I was completely wiped out after this past weekend, but it was definitely the best one yet! Early Friday morning, we loaded up the bus and set off for Galway, with a stop at the Cliffs of Mohre along the way. The weather was gorgeous, and the cliffs were breathtaking. After a long drive, it felt amazing to finally stretch our legs and walk along the edge of such an iconic landscape. We hopped back on the bus and made a quick picture stop at The Burren, where my friends and I took some great pictures among the rocks.
When we finally arrived in Galway, my friends and I headed straight to the Claddagh ring store. I have been wearing a Claddagh ring everyday, which I got when I visited Ireland in 2016, so it felt meaningful to buy a new one during this trip. Although it is bittersweet to retire the ring I’ve worn for nearly a decade, I absolutely love my new one. That night, we grabbed dinner and explored the Galway pub scene a bit before returning to the hostel. I can’t say I loved hostel life, but I feel definitely feels like a rite of passage when you’re in your 20s traveling around Europe.
The next day, we took a ferry to the Aran Island Inishmore where we biked around the island. There were a ton of animals along the bike ride and I was absolutely obsessed with them. I kept making Rayna, Emilia, Kiki, and Lucie get off the bikes so I could say hello to the animals. I saw horses, sheep, cows, donkeys, llamas, and even seals. Once again, when we got back to Galway, we wrapped up the day with dinner and another pub stop.
We began the long venture back to Dublin early Sunday morning. Our first pit stop was easily my favorite part of the entire weekend: I got to feed and pet sheep! They were so soft and sweet- I didn’t want to leave them. We spend a few hours at Kylemore Abbey, a beautiful, secluded estate in the mountains. They were promoting chocolate made by the nuns, but I did not think it was worth the hype. It tasted like average chocolate in my opinion. After a Killary Fjord boat tour, we were finally back on the road to Dublin.
When arriving in Dublin around 8 p.m., I stopped at Centra to grab something to eat for dinner. I had every intention of showering, cooking dinner, and getting some work done- but instead, I passed out fully dressed and didn’t wake up until 2 a.m. At that point, I figured I may as well shower, eat, and finish up my assignments. I finally got back to bed at 5:30 a.m. and woke up for class at 8 a.m. Safe to say, it was an exhausting but unforgettable weekend.
So glad you finally got to see your sheep! I know it’s been something you have been looking forward to for a while.