I have now arrived, moved in, and am now settled in this wonderful, colourful city of Dublin. Although my journey here was a long one with train and boat connections failing to join (24hr!), and the weather when I arrived was bleak, my time has been a warm, welcomed and a fun experience.
On my trip over although circumstances as I said were trying, I met a Welsh man, a few Irish and another fellow Aussie to pass 10hrs waiting for the next ferry to depart at 2:30 in the morning, arriving in Dublin at 6:30am rather then the expected 10pm the night before. After exploring all options of sneaking into a truck and boarding the truck boat, we gave in and the next best option according to the group of random friends I now had was to go to the pub and drink. Ah the typical Irish. Playing music on the juke box, proving how bad I was at playing pool and eating Chinese take away we eventually made it onto the ferry. The ferry was big! It was also very fancy with nice leather lounges scattered through the whole boat. I found my lounge and curled up for a rocky trip/sleep across the Irish Sea. Boy was I glad to reach Dublin! It was kind of surreal as the rain bucketed down, and I searched for coins for the bus with my bag weighing down on my shoulders due to just having broken in the luggage pick up bay. Lorena (Irish women I met in Holyhead waiting for the ferry) took my under her wing and gave me some coins to get into town. We ended up hoping off at the wrong stop but again Lorena got me back in town and put me in the taxi to start my first day at uni. It was nearly like having mum sending me off to school, so I felt rather special.
The days that followed were settling into my room, and meeting many many many people, particularly other international students. Much partying, much craic, and a little bit of sleep put me into my Irish groove.
UCD - My University
On the weekend I explored the green woodlands around the UCD and sat under some massive oak tree’s that just made me smile and laugh at the absurdity, that I am here! I am in Dublin! I am sitting with the leprechauns and the fairies! I enjoyed my morning picking wild poppies and watching the squirrels fight over acorns.
A little shine of rainbow to brighten up our day
The next day I ventured to the coast at Howth with my Australian roommate Liz. We were blessed with a beautiful sunshiny day! Backpacks on, and spirits high we stepped into the small fishing town and ambled around the piers and looking at seals playing under the fishing boats while kids chucked fish in for them. The fat seals sat like buoy’s, bobbing up and down waiting to dive for their feed. They were so cute! I even knocked on Yeats door. We then started our walk around the cliffs of the coast, getting over delighted in the beautiful purple and yellow wild flowers, butterflies and rock walls. We even spotted a black bunny! However I think this was someone’s pet running in the wild. We laid down on the most perfect spot for lunch, I could have stayed there all day looking out on the Irish sea towards Dublin, on the cushioned green green grass, and the sun shining down. It was perfect. Tired and exhausted at the end after walking for 5hrs or so we sat down and ate fish and chips (well I had curry chips…) then walked up to the light house before heading home. A day well spent.
The cheeky seals at Howth
Lizz and I at Howth.
I celebrated my birthday on the Wednesday and had mentally prepared myself that it was going to be a different one. It was! But a really lovely one. Beautiful messages and phone call from home, which set heads on fire (hehe Jake) and a wonderful dinner with a great bunch of friends here in Dublin as a surprise! We went to dinner in temple bar at Turks Head, it was very abstract and creative inside, the walls mosaiced with roots in the roof and heads coming out of the posts. Although four people missed out on dinner due to some kafuffle of our chief running off, I had a wonderful day and felt the love from everyone all over the world. It was very special.
I will now try to keep up on my entries on here, so everyone is posted on my whereabouts (in case you want to join me!)
Love to all, Blessings in plenty,
I will leave with an old Celtic Blessing:
Light without and light within.
May the blessed sunlight shine on you
And warm your heart
Till it glows like a great peat fire.
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