Friends, Fun and Paddy's Day

Over the past two weeks I've had my share of adventures, reunions, and just plain amazing times with both new and old friends.

Let's start out two weeks ago. On the Thursday before Paddy's Day, Maxi and Jana arrived from Germany and we had a reunion party to celebrate their return. We had some pre-drinks at a friend's and it was so good to talk with them face-to-face instead of in text or over a computer screen. By the end of the night it felt as if they never left.

Sunday we went into Howth and I finally got to experience the markets there. The pier was so foggy and you couldn't really make out anything but it the photos came out nice.

Looking across the pier- no editing, just pure fog.

Maxi, Jana, Emma, and I

The foggy Howth Pier

The next few days were generally relaxing and I had to say goodbye to my Germans again but also hello to my Aussie. Steph and I hadn't seen each other for a year and a half and Tuesday was spent catching up. Wednesday we had a mission to get suited up for Paddy's day- yes, we went full tourist but it was fun.

Steph and I waiting for the parade to start.

Since we were out late Paddy's Eve, Steph and I didn't get into town until late but we still managed to get a spot for the parade. The theme this year was 'the future' and some of the floats edged on an open ended interpretation. It started almost an hour late, but the wait was worth it. The marching bands were definitely the highlight! For being the largest outside of NYC, I was not disappointed.

So. Much. Green.

Friday and Saturday were Belfast and traveling around northern Ireland. There was definitely an influx of Americans everywhere and it felt strange being surrounded my my native tongue once again. Steph and I went on a tour of the north coast and saw sights such as the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge- if you're scared of heights I do not recommend!- and the geological landmark of Giant's Causeway. I never knew the full myth of how Giant's Causeway came to be formed, but learning it definitely put a smile on my face. Let's just say if involves hubris, pranks, and a onesie.

The view on Carrick-a-Rede.

Tourists flocking over Giant's Causeway.

Yes, you can climb to the top of the rather steep hills.

The sights were amazing as always- Ireland hasn't disappointed yet!- but Belfast itself wasn't quite what I was expecting. Its kind of hard to explain, but  I'll have to go back and really explore the city.

Uni started back up on Monday and the reality of how much work I have to do is finally starting to set in. It's a bank holiday Monday so I'm determined to get as much as possible done this weekend.

Happy Easter!

Psyched to go back to Edinburgh at the end of April and I cannot wait to reunite with Chris and Steph again.

Let's just pray I survive the next month.

Xx kim

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Song of the week

Panic! At the Disco-  Death of a Bachelor

Gallivanting Around Galway

Here we are yet again. So much to talk about, so little time.

During this past week, I’ve had some of my best Irish experiences and some of my worst. I somehow triumphed over sleep deprivation, registration frustrations, and the always present fear of university assignments.

The first week of November was reading week, meaning a week in which students are supposed to study and start final assignments. For me it consisted of registering for the long awaited GNIB, taking a trip to Galway, and eventually doing some work for university. The GNIB is a visa process unique to Ireland. Unlike most countries where you get a visa before arrival, in Ireland you have a three month grace period to study and then go through the process of getting a GNIB card. My friend and I went to the offices at 5, however we did not leave until nearly 9.

I still do not understand this.

There were other people who came in after us, yet received their cards long before we did. I guess it was worth it though; I can now leave Ireland and come back again without any issues.

One of the many rainbows spotted over the two days.

On Wednesday night my friends Jana, Maxi, and I decided to go to Galway on a two-day tour with the Galway Tour Company. For Thursday morning I woke up at 5 to catch a bus into city centre, and then from O’Connell the three of us began our journey to Galway.

The first day was packed with stops from Galway to the world famous Cliffs of Moher. Honestly one of the most spectacular sites I have ever witnessed- completely worth a visit if you’re ever in Ireland.

Cliffs of Moher.

Back in Glaway city, the three of us were delirious from lack of sleep but decided to go out and explore the nightlife. We tried some good beer, and I met a few new friends while on our mini pubcrawl. At 1:30 I was practically dead on my feet and collapsed into bed as soon as we got into our hostel.

I wish that we had better roommates, but we definitely got the short end of the stick.

At 2 am, a person decided to hit snooze on their alarm SEVEN times before getting out of bed. Then, at 7 am, another decided to make a bunch of noise and take a shower. Lastly, the final unknown roommate left on the lights and didn’t even bother closing the door when he left. It was my first horrible hostel experience, and it resulted in 4 hours of sleep when I desperatelyt needed more.

Inagh Valley.

The Victorian Gardens at Kylemore Abbey.

Kylemore Abbey.

The second day tour consisted of gorgeous scenery… and the feel of vomiting. I felt extremely ill on our tour through Connemara, but I tried to take in the towering mountain ranges that we were passing by. After eating some food and taking a walk through the gardens at Kylemore Abbey, I regained some of my strength before we ventured onto more breathtaking sights.

At 6 we returned to Galway and then departed for Dublin, and I eventually returned home around 10 pm. I don’t think I moved positions all night when I eventually passed out.

The rest of my weekend was spent doing coursework, and I am happy to be back in university on a schedule once again.

Killary Harbour, aka Ireland's fjord.