Paddywagon 6 Day All Ireland Tour

16/8

Left Glasgow hostel at 3am to get my flight to Belfast. Arrived in Belfast adn caught a bus to Dublin. When I arrived in Belfast and also Dublin it was pouring with rain. I went to go for a walk around Dublin when I got there but it was impossible with the rain so I headed back to the hostel after some dinner and had an early night, which turned out to be a very good idea.

17/8

Today the weather was fine and I headed out to do the Open top bus tour of Dublin I must have done the loop 3 times jumping off and seeing everything from Trinity collage to Molly Malone, the outside of the guiness factory, shopping and walking around Temple Bar and so me cathedrals and so much more. It was a great day and even got some blue sky peeping throught the clouds. I went to got o one of the museums that I had heard was great and when I got off to go a guard at the gate told me it was shut for renovations which I was a little annoyed that the Bus guides didn't know about and inform us on the bus not to worry about getting off there.

18/8

First day of the All Ireland tour I am so excited, as we are waiting for the bus and guides to arrive we see on the news that there has been some flooding in Belfast overnight in one of there new tunnels with all the rain and guess where we are headed first Belfast. On the way to Belfast we stopped at the Guiness factory before leaving Dublin where I tired Guiness, not really a fan of it but I did drink 3/4 of a pint. After this we headed to a town called Drogheda where we saw the head of Saint Oliver Plunkett in St Peters Cathedral there, jut a little creepy and gross.When we arrived in Belfast we all got into these Black taxis which took us on a tour of the Peace walls and the Murals throughout the Catholic and Prodestant areas, I learnt so much today about all the issues involved in this confict and about how it isn't really just about religion it's about there identity it was amazing I walked away from today knowing things I had never known before. Tonight we head into Belfast to a couple of Irish pubs and had a few pints and listened to Irish music and got to know one another, the pubs we were in where across the street form the most bombed hotel in all of Europe. This tour is the biggest by far with 42 people on the tour. OUr tour guide Conrad is great has so many stories and legends to share with us it is great.

19/8

Today we left Belfast and cruised the beautiful norht coast where we went across the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge - quite a scary experience for me but I overcame my fear and did it, Simon went across first so he caould video my face as I came across the bridge and Greg decided to go behind me and shake it. Not nice boys. After this we went to the Giants Causeway, I am in love with Irealnd it has the most beautiful scenery. Overnight we stayed in Derry where we were taken on a walking tour by a local who once again showed us the Peace walls and the murals and explained about Bloody Sunday. After which we went out to some more local pubs and had a few pints. listened to Irish music and talked to some locals.

20/8

Today we left Derry and headed to Galway, on the way we drove through Sligo and visited the sacred grave of national poet, noble laureate WB Yates. We then exploes the archelogical and cultural richness of Irelands, we stopped today at a lovely beach town some had seaweed baths I just had a lovely pub lunch and sat down the beach adn chilled out listening to my ipod. Tonight we stayed at Irelands party capital Galway, we had the best night out here, so much fun in a bar with a fantastic live band. These late nights and some much drinking are starting to get very exhausting but we all have so much fun.

21/8

Today we left Galway and headed towards Dingle. we had the wild Atlantic ocean by our side as we cruised down the west coast, we ran around the lunar landscape of Burren before gazing in awe at the majesty that is the Cliffs of Moher, I am just blown away by how beautiful Ireland is it is the most amazing place I really love it here, the history, the cultures, the legends , the beauty. I can't get enough of it all. Tonight we stayed in The Randy Leprechaun in Annascaul on the Dingle Pennisula this is one of Paddywagins own hostels in a very little town, it has its own pub and when here it is kareoke night, unfortunately I was so exhausted adn not feeling that well I crashed to bed at 10pm as I knew that the next night would be a massive night as it was our last night on tour.

22/8

Today we headed from Dingle to Killarney, Ireland's premier tourist town. On the way we stopped at Dingle a charming Gaelic speaking fishing village, where we had free time to shop and have lunch after we had been for the most amazing walk along this coast road at Slea head where we saw the Sleeping Giant Island. Some of us went on a horse adn carriage ride through the National Park it was so beautiful and relaxing. We had a group dinner in Killarney which was delicious before heading to a pub for some cheap drinks. We then moved onto another pub which had a live band in one part and a nightclub out the back it was so much fun dancing the night away and listening to a great band. I have come to the conclusion on this trip that the Irish boys are a little cheekier and more forward than Aussie guys. :) What a great night.

23/7

Last day on tour, so sad I don't want to leave Ireland I am loving it here. We left Killarney and headed back to Dublin on the way we crossed through Cork and saw the Kerry mountians and kissed the legendary blarney stone at the top of Blarney castle. Before we headed back into Dublin. When we got to Dublin I headed into the Temple Bar area and bumped into some others from the tour and had dinner with them and then went to a pub near the hostel for a little while. Headed back earliy as I had a early ferry to Holyhead Wales in the morning before heading onto Birmingham.

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