12 Jan 2011
Ireland
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So after celebrating Charlies bday with some drinks the night before. We left our bodies wasted and without their usual energy reserves, you know, if they had any when you wake up at around 4 in the morning. We had to wake up THAT early, just to catch a bus that would take us to another bus that would take us to the airport. Then we’d have to go through that usual airport drama about being there a few hours early and all that!
So as it turns out we just missed the first bus and were left out in the 5am cold waiting for the next one that came round 15 minutes later. The second bus was like the X on a treasure map except without the treasure map. We had to hunt for it but it was eventually found somewhere at Victoria Station. After we got onto this bus it was a nice little hour and a bit long ride to Stansted Airport. My second visit in just a few days!

Off to Ireland!
We arrived and almost straight away found Charlie and Sophia in generally high spirits that had been doused in salt. The kind of salt that kills ghosts and spirits. The realization that the first chance to go to bed would come around in 19 hours was sort of daunting none the less. But this was a celebratory day with much festivities planned! so we couldn’t start it on a down. I met some of Ange and Charlie’s friends for the first time too. The check in procedure for a trip to Ireland from the UK was one of complete ease, we simply showed our boarding passes and presto we were through. Except for all the non EU peoples, we had to get a passport check done at the RyanAir desk done first. Yes, we were flying super lowcost with Ryan Air, how low cost? so low that they don’t even have those little comparment things on the back of seats on the plane! but yes, I didn’t find that out until we got hot drinks and talked about the days challenging tasks.

THERE WAS SNOW IN IRELAND.
Challenging tasks, that’s right. In the true spirit of being annoying, Charlie decided to make things fun by developing a set of tasks for each individual to complete before they could come back to the UK. They were basic things, like get a picture with an Irish person wearing your hat.. oh yes, we had hats. Other tasks involved calling someone “Paddy” all the time in conversation and all sorts of other things that could be seen as mildly funny to outright insulting. But you know, that’s just what people our age do. We boarded our plane! and the first task was undertaken, one of our crew had to ask a flight attendant exactly when we were landing in Dubai, which you know, is in the Middle East somewhere and no where near Dublin, Ireland where we were landing. She did it quite well and it all came down to a minor misunderstanding because the flight attendant was Russian or something similar. 1 hour later and we were on the ground, and it got ALOT colder. You could see little bits of ice scattered all around the planes with the green clovers plastered on the side. I took pictures of course. Fast forward 30 minutes later and we’re outside getting onto the bus that is to take us into Dublin proper. Soon after we’re on the streets of Dublin and following our glorious leader Charlie into the cold searching for the Guinness Brewery!

Guinness in Ireland
So after quite literally circling, or rectangling the block the brewery was located on we found an entrance (go Charlie go!!) and we were in with our student cards, as the learners we are, getting our discount and learning about Guinness. A little presentation and then a slow climb level by level to see different stages of the brewing process eventually led us to the top floor which was revealed to be a 360 degree view with a bar as a compliment. We got our free Guinness there and enjoyed the breathtaking views of Dublin, 7 or 8 floors up seems to be what constitutes a skyscraper in Dublin but all the same it was cool. Like London, Dublin had an old feel to it, but it was even older feeling. Like, it had just started industrializing and well it was just something you’ve got to see to get it.

Guinness oh how I love thee.
After our Guinness it was time for a good old pub lunch with another drink! it was a tad pricey but very nice. Keeping with the theme I had a Guinness and beef pie with potato mash and some golden ale. Veeeeerrrry nice. After that, it was STILL cold despite being well past midday. We started our pub runs! first pub we went into was very merry and had that Irish feel to it and made you realize Irish people knew how to have fun seeing as it was 2:30pm on a Saturday afternoon. We had Irish Coffees, Baileys Coffees, Beers and all sorts of drinks across our run. We hit up another pub and another tending to our tasks along the way! by the time we were at our last pub the time was about 7pm and we had just about finished with Ireland for now. We departed out once again, into the cold and made our way on foot along the river til we got to the central bus station that’d take us to the airport. I almost fell asleep right there in Ange’s arms, I was beat. I’m not sure if it was still the lingering affects of the jetlag or maybe I’m just a weakling but I wanted sleepy times! the bus ride was uneventful and the airport was near empty. We went for some maccas for dinner, everyone quieting down as they grew tired. Before long we were queuing for the plane.

Pub Crawl Entertainment!
An hour later (that I don’t recall) we were walking back through Stansted when I was faced with a bit of a situation. Apparently, despite there being no warning or announcement, you needed your boarding pass to get back through into the UK. Since I didn’t have mine, because it usually is all but useless after you board the plane (hence called a boarding pass), I had to go through Immigration again and get my passport looked at. Yay for me right? so I waited for 30 minutes in a line to have the immigration officer tell me I could have walked around and got through with my boarding pass, it took alot of effort to just not shout at her. Theeeen we had to catch the hour long bus back to Victoria station and another bus back to Wandsworth where Ange lives (and I guess me, for now). Then, finally, we were able to go to bed and just sleep.
Sleep has never been so welcomed!


















