Luck of the Irish

So I’ve finally been released from the onerous task of writing two large academic essays per week, and I find myself here in Dublin…and what do I do? Write an essay, of course! …I think I have a problem…

Highlights: train rides? See previous train-themed France entry, I believe. And lowlights: the last three hours. Also, today was flipping expensive, but hopefully future days will be less so, as I have paid in advance for such items as transport and lodging. But still. Puuuke.

Yes. After an evil and theft-ridden taxi ride (one of two today – how is it allowed for them just not to give you back correct change? What is with this rounding up business? Also, I lost my LMH badge ☹), I left Oxford and managed to hit all of my connections (Yayyy! I am so stupid when it comes to public transportation it is not even funny.) and got to Holyhead in time to do nothing. I guess I could have explored the town a bit, but I was feeling sleepy and it was getting dark-ish and I decided that I would like to keep things in order and do all of Wales after all of Ireland. Still, from what I saw out my window, Wales is pretty amazing…as I think I’ve mentioned, I can never stay long in a flat country, so I love the way the craggy yet weathered mountains and hills slope sharply down to the sea. Also, everything is so green…and sheep-filled! Sheep are actually really weird. It was sunny out today, too, which seems to be a rarity…hopefully it will be bright out when I come back through the North, and I will take some photos. In the past, I have been turned off by grimy windowpanes, but with Constance’s hipster embracing of Lomography, I am coming to appreciate the dreamy quality of imperfect photos and so I will give it a shot (pun intended). This is fine country you have here, Owen.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Wales is in the future; currently I’m in Ireland, which I reached after an uneventful ferry ride across blue-grey water while reading Genesis. The description of the flood was somewhat creepy. My plan is to work through the Bible during these six weeks…maybe a bit ambitious (and maybe I shouldn’t have brought Bleak House and We Need To Talk About Kevin, etc.) but so far so good. It was brought to my attention that if one is going to base one’s life on a book (and the truth it contains), then maybe one should get down to reading it. I would actually highly recommend reading Genesis simply for its literary merit? Even if you’re not religious, the version I have – the Revised English Bible – is quite poetic and almost mythological. And if you are religious…well it gave me chills. I’m quite looking forward to my silly little project.

Again with the sidetrackedness (sidetraction?)…but we’ve almost arrived in Dublin. When we do, we get – or I get – propositioned by this Redbeard type in the customs line who has clearly been heavily drinking at the ferry bar. Gross. Although I can see his type existing in these parts for thousands of years. My baggage came through in one piece, and I managed to get return tickets back to the UK while still making the single bus to Dublin town centre. Hurrah! Sadly, this is where it all went to heck, as getting various tickets and withdrawing various Euros and Poundage had caused my debit card to exist in a state of depletion, while my credit card took this opportunity to take a little vacation of its own…“The pin number is invalid” (No it’s not!!!) and “The card number is unauthorized” (Um. What???). Which is an exciting change from last week’s “The post code does not correspond” (Yes it does?!?). I definitely need to get that sorted. Somehow. Meh. Still, after a tearful breakdown in front of my hotel manager (Martin), I got on the internet and got to an ATM and paid debit. Too much nitty-gritty detail…suffice it to say I am back on track (if rather poorer than before). But rich in memories. While I was sipping a steadying half-pint of Bulmers (is this sacrilegious in Dublin? I don’t know…but I did refrain from the J2O…), Martin gave me a lucky four-leaf clover charm to protect me against further chaos, and I have learned that people in unexpected situations can be genuinely good, like men in clicky shoes when your credit card is rejected, or like portly and greying gentlemen when you feel like you (or at least your bags) appear to be exploding at the seams. In Ireland, at least, “chivalry is not dead.” Or that’s what they say.

Hmm and my hotel room is lovely – it’s the only thing I have taken photos of thus far – and the shower is amazing. I would happily die Psycho-style in it. Or perhaps not. Anyway, I’m safe and sound and off to the countryside to meet Maeriad (!!!) tomorrow! Wish me luck, and I’ll hopefully get the chance to tell you about Exodus – the original, the Dublin, and the Ireland varieties.