WHILE I WAS OFF LINE

After my 4 a.m. adventure, (it turned out they were not even hostel residents) I moved for one luxurious night to a single room in the Arlington Hotel on the bank of the Liffey For an extra 30 euros I could dine in dim Victorian light and watch Irish dance and listen to Irish folk music. The three young Dutchmen in the picture were my table companions, over for the weekend. The dinner was excellent, and the dancing exuberant, especially when the dancers got three diners to join them on stage in an Irish square dance. The Folk music was great, traditional toe tapping fun.
Next day I returned to Abraham Hostel on Lower Gardener Street, Less aggressive plumbing and better breakfast than that available at citihostel, and because I agreed to share an eight bed dorm much cheaper. When people start ranting about "To-days's Youth (as they have been doing since Adam was a teenager) I want to tell them about the girls I shared my last days in Dublin with. Two French 2 German a Spaniard, a Brazialian and a couple of Irish. They were Trinity College students hunting for accomodation and helped each other search. In the dormitory they were quiet, courteous, and along with the other young people I met on this tour, made me feel very confident about the future of this world.
Friday, I had booked a seat on the bus to the airport, and found I was the only passenger on the minibus. The driver was from Bulgaria,conversed in English and was very helpful with my luggage.
I landed in Bristol and followed the arrows from plane to baggage claim. Incredibly, my case made its entrance through the curtain on to the carousel like a veteran actor. I followed the pointers to customs and then thought,'I'm not an EU citizen and I haven't been through Immigration,' so I asked an airport policeman.
"That's all right,'she said and I walked out of the airport to greet Stuart, (the sort of friend every one should have) who took me to his home in Chipping Sodbury where I was cossetted by Stu and his wonderful wife, Lesley, for the next five days during which I visited Bristol, Bath, a Saturday market, The Forest of Dene, an arboretum and Tintern Abbey. Whew!
More about this later, and more about out Poetry Kit evenings. Nxt Sunday I fly out of Manchester and come home. That is if nobody questions me about being in England without an entry stamp in my passport.