Irish Adventure - Day 4 - The North (Giant's Causeway & Titanic)

I started off my final day in Ireland with a conundrum: I waited at the place where my day tour said the first pick up point would be, in front of a certain Starbucks. There were regular bus stops right at the curb but no "WildRover" tour buses anywhere. However, directly across the street there were four "Irish Day Tours" buses. Now I had seen the WildRover buses and they are clearly marked. Conundrum!! 

Ok Conundrum averted. I asked the other buses and got the correct side and went away on my tour bus! Yay!! I love it when a plan comes together!!

We were going to Belfast in the North of Ireland. They use British pounds instead of Euros. I'll do the amazing new Titanic Exhibit built there. Then we drove to the Giant's Causeway and thw awesome Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge!!

We had a totally full bus!! And it had wifi!!

We had  a very amusing bus ride to Belfast. Our guide was a short, ginger headed man in an old brown blazer who drone on and on, spewing facts and statistics and barely took a breath after each section of his expansive epic historical recitations. Sure enough, later he admitted he used to be a history professor. He was very nice and organized and truely knowledgeable, but not at all fun to listen to. A shame, really. 

Irish Adventure - Day 3 - Ring of Kerry

On to Day 3 in Ireland.

I was catching a train again, only a few blocks away. Soooo...somehow I mixed up my times when setting my alarm and thought I had to be there by 7. I got up, got ready and walked to the station thinking, no problem. Buuuuut I WAS supposed to be there by 6:30!!! I got there at 6:55 and they literally had to run me onto the train that left the station literally 5 seconds after I set foot on board! But I was on my way.

I had to walk through 4 train cars until I found the rail tour guides in their yellow shirts and jackets. We had a whole car reserved for us. I sat next to a lady and her friend from Edmonton. Across the aisle was a group of four (grandma, mom, 2 daughters in their 20s) from Florida. All very nice and friendly. 

Irish Adventure - Day 2 - Bunratty, Cliffs of Moher, The Burren

Well, it's just been so crazy busy and I've been so super tired that it's taken me a few days to recuperate and keep updating you on my amazing adventure! 

My I slept marvelously in my fancy Bunrattey Castle Hotel room! The self-serve breakfast spread they put on was top notch! I love that cooked mushrooms and tomatoes are always available. The local sausage and bacon were so tasted as well! My new friend from the medieval feast came in and joined me and had an excellent chat about our families. 

Irish Adventure - Day 1 - Galway & Medieval Banquet

I'm finally here!! I'm in Ireland!!

I arrived in Dublin with no further troubles or hiccups. I stopped into a restroom at the airport to brush my teeth, comb my crazy hair and generally wake up a bit. 

My last flight from Toronto direct to Dublin took me from sunset to glorious sunrise and I didn't get much sleep, thus felt a little groggy when I arrived. 

I sought out the Airlink bus where I bought a ticket to connect me to the train station half an hour away. There, I was meeting my Irish Rail Tour that I had signed up for at 10:30 am. 

The bus ride took us all around and through the downtown area so I had a good look at the area. Dublin is a neat, bustling city with many people walking, bussing or biking to work.

A Dream Come True!

Here I am, back from the non-blogging abyss of real life busyness and lack of motivation.

I've been meaning to write. Trying to write.

But for one reason or another I never make it here by the day's late end.

I do have LOTS to write about but today is a special day, so I made special time to write about it.

Today is the day before one of my  dreams comes true!

Tomorrow I hop on a plane, well, several planes over the course of almost 24 hours, but who cares, because tomorrow I am flying overseas to visit some of my most dreamed about places!!!


Yes, for those who know me, that's right, I am going to Ireland, Scotland and England!!!

GREEN!

Happy St. Patrick' Day!!