The journey

Summary

1) Harbours 1.1) Cherbourg 1.2) Rosslare 2) The Ferry 3) On the boat 4) What we got up to on the boat 5) Lounges, shop and restaurants

1.1) Cherbourg

Cherbourg-Octeville is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.

It was formed when the city of Cherbourg absorbed Octeville on 28 February 2000, and was officially renamed Cherbourg-Octeville.

Cherbourg holds an arsenal of the French Navy.

Cherbourg is twinned with Poole in Dorset, England.

Cherbourg-Octeville is a port on the English Channel with a number of regular passenger and freight ferry services operating from the large modern ferry terminal.

1.2) Rosslare

Rosslare Europort (Irish: Calafort Ros Láir) is a modern seaport located at Rosslare Harbour in County Wexford, Ireland, at the south-eastern-most point of Ireland's coastline, handling passenger and freight ferries to and from Wales and France

The harbour currently has four berths. Passenger ferries operate to and from Fishguard and Pembroke Dock in Wales as well as Cherbourg and Roscoff in France. Freight services operate to and from Le Havre in France.

2) The Ferry

We took the ferry “ Oscar Wilde “ of the company “ Irish Ferries “. Here are its characteristics:

Tonnage: 31914 GT Length: 166.30 m (545.60 ft) Beam: 28.41 m (93.21 ft) Draught: 6.50 m (21.33 ft) Speed: 21.5 knots (service), 26

knots (maximum) Capacity: 1458 passengers

580 cars1220 lane meters

Oscar Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish playwright, poet and author of stories and one novel.

3) On the boat

After a very long journey on the bus we arrived at Cherbourg in the evening. We all got off the bus and walked onto the boat. We left our luggage in the bus.

When we got on the boat we all had to wait for the teachers to give us our cabin keys. We then went to visit our cabins and try andget the best bed. Then we got to tuck into our delicious evening meal, which consisted of squashed sandwiches and crisps that had been crumpled into minute morsels.

4) What we got up to on the boat

This is where the dance floor was in the Merrion lounge where some of us were able to boogie on down!...

We went up and down and up and down and up and down the stairs and also tried to wear out the carpet in this corridor which went from the « Old People’s Lounge » as we called it (because it was full of old biddies), to the Merrion lounge.

5) Lounges, shop and restaurants

After having caught up on our beauty sleep, some need more than others, we had breakfast in the Left Bank. This time it wasn’t soggy sandwiches but a banquet of cereals and bread with butter; or a little less for those suffering from a wobbly tummy. After breakfast everyone did what they wanted and with luck they went to brush their teeth.

We all then met up again in the Left Bank to have lunch.

Bye bye

Arthur DurandJonathan Gamby

Raphaël Pilté