:

Then I headed for my lads house, I got there at 0745 and spent a couple of hours with him. It was good but he looks wrecked. Cancer does that to you! :frowning:
So for getting paid for something so rewarding is cool. Reverse trip more of the same. I got the 1600 boat Dublin-Holyhead. Better food, curry chips and rice. Big piece of cake and unlimited coffee. Shared a cabin with a guy from PEL. Nice bloke, I even got 3 hrs kip! Got back to Torquay 0200 Tuesday morning.
Sorry there are no pics, but have lot’s on my mind. Will do some next time.
Sorry if I bored you!
:wink:

me and my boy.jpg
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2

Nice read up

3

Good short diary Vern.
Best wishes to your boy.

4

Good ferry and good food
Hope your boy gets well soon.

5

Good read that… Iv done that stena crossing many times and have never shared a cabin… Not even when ther was 30 of us from same firm on…

6

Nice diary Bigvern, just wished it was better circumstances hey? All the best to your lad and to yourself.
Streaky.

7

Great diary,I know rennicks well, I’m from ratoath and when I was a nipper i used to go out in the lorry with my uncle who used to bring trailers from there down to mallow in cork. Hope your son gets well soon.

8

Nice little run that, best wishes to your lad.

9

Well done vern, sounds like a good trip and I like the picture off big vern little vern.

10

Fanx for the diary, well written too!

All the best to your son, I shall say a prayer for him.

11

Nice read mate, i wish your Son all the best and hope he gets back to full health …

12

Enjoyed the read sound like a nice cool van job you have there without the stress of going over hours. I wish your son all the best.

13

Nice one, best wishes to your son. :wink:

14

Good one Big Vern,all the best for your lad.

15

Good read big fella, all the best to the lad :smiley: :smiley:

16

Thanks people. :sunglasses:

17

small tip for you vern ask a lorry driver does want his
cabin ticket

18

I had thought about it once or twice. If it was a longer run like Portsmouth-caen etc… I would ask. Short trip not a drama really. Especially as the boat was empty and quiet. Cheers mate. :sunglasses:

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jessicas dad:
Well done vern, sounds like a good trip and I like the picture off big vern little vern.

:smiley:

20

Interesting read BV1, Your lad looks reasonably well :question: at the moment, :slight_smile: hope it stays that way :smiley:

Regards
Dave Penn;