Arrival: Galway

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It's been a long trip, but am now settled in. Some inevitable glitches occurred. Going to Boston, getting through security and onboard, and the flight itself were all fine - nothing special, excepting waiting in some long lines, but all worked well. I don't believe I slept at all on the plane, but Mike claims he went by me at some point and I was out. In any case, I was groggy and fuzzy as were the rest of us. The bus contracted to take us from the Shannon Airport to our housing in Galway didn't show. So I went ahead with the US-arriving students on the regular public bus, while Mike waited for the morning (we arrived in Ireland at 5:30 AM their time).

We got to our housing at 9AM, but they said we couldn't get our rooms until 4PM. So, I was faced with the responsibility for 8 students, all with their luggage and very tired, and no place to be or go. I arranged for us to store our luggage away, and took everyone on a walk to downtown Galway, a mile away. The students were good spirited about it, and I showed them some sites. It looked threatening rain, but then the clouds cleared and it became lovely. It was quiet at first, a Saturday AM, but then picked up with many street musicians and other acts. After awhile it became very crowded, and you could hear many languages being spoken. It was a bit touristy, but overall a lively scene. We split up and the students cruised around. I got something to eat and visited a used book store. We reconnected a couple of times; the day ended up going smoothly.

I took them back to our housing in midafternoon and after waiting a little longer (with some students nodding off sitting on benches), we got our keys. Just at that exact moment Mike and the other students coming from London arrived. It was exciting to see them all, and get our rooms for much appreciated showers and naps. As a group a few hours later we went out to dinner.
More later.

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Comments

[Bob]

Happy trails
It's good to see that you made it safely. Things got a little squirrelly in London as Sara was ready to depart (on account of the terror scare,) but she got home just fine. We'll be following your travels with interest. Cheers, Bob

[burge D]

how'd that first pint taste?

[jonathan]

Globe and Mail today
Hi Geoff: Globe and Mail travel section has a piece about a guy biking through that neck of the woods. That should interest you: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070713.ireland14/BNStory/specialTravel/home quote: "Why, I ask myself, did people ever choose to live in this godforsaken place? They had to make their soil by hauling seaweed in wagonloads from the coast; had to heat their homes with peat dug from the valleys' bogs; had to find solace in the churches, now in ruins. Such determination."