the prevention

Having not previously been any closer to the sections of the Irish landmass above current sea levels than when observing them from Portpatrick, it was nice to see Portpatrick from the air on the way over to Belfast from an aircraft of the same wee propellor-propelled model as previously used to get from Dunedin to Napier in 2008. I'd spotted my rucksack being loaded from the wee cart as we waited at the gate to board so was confident it would have landed with us, though hopefully the children are remembering the various travel-tips such as making sure to have at least one set of fresh underwear in their hand baggage and not saying or doing anything remotely suspicious whilst passing through security, even though it looks like they're finally easing off on the shoes and clear plastic bags. I didn't have a window seat so was only able to peer at bits over people's shoulders but would have tried to get a look at the massive cranes on the way down. We drove past a lot of the dockyardy-industrial stuff and massive cranes on the way to the hotel, which is amongst a newer and shinier section of converted former dockyard, then wandered across the river to the next county and the more traditional albeit grid-like middle-aged city buildings for our tea a bit later on.