One thing I did while waiting was go and talk to the girl in the ticket office. I’d had an email saying the train we were booked on for the return Holyhead/Euston was no longer running. She checked online and said we might have missed it anyway as the passengers had been late off the boat that morning and it had already gone . Very kindly she printed off two more tickets for me for the later train with booked seats and told me it was a direct train to Euston.. no messing about at Chester. Then she spoiled it all by asking how much I’d paid. With a wry smile she told me if I had booked directly to Dublin it would have been a lot cheaper as there is an arrangement between Avanti and Irish ferries. Ouch, about half the combined train and ferry prices I had paid..

Finally check-in opened and we were first in line. Very efficient staff whipped us through security, taking our suitcases away while we were checked over. I was frisked by a very chatty lady. Then it was a short wait in the departure lounge before a bus took us to the gangplank. An attentive member of the crew spotted the stick and led us to the lift so we arrived regally and slowly on the main deck, keeping away from the walls. A baggage lift, presumably!

Despite dire warnings from friends and family about the usual conditions of the Irish sea it was on best behaviour and we had a smooth crossing. Maybe due to the boat being called Swift, a smaller than usual car ferry, it only took two hours fifteen minutes. Still daylight on arrival.

We were led downstairs and into a bus again before alighting at the terminal where we grabbed our cases and went looking for a taxi. About to share one, another turned up and we switched to him. And what a treat that turned out to be! Born and bred in Dublin and immensely proud of his city the ride to the hotel was like a guided tour. Our driver pointed out places to visit, places to avoid (too expensive and not genuine), how to get about the city and chatted all the way, even breaking into song at one point! Great to hear an Irish accent as all the boat crew sounded Eastern European, not a problem but not what I had expected.

A quick freshen up in our room on the top floor and we were off to look for dinner. Just along from our hotel was one of our driver’s recommendations so in we went. Sure enough, full of music and noisy chatter. A large glass of the black stuff followed by sausages and mash. Happy anniversary to us!