Experience

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!

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!

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

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.

(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!