Überfahrt to Ireland

After leaving Freiburg with a day's delay, with mixed feelings, our first major goal was the port in Cherbourg.

We covered the approximately 900 km there in two days. In order to see more and save some money, we decided to avoid toll roads, which of course took a bit more time.

The goal on the first day was definitely to leave Paris behind us. Initially, we underestimated the fact that after 8 hours of traveling and in rush hour traffic, Paris would be a big challenge. But we managed this with just a small unintended detour.

By 7 p.m., we reached our first intermediate destination, an abandoned field in the 'Parc Naturel' southwest of Versailles. We got this tip from the iOverlander app. However, it did not mention that the way there had nothing to do with a paved road anymore. But don't worry, the axles are still intact.

The breathtaking view the next morning made up for everything. Apart from a few joggers in the evening and some falling acorns, we did not encounter anyone else. Despite a slightly uneasy feeling, we had a restful first night wild camping!

The next day, the journey continued to Cherbourg. Suddenly, the weather changed and we were surprised by gray clouds and drizzle. That was a great precursor for Ireland...

With plenty of time buffer, we reached the port and first looked for a somewhat windy spot to prepare our lunch, entertaining many drivers in the process.

After some security checks and waiting time, we were able to drive the car onto the ferry. Since we had opted for the most cost-effective option, we took our reserved reclining seats on the very top of deck 10. We believe it can be said that the travel budget has tended to decrease from bottom to top, so we were essentially traveling in 4th class. But as we know from Titanic, we sink last!

Being chance takers, we immediately made use of the free hot showers before the ferry even set sail. When weighing whether to watch an English movie for 16 EUR or rather have beer, chips, and a German movie on the phone for about 10 EUR, we naturally chose the cheaper option :P

We enjoyed the sunrise with a banana on the sun deck directly above us. After a few more hours of driving, we finally ended up in Rosslare Harbor.

So, off in the car, off the ferry, through passport control, into the left-hand traffic.