Hello all!
Sorry it has been so long since my last check-in. Everything has been going quite swimmingly over here in not-so-sunny England and a lot as happened as of late. The biggest of all being my five day solo-trip to Ireland in October. It was such a wonderful and eye-opening experience to travel by myself and explore a part of the world that I have always felt connected to. Below are just a few of the highlights.
Dublin
Wow what an amazing city. So much history, culture, and passionate people all wrapped up into one. Dublin was chalk-full of buskers, street performers, good gelato, and fun places to shop. Everywhere you turned there was someone singing the blues or rocking out with some traditional Irish music (affectionately known as “Trad”). It was here that I went on a fascinating Whiskey tour, drank in numerous bars with a boatload of British, and went on a “Literary Pub Crawl” with other travelers at least twice my age while we explored some good Irish literature. I stayed in a hostel right across the way from the historic Temple Bar on one of the most hopping streets in Dublin. My hostel (St. John Gogarty’s) was connected to a bar after all; how could I not be at the center of it all?
Trinity College
Located in the heart of Dublin was the beautiful Trinity College. It was here I got to see the ancient Book of Kells and enter the grandest library I have ever laid my eyes on. It’s a good thing I was traveling alone, because I have no idea how much time I spent simply gazing around me at all the old leather-bound books. I wanted to see every corner of the library and I was miffed that the general public was not allowed to access the upper wing. Still, those few moments spent tucked away in that library were probably some of the most spiritual I have ever had in my life. I know that is a very ‘book-nerd’-like thing for me to say, but I really was left speechless afterwards; hence why I then proceeded to go into the adjacent store and buy a Celtic cross.
Doolin
I have done my fair share of traveling in my twenty years of life and I have seen my fair share of beauty, but most of what I have seen seems absolutely trivial compared to the beauty I found in Doolin. Traditional, rolling Irish countryside slammed right up against the coast is what made this quaint town one of the most splendid. Most well-known for being located right next to the famous Cliffs of Moher, Doolin is often overlooked when it comes to travel destinations. The town mainly consists of bed and breakfasts, traditional pubs, and a few sparse gift shops. There is no ATM in town and the only grocery store contains only the most basic necessities.
The coast of Doolin was absolutely phenomenal. Sitting by the water, watching the fierce waves crash upon the rocks, and feeling the sharp winds rip through my hair, I felt so at peace. It was freezing yet I felt so warm. That was my second spiritual experience in Ireland. The journey to Doolin had been long and tiring (a grueling 8 hours since I missed a bus and got an extra 4 hours of travel added onto my time), but already just having spent those few moments by the sea made it worth it. Also the hostel I stayed in was so lovely. Located right by a river, it felt like a cozy home away from home. Not to mention as soon as I stepped off my bus I ran right into another American who was also studying abroad (but in Ireland). It was wordlessly decided that we would become travel buddies and together we stalked cute guys in kilts, made friends with numerous animals, and got to see one of the world’s biggest stalactites. To view this stalactite we had to venture deep into a cave in the near darkness. Overall the experience was something I have never done before and it was cool to learn how such natural wonders were stumbled upon.
Galway and the Lesser Parts
Not everything about my trip was sunshine and daisies. Most mornings were spent on a bus trying to get from one side of Ireland to the other and most nights were spent in crowded hostel dormitories. On occasion it rained and one missed bus could mess with all of your plans. Sometimes where you get stuck feels like the most boring place in all of Ireland, but it is up to you to find the adventure no matter where you are. And that it what I tried to do. I made friends with as many travelers as I could, attempted to get a feel of the land no matter where I was, and tried my very best not to cringe when I spent money on things I knew I shouldn’t have. My last night was spent about two hours north of Doolin in Galway. Galway seemed like a pretty cool city, but after arriving so late, eating in an overcrowded and understaffed pub, and checking into quite the expensive hostel, I was ready to be home. Plus it didn’t help that I had to catch a 1:45am bus back out to the Dublin airport to get a 6:30 flight home. That was 20 quid well wasted for 3 hours of sleep. But it looks like I wasn’t the only one who felt they needed a drink in the wee morning hours as everyone sat in the airport also had a pint of Guinness.
Overall, I’d say my first solo trip was a success. Of course there were errors in planning and minor misfortunes that happened along the way, but that is only to be expected with travel (especially when traveling on a budget). Ireland was everything I hoped and more (although I did not care for the accent as much as I believed I did). I look forward to returning in the future and perhaps seeing Cork and revisiting Doolin in the summertime.
COMING UP NEXT: My wonderful mother will be flying to the side of the world and we shall be meeting up in Paris Saturday after I see Imagine Dragons in Manchester Friday. Until then, cheers. X
