Sam's Irish Adventure

So I did not have the best start to my holiday. I had set my alarm for 5:30am and I had planned to have two hours to get ready. Unfortunately my alarm was on silent. Yes I know, well done Sam. So instead I woke at 6:45 am. Yep I gave myself 45 mins to get ready and out of the door by half 7. Funny enough I managed it! Of course I had to sacrifice my makeup regime  and had to do the rest of my makeup in the car ride to the airport. I tell you now doing eye makeup in the car, on the motorway is hard! 
Here is a picture of us with our tickets...ok a slight dodgy picture but we weren't aloud to take pictures...(note to all there was no such sign saying 'no photos allowed' This was Gatwick Airport.) 

 
Anyway once I arrived at Gatwick, my parents decided to come in with me. As adorable and sweet as it may sound, it was slightly embarrassing. Once through security we all have had our fair share of trouble at the airport. A regular occurrence for me. The airports seem to hate me. Do I look like a terrorist to you? Rhetorical question, do not answer that. 
Anyway lucky old me, I had my hand luggage checked. Brilliant. Apparently my makeup wipes looked like a liquid...really? Always one ey? Other than that sailed through the airport just fine. And...I totted in my heels from the boarding gate to Ireland. (So yes not all the way through the airport - like I said I would...but I was pressed for time.) I found it manageable. Surprisingly though I did wear wedge shoes. But yes, I still do not suggest them. Also not to walk around Ireland in them. (We didn't walk that far and spent a lot of our first few hours on a tour bus...but still my feet absolutely hurt!) 
Here is the tour bus ticket, it cost  €16 for two days...luckily we managed to use ours for three...Just work some charms ;) The Irish are pretty friendly.

Anyway other than being indecisive about dinner...which in the end we went to Flanagan! Lovely restaurant, the first day was great.Which reminded me of Rory Flanagan from Glee lol. Dinner was lovely :) Unfortunately I didn't take a picture of the main but I did for dessert. 

Mine is the ice cream...I am rather fussy when it comes to desserts...I tend to just go for ice cream or cheesecake. I don't really have a sweet tooth...lots of desserts I don't like lol. Anyway in the top left hand corner, there is a banana boat (eew) on the banana boat's right there are profiteroles, bottom right hand corner is a banoffee pie. (eew) and finally my traditional...boring ice cream :) 
Homemade ice cream.


Our first night, I didn't sleep much...about two hours sleep...One friend and I stayed up till late talking...I didn't even realise we stayed up till 4 am...and we woke at 6 in the morning. An early start to our day! After breakfast we went to the Leprechaun museum! Amazing! I definitely recommend going there if you ever go to Dublin. If you are a student just flash your student card and you get it at a cheaper price! Also look out for little cards in your hotel/B&B and perhaps other places, sometimes you can get discount or free gifts. Like this one. At the Leprechaun museum, where I got a free rainbow pencil. And apparently the drawings we drew will go up in their gallery! So watch this space.

 Here is my drawing! Mine was more of a fashion design...not the best drawing I must admit. 

This is one of my favourite pictures from the trip, this was at the Leprechaun museum.That is us in the giant's room, check out the giant chair! It was amazing!

 


 Anyway after that we got onto the tour bus. This bus driver was not good...he went way too fast for us to even take pictures...and he wasn't as outgoing or as jokey as the first bus driver! Barry! He was awesome, telling us jokes and singing Irish songs! Anyway we headed for the Guinness Factory, at first I was a bit like..meh, Guinness, bet it taste disgusting etc. (Also you can get student discount here too.) Actually I was surprised to find I actually liked Guinness, it cost us about €10.60. So not bad, plus we got to either pull your own Guinness or you get a free Guinness...I recommend pulling your own one! It was so much fun! We also got to try some Guinness too! And we got to take photos in a photo booth where they let us print four copies of the picture, that was so nice of them :) Anyway we all pledge that St Patrick's Day is the friendliest day of the year. I was number 230! lol 

And here is the picture of us making funny faces in the photo booth! (I have permission from the girls to post pictures of them.) Yes like I said silly faces lol.

Anyway I took loads of photos, but won't post them all on here lol. We got to try our own Guinness before going to another floor to pull our own Guinness! That was sooo much fun!

I did it all right! And that was the first time I ever pulled a pint! And you get a certificate at the end! What more do you want? lol 
Below is me with my certificate and my Guinness! I was so proud! Look isn't it perfect! :)

Anyway...I should stop gloating at my successful Guinness pint and continue blogging. Anyway after pulling the pint we got to drink it! I only managed half of the pint...but in my defence this was my first pint! I am not really a pint drinking girl so I did well. (And I already had quarter of a pint before) Yes I know I am almost 21 one and only now have I had my first pint...but I like my alcohpops and cocktails! Anyway after that we went for dinner, which we didn't eat much off...the portions was huge..and it was well a waste of my money but oh well...Then two of the girls went on a ghost tour, while me and another stayed at home...I am a wuss...and well my friend she was ill, really ill...poor thing, and I really didn't want to leave her on her own in the B&B...so yes I got out of getting jumped at by actors, where I would scream and probably cry. lol Though the girls loved it, so at least they enjoyed it. That very night, I got woken up at an ungodly hour...about 4ish, by the people staying upstairs...and they where still really loud till about half 5 when they woke all of my friends...did I mention that I am a light sleeper? I wake at anything...yeah...they woke me up...Americans...no offence to my readers...if you are American...but I really thought they where really inconsiderate, to be that loud with loud music in the early hours of the morning...so take no offence at my rant about you guys...I was just targeting the INCONSIDERATE bunch at the B&B. I really could have killed them...they left me with about 2 hours sleep...since they woke me and I couldn't get back to sleep...Once I wake fully I can't get back to sleep...and when I did finally drift off the rain woke me up...and then I had to get up...I was like a zombie that day. I drank my way through six cups of teas...yes SIX. It didn't do me any good...I had the first 4 within a space of two hours and I was still very drained...I just needed to pee A LOT. lol Anyway once we left the B&B we headed for the bus and made our way to the free attractions. (This was when our bus ticket wouldn't work, but the bus driver was such a gent he let us on) I think it was because we where four British girls. So work your charms girls! :)
Anyway we did a lot of walking outside and I can tell you it was freezing, though it was a beautiful day...very windy. I would not recommend wearing false eyelashes...not that I did, but seriously they would fall off..unless you use A LOT of glue lol. The weather had been pretty nice while we where there, unfortunately we did get caught in hailstones...and yes they hurt. We took shelter in Costa...and that is where I had cup number 5 and 6. 
I am a big kid at heart, we found this play area during our walk around Dublin.

 
Anyway after sheltering from the hailstones, we did our souvenir shopping, real tourist. Well we where on holiday after all! And we had the best pizza we ever had, well mine was good...though it was REALLY spicy...and I am normally one who can take spice...but my mouth was on fire. I guess it did have seeds, and chillies too. I bought a hoodie for myself. I don't tend to wear hoodies, but I really wanted one! And I LOVE it! :) Not the best photo, but yes my new hoodie!

In the evening, our last night in Dublin, we decided to have a traditional Irish Night, with a three course meal, costing €29.95. The starter was lovely, minus soda bread...I don't like Soda bread not one bit. It was rather disgusting. I even smothered it with butter, and I still couldn't taste the butter, it was slightly more bearable dipping it into the soup. For my main I had chicken, and quite honestly was very disappointed, my chicken was really dry, could have done with some sauce. The vegetables were lovely though. As for dessert, mine was called, 'Irish Strawberry Shortbread Fool' (I think) It was YUMMY! I thought I wouldn't like it, but I actually did...though I couldn't finish it. 

That night since it was our last, we made it through quite a few cocktails...I had three. One called 'Scroll on the beach' and the other a Apple Martini, and I can say the Apple Martini was my absolute favourite! Yummy :)

 If you haven't tried an Apple Martini, I would definitely recommend you try it...of course drink in moderation. Anyway here is my dress I wore that evening we went to watch some Irish singers and dancers.

So to end, I would definitely recommend a trip to the beautiful Ireland. Dublin is a small city and lots of famous attractions are within walking distance. I definitely recommend going to the Guinness factory, though do watch out while you are there, watch out for lurking children/people...then tend to like to target tourist and will try to pickpocket you. Now I am not trying to put you off, but it is a warning, our lovely bus driver warned us about the innocent looking children lurking around the factory, so do beware. And be careful. Another than the dodgy looking figures I would definitely make a trip to the Guinness Factory, as well as doing the tour bus, it is a great price for two days, or you can do the three days one which includes a bus to the airport, bonus! On a nice day the city is very pretty, though very windy, so if you want to sit on the top deck...be prepared to lose your head...A lot of people have said to me, 'why did you go to Dublin, It is just windy' Yes it is windy and cold, but I still would definitely go again, I really enjoyed myself and if the accent isn't just enough! The views are pretty, though if I do go to Ireland again I would definitely make my destination perhaps Cork or Galway! 


But yes this 3. Spend a weekend in Ireland. can be crossed off my list! I went for more than a weekend, four days...well more of three. And I wished I was there for a week to be honest, I just ran out of time! But it was great fun, great laughs and we all melted at the accent. :) Dublin definitely gets five clovers! 


So I hope I have convinced you to go to Dublin and not bored you to death with my mega long blog!


Sam x