7/07/2009

Driving to Derry

Phew! Quite an event. We left Bray/Dublin early this morn. crossed Co. Monaghan(Hello John :-))Probs started at the border, not for us, who have EU-passports. but I had no idea, that Rafiq only possesses a lebanese passport, which made a major terror alert to the Royal Army, who searched my car so thoroghly, that I wonder the car has it´s motor still in place. Gosh, do they really think, some teenagers carry bombs or stuff for Al-Quaeda or, being catholic, for the Real IRA. To top this, Rafiq had to get a visa to get to Northern Ireland, even though he has a permanent visa for the EU! So far for Union! Laters Pilgrim...Any comments?

5 comments:

naturgesetz said...

Well actually, teenagers have been known to carry bombs and weapons for terrorists — even to use them sometimes.

Are they giving you a military escort to protect Rafiq while he's in N. Irl? jk

And what did you think of Co. Monaghan? The impression I get from pictures is that is is pleasant, gentle terrain with nothing there. Is that how it is irl?

Pilgrim said...

Well, John, we are not booked for such stuff!

JustinO'Shea said...

Hi Pilgrim: Thanks for hooking up on blogs.. One of these days I'll get more of the mechanics figured out and catch up with you. ;-)

When I was doing Ireland a few summers back I froze at night. Cold summers; warm hearts always help. .

a bientot.. .
justin

Anonymous said...

I didn't know the border control was still THAT strict in NI...supposedly it had diminished in the 90s until now.

Anonymous said...

Border control is so very strange sometimes. I once had a difficult time coming back into the states from Montreal because I lost my wallet up there. Five hours and five hundred times of answering the same questions the same way. I finally succeeded in being allowed back into the U.S. by having the "I'm a taxpayer and I pay your salary!" fit with the border gaurds. They told me only an American would talk like that so I must be real. =P anyway, I hope you've got it all sorted now and can enjoy the rest of your trip. I was in a hotel in N.I. when we had a bomb scare. Trust me it was no fun whatsoever.
Hugz