Week three in Ireland was tiring and busy but despite all of the long days, there isn’t a single thing which I regret doing. After a short work week, the group was off to the west coast of Ireland for a two night stay in Galway. Waking up on Friday for the 7:30 am bus was a rough way to start off the weekend but like the week before, a 20 minute stop at the Barack Obama Plaza revitalized me with energy for the day. Arriving at the Cliffs of Moher made the 3 and a half hour bus ride worth it. The sights off of the cliffs were nothing like I’ve ever seen before. The sheer height at which we were standing above the Atlantic Ocean sent an exciting chill down my spine. After a quick stop for lunch and views at the Burren, we arrived in the beautiful town of Galway. Although much smaller than Dublin, Galway showed pretty sights at every turn as rivers and streams cut through the city. Since we were near the beaches and it was the warmest day yet, we took a visit to the BlackRock beach and diving board. It was a beautiful sight and even though the water was cold, Max, Tennyson, Nick and I all got in to swim.
The next day was yet another long day which started with an early wakeup. I had no set expectations for the day as I was not sure what the Aran Island of Inishmore had in store for me. After a ferry ride and bike rental, we were set off to explore the island and all that it had to offer. I was in awe for most of the day as I was stunned by the beautiful views and stone ruins which we rode by. Hiking up a hill to the ruined fortress was a great choice as we were again hundreds of feet above the water on the edge of a cliff but this time with no barrier to hold us back. After advice from some locals at “the wormhole” we were told not to jump into it as it was challenging to get out of, the tide was strong, and it was dangerous. With very little thought and consideration of the advice we got, Max and I decided to do it anyway and it was an experience I’m glad I chose to do. The water was cold, the current was strong, and it was crazy hard to get out of but when was I ever going to have the chance to do it again. After getting back from the Island and back to Galway, a large portion of the group met up and went out for the night together. The nightlife in Galway was more fun than I was expecting and we ended up having a great time out together visiting different pubs and listening to music.
With one more early morning, long day and drive home I was defeated by exhaustion and went directly to bed. This week and weekend trip was the best experience I have had yet in Ireland and I’m not sure if it can get better for the rest of the trip.
Love the pictures Brad. The wormhole was such a good experience! Thanks for helping me find the way out, or I might not have made it!