Day 105: Malahide - DUB🛫 - Malahide

Today we started the day earlier than ever. Not because the wind tossed our camper around (which it did, a lot), but because we had an appointment with the workshop in Santry. Yesterday a very special package had arrived there: the belts and pulleys for the car, those boring things that smell like grease. It's not that the workshop had ordered them, because they had already told us that they couldn't locate the correct parts; it was Daddy Edu who took care of hunting them down on the internet and sending them directly to the workshop. Canine-human ingenuity, that's what it's called. Before 10 o'clock we were already handing over the keys and, suddenly, we had to solve the great mystery: what does a pack without wheels do for several hours?

The answer: explore!

We took a nice walk through Santry Demesne, a huge park that was once the estate of an important family, with a mansion included (which no longer exists). Today it is a green lung with paths, meadows, a pond and even the remains of stately gardens. I felt like the king of the place, sniffing every corner as if they were canine archaeological ruins.

Then it was time for the shopping center. You know: bright corridors, people loaded with bags, smells of food everywhere... and me walking right into a pet store, not because we needed anything, but because dogs are welcome there. That's quality marketing.

Later, Daddy Edu fell into the temptation of a McDonald's in another shopping center. I looked at him with a face that said "I want some too", but nothing, not a single french fry fell from the sky. Canine injustice, chapter 547.

After one o'clock we went back to the workshop, and just in time: the car was ready. Three hours of work, 300 euros less in Daddy's pocket... and a lesson learned: fixing the car in Ireland is like buying a pedigree dog.

With the car back on the road, we took the usual route:

• Diesel for the van.
• Stop at Lidl to load up on supplies (because of course, we had never been to a Lidl before...).
• Service station with laundry, where Daddy put the clothes in the machine and did a multitasking session: put away groceries, clean the camper, load water... Come on, not a minute of boredom. An hour and a half later, dry clothes and the smell of fabric softener floating in the air.

But the best part of the day was yet to come. We went back to the already known Applegreen service station, where Daddy folded the clothes, put them away all neatly and took another free shower (every day cleaner than a show greyhound). And then, to the airport. The reason? To pick up Tito Javi!

Almost a year without seeing him, and when he appeared at the door I went crazy with joy. Jumps, licks, spinning around... come on, a world star welcome.

With the pack reinforced, we headed for Malahide, to the same parking lot next to the estuary that we already feel like home. There, Daddy Edu and Tito Javi had dinner in the camper, I attacked my food (routine is routine) and we got ready to spend the night. About six more motorhomes keep us company, and while the tide goes down and the wind blows, here we are, calm and happy, ready for whatever tomorrow brings.