This week marks the third week in Ireland, and I am so grateful for the packed weekend we had on the West Coast. I experienced so many natural wonders, explored many cool places, and had an absolute blast with friends. Every day I grow more and more grateful for this abroad experience as I am seeing and experiencing things I have never imagined and learning so many things about myself and the world. Immersing myself in Irish culture and the beautiful landscapes across the West Coast has been an absolute adventure.
This past Friday I had the privilege of visiting the Cliffs of Moher where I was constantly in awe at how beautiful the view of the Atlantic Ocean was. I was so interested and captivated by the cliff sides I felt like I could put my house there and the view would never get old. After the cliffs and a delicious traditional Irish lunch in the countryside, we continued to Galway where my friends and I truly realized what it meant to stay in a hostel. I had looked up pictures of the rooms of the hostel before the weekend, but was taken aback when I entered the room and saw how truly small the room was. It was no problem though, despite being tight I am grateful for the experience and will never forget it.
On Saturday we woke up nice and early to catch our ferry to the Aran Islands, specifically Inishmore. This adventure was absolutely something I will never forget as I had an absolute blast with new friends exploring the island on bikes and eating delicious food all around the island. The beautiful untamed countryside was probably my favorite part as there were miles of ancient looking stone walls dividing up the landscape with wildlife everywhere. Whether it was cows, horses, barn cats, goats, sheep, every moment felt like I was fully immersed in the nature of the Aran Islands and every pedal of my bike took me to a new adventure.
The natural beauty of the island was so captivating, however there was one specific area that truly wowed me, and that was the infamous Red Bull cliff diving “wormhole.” This is a near perfectly rectangular cutout in the rocks on the shoreline with an impressive dropoff to it with a pretty decent hike to get to. However, as time was running short on the day and my friends and I had to be back for the 4:00pm Ferry, we were split on if we had time or not as people informed us it was at least a twenty minute walk from where you had to get off your bike and start the walk. Despite this, myself and another friend decided we couldn’t leave the island without seeing this natural wonder. So we planned on running the treacherous path and quickly realized we would still be close on time with running, so we made the brave decision to hop the stone wall skipping the walkway and sprint through the open fields and jagged rocks and bricklebushes. It felt quite dangerous at times, but it was definitely an adventure I will never forget and was so worth it. The wormhole was so fascinating, easily one of the coolest natural wonders I have ever seen, it was very worth the dangerous trek. Running back a similar way we came and riding my bike back through the absolutely stunning views of the coast and catching the ferry was such a fun experience that I will carry with me forever.
This amazing weekend has made me so excited for what is to come in the next couple weeks. I continue to grow more and more grateful for this experience as I am seeing so much of the world and am so happy with my adventures and the personal growth I am experiencing.
I really enjoyed the story you shared about your risky adventure to visit the Wormhole despite having limited time. Your decision to run off-trail made the post much more engaging, and it allowed me, as a reader, to feel connected to your experience. The detailed description of the tiny hostel also helped me visualize your journey and added to the sense of adventure throughout your travels in Ireland. Through this blog, you effectively highlighted the importance of adaptability and embracing adventure in order to make the most of your time abroad. Overall, the post is a great reflection of your experience, told through vivid and personal stories. I’ve really enjoyed both reading it and feeling like I’m traveling along with you. I can’t wait for the next adventure!