This is the 18 April 2005 edition of this page, showing the continuation of the report
on this visit.
This was my first visit to the Province and was only
conceived at 'the last minute'. It was entirely because of the
friend whom I met on the Finland
Visit.
In Finland, I was as usual looking "to do my own thing" rather
than do 'group activities' all the time. To cut a long story
short, I met this lady with whom I took some attractive walks.
This time, we spent a week in the Province at a
hideaway that she had rented for us jointly.
Although, later, I was to get more familiar with the Birmingham
Airport environment as we swept into and out of each-other's
territories, on this occasion (November '97) I was to use the services
of NATIONAL EXPRESS.
Thus I travelled from Malvern to Birmingham before getting the longer-
distance coach to Stranraer. There, I caught the Stena HSS (I think
that HSS means Highly Supersonic!) across to Belfast. I had, earlier,
worried about the possible cancellation of ferries due to the storm
which may not have abated in time. Other water-borne transport was in
difficulties - but NOT the HSS. This wonderfully fast and smooth
vessel was a sheer pleasure to travel on.
On disembarking at the Belfast Ferry Terminal, I transferred to a bus
to take me to the Europa Buscentre in beautiful downtown Belfast!! There,
my friend was waiting for me with her car in which we departed the
following day for the west of Northern Ireland.
This was my frightening first time to Northern Ireland and,
this evening, I was to stay at her mother's house in a village
just outside Belfast. We continued the following morning, getting the
motorway just south of Belfast and headed west!!
Our cottage turned out to be on the west bank of Lower Lough Erne
