A Few Days out of Dublin (Post meant for Sept 3 - bad connection)

So… I headed off into the countryside of County Meath in search of a little relaxation (not being a city girl) a few days ago. Monday was the trip to Dunboyne Castle Hotel (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWp-MeQOmGw&feature=related) as stated in my last entry. Tuesday I woke up with no desire to get up – I was exhausted and headachy! I slept a little longer but was eager to get rid of it and hit the road – it was supposed to be the nicest day of the week! Alas, before I headed out the door a torrential downpour was taking place!! Instead I journeyed down to the lounge with its big bright windows, couches and La Marzocco (http://www.lamarzocco.com/indexb.html) for a sandwich and coke and read a book until the rain stopped. 

When it finally did I was determined to hit Trim Castle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trim_Castle) for a few hours before heading back for my early evening massage. According to Google Map it was about 35 minutes away so I figured on 1 hour either way (giving lots of time to get lost – roads are normally only marked by a sign at the intersection only and can not be easily read as you fly by at 80 km!). Unfortunately I got more lost than usual and finally gave up and began to try to find my way back to the hotel only to stumble upon Trim with 20 minutes before having to head back!! 

Even more unfortunate was that while stopped at Trim I noticed that somewhere on the way there I managed to knock off the cover to the passenger side mirror!! CRAP!  I think it must have been when a BMW was tailing me around a rather tight corner or when I had to swing out of the way of (what I can only assume) another foreigner driving on the wrong side of the road (it wasn’t me – really!!) Around here you are often catching brush as the roads are so thin and so it would be easy to miss to a degree. I have no doubt this happens in Ireland all the time!!

Trim Castle was the one used in ‘Braveheart’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBXBtORI7pE) back in the day. I found this terribly surprising as it sits right in town with houses and a hotel right across the street!! I only had enough time to wander the outside of it and head back, determined to return to Trim for the actual tour of the inside on Wednesday.

Naturally I got lost on my back, but only used the hour planned and returned in time to get ready for my massage. The spa was beautiful!! I loved every moment I was in there and was greatly impressed with the girl working out the nasty knot deep in my left shoulder!!

Wednesday was rainy and cold and I had no desire whatsoever to hit the road, but I thought I might wander into town for something to eat rather than grabbing a sandwich at the lounge (the only thing priced decent enough to consider). I wandered for a short while and decided on a coffee shop and ordered chicken fingers and fries. I stuck mainly to the fries and wee bit of salad I got, which sounds wise, but the one chicken finger I ate was so greasy I was sick. I thought finding food in Ireland might be a challenge. I appear to be right and am pretty sure I am going to get sick of sandwiches before long!! I figured I’d spend the evening reading and watching a movie, but I mainly wandered around online trying to figure out were to stay for the next week – it took much longer than expected and before I knew it it was bedtime.

Today is Thursday and I finally stopped downstairs for my free breakfast, packed up and decided on the day’s destination. I figured I’d head a little further north to check out the burial site of Brù na Bòinne (http://www.knowth.com/). It may come as a shock, but I once again got terribly lost and had to change my route, stop to check the map and backtrack several times. I did finally make it and although you can check out three sites, I only did one, which was fascinating – these ruins are 5000 years old! Really, more than the one would have been too much for me today. I grabbed a quick sandwich before I left and hit the road, expecting another longer-than-needed trek, only to find that my hostel was only a one-minute walk down the road (http://www.newgrangelodge.com/)!! Google Map failed me again! (But I was more than happy to not have to head off onto the road again!!)

After the past few days I was tempted more than once today to call and cancel my reservations and head back to Dublin to ditch the car and find some place to stay. I am glad I stuck it through – I am not too eager to get to the city. I do wish, however I didn’t bother with the car. Given all the stresses of learning new skills, driving on the wrong side of the road and continuously getting lost, I am wishing I took a bus tour or hopped around on the train. Perhaps I should have at least gone with the more expensive (twice as much) automatic.

Last night I found myself wishing I could sleep at home. It was lonely after a rainy day spent inside. The road and car stress were also getting to me but I figured I’d be better after a night’s sleep and getting out again. Staying at a hostel tonight is an attempt to push past the (hopefully momentary) loneliness. It is a cute place and I feel more at home here. The room is small, but it is not shared and the bathroom is about the same size as my closet in Chestermere – I can wash my hands while I sit on the toilet! But again I do not have to share (which I thought at first I would). Currently I am sitting in the living room where a French Canadian (who says he was born in the "Alberta mountains") is drinking a beer, cracking his knuckles and making loud comments punctuated with foul language at different things on tv. There is a girl downstairs on the phone and although a group of German guys just came through it has been pretty quiet. Several of the guests are older than one would anticipate in a hostel (yes, older than ME!).  I am trying to download some pictures onto facebook, but the internet is the slowest I have seen since dial-up so it might not happen tonight. Oh well.

Tomorrow I head back to the city to volunteer at the Dublin Fringe Festival (/www.fringefest.com/) . I will be working every evening Saturday – Wednesday. I have booked a room at a funky guesthouse near Trinity College called Grafton House (http://www.graftonguesthouse.com/). It comes highly recommended from Lonely Planet. We’ll see!!

Take care all!!

Sending lots of love home (and to those not there either ;)

- shel