Visit Ireland

On my way back from visiting evenstar42 last Sunday, I bought Guinness candy to send as gifts to those subscribers of mine who’d accepted my offer of a souvenir from my trip.

As usual, I went slightly overboard and came away with more than I needed. I’m left with one bag of toffee and one of fudge. Any takers?

At the time of writing, it’s precisely 3 days and 15 hours until I return to Dublin. My memory tells me several people had accepted my offer of buying them Guinness goodies while I’m there. Wundergrl21, nicolasc and bedhead2 are all wanting candy. Anybody else?

Most people have heard of Murphy’s Law – “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”.

Many, thanks to the quirkily handsome Will Smith in “I, Robot”, are aware of Asimov’s Laws of Robotics.

Make way for a new decree – Whyowhy’s Inverse Law of Value for Money.

An example of this law in practice…

Yesterday I flew to Dublin and back, from Luton. A distance of about 600 miles. For a cost of $ 0.04. Yes, really, four cents. Round it up to a nickel if you like.

While I was in Dublin (or, if you prefer, Baile Átha Cliath) I bought a one day, all you can use bus ticket known as a Rambler. Said voucher let me travel from the airport to the centre, all over the city, and back to the airport. 20, 30, 40 or more miles of transportation for $ 8.00.

However. Before I jumped on the plane, I first had to get to the airport, a distance of just a few miles. A walkable journey but I was feeling lazy, so I went by train, and paid $ 14.00 for the privilege. Fourteen bucks for a short ride on a dirty, smelly noisy train. At least it was mercifully uncrowded at four o’clock in the morning.

In summary. Hundreds of miles for less than a dollar, tens of miles for less than a ten-spot, a few miles for over ten bucks. Either there’s a law at work in the universe, relating distance travelled to cost per mile in some perverse way, or the rail companies are ripping us off.

Discuss.

...till I visit Dublin for the day. I’ve discovered it’s gonna cost me more in parking fees than I paid for my ‘plane ticket. It’s a crazy world, Caruthers.

...until I found out I could fly to Dublin, and back, for about 10 bucks, including taxes! Woohoo! Ticket is booked for June 4th.