A Giant's Causeway

It makes no sense! How did the rocks form those hexagonal shapes? It must be aliens. See for yourself.

Off to Belfast We Go

The next day we headed up to Belfast via the coastal route and mad a pit stop in Malahide and Howth. Howth was definitely worth the stop and is only like 45 minutes outside of Dublin so it would be an easy day trip. We walked to the harbor and had AMAZING seafood at Octupussy's. I ate so much. We had calamari and crab claws and prawns. I even had an oyster and it was delicious. It was so fresh you could taste the brine of the ocean. After lunch we walked along the coast and I situated myself on a couple of rocks to do some writing. I must have blended in with the rock 'cause everyone thought they lost me and went searching for about 1/2 an hour. Clearly I am so good at hide-n-seek that I can't even control it.

So I had never been to Belfast before, but it is worth the trip. Especially if you take a black taxi tour. Our guide/taxi driver, Norman, drove us around the city and gave us the history of the area. I knew some of it but its just amazing that it is so recent. While race is the issue in America, religion id the issue in Belfast. There are literally Protestant and Catholic sections of town and a giant wall separates the two. Its more intense than the wall on the Mexican-American border. There is even a gate that is locked at night to stop adolescent mischief. Its kind of crazy. Norman said people are more tolerant than they used to be and anyone can wander into either area but you tend to live in your own area. And there aren't many inter-marriages between the two. It is all very clan-like. There is also graffiti on the walls, but the Catholic side is way more impressive.

We also checked out the Titanic museum and it was definitely well done museum. Especially since all I know about Titanic I learned from James Cameron's movie. Turns out Belfast used to be a hug linen town and that there was actually a passenger named J. Dawson (but Jams Cameron wasn't aware of that). Turns out a ship like that has a shit ton of rivets and I would despise being a ship builder. Tons of fun facts and tons of depressing memories.

In Dublin's Fair City

Back in Dublin! We stayed in an apartment across the river from Temple Bar so we were in a prime location. Unfortunately my mum got a bit turned around in the city 'cause the bus driver from the airport told her to get off near Trinity College. She ended up wandering around the city for a couple of hours with her pack on before she made it to where we were staying. She was so exhausted and pathetic looking that we just had a chill day and went out for dinner down the street.

We still had 2 full days to see all the sights. We went to Pheonix Park, the Dublina, and St. Patrick's Cathedral. We thought about going to Jameson Distillery but there was a heck of a long wait so we decided to walk through the Temple Bar area instead.
I tried to take them to the Dead Zoo but most of the museums are closed on Mondays which was unexpected. It just meant a change of plans was in order so we went to Merrion Park and saw the Oscar Wilde statue and we went to St. Stephen's Green. We even walked through Trinity College and were going to see the Book of Kells ('cause my dad was going to pay) but the queue was crazy long.
And then Ally came!! And it was her 21st!!! Unfortunately she felt a bit ill so we just grabbed a bite to eat at Fagan's and then listened to Irish music in a pub 'till 12. Not a half bad day.

An English Market and An Abbey/Castle

The last leg of the trip, before meeting up with my mum and the Sloans, was in Cashel. I had been there before, but only as a brief stop on a day trip from Dublin to Blarney Castle.

But before we even got there we made a stop in Cork to eat at the English Market. It wasn't the best food market I had been too, but it was nice. We had a rather yummy leek and pork sausage and some crab claws, but not all the food was good. My dad made me try these "fish eyes" which were olives with pimentos wrapped in anchovies. It was tone of the most disgusting things I have ever eaten and the taste lingered with you because of the oil. I could only eat one and I am not even sure how I managed to swallow it.

Then we made it to Cashel and had the second best dinner of the trip. It was in a converted abbey/cathedral and we had the best lamb I have ever eaten there. I'm not really sure how but my dad ate enough food for at least 2 people, probably more. 

The next day we visited the castle/abbey that I had visited in October. It was much more crowded now, but it was also warmer. I guess its a bit of a trade off. 

National Parks & Driving Rings

Killarney! Doesn't that just sound Irish?! Anyway, that was our next destination.

After a surprisingly good lunch of calamari and crab claws (not fried) we ventured into Killarney National Park and took a boat ride to an abbey on a tiny island in the middle of the lake. The ruins were very well preserved and the site has been home to an abbey since 700 A.D. Even more exciting was the herd of deer that we happened upon. I managed to get fairly close to them, but not close enough to pet them.
I could live on that island...at least for the summer. It was just the perfect place to view the mountains and the rest of the lake.

The island is wonderful but the rest of the National Park is also beautiful. I am so jealous of the people who get to use that area as their running trail, but then again I would just get distracted and end up not running. On another trip perhaps I will get to hike the area a bit more.

To top the day of we happened upon a restaurant called The Med and I had the most amazing mussels. They  were fantastic. I just wish I knew how to cook something like that.

The next day was a day of driving and while that might sound boring it was the opposite. We drove along the Ring of Kerry and the Skelling Ring. We took a ferry over to Valencia island and just enjoyed the lack of people and the plethora of breathtaking views. Thankfully the receptionist at the place we were staying gave us some excellent advice: Don't listen to the tour books. Go the same way as all of the tour buses. If you don't then you have to drive pass them on roads that claim to be two-way but are only wide enough for one car at a time.

Stop 2: ENNIS

Ennis was our Irish music stop. There was an Irish music festival going on while we were there so we got to listen to banjos and fiddles and guitars and concertinas and acordians and reeds. Also everyone was ridiculously welcoming. At this one music thing we went to they let anyone who wanted to join in. People played instruments, sang songs, recited poems, and danced. Even my dad and I joined in with the dancing. Turns out I've never actually seen my dad dance, and there is definitely a reason for that. He wasn't too bad though.

The mission for the next day was the Cliffs of Moher. They were extremely dramatic and intense. I would not want to fall of there 'cause if the fall didn't kill you the freezing water would make you wish that it did. We even managed to hike along the cliffs and away from the tourists. Although they were dramatic I prefer the cliffs we found on the way to Moher. They were on a golf course and overlooked a precious bay. The wind was a bit pushy but it just added to the experience. If it wasn't for the car we would never have seen them. Its nice just being able to stop wherever you want to. 

That night, back in Ennis, we enjoyed some more fine music. We actually kind of got caught by this one group. They were just so welcoming and offered us tea and biscuits. We actually felt the need to sneak out when we were ready to leave because they were just so nice. And then we went to a pub to see Socks in the Frying Pan. I went because of the name, but they were really good. YAY, Irish music!

A Galway Girl

Immediately after the goodbyes I finished packing up my stuff and hopped on a plane to Dublin. Then began my AMAZING roadtrip through Ireland with my dad.

From Dublin we headed to Galway and it is a marvelous town. Like it is definitely up there on my list of favorite places. We knew it was going to be a good trip because the first thing we saw there was Fagan's pub! Of course we had to stop there and get a bite to eat. The food was basic but the vegetable soup was quite tasty. From there we just explored the Spanish Quarter which had a bunch of cute shops and restaurants and bars. Also all the buildings are brightly colored and it just makes it look adorable. I even happened upon a storefront that I have seen on Pinterest.

Thank goodness we have a car 'cause it allowed us to explore the coast even though it was raining a bit. Turns out they have white sandy beaches! I had no idea. I thought the beaches were going to be more like the pebbly ones you get in England. Also having a car meant that we got to see more of the coast than I would have ever seen on foot. And it just smelled like the ocean, which was heavenly.


To top the wonderful first day off we had a ridiculously fantastic meal at a restaurant near the Spanish Arch! I got to try monkfish and pickled crab and prosecco. It was just divine and I do not use that word in reference to dining willy-nilly.
You would think that such a spectacular first day would perhaps instill unrealistic expectations on the rest of the trip, but honestly its surprising how perfectly things seemed to come together.

We took a mountainous drive to this beautiful abbey next to a lake. Honestly is was very serene and an apt place for such a building. Even the drive up there was filled with breathtaking views. I just didn't realize Ireland was so mountainous. Clearly I just didn't know enough about the place.

We then had a lovely snack on the coast before beginning a rather stressful drive back to Galway. I must give my dad props for driving here because it is on the opposite side of the road. The roundabouts were kicking his ass at first, but he seems to have the hang of them now. The stressful parts come when a one lane road tries to be a two lane road with cars going in opposite directions. Some of the time you just have to pullover to let the others pass, but most of the time there aren't shoulders. You'll have a stone fence directly to your left. Its even more challenging when they throw in those blind turns. Honestly I just don't know why anyone would ever have a nice car here. It is just way too easy to damage it. Oh! And I also wouldn't bike here. I mean there is barely room on the roads for the cars. It also didn't help that there was heavy traffic do to either a football or rugby match that had just ended.

We did manage to make it back in one piece (only a few scratches on the car) and we rewarded ourselves with another delightful dinner. It wasn't as good as the night before but it was definitely up there.

The next day we drove to Ennis, but not before grabbing breakfast and this breakfast is not to be overlooked. I ordered pancakes and bacon, and they actually gave my BACON! Like American style bacon! It has been too long. I was assuming like a slice of ham 'cause that's what these crazy people call bacon, but it was actually bacon and it was delicious. It was kind of pathetic how excited I was by this, but I feel no shame. And to top it off there were like 3 really good street artists playing around the area. Way to go Galway!

Just a Bit Longer...Unfortunately

My last few days in Bradford passed much too quickly. Between packing up all my stuff and hanging out with friends I just didn't seem to have anytime. My second day back was Jasmine's last and we all hungout till she left us. Then I got to spend a wonderfully sunny day with Gabby and have dinner with Jak and Elliot. And then my time there was over. It was weird saying goodbye to everyone. It was as if it hadn't really hit me that I wasn't returning to Bradford after my next trip. All of these people have become such good friends and it will be weird to not be able to drink tea and listen to music and crazy dance with them. Of course there are some that I will miss more than others, but hopefully we will put in the effort to stay in touch and perhaps we will meet up later on another adventure.

Despite the fact that I have been in England for about 9 months it still does not seem real. It is like a time that is separate from my "real" life back home. I have been constantly on the move, and, while I do miss being more settled, I loved the experience. There are a few things I have learned:

1. Grocery shopping without a car kind of sucks. Basically you have to do it more often and liquids are not a smart purchase.

2. I need to learn to cook a larger variety of foods because you can eventually tire of pasta.

3. Curry is the food of Britain.

4. Rest days are a necessity for long trips.

5. Trains are AMAZING!

6. Accept and enjoy ambiguity.

7. You don't need to pack as much underwear as you think.

8. If you don't have a travel journal or something of the sort then you will forget what you did. Photos can only do so much to prompt memories.

9. During your travels get groceries instead of going out to eat, and always have ZIPLOC bags.
10. Don't pay for it if you don't really care about seeing it.
11. Bring a combination lock with you for storage at hostels.
12. Download TripAdvisor if you have an IPhone.
13. Don't try to pack too much into your days.
14. Don't read every little thing in museums or you will wear yourself out after the first couple of rooms.
15. If you have the chance ALWAYS go to a market.

I'm sure I could think of more things but those are the big ones for me. Its just weird to think that I have been doing this for about a year now. Where did the time go? I mean its unreal. I have been to about 15 different countries and I am only 21. I am not even heading home yet. I still have two more months of travels before I return to the states and no doubt more to learn. So here come more summer adventures!

Once More Before I Go

Somehow I found my way back to London, and the weekend was jam packed with things to do. I met Rachel and Elizabeth at Borough Market and we made our way over to the London Bridge and the tower. The weather was so phenomenal that I was in short sleeves...NO JACKET! And then Elizabeth decided to torture us. She had been going on and on about this capoeira class that her friend teaches on Friday so we agreed to go. It is a Brazilian martial arts which combines music and dance. Don't get me wrong it was a lot of fun, but we were definitely feeling it the rest of the weekend. I don't think I was back to walking normally until Monday or Tuesday. Granted I haven't worked out since last semester, but I have been doing a heck of a lot of walking.

Despite our soreness and stiffness we spent the next day exploring Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, and it was a princess wonderland. During our picnic lunch we attracted a mass of pigeons. We had them eating bread out of our hands and landing on our hands. Rachel even made a friend in a one-eyed pigeon that liked to land on Elizabeth's head. So after we caught the plague we fed ducks and swans and eventually a very courageous squirrel. But then we moved indoors to explore the Science Museum and learn about alchemy and code deciphering. At one point we misplaced Rachel but we eventually met back up. Oh, and I got to climb a tree!
After our very fun and full day we headed off to Roadhouse, a club underneath a market.

Then next day we were back on our feet and wandering through the Columbia Road Flower Market and Camden Market. We even picked up some awesome Jack Daniels t-shirts for our tailgating adventures next year. Of course, you can't go to a market without getting a bite to eat so I grabbed a kangaroo burger 'cause its hard to pass up kangaroo. I could have spent all day there, but we had to hightail it back to Elizabeth's flat to grab dinner before the concert.
Rachel gets full credit for introducing me to Keston Cobbler's Club and they didn't disappoint. The other two acts were also really good but I am blanking on their names so you will just have to take my word for it. It was just a lovely musical night, and the venue was perfectly sized.

The next morning Rachel had to leave fairly early so only sleepy goodbyes were exchanged, but I still had a half day left in London. Elizabeth and I had a pleasant picnic in Kensington Gardens and chilled with our squirrel friend for a bit. We even managed to attract a hot Australian guy towards us because of our squirrel friendship so the Disney princess thing is not a complete sham.

And that was it. Goodbye for quite some time London. 

A Different Sort of Beach

Just after enjoying some of the beaches of Spain, I got to experience a very different sort of beach at Brighton. I traded sand for pebbles and warmth for wind. Quite different, but I loved it. If it wasn't for the crazy wind that only got stronger the longer I stayed it would have been ideal.
Since it doesn't get dark until 10ish now, I still had time to enjoy the area when I first arrived. I wandered along Brighton Pier and lost some money in the arcade there.

There is actually quite a bit to do in Brighton. In the morning I headed over to the Royal Pavilion and enjoyed the odd placement of oriental architecture.

I checked out the Brighton Museum for a bit, but the real pleasure  was meandering through the Lanes (a series of lanes and alleyways with awesome independent shops). Not only was the merchandise fun to look at, but the storefronts were also eclectic and interesting. If I ever open my own store I would want it to look like one of the stores there. It was also while exploring these streets that I learned that the Brighton Fringe Festival was going on. Its just an incredible festival of art, music, comedy, and theatre that goes on for a couple of weeks. Just to give you a better picture: I was sitting on a bench listening to a really good street musician and a white rabbit ran past me. Actually, I should say THE White Rabbit, and not too far behind him was dear old Alice. Of course I was confused, but then the rabbit ran back this time passing out pamphlets for a theatre company that was putting on a bunch of plays all this week. Now that is good advertising, and to get the point across Alice ran back after him random people if they knew where he was heading. If they didn't she took the pamphlet and told them how to get there with the map on the back. Way to go Brighton!

The next day I was determined to go see some cliffs. Originally I had planned to go to Dover, but it is a good ways away so I decided to walk along the coast/cliffs to Rottingdean. It was a bit more of a hike than I had imagined, but it was still easily doable and worth it. The white cliffs were gorgeous and the small town was adorable. I ended up spending a good time in the Kipling Gardens (Rudyard Kipling lived there for a bit) and watching three older couples play croquet. I even managed to get sunburned, something I had avoided in Spain. It wasn't until that night that I really got to enjoy the festival. I thought about going to Sh*tfaced Shakespeare (one of the actors has to be smashed), but instead I went to the Folk Off at Fiddler's Elbow. It was definitely a good choice because I know have three more musicians that I enjoy. Honestly they were all good and I was right in the front. There is nothing quite like live music...especially folk music. I must do this more often!
And then I was off again to meet Rachel and Elizabeth in good 'ole London.

Off to Seek a Promised Warmth

This weekend Elizabeth and I went to Murcia, Spain to visit our friend Rachel. I had literally just finished up my school year and was ready for a relaxing vacation. My procrastination had resulted in an all nighter right before my three assessments were due and I was knackered. It didn't help that our flight out of London was ridiculously early in the morning, but we made it to Spain and the trip was wonderful. Unfortunately none of us did a good job of documenting the trip but their are some shots of the beach and the uni.

The first day we walked a bit around Murcia and got to see where Rachel was living. Poor girl has to rely on gas tanks for cooking and warm water and the gas man hadn't come so we couldn't do any cooking until Monday. Thankfully there was enough to supply us with warm water for the weekend because the cold showers would have been a bit brutal. We also got some delicious churros!

The next day was our first of three beach trips. We caught a bus to Alicante beach and spent a couple of hours there. Turns out Rachel has never been to the beach. I mean technically she has, but she definitely didn't do those trips correctly. Elizabeth and I had assumed she was going to the beach for us because the poor girl doesn't like to be wet or cold, but she loved it. She got to swim in the ocean and play in the sand and it was all really cute...of course. 

Later that night (like much later because we were on Spanish time) Rachel made us some delicious sandwiches and then we headed over to her friend Amy's piso for Sangria night. We tried a bunch of different kinds, but I'm pretty sure the one that Elizabeth and I made with peaches and strawberries and white wine was definitely the best one. 

However, we didn't let our incredibly late night stop us from going to a different beach the next day. We met up again with some of Rachel's friends and enjoyed another beautiful day. It was a bit chilly, but Rachel and Elizabeth did get into the water (Rachel was kind of forced into it). 

Sunday we were going to go rock climbing but Rachel was feeling a bit unwell so we decided to go hiking instead. Unfortunately the bus we needed wasn't running so we went to explore the uni instead and feed some ducks. We longed in the sunshine and had a bit of a picnic so it was definitely a good day. By the end of the day Elizabeth  probably had about 100 pictures of a snail that she and Rachel got a bit obsessed with. 

And then once again we were back at the beach. Elizabeth and I headed off without Rachel because she had class. Well, she was supposed to have class, but seeing as how she is studying in Spain they were both cancelled. She ended up getting to the beach like 10 minutes after us because a 5 minute stop turned into 45 minutes and then the bus was searched by an uninterested drug dog. Honestly we couldn't tell if the dog was in training or if it was just Spain. Once we actually got to the beach it was another relaxing day. This time I actually got in the water and somehow ended up coated in sand. 

Spain was definitely an excellent trip and a much deserved reward for finishing my assessments. Its nice having a Spanish speaker with you while travelling, but Elizabeth and I didn't really have any difficulty going on our own. There is just so much of Spain that I still need to explore, but now I am off to Brighton for the week.

A Farewell Dinner

Well I'm not leaving England yet, but last night we had a farewell dinner because it is the last time my flatmates and I will all be in Bradford. We invited all our friends to Omar Khan's, and while the curry is not as good as at Ambala the night was great. I still had 7000 words to write by the morning, but the three hour dinner was a much needed break. Turns out I was on the same page with my essays as a few of my friends, but a couple of them had completed their essays ages ago.
I just always have a good time hanging out with Jasmine, Elliot, Pheobe, Gabby, and Jens. Lisa couldn't quite make it because she still had a ton of essay work to do and Dan couldn't make it because he is on tour with his band in Germany. I am just glad I don't have to say goodbye to these lovely people just yet.