Saturday 20 June

Before I start, here are 3 “What links” from today’s Guardian. Answers are at end although I think you will get them all.

1. New Order; Mamas & Papas; Bangles; Boomtown Rats

2. UK; France; Spain; Algeria; Mali; Burkino Faso; Togo; Ghana

3. Waterloo victor; first Indian prime minister; led the charge of the Light Brigade

Three countries today! Breakfast in England, lunch in Wales and dinner in Eire/Republic of Ireland!

Awake and get on bus to more grotty weather but the day gets nicer every minute. Chilly (for summer) but the rain stops and sun breaks through.

Short drive into Chester and a guided walk around the walls. Very interesting although insufficient free time for Tina to explore the cathedral.

Into Wales and lunch stop at Conwy (sic). Lovely little place with a great looking castle but not enough time to both eat lunch and explore it. A bought a bright red dragon Welsh tie!

The Welsh for litter is ysbwriel. Now you know. But how do you pronounce it?

Brief stop to take a photo of the rail sign at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch and then on to Holyhead to catch the Irish Ferry Ulysses to Dublin. Millpond crossing of about 3½ hours on a uncrowded ship and watch the first rugby test between South Africa and the Lions followed by highlights of the 2nd test between the All Blacks and France. Where were McCaw and Carter? And the Caketin looked half empty.

Dinner is at The Old Punchbowl on Dublin Bay where we have a delicious and filling Irish Stew.

End up at The Burlington – flash and popular hotel. Tina really likes our room. Room 723 ie high up. Free internet. Tina does washing but there will be no laundry as tomorrow is Sunday. This is a familiar story.

On the ferry over I bought a Guardian. Here are some gems:

1. Headline: “No one talks nonsense like a historian”. Oh dear.

2. Today is Father’s Day in England. There is an article about the dubious marketing/lack of sensitivity two retail chains have shown in promoting a new book on Josef Fritzl – the guy who imprisoned his daughter for 24 years in his cellar, repeatedly raped her, fathering 7 children. One chain displayed the title as one of its “Top 50 Books for Dad”!!! declaring “Fathers are heroes”!!!!!!! The other chain said the book would be suitable symbol of father-offspring love!

3. Twitter jokes “I’m so shitty with Greek mythology. What was Herpes the god of again?”; “I was in a limbo competition and the music started ‘How low can you go?’ I said I once stole a dialysis machine.”; “My mum only sees the positive in people which ultimately cost her her job as an HIV tester; “I’m a bit thick. I used to think a mongoose was a swan with special needs ... I thought it had eiderdown syndrome”; “I’m 20 hours into my sponsored semaphore marathon; unfortunately I’m starting to flag quite badly”.

Answers to “What links”
1. Mondays – Blue M; M M; Manic M; I Don’t Like M
2. Prime meridian passes through them
3.Items of clothing – Wellington boots; Nehru jacket; cardigan