Ireland

We arrived in the land of the Irish on the 23rd January. We stamped our passports, exchanged our dollars for Euro and walked outside into the dark that was Dublin. Our first thoughts of Ireland were hazy. We got to our backpacker accommodation and realised that we couldn’t check in for another 6 hours. So there we were, in the common room – sleeping on the couches, hands on luggage, kinks in necks, waiting for 2:00 to come around.

Our thoughts quickly changed though, as we took our first steps onto the cobbled stone streets and ducked in to The Queen of Tarts, where we had a beautiful breakfast of salmon, brown bread, eggs, porridge, latte’s and orange juice. There were old teapots strewn across antique dressers, with cushions, mismatched saucers underneath delicate china and couples cuddling in the corners. It was entirely what we hoped Dublin would be, and more.

We wandered around the streets, amazed by the random markets, pubs, cafes and vintage stores on every corner, as we snapped photos and headed down the main street to browse the designer stores.

Urban Outfitters won our hearts, and the Italian restaurant for dinner won our wallets as we paid 15 Euro for a three course meal. Dublin had lifted our spirits and we were very excited to start our Shamrocker Tour in the morning, which would see Beth and I tour, Killarney, Ennis, Galway and Connemara.

Our tour was the best thing since sliced bread, or, in this case – a pint of Guinness. Our bus pulled in for stops at small towns, as we enjoyed pub meals of mushroom gnocchi, baked potatoes and frothy cappuccino. We puckered up for the Blarney Stone, and had private show in a local pub, where we were entertained with Irish Comedy, a flute, and even a jig or two. Jokes were had all night, and many beers were chugged.

The misty rain fogged the bus windows, and the sheep were piled high on the grassy hills as we hiked down to the sandy beaches, writing our names with twigs and taking happy snaps.

The dinners in pubs were breaded mushrooms and beer, and we all piped up as we planted Australian tattoos on our hands and sang Aussie ballads for Australia day. We stopped in at the Cliffs of Moher, enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Burren, and celebrated like true Aussies with Toohey’s Beer and loud music in a local Irish pub.

Pastries were served warm, and games were played on the bus. We learnt so much history from our tour guide, and the scenery of patchwork hills, cobbled stone streets, brick walls and broken down castles made Ireland the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to.

Travelling during the day, and relaxing in local pubs with a background of Irish music, was a holiday played at a beautiful pace, as we toured through Ireland one pint at a time.

Cheers to you the land of the clover, I can’t wait to jig my way back.