Last night before going to pack I printed out my tickets and then went to the tea shop downstairs. I bought a 50P cup of tea and relaxed while reading a magazine. I love tea. Since coming to Europe I drink it more often. Though I dislike waiting for piping hot tea to cool. I suppose it’s another part of the relaxing effect. Eat your meal, wait another eternity and then have your tea. But it has such a relaxing effect it soothes your soul with one flavor and warmth. Like chicken noodle soup. Or on another level like peanut butter and chocolate, or just chocolate. One thing I miss for some reason is toasted marshmellows. I’d love to have a S’more right about now.
Today I’m going to Dublin. I had problems sleeping again this morning. I think it was because the sun bursts through the window at 5am inthe morning. Each time I went back to sleep I drempt of that thistle tea cup. I really wish I could’ve gotten that bloody cup. I ended up getting up around 6:14am and took my shower and packed up to go.
I brought my sheets down and asked if I could keep my bags in the lobby. The girl in charge of the desk said she wasn’t liable if something was stolen. How nice. I was just too tired of hauling my stupid rolly bag up and down stairs. I went to the kitchen and produced my granola cereal and milk. Once I finished up I rolled the granola bag up and put it in my bag. Food for later.
I grabbed my untouched bags, turned in my swipe enterance card, and started to haul my life down to the middle of town. I stopped at McD’s to use the WiFi and at the bookstore to check out the books. I probably have 15 books I want to read on my list. I have decided to keep myself from buying anymore books. I think. But I’ll be requesting all of them from the Chapel Hill Library when I get back.
The buses here all have Hollywood movie ads plastered on them. “The Time Traveler’s Wife” is one I can’t wait to see. It was a great book and hopefully the movie will be just as good. Well at least hold it’s own.
Also on my way to the bus station I went to Bradford’s again to get two goodies. I don’t know why I do it. I don’t want to be fatter, I just know I won’t have this at home. Maybe all my walking makes it go away? Balances it out? Let’s hope. I really need to work on my sweet tooth, and self control. I really hope I do lots of walking when I get home.
Ok the bus is here now. I found myself drifting in and out of sleep again. I remember yesterday on the tour after it rained there were water droplets on the window; in my dozy state I thought they were a flock of birds flying across a field outside. I try not to doze. It seems whenever I blink the scenery changes.
There were all sorts of cows and sheep in hilly fields we passed. Brown, black, black&white, brown&white, black&brown muddy, tan. And the sheep, the usual white or black or white with black underneith. I’ve never seen so many herds of cows and sheep. They speckled the hills. Pretty cool.
We hugged the side of the land next to the beach and unfortunately I was on the land side so I didn’t get any pics of the sea. Or maybe it was a lake. Either way it was quite beautiful. The bus pulled into the marina and we went in to check in with our tickets. I’m in the waiting room with an hour to burn. I’ve got candy, coffee/tea, and soda machines in front of me. Above me is a tv reporting, “Next Sailing to Belfast” with 1440 HSS in red and then “Sailing On Time Sea Conditions Good”. And to the far right a “Guide Dogs for the Blind” coin donation black lab statue.
And so I wait. When the ferry finally came in we all boarded the mini-ship. The intererior was very nice. There were fast food resturants and I had lunch there with some tea. I sat down after that to watch The Tale of Despereaux. Good movie. I liked the art style. Not really sure if I liked Desereaux’s voice. Meh, not important.
Once I got off I collected my bags. I surely hope everything in my bags made it without breaking. Dread. My sleeping bag’s bag got ripped though, unfortunately. I’ve only got a few more moves to make so it should be fine.
We are driving though Belfast, lots of brick. Neon is apparently in. The bright blue stockings on a girl is interesting. Smerfy. One girl had normal colors but her socks were a striking shade of neon orange. Very peculiar. I’m begining to wonder, does everyone dress like this (and better) in the US and I’m just missing it or is it just a European thing?
Apparently that bus was only a transfer bus. So now I’m on the right bus. Yay. I don’t know who told this girl that tangerine orange went with a fusha purse but I think it looks ugly. Probably would’ve gone with a black purse to match the half leggings and big black belt. Maybe that’s just me. Wht do I know about modern fashion anyway?
To my left there is a mean looking dark blue cloud. Normally they are just placid blue, bored but blue. Clouds here are like bullies, hanging over you but they are mostly all just there to make mood lighting. I’ve started to think of seeing the sky’s bald spots (the sky blue sky) as just another type of blue. In a sky filled with dull grey blue sky blue makes a lovely contrast. Like a painting, where a bright red dress blinds you with heavenly color and outshines everything else on the canvas. In some places the grass is like that, so beautifully striking. I’m looking at some grass now. It makes me want to go frolicking through it. Except some where you know there are big fat lumps of cow or sheep dung just waiting for you to step in it. Anyway, the dark blue sky and the green contrast nicely. The sun is poking out of the clouds and I’m on the sunny side of the bus. Tell me, what kind of bus has no toilet but a webcam tv screen of what’s in front of the bus for all the passengers to see?
So I got into Dublin and I found my hostel, it’s on a row of buildings that are also all hostels. I walk in and get my key and I have to go downstairs. Hm. I make a squeek as I feel as though my luggage is going to take me down the steps, as if they were to excited children tugging at my arms. I make it too the bottom and look around. Hm, a lounge area. I go though a door way and there’s a kitchen and then another lounge area but with tables and couches. This is not a normal layout of a hotel. I ask which way to the rooms, a guy with a particularly sunburnt face tells me he thinks it’s upstairs next door to his room. Ok, I question and he goes to check. Indeed, that is the way. He asks if I need help with my bags so I hand him the rolly bag, glad to release the weight. So I keep going forward, up a different flight of stairs. Turn the corner. Up another flight around another corner, though another door and there it is. I swipe my card and enter the room. The guy hands me the luggage and says if I’d like I could hang out with his group downstairs. – The group I passed in the 2nd lounge. Sure, I say. I drop off all my things and head back down.
Hookeedookee. I found a group to hang with my hostel and I’m writing drunk. But since I am drunk and it’s 11pm I think I will be courteous to my fellow roommates and not drink anymore and go to sleep right now.
[the next day]
The group is multicultural and there to volunteer for a Irish volunteer group. They were getting ready to play a drinking game. I think it’s name is Waterfall but I have all the rules written down. I wrote these while drunk, I’m updating this post while sober. Here are the rules for the curious:
You use all the cards, face down around a cup. Someone of the group picks up a card and it tells you what to do.
Ace – Waterfall: everyone drinks until the person beside you (left side) stops and that is when you stop, the person who picked up the card is the first to stop and then it tidals down to the last person who had to keep drinking until it’s their turn
King – New Rule: person who picks up card makes a new rule [ie: if you say the word "drink,drank,or drunk" you have to drink]
Queen – Question: you have to speak in questions directed to another person, whoever doesn’t speak in a question first has to drink
Jack – Never have I ever: you have to do a NHIE, [ie. never have I ever blacked out while drunk] – anyone who HAS done that, has to drink
10 – Categories: pick a category and everyone has to say something belonging to it [ie. category: fruit - bananna, orange, kiwi], if you can’t think of anything or repeat – you have to drink
9 – Bust a Rhyme: make a sentence and the next person has to make one that rhymes, if they don’t – they drink
8 – Mate: you have to drink, but you choose someone else to drink as well
7 – Heaven: raise hands quickly, last one to do so has to drink
6 – Chicks: Girls have to drink
5 – Guys: Guys have to drink
4 – Floor: touch the floor (or hands down to the floor), last one to do so has to drink
3 – Me: you have to drink
2 – You: you pick someone else who has to drink
