Connemara fans geared up for 10,000km drive to World Cup in Japan

It may not be everyone’s idea of the World Cup dream – 32 days and 10,000 kilometres in a 16 year old car – but one Clifden couple are getting into gear for the road trip of a lifetime.

PJ and Ann Heffernan start out in Clifden next Monday and – all going well – end up in Yokohama in Japan in just over a month’s time.

Their journey will take them overland across Ireland, England, Europe and onto the far east of Russia, to the port of Vladivostok.

From there the long-serving American-made Chrysler Grand Voyager and its crew of two will go by ferry to Korea and then set off again on the roads and seas to Japan.

And it’s all to see the Rugby World Cup, to support Ireland in Japan and to see the real world on the ground while travelling from the far west to the Far East.

That is the vast overland trip planned by PJ and Ann and they set off from the Connemara capital this coming Monday.

Their final destination is and the city of Yokohama.  They plan to be there on the September 20, the day before Ireland begins its Rugby World Cup campaign.

Ann and PJ, who run the well-known Off the Square restaurant in Clifden, both have an obvious liking for the roads.

“We have nothing against flying – but what can you see of the world from 34,000 feet in the sky?” said PJ.

See full coverage in this week’s Connacht Tribune.