Anyone who reads this and also pays even a tiny bit of attention to the things I do will know that I just returned from a trip to Ireland. Now, this trip was special for me, and I'll explain why in a bit.
Before I do that though, I'm going to focus on that other key word in my title: Luck. To sum it up, I've got a lot of it. At least, if we go with all the various superstitions. I've known found two 6-leaf clovers, 2 5-leaf clovers, and I think it's 23 4-leaf clovers. I have also found one lone horseshoe on a lawn that was mowed every summer yet it had never gotten in the way. And I know I owned a lucky rabbit's foot, but I can say that I don't recall ever purchasing it, so I'm going with the fact that I'd probably found it. I've yet to find any gold at the end of a rainbow, however, but I'm going with the thought that that's only because I've yet to find myself at the end of a rainbow.
In all seriousness though, I actually am quite lucky. Sure, I make a lot of that luck through hard work and careful planning, but there is some genuine luck in there. I've learned to trust in it over the years. Things tend to work how the way I want them too, and I tend to find that the things where I have a lot of interference... generally don't turn out too well if I keep pushing to get it anyway.
Anyway, onwards to Ireland!
It was a special trip for me as I did it solo. I wanted to be able to say to myself years down the road that I went on a vacation all by myself. I think it shows how much I've changed over the years, as I really am quite shy in a lot of ways and being able to actually go all on my own (and be confident enough to TELL my friends that I was going solo) is something I'm proud of. Even a few years ago I wouldn't have been able to do it.
The First Leg of the Journey: Wales
I didn't head directly to Ireland. I went to Cardiff Wales first, to visit Mel. What can I say, I take people up on open invitations.
I had a relaxing time, and I hope that she wasn't too extra-stressed out while having a guest when she is busy working on her PhD thesis. I was there for Easter (as I failed to understand the hugeness of the holiday here in England... in Canada it's really not all that big) and we spent Easter Sunday at Dunraven Bay. It was a lovely bay with lovely cliffs that were made extra-awesome by the knowledge that they were Bad Wolf Bay in Doctor Who.
I'll say this now: I could sum up my time in Wales by saying that I was stalking Doctor Who.
Anyway, our drive out to the bay showed me what is common in Wales; sheep walking wherever the hell they want to. Who needs to worry about fences when you're allowed to just let the sheep roam free? I couldn't figure out how they could EASILY tell which sheep belong to who, but I'm sure the farmers there have it sorted out somehow.
Anyway. While in Cardiff I also did another first in my life: I went to the cinema on my own, to watch Alice in Wonderland. Now, I've been TRYING to get up the guts to do that for years. I didn't seem able to, despite the fact that I've gone out for meals solo which you would think I'd find a lot more intimidating, but nonetheless, going to the show on my own just hadn't happened. So I did that finally and was all rather proud of myself.
Ireland Part 1: Zombie time in Dublin.
Even though I had a really relaxing time in Cardiff and had lots of time to sleep in rest, I arrived in Dublin after less than an hour's flight totally exhausted. Why was this, you ask? Oh, because my body hates me. It refuses to sleep in, and I was really feeling it when I got to Dublin. I think it was amplified by the fact that the plane (it was a smaller one, where it was only 2 seats-aisle-2 seats) made me feel like I had a nosebleed. Fortunately it only lasted an hour. It really hurt though, I've never experienced that before. Normally I just have some of the ear-popping which is a part of my daily life so I don't notice it. But this plane? It hurt. The pressure hurt, and I kept putting my hand under my nose to make sure it hadn't started gushing blood. I'm going to blame it on sitting where the propeller was literally just out my window, because I don't know what made my head hurt like that.
I head off to find my hostel which was rather easy, I leave my bag and ask for a suggestion on what to do, as nothing IN Dublin itself really struck my fancy as something I needed to go and see. They suggested various things, and I ended up doing the one thing I never thought I'd do anywhere: I bought a ticket for a city bus sight-seeing tour. My logic was that I was too tired to want to walk and do anything, but I still wanted to see places because I knew that was all the time I'd spend in the city. So I hopped on this bus and sat on it for an hour and a half as it went around. I tried my best to listen to the tourguide, but it was hard to stay awake. I was getting really upset with myself, to be honest. I was only tired because my body won't sleep, but I was so tired it hurt and I just wanted to cry.
I ended up going to Kilmainham Gaol. Sure, I had the option to go the Guiness Storehouse which is what everyone else does... but I figured a pint of Guiness would have made me throw up or something, as I was really feeling awful from pure exhaustion. And I didn't seem to want to go to an average museum, so the jail it was. It was really interesting, and sad, and a little spooky. Somehow I made it through the jail without passing out since I was standing up the whole time. I then returned to the hostel and properly checked in since the time was alright finally. I laid on the bed and read for a bit, before heading back out.
This time, I decided I'd go to Trinity College and see the book of Kells. Well. I saw Trinity College alright, but I forgot about the Book of Kells. I was in the yard at the college, and sat down to enjoy the sunshine, and I wanted a rest (yes, taking a bus and getting off the bus tired me out) so where better to rest? However, during this rest I realized I was famished as well.
So I left for food, and forgot about the book of Kells until that evening. I had McDonald's. I was too tired to walk far and I didn't feel like having someone take my order or anything, so McDonald's it was. I felt a bit better after eating, so hopped back on the bus and went to St. Stephen's Green. It was a pretty park, which I just sat in. Didn't even walk around all of it, I just found a place on a bench in the sun to sit, and sat. Thought about how people would go there to watch public executions and whatnot. When I left... I realized a bit too late that the bus had stopped running (as I was still using the sightseeing bus). I hadn't thought it'd stop so early, and I didn't want to pay for public transit. (yes, my logic when exhausted is slightly lacking). So I started walking back in the direction that I thought the bus had came from. Keep in mind, I had a map with me, but forgot I had one.
I just left and went walking. In a strange city. That I had previously only been around one in a bus when I was half-asleep and not paying attention.
Now, this is when you're probably thinking "Oh no, she got lost in Dublin" and this is where you are dead wrong. I didn't. I got back to the hostel without a switch and only looking at my map once to see which corner of Merrion Square I'd shown up in, seeing as I didn't precisely follow the bus route and just walked in the direction I felt I should be. Lindsey's sense of direction for the win!
I then got back to the hostel and passed out, to wake up by 4am. Yep. I lose.
Ireland Part 2: The Cliffs of Moher
So, my first "awake" day in Ireland I was off for a day trip to see the Cliffs of Moher. These are the cliffs that are in the Princess Bridge, when the giant carries Princess Buttercup up the Cliffs after they are in the boat... and where Inigo Montoya waits for Westley/Dread Pirate Roberts at the top for their sword fight. If you've seen the movie.. you'll know how huge they are. If you haven't, then I'll tell you that these are 750 m tall monsters. Tall and gorgeous. But that's rushing myself.
I'll tell you first about the tour guide that day. He was an Irishman (but not a Dubliner) named Shawn who reminded me a bit of my cousin Kevin: sketchy and scrawny. But funny. Throughout the day, Shawn consistently beeped the bus at sheep and said "hi sheep!" Now, mostly, this made me giggle as it's the sort of thing that I do, except I tend to say hello to inanimate things that can't acknowledge I've said anything. He also had the habit of saying "hey sailor" to everything and anything. He also liked to point out all the farmers to us. hahaha. But, behind the somewhat sketchy front you could tell he's rather intelligent, and very good at his job. He was constantly sharing information with us and he talked almost all day long. He also sang songs for us. Now, true, he didn't have the BEST singing voice, but I will give props to anyone who is going to sing in front of a group of people. He sang us Molly Malone at one point.
The first thing we did was to drive through an area of Ireland called the Burren to go see a ruined Abbey. I was much more interested in getting to the Burren. Now, the Burren. It's rocks. Everywhere. The hills look grey and that is because they are grey; it's almost exclusively rocks. So naturally, I was happy. We went to see a Dolma, which was a burial site or something, sort of like a mini Stonehenge but not in a ring, but I spent most of the time clambering about on the rocks.
On this day, I met a nice American couple from California who kept thinking it was a cold day, when really, it was a gorgeous day. But they are from California. I also met a fellow solo-traveller from Chicago, and she was my photo-buddy at the Cliffs of Moher. I made sure to get a picture of them all to prove that yes, while travelling on my own I actually DID talk to other people. I wasn't sure if I would or not, as once I'm out on my own I tend to be quite content being a recluse. But I did, and I was glad of it. I wish we had had more time at the Cliffs of Moher though, as I would have loved to walk all the way down to the end. Didn't have time to though. The weather was amazing though, it was sunny and clear and warm and not overly windy. I didn't even need my jacket on, which was amazing.
Ireland Part 3: Howth
On Saturday I woke up (again, by 4am) and got ready in the dark so as not to wake my roommates. As in, I straightened my hair in the dark. Without a mirror.
When it was an acceptable time, I headed out and went to find the DART (rapid transit, like a train but cheaper) station which was just around the corner. I then headed out to Howth, which was on a small peninsula. It took about half an hour on the DART to get there. I'd wanted to go somewhere coastal and this had fit the bit, and I went out bright an early in search of seals.
Which I found. The seals live right in the habour, which I hadn't known. I was there early (very early) and no one else was around, so I had the seals all to myself. They were amusing, and very wrinkly. I spent my time with them wishing I could feed them (to discover later on in the day that one of the shops sells fish TO feed them! So I did. Money well spent, I say).
After I felt like I had been seal-watching solo for long enough, I headed out the for cliff walk I wanted to go. So off I go, and while walking up a hill I see this dog run across the skinny road. No big deal, until I notice a car come flying UP the hill super fast. I got worried that if I kept walking I'd startle the dog and that it would run back across the road to its owner or to check me out.. and that it'd get hit... so I stopped and waiting and fortunately the car saw the dog and stopped. When it went on, I said to the dog's owner something about how scared I'd been for his dog. He then asked where my accent was from and we had a nice chat. Where I had a soaking wet cocker spaniel sitting on my feet and getting my jeans wet the whole time. It was a nice chat, and we parted ways.
Only to run into each other later in the day, as I guess I was being REALLY pokey on my walk and he took a different/shorter path. It was quite the surprise for me! So I walked along with him for a while. Feel bad, I never got his name, but his dogs were Benji and Margie! When I met him the second time he was taking some daffodils to a woman who lived on the top of the cliff and had just celebrated her 90th birthday. So again, we parted ways and I continued on my walk.
I got really tired and hungry when I realized I'd left my snack/water bottle at the hostel. I went to try to cut my cliff-walk short... and didn't succeed. I left the cliff, but couldn't find where the road would TURN so I ended up walking down the penninsula and it took my ages to get back to Howth. Overall, I think my cliff-walk lasted from 9:30am until 3:30pm, and that's rounding, it was likely longer. Keeping in mind how crappy my sleep had been... I was beat. I ended up just going into the first restaurant, and ordered one of the most expensive (if not the most expensive) meal I've ever ate: 15 Euros, for Hake with asparagus and roast potatoes. I will say though, it was delicious and you really could taste how fresh the fish was! Now, normally when I'm exhausted and starved I don't really TASTE my meal, so I think it would have tasted even better if I had been well-rested. I will make this comment about my meal though: I ordered a pint of Carlsberg as I wanted something light... and she brought me Guiness anyway. So I did, even though I hadn't really wanted it or planned in, drink Guiness while in Ireland. The country saw to it. PS. I got a tiny little sunburn on my nose and a bit below my neck. But it didn't follow the neckline of my shirt so I'm not sure what was up with that.
Ireland Part 4: The Last day, in the Wicklow Mountains and Killkenny
My last full day in Ireland began at 3:30am. Why? Who the hell knows. I went on a day trip out through the Wicklow Mountains and then to Killkenny, and this trip I did for free since I'd stayed for more than two nights at the hostel. It was a nice relaxing day.
It started with driving through Dublin early Sunday morning. It was pretty empty! Of course... that doesn't mean there was nothing going on. Oh no, at the first stop light we had to stop at.. when the light turned green, the truck in front of us doesn't go. Cars behind us start honking.. and (I was sitting right behind the driver) the driver (Connor) and those of us at the front notice that the man's chin is resting on his seatbelt. He was fast asleep. So Connor had to get out of the bus and walk over to the truck. The guys window was down, so Connor smacks him to wake him up. It was rather funny. Connor comes back to the bus and the truck goes bumbling off to the side of the road and almost crashed into a post. Yep. Someone was likely still drunk.
This day I met some other solo travellors... both near the London area. So had lots of company all day. We started out in Glendalough (place of two lakes or something like that) that had a monastery built there... it was gorgeous. Since the weather was so great, and not windy, the lakes were really like a mirror.. totally clear. It was a nice area to go walking.
We drove through the Wicklow mountains which were pretty. They were used in Braveheart, as were Irish horns which apparently pissed off the Scots a bit (can't say I blame them!)
Killkenny was a cute place, but it wasn't really somewhere on my list of things to want to go, so I was glad to just be all relaxed there. We went to a pub that was owned by the last woman burned to the stake as a witch. The food was really good. And yes, we drank a pint of Killkenny in Killkenny. Which, I learned is prounounced "kill-kenny" like I THOUGHT it was, but had peeps in Canada inform me was "kill-kin-knee" or something like that. So turns out whoever THAT was, was wrong, and that I was right, haha.
Well now. I've been sat here typing for wayyyy too long. I think I've summed up the highlights of my trip for me, and if not, then oh well! They're in my memories.
