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Sponsored Hitch Hike: DublinFrom UKRag Guides (wiki)(Redirected from Sponsored Hitch Hike)
Taken from the "How to run a hitch to Dublin" resource originally written by Ben Craig of Warwick RAG, Edited by Ryan Cullen of Warwick RAG and later Dave Hodge, also of Warwick RAG.
In AdvanceThere are several logistical aspects to the trip that really need to be done at least 2 or 3 months in advance and these are booking the hostel and the ferry. Recommended HostelThe hostel we have stayed at for the past few years is called Jacob's Inn and it is situated fairly centrally in Dublin. I could give you a nice review of the place but all the info is on their website [1], their phone no is 0035318555660 and their fax is 0035318555664. Depending on how many people you are taking they are probably the best hostel around (we took 90 people this year!) and they are cheap too - the cost was IR£10.9 per person per night. The FerryThe ferry can be a problem as they are within their right to cancel ferries at this time of year without giving refunds or providing alternatives. This happened to us but luckily we were able to work round this. The company we have used for the past few years is Irish Ferries. You can normally get a group discount if you talk to the right people. I believe the number for their 'group' department is 0151 2360562 but if this doesn't get you the right people then try their main line on 08705 171717 (their website is www.irishferries.ie). Remember to try and book places on a later ferry as well as your normal one for stragglers who miss the first. The last thing you want is people trapped in Holyhead (unless you are planning on going from another port in which case you don't really want them stuck there either!) Coaches backOther things you need to do is organise coaches to pick you up when you arrive at the ferry port and when you want to get back to the port to leave. Bus Eireann is a good company to call but they may well tell you that they already have a bus going at that time. Don't just take their word for it. Make it very clear how many people there are in your party and that they may need to put an extra bus on to accommodate you (which they will once they get the idea). Their phone no is 0035318366111. If you have no luck with them then call the Bus Depot on 0035318734222. EntertainmentSaturday NightWe often organise an activity or a pub to meet in for Saturday night. This way everyone has a place to see everyone else if they want. Try booking a room in a pub. We often have the upstairs of a pub called Sean O'Casey's (0035318748675). It's quite close to the hostel although it is very cosy with 90 people. If you ask nicely they will often put some form of entertainment on for you for free. Bargain! If they don't sound like a good place then Dublin Tourist Info can probably give you phone numbers for a few pubs (as well as ideas of activities to do during the day) and their no is 0035316024000. Other entertainmentsOnce in Ireland there are some great things to do. [*] The Guinness Storehouse [*] Dublin Castle (well this is rubbish but it’s somewhere to go) [*] The Site Seeing Buses [*] Kilmainham Jail (this is really good, but they are not too keen on large groups, just arrive in fours and fives!) [*] Temple Bar!!
HitchingPlan a route and try to get the hitchers to follow it. Then send a safety car / bus along this route, to help those who get stuck, as you have a deadline to catch the ferry to Ireland. Try to make sure that all the exec (and helpers) have all the mobile phone numbers of those hitching and that the hitchers have all the numbers for the exec. It's always good to try to get dropped off at a service station as there are likely to be people that you can ask about taking you on the next bit of the journey. People are far more likely to pick you up if you look friendly. Equally, make sure that you don't get dropped off at the side of the road on a motorway as it's illegal to hitch there and any passing coppers will pick you up, but probably won't take you where you want to go. It's a good idea to have a hitch t-shirt that makes all the hitchers stand out and clearly says that you're collecting for charity. When making signs, it's well worth having either a changeable one, or a few different ones that show locations along the route. People might be going the right way but not know it because your sign is for the final destination when you're at the start of the route. An easy way to get a lift back home is to pester the people on the ferry! However try to make sure that you don’t put you luggage in the luggage holds, as foot passengers, and car passengers head off in different directions!
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