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skrobertsI'm feeling a fair bit better now, so I've been able to get started on reporting about the infamous trip to Ireland. First off, here is my journal about much of what we did. Because I'm weird, I only sometimes talk about things actually regarding what we did and saw those days, so I've put in some excerpts from my mom's journal... Warning: I start rambling, well, more than I usually ramble, toward the end.
Main text is from my journal. Italicized text is from my mom's journal. (Comments in parentheses are ones made after the originally entry was made.)
-- May 5-6, 2005 - Day 1 --
Spent most of the day traveling. My mom, her parents, and I are traveling with some 30 other people. We left Tuscaloosa at 10:30 AM and arrived in Ireland at 7:00 AM, their time, the next day. The various flights weren't as bad as I expected, considering my motion sickness, though I did lose my hearing at one point. It came back a hour or two later. Mostly for the later part of the 6th, I slept. I missed takeoff and touchdown on one or two flights because I conked out. And as soon as I got on the bus, I was asleep.
After arriving at the airport in Shannon and then boarding the bus that was to take us to out first hotel, we rode about 2 hours, through Ennis and several small towns, to Galway. As expected, it was very green and rural, lots of sheep and a few cows and stone walls.
It's kinda cold and rainy right now. No fun.
They drive on the wrong side! (It was weird at first, but I got so used to it that when I got back home, I couldn't drive for a bit because I kept wanting the car to go into the left lane.)
We finally got our first hotel around 2:30 PM. It's about 30 minutes outside of Galway City, I believe. I tried not to nap or I wouldn't sleep tonight, but even sitting upright, I was falling asleep. Oy.
So far, my allergies and tummy are holding up, especially after that rather yummy dinner. I'm happy that they offer both coffee and tea here since I don't drink coffee. But they skimp on the sugar in the hotel rooms. Oh, well. I just took some from the dinner table. Mmmm... sugar cubes.
Haha. 24 is on. I am amused.
-- May 7, 2005 - Day 2 --
What is it about foreign countries and me waking up to on-crack children's shows? Yikes. Maybe it's just kids' shows in general.
Since this trip 'round I'm a college student, perhaps I won't be so jetlagged as I've been before, since I'm somewhat used to getting up early, especially at the end of a semester. *crosses fingers*
Today we were on the bus most of the day, traveling around the Connemara region of central west Ireland. The region is pretty wild, barren and rocky. ... We learned a lot about peat bogs as the Connemara area is one great big one! (The constant exclamation points? Yes, my mom is a big dork. From whom did you think I got my dorkiness? *g*)
Ha. I go across 6 times zones to sit in my hotel room and watch A Few Good Men. Apparently, there is no FCC here. :|
-- May 8, 2005 - Day 3 --
Happy V-E Day, apparently! That's all that's on the news right now...
The drive to Sligo ... The countryside looks more fertile, organized sheep/cattle grazing, and the ever-present stone walls more purposeful. Once in Sligo, we went to the church where W.B. Yeats is buried.
We're now at our second hotel, in Sligo. It's pretty nice.
I'm not sure if it's all shower stalls in Ireland or just the ones in the hotels, but they're kinda complicated to operate. *glares at them*
I am the youngest person on this group trip. By youngest, I mean there is a 20-year gap between me and the next youngest. My mom at 48 is the third youngest. The oldest is over 80. Various members of the group keep coming up to me and asking how I'm fairing with all these "old people." Little do they know I'm mentally really a 49-year-old trapped in a 20-year old's body, so it's all good.
Bailey's cheesecake reminds me of![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
espritdeterre... because her last name is Bailey, and she is rather fond of cheesecake. :D
-- May 9, 2005 - Day 4 --
The shower is possessed. Billowing shower curtain = very scary.
The on-crack kid shows are still there. What's with the over-sized, British ferret and the book with the human mouth? The on-crack commercials aren't lacking either, but I can never get away from those.
The countryside around Donegal reminded me a lot of Scotland. ... We went to a fishing village called Killybegs on the Atlantic coast west of Sligo. ... We had an impromptu visit to a Belleek china factory just inside Northern Ireland, and I mean *just* inside by only a few hundred yards! (Dork!Mom *g*) Another great day. Beautiful, clear, and sunny. Only brief periods of "spitting." (In Ireland, it doesn't rain, it "spits." Some would call it sprinkling. They hardly ever have storms, just fairly frequent "spitting.") Windy as ever, but a beautiful day.
Our tour guide and bus driver's name is Joe Lavery. It so would have rocked if the last name would have been Flanigan. But then he would have been scared of the constant giggling. Anyway, he has talked much about Gaelic football. I finally sat down and watched some highlights from a game. It's much more interesting than American football, that's for sure. Kinda like a mix of everything: soccer, basketball, football. It is teh cool. (When we got back, mom jokingly flipped through the channels and said, "Sarah, I can't find any Gaelic football!" and pouted. I feel the same. If they aired it here, I might actually watch sports.)
I swear it doesn't get completely dark here until long after 11:00 PM. Crazy cool.
-- May 10, 2005 - Day 5 --
Another day, another hotel. This time in Dublin.
(I forgot whatever it was we did this day. Ooops.)
Holy crap! They have Spongebob Squarepants in Gaelic?! *dies* I don't even watch the show, yet that cracks me up.
EEEEEEEEEEEEE!! SG-1! I FOUND STARGATE SG-1!! Episode "The Fifth Man." *suppresses noises of glee* But darn, I have to go to dinner and can't watch the whole thing. :( Anyway, Simmons is still a jerk even in Ireland. *kicks him*
I just saw a commercial with a fruit bowl in it. There was a pineapple! I am amused.
I think I've reached my Tea Saturation Point. It doesn't taste good anymore. I've only been having two or three cups a day, how can that happen?! *g*
-- May 11, 2005 - Day 6 --
I go over how many time zones and *still* can't get away from Michael Jackson. Ack.
Today we were set free to explore Dublin. We saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College. At one point, Mom turned to me and whispered, "We need Daniel Jackson here to translate." I was amused. We saw the National History Museum aka "The Dead Zoo." I was disturbed. Mom kept making me walk around the city. I was cold and grumpy. Came back to the hotel, and "Red Sky" was on. I was bouncy.
Holy crap, Blackadder is on. Hugh Laurie's character is cracking me up. I have no idea what's going on, but hey, Hugh Laurie on crack! The fun crack. :)
-- May 12, 2005 - Day 7 --
We saw monestary ruins in Glendalough. They were all ruin-y. We had lunch in Avoca. It was, uh, lunch-y?
Another hotel. Waterford.
ROTFLMBO!! I found NCIS! In... German? *giggle-snort* It's Season 1, I can tell, because Tony and Gibbs have silly hair. The dubbing is cracking me up. Tony and Gibbs sound so un-Tony- and un-Gibbs-like.
Heystoopbeck, I just finished reading The Princess Bride. (Remind me to talk to you about it. *g* Oh, and when I got home, I just had to watch the movie again. I think I squeed too much and hurt myself...)
-- May 13, 2005 - Day 8 --
Happy Birthday, Alex! Wish you were here. :(
We went to the Waterford Crystal factory, saw glassblowers and such. Coolsies.
We also went to Blarney Castle today. About halfway walking up the 130-ish spiral steps to the top of the castle, I had a panic attack due to claustrophobia and the beginnings of acrophobia. (Can we say not fun?) We finally made it, though. I didn't kiss the Blarney Stone because, hello, ew, but I made it to the top. Woo!! I did, however, kiss my fingers and then touch a stone in a doorway, so I think it should count...
New hotel. Killarney. No Sky One, darn it.
Started reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for the second time. I came across a mention of muffins and am amused.
-- May 14, 2005 - Day 9 --
Off to the Ring of Kerry today. All day trip of about 109 miles around the peninsula finger of County Kerry south of Dingle Bay. (It's called the Ring of Kerry because you travel in a large circle all around the coastal areas of Co. Kerry.)
Haha. Star Wars, Episode II is on. Well, since Episode I was on last week at this time, I guess I've caught up for when Episode III comes out. Ewan-Wan Kenobi, as I've just started calling him = squee.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is on, and there's a comedian talking about desserts. He just did a whole set on muffins. Muffins are not just bald cupcakes, dude! But pie is kinda like liquid cake, I guess.
-- May 15, 2005 - Day 10 --
(Went to places, saw some things.)
We finished out the sightseeing with the spectacular Cliffs of Moher that look like the land just fell off into the sea, no sloping down to the beach here. Cliffs rising hundreds of feet straight up to grassy pasture land at the top. Quite magnificent.
Cliffs of Moher. The name sounds like something from Lord of the Rings. *g* 'Twas cool. But I got attacked by bugs and flailed a lot. Me no like.
Last hotel. Limerick.
Watching highlights from Gaelic football and hurling. Hurling. This one is played with a stick kind of like a short hockey stick and is kind of a combination of baseball, cricket, and soccer. Joe calls it "the fastest sport played on the ground." I wish these games were shown in the U.S. :(
-- May 16, 2005 - Day 11, Final Day --
Getting up at 4:30 AM is less annoying when you don't have to do so in order to study for an exam or something, but it's still not a barrel of monkeys.
How many airports have we been to so far today? I don't remember...
Lost my hearing again. I hate this.
Ouch! It sounds like a very loud bird just chirped in my ear! Gah... But hey, I can hear again. Yeay! That only took three or so hours...
Are we home yet?
Wha? Home now? Okay, I'm going to go slip into a coma...
Pictures will follow sometime soon.
Main text is from my journal. Italicized text is from my mom's journal. (Comments in parentheses are ones made after the originally entry was made.)
-- May 5-6, 2005 - Day 1 --
Spent most of the day traveling. My mom, her parents, and I are traveling with some 30 other people. We left Tuscaloosa at 10:30 AM and arrived in Ireland at 7:00 AM, their time, the next day. The various flights weren't as bad as I expected, considering my motion sickness, though I did lose my hearing at one point. It came back a hour or two later. Mostly for the later part of the 6th, I slept. I missed takeoff and touchdown on one or two flights because I conked out. And as soon as I got on the bus, I was asleep.
After arriving at the airport in Shannon and then boarding the bus that was to take us to out first hotel, we rode about 2 hours, through Ennis and several small towns, to Galway. As expected, it was very green and rural, lots of sheep and a few cows and stone walls.
It's kinda cold and rainy right now. No fun.
They drive on the wrong side! (It was weird at first, but I got so used to it that when I got back home, I couldn't drive for a bit because I kept wanting the car to go into the left lane.)
We finally got our first hotel around 2:30 PM. It's about 30 minutes outside of Galway City, I believe. I tried not to nap or I wouldn't sleep tonight, but even sitting upright, I was falling asleep. Oy.
So far, my allergies and tummy are holding up, especially after that rather yummy dinner. I'm happy that they offer both coffee and tea here since I don't drink coffee. But they skimp on the sugar in the hotel rooms. Oh, well. I just took some from the dinner table. Mmmm... sugar cubes.
Haha. 24 is on. I am amused.
-- May 7, 2005 - Day 2 --
What is it about foreign countries and me waking up to on-crack children's shows? Yikes. Maybe it's just kids' shows in general.
Since this trip 'round I'm a college student, perhaps I won't be so jetlagged as I've been before, since I'm somewhat used to getting up early, especially at the end of a semester. *crosses fingers*
Today we were on the bus most of the day, traveling around the Connemara region of central west Ireland. The region is pretty wild, barren and rocky. ... We learned a lot about peat bogs as the Connemara area is one great big one! (The constant exclamation points? Yes, my mom is a big dork. From whom did you think I got my dorkiness? *g*)
Ha. I go across 6 times zones to sit in my hotel room and watch A Few Good Men. Apparently, there is no FCC here. :|
-- May 8, 2005 - Day 3 --
Happy V-E Day, apparently! That's all that's on the news right now...
The drive to Sligo ... The countryside looks more fertile, organized sheep/cattle grazing, and the ever-present stone walls more purposeful. Once in Sligo, we went to the church where W.B. Yeats is buried.
We're now at our second hotel, in Sligo. It's pretty nice.
I'm not sure if it's all shower stalls in Ireland or just the ones in the hotels, but they're kinda complicated to operate. *glares at them*
I am the youngest person on this group trip. By youngest, I mean there is a 20-year gap between me and the next youngest. My mom at 48 is the third youngest. The oldest is over 80. Various members of the group keep coming up to me and asking how I'm fairing with all these "old people." Little do they know I'm mentally really a 49-year-old trapped in a 20-year old's body, so it's all good.
Bailey's cheesecake reminds me of
espritdeterre... because her last name is Bailey, and she is rather fond of cheesecake. :D-- May 9, 2005 - Day 4 --
The shower is possessed. Billowing shower curtain = very scary.
The on-crack kid shows are still there. What's with the over-sized, British ferret and the book with the human mouth? The on-crack commercials aren't lacking either, but I can never get away from those.
The countryside around Donegal reminded me a lot of Scotland. ... We went to a fishing village called Killybegs on the Atlantic coast west of Sligo. ... We had an impromptu visit to a Belleek china factory just inside Northern Ireland, and I mean *just* inside by only a few hundred yards! (Dork!Mom *g*) Another great day. Beautiful, clear, and sunny. Only brief periods of "spitting." (In Ireland, it doesn't rain, it "spits." Some would call it sprinkling. They hardly ever have storms, just fairly frequent "spitting.") Windy as ever, but a beautiful day.
Our tour guide and bus driver's name is Joe Lavery. It so would have rocked if the last name would have been Flanigan. But then he would have been scared of the constant giggling. Anyway, he has talked much about Gaelic football. I finally sat down and watched some highlights from a game. It's much more interesting than American football, that's for sure. Kinda like a mix of everything: soccer, basketball, football. It is teh cool. (When we got back, mom jokingly flipped through the channels and said, "Sarah, I can't find any Gaelic football!" and pouted. I feel the same. If they aired it here, I might actually watch sports.)
I swear it doesn't get completely dark here until long after 11:00 PM. Crazy cool.
-- May 10, 2005 - Day 5 --
Another day, another hotel. This time in Dublin.
(I forgot whatever it was we did this day. Ooops.)
Holy crap! They have Spongebob Squarepants in Gaelic?! *dies* I don't even watch the show, yet that cracks me up.
EEEEEEEEEEEEE!! SG-1! I FOUND STARGATE SG-1!! Episode "The Fifth Man." *suppresses noises of glee* But darn, I have to go to dinner and can't watch the whole thing. :( Anyway, Simmons is still a jerk even in Ireland. *kicks him*
I just saw a commercial with a fruit bowl in it. There was a pineapple! I am amused.
I think I've reached my Tea Saturation Point. It doesn't taste good anymore. I've only been having two or three cups a day, how can that happen?! *g*
-- May 11, 2005 - Day 6 --
I go over how many time zones and *still* can't get away from Michael Jackson. Ack.
Today we were set free to explore Dublin. We saw the Book of Kells at Trinity College. At one point, Mom turned to me and whispered, "We need Daniel Jackson here to translate." I was amused. We saw the National History Museum aka "The Dead Zoo." I was disturbed. Mom kept making me walk around the city. I was cold and grumpy. Came back to the hotel, and "Red Sky" was on. I was bouncy.
Holy crap, Blackadder is on. Hugh Laurie's character is cracking me up. I have no idea what's going on, but hey, Hugh Laurie on crack! The fun crack. :)
-- May 12, 2005 - Day 7 --
We saw monestary ruins in Glendalough. They were all ruin-y. We had lunch in Avoca. It was, uh, lunch-y?
Another hotel. Waterford.
ROTFLMBO!! I found NCIS! In... German? *giggle-snort* It's Season 1, I can tell, because Tony and Gibbs have silly hair. The dubbing is cracking me up. Tony and Gibbs sound so un-Tony- and un-Gibbs-like.
Hey
stoopbeck, I just finished reading The Princess Bride. (Remind me to talk to you about it. *g* Oh, and when I got home, I just had to watch the movie again. I think I squeed too much and hurt myself...) -- May 13, 2005 - Day 8 --
Happy Birthday, Alex! Wish you were here. :(
We went to the Waterford Crystal factory, saw glassblowers and such. Coolsies.
We also went to Blarney Castle today. About halfway walking up the 130-ish spiral steps to the top of the castle, I had a panic attack due to claustrophobia and the beginnings of acrophobia. (Can we say not fun?) We finally made it, though. I didn't kiss the Blarney Stone because, hello, ew, but I made it to the top. Woo!! I did, however, kiss my fingers and then touch a stone in a doorway, so I think it should count...
New hotel. Killarney. No Sky One, darn it.
Started reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix for the second time. I came across a mention of muffins and am amused.
-- May 14, 2005 - Day 9 --
Off to the Ring of Kerry today. All day trip of about 109 miles around the peninsula finger of County Kerry south of Dingle Bay. (It's called the Ring of Kerry because you travel in a large circle all around the coastal areas of Co. Kerry.)
Haha. Star Wars, Episode II is on. Well, since Episode I was on last week at this time, I guess I've caught up for when Episode III comes out. Ewan-Wan Kenobi, as I've just started calling him = squee.
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is on, and there's a comedian talking about desserts. He just did a whole set on muffins. Muffins are not just bald cupcakes, dude! But pie is kinda like liquid cake, I guess.
-- May 15, 2005 - Day 10 --
(Went to places, saw some things.)
We finished out the sightseeing with the spectacular Cliffs of Moher that look like the land just fell off into the sea, no sloping down to the beach here. Cliffs rising hundreds of feet straight up to grassy pasture land at the top. Quite magnificent.
Cliffs of Moher. The name sounds like something from Lord of the Rings. *g* 'Twas cool. But I got attacked by bugs and flailed a lot. Me no like.
Last hotel. Limerick.
Watching highlights from Gaelic football and hurling. Hurling. This one is played with a stick kind of like a short hockey stick and is kind of a combination of baseball, cricket, and soccer. Joe calls it "the fastest sport played on the ground." I wish these games were shown in the U.S. :(
-- May 16, 2005 - Day 11, Final Day --
Getting up at 4:30 AM is less annoying when you don't have to do so in order to study for an exam or something, but it's still not a barrel of monkeys.
How many airports have we been to so far today? I don't remember...
Lost my hearing again. I hate this.
Ouch! It sounds like a very loud bird just chirped in my ear! Gah... But hey, I can hear again. Yeay! That only took three or so hours...
Are we home yet?
Wha? Home now? Okay, I'm going to go slip into a coma...
Pictures will follow sometime soon.
no subject
Date: May 20th, 2005 09:30 pm (UTC)Aww, you didn't kiss the Blarney Stone? :D I'm not sure if I would either. Ew. :P
SG-1! NCIS! Wooo! They had crazy hair in season one? :/
Yay for Princess Bride! :D
*snerk* Cliffs of Moher. Hee! I don't know how it's supposed to be pronounced, but I'm mentally pronouncing it "mohair" and it's cracking me up. Yes, I am a dork.
Hurling! Gaelic football! Why can't we get cool sports channels that show that? :(
We saw monetary ruins in Glendalough. They were all ruin-y. We had lunch in Avoca. It was, uh, lunch-y?
*dies*
I'm glad you did fun things, but I'm glad you're back so that I can squee with you over AIM!
no subject
Date: May 20th, 2005 10:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May 21st, 2005 02:37 am (UTC)*cries* This is what I have to put up with all the time. It is much worse with Stargate, though.
And yes, we are in Season 1.
Glad you had so much fun and got to enjoy Ireland. I want to go there, too, one day.
no subject
Date: May 21st, 2005 02:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: May 22nd, 2005 04:33 pm (UTC)That was the point. I knew she'd be talking about all the "important" stuff, so I decided to talk about the random bits. :D
Cliffs of Moher
I believe it's pronounced similarly to "more"... or "more" with an H in it...
I'm glad you did fun things, but I'm glad you're back so that I can squee with you over AIM!
*snugglyclings*
no subject
Date: May 22nd, 2005 04:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: May 23rd, 2005 09:47 pm (UTC)