Nov 27, 2017
i have survived!
and arrived in Dublin, anxiety be damned 😂
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i have survived!
and arrived in Dublin, anxiety be damned 😂
For anyone who's interested, here's a full timeline of my recent trip to Dublin:
April 3rd: My trip technically starts here, but it's just me catching an evening flight to London (my layover). I had a bite at Pret A Manger (chicken parm-esque sandwich and lentil soup) and used my laptop while I waited for my plane. Aside from watching Anaconda (the new one) and most of the first episode of The Pitt on the plane, nothing much of note happens. Really, my trip begins on...
April 4th: I arrived in Dublin from an overnight flight, from my Heathrow layover. Once at Dublin Airport, I got a 7-day Leap Visitor pass, which was my official bus pass over the course of my trip. I'm going to note how many times I used it to see if it was worth the €24 cost. (As far as I can tell, as long as I stayed in Zone 1, each single fare would've cost me €2, with extra trips within 90 minutes of an initial bus trip being free.)
I took the AirCoach from the airport to the neighborhood where I stayed (prompting the pronunciation anecdote I posted about some days ago), then took a local bus to bring me closer to the AirBnB (FARE COUNT: 1). I was welcomed into a very lovely space, which was like a little studio room "next door" to the hosts' main house. The two spaces were connected by a hallway with one private bathroom in it. My hosts and their main home were accessible through a door at the end of the hallway, but for the most part, we stayed separate.
Using a recommendation list provided by my hosts, I went to a nearby pub for a nice dinner after my long trip. It was nice, although it didn't escape me that I ended up ordering one of the most American meals I could: a bacon cheeseburger and a Coke (the bacon was UK-style, but still). Anyway, it was a great recommendation, and I got back to the room full and happy (but not before stopping at Tesco for some refrigerated, pre-made dinners to put in my room's mini-fridge).
I took advantage of the room's Sky box to watch Saturday Night Live UK as it aired. Even though the episode itself was just OK, the experience remained exciting for me. As if to give me extra cheer before I went to sleep, I was even able to watch the beginning of a Red Dwarf rerun (can't get THAT easily in the States), and it was the episode with the song "Tongue Tied."
I might've still been jet-lagged and the day might not have been that exciting, but it was still a good start.
*
April 5th: Belfast trip! Got up early and had a quick breakfast of some soda bread kindly provided by my hosts before setting out to Dublin Connolly train station (FARE COUNT: 2). Had a nice train ride to Belfast, during which I finished the copy of One Piece volume 44 that I brought with me from my local library. From this point on, my main reading material was the Passport to Undertale, which after a while, is basically like reading a dictionary of Japanese terms.
Once in Belfast, I had lunch at a Subway, which is notable because A) different and more exciting menu options (and you can order from SCREENS here, woah), and B) even though I ordered a 6-inch sub, the guy made me a footlong apparently by accident. Wasn't charged extra. Didn't correct him. Enjoyed my big sandwich.
Dropped off my backpack at the hotel I booked for the night, although I couldn't check in for another few hours. Had a good wander before meeting an Internet friend in person for the first time at a fun-looking gay bar that he recommended.
We had such a fun time together :3 Speaking in person was as natural as speaking over the Internet. He also loved the bounty of American snacks I brought him, which included:
An already opened bag of Buc-ees Assorted Fruit Sours (a LOT more successful than I expected; he kept dipping into them throughout our hang)
A tiny bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos that I'd bought from a corner store for $1 back home (he said he'd never even had regular Cheetos before, so I also considered this a success)
A box of Skittles (he was surprised to learn that our purple ones are grape, not blackcurrant)
Double Dark Chocolate Milano Cookies (another popular choice; we both happily sampled this one)
Fudge Covered Nutter Butters (my first time trying this too; we each had one and he LOVED it)
My friend and I each had three drinks, with me having a cider and two rum and cokes (singles). Despite my friend ordering doubles of his drinks, his 6'2" ass was barely tipsy by the end, while I was getting a little loud and silly by the end of it. Aside from a weird interjection from a stranger (this post), it was a huge success, and we were both sad when we had to stop. Honestly, we would've hung out longer, but literal days before this meeting (and quite a few days after I'd booked and planned everything), my friend remembered that our meeting day was EASTER and so he'd be busy with family in the evening. Which, you know, I can't fully blame him, and maybe I should've asked "Hey, looks like we're meeting on Easter, you sure you don't have plans?", but also. Would've loved for him to remember that EARLIER.
I stumbled back to my hotel, got settled into my room (which, despite not having a window, was REALLY nice; would stay again if the days fluctuated on the more affordable side), and had a beef stew dinner and brownie dessert in the hotel restaurant, which had a live guitar-playing singer/musician!
*
April 6th: Had buffet-style breakfast in the hotel lobby, then headed out. Had a slightly sad moment when I walked to a bookstore I wanted to visit, only to learn that it was closed for Easter Monday, then headed back on the train to Dublin. I took the bus (FARE COUNT: 3) to Trinity College, where I did the Book of Kells Experience, as recommended (and covered by his alumni pass) by a local friend of mine (with whom I sadly couldn't meet up, because he coincidentally was taking this same time period to visit the US; womp womp). It was a very cool and educational time, and it was such a lovely day to visit the campus.
At some point, I got a Tesco meal deal, which was a sandwich, some Tayto bacon-flavored potato chips, and a canned drink of some kind. Ate it while walking like the busy guy I am.
I walked to the Gutter Bookshop, which I'd always wanted to visit due to it being the bookstore that one of my favorite authors collaborates with for events in Dublin. I was a little surprised to find that for a bookstore called "The Gutter", it was actually very clean, bright, and modern. I was hoping for an atmospheric lair. Anyway, still nice, and I bought a greeting card to be polite. Then I walked around to sightsee, picked up some cheap and waterproof slipper/shoes at a Penneys (for future hostel usage), then took the bus back to my AirBnB (FARE COUNT: 4).
For dinner, I had half a container of carrot/parsnip mash from Tesco, and then a Tesco-made spaghetti Bolognese, which was. SO much better than it had any right being. Spent the night watching Saturday's American SNL episode that I'd missed on YouTube.
*
April 7th: Edinburgh trip! Got up bright and early, had a marmalade-on-soda-bread breakfast, and tried something new by taking two local buses to the airport instead of the AirCoach (FARE COUNT: 5; we'll assume the second bus would be covered because of the 90-minute cap). The trip was a little longer and less enjoyable, but the buses weren't delayed yet, so it went all right (more on that later).
I got an oatmeal and canned sparkling juice at Pret A Manger at the airport, then hopped on my RyanAir flight to Edinburgh. It was my first time flying RyanAir and, while it went smoothly, I did notice that it had noticeably more loud and/or coughing children than the other flights I've been on recently. This would also be the case for the return flight.
Just taking the bus into Edinburgh made me realize how much I missed the city. It really is gorgeous. I had a nice wander around, watching street performers on High St, before eating dinner at Wings (chicken wings, battered mushrooms, and corn ribs, all with different spices/sauces), and then, finally, having Ghibli-themed cocktails at The Cocktail Geeks. I had three: "How Do You Live" inspired by The Boy and the Heron; "Cliff By the Sea" inspired by Ponyo; and "Warm Embrace" inspired by Kiki's Delivery Service.
I was very touched to find that the people at this place still remembered me, even though it's been over a year since my last visit. Travel is already expensive, and it will likely get a lot harder, but I hope I can keeping finding ways to visit this place in the future.
Afterwards, I stumbled to the hostel I was staying at for the night. I quickly learned why this place is one of the most recommended hostels in the city. Despite being pretty cheap, it was clean, cozy, and inviting. The staff were friendly, and the room I was sharing with 7 other people was large enough to avoid making me feel claustrophobic. I only had to pay 2 pounds for the use of a towel, and the locker was included, so I didn't have to sleep hugging my backpack. The showers and toilets were well set up, and I even felt a little sad I wouldn't have time to check out any of their daily activities or events. I'm definitely keeping this place in mind for the future.
*
April 8th: Left for my flight back to Dublin. Sadly, I had to leave before breakfast opened at the hostel, which I've been told lets you eat a lot of food for only four pounds. After my flight, I had a ham and cheese melt at Dublin airport, then took the local bus (FARE COUNT: 6) back to town.
I decided to walk to Phoenix Park, which led me to visit the National Museum of Ireland, which was on the way there. They had a good selection of cool stuff, although the Dead Zoo Lab (taxidermy animals of all kinds) was far and away the best part. My walk into Phoenix Park afterwards didn't last long, as I quickly realized that I was both tired and super hungry. After taking in as much of the gorgeous scenery as I could, I looked up where the closest McDonald's was and headed there. I wanted to take the bus, but for some reason, it just wasn't showing up...
After a 15-minute walk, I was even more tired and STARVING. I had a feast at McDonalds that (aside from a double cheeseburger and Coke) was composed of things that I don't have back home at US McDonalds: cheesy garlic bread dippers (a small bag of mozzarella sticks; came with a little tub of marinara sauce); spicy chicken nuggets (the breading had spice in it, and it came with a spicy chili sauce); and a chocolate brownie pie. It was all very good, although that might've been my starved brain enjoying it all the more.
I was still far from the city center by this point. I took a bus (FARE COUNT: 7), but it stopped when it was just over halfway there. After some walking, I realized what was going on: a lot of the main streets had been shut down due to fuel protests, which had begun the day before (while I was in Scotland), so the buses weren't running normally.
I began walking from stop to stop, trying to find the one stop, the one route, where a bus would be diverted so that I could go back to my neighborhood (it would've been too far to walk regardless, but it was extra unthinkable with how tired I was). I didn't feel left out in my confusion, as I kept encountering crowds of people at each stop, desperate for information. Google Maps wasn't updating with the right information, and the Dublin bus website wasn't much help either.
Fortunately, I found stops with bus employees, who were able to tell people the next best stop to walk to so that they could get to their destinations. Finally, I was on a bus (FARE COUNT: 8; I don't know if it overlaps with the 90-minute thing, but this got SO delayed that it's a coin toss whether or not the 90 minutes ended; I'm counting it).
Had my remaining meals purchased from Tesco: the rest of the carrot/parsnip mash and a chicken tikka masala bowl with rice. Wasn't as good as the other one, but still not bad. Spent the night watching Jenny Nicholson's latest video. Prepared to finally end this trip.
*
April 9: Trip back home! I cleaned up the AirBnB as best I could, packed some more of the free soda bread, made sure I wasn't missing anything, then headed to the bus stop. The fuel protests were still going on, so I'd checked the Dublin bus diversion update online. Based on what I read, I assumed that the local bus to the AirCoach stop would still be running.
... I must've read it WRONG, because it didn't show. I ended up speed-walking for almost 20 minutes straight to the stop, and since I stuck to the bus route for most of it, I confirmed that the bus never showed at all, at least for that period.
Despite my best efforts, I got to the AirCoach stop about 10 minutes late for my booking. I had to sit and wait for the next one (they run every hour), and was comforted when more people (who were obviously bound for the airport) showed up to wait with me. This bus's route had also changed due to the protests, but this stop would certainly still be made.
Things got tense, though, when the AirCoach was late. Fortunately, I was saved from getting a taxi when it finally arrived about 15 minutes behind schedule. The driver even let me on with my missed booking ticket without paying anything else, which was a relief.
The trip went smoothly and I got to the airport with more than enough time to check in (and get my carry-on checked for free because the plane is very full and they asked nicely), go through security (my Passport to Undertale needed to be tested, which felt silly), and buy my dad a limited edition single malt whiskey at duty free that one of the workers assured me couldn't be found in the US. I also bought one of those big Toblerones (limited edition crispy caramel) because I HAD A CRAVING for it. My layover in Heathrow also went pretty well, and I had a salmon and cream cheese sandwich with some sea salt and vinegar popped chips to sustain me from M&S Foods. During the big plane ride, I watched the rest of the first episode of The Pitt, Jim Henson Idea Man, Eternity, and the first half of Wicked: For Good (I've already seen Wicked: For Good, but I was in a Wicked mood and wanted a nice little rewatch before we landed). Despite a near-hour delay as we taxi'd around the tarmac, I got out of customs very easily and unmolested, which I cared about a lot more.
And now, I am back home, refreshed after a nice, full 8.5 hours of sleep. Normal life resumes.
Before I end this post, though, here's my final bus tally:
A total of 8 countable trips at €2 each means that without the pass, I would've spent €16. Which means that I overpaid for that visitor's pass by €8. Ah well, it was a learning experience, and I appreciated the peace of mind that came with knowing I didn't have to worry about topping the card up. Although another thing I learned from this trip is to pray I don't travel during fuel protests, as well as any other major world events that threaten the affordability and availability of commonly used fuel sources (something I could not account for all the way back when I first booked this).
Anyway, time to get ready for work. Hope people find this interesting!
Guys my partner and I are going on a short trip to dublin in September and I am SO excited!!! I feel like it's gonna be a spiritual experience... Any recommendations for stuff to do? Anything to do with history, literature, architecture and cozy vibes goes...
Dublin TRIP // Newgrange Exploring the Ancient History of Ireland departing from Dublin
Dublin TRIP // Newgrange Exploring the Ancient History of Ireland departing from Dublin
Explore Ireland’s ancient history on a local unique day tour on a trip to Dublin, Ireland.
Take a look at the history of Ireland on the course of the Dublin Local Tour, where you can discover the UNESCO World Heritage Site tombs in Newgrange and the world-famous High Crosses in Monsterboice and enjoy a spectacular view from the top of the Tara Hill.
Dublin Travel Course // Newgrange,…
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The point isn’t the money; it’s the complicity.
Chait nails it. Mike #HoldMyBible Pence is a full fledged member of the #TrumpCrimeFamily
“One of the key tools used by organized crime bosses is to implicate their underlings. It’s hard to trust your flunkies until they have actively collaborated in your crimes.”
President Trump had a suggestion for Mike Pence: Rather than stay in Dublin during his meetings there with European officials, why not bring his entire family and security entourage to the Trump International Golf Club in Doonbeg, on the other side of the country? Pence, of course, agreed.
Pence’s European trip has become a vehicle to transfer American tax dollars into Trump’s pockets. But the direct impact of this minor grift pales beside the much larger consequence of suborning the vice-president’s participation in Trump’s corruption.
“Trump has been compared to a mobster by both his enemies and his friends.”
James Comey, who has faced off with organized crime, observed that Trump’s leadership style eerily follows La Cosa Nostra. “The — the loyalty oaths, the boss as the dominant center of everything, it’s all about how do you serve the boss, what’s in the boss’ interests,” he recalled.
One of the key tools used by organized crime bosses is to implicate their underlings. It’s hard to trust your flunkies until they have actively collaborated in your crimes. Once they have done so, they have demonstrated their willingness to violate the law on your behalf, and surrendered any claim to innocence.
“The point of asking Mike Pence to violate government ethics on Trump’s behalf is not to put a few more dollars in Trump’s pocket, but to put Mike Pence in his pocket.”
There are many ways to go about visiting Dublin. Some people go see St. Patrick’s Cathedral, some people take selfies with Oscar Wilde.