All The Way With Galway

14 hours of travel time, two flights, one bus ride, and a car drive later and we finally made it to Galway last afternoon around 1:30pm. Of course, such an excursion was an adventure in itself. We arrived at the Orlando International Airport about 1:00pm yesterday for our 3:00pm flight. There was some crying between myself, my sister, and my mother and Jess and I set off on our great travel adventure! When we got in we poked our heads into the Disney Store for a hot second but rapidly moved on towards security. Getting through that was mostly easy, but we forgot to take off our money belts and they had to get sent through the machine while we got the rest of our stuff. After that we meandered over towards our terminal. Orlando Airport is enormous so we had to take a tram to get to it. We were supposed to see about picking up cigarettes for our relatives in Ireland at the Duty Free shop but that store was on the otherside of the terminal, meaning we'd have to take three tram rides to get there, get back, then get to our terminal and it just wasn't looking time efficient. We ended up deciding to hit the Duty Free shop during our layover in New Jersey and just went right to the terminal. We got there with a decent amount of time left before the flight and took that time to each each one of the ham sandwiches our mother had packed us.

Not too long after we finished those we were on the flight and on our way to Newark, New Jersey. That flight was only 2 hours and 10 minutes long and Jess and I mostly listened to our iPods. There were screens on the back of the chairs for this flight with free movies, but I didn't realize they were free until we were just about to land, so that was that. We only got apple juice and a pretzel snack on this flight because it was only 2 hours long but that was fine for Jess and I and we saved the pretzels for when we landed and were hungry again. The flight was smooth essentially until we began the descent which was quite rocky and Jess and I both got slightly motion sick. We were fine once we officially landed though and that was the only time we got a little sick, which is fine with me. The layover in Jersey was a quick one, only an hour, so we had to be fast about finding our next terminal for the international flight into Dublin. We asked someone for directions and they were exceptionally helpful and got us there in no time! Along the way we decided we would get to the terminal and then see about whether one of us had time to run and find the Duty Free shop but as it happened we walked right past one on our way to the terminal! We found out, however, that (at least in New Jersey) the legal age to buy cigarettes is now 21, so we couldn't purchase any, which we didn't really mind, but we were glad we hadn't had to go out of our way in order to learn this. The terminal in the Jersey airport was smaller than the Orlando one and Jess and I had to sit a ways away, but we were closer to the bathrooms and water bubblers so it wasn't an issue at all.

Boarding took longer on this flight because more people were getting on the plane. Jess and I were boarding group 4 or 5, so we were in the almost last group of people getting on the plane, but with United we already had our seats listed so it didn't matter when we go on because we still just be going to our assigned seats. Apparently United has issues with not enough overhead storage space for Carry-On bags and ask that backpacks or your personal item be placed under the seat in front of you. Well, Jess and I had backpacks but we also had personal items (a purse and laptop carrier) and our backpacks were our suitcases essentially and were quite stuffed to the brim, so we figured it was fine to put them in the overhead. Everyone had enough room though so it all worked out. That plane ride, from New Jersey to Dublin, Ireland, was a little over 6 hours and we received 2 meals: Dinner and then a light continental breakfast. Dinner was served fairly early on, about an hour into the flight. We had a choice of chicken or pasta, and Jess and I both chose pasta, which was delicious! It might have tasted better because we were hungry, but it tasted nice all the same. The dinner came with a bread roll, butter, and some salad-type thing that wasn't quite salad but I can't remember the name just now. We also got a small ice cream about an hour later, vanilla gelatto, and that was lovely! After that meal Jess and I decided it was time to sleep given that it was about 9:00pm our time but we were going to be arriving in Dublin at 7:00am their time and we wouldn't get to sleep.

Sleeping on a plane is by far the least comfortable place one could possibly sleep. I'm sure you knew that, but I felt it was important for me to confirm and articulate that. Jess and I were in the center row with Jess at the aisle seat and me in a middle seat next to someone else. The guy I was next to was quite funny and nice but I did feel bad because I likely hit him a few times while changing position. The problem was mostly that it was so cold! I was trying to keep my blanket securely around my legs, my jacket around my body, and somehw navigate the pillow to be somewhere useful. Mostly I settled for pulling down the table thing and placing my pillow and head on that. Problem was my legs got cold cause if they were hanging down the back was exposed from under the blanket, but I made do! Jess and I both woke up just as the cart with breakfast was coming around, funny enough, and were able to get a nice hot croissant, yogurt, and more juice which was probably a bad choice on our part because we were about to get on a 4 hour bus ride, but we did it anyway. The guy next to us didn't eat yogurt so he gave us his and our mother had been telling us we need to eat yogurt every day so that was decent of him. We both slept a little bit more before we landed, then headed out into the Dublin Airport, officially in Ireland!

Jess decided we should go through the EU passport line, as we are duel citizens, and the line was faster, but the issues came with getting out passports stamped. Now there's no real reason we need to get stamps anymore besides sentimental reasons but I like getting stamps so I ask for them. But Jessica hadn't signed her Irish passport so the guy said he couldn't stamp it. I said we had a pen and she could sign it but he said that wouldn't work, stamped mine, and sent us through. I didn't get what the issue was, but I wasn't gonna make a scene and just went through. I really wanted that passport stamp though, and while Jess didn't quite care, I did. Right where we got out was the checked baggage pick-up thing so we picked up our one checked bag and I found 2 airport workers to ask about getting my passport stamped. They said customs would do it, which is what we'd just gone through, and I explained that the sign says we're not supposed to go back through it. The guy just told us to go through and ask because no one would stop us and the worst they would do is tell us 'no', so off we went. I went to the American passport people and asked them about it and basically half-lied and confused-Americaned my way into getting them to stamp Jess and my American passports and Jess's Irish passport. I didn't lie really, just said they hadn't gotten stamped when we went through the EU way and it was for special sentimental reasons and he explained that Irish passports don't usually get stamped here because it is, in fact, Ireland, but he stamped them anyway and even asked if I had my Irish passport to stamp but I told him that one didn't matter (not mentioning that it had already been stamped) and we thanked him very much and went on our way, all four passports stamped! I felt a little bad for putting him out by having him stamp them, but I wasn't going to travel several thousand miles across continents to not get a stamp. I just couldn't do it!

On the way out we asked a very nice woman about our bus stop and she pointed us in the perfect direction and we found it no problem. We popped into the bathroom that was right across from our stop before settling down at the stop for about an hour before our bus was set to arrive. While there was had to ask one of the people about our ticket. A mistake was made and our ticket was accidentally bought for the day after we arrived. We wanted to see if we could change it, but the guy there said we'd be "just grand" and have no trouble getting on today. He was right, more or less. The bus arrived (after Jess and I ran to the bathroom one last time because we were informed there was no toilet on the Bus Eireann) and the driver gladly took our ticket and punched it in. The machine didn't process it though, so he tried again, and again, then finally said "Something's wrong with your ticket, I can't get it through, go take a seat." This was a surprise to me! If it was America the driver would have said "Something's wrong with your ticket, get off" but that wasn't the case here! He just let us on and off we went! It was excellent!

We sat on that bus for 2 hours before we arrived who knows where and were let off for 5 minutes to use a bathroom before we all piled back on again. I was grateful for the bathroom break (all the apple juice really was a mistake) and we traveled for another 2 hours. Jess and I both, again, slept, as the bus carried us across Ireland and were quite awake when we arrived in Galway and were picked up by Michael. Michael is, I think, our second cousin. He's a great deal older than us, very nice, and lived in America for some time so is accent isn't so difficult to understand. His name is also, for reference, pronounced like 'Me-hall' because reasons. He laughed at how little luggage we'd brought in comparrison to how much our mother always brings, and loaded us up into his car to take us to our temporary home, his house. I'm not sure what I expected, but the house is outstanding! Michael built it himself and it's right next to lots of his other relatives. Jess and I get our own room together in the upstairs and it's the sweetest thing! I'd stay there the whole time if I could, but we won't be here for more than 2 more nights.

Once we got there Michael had to do some shopping and left us at home to rest, and Jess and I certainly appriciated that! We both napped in bed for several hours which we desperatly needed. Upon waking though, Michael had to go into town to help set up for an art exhibit and took us with him to let us wander the town while he was working. We had a wonderful time exploring Galway! The town is quite small, but filled with people and all number and variety of shops! Street artists fill the area with music and light as you walk through the winding streets and it was wonderful to just exist in that space for a while.

Jess and I managed to not get lost, which is quite a feat considering it's us, as we got acquainted with our surroundings. We tried to not look like tourists and tried to not be overly obvious when we took photographs. Still, we got some nice pictures of the downtown from the shops to the decorations to some strange woman who feed a great number of pigeons an entire bag of feed for no obvious reason.

  We didn't bring any money with us, which was probably a good thing to keep me from purchasing a rather large box of Irish fudge that I didn't really need, but we are on the hunt for some kind of fun souvineer. We want something original, but Irish, something that stands out and says something about our trip to Ireland. It could be a rock, like one's we got in Grand Cayman from the bottom of a secret spot we found while snorkling, or a slightly genuine purchase, like the pressed pennies I collected in Canada. Either way, we have to find something, it's like a law.

             

That night we headed home and had dinner with Michael and his wife, Marie.  Marie had made spaghetti in meat sauce and garlic bread. Jess and Michael drank hard cider, Anne drank white wine, and I had water with lemon because I'm me. We all watched the FIFA semi-final together and all collectively missed the winning score because we were all busy discussing wine. Marie went to be around 10:00pm, which didn't feel like 10:00pm because it was still sunny out! So much for helping me fight jetlag! Meanwhile, Michael, Jess, and I went into a parlor room of sorts and talked and drank and watched To The Manor Born's Christmas special until about 12:00am when Jess and  trotted off to sleep. After being awake for 28+ hours we were estatiec to finally get a proper nights sleep in an actual bed.

All Packed Up And Somewhere To Go

    The time of packing has befallen us! Or did, earlier this week. Jess and I went through our outfits to pick out what we wanted a few days back to do a test run with our backpacks. I had to stitch mine up and we wanted to make sure it would hold without breaking while also checking that we could fit just about everything we're taking in the two backpacks. We managed to fit all the clothes in then and it seems like everything's holding up just fine! That was not, however, to be the final packing of the clothes. Packing everything up that early in advance is, to me, dangerous. You can't pack everything and people tend to lose track of things as they take them in and out and try to keep track of what is where and that's how mistakes happen. I am not going to leave the country and suddenly remember I forgot my nail clippers because I took them out for a trim and never returned them to their proper place in my bag! So, the clothes we packed were pulled out yesterday to be washed completely before we put on a mini-fashion show of the outfit combinations in order to document via my phone's camera what the outfits we'd chosen looked like and decide if we even actually liked them anymore. It's entirely possible to like something when you pull it out of the drawer only to hate it when you put it on. Thankfully, that was not the case this time and everything looks fantastic! We ended up only adding a few items we hadn't before: One black pencil skirt, a black string crop top, a gold scarf, and four chokers, none of which take up an excessive amount of room. All in all, every outfit looks absolutely fabulous and I can't wait to wear them throughout Europe! The plan is to look as little like a tourist as possible, excluding France where I will be wearing my red beret. It's probably a faux pas or a tacky tourist thing, but I just can't stand the thought of going all the way to Paris without wearing my beret for photographs! I'd never forgive myself if I missed a fashion opportunity of that nature!

    Other important packing prep occurred besides clothes though! The other day we also went shopping at Dollar Tree (the Promised Land) and picked up a bunch of travel supplies we were lacking. Toothpaste, hand cream, energy shots to fight the jetlag, gum, empty bottles to fill with shampoo, and other necessities that come in 3 ounce or less containers we acquired, sorted, and placed neatly in our backpacks in the front pouch of out backpacks, accompanied by our freshly washed and re-packed clothes. While I know none of those products are going to last very long, there's something so satisfying about holding or even just seeing those miniaturized products! Tiny mouthwash is especially adorable for no particular reason. Maybe it's because miniature versions of big things remind us of items in a dollhouse. Whatever the reason, we stocked up and fit everything into our now perfectly rotund backpacks.

    So, initially, the plan was to only have carry-on bags. Jess and I would have our backpacks stuffed to the brim with clothes and toiletries and then, for the international flights at least, I would have my purse with my tablet and other do-dads and gew-gaws that we'd want close at hand for the flight and Jess would have her laptop bag with her necessities. While we are still planning of having those bags, my mother created a list of items we had to bring over to our relatives in Ireland, including several pounds of coffee and bottles of maple syrup, neither of which can get through on a carry-on. This was not realized by my mother until she spoke with us and we brought it up, so a new plan was devised. We went to Goodwill and purchased a rather ugly, but largeish, bag. This bag will be loaded with all the gifts for the relatives and sent in as a checked bag. While I'm sobbing at the thought of paying for a checked bag at all, it will only be a one time cost for for the flight into Ireland. When we arrive we will present the gifts to the appropriate relative and once the bag is empty it will be left behind before we travel onward to France. It's a roundabout plan, but it checks out.

    As of right now, everything except our electronics and the gifts have been packed up, tight and secure in our happy little backpacks! Everything is feeling realer and realer as we get closer to the 'Launch Date' and all the loose ends are tied up. That's a bit Columbo to say, but it's true. Planes are booked, and the bags are packed! That's not to say everything is handled because we've packed our bags! There's still, of course, because it's us, a number of important tings left to do. Number one is to handle our transportation across Europe, particularly across Ireland where we're gonna be traveling from one side of the country to the other with very little direction. Our relatives are all over the place and we're gonna get in a lot of mileage on buses across the country! We tried purchasing the tickets in advance, but it's us, so naturally that's been a hassle and a half and nothing worked out right but the bus thing's probably never gonna get settled completely until we get there and work it out. It's gonna be quite the adventure, I can assure you of that! In a number of hours a five year old can count to Jess and I will be sailing over the world, Europe-bound for the first time ever! The next time you hear from us, we'll be international travelers and I can't wait for it!

How To Incorrectly Plan For Travel

    It's finally happened! All our flights are officially booked! The last flight, from Paris to Portugal is finalized and official! We were waiting on this one because there was a debate on whether we wanted to travel by train or by plane, the main issue being that we'd already booked the AirBnB's with the idea that we were flying and it would be an extra day before we arrived if we took the train. The secondary issues was, as always, money. Our mother thought it would be cheaper to take the train, but as it turns out that wasn't the case and it was almost $100 cheaper per person to fly. It was also less fuss given that the train from Paris only went into Spain and we would have to catch another train to finish the trip to Portugal. After sorting out all of that, it was, naturally, still a hassle and a half to actually successfully finish the booking, but we made it happen. Once again the credit card company decided the flight was a fraudulent purchase and blocked us out three times before a call was made. While I'm of course grateful to have a credit card company that is doing a bang-up job protecting us from fraud, but after purchasing four other flights between the same countries I would say the purchase of another one is sort of characteristic at that point.

    This means we have all the air transportation taken care of and housing for Paris and Portugal set. The final step is to figure out where we're staying in Ireland. According to my mother, we're staying everywhere. Ha. She assembled a list of contacts in a notebook which she gave to us to make copies of which we promptly forgot to do until this afternoon when I scanned them and emailed the copies back to my mother. She will, apparently, begin making calls and sending emails to figure out who of our relatives can put us up and when. I, naturally, know none of these people, which means I really have no power in the matter. According to my mother all of them will be delighted to see us and put us up for a day or two, but we'll know for certain once she begins making calls and whatnot. Then we come to the matter of figuring out how we're going to get to all of these relatives places all over Ireland. Seeing as I've never been to Ireland and rarely use buses anymore (the ones down south 'are what they are' after all and walking is always cheaper) using the bus and metro system is going to be an adventure in an of itself. Such grandeur comes at a cost though and we'll have to think about that while we figure out this bouncing-around-Ireland adventure. Thus far, that part of the trip sounds like it will be the most stressful and exhausting. Exciting, of course, but my previous statement remains intact.

    On another note, we also made a purchase of two other necessary items: Money belts and a universal adapter. Money belts are supposed to be quite useful and I found an excellent deal of two for $10 and while they may be cheaper, the price is right and we might only use them once, so it works for me! Now, the universal adapter was a bit pricier. We got a $20 one that has all the adapters, two regular plugs, and two USB ports. It's not an unreasonable price, but my issues stems from the necessity of it at all. Now I could Google it, but I'm far to lazy and would rather gently complain. I just can't understand why there wasn't a universal design for plugs anyway. Was there some kind of council at any point where they asked "Hey, should we make all the designs for plugs the same all over the place?" and some guy in the back was like "What if we made them all different and forced people to spend their money on more clutter for their house and travel bags?" and the council erupted in a applause and gave him a medal or something. Probably an American ambassador. Typical. Regardless, we did purchase those items and as of today they have shipped and should be here in no time (thanks Student Prime) and the official packing process can formally begin! I do have a list started, but as we're still 2 weeks out it would just be nonsensical to start packing. I know too many people who begin the process of packing at least a month in advance and then realize they need to use approximately everything they've already packed and that's how mistakes happen. All that 'taking out to use' and 'putting back in when you're done' is just a recipe for disaster and we're already all over the place with everything else as it is so I would rather like my packing to proceed without incident if that's quite alright with everyone.

    If this seems like a cluster of nonsense, it's probably because it is. The gist of all of this suggests that most of the main stuff is set but we've still got all kinds of bizarre arrangements to handle and planning to make and neither of us actually know how to do any of that given that we've never done any of this before. Everything is a bit all over the place in terms of what's handled and what needs handling and how everything is going to end up. If there is one thing I've learned from this journey already it's that no matter how hard one tries to be organized, there's just no way to linearly plan for travel and you just have to get used to it. As far as I'm concerned we're falling into "we'll deal with it when we get there" territory and while I'm not sure how I internally feel about that I know for certain we're headed into the great unknown we like to call: adventure.