Ireland .. Part 2 the SOUTH

I went back to Ireland for a second go at it, as I loved it so, the first time and only saw the top end, so I tought I would see the bottom end. And it was well worth the trip.

In early December I went off to Ireland by myself, only the second trip that I took by myself whilst overseas. Now this is not because I was afraid of going by myself, as we all know I can talk to anyone, anywhere and am good in situations with random people. But it was only because every other time I went somewhere, someone else was already going or I asked people to come with (the later happened the least).

So, off to Heathrow I went from Tooting on the Bus and train at yet again some ungodly hour - On a Sunday morning. It was made worse, as I had to go the long way to get to the airport and was worrying the whole time that I was going to be late. Let alone I had left 3/4 hours before my flight, but you never know!

I got to Ireland A.O.K and hopped the bus to the backpackers (Its amazing what I remember about this trip, months after going). Anyways, I got to the backpackers, and then walked around Dublin again and just explored. I went across the river to a park where it was just beautiful, got stopped by the local constabulary as I was smiling too much for being in the cold and rain, so therefore I must be a tourist from Australia. Walked back to my hotel and just checked out the sights - one lady (american) stopped me because I had a map and asked me for directions and I took her back to where she needed to be. And just enjoyed doing nothing in this city, as I had already been there once, so I figured to just walk and see where it got me. By this time, I was buggered, felt like I had a massive head cold and so I went on a hunt to find a chemist and dinner. Found both in close proximity to my hostel and had an easy night.

In the morning it was all systems go, pack bags, eat breakfast, wait in common room. And then do the walk out the to bus, I swear this walk defines you for the rest of your trip, as I remember last time, walking out and being grumpy, but this time I was good, not thinking about what was going to happen and just let things happen. Turns out one girl started to have a chat to me about going on the trip and ... I'll stop here and say, I don't like to live by first impressions, but this one was true. She was a pain in the arse! And I knew it from the first moment she talked and was trying to buddy up with me. Now, don't get me wrong, I was nice all trip, but just could pick it straight away.

Anyways, on the bus, up the back. Sitting near two brothers, a girl from Brisbane and the other girl. Quiet we were on the bus as always, at the beginning and then the tour guy got us all talking. Found out the trip was full of people from Brisbane and that I was the only southsider - dug myself a nice hole there! But off we went, we drove across the middle of Ireland to the west coast to Galway. Stopping to see a monestry at Clonmacnoise, that got hammered in battles, but they just kept rebuilding . Then off to Galway - where that evening where we all went out for dinner and had a blast, laughing at random people in the pub tyring to do Riverdance whilst totally drunk and hey hey "It was my Birthday for the night". Well that was the reason that we were telling people why we had such a big congreation together - I wasn't part of that plan, just got forced into it. I obliged though, it was fun. Then back to hotel, where I managed to score a hairdryer without having to fork out 10 Euros for the privlege of taking it back to my room. I love my abilites to convince people that I am trustworthy.

Day 2 off to Kilarney, on the way we were told stories a plenty, heard lots of Irish anecdotes. We stopped of at the Cliffs of Moher, which are in the movie the Princess Bride (think thats it) and they were amazing, did some crazy things at the top - photos jumping because the wind was so strong, it would just kind of hold you up there. And then onto Kilarney - now, there were things that were options on our trip, but it just didn't seem to happen that we did them. So therefore, again we ended up in the pub for the evening - lucky we did as it poured with rain that night. So we ate, drank Guiness, had shots of baby guiness (Kahlua and Baileys - try it, its great) and then off for another night. This night though was quite funny, as the brothers were sleeping in our room again and they came in blind drunk halfway through the night and woke us all up and it was just hilarous listening to their gabber. It was a had to be there night.

Day 3 - Off to the Blarney Stone, which as I was told when I was younger, by Mr Nothling was awesome, but you had to do it lying on your back and lean out across too it. Sounds easy but it is not. There is a story attached to the stone that if you kiss it, it will give you the gift of the gab for 7 years. Right, switch to my turn to kiss it, the blokes are there, saying right, lye down, shuffle back, no qualms about where they touch you as they are holding onto your waist as you lean out over to the stone - they are really quite rough and gruff about it. And .... I missed, yes I missed, I climbed all those steep winding narrow steps up the castle and missed. I did think to ask for a second chance but no, I just lived with the experience of being there. Add in here, that it was all a ploy as I already have the gift of the gab and didn't want to risk loosing it for kissing the stone, and thats why I truly didn't kiss it. Plus, I heard that the locals used to go and pee on it as a joke on the tourists. Hmmmmm.

Then after that it was a long drive (4 hours - long in there terms) back to Dublin, where we would end our journey. It was a blast and I had a ball. Said goodbye to the friends that I had met on the trip and then that was it. Trip over. I joined one girl for shopping and a bit dinner afterward, but that was it. Memory from this, was walking down the shopping district street and hearing a gosh almight crash, smash and then a metal pipe hitting the ground. Turned out, the wind was so strong that it slammed open a full glass door back onto itself and it smashed, the pipe sound was the door handle hitting the ground.

Day 4 - I had a day to myself in Dublin and I think what am I going to do with myself??? I had thought people would stay the extra day and do a day trip. But no. So I filled in my own time. Went to the Jameson distillery - here I went on a tour of how they made Irish Wiskey. At the beginning they asked for volunteers - I shot my hand up straight away and got picked - wahoooooooo! Now, I have to say, I have done alot of distillery tours and this one was like the others, yes heres the based product, we frement it, heat it, cool it, age it ... blah blah blah. But still worth it. Onto the activity I volunteered for. I was a whiskey taster - 5 shots were on a table for us, and we had to sample all of them and pick which was which. It ranged from American, Scottish and Irish Whiskey. It was good fun and entertaining - but never having drunk the stuff straight it went straight to my head. Then after that the tour is done. So I am slightly passed what you would deem sober and decide to walk myself over to Temple Bar. Did I mention that it was 10am???

Get myself to Temple bar, taking photos along the way - yet to see what they look like, as I took them on a camera phone and only recently got the phone with the cord to download them, so they will be here soon. So, got to temple bar - yes the famous one owned by U2 - or where they have performed once or twice. I dunno. So I am outside the bar and I look in and its all dolled up for Christmas I walk in, set up a shot, of some random blokes drinking in the scenery, and I think, yeah, thats a nice shot. Go to take it and they have all realsied and jump up and take over the photo. Typcial. So I went and had a dig at them about it. They recognised the accent straight away and got to talking about just random things of Australia, Ireland and Wales (where they all came from). Now they all told me they were there on a shopping trip, but 8 grown men in a foregin country just for shopping - yeah, I don't think so either, but its still the story they tell me to this day.

They invited me to go to lunch with them, so I obliged, and off I went and had a lovely 4 hours talking to 8 people I only just met. Showing up the young blokes of the party (18) how to skull a beer and just having a lovely time with people I had never met. Then it was time to part they were going to their hotel, I was going back to mine to pack. So I said farewell, thinking I would never see them again. Well no, one of them found me on facebook and I still keep in contact to this day and I am being asked when I am coming back as they want to show me Wales. Thats kinda cool I think.

Anwways, back to London I go for my last couple of days, say farewell to Alex at CJ station for last time and spend the last night back in my house in Clapham Junction. Quite an odd feeling as it felt like it was no time before that, that I had moved in and lived there for a year.

I can say that I had the most memorable year, travelling meeting new people, whether it was in a bar (Alex, Brendon, Michelle - the Wales boys), at Camp (Wyoka Girls), on the street waiting for a bus (Michael) or over the counter at a hotel (Tate). I cannot fault the trip that I took and would do it all again, but a few things differently - only becuase I have now learnt the ways of doing things better.