Who’s that travelling couple… us!

Part 8

It’s Saturday & we have a busy day & night planned!

On the road again, we’re off driving through Sally Gap. Getting into the countryside, it’s very foggy today & I love fog! We’re on a quiet, mountainous road & I think hey everyone… let’s just stop, get out & enjoy the fresh crips air!

Everyone’s keen & soon we’re all having fun again. Taking photos in the middle of the road, being silly, a couple of cyclists pass us & give us a friendly wave.

Another bit of driving, another spot to stop and this time Newton attempted to fly his drone, but suddenly the wind picked up & “Dronie” was struggling (yes, I have a pet name for the Drone😉)

More winding roads, more countryside, more stops to make, pictures to take, memories to make.

And then we arrive at… Guinness Lake! Wow!

Imagine a body of water, lake/dam/river completely black. If you can’t imagine, take a look at some of the pics, I hope I did it justice! 😉

Nestled between the sweeping mountains of Wicklow, it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.

Nicknamed by the former owners of Guinness estate. Not named because its actual Guinness beer flowing through haha!

It’s official name is Lough Tay, or correctly Irish; Loch Té meaning “tea lake”.

Another opportunity for flying Dronie, this time with much more success. We explored the downward hill (carefully) and when I sat down, I felt so many emotions.

Gratitude, awe, personal achievement, etc. When Carmen came to sit with me, I was explaining to her how I was feeling & suddenly I was crying. Too many emotions to handle at once I guess. I remember thanking her for inviting & welcoming us, affording me this opportunity to experience this beautiful part of the world. How special is this?! Imagine how special this friendship feels to me, now more than ever.

Next stop? A bakery! You may remember I confessed we’re carb addicts? Well, this bakery we saw on Paul Hollywood’s City Bakes. Firehouse Bakery. A cosy yet buzzing little café in the quaint little town of Delgany, Wicklow

Known for their award-winning Batch bread, by the time we arrived, they were sold out! Newton & I struck up a conversation about where we’re from, how we knew about their bakery, giggling about how the ladies were star struck by Paul Hollywood visiting. And it must have been our genuine love of bakes (and friendliness 😉) that made this kind lady offer up her own bread – the actual last of the “batch of the day”! Such a warm & fond memory of Irish kindness.

They have a window seat looking into their baking prep area. We could have sat & watched them for hours (with plenty coffees & probably too many pastries) but we had more places to be! Instead, we bought some goodies to take home.

We needed time to freshen up & dress up for an evening out!

And make time for antics, of course 😉

Dinner and a show, we had no idea what was waiting for us 😀 Another little road trip, this time at night to Johnnie Fox’s

A traditional pub up in the Dublin mountains of Glencullen. Some narrow, winding, uphill roads, which made us nervous about coming back after midnight… haha we’re probably getting old 😉

Couple different spots inside & a covered outdoor area with outdoor heaters.

Our spot… was the main dining hall where we’d get to watch some traditional Irish dancing! It’s called the Hooley Show.

There was a band playing live Irish music, interacting with the crowd.

We were graced with the exceptionally talented performer – Aimee Farrell Courtney, one of the world’s leading female Bodhran players. Google that, trust me it’s worth it. Or wait, just click on this LINK 😉 You’re welcome!

The service was great, attentive & friendly. Drinks flowed easily, my starter arrived & I nearly died! It was the biggest portion of fresh mussels I’ve ever received… and as a starter! But, mussels was a must while in Ireland & boy did I polish them off… long after everyone else 😐

In fact, mains were arriving & I had to make space for my second course while finishing my first! And I call myself a foodie… shame. But I was distracted. The ambience, the sounds, chatter, hustle & bustle from the bar, the laughter, the accents. Which leads me to another highlight of this night.

Carmen & I decide to visit the ladies room & I get up from the table, I motion to Newton to watch my bag I was leaving on my seat.

To our surprise, a guest at the table next to us pipes up in Afrikaans, our 2^nd language back home …

“Julle hoef nie dit hier te doen nie” And it had us all in stitches because we all knew what he meant.

Translated; You don’t have to do that here!

Back home, we worry about leaving our personal belongings unattended & always ask someone to “watch our stuff”.

We broke into a fun conversation, exchanging pleasing familiarity, laughing about how different life is in Ireland, discussing how we all ended up in the same space. It was a special surprise.

Oh… spotted in the bathroom… haha…

But the best was up next.

The dancers have arrived & the lights are being dimmed. As I sat watching & cheering, I again felt that overwhelming sense of gratitude & joy. To be here, to be experiencing this beautiful culture and to be doing so with people I love 😊

The young girl dancing with the adults was simply adorable, her little attitude on stage was hugely entertaining. Everyone knew she was the star!

The adults though, were just as impressive. Phew, the amount of stamina they have… talent, grace, energy all rolled into a package to entertain us with traditional feet kicking, knee bending, spinning, twirling dancing! What a hoot!

Plenty of good ‘aul’ Irish craic 😀

The boys!

The crew! The end of a very memorable night out ❤

Who’s that travelling couple… us!

Part 7

Hot off the heels of Cliffs of Moher…

We’re back in the car heading to Tombs of Burren.

Did you know, both Burren & Cliffs of Moher were declared UNESCO Geoparks in 2011?

We drove into the parking area, a light drizzle falling.

As we started off on the rocks, drizzle turned to rain haha! Still, undeterred, we explored the rocks, the Poulnabrone Dolmen – an Irish icon of archaeology! We started playing in the rain trying not to slip & fall on the rocks. We were taking landscape & landmark photos, being silly, making faces, striking poses, taking group selfies. Oh, how we laughed.

We all just let our hair down & it felt fantastic. How often do we do this? Why don’t we do it more often if it feels so good? We were so carefree & only once back in the car, did we realise we were half soaked 😀

Look at that beautiful landmark!

Such happy faces, I remember these moments so clearly.

More driving, we passed a tractor for which we needed to get onto the shoulder of the road to let it pass. And a lady was driving, passing with a polite wave of thanks. Ok, now we’re in deep country. Roads so narrow we’re almost in the bush when “traffic” comes your way! So far away from city hustle, at home & here in Ireland (Dublin city). Properly off the beaten track.

Now remember, we’re big fans of old architecture.

We spotted an abandoned brick structure in ruin – in the middle of a field (slightly creepy). Stop the car! We have to know what’s out there, what’s inside even. Out of the car, back out in the light drizzle, a perfect spot for Newton to fly his drone! Being curious, I needed to know what this place was! Google told me it is a historical landmark called Carron Church – Teampall a Chairn.

Ah, such beauty in ruins forgotten by many. There’s an eerie peace about this spot.

Beautiful Drone shot by Newton

By now, three quarter of the day had passed – time really flies when you’re having fun. We all agreed it was time to head back home.

After Carmen had been driving all day, hubby Warren offered to drive back.

**OK… Warren, if you’re reading this, it’s your time to shine haha 😀

Just thinking about it, has me giggling. Carmen was in front, & Newton & I were at the back. Warren was navigating with GPS, however, we all dozed off and left Warren driving on his own. Carmen & I woke to hear him & Newton deciding if we’d been down this road before… “oh that looks familiar, I think we came through here already” Yup! We were lost hahaha!!

After laughing my A$$ off making everyone else laugh, we slowly got back on track. We, including our driver, were all pooped after the day’s activities.

But we had the energy for one last stop! A petrol station with food!! Newton was excited to see Subway! He wanted to try this here. To our disappointment, they were closed 😦 So we opted for loaded fries from Burger King. Grabbed a couple snacks and about 3.5hours later we arrived home.

(I may have dozed off again on the ride back.) Thanks Warren, for getting us back safely & entertaining us out of sleep hahaha! A fun ending to a genuinely fun day 😀

Who’s that travelling couple… us!

Hello Dublin!

(Part3)

Being on vacation means you can sleep in, right? Not really, otherwise you miss out on time you could be exploring! Newton is up at the crack of dawn, seeing Warren off to work, while I drag myself out of bed to get the day started. I peak out the window & smile, realising it’s day 2. But, day 1 waking up in a different country.

After breakfast we’re out the door walking to the bus stop, for our first bus ride. You may notice I’m quite excited about this “first” but with good reason. We don’t have reliable or safe public transport in Cape Town, here it is an everyday normality. It’s not special or posh, it’s normal.

Here comes our ride!

Bus arrives, I buy our tickets, we go upstairs to get a nice view on the trip. Yes – a double decker bus 😀  Again, surprised with the bus having aircon, wi-fi, usb charging plugs, it’s clean, also fairly quiet. Everyone, young, old & in-between, is just minding their own business. This is a pleasant trip through other neighbourhoods, coming into Dublin seeing how it changes from picturesque suburb to bustling city. Phew, it’s busy! Time to hustle.

Bustling streets of Dublin

So much to take in, it’s almost a sensory overload. Pedestrians are standing at a crossing & I think oh, something must be happening. Nope! They’re waiting for the pedestrian light to change green so they may cross the roads. In all directions. Oh, my word! Is it out of fear? Obedience? Discipline? No, just normal.

Down some steps & we are walking along the river Liffey. Apparently used in the Viking trades… and now supplies most of Dublin’s water.

Nice spot for some pics, then we cross the famous Ha’penny bridge. One of the symbols of Dublin, as it was the first footbridge and iron bridge across the Liffey. Once across, we head straight for the Temple Bar area. Pubs, restaurants, shops, boutiques, wall art and of course people everywhere! What a buzz of chatter & laughter along the cobblestone streets. And accents! One thing I love about travelling, is hearing different accents and languages. This is so much fun already !

Us at LIffey River and look behind us! It’s the Ha’Penny Bridge 🙂

Carmen guides us down Grafton Street where we see familiar shops and ones we’ve never heard of.  Soon we find ourselves in St Stephen’s Green for a stroll. A tranquil beautiful garden where locals & tourists come to break away from the busy streets.

St Stephen’s Green

People picnicking during lunchtime, feeding birds in the many ponds, just strolling, or sitting on a bench… like us. Soaking it all in. Then Carmen & I got sorbets at a cute little hole-in-the-wall. Explored some less busy side streets & found a couple of gems… stunning street art (I’ll share pics separately), but also just some rubbish bins and we quickly darted off with a laugh.

Even at the pub, there’s flower pots!

Another stroll along the Liffey & we’re back on the bus to Ashbourne, for an afternoon at Trim Castle!

After a quick lunch, it was a 40minute drive to Trim. Jumping out the car, like a kid arriving at the beach, my eyes darted all over. I don’t even think I waited for Carmen & Newton haha! A side street, with quaint houses showing off bright blooms window box planters. I remember thinking, these houses are so tiny.

What I saw when I jumped out the car…

Quaint, tiny looking houses

But then turned to see the towering Trim castle, proudly waving its Irish flag atop. Apparently, Ireland’s largest, best preserved & most impressive.

There it is… Trim Castle

We both love old architecture & ruins, with so many stories attached to them. Also, these beautiful structures were built centuries ago when our modern machinery wasn’t even invented yet. You can’t deny it, that’s impressive.

We strolled along the River Boyne, turning around to see Trim castle from a different angle, still beautiful.

Crossing the bridge into town

Crossed over a bridge for a walk through the town. We passed a church & I was curious when I saw some plaques along the wall; turned out to be “stations of the cross” Both Newton & Carmen are Catholics, so they were really impressed, but it was the first time Carmen noticed it… you’re welcome darling 😉

Gorgeous church

The streets were very “villagey”, adorned with flowerpots everywhere. Picturesque. We took tons of pictures, had fun in the streets, watching other tourists, politely waiting our turn to take photos at more popular spots, watching locals go about their day. We even stumbled upon a police station, which in comparison to what I know, looked like a futuristic, posh modern home. They call the police “Garda” here.

I loved sharing all these moments with my friend, watching here excited even though she’d been many times before. I saw a kind of pride, showing us all the cool things about her new home.

I also loved sharing all these moments with Newton. He was so relaxed & genuinely happy. Seeing this in them, was like hugging my soul ❤

By now it was already late afternoon, time flies when you’re having fun! So off we drive, back home for another great meal prepared by Warren. He was such a trooper, enjoying cooking even after coming home from work. We were spoilt!

Time to rest up! Tomorrow, we venture out on our own! Stay tuned… I’ll tell & show you what we saw and did.

Who’s that travelling couple… us!

Hello Ireland!

(Part2)

Ok, flight number 2… just 5.5hours more to Dublin! Little butterflies of excitement fluttering, I’m thinking of all the things I want to see & do. So much talk has finally become reality!

Touchdown in Dublin… through customs check fairly quickly. The customs official was probably annoyed with my friendly disposition at 7am! And that was my 1^st time hearing the distinctive Irish accent – “Welcome to Ireland”. We turn the corner to our baggage carousel & witnessed first-hand all the lost baggage we’ve been reading about & seeing on socials! Bags everywhere, on top of each other, upside down, unclaimed. It must have been luck of the Irish, but it didn’t take 2 minutes for our bags to roll through. Yay!

Lost luggage at Dublin airport

Through the doors and there she is, Carmen – my friend since high school! Big, bright smile shuffling closer to come give me the tightest hug 😊 After squashing our suitcases into her car, we exit the airport & I felt like I was in a movie. Staring out the window, appreciating all things different. Holy cow, we’re in another country whoo-hoo! Different environment, break in routine, adventure awaits!

Fresh as daisies off the plane

Approx. 20 minutes later, we arrive in the picturesque Ashbourne, County Meath. Streets neat as a pin! Flowers blooming on the sidewalks and in planters on balconies. I finally get to experience my friend’s new life, after she immigrated 4 years ago. After all the hugs, laughs & enjoying the surprise care package on our bed… I couldn’t keep up any longer & excused myself for a nap. You may think this was rude, but not as rude as Newton dozing off mid conversation with her hahaha! He’ll never live that down 😉

First impression of Ashbourne, picturesque!

Carmen’s sweet care package waiting for us ❤

Her hubby (Warren) arrived home from work, very excited to have us! They took us to Donabate beach (the ocean; our happy place!) and we had such a lovely stroll in the fresh, crisp air. On a long, sandy beach the tide was so far out, allowing us to explore some rocks. I just wanted to put my hands in the Irish Sea.

Donabate beach, with a perfect view of Lambay Island

The gang! Left-Newton, middle Warren, right Carmen

The smiles of a 26 year friendship ❤

On a winding walking path adjacent to the beach, Warren gave us some insight to life in Ireland when he picked up a pair of spectacles, we saw laying in the grass & he put it on a wall. Apparently, if someone dropped something it was usual to leave it to the side (of the street or path) in case they returned looking for it. Our first experience of a different kind of “normal”! We saw this numerous times on our solo adventures too. Is this what community means?

Us parking off along the path adjacent to the beach, taking it all in.

Along the walk back, we were in awe of the naturally black rocks! Some smooth, some jutting out showing us just how majestic nature is. And how different, in a different part of the world.

Beautiful black rocks at Donabate beach!

After a gorgeous, tranquil drive home through winding, tree-lined roads, our next stop was at a Tesco store, where we needed to pay to use a trolley. Super weird… we did it just for the experience, not because we had to do grocery shopping. In SA, trolleys are free for all… including for the homeless 😐

While planning the trip, Carmen asked me if we had any food and drink preferences. And I had to confess, Newton & I are big coffee snobs… the kind of snobs that won’t finish a cup of coffee we paid for, if it tastes like shit. So, they bought a Nespresso machine for us to enjoy coffee as much as we liked. Unbelievably kind & too adorable!!

That evening, they cooked us a fabulous dinner, we ate, we chatted, we laughed, we all squished onto the couch… it was the start of what would be a really fun trip!

Tomorrow Carmen will take us on our first bus trip, into Dublin city (here we come!!!) to show us the ropes. How do I sleep with this excitement?

Oh wait… here’s the formula; long journey + broken sleep – nap = will sleep more!

Stay tuned… next up, is another first of many for us – first day in Dublin city!

* Carmen and Warren, if either of you are reading this, thank you for your warm & excited welcome, it’s a lasting memory for us both!

** To anyone else reading, are you also a “coffee snob”? Do you also enjoy a Nespresso, if so which kind? Tell me in comments.

Who’s that travelling couple… us!

(Part1)

Ok full disclosure… this trip happened late 2022 & people have said why blog about it now, so long after? And my response is 100 fucks to that!

This was & is my experience and if I can still remember so much so vividly, it’s surely worth sharing. Also, I can come back here if I ever need convincing to travel again… (yeah right, I’d need convincing!)

Late 2019, we decided to plan a Xmas 2020 trip to France. Then… the Covid bombshell happened!

I remember my friend saying “Don’t worry, by the time you come it’ll be gone”

Cut to 3yrs later!

It started as a joke, a what-if. Then I decided to get serious about 2022 being the year I travel.

I chose to visit Carmen – my friend of 26years! She’s living in Ireland now.

A 2^nd destination would be France, to visit the friend who thought Covid would be gone in 6months – Marie, in Carcasonne.

And who can go anywhere in France, without a stay in PARIS! The last destination before returning home.

I wanted my guy (Newton) to join because I wanted to share this experience with my life partner. I wouldn’t have enjoyed coming home to tell him the stories of my travel experiences but wanted us to have experiences & make memories together.

Well, he joined! After much convincing. And boy did we make memories!! It was an epic adventure. Our first international trip as a couple. And we survived to tell the tales.

On 24^th July 2022, we jumped on a plane…. That sounds like we just did it spontaneously, but everything was well planned! It’s not easy to travel internationally from South Africa financially, and usually involves very long journeys.

But off we went on the first leg of a 20-hour journey! Carmen & I had been planning for about 4 months.

I can still feel the excitement after going through customs and hear the departure stamp, then waiting to board the flight. I can still see myself sitting at the window looking at all the planes, wondering about all the different destinations & excited that I’d be in one of them.

The first flight was long, cramped & packed full. We were required to wear face masks throughout, with exception of eating/drinking. I am convinced this is what put me to sleep so often. Dozing on & off, never really sleeping. I remember Newton saying “these seats are so uncomfortable; I’m never travelling again” on the 1^st leg of his 1^st overseas trip 😐 Flight number 1 of 5! Ha-ha! My thoughts… well this is a good start!

Coming from Cape Town, the food menu was South African & this included a very popular South African dessert – peppermint tart. The highlight of this flight for me was when a non-South African guy used his bread roll to eat this entire dessert, like wiping the container with the roll. He must have thought it was a pate or something. It caught me in a laughing fit only a fellow Saffer would understand. Even funnier was me hiding in Newton’s armpit to get my giggles out, which made him giggle too.

11 hours later, we arrive at our first connection. Few minutes before midnight, the airport buzzing as if it were midday! People everywhere! People queueing, rushing, unpacking, repacking at security, checking boards, calling floor assistants to help with directions to gates (that surprised me), on escalators, travelators… phew!

It can be overwhelming, but there I am… looking for that famous big yellow teddy bear. It was as if time stood still for me, even if just 3seconds. We passed it so quickly, Newton didn’t realise we passed it & missed it. Or maybe he didn’t care about it haha!

One thing I promised myself for this trip, was to soak in as much of the experiences as I could. I knew I would take a million photos but did not want to be spending so much time behind the camera, looking back at the pictures & not remembering the experience, the feeling… The smells, sights, sounds & vibes! Later, I even found myself touching things like leaves, walls & pillars… for the feel of it haha!

Off we dash, on the travelator because as luck would have it, our connecting flight had to be at the 2^nd last departure gate! Arrived with enough time to catch our breath, have a bathroom break, pinch ourselves realising where we were; and being thankful that our journey thus far was safe & easy.

Next up… flight number 2… arriving in Ireland, the reunion with my bestie & the Epic Irish experiences!

NB: if you know what yellow teddy I’m referring to, you’ll probably know which airport we went through – let me know in comments!

Do we look excited?

And we’re on our way!

Almost time for stop 1

Waiting for flight 2 – Dublin we’re coming!

Lockdown Day9 – 04 April 2020

Aside from banana bread recipes and pics to prove baking attempts, I’ve seen a lot of people posting pics from their homes, complaining about cabin fever already, fussing about space and lack thereof… I foresee a booming real estate market #postlockdown I imagine these same people will be looking for bigger apartments, homes with outdoor space, homes in different neighborhoods. I foresee a general need for different.

Yesterday, in an attempt to stay social & connected while continuing with physical distancing, we had a group call and someone commented how sorry they felt for us being “cooped up” in our apartment 🤔 after complaining how bored they were in the house with outside space🤔🤔

We’re really the furthest thing from “cooped up” Aside from working from home keeping us busy, we really enjoy being with each other & doing things together. I just don’t think unhappy people get that! As if they just simply cannot understand how we’re not irritated by each other. It’s simple really… we don’t only love each other, we like each other and we are happy together… SNAP🙌

Today he baked a gorgeous batch of dinner rolls(YUM), while I made a batch of home fries, meatballs and pickled red onion. We had an awesome late lunch together.

Proud to say, we still haven’t been out to the shops or anywhere else.

#21days #day9 #flattenthecurve #lockdown #isolation #lockdown_capetown #lockdown_southafrica #covid_19 #coronavirus #capetown #southafrica #staysafe #socialdistancing #physicaldistancing #stayathome #workfromhome #burgersathome