Ireland Travelogue 1

Intro
Part 2>>


Oct. 6, 4:12 p.m.

I just had to write because I'm at JFK noshing on McDonald's and I'm surrounded by Irish accents and I'm so lame for noticing that. I've just been planning for this trip for so long that the reality of it kind of wore off after a while and this is a wake up call of sorts.

When the lady at the ticket counter asked me how many bags I was checking I had to listen carefully a second time because my ears weren't used to the new accent and now I'm worried I'm going to be all shy and giddy whenever I talk to someone beause I'm pretty self-conscious and I'd hate to appear rude for not understanding someone. Oddly enough, in college when I was planning to study abroad and the University College Cork was one of the possibilities I was actually wondering to myself if I'd have trouble following lectures. I know, weird worry, right?

I'm going to be a total tourist. I figure I'm on vacation so what the hell.

I just realized I took the nametag off of my bag to change to a new one but forgot to put on the new one...I am a genius.

The flight got held up a good deal. First, the crew arrived late, then we had to taxi on the runway for about 2 hours (seriously) because we were whatever number in the list of planes to take off that day. The good news? "Livin' on a Prayer" played on the radio. The pilot said that in situations like this, "We're in the lap of the gods," which is great timing considering what song was playing.

You know, the lyrics in "Such Great Heights" had it right. Everything does look perfect from far away. At least that's how I always felt. I've had this thing for as long as I can remember where I always enjoyed being on some form of transportation. Buses, subways, cars, trains, whatever. I love planes the most though, because you're just away from it all. I theorized that I liked the idea of being in motion because it gave me a sense that I was getting away from something even if there wasn't a set destination. It never was about the destination really, I just neeed to be comforted by the fact that I was in motion

Flying is kind of the best way of doing that because as long as you don't land you're just floating above everything in a limbo disregarding time and place.

Oct. 7

We first landed in Shannon, then it was on to Dublin. It really was very green looking down out the window, but the green was divided in a way that reminded me of rice paddies out in the countryside back home.

I found out where to get on the 748 bus OK so I headed over to Heuston station. I look a hot mess. Two hours on the runway+stopover+train=a hot mess.

Also, I saw cows next to the runway when we landed. Big, nice "Bessie"-looking brown ones all standing around munching and regurgitating not really paying attention to the huge planes landing right next to them. I guess they've gotten used to it and were just thinking, "Here comes another one of those huge birds with people in its belly."

1:30 p.m.

First hitch in the trip. I got off a stop early from the train so now I have to quite possibly wait about two hours for the next train to show up. The goodnews is at least I didn't step out of the station yet so that means I can figure out a way to get another train headed for Cork.

2:00 p.m.

I hopped on a commuter train the next track over. They weren't checking tickets when I got on and the attendant said I should be fine just to grab that one. I guess they figure once you're in the track you paid a fee for something so whatever stop you end up on or whatever train you ride is entirely you're own damn fault.

I slept much of the initial train ride (probably rather ungracefully) but had a screaming baby to deal with for 2 hours.

I took a picture of myself makin' a "Wha' happen?" pose on the commuter train because it was such an oops moment I had to memorialize it somehow. I'm pretty happy though that I didn't really get myself stranded and also glad I didn't really have to wait two hours for another train.

More cows and horses. I thought I saw a bird that looked like crows or ravens in Dublin (I lived in cities most of my life, can you tell?). I hope they have them in Cork too so I can grab a picture for them. But considering there aren't any battlefields for Morrigan to peck over I might be shit out of luck. I think Tjie would get a kick out of it if I grabbed a picture though. Especially if they were doing something real crafty, like stealing some cat's kibbles.

What? That's evil and crafty. Kitty gotta eat too.

Intro
Part 2>>