So my mom and I discovered this movie called "Leap Year" I don't know how long ago. Amy Adams stars as Anna, a woman who runs into endless obstacles trying to get to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day. Of course she has a handsome Irish man as a guide after her flight is grounded due to the famous Irish rain.
At the start of the duo's trek, they encounter a herd of cows standing in the middle of the road. Now even though I've lived in a small country town for half my life, I thought this seemed a bit far fetched. But then...
At the start of the duo's trek, they encounter a herd of cows standing in the middle of the road. Now even though I've lived in a small country town for half my life, I thought this seemed a bit far fetched. But then...
This picture was taken out the bus window while we were on our way to the Park Lodge Hotel (where we live in cottages during our stay in Ireland). While three cows being herded down the road by two men is not exactly the same as a herd of cows standing still in the middle of the road, in this moment I could sympathize with Anna.
The cows were definitely the highlight of my trip, even though flying for the first time was exciting (flying to Orlando when I was six doesn't count). And here is where I give a shout out to my dad for his assistance in finding and booking my plan tickets. He not only found the cheapest and most direct route, he literally talked me through booking the tickets online. It was a true father-daughter bonding experience.
The cows were definitely the highlight of my trip, even though flying for the first time was exciting (flying to Orlando when I was six doesn't count). And here is where I give a shout out to my dad for his assistance in finding and booking my plan tickets. He not only found the cheapest and most direct route, he literally talked me through booking the tickets online. It was a true father-daughter bonding experience.
The first flight from Omaha to Chicago was fine (other than the 6:00am departure time). Seeing the sun rise while in a plane is breathtaking. Then came the flight from Chicago to Newark. The majority of the flight was ok, but the bumpy landing made me a bit nauseous. That flight alone had me dreading the last flight into Shannon, Ireland. Luckily, I was able to doze on and off for five hours of the six hour flight, which made it easier to stay up all day after arriving at 6:00am Sunday morning. |
The cottages we're staying in are pretty nice, but turning the water heater on and off is definitely something to get used to. One of the owners of the cottage came by just last night to show us how to use everything in the cottage properly...and to boost our electricity meter. We only have 16 euros worth of electricity provided for us each week, and if we use it all before the week is over, we have to pay to get more. I'm sure we'll get used to it eventually.
So far, the five people staying in my cottage (myself included) have made the 20 minute walk to the nearby town of Spiddal every day. The first day we went just to keep ourselves awake. We ended up down on the beach during sunset, providing a beautiful ending for our first day in Ireland.
So far, the five people staying in my cottage (myself included) have made the 20 minute walk to the nearby town of Spiddal every day. The first day we went just to keep ourselves awake. We ended up down on the beach during sunset, providing a beautiful ending for our first day in Ireland.
Yesterday's trip to Spiddal was a walking tour led by a local man. We learned a lot and got to stop at a pub for most of the group to experience their first Guinness. Tomorrow we'll take our first trip into Galway to explore and get groceries and supplies for the cottage. I'm looking forward to eating more than apples and toast in the near future.
We're three days in, and I'm definitely more homesick than I thought I'd be, but hopefully the beauty of Ireland will help me adjust.
Until next time!
We're three days in, and I'm definitely more homesick than I thought I'd be, but hopefully the beauty of Ireland will help me adjust.
Until next time!