Guinness, Leprechauns and Good Ol' Friends.

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Sean – one of my best friends from New Zealand – and his twin Brother Callum recently travelled to Ireland on a family holiday. There was no way I was going to risk missing them while they were on this side of the world so with Macy (the little girl I nanny for) conveniently away on holiday, I seized the opportunity and I booked a cheap Ryanair flight to Dublin.



My old school mates had not yet arrived in the country so I had a couple of days to myself before I would catch the bus to meet them in Kilkenny. I checked into the backpackers and naturally, went straight to get a pie and a Guinness from one of the many Irish Pubs. It turned out that was where a lot of my time was spent during my stay near Temple Bar; in the pubs listening to live music, chatting to the fantastically witty locals and drinking ever so slightly too much cider. Of course, I also visited the museums, did a guided walking tour and explored the shops where I just had to pick up a token leprechaun key chain, but what I will remember the most about my stay was the warm Irish hospitality.



Kilkenny, as Callum kept saying, was a quaint little town (or city the locals would prefer) which charmed us with its medieval buildings, churches and cobble stoned streets. It was lovely to be away from the hustle and bustle of London and to be surrounded by such beautiful architecture and countryside. I enjoyed seeing my friends, meeting their family and visiting their homes, getting the chance to experience the local Kilkenny life. I felt much too spoilt – they were extremely kind-hearted and welcoming, I sometimes thought I was back with my own family in Howick, New Zealand.



Although my friends and I probably saw most of Kilkenny within a couple of hours I could have sat and chatted to them for days. When it was time to leave I wished I could have stayed longer but I knew that I will soon be seeing them in London before they return home. I am looking forward to showing them around the big British city but will remember the time we shared in Kilkenny; it was by far the highlight of my trip. After all, it doesn’t matter where you are in the world it’s the people you encounter, befriend or reunite with who make travelling so special.

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