Arriving into Dublin airport, security was a breeze! They barely glanced at my passport, and just like that, I was landside. If only it could always be this smooth!
Next, it was a bit of a trek over to Zone 16 to the coach park to catch the transfer bus to the hotel. They say the bus runs every 20-25 minutes, but I lucked out and only had to wait about five. There was a short wait for other passengers and an even shorter journey to the hotel.
Speaking of the hotel, it was a pleasant surprise, nicer than I had anticipated. Not that I was there to soak in the ambiance; it was just another quick overnight stay.
After a good seven hours sleep it was time to face the day. The weather was not exactly conducive to air travel however despite the fog, everything seemed to be running on time. But we all know how fickle travel can be, so I was keeping my optimism in check.
My flight back to London was at 10:50, which gave me a leisurely morning. First stop? Breakfast, of course. The breakfast room is massive, designed to make you think there’s an endless variety. However, a closer look reveals that it’s more about space than actual options. Still, there’s plenty to fill the belly, and the fried breakfast looked tempting. But before anything else, coffee was a must!
After enough coffee to kickstart an elephant, and a tasting of the fried breakfast, it was time to check out in preparation for 08:00 the transfer bus. The hotel runs two full-sized buses, and by 08:10, ours was packed to standing room only. The ride to the airport took around 20 minutes due to traffic, followed by a short five-minute walk from the coach park to Terminal 2 departures. Thankfully, 95% of the walk is under covered walkways, so no need to worry about the infamous Irish drizzle. Not that it was a concern on this day, the fog had cleared, and it was shaping up to be a gloriously sunny morning. A good omen, I hope!
Next instalment: Day 2, Flight 5 – Dublin to London Heathrow
Previous instalment: Day 1, Flight 4 – London Heathrow to Dublin