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We survived Ireland!! Only just, we both are chockablock full of the cold at the moment (just what you wanted to vision I know!). It was possibly all the rain and wind in the country side and getting windswept up on top of castles, kissing the blarney stone and running away from scary leprechauns.
All in all it was a really good 5 days. Thursday we arrived early morning, checked into our nice private hostel room, also a TV, so happy about that, I miss TV. Oh and for all my midget and carnie folk loving friends out there, guess what the first thing I spotted from the plane upon landing was? . . . . . A CIRCUS!! Can you believe it! They’re everywhere! I was quite surprised how big Dublin actually is, overall I was a little disappointed in Dublin, nothing too spesh and is quite dirty looking, not as much character as Edinburgh. But it was still a must do, but I probably would never go back. We did the must do touristy things; we are both now certified Guinness pourers. The Guinness factory was great, absolutely massive, plenty to see and drink. Also visited the
Jamieson distillery (one of my fave drinks) and I was lucky enough to be picked out as a taste tester for different whiskeys around the world, so after a couple of normal Jameson’s and 5 shots sitting in front of me, I was glad it was our last stop for the day, may have struggled to walk anywhere else! Also visited Dublin Castle, which actually doesn’t look like a castle from the outside, but is pretty grand on the inside. Headed to Temple Bar area and had a nice dinner.
Friday we were up bright and early for our 3 day West Coast Shamrocker tour, which was awesome. A pretty good group of about 40. Half a bus load of Aussies, loads of Americans and Canadians in Dublin too. Our first stop on tour was the oldest licensed distillery in the world ‘Locke’s; possibly had the worst tour guide in the whole entire universe!! It was a shocker, pretty bad when your tour guide reads from a bit of paper, whispers and doesn’t know the answers to questions being asked, but another shot of whiskey and we were on our way. Then it was onto a Monastic settlement at
‘Clonmacnoise’ on the shores of the Shannon river, followed by a visit to an ancient burial tomb, the ‘Burren’ Plateau. Lots and lots of green lush countryside, a very skilled bus driver, very narrow roads and a few thoughts of ‘are we going to make it round this corner without sliding down the cliff’ - scary bends!! The coast is absolutely beautiful scenery, went up to the Cliffs of Moher, which is a massive drop on the Atlantic. Did remind me a little bit of the Great Ocean Road and the Nobbies at Phillip Island in parts. We stayed in a tiny coastal town called ‘Doolin’ for the night and spent the night at the local pub drinking and listening to Irish music and getting to know everyone else, was a good night, has to be when your running home in he pouring rain at 3am in the morning with a beer in hand and singing ‘eye of the tiger’ & trying to make it over the bridge where apparently a little leprechaun type monster called a ‘pookah’ lives. I honestly think they just make this crap up for the tourists, LOL, but when your drunk I guess you’ll believe
anything…. No?
Very hungover and another early start we headed further up the coast, caught a short ‘Tarbert’ ferry across the Shannon River and onto a little town called ‘Dingle’ for lunch and a stretch of the legs. Also home to apparently a very loved dolphin named ‘Funghi’, I think this is dingle’s claim to fame, however, funghi didn’t want to come out and play %-( Back on the bus, pouring down with rain, off the bus to see some beehive dwellings, a baby beach ‘Coumeenole’ and along ‘Slea Head’ which is pretty beautiful coastline. Also, walked up to the furthest walkable part of Europe, spectacular views! Then it was back on the bus and onto ‘Killarney’ for the night. This town was pumping, people everywhere. Our friendly party animal bus driver ‘Kev’ already warned us and gave us the tips on how to handle the local boys, a ratio of 4:1 men/woman and there was a biker gang through the town for the night, us girls started to wonder what we may be getting ourselves into…. Lucky none of us could understand a word the locals were saying! First went for a horse drawn carriage ride around a
magnificent National Park, very ‘Robinhood’ and soaking wet! Then it was out on the town for dinner and partying. Big night, local music and a really bad ‘disco’ out the back of the Grand Hotel! Some didn’t get home til 7am for an 8:30am departure but that didn’t stop us getting to the top of Blarney Castle for a slobbery kiss of the Blarney Stone for the gist of the gab! As most of you already know I talk a lot of crap anyway so don’t think I was in danger of missing out on anything, but I still did it!! It is amazing the amount of tourist coming through there and it took more than half an hour just to get to the top of the castle, but well worth it! After some very nice cheeseburgers to help all of hangovers it was onto The Rock of Cashel, ruins o a cathedral set on the seat of the ‘High Kings of Ireland’…. Then back on the bus back to Dublin. Those of us staying in Dub
In were all going to head out together but Kate had a cold by now and when we got back to the
hostel and some AFL and Jurassic Park was on we couldn’t help but not move for the night!! Our last day we visited ‘Kilmainham’ Gaol. Was really interesting, felt like I was in an episode of Prisonbreak, LOL!! Wondered around town for the rest of the day and back to the airport for home… it was a bank holiday weekend and the airport was chockas!! It is amazing over here how many hens and stag nights they have, they’re all right into it, outfits and all! Goodbye to my little Leprechaun friends and back to the land of haggis. . . and reality - WORK!!
As I sit here typing it pours with rain outside, for like a week straight now, I came home absolutely drenched, major hailstones at 5pm right on leave work time. Maybe it will stop tomorrow?
So major $aving is in force… only 7 weeks and we’re off around Europe. It’s nearly been 3 months already since we left sunny Melbourne - time has flown! We also have some visitors from home coming over, obviously just missed US too much… Kate’s mum Claire and sister Robyn will be coming to make sure we’re behaving
ourselves 2 days after we get back from Oktoberfest, not sure what sort of state will be in but we’ll try to remember our way to the airport to pick them up ;-)
Obviously my parents aren’t missing me enough, LOL.
Well, obviously kissing the blarney stone worked wonders because i,ve possibly dribbled on more than ever.
Till next time my fans!! Miss everyone heaps!
Peace Out
xoxoxoxoxoxo
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