Eire 2002
Martyn, Charlotte, Max and Grumble relax in Ireland...


GRUMBLE
Not only did Grumble get us there, but proved remarkably comfortable
for this, our longest trial to date.  Over 1,000 miles during the week
didn't strain our nerves half as much as we'd expected!
(See comments on LPG below, though!)

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My pic of the trip!
Parked in the bay by
Ballyvaughan

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More from the bay at Ballyvaughan
Yes, Grumble is in the last pic, but
you need to look very closely!

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Proudly parked outside the cottage!

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Stopping off for coffee in the Connemara National Park
Note the 'dog on string' and Kelly Kettle ;-)

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The view whilst camped on the
beach at Renvyle

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This is actually on a proper campsite!
Not only is it on the beach, with full
electric hook-ups - but it also offers
around 10 different bins for sorting your rubbish
(but not anything for bags of doggie droppings...)

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Charlotte surveys the
'sand in the sandals'

LPG

The bulk of our tour was completed using LPG - in Ireland this is often known as Autogas or FloGas.

The ILPGA (Irish LPG Association) have a list of various outlets where you can fill up with LPG.  Anyone reading this who intends to tour Ireland using LPG is advised to download and print this list - preferably on soft paper as it could come in handy in case you run out of toilet paper - for it has little or no other obvious use.

I'm sorry if this seems harsh, but it is true - the list is useless.  The listing doesn't give any contact telephone numbers to enable the driver to check - in advance before setting off on a trip, it also doesn't appear to be the slightest bit 'up-to-date'.  This was sadly true for the Texaco Filling Station in Oranmore who stared vaguely at me when I asked before telling me they'd never sold it.  Upon leaving Charlotte noticed an LPG tank behind the building.  I went to have a look and found an LPG pump too.  I went back in to the shop and asked them what the tank and pump were for - to be met with more blank stares...

My gripe is the same as with the UK, in that regardless of LPG being cheaper, it's just plain good sense for the environment and people who live there.  Demand for LPG will only grow once motorists feel secure that they will not be stranded and that it makes economic sense to pay for the conversion.  Petrochemical companies obviously have an interest in motorists continuing to use environmentally hostile, high profit Petrol so will use the "there's no demand for it so we don't bother" arguement too freely.  There's too much talk and not enough action when it comes to environmental issues.

FULL MARKS however to the Mary Quinn Service Station, Labane, Ardrahan (on the N18 about 10Km South of the Kinvara Exit), for not only having LPG, but also having an Acme adapter (yeah, the filler adapter is different in Eire too, and buying one is as easy as buying a sack of rocking-horse manure) - which they keep on the ledge above the entrance door.  I did find it interesting that the LPG stations we did find were mainly owned and run by women...

Ireland really is such a beautiful country and is very sussed in other areas of environmental harm reduction - to miss the promotion of LPG is a great shame, and an error which I hope will not result in the rise of asthma amongst children in the same way as the UK.


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