That’s all…I just love it.  I love the people I meet and the things I can do.  I love it even when things don’t go well and I sort of wish for my bed at home.  But I love it.

Today did not go as planned.  I guess it was still ok but I’m disappointed that I didn’t get to see Cahir Castle or the Rock of Cashel.  it all started when I woke up t 7:20 feeling really lousy.  I got the bus to the Cliffs of Moher since I didn’t get to go see them yesterday.  I was dropped off at 8:30, the only one to get off the bus.  No one was there, no one even to open the gate for the bus.  So there I am walking around with my backpackafter about 15 minutes a janitor let me in to use the restroom and I dropped off my pack at the information desk.  The cliffs were quite beautiful but it was freezing cold and so windy I could hardly keep my eyes open.  When the visitor center opened I got some tea at the cafe and found out that the next bus out to Limerick wasn’t until 13:10!  So I spent most of the morning in the cafe and gift shop feeling rather crappy.  They did have really good soup though and that made me feel tons better.  By about noon I was feeling ok and talking to people who came and sat around the cafe.  I tried the cliffs again shortly before the bus came and enjoyed them so much more since it was warmer and I was feeling so much better.  So I spent the rest of the day on the bus and I thought I would be able to make it for the last tour of the castle but I couldn’t so I just came back to Dublin.  I guess it was better I took it easy today.  I did enjoy talking to people and I wrote in my journal.  I’ve enjoyed Ireland so so much and I hope I can come back sometime.  But for now I’m ready to move on to London.

I’ve never been so sore in my entire life!  I went biking today on Inis mor, the largest of the Aran Islands of Ireland.  By large I mean approximately 9 miles long and 2 wide.  I’m proud to say I biked probably 8 or 9 miles at least.  It was a beautiful day and the air was so nice!  I don’t think I’ve been happier in a very long time.  I was glad to be alone today, no one to keep up with or slow down for, no one to tell me I’m weak or make me feel like I’m a baby.  I went just the way I wanted to, and as a result I lasted longer and pushed harder than I probably would have otherwise.  Of course as a result I’ve never been more sore in my entire life!

3 things I learned yesterday:

1.  Never put your water bottle down.

2.  Always open the sample packets of shampoo and conditioner BEFORE you get in the shower.

3.  Irish double decker buses are apparently smaller than they look…or at least they pretend to be.

4 things I learned today:

1.  Although the trip to the island is cold and the weather on the island is nice and breezy, you will still get hot when you ride a bike.

2.  Although the weather is great and the breeze is cooling, the sun will still burn you.

3.  Biking is tons of fun…but walking is nice too…

4.  A hot shower makes you a whole new person.

So I made it here after a terrible flight.  I got the very last seat on the plane and lucky me there was woman and her older boyfriend sitting across the aisle.  This woman was one of those bubbly types who loves to talk and is just oblivious to other people around her.  I guess her mom never taught her to use her ”inside voice”.  She drank like 5 little mini bottles of wine and by the middle of the flight, the time where people are starting to go to sleep, she was just getting her second wind.  She was also one of those people who don’t realize that they are ridiculously loud when they are wearing headphones.  So she’s talking and exclaiming to her boyfriend so loudly I can hear it through my earphones and over my music.  All the while her boyfriend thinks she’s just adorable!  Yay for me again to have an older woman behind me who was one of those people who don’t know how to use a touch screen.  So all through the flight she’s poking the TV screen on the back of my headrest.  Just poking, poking, poking, POKING!!!!  So much for sleep…luckily I did finally curl up and with the help of benedryl I got a couple of hours of  rest.

I’m in Dublin.  I’ve been here for just a couple of hours or so and already I remember why I planned to fly in here first!  At least I’ve been here before and know a very little bit about this place.  Even so, it’s very overwhelming.  I got on a bus and here I am at the center of the city…ish.  I decided I would try to go somewhere and that’s when I figured out I don’t have clue where I am even though I have a handy pocket pop-up map I bought for 2 euro.  I made all the plans and decided what I wanted to see, but I guess I never really believed it would happen so now I don’t actually know how to go about doing it….lol!  I’ve got my bearings a little bit and I’m ready to head off and do whatever I want…at least I love adventure!

Well…time goes so quickly…I can hardly believe I’m leaving tomorrow, well actually today.  I’ve been dreaming and thinking and planning, I guess now is the time to do!  People are impressed and scared at the same time to hear I’m going to Europe alone with a backpack containing one pair of pants and only a sample of shampoo.  I mean I know I’m a girly girl but a girl can get by on very little and still be girly; besides, I like a challenge and I like to surprise people.

I leave tomorrow and my parents have been great about letting me do this all on my own the way I like but still being supportive and helping me out where I need it.  I’m excited but scared and sort of scared to be too excited….a strange feeling, I must admit.  Maybe, I’m just excited to be scared?

The timing for this trip is just amazing, my youngest brother just graduated high school tonight/last night and I’ve spent the week helping mom get his scrapbook, display board ready, etc and so forth as well as grading papers for her class as she finished up her last year of teaching.  Plus I’ve been working some and planning and purchasing, you know how preparations go.  It will be a welcome rest to step on a plane and embark on an adventure all my own.  Plus a six hour and some flight sounds like a great naptime!  So here it goes…perhaps next time I write I’ll be somewhere else…BLASTOFF!

Alright!  Plans are back in action…I finally got money to buy my train pass and make hostel reservations…I am so excited!  Finances are all worked out, school is done, and I’m caught up on life etc.  All that’s left is to do is purchase the passes and pack up…whoo-hoo!

I’m two weeks out and I’m exhausted.  I just finished finals and moved back from college, I haven’t been able to look at travel plans for almost a week.  But now that the pressure is off and I’m catching up on some sleep (and regaining my sanity) I’m back to being excited.  I feel like I have so much to do in the next two weeks, it’s freaking me out just a little but I know everything will be fine.  I’m still traveling alone but I’m becoming more and more comfortable and excited about it.  There are people in my life who are not at all thrilled with the idea of me alone across the world and I admit I have some reservations especially about bars and walking at night.  Even meeting people locally or in hostels doesn’t mean I know or can trust them.  But I know I’m probably just being over concerned and as long as I’m careful and aware of my situation I should be just fine.  Anyway, I have nothing at all to do today so I’m going to get right on that.

This itinerary is pretty much done. I’m still not sure what I”m going to see in Paris but I know there is a ton so I’ll probably just wing it. I also haven’t really figured out where I’m going in the Netherlands but I’ll be staying with some locals so I’ll get a personal tour! I’m really excited! Read the rest of this entry »

Travel plans are coming along really nicely.  I called a friend’s parents in the Netherlands and they offered to let me stay with them and give me a personal tour of the country for a couple of days!  That only leaves lodging in Paris to be decided.

But more bad news.  It happened again.  I’m buddy-less.  I’d say it was me but it’s really not!  Life just continues to get in the way of the people who want to travel with me.  I’m so disappointed, what do I do now?  Travel with my brother? Or brave it on my own?  I don’t mind being alone but it just doesn’t seem as fun, even if I meet people I still don’t have someone to share my journeys with.  *sigh*