He hopes that travelling mostly by train will be more relaxing and less stressful than negotiating his way through busy airports, allowing him to relax, enjoy the passing scenery, plan ahead, keep a journal of his adventures – and catch up on some sleep.
During his month-long trip, Manchán leaves and returns to Ireland by ferry and in between, uses the vast rail network system to travel clockwise around the continent of Europe, visiting a range of destinations including Wales, London, Brussels, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Berlin, Prague, Budapest, Zagreb, Lake Bled, Genoa, Monaco, Toulouse and San Sebastien.
The beauty of arriving somewhere by train is that the station is usually in the heart of the town or city, making onward travel easy. And instead of spending his time in the usual tourist traps, Manchán heads off the beaten track to enjoy more undiscovered offerings, as well as many varied locations along the way.
Episode 1 – 18th August at 6.30pm
Manchán waxes lyrical about the thrill of sailing out of Dublin port on a ferry as he looks forward to the adventures he hopes lie ahead. Determined to step out of his comfort zone, he takes a 100mph zipline ride across a Welsh quarry, dances the Congo at a party in Brussels, cycles through treetops on an innovative Belgian trail, visits a floating farm in Rotterdam and meets some modern-day heroes in Amsterdam, reuniting visitors with precious items they’ve lost in the city’s canals.
