Europe on a Virago Day One

Arrived in Ireland at 11PM at Dublin after a 12 hour flight from Bangkok to Amsterdam then a two hour wait and a 90 minute flight. Caught a taxi to a 39 Euro hotel close to the airport. The Premier Inn where a Latvian lady booked me in with a smile and a friendly chat. Hotel was clean modern and quiet but arriving at 5AM Thai time and 11PM Ireland time made sleep very difficult. Gave up at 0530 and caught the one Euro shuttle bus back to the Airport and a 64 Euro Budget hire car which turned out to be a Nissan Micra.
Drove to Cotter's Motorcycles and when they opened at 0920 purchased a 200 Euro LS2 Helmet with sliding chin guard.
Off to Kinsale. Stopped at Cashel for a takeaway steak and kidney pie.

Tick first Castle at Cashel a very touristy town with no free parking.
Made Kinsale at 3:30 and found Joy's Accomodation, a guesthouse where a bed in a 5 bed dorm costs 18 Euros a night. Shared the first night with an Englishman who was excited about his new job, a hotel night porter.

 

The house had a previous life as a barrack for soldiers stationed at nearby Desmond Castle.

On Thursday Martin from Motofermie picked me up and introduced me to the Virago that he had been storing for me in his dusty shed.

So off I went to test it out. Put my first fuel in at E1.52 a litre (!)and did a test run out to one of the local headlands.

Not called the Emerald Isle for no reason.

Dramatic views from The Old Head, Kinsale.

The weather was fine, sunny and cold. But in the distance, clouds were massing and I didn't have too long before a shower christened my wet weather gear.
Hightailed it back to the guesthouse and took to the streets for a E18.95 (AUD$29) 4 course lunch at Dino's Restaurant

Vegetable soup, lemon sole, banoffe pie and coffee. Big portions, no need for dinner tonight.

Washed down with an excellent local cider.
Wandered around the colourfull Kinsale streets before calling it a day.