Dublin

Arrival

When I arrived in Dublin, I had a sinus infection, probably from not taking a break for over a month. I took several days to rest, watch Shameless (shamelessly), and get some fresh air. I started to decompress and think about my trip as a whole. I journaled daily for a week and even applied for a job back home. Dublin wasn’t my favorite city in Ireland, but I did enjoy Howth nearby and the city’s pubs when I went out for a pint (or five). And I spent my last three days with some cool Danish kids.

Jacobs Inn

I stayed at the Jacobs Inn. I was disappointed that there was no kitchen to cook in or a fridge to store food/leftovers. The breakfast (an extra 11 euros/day paid during registration) was the best of my trip though. And they offered supper too, which wasn’t great, but it was a buffet. When the bar closed, they kicked you out of that room, which surprised me my first evening. The hostel had “pods” – essentially bunk beds with just one hole to get in. My pod was very warm, so I had to rent a fan…which did very little. But I slept.

An Apology

Dublin wasn’t terrible. In fact, I may owe it an apology. I was so excited to get home by the time I arrived in Dublin that I didn’t explore it as much as I did other cities. Oh, and I was sick. And on the first night, some Nigerian guy said my face was good but I needed to lose weight and change my clothes. He was a random encounter hitting on girls as they came in. I didn’t take his advice to heart. Except for the clothes bit; I do need a new wardrobe. So, I’ll have to visit Dublin again with friends.

Danes!

Speaking of friends! I enjoyed meeting Sabine and Liv, who live as far away as Copenhagen as they can. We hiked along the cliffs of Howth, drank lots of Hop House 13 (apparently part of the Guinness family), visited the Guinness Storehouse, and they taught me some cool card games. Sabine and Liv are experts are roasting! Don’t mention you’re an American around them. ;) They weren’t bad, but their humor was spicy. If you like a good roast, count them in.

Howth

I wanted to get out of Dublin a lot. The city wasn’t vibing with me while I was there for much of the time. So I drove the thirty minutes to Howth to enjoy the crisp air and the sound of the waves. There were other places I planned to visit outside of Dublin, but Howth got me twice. Once, I hiked solo, and then Sabine and Liv joined me. Both days were mostly cloudy, but that didn’t matter. I look forward to visiting Ireland in the summer or fall months so I can experience some of the warmth and maybe some sun.

And a big shout out to the parking guy who saved me $100 on my parking meter.

The End

Overall, I was honestly ready to re-book my flight a week early if I could have. However, I had the opportunity to meet some great people when my sinus infection subsided. So I’m glad I stayed.

My next visit to Dublin will be with friends and an agenda. I didn’t visit a ton of touristy spots like Temple Bar or the Whiskey Museum. I checked out the Guinness Storehouse and Jameson Factory. I felt that the Guinness spot was more enjoyable as the Jameson tour guide wasn’t very energetic. I highly advise visiting some pubs like The Celt, Walsh’s (the best pint of Guinness), or Cassidy’s.

I’m back in the States now. I can’t quite believe it yet. Driving on the right-hand side helped a bit. It’ll take some adjusting to America, just as it took time to align myself to traveling for three months. I’m excited to be home and I’m excited that I can get back to work and life.