Two views of Dublin from the Sky Bar:
We also got a free pint of Guinness which was really gross and I didn’t drink much of, I don’t understand how anyone can actually enjoy it. But then we got on a bus and went back to our hostel to get our stuff and leave. We said goodbye to Tyrel but figured we’d see him at the airport because he was going to catch his free shuttle at 5pm (which Kelly & I weren’t going to do because it’d be too late). So Kelly & I went to the bus stop to wait and the bus that came wasn’t the one we wanted so we asked a police officer and apparently we were at the wrong stop so we had to go down a couple more and it was hard to figure out the schedule but some girl helped us and we had to wait about 10 minutes for the next shuttle. Which we didn’t realize how fast time was going we would probably be at the airport at like 520. But the bus ended up being very late and didn’t come until like 445 or 5 and then took forever to get to the airport. Kelly and I ran through the airport and were late for our flight. Our flight was delayed so we could’ve made it but check in was closed. Then the next flight that we could find to Barcelona was the next morning and there were no other flights into Spain that night. So we had to pay extra to change our flight, then we’d miss our bus from Barcelona to San Sebastian and had to buy a flight from Barcelona to Bilbao then bus from Bilbao to San Sebastian. Good thing the Irish are super nice, friendly and helpful otherwise our situation would’ve been awful. This was a very rough day, having to say goodbye to Tyrel (knowing that it’s very possible I won’t see him for two years) and then the flight problems, which definitely should’ve been avoided. But we found a cheap hotel close to the airport that offered free shuttle service and booked it for the night. Then we got dinner at the airport, overpriced of course, and then had to wait in the cold for our shuttle to the hotel. We checked into the hotel, signed up for the 4am shuttle, 330am wake up call, and unwound a little. We fell asleep quickly after the exhaustion of the day settled in and it was 330am before we knew it – after having slept for maybe 4 hours.
So we woke up at 330 and headed to the airport at 4am – way to early. But we were just thankful we were at the airport in plenty of time. Also, to complicate things (we were going to have to hurry in Bilbao to make it to San Sebastian without missing all of class on Tuesday) we had to check a bag since Kelly had packed so tight and had bought a lot of souvenirs – I could’ve made it with just my backpack. So we had to wait for restaurants in the airport to open, none of them opened until 5am for us to finally get some breakfast and coffee. But we finally boarded our flight and were off around 7am, and surprisingly got to Barcelona early. We got the checked bag and made it to our gate. Then we looked around a little (I had thought about buying flip flops but they were too expensive) and sat and ate lunch.
Our one problem and the reason we were freaking out so much was that if you miss more than one class in a section (and we had already skipped Monday) then you have to audit the class and don’t get credit for it – neither Kelly nor I could afford to audit it and complete our Spanish minor. So we were trying to make it to San Sebastian at a decent time. But the earliest we could make it was 3 and class started at 2. So we flew out of Barcelona at 1230, arriving at 140. We had it all planned out. Kelly thought the buses left at the 45 so she was going to run and try to catch the bus for us while I waited for the bag. We tried to talk to flight attendant into letting us move up front and he was going to let us but for some reason he neglected to tell us during the flight (I guess because Kelly was sleeping…?). So she rushed through people and ran out the door to catch the bus and I got the bag. The driver wasn’t going to wait but the bag came at the perfect time and I ran out and got to the bus when the bus driver was saying he would only wait two more minutes. So we got on the bus at 145 and class started at 2, haha. So we made it to San Sebastian at 245, waited a few minutes for a bus to get to the bus station that could take us to school and got there at 315. We busted into class with our backpacks and souvenir shopping bags and without any notebooks, paper or books – but Kelly did find a pen and pencil in her backpack. So, this class was very interesting. Oh, and I had not slept a wink since waking up at 330am, Kelly is lucky to be able to fall asleep anywhere so she probably got a good couple hours or so. So we made it through class and are going to receive credit, thankfully. I got back to my house around 730 or 8pm, ate a bowl of cereal since my host mom wasn’t home yet, and crashed. I probably went to bed around 9-10pm and didn’t wake up until my alarm went off at 11am Wednesday morning.
So many things went wrong on this trip – missing buses, weather, sleep deprivation, exhaustion, overpriced food, nasty hostel, oh and the guy above me in the 2nd hostel snored super loudly! – yet it was such a great trip. I love Ireland! The people are so nice, it was kind of sad when we realized we were back in Spain because the people weren’t as friendly or helpful. And I would’ve loved to spend another couple weeks there. When I go back (yes, when) I will take a tour through the countryside – preferably south Ireland in the summer. The little piece that I saw was great and now I want to see even more.
This week I’m just trying to get back into Spanish mode, but don’t have any plans. I’m just going to relax, hang out, study a lot and get ready for Spring Break. I bus to Barcelona and fly to Rome next Saturday! I can’t believe it’s already here and it’s almost April. I’m so excited! Also, I got to talk to my dad and my little, Ali tonight so that was even better. And I’m going to start working on my plans for when Sara comes. So much to look forward to!
Sorry for the rattling and including all the little details. But I could’ve written another ten pages on this trip. It was wonderful. Hope everything is well in the states – rock chalk sweet sixteen!
Besos, Jill
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