Back from blogging hiatus.

It's been 10 days since I last blogged. I apologize for the delay. It takes some mental energy to sit and write and the Internet situation can be tricky. This is my second attempt to write this blog. I lost almost three hours of writing today. I woke up ready to blog and upload photos and lost it all because I didn't save. Lesson learned. Hopefully this version will be as informative as the last attempt. I'll try and not write in such a hurry.

So... Last time I wrote about the Betty's B & B situation in Galway, Ireland. Now time to write about the fun stuff about traveling; sight-seeing! Amelia, Rachel and I decided to do a day tour of the Cliffs of Moher. Our bus driver, Michael Rooney was the best. He explains that he is of no relation to the footballer, Wayne Rooney. He is a very knowledgeable and funny man. I love the Irish sense of humour. See what I did there? Some British grammar. We stop at a castle and Michael explains the history of protecting and attacking a castle. Very interesting stuff, really. We move along to the cliffs. They span about 5 miles. We have two hours to explore. Michael explains that he too will be taking in the sights today because the view is good today. He said there are only about 30 days out of the year where you can see all of the cliffs. Lucky us! The pictures I take do the view no justice. It's crazy how you can walk right up to edge. It's a bit scary. The hike around the cliffs is tiring but worth it. Such incredible views. They say the cliffs are touristy but I would recommend them. I am a tourist, after all.

The next day the three of us decide to tour the Aran Islands. We take a 45 minute ferry from Galway to the main island, Inis Mor. Once on the island, you have a choice on how to take in the sights. You can walk it, ride a bike or take a van tour. We heard walking takes too long and you don't see enough. It was windy and cold that day so opt for the van. Again, we had a great driver. Taking the van also gave us a tour guide and it was the same price as renting a bike. This island has a population of 800 people. It has one doctor, one cop, one priest and one bank that is only open on Wednesdays. The scenery is thought-provoking. There are slate rock fences EVERYWHERE! There is no glue or cement that hold these together. They just set one on top of the other. These fences also pen in the livestock so they have to dismantle a walkway and build it up again after. I'm fascinated by these walls. We stop by a few churches, there are lots here. All built by stone and all open-aired. After the driving tour, we had two hours to spend on our own before the ferry leaves. We walk around a bit and go to a restaurant called Tí Joe Watty's. We have a some chips (fries) and I have a beer. There are a few locals thee and they are all speaking Irish. I heard more Irish spoken here than English. Very traditional here. We make our way towards the ferry and there is a very small beach and a dog just chillin' there. Amelia, the animal lover goes to the dog and notices a smashed can in it's mouth. The dog drops it and Amelia throws it. Her and the dog enjoy playing fetch whilst Rachel and I take photos of them. It was a very cool dog.

Amelia and I were hoping to catch the last train into Dublin so we could Sail and Rail to London. Sail and Rail is taking a ferry to Wales and then a train into London. We didn't make it back in time so we get a hostel. It was our last night traveling with Rachel so we say our good-byes. Rachel is 19 and traveling Ireland another two weeks on her own. Good on her. I'm sure she'll have the time of her life. Amelia and I say to ourselves that she'll be hard pressed to find better traveling buddies. Good luck Rachel!

We decide to wake up a 4:30AM to catch the 5:30AM train. I wake up at 4:00AM, anxious not to miss the train. Amelia wakes up at 4:30 with not much resistance. We gather our things and go to the station. Not many people on the early train. We get to Dublin and take a tram to the station we think we need to go to walk to the ferry port. Didn't seem far on the map. We walk and walk. We are in full gear now. We ask someone if we are going the right way after 20 minutes of walking. They say we are but that it's a long walk. We say we don't mind the walk so we keep at it. After another 15-20 minutes I'm starting to get tired. We see two Garda (cops) and ask them. They say we are on the right path but it's a ways away. I ask is a taxi would be better and he said no, they'd just rip us off. We are close to 9:30AM and the the ferry we woke up early to catch leaves at 9:45. I get worried we aren't going to make it. We keep walking in a very industrial looking area and I ask again. We are told we are almost there but we missed the 9:45 ferry. We finally get to the ferry port and the next ferry is at 3:30PM. I'm exhausted. The station agent tells us under his breath that there is an earlier ferry out of a different company. We thank him and take his advice. Another little walk and we are there. We buy our tickets for a 2:30PM ferry. I try to sleep. We have four hours to kill. I got a little nap in. Amelia researched what to do in London. We get on the ferry and it is super nice. It's like an airport terminal on water. It's got restaurants, duty-free shops and lounging areas. We both buy some Belgian chocolate and I share the leftover Carlsburg I had in my pack. Chocolate and beer on a boat to London puts a smile on our faces. 

We get to the train station, find our train and board. We have to transfer once but it wasn't a hassle. It was a pretty long ride. Six hours total, I think. The scenery of Wales from the train is just as picturesque as in Ireland. Livestock roaming everywhere, green pastures, castles, the whole bit. Too bad I couldn't take better pictures from the window. Too much glare. 

We arrive in London around 9:30PM. Pretty long day. Amelia's hostel was full so I book one close by. It wasn't as nice as hers but heck, we're in London! I walk her to her hostel and then I find mine. They are very close to each other. Amelia picked a great location. We are close to Hyde Park. Walking distance to everything. I meet my roommates at my new hostel, Guido and Nico. Brothers from Argentina. They are very nice. We speak in Spanish but some words I didn't pick up on. We still understood each other fine. I conk out. 

I wake up early again, around 6:30AM. I write in my journal, and get ready for the day. I walk over to Amelia's hostel around 8:00 and she is on time. She isn't a morning person, she says. She tells me she was up late routing a walking tour of our own. I was impressed. 

Here is an outline of what we did for the two days: Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, walking through parks (Hyde, St. James, Regents), Piccadilly Circus, London Bridge, London Towers, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Borough Market, Abbey Road, Platform 9 3/4 (Harry Potter thing), British Museum and also countless of great street scenery. 

Brief synopses of some the sites: 

Changing of the guard was just okay. Amelia loved it because one of the guards spoke to her. We got there almost two hours early and had front row and while marching, he leaned in and said, "it's getting harder." We all assumed he meant it's getting harder for him to keep his composure because ever time he would walk up, Amelia would make googley-eyes at him. 

Abbey Road was a disappointment. Too much traffic to get a good picture, plus scores of people trying to mimic the Beatles photo.

Platform 9 3/4 was cool. I'm not the biggest fan but it was neat to see.

Borough Market was my favorite. The coolest market I've ever been to. So many varieties of food and drink and the ambiance was fantastic. 

Regents Park was also wonderful. It is a huge park with the London zoo inside it. Just walking through it was neat. There was a squirrel that just walked up to us and Amelia wanted to feed it and as if the squirrel knew it, started climbing up her leg. She loved it. There were also patches and patches of rosé gardens. Each one separated and each one with a name placard assigned with funny names. I'm assuming it 's a rose garden competing that takes place during rosé season. I've seen something like it on Downton Abbey (don't judge me). 

One the whole, London was brilliant! They love saying that here. I just enjoyed how you could get lost and encounter something cool to see anywhere. I did see places called,"Eat." and "Pret A Manger" every 50 meters. See that? Another British reference;metric system here. But there is so much I didn't get to see. I must come back. 

Another big ups to Amelia. She allowed me to see so much of London in such a short time. I had to say farewell to her after three nights in London. Not only that, it is amazing that I met her on my first day of traveling and travelled with her the following eight days! It was a pleasure to travel with her (Rachel too) and I am ever so thankful for meeting them. Amelia is traveling another five weeks or so by herself as well. I think that it's great and brave. She is 22 years old. I think people in America think it is unsafe to travel alone and better yet, be female and travel alone and I met two people that are doing it and having a geat time. I say brave but I don't think I needed to. Safe travels, Amelia!

After London, I took a train to Hereford, England. Here is where my friend Jill lives. I know Jill from San Diegobut she lives here now with her boyfriend Sean. 

The first two days was just Jill and I drinking beer and getting to see some of Hereford and its surrounding areas of beauty. Hereford is known for its cattle and cider. Oh boy, did we have some cider. We had stouts and lagers too. We went to some neat pubs and just chatted away with locals for hours. Didn't meet a single jerk. These people were inviting us to go to Stonehenge, concerts and charity events. All in the first day of meeting us. It was great!

When Sean got into town, we went to a Sunday Roast. This involves a delicious meal with savory meats, Yorkshire pudding, gravy and potatoes. I loved it. The weather was perfect the day before and on Sunday. The backdrops were like from a movie. You could get lost here too and be some interesting and beautiful. 

I must thank Jill and Sean for letting me stay with them. It has been wonderful to downshift a bit during my travels and you both have been nothing short of gracious hosts. I am endebted to you both. 

Today is Friday and I have booked a flight for Amsterdam on Monday and Jill said she is joinging me for a couple of days! Can't wait to experience The Netherlands!

I'll check back from Amsterdam. Send me a message if you have any recommendations. I'll be there for three days.

Be well!

Moving along: Adventures and misadventures

Traveling whimsically has it's pros and cons. I may have assumed too much about this type of travel. I thought I would be able to book a place to stay for cheap, easily and set up a host family to stay with with no problems. Wrong! I was in Dublin for three days and started sending emails to families on Workaway on day two. I received only one reply and it stated they already were putting up someone for a fortnight. No one else replied.

Plan B! So two fellow hostelers, Rachel and Amelia were already in Galway and I was hearing a lot of good things about the place. I didn't have a place booked past Friday so I had to make a decision. I decided to message Amelia and Rachel and tell them I was going to Galway. They said cool. I get on a tram and head to the train station. I hop on a train for Galway.

On the train I meet a lovely older lady who sees me taking pictures of the scenery outside and tells me there isn't much see on this train ride to Galway. What I see out of my window is lush, verdant landscape with animals roaming and interesting houses lining the tracks. I kindly told her that I didn't agree.

We began to talk and she told me places to see and do. Excellent recommendations. Thank you, Mary Hegarty. Se scurries off in a hurry when her stop comes and I don't get to say a proper good-bye.

Galway! I love this place. Different feel than Dublin, but equally as charming. Dublin feels more like a miniature New York and Galway is more small town.

I didn't have a place to stay so I go to the hostel Rachel is staying at - Kinlay Hostel. Great place. Best hostel I've stayed at so far (sample size is still small). They are booked and the girl at the front desk tells me that pretty much every hostel will be booked because of a match going on. She does say there is a lady that runs a B&B down the road. She calls her and tells me that a room is available but for 50 euro. That's about $64. Not cool. But I am told it might be my only option. One downfall of not planning ahead; not cost effective all the time. I agree to the room.

The three of us trek to find this Betty and her B&B. It's raining and it's cold. We couldn't find it right away. I call Betty to see if she could help me. First time I've used my phone here and it worked! She answers and tells me she is at 25 Forster and not 35. Rachel and Amelia separate from me so I go to Betty's by myself. She is very sweet. She shows me to my room. I get excited to sleep in a comfy bed and actually sleep for more than two consecutive hours. She asks me if I like pancakes and eggs and sausage for breakfast and I tell her yes and get very excited. I start to think this might be worth the price.

Mary seems to be in a hurry. She gives me my keys and tells me she has somewhere to be at "half-five." That's how you say 5:30. I like it. I ask her if there is a curfew and she tells me no and that I'll probably be home before her. A little presumptuous, Betty. She was right, though. I was tired and after Amelia, Rachel and I ate dinner, I was ready for bed. But I told Rachel I would go to the movies to see the new Star Trek movie. She was dying to see it.

I fall asleep in the movie for a tiny bit. The movie was good. I walk Rachel back to her hostel and I amso excited to sleep. I am literally picturing myself snuggled up in the covers with a smile on my face. I was bragging to Rachel and Amelia about my setup. Little did I know, they would get the last laugh.

When I get to Betty's, around 11:00PM, the key turns the lock but the door doesn't budge. I make sure I'm doing everything correctly and keep trying. No good. I'm freezing, even though there is this glass sliding door foyer before you get to the house front door. I shut myself in there and think. I start to ring the doordbell and knock, not caring about waking anyone up but no answer or movement from the house. I can see inside the house from outside. I call Betty but no answer. I am so tired that I decide to sit down and sleep. As you can imagine, these aren't the best sleeping conditions. I doze off for a second and the biting cold wakes me up. I try the door again, as if something has changed. I ring the doorbell incessantly and knock again. Nothing.

Now I'm getting angry. I'm talking to myself, cursing and thimking about my options. I have none. I pace and wait. Knock, ring the doorbell and call Betty. This goes on until 2:30AM, which is when two very and drunk Irish kids show up at the house. I ask them if they are staying there and they say yes. I tell them we are locked out. They argue about who didn't buy who beers at the pub. Then one them asks me if I can drive. I asked him why and he says to me, "let's go hijack a car." I can't believe my ears. I tell him he's nuts and other says, "Feck it, I'm going back to the pub."

They both end up staying there and the three of us try to work the door together as a team. Of course, nothing works. 3:00AM is upon us and BETTY SHOWS UP! She asks us what we are doing and I tell her that a second lock on the door is locked and we can't get in. She cries out, "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" About ten times. She can't get in either. She says another man is in the house renting a room and rings the doorbell and knocks for five minutes straight. As she starts to go to the side door, I see a skinny older made in his tighty-whitey underwear walking down the stars.he just stares at me. I yell at him to' "UNLOCK THE DOOR!"

He unlocks it and Betty yells at the old guy. She apologizes to the rest of us. The two drunks kids are fine with it. I'm not. Those two kids were only technically locked out for 30 minutes. I head straight for my room for sleep. It's past 3:30AM.

I wake up at 7:00AM for some dumb reason. I think my body is starting to get used to very little sleep. I take a long shower and re-organize my things and at 8:30, I am ready to leave. No sign of Betty with that breakfast. I open the front door to take a picture of my sleeping conditions and Betty comes running down in her robe begging me to stay for breakfast. I oblige. She make me eggs, pancakes and sausage. It was tasty. I ask her about getting some of my money back and says she will do something.

I eat and the older man comes down and sits next to me. In a heavy accent says to me, "I slept like a pig last night. I apologize." He says he's from Sweden and he was helping his daughter at the police station last night. I don't really care. Mary seems him and goes on about how she is a cancer survivor and doesn't need that stress.

I eat quickly and tell Betty bye. She hands me 10 euro and apologizes once more. I feel bad and tell her it's okay. I take a picture of her, she blesses me and I leave. Fun stuff.

It's all part of the adventure. You don't want to hear anything else about Galway, do you? Stuff about beautiful Cliffs of Moher or the Aran Islands and such. I will save that for next time. I am currently on a train to Dublin so I can get Ina ferry and then a train to get to London. It's called Sail and Rail to London. I'm spent.

It's only been a week but has felt longer. I am loving every moment of this and truly loving the new people I meet. I'm sure there are plenty more crazy times and interesting people on my path.

Can't wait!!!

Be well.

Better than expected! Nerves have been calmed.

I admit it. I wasn't getting nervous about this trip until the morning I was leaving Phoenix. As soon as  I got on my connecting plane in Chicago, they subsided.  They started to come back once I landed and was walking through Dublin, once off the airport bus.  I was lucky and found the hostel right away: nerves going away more.

I arrived at the hostel at 8:15AM and I can't check in until 2:00PM. I was able to rent a locker with plenty of room for my stuff. I decide to walk around and maybe get lost. I did have about seven hours to kill. I was going on minimal sleep from the airplane. Just couldn't do it for more than 10 minutes at a time. I eventually gave up.

Walking around, I noticed that Dublin is extremely multi-cultural. So many people were speaking different languages. I loved it! It felt like I was in a mini New York. I made my way to Temple Bar, an area in Dublin that might be my favorite so far. There were so many different restaurants, bars and neat little shops. I stopped in to "The" Temple Bar - bar. I had my first Guinness and it was delicious! I ate the tuna melt, as recommended by the server but it wasn't that great. I was there more for Guinness anyway. I was offered Guinness and oysters but had to pass. My jet lag was kicking in and I was starting to feel delirious.

Speaking of jet lag, I don't think I have ever experienced it in my life until now. It sucked! I always thought people over-exaggerated the effects. Is was wrong. Once I checked in at 2:00PM, I went to my room and settled in a bit. I met a girl from Puerto Rico, Debbie and a girl from Canada, Rachel. Both very nice. Debbie had been in Dublin for a few days already so she dropped her stuff and took off. Rachel was going through the same thing I was; severe jet lag! She dropped her bag after introductions of name and where from and went right under the covers. I tried the same but wasn't as successful as Rachel. I woke up with weird dreams every 15 to 20 minutes. I would almost call them nightmares. My body felt weird and my stomach was upset. I started to get nervous. I fought through it, luckily. Again, I'm not sure if it was jet lag, but I felt weird and didn't feel comfortable.

After about two hours of this horribleness, I gave up and tried to walk it off. I wasn't sleepy anymore for some crazy reason. I went to the basement where the lockers were and changed (the weather here was a lot colder and wetter than I anticipated. My fault!) there I met Amelia. Just made a little small talk and that was it. I saw Amelia upstairs in the lobby and chatted with her and her friend, Charlotte. Amelia is from Michigan and Charlotte is from Wales. Amelia was tired and went to bed. It was around 7:30PM. I stayed and chatted with Charlotte. She was waiting on two friends to arrive at the hostel at 8:00PM. Charlotte and I both talked about what we were both doing in Dublin. She has travelled quite a bit and is at the end of her wandering. I told her about my plans and she seemed genuinely excited for me.

Charlotte's friend show up. One friend is from London, Chantal and the other from San Jose, CA. Both very nice. The three get their room keys and go upstairs. They all three come back to the lobby 15 minutes later and say they are going to a pub for a pint and invite me. I, of course, say yes. Meeting people in hostels is an amazing thing. I recommend everyone do it at least once. We go to the nearest pub, three minutes walking distance and drink one beer and talk for almost two hours. It was fantastic! Everyone is ready for bed after the beer so we all say good-bye and agree to meet the next morning with Amelia for a walking tour.

Fast forward to my second day. More shitty sleep (sharing a room with seven people, mind you), and I decide to just start my day at 5:00AM local time. I walk around and surf the Internet for a couple of hours. The five of us meet in the lobby for the tour. We also see Rachel, my roommate there and everyone becomes friends.

The tour was okay. After the tour I had a realization. I was barely on my second day and I'm making friends that I'm pretty sure I will see later on this trip. Everyone has their reasons for traveling and all of them awesome. I start to realize that I can do this travel thing. I know it's early, but I feel like I can do it.  I think this feeling is going to take me a long way.

This stream-of-consciousness writing is starting to take hold. I'm sure I'm forgetting things but typing on an iPad is hard for this amount of text. Luckily I have my written journal too.

Be well, everyone! I will check back soon.

Venderlust!!!

Off I go!

So.... Tomorrow is the day.  I really don't know what to expect, but I do expect to come back a changed man.  I could used some eye-opening experiences.  I feel like tomorrow is the beginning of a new me.

It has been an interestingly emotional day.  Thoughts like, "Did I say the appropriate good-byes?" to "Do I have everything I need?"  and everything in between.  I didn't think I would feel this emotionally drained. It's probably a good thing that I don't get any sleep tonight since it is a long flight and I arrive in Dublin at 8:00AM.  I will have a full day of Dublin to experience.

To my amazing family and friends, I want you all to know that I love you and I will miss you all!

I hope I don't disappoint you all with this attempt to blog about my experiences.  To share a quote a friend wrote down for me in the beautiful journal she gave me:
"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing"
-Benjamin Franklin

I hope those words will be my muse. Thanks, Jen Lipe!

Lookout, world!  Here I come!!!

Farewell, folks!