Hóla mis amigos! Pádraig ha llegado en Espana a Alicante. Green Dragon ha llegado tambien. Todo el mondo es muy contento estar aquí.

A Chairde! Pádraig anseo ag caint libh ó Alicante. Is breá liom bheith san áit álainn seo i dteannta foireann Green Dragon. Tá súil agam go mbeidh an ghrian ag taitneamh go geal gach aon lá.

Hello girls and boys! Well I'm delighted to announce that Pádraig, your intrepid sailor has arrived safe and sound in Alicante along with the Green Dragon team. It's a great relief to be on solid ground again and I have to say my sea-legs didn't let me down.

I'll be here for a while so I'll get out my tourist map and see where everything is. I'm glad I studied up on my Spanish so I'll be able to hablar with los Espanoles and make lots of new friends.

A small bear could easily be swept off his flippers ....eh paws...here, if he wasn't careful. Ah but that's where my friend Theresa comes in handy. She always has space for me on her shoulders when I need a little rest!

I have met lots of people especially at our Discover Ireland stand. Theresa and I sell Green Dragon T-shirts there and talk about all things Irish. It's handy that I have the cúpla focail so that I can impress everyone. I'm glad I listened to my school principal Mr. Rea at Walterstown N.S. in Cobh when he was teaching me all those verbs - aimsir chaite , aimsir láithreach, aimsir fháistineach! Wow! Such a lot for a small bear's brain to take in.

My next big job is to teach Theresa some Irish sayings but I'm not sure how "Níl aon tinteán mar do thinteán féin" will sound with an Americam accent. No matter - I'll struggle on for the sake of the Emerald Isle. She has promised to find me a T-shirt that will actually fit - extra small simply won't do. I'll have to start a campaign to dress this bear properly - no hand-me-downs or cut-offs for me! And my geansaí is becoming a bit too hot and sticky. I think I'd better stay on deck and cool down for a while.

Yes! That's definitely better. Now where did I leave my swimming trunks? You know there's so little extra space on this racing yacht for storage that I actually have to carry my little bits'n'bobs in my knap sack!! On this craft every luxury is sacrificed in the name of speed. Well that's the name of the game I suppose - it is the Volvo Round the World Race after all. I have a great feeling about Green Dragon. She is such a sleek and majestic machine and all the team are determined to make her slice through the waves faster than any other boat. "Ar aghaidh le Chéile" (Onwards together) is what we say in our school in Walterstown and I'm sure this motto can be shared with Green Dragon during each leg of the race. It's so exciting to be a part of this great sea adventure. Tengo suerte - I'm so lucky!

Now I might be a little bear but this sure is ONE BIG GREEN DRAGON!! I had only turned my back for a few minutes to buy un vaso de naranja (OJ) when low and behold this monster took my place. I think it frightened some of the crew too by the way they're legging it. I'm not sure the onlookers know what to make of it. Personally , in a word - ugly! Not that I'm jealous at being upstaged , but sincerely folks, there's only room for one stuffed toy on this craft and his name does not begin with a G and a D!!! Ah well , they'll soon get fed up with all the extra space he's taking up and I'll be re-installed as favourite mascot once again. It's only a matter of time.

In the meantime I must find Theresa and sell some more T-shirts. Ah, there she is, all set up and ready to go.

Come on now, Theresa , say it again ......'Sé Pádraig an peata is fearr in Éirinn! She'll never get the hang of it , but I'll persevere. Rome wasn't built in a day! (Someone told me that once but I'm still trying to figure out what it means.) Maybe one of you boys or girls out there might explain it to me? I'm sure you can e-mail me through the letsdoitschools.com website.

Well it's nearly time to go now. I have just met these lovely ninos and they have invited me to a picnic at the beach and a nice siesta under a palm tree. Sounds good to me. I really do need to get my rest as there'll be lots to see and do in the Race Village tomorrow. I have to keep my energy up if I'm to report back to all the boys and girls in schools throughout the country.

Start thinking of good questions to ask me and be sure to practise your Gaeilge (and Espanol) if possible.

Slán go fóil,

Pádraig the Bear and all the Green Dragon Team in Alicante, Spain.