Day 2 of the Paddywagon Tour - Ireland

Up nice and early, we headed to Derry. We went on a walking tour of Derry and learnt of the historical Derry and of modern Derry. One of the most notable things that happened here was Bloody Sunday. Also Derry was a significant place where the Irish rebelled against the English from invading. The gutters are painted with the colours of the nations flag to show their territory. North Ireland is dominated by the English and everything is based around everything coming from England. Whereas South Ireland is very much Irish.

As it was Valentine’s Day today we decided that something needed to be done. Seeing as there were now 22 girls on the bus, we brought a nice big card and wrote on it for our amazing bus driver Freddie. We put it on his seat and through rose petals all around it. Was so funny when he saw it. His face blushed as red as a tomato, and he kept it in the window the whole trip. Other bus drivers tried to steal it but Freddie always chased after them! J We also wrote a limerick for him which goes as follows:
There once was a man named Freddie                                                                                   
Who was never, ever ready                                                                                                     
 He drove a green bus                                                                                                                           
Just for us                                                                                                                                 
That's why we love our Freddie (I can't really remember the last line but it was something like this...)

After Derry we headed off to Carrick-A-Rede where we were going to cross the rope bridge but it was so windy that they actually shut the bridge. It was an absolutely wonderful view though and it was good to actually see some sand on the beach! :)

Next stop, the Giant’s Causeway. The myth behind this place was that there were two giant’s, one Scottish names Benandonner and one Irish named Fionn McCool. McCool wanted Benandonner’s girlfiend and so started to build a bridge across. When Benandonner found this out he decided he was going to build a bridge and come to bash McCool up. When McCool found this out he stopped building the bridge but Benandonner finished the bridge and came to bash him up. McCool was so scared that he put a blanket over himself and told the woman in the house to say he wasn’t there. When Benandonner came in and asked where he was the woman said he wasn’t there. Then Benandonner asked who was under the blanket. The woman said it was McCool’s son. Benandonner thought, if that’s how big the son is… the father must be massive, so freaked out and ran away breaking the bridge as he went. This is the story that people like to believe happened but in actual fact it was a volcanic eruption that dissolved the rock to the hexagonal shapes it is today. The height differs on how close it is to the water as the salt erodes the rock that remains. Was a pretty cool place actually. Bit of a hike but well worth it! :)

For our last stop we pulled into a tiny by-the-sea town that I can not remember the name of. We went and had a good pub meal and I hit the sack pretty early. Absolutely exhausted!

Xxxx

Day 1 of the Paddywagon Tour - Ireland

So we got to Paddy's Palace about 7.45am and started getting on buses. to make life more difficult there were 350 people to organise onto 5 different tours (all gappers where coming for half-term and a few other people too). So as we got onto the last bus to leave Dublin it was about 8.50am and the 26 of us headed off to the Guiness Factory. I stood in the largest pint glass and for all those who are going to ask, YES, I did try Guinness and it wasn't as bad as other things I have tried, but one mouthful was definitely enough.  :)

We then headed off to Drogheda where we went to St Peter's Cathedral and Saw Oliver Plunkett's head.
(If you want to know who he is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Plunkett)

After checking out the head and church we headed forth towards Belfast where we went on a Black Taxi Tour. It was through the areas of town where it is still strictly Catholic or Protestant and where the fence is that divides the city . The fence is just over 4 miles long and at it's highest is 42 feet high. We entered the Protestants area first and it was very rough and a little run down. Lots of kids where on the streets with their full Adidas tracksuits and Adidas shoes, swearing, fighting and throwing such things as rocks at each other. They certainly told us what they thought about us being there and  told us to 'f* off and to stop looking at them' in not so nice terms. These kids would not have been any older than 12/13 and kids as young as 4/5 were out there doing exactly the same thing.

We then went and saw the fence and wrote messages and names and got photos and what not. There were some great quotes and things people had written. One of my favourites was along the lines of  'don't hold onto the past, get the f* over it and grab a beer'  written by an Aussie.

We then headed to the Catholic side of the fence. It was so different yet it had so many similarities. The houses were all a lot nicer and there seemed to be a better atmosphere around the place. there were still some kids on the street but no where near as many. On this side of the fence there are houses within 2 metres of the fence so the hoses have extra fences and cages to stop the bricks and things that come over from hitting the houses. It was quite interesting to see this tour and to realise that this was still going on when I was born, so it was very recent and something I can relate to in terms of how long ago it was. It is also still very obvious in some places how people are still affected by it today.

To finish the day we headed to dinner and went on a pub crawl. £5 and we got entry into two clubs and two pubs/bar places. We also got three free drinks over the night. Everything else we had to pay for but was heaps cheap! Was a very good night!! :) :)

Xxxx

The Trek to Ireland

So got up this morning to catch the train to Gatwick Airport, but major track works meant that our train had to take a rather lengthy detour. I boarded a train that went in the absolute opposite direction to where it should be going and so we had to travel 30 minutes West before coming back along another track and heading to the Airport. A trip that should have taken no longer than 40 minutes took just over an hour and a half! i made it to check in with 5 minutes to spare!

Aer Lingus (the plane company I flew with) were really good. I would definitely recommend! Flight was quick and everything was done so efficiently. First time there have been more national people in cue for customs than international people. Got through customs in about 10 minutes and was off on my way through Ireland! :) :)

I don't know how to explain Dublin. It certainly wasn't my favourite place that I have been to. It is very old, but not an elegant and historic old, just brick walls and cement everywhere. I'm sire people who grow up there would appreciate it but I didn't seem to warm to it.

The weather was pretty good. When I arrived it was 6 degrees Celsius so not bad.

The hostel looks interesting but shall see how it goes. :)

Updating for Ireland

Well finally (!!!) blogspot is working again and I will be able to start updating everything once again!

I'll start with Ireland, but please know that it may sound a little all over the place as some of it I wrote well and truly afterwards and other days I wrote as we were traveling.
So I hope you enjoy reading about my Irish adventures and once again I apologise for it being sooo late!

xx