Ulsterbus lag

OK. So my flight got in at 7am this morning...but it took about 1.5 hours to get through Dublin airport and out to the car...honest to God, the boyfriend might well have parked in Sligo for all the convenience of the Dublin's long-term carpark.

Of course the Ulsterbus airport bus is a much more convenient way to get up and down to Dublin airport than driving, and we'd both intended on doing that. Last thing I fancy after a transatlantic flight is driving home. Much better to sleep on a bus.

But my faith in Ulsterbus had been somewhat shaken the previous week. First of all, I nearly missed the bus because Valucabs didn't seem able to cope with the empty streets of Belfast and low passenger volume of 5.30am. So my taxi turned up late, and then practically reversed to the bus station. I made it with 2 minutes to spare.

For some reason, there were three drivers on the bus. The fella behind the wheel was giving out to 2 drivers in the doorway about a previous bus, that had to be taken out of service due to a fault. Apparently the fault was discovered at the last moment and all the passengers for the airport were left stranded in Belfast. Ulsterbus didn't see fit to put on another bus for them.

Strangely, none of the drivers thought this was either a terrible or unusual occurrence. As a matter of fact, they bitched about the passengers who got upset, particularly the man who told them he was probably going to miss his flight. The driver's view on this?

'Well, anyone who relies on this service to get a plane deserves all they get'.

'Eh????' I thought to myself? "Surely Ulsterbus pride themselves on providing a reliable efficient service to all customers at all times, PARTICULARLY when the bus is providing a connecting service to the airport?"

But no. All three drivers had a bit of a laugh at the eejit of a passenger who'd timed his journey according to an Ulsterbus schedule.

Knowing that the boyfriend was due to get an even earlier bus to the airport later in the week and was relying not only on Valucabs but Ulsterbus, I warned him about the late taxi and told him to get an earlier bus and to text me as soon as he got to the bus station.

So he texted me to let me know his taxi was early and he was at the bus station with 15 minutes to spare. Great I thought in NYC, and relaxed. Luckily for me, he didn't then update me with the news that not only did the bus to the airport not turn up, no Ulsterbus employees turned up to explain why. A complete no-show in the early morning from Ulsterbus.

So he had to get a taxi back to the flat, get my car, lift 3 other stranded passengers and drive them to Dublin airport.

Dublin airport. €10 a day to park in a field somewhere that seems closer to Sligo airport.

Ulsterbus. £14 quid for a return ticket on a bus service that may or may not run and should not be relied on for flight connections.

Yes. I believe I'm home.

Unexpected Feathers and Sequins

So I think every girl should at least once in her life get to open a package from NYC that contains:

- one handwritten letter
- one spectacular black feather boa
- one matching sequinned feather head-dress
- one seven-year old necklace of Indian silver

Does anyone else think that floods in Belfast are an occasion for wearing feathery finery? I feel like shimmering today...