I was a walking zombie. The night shift on the day before drained me physically, emotionally and mentally. I lost count of how many times the idea of quiting my job in UK crossed my mind...Working in a UK hospital made me miss Malaysia so much...I actually miss working in my old hospital!
Worse, I dared not to sleep. I had a nightmare about missing my flight because I could not find the airport terminal. The dream was so vivid and it stuck in my mind long after I woke up.
Checked the flight information every half an hour because delay was expected. Cooked lunch and packed dinner. Thankfully, the bus to the airport was functioning. On Saturday, during the heavy snowfall, the bus service was paralyzed. The airport was swarming with people who rushed to go home for Christmas. My flight was delayed 1.5 hour. Dozed off in the plane almost immediately.
Reached Cologne at 10pm, 1 hour ahead of UK time. Struggled with German language while buying train S13 ticket (€2.40) to Köln Hbf via the ticket machine...luckily a German gentleman helped me out. Later I learnt that there is option of different language at the ticketing machine...
The Station Hostel for Backpackers gave a very simple instruction to follow. The moment I exited the hauptbahnhof (central station), I was awestruck by the majestic view of Kölner Dom. I have seen quite a few cathedrals in UK but nothing compared to this gigantic cathedral. When Lonely Planet described it as Mt Everest of cathedrals, they were dead serious...So far, it is the only cathedral that made me say OMG at first sight. It is that impressive...especially the night view!
The hostel is quite pleasant. Though slightlly on the pricy side, it is very near the train station. It has free internet but on the down side, heavy concentration of cigarette smoke saturated the air in the common room so I can only blog for half hour before passed out.
Time to sleep...
Thursday 23 December 2010
Friday 10 December 2010
Ireland last day: Sat 4/12/10: Dublin
The breakfast in Ashfield House is yummy. Especially the yoghurt with peaches and the orange juice. Nina, the Russian lady that I met in Killarney earlier was also staying in the same hostel and we met again in the dining hall. During breakfast, I met Rie, a japanese girl who studies English in Cork. After a hearty breakfast, Rie and I explored the city together. It was fun to have a new friend to walk with especially after travelling solo for 7 days.
First we went to Trinity College to see the famous Book of Kell but it was closed due to the snow. Disappointed, we walked to the National Art Gallery instead. The streets were laden with ice and very slippery. There were many times we almost slipped but thankfully never fell down. The Art Gallery has quite good collection and Rie was glad it is free admission. According to her, the art galleries in Japan always require admission fees. The renowned Merrion Square (where famous writes used to live) was carpeted with snow but we managed to find the monument of Sir Oscar Wilde. We did not bother to visit St Stephen's Green because of the snow and walked towards St Patrick's Cathedral. The ancient Cathedral has a lovely park. First built in 1192, it houses relics like the Boyle Monuments, Huguenot Bell, and The Door of Reconciliation.
A visit to Guinness Storehouse is definitely a must. Rie and I were most excited about going there. The most impressive design is the central atrium which has the shape of a pint glass that stands over 32 metre high and can hold 14.3 million of Guinness! The seven floor visitor experience is fun and informative. It covers the ingredients, cooperage, transport, brewing, tasting laboratory, advertising, the story of the building and history of Guinness, Drink IQ, how to pour a perfect pint, Source Bar and Gravity Bar. At the topmost Gravity Bar, one can enjoy the 360 degrees view of Dublin. Unfortunately the view was all hazy due to the snow. One can redeem a free pint of Guinness either at the Source Bar or Gravity Bar. I do not actually like beer and I made a fool of myself by asking the waitress whether I could choose the sweeter version. She laughed and said Guinness is never sweet :( I have drank whiskey and vodka before so I thought surely Guinness would have no effect on me. Due to the time restraint, I gulped down the whole pint in less than 30minutes. Boy, I felt light headed when I stood up to go. A slight floating sensation but I was still very alert. And no one could ever tell whether I was drunk either since the snow on the street so thick, that most people could not walk straight anyway :p
After Guinness, we walked to Dublinia and Christchurch Cathedral. These part of town is the Viking part of Dublin. The Dublinia is a museum that details the origins, culture and lifestyles of the Vikings. The topmost of the museum covers the archeological findings. There is an archway that connects the museum to the Christchurch Cathedral but one has to buy combined ticket to go there. It is about euro 11 for adult combined ticket. This Viking Dublin's cathedral was first built on 1030. Strongbow, the leader of the Cambro-Normans that captured Dublin in 1170 was buried in the cathedral in 1176.
By the time we exited the Cathedral, it was dark outside. It was time to walk back to the hostel to pick up my rucksack. Fortunately, the Dublin bus 16a that goes to the airport is only 1 block away. After shopped for Guinness fudge in a nearby shop, I boarded the bus. It took about 30-40minutes to reach the airport terminal but it is significantly cheaper (euro 2.20) than the airport coach (euro6). Thank God the flight back to London Gatwick was on time and in fact touched down 30minutes earlier than the schedule. I managed to catch a metrobus and reached home one hour earlier that I expected. Gosh, I was really very tired...
Next, I have to plan for my upcoming trip to Cologne during Christmas!!!
A visit to Guinness Storehouse is definitely a must. Rie and I were most excited about going there. The most impressive design is the central atrium which has the shape of a pint glass that stands over 32 metre high and can hold 14.3 million of Guinness! The seven floor visitor experience is fun and informative. It covers the ingredients, cooperage, transport, brewing, tasting laboratory, advertising, the story of the building and history of Guinness, Drink IQ, how to pour a perfect pint, Source Bar and Gravity Bar. At the topmost Gravity Bar, one can enjoy the 360 degrees view of Dublin. Unfortunately the view was all hazy due to the snow. One can redeem a free pint of Guinness either at the Source Bar or Gravity Bar. I do not actually like beer and I made a fool of myself by asking the waitress whether I could choose the sweeter version. She laughed and said Guinness is never sweet :( I have drank whiskey and vodka before so I thought surely Guinness would have no effect on me. Due to the time restraint, I gulped down the whole pint in less than 30minutes. Boy, I felt light headed when I stood up to go. A slight floating sensation but I was still very alert. And no one could ever tell whether I was drunk either since the snow on the street so thick, that most people could not walk straight anyway :p
The trademark harp of Guinness
Trinity College, houses Book of Kell in the library
After Guinness, we walked to Dublinia and Christchurch Cathedral. These part of town is the Viking part of Dublin. The Dublinia is a museum that details the origins, culture and lifestyles of the Vikings. The topmost of the museum covers the archeological findings. There is an archway that connects the museum to the Christchurch Cathedral but one has to buy combined ticket to go there. It is about euro 11 for adult combined ticket. This Viking Dublin's cathedral was first built on 1030. Strongbow, the leader of the Cambro-Normans that captured Dublin in 1170 was buried in the cathedral in 1176.
By the time we exited the Cathedral, it was dark outside. It was time to walk back to the hostel to pick up my rucksack. Fortunately, the Dublin bus 16a that goes to the airport is only 1 block away. After shopped for Guinness fudge in a nearby shop, I boarded the bus. It took about 30-40minutes to reach the airport terminal but it is significantly cheaper (euro 2.20) than the airport coach (euro6). Thank God the flight back to London Gatwick was on time and in fact touched down 30minutes earlier than the schedule. I managed to catch a metrobus and reached home one hour earlier that I expected. Gosh, I was really very tired...
Next, I have to plan for my upcoming trip to Cologne during Christmas!!!
Ireland 7th day: Fri 3/12/10 Glendalough, Dublin
The first thought that crossed my mind when I was awake was "Thank God I am alive on my birthday"
It is a great day. Glendalough(Valley of the two lakes) is truly very beautiful. The air is fresh and the tranquil atmosphere is so peaceful. The snow around the hostel was more than 10 inch thick. I was having difficulty trying to walk in the snow since I do not have proper snow boots. Fortunately the road leading to Lower Lake and Upper Lake was passable. There was no one else but me though were some animals like rams, birds and sheeps.
St Kevin first came here in 498 AD. Later, a monastic site was set up around the Lower Lake. The round tower was built in the 10th century. Other than the tower, there is St Kevin's church, Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul with a 10th century nave and Priest's house. It is almost next to impossible to tell what and where the other buildings are. The thick snow made it difficult to explore the place.
I was ready to leave by 10am and met Marshall, a Dutch guy who needed a hike to Bray outside the hostel. He actually walked from Bray to Glendalough on the day before and that was really a herculean task. We went to Wicklow's gap but the snowfall was getting heavier and I reversed back to Larach. I drove past Annamoe and Roundwood before reaching Enniskerry to visit the Powerscourt Estate. I dropped him off there as he wanted to go to Bray. To my disappointment, the famous garden in the Powerscourt was covered with snow and it was too thick for walking. So I just spent some time in the exhibition hall. Due to the weather, I skipped Powerscourt waterfall, the highest waterfall in Britain and Ireland :(
From the Powercourt House, I turned right to go to the motorway to Dublin. The GPS taught me an unsafe road again... The road was uphill and covered with moderate thick snow. I made a mistake of stopping the car in the middle of the climb to ask for direction. The car was not able to climb further and slid down by itself causing the tires to get caught in the snow. A kind passerby called up a tow truck to help to pull the car uphill. But the Irishman who came to help is very experience and instead of towing, he just maneuvered my car off the snow and reversed it so that I could use the town way to Dublin...He did not even charge me a cent!
Drove towards the airport to return the car. Because I opted the non toll way, I ended up passing through the Dublin city. Since I was several hours ahead of time, I detoured to the National Botanic Garden in Glasnevin. The glass houses are still open to public and I quite enjoyed the tropical glass house especially when it was dry and freezing outside. Felt good to be in the warm and humid air again. After the visit to the botanic garden, I got lost enroute to the airport but managed to find my way at the end after driving a big circle.
After returned the car, I took a bus to Dublin city center. After checked in into Ashfield House, I walked to Gallagher's Boxty House in Temple Bar to have a wholesome 3 course Irish meal, to celebrate my birthday :D. The Guinness bread and Guinness raspberry cheese cake were superb! The Traditional Irish stew was really making my stomach burst. After a full meal, I walked around Temple Bar and the riverside. It is quite sad to see beggars on the bridge as the weather was really very cold. After shopped for Irish whiskey fudges, I walked back to the hostel to rest. Met two french guys in the dorm, Tristan and Elie who were getting ready for a night out. Slept early....
It is a great day. Glendalough(Valley of the two lakes) is truly very beautiful. The air is fresh and the tranquil atmosphere is so peaceful. The snow around the hostel was more than 10 inch thick. I was having difficulty trying to walk in the snow since I do not have proper snow boots. Fortunately the road leading to Lower Lake and Upper Lake was passable. There was no one else but me though were some animals like rams, birds and sheeps.
St Kevin first came here in 498 AD. Later, a monastic site was set up around the Lower Lake. The round tower was built in the 10th century. Other than the tower, there is St Kevin's church, Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul with a 10th century nave and Priest's house. It is almost next to impossible to tell what and where the other buildings are. The thick snow made it difficult to explore the place.
Lower Lake, Glendalough
Glendalough Monastic Site, Round Tower at the background
From the Powercourt House, I turned right to go to the motorway to Dublin. The GPS taught me an unsafe road again... The road was uphill and covered with moderate thick snow. I made a mistake of stopping the car in the middle of the climb to ask for direction. The car was not able to climb further and slid down by itself causing the tires to get caught in the snow. A kind passerby called up a tow truck to help to pull the car uphill. But the Irishman who came to help is very experience and instead of towing, he just maneuvered my car off the snow and reversed it so that I could use the town way to Dublin...He did not even charge me a cent!
Drove towards the airport to return the car. Because I opted the non toll way, I ended up passing through the Dublin city. Since I was several hours ahead of time, I detoured to the National Botanic Garden in Glasnevin. The glass houses are still open to public and I quite enjoyed the tropical glass house especially when it was dry and freezing outside. Felt good to be in the warm and humid air again. After the visit to the botanic garden, I got lost enroute to the airport but managed to find my way at the end after driving a big circle.
After returned the car, I took a bus to Dublin city center. After checked in into Ashfield House, I walked to Gallagher's Boxty House in Temple Bar to have a wholesome 3 course Irish meal, to celebrate my birthday :D. The Guinness bread and Guinness raspberry cheese cake were superb! The Traditional Irish stew was really making my stomach burst. After a full meal, I walked around Temple Bar and the riverside. It is quite sad to see beggars on the bridge as the weather was really very cold. After shopped for Irish whiskey fudges, I walked back to the hostel to rest. Met two french guys in the dorm, Tristan and Elie who were getting ready for a night out. Slept early....
Thursday 9 December 2010
Ireland 6th day: Thu 2/12/10 Gap of Dunloe, Ring of Kerry, Skellig Ring, Killarney National Park
The day started well and full of optimism. My spirit was high because I was going to the Gap of Dunloe. This is one of the place that I really wanted to visit by foot but due to lack of time, I decide to drive to the Gap. Driving through the gap can be dangerous. The winding path is narrow and at some parts were covered with snow. There is a small parking area near the famous Kate Kearney cottage and most people start their hike from there or hire a jaunting car. But during winter, it is deserted and probably the best time to explore the gap without any disturbances. The spectacular view of Macgillycuddy's Reeks (Ireland's highest mountain range) and Purple mountain along the gap lives up to my expectation. The gap is also the place where I had my most painful fall. Distracted by the amazing view while trying to snap photographs, I slipped for the 2nd time and fell on my left hip. Tried to break the fall with my left hand but it did not help at all and the bruise set in fast. Had I been an old lady, I would have had a hip and Colles fracture. I must have created quite a loud scene because the mountain lamb was looking at me giving me a "meh, suck it up" or "are u okay ?" kind of look depending on how you want to interpret it.. He he he. There is no way to exit the gap via another way, one has to U-turn and goes back the same way. I made a mistake and got stuck at a dead end. Worse, my car tyre got stucked in the slush ice. A kind Irishman happened to be nearby and he helped me to reverse my car. I guessed he had no choice because I was really blocking his exit. Phew!!!
From the gap, I drove to Killorglin, Glenbeigh, Caherciveen then to quaint fishing village of Portmagee. These places are part of the Ring of Kerry. The sceneries along the small towns at the coastal line of Iveragh Peninsula are worth the long drive. One can even go to the Valentia Island by ferry. From Portmagee, I drove along the narrow Skellig Ring. Other towns along the ring are Waterville, Caherdaniel, Castlecove, Sneem. To complete the Ring, I drove to Molly's Gap and into Killarney National Park for the famous Ladies View. Since it was getting dark, I skipped Muckross House and Torc Waterfall to go to the Ross Castle. Most places were closed for the winter including the castle.
Ring of Kerry
Killarney National Park
Ladies View
After that, I did a very stupid thing. I drove from Killarney to Glendalough in county Wicklow at night. I had no inkling that Wicklow and Dublin were covered with thick snow since the west Ireland had milder winter. It was a very long drive. Even the motorway condition was poor. Lots of snow and slush at the sides and in darkness, is easy to miss an exit or crash into the divider between the exit and main motorway. I was driving mostly on motorway cutting through Mallow, Tipperary, Portlaoise, Kildare but made a mistake at final leg of the journey. I followed the GPS fastest route and it directed me to leave the motorway to enter the mountain roads that passed by the towns of Newbridge, Naas, Blessington. The towns were severely affected. I knew I was into deep shit but I could not turn back as the roads are narrow with thick snow at the sides. I was singing hymn along the way and prayed hard to God to keep me alive. It must be the longest prayer in my life. It was total pitch black and as I drove on, there were no houses nor any sign of life. It was just snow and darkness with Death lurking around the corner. I lost control of the steering at least once but miraculously did not crash. I dared not to stop and drove slowly at gear 2. I made it to Larach and turned right into Glendalough. Ironically, despite surviving the mountain roads, my car was stuck past the bridge on the way to Glendalough International Hostel. I tried hard to reverse but the tires could not grip the ice. Three angels appeared in the form of 3 Irishmen came to my rescue. They shovelled the ice away from the tires and helped me to reverse the car and park it near the Glendalough Hotel where the snow was less thick. They even dropped me off at the hostel. I cannot thank them enough. The Irish are really kind beyond words.
The lady at the hostel was surprised I actually turned up for the night. There were only 2 travellers in the hostel including me! I had the ensuite room all by myself. The hostel is very beautiful and I had a good night sleep.
Thank you God for hearing my prayer. Amen.
Ireland 5th day: Wed 1/12/10 The Burren, Cliffs of Moher (Clare), Killarney (Kerry)
Left the lodge early to catch sunrise on Paulnabrone portal tomb in the Burren. This megalithic tomb was built in the 4th millenium BC, predated the pyramids. Standing alone next to the tomb during sunrise was a pure magical experience...
Like Giant's Causeway, The Burren is a geological marvel. The carboniferous limestone was formed 320 million years ago and with time sculpted by massive glaciers to form terraced hillsides and boulders called erratics. Ancient earth movements fractured and folded the limestone and the rainwater expanded the hairline fractures to form deep cracks called grikes, separated by blocks called clints. It is also called a "karst" landscape. Turloughs (dry lakes) are shallow, temporary groundwater-fed lakes which appear and disappear in response to the fluctuation of the water table. During winter, the turloughs are frozen. Before exploring the Burren, I assumed that it is a sparse land like a dessert. To my surprise, it is a rich land that support a balanced ecosystem. Grass grows in the grikes and there are farming and cattles all around. In spring, there are wild flowers too. Unfortunately, I missed the Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb and The Caherconnel Fort was closed during winter.
Like Giant's Causeway, The Burren is a geological marvel. The carboniferous limestone was formed 320 million years ago and with time sculpted by massive glaciers to form terraced hillsides and boulders called erratics. Ancient earth movements fractured and folded the limestone and the rainwater expanded the hairline fractures to form deep cracks called grikes, separated by blocks called clints. It is also called a "karst" landscape. Turloughs (dry lakes) are shallow, temporary groundwater-fed lakes which appear and disappear in response to the fluctuation of the water table. During winter, the turloughs are frozen. Before exploring the Burren, I assumed that it is a sparse land like a dessert. To my surprise, it is a rich land that support a balanced ecosystem. Grass grows in the grikes and there are farming and cattles all around. In spring, there are wild flowers too. Unfortunately, I missed the Gleninsheen Wedge Tomb and The Caherconnel Fort was closed during winter.
The clint and grike create special landscape
Poll na Bron
I drove passed Kilfenora, Ennistymon, Lahinch and Liscannor before reaching the Cliff of Moher. Entrance to the famous cliff is free but I had to pay euro6 for the parking that include entrance to the Cliff of Moher Experience inside the visitor center. The cliff of 205m height has a sharp angle drop to the churning sea below. It is truly scary but yet very captivating. Due to ongoing erosion, standing on top of the cliff is not safe hence one can only view it from far. There is a folklore about a witch that was chasing after a prince and fell to her death into the sea hence the name of Hag's Head because it is shaped like a woman's head. On top of Hag's Head is a signal tower that was erected to watch for Napolean's ships in the past. The exhibition is truly informative and fun. It revolves the history in Moher including the native practice of bird catching and egg collecting along the cliff before World War II, background history of quarrying of flagstones of Moher to pave the English street, the underwater cave of Green Holes at Doolin Bay ( as oppose to Blue Holes caves in Bahamas) and geological explanation about how the cliff and the Burren landscape was formed.
After going through the exhibition inside the visitor centre, I was determined to visit The Doolin Cave. Sadly, the cave was closed during weekdays due to low season. I would love to explore the Burren National Park but is located quite out of the way and I had to skip it to visit Dingle Peninsular.
Next, I was heading for Dingle but I got so confused with GPS route that I wasted significant time. The GPS directed me to to go to Killimer. I was shocked when GPS directed me to drive into the sea. I thought the GPS has gone mad and I drove to Knock instead. At the Knock petrol station, a lady advised me to cross to county Kerry by ferry as it is the fastest way. The longer way is to go through Limerick. The prospect for driving for another 2 hours is not desirable at all and I drove fast to reach Killimer ferry pier in time to catch the 3pm ferry. It took about 20minutes to cross over to Tarbert in county Kerry. The cost is euro18 per car. It was near 3.30pm and I had to skip Dingle to go straight to Killarney as sun would be setting soon.
That day was the most unfortunate date during my Ireland trip. Reached Tralee pass 4pm. It is a very busy town with loads of cars presumably after work. The traffic congestion was really bad (bumper to bumper) and to make it worse, I met an accident near a roundabout. Maybe I was just too tired or maybe I was distracted by chocolates ( I was munching chocolate to keep myself awake) , I did not know how it happened as I rammed into the back of an Irishman car. Because of that, my pocket is bleeding. Euro 1000 was debited from my credit card and I am still in the mess of trying to claim 3rd party insurance. My Fiat Punto escaped without a scratch but the Irishman's Nissan was dented. *Sob* It is actually easier to claim had it been my car that was affected because I bought extra insurance coverage for the Fiat. Sigh....what a rotten luck! Yet, I should be thankful that I did not cause any bodily harm...It could be worse.
By the time I reach Killarney, it was pitch black. The Killarney Railway Hostel is located behind a hairdresser shop and it provides free parking. There is hot water shower but the heater is not warm enough for the winter. The continental breakfast is basic. I met Nina there, a nice Russian lady that traveled to Ireland with her library English club members. Later I met her again in Ashfield House in Dublin. What a small world!.
Wednesday 8 December 2010
Ireland 4th day: Tue 30/11/10 Cong (Mayo), Connemara(Galway)
Rise and shine! Time to explore Cong. County Mayo was one of the worst hit place during the potato famine hence many locals had migrated during that period of time. The small town of Cong is sparsely populated but has a quiet charming quality in its atmosphere...
I drove to Lough Corrib before sunrise. Most part of the lake was frozen and the stillness of the air was haunting (quite depressing). Next, I drove to see the medieval Ashford Castle, a place to stay if you want to feel like a royalty. It was first built in 1228 and do not even start asking about the price per night....Other attractions are Cong Abbey and Pigeon Hole Cave but I had to skip them to go to Galway county.
The view along the way to the Maam Bridge was stunning with snow capped Maumturk mountains and rustic bogs. From the bridge, I drove towards Maam Cross but unfortunately, I could not enjoy the view because of heavy snowfall. I reversed back to the bridge and continued my journey towards Leenane instead. Passed by the Kylemore Abbe enroute to Connemara National Park in Letterfrack. The road going up to the national park was quite slippery. When I was making a turn to park my car, I lost control and almost crash into the bushes but fortunately, the car stopped within an inch...The visitor center was closed and the lake nearby was frozen. It was near the lake that I slipped and fell on the snow for the first time! Thankfully, I was all alone. I decided to hike the Diamond Hill even though some paths were covered with snow. I am glad I did because the view from the top of Twelve Bens mountain range was gratifying.
After the park, I drove to Clifden, Cashel ,Moyrus (near Mace Head) and Spiddal. The view along the coastline kept me awake throughout the long drive and I stopped intermittently to take photographs. By the time I reached Salthill, it was near sunset. The snow on Salthill makes it look like real salt from afar. I cut through Galway City to go to Burren county. My plan was to spend a night at Ballyvaughan in county Clare but I had not book any accomodation. Little did I know that most B&B were closed. I was too tired when I arrived at Ballyvaughan so I just checked in into any available lodge. I stayed in Logue's Lodge though is expensive. The room is decent though and I slept early...
I drove to Lough Corrib before sunrise. Most part of the lake was frozen and the stillness of the air was haunting (quite depressing). Next, I drove to see the medieval Ashford Castle, a place to stay if you want to feel like a royalty. It was first built in 1228 and do not even start asking about the price per night....Other attractions are Cong Abbey and Pigeon Hole Cave but I had to skip them to go to Galway county.
The view along the way to the Maam Bridge was stunning with snow capped Maumturk mountains and rustic bogs. From the bridge, I drove towards Maam Cross but unfortunately, I could not enjoy the view because of heavy snowfall. I reversed back to the bridge and continued my journey towards Leenane instead. Passed by the Kylemore Abbe enroute to Connemara National Park in Letterfrack. The road going up to the national park was quite slippery. When I was making a turn to park my car, I lost control and almost crash into the bushes but fortunately, the car stopped within an inch...The visitor center was closed and the lake nearby was frozen. It was near the lake that I slipped and fell on the snow for the first time! Thankfully, I was all alone. I decided to hike the Diamond Hill even though some paths were covered with snow. I am glad I did because the view from the top of Twelve Bens mountain range was gratifying.
Lennane
Connemara National Park
After the park, I drove to Clifden, Cashel ,Moyrus (near Mace Head) and Spiddal. The view along the coastline kept me awake throughout the long drive and I stopped intermittently to take photographs. By the time I reached Salthill, it was near sunset. The snow on Salthill makes it look like real salt from afar. I cut through Galway City to go to Burren county. My plan was to spend a night at Ballyvaughan in county Clare but I had not book any accomodation. Little did I know that most B&B were closed. I was too tired when I arrived at Ballyvaughan so I just checked in into any available lodge. I stayed in Logue's Lodge though is expensive. The room is decent though and I slept early...
Ireland 3rd day: Mon 29/11/10 Belfast, Antrim county, Londonderry
I was particularly super excited on that day. Could not wait to see Giant's Causeway!!!
But first, I must do a small tour of Belfast tour with driving since my plan of walking around the city on the earlier day failed. Because I was worried about the morning traffic in the city, I started driving at 7am. It was the right decision because there was virtually no cars and I could park my car at the roadside without worrying about being fined by an officer.
St. Anne's Cathedral at dawn looks amazing. It is a shame I could not enter to admire its marble work which it is famous for. I could not afford to wait till 10am to enter. Too many places to see and just too little time in winter...I can only squeeze few places in 8 hours of sunlight. Next stop was Cityhall, the Queen's Square with Albert Memorial Clocktower and The Big Fish sculpture nearby. I did get a bit lost around that area but managed to maneuver back to the right route. The Queen's bridge nearby looks great in the darkness. Most bridges do look better at night.
Next, I headed for the beautiful county Antrim. It was quite a distance away but the drive was pleasant because of the view of the small villages that I passed by. The most memorable is this particular small road that looks so untouched and the snowfall was getting heavy when I drove by it. It was scary because I was all alone and the snow was quite thick but I was captivated at the same time by its sheer beauty.
But first, I must do a small tour of Belfast tour with driving since my plan of walking around the city on the earlier day failed. Because I was worried about the morning traffic in the city, I started driving at 7am. It was the right decision because there was virtually no cars and I could park my car at the roadside without worrying about being fined by an officer.
St. Anne's Cathedral at dawn looks amazing. It is a shame I could not enter to admire its marble work which it is famous for. I could not afford to wait till 10am to enter. Too many places to see and just too little time in winter...I can only squeeze few places in 8 hours of sunlight. Next stop was Cityhall, the Queen's Square with Albert Memorial Clocktower and The Big Fish sculpture nearby. I did get a bit lost around that area but managed to maneuver back to the right route. The Queen's bridge nearby looks great in the darkness. Most bridges do look better at night.
St Anne's Cathedral, love the vermillion sky
Queen's bridge
I was rushing because I wanted to see sunrise on Belfast Castle and Cave Hill. It is only 15minutes drive from the town. Stopped to ask an Irish lady for direction and she discouraged me from going up the hill due to the weather. But it is difficult to resist when from afar, I could see the attractive Cave Hill, even more imposing now that is covered with snow. This place reminded me very much of Narnia. I had to drive very slowly when going uphill because the road was all icy. It is all worth the effort. The persistence and defiance were well rewarded because from the top I could get a breathtaking view of Belfast Lough and the city. Belfast castle has a lovely garden. I had no time to enter the castle as it is only open at 9am. Instead, I hiked up the Cave Hill next to it. But, it is not easy to hike in snow and my new hiking boots were giving me problem. Although I bought 1 size bigger, the narrow front space were causing pain to my toes which later worsened till the nail colour changed to blue...which I only notice on day 4. Halfway through the hike, I gave up and left :( Not quite an achievement...
Next, I headed for the beautiful county Antrim. It was quite a distance away but the drive was pleasant because of the view of the small villages that I passed by. The most memorable is this particular small road that looks so untouched and the snowfall was getting heavy when I drove by it. It was scary because I was all alone and the snow was quite thick but I was captivated at the same time by its sheer beauty.
Unforgettable, with heavy snowfall
The scenery gets better when I was approaching Ballintoy. The ooh-aah views are all along the Antrim coastal road. The seaview from Ballintoy Harbour was quite stunning but the wind was ferocious. The worker in Belfast hostel told me that the famous Carrick-a-rede bridge would be closed in winter but I thought of driving there anyway just to check out the view surrounding it. I am glad I was persistent because the bridge is open!!! Upon arrival, I saw the Paddywagon van just arrived before me. There were few other tourists too. For over 350 years, fishermen have strung a rope bridge 30m above the sea to access best places to catch the migrating salmon. Now such bridge became a famous tourist attraction. The dark coastline creates a dramatic visual effect and as I walked towards the bridge, I could see Stackaboy (a rock in the Larrybane Bay) and Sheep Island. The staircase that leads too the bridge is quite steep and I was quite out of breath after climbing it on the way back to the ticketing counter. The feeling while crossing the bridge was exhilarating. I was worried my hat got blown away. The wind was particularly forceful at the bridge and I was blown sideway during the crossing.
Next, I drove to Giant's Causeway and parked the car at the tourist centre for a fee of GBP6. One can park faraway for free and walk to the site or park at the Bushmill railway station and pay slightly cheaper parking fee but I was lazy and hard pressed for time. Giant's Causeway is a phenomenal result of force of nature. These closely packed and stacked hexagonal stone columns appeared man-made like legos but they were actually formed 60 million years ago when the molten basaltic lavas flowed onto the chalk bed and later the process of contraction, solidification and erosion took place to create such wonderful rock formation. There is even a folk lore based on it, a cute story of Irish giant Finn MacCool and the Scottish giant Benandonner and in fact the sites along the causeway are named after the giant like Port Ganny, the Boots, the Organ, the Harp etc. The Staffa Island in Scotland has the same rock formation too hence the folklore that involves a Scottish giant in the story. The causeway is also one of the filming location of Your Highness, a new upcoming movie starring Natalie Portman. A lot of tourists gravitate to the causeway hence is not easy to get a good picture and the best time for photography is during sunset. A nice Croatian man helped me to take photo of myself and the causeway :) The first photo in Ireland that has my face in it! Past the causeway is a hike up a hill where one can see the Organ up close. Not many tourists go this way and there is also risk of rocks falls and landslide due to ongoing process of erosion. The National Trust closed the lower cliff path in 1994 for that reason. BUT I could not resist so I climbed the hill to see the Organ up close and walked further to see the marvelous view from Amphitheater. By this time my feet were screaming BUT I saw the 162 steps that leads to the Shepherd's Path and I could not stand not knowing what is at the top...My legs were protesting in vain but my overcurious mind told them to shut up. The stairs are quite steep and it is indeed a Shepherd's Path because there were loads of sheep on the top! Alas, it was time to leave. Walked back 1.6km to the tourist center. There are shuttle buses every 15min from the center to the causeway but one has to pay for it. Even the walking guide pamphlet is not free. After the hefty parking fee, I refuse to pay for anything else here.
Giant's Causeway
View from Amphitheatre
It was time to drive to Londonderry. I skipped Bally and Dunluce Castle. I am not really a big fan of castle and I have seen loads of castles in Scotland and UK. Furthermore, I had to drive to Cong in Mayo county after Londonderry. By the time I reach Londonderry, it was near sunset...
Londonderry is an interesting town. It is a town with 2 names : Derry/ Londonderry. The defining histories of this town include the 1688 Siege by King James II where the Protestants stood their ground and refused to surrender to the Catholic force, the Battle at the Bogside in 1969 between the local youths and Royal Ulster Constabulary and Bloody Sunday event that took place on Rossville street in 1972. I drove to Rossville street first to see the Bogside murals and the walked up a small hill to see the outer wall of the city wall before driving in to see The Diamond. In the past, the Bogside was populated by mainly Catholics and the residents declared that area as Free Derry to keep army forces out. Today, the signboard saying Free Derry still exist and one can admire the well drawn People's Gallery (11 murals) nearby. Derry's walled city is one of the earliest example of town planning and is the most well preserved walled city in Ireland. Completed in 1619, the walled city underwent series of changes and repair. There were 3 new gates added and the 4 original gates were rebuilt. In the middle of the walled city is the Diamond. Unfortunately, I could not stay for long as I was still long way from Cong.
People's Gallery at The Bogside
Londonderry view from hilltop
Driving to Cong at night was a mistake. It is situated in a remote place. To make things worse, I booked the hostel online and the email I received stated a wrong address and wrong telephone number. The wrong address led me to Ballina where I met a kind Irish woman who told me I got it all wrong. I had to drive further on to Cong. Driving at night was challenging because the GPS could not recognize the new roads and the darkness did not help to see the signboards. By the time I arrived in Cong, it was already 9pm. I had to stop outside a pub to ask about further direction to Cong Hostel because my GPS could not find it. And the nightmare did not end there. My petrol was running low too. By the time I arrived at the hostel, it appeared to be closed. I tried banging the door and calling the number stated on the door but to no avail. At the moment I almost gave up, an Irish couple who man the hostel turned up. They were out for supper and just returned. What a sigh of relief! Cong Hostel is a bit on the pricey side. The reason why I chose it is because it is very near Connemara and has free parking. The room is very nice with double bed and en suite bathroom with hot shower but there is no heater and no breakfast included. Thank God I have thermal socks. It was freezing cold and I slept late that night...
Tuesday 7 December 2010
Ireland 2nd day: Sun 28/11/2010 Drogheda, Tara Hill, Monasterboice, Belfast
Woke up early to explore Drogheda in county Louth. River Boyne runs acoss the town and there are at least 7 to 8 bridges here. The newest bridge is a pedesterian bridge that is built next to Scotch Hall shopping centre. Drogheda has a long history. It is where Oliver Cromwell's Irish massacre took place in 1649. It is a charming town with a mixture of historical sites and modern buildings. The Green Door hostel is situated less than 5 minutes walk to the town center. I walked pass the Highlands Gallery to reach St Laurence's gate. It is dated back to 13th century and is the only remains of what was once a walled city. The bell of St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church chimed to remind the citizens of the Sunday morning mass. It was first built in 1791 but later new building was added. It houses the head of St Oliver Plunkett who was unjustly punished for treason by English law. Other attraction in Drogheda include the Millmount museum and tower. I had no time though as I had to drive to Hill of Tara.
As I walked back to the hostel, I was shocked to see my car was covered with snow. It was my first time trying to thaw a car. I was not sure what to do but I just blast the heater and direct the heat to windscreen. Took about 5-10minutes to thaw and I used brochure to scrape the snow off the windscreen to hasten the process. I wanted to be on Hill of Tara to see sunrise...
With GPS coordinates, I drove passed the towns of Slane and Navan. There are some changes to the roads but with coordinates, the GPS was able to improvise. As I approached the Hill of Tara (Teamhair na Ri), I must admit that I was very disappointed. I was really looking forward for green lush hills as I always seen online but God shows me other kind of beauty...The view on hilltop was amazing. The raw beauty of nature cannot be more palpable or dramatic than in winter. The visitor centre on Tara Hill is closed during winter but one can still enter the hill for free. There is an Irishman with his son playing snow gliding on the hill. Hill of Tara is a very special place. It was the ceremonial capital for 142 Irish high kings before the arrival of Christianity in 6th century. It has Stone Age passage tomb and prehistoric burial mound that dates back to 5000 years ago. It rivals the Stonehenge in UK. The snow was very thick. I was thankful that I was wearing waterproof hill hiking boots. It does offer some protection. Walking in the snow is not easy. All the romantic notion about Winter Sonata disappeared right away. And it is difficult to make out the landscape when the hill is snow clad. I could see the Banquet Hall but I could hardly see the rectangle shape site. Found the Mount of Hostages, a small Stone Age passage tomb that dates back to 1800 B.C and in the 3rd century was used as prison by King Cormac MacArt. Nearby is the Royal Seat and Cormac's House. Atop Cormac's House is the Stone of Destiny and one can have a great view of Boyne and Blackwater valleys here. The Stone of Destiny is said to be an inauguration stone of the high kings and if it let out three roars when the would-be king stood on it, he would be crowned. There are many sheeps on the hill grazing on the snow covered grass. I wondered how does the sheeps stomach it...cold icy grass...The feeling of being all alone on a mountain is very peaceful and satisfying.
Next, I drove to Bruna na Boinne to visit Newgrange. To my utmost dismay, it is closed due to the snowy weather!!! Newgrange has the finest Stone Age passage tomb and it predates the pyramids in Egypt as it exists from 3200 BC. Sadly, I could only see it from far...
Due to time factor, I had to skip the Hill of Slane and drove straight to Monasterboice to see the famous celtic high crosses. It is located in a quite remote place but is very near Bruna na Boinne. I had to pay toll of euro1.80 though when I followed the gps fastest route. Having a gps coordinates made the journey easier. The atmosphere in Monasterboice is very unique. I was the only human being there, probably the first visitor of the day because I did not see any tyre markings on the road or carpark. Monasterboice was founded by St Buite in 520 A.D. Later, it was taken over by the Vikings who were eventually slaughtered and driven out by Donal, an Irish high king of Tara. The round tower is visible from far and was built after 968 A.D but damaged by fire in 1098 A.D. Near the entrance is the Muirdach's Cross (900-923 A.D) which stands 5.5metre high with biblical scenes being sculptured on its western and eastern faces. It is one of the most photographed crosses in the world, frequently seen on the covers of bibles or christian books. The Western Cross is near the tower and has carvings too. I enjoyed the peaceful quietness of this old monastery. It is like suddenly time stood still for a moment. The high crosses did appear very weathered and with time, the carvings may no longer visible...
I skipped Mellifont Abbey which is most likely closed in winter anyway. Drove 1.5 hour to Belfast. It was a smooth journey since I used the M1 motorway. No toll to pay this time. Arrived in Belfast at 230pm. Checked in into Belfast International Youth Hostel which really looks like a 5 stars hostel. It has a spacious lobby and free parking at the back which is exactly why I chose this hostel. Maybe it is winter but I only paid GBP9.50 for a night stay in 4 bedded female dorm. No breakfast though. The room and the toilet are clean and the heater kept me warm during the night. After freshen up, I went out to explore the town. Maybe I should take the black taxi tour but I wanted to explore the infamous Belfast murals on my own. I was just being plain ignorant, I did not know then that walking on ice with snowfall is treacherous. Almost slipped on the ice while walking on the sidewalk. I walked along Donegal road till I reached the roundabout and then turned into Broadway. Then I reached the Falls road which is famous for its murals. By the time I reach the junction to turn into Northumberland street to go to Shankill road to see more murals, the sky has darken and the snow started falling. So I skipped Shankill road and walk towards the city centre instead. The snowfalls was significantly heavy by the time I reached Divis Street. I wanted to explore the harbour to see the Big Fish and Titanic shipyard but I was distracted by Tesco. Shopped for food instead. Unfortunately, I met a man inside Tesco that creep me out . Initially I thought he was just being friendly like any other Irish people but that was something not right about his gaze. My internal alarm was beeping away so I steered away from him. But by the time I finished paying at the counter, he was waiting outside the door for me. That really scare the hell out of me. Because of that, I cancelled my initial plan to explore the harbour and walked back to the hostel instead. I made a detour to make sure I was not followed. Belfast suppose to be one of the safest town in Lonely Planet listing but somehow I just do not feel safe at all. I was prowling the streets of Dublin at night without feeling any ounze of fear but the Tesco experience left a bad taste in my tongue.
My bag was very heavy with food supply and by the time I reached the hostel I crashed onto the sofa in the lobby to rest. Ate Tesco pasta for dinner and slept after a hot shower...And I felt warm that night :)
As I walked back to the hostel, I was shocked to see my car was covered with snow. It was my first time trying to thaw a car. I was not sure what to do but I just blast the heater and direct the heat to windscreen. Took about 5-10minutes to thaw and I used brochure to scrape the snow off the windscreen to hasten the process. I wanted to be on Hill of Tara to see sunrise...
With GPS coordinates, I drove passed the towns of Slane and Navan. There are some changes to the roads but with coordinates, the GPS was able to improvise. As I approached the Hill of Tara (Teamhair na Ri), I must admit that I was very disappointed. I was really looking forward for green lush hills as I always seen online but God shows me other kind of beauty...The view on hilltop was amazing. The raw beauty of nature cannot be more palpable or dramatic than in winter. The visitor centre on Tara Hill is closed during winter but one can still enter the hill for free. There is an Irishman with his son playing snow gliding on the hill. Hill of Tara is a very special place. It was the ceremonial capital for 142 Irish high kings before the arrival of Christianity in 6th century. It has Stone Age passage tomb and prehistoric burial mound that dates back to 5000 years ago. It rivals the Stonehenge in UK. The snow was very thick. I was thankful that I was wearing waterproof hill hiking boots. It does offer some protection. Walking in the snow is not easy. All the romantic notion about Winter Sonata disappeared right away. And it is difficult to make out the landscape when the hill is snow clad. I could see the Banquet Hall but I could hardly see the rectangle shape site. Found the Mount of Hostages, a small Stone Age passage tomb that dates back to 1800 B.C and in the 3rd century was used as prison by King Cormac MacArt. Nearby is the Royal Seat and Cormac's House. Atop Cormac's House is the Stone of Destiny and one can have a great view of Boyne and Blackwater valleys here. The Stone of Destiny is said to be an inauguration stone of the high kings and if it let out three roars when the would-be king stood on it, he would be crowned. There are many sheeps on the hill grazing on the snow covered grass. I wondered how does the sheeps stomach it...cold icy grass...The feeling of being all alone on a mountain is very peaceful and satisfying.
Next, I drove to Bruna na Boinne to visit Newgrange. To my utmost dismay, it is closed due to the snowy weather!!! Newgrange has the finest Stone Age passage tomb and it predates the pyramids in Egypt as it exists from 3200 BC. Sadly, I could only see it from far...
Due to time factor, I had to skip the Hill of Slane and drove straight to Monasterboice to see the famous celtic high crosses. It is located in a quite remote place but is very near Bruna na Boinne. I had to pay toll of euro1.80 though when I followed the gps fastest route. Having a gps coordinates made the journey easier. The atmosphere in Monasterboice is very unique. I was the only human being there, probably the first visitor of the day because I did not see any tyre markings on the road or carpark. Monasterboice was founded by St Buite in 520 A.D. Later, it was taken over by the Vikings who were eventually slaughtered and driven out by Donal, an Irish high king of Tara. The round tower is visible from far and was built after 968 A.D but damaged by fire in 1098 A.D. Near the entrance is the Muirdach's Cross (900-923 A.D) which stands 5.5metre high with biblical scenes being sculptured on its western and eastern faces. It is one of the most photographed crosses in the world, frequently seen on the covers of bibles or christian books. The Western Cross is near the tower and has carvings too. I enjoyed the peaceful quietness of this old monastery. It is like suddenly time stood still for a moment. The high crosses did appear very weathered and with time, the carvings may no longer visible...
I skipped Mellifont Abbey which is most likely closed in winter anyway. Drove 1.5 hour to Belfast. It was a smooth journey since I used the M1 motorway. No toll to pay this time. Arrived in Belfast at 230pm. Checked in into Belfast International Youth Hostel which really looks like a 5 stars hostel. It has a spacious lobby and free parking at the back which is exactly why I chose this hostel. Maybe it is winter but I only paid GBP9.50 for a night stay in 4 bedded female dorm. No breakfast though. The room and the toilet are clean and the heater kept me warm during the night. After freshen up, I went out to explore the town. Maybe I should take the black taxi tour but I wanted to explore the infamous Belfast murals on my own. I was just being plain ignorant, I did not know then that walking on ice with snowfall is treacherous. Almost slipped on the ice while walking on the sidewalk. I walked along Donegal road till I reached the roundabout and then turned into Broadway. Then I reached the Falls road which is famous for its murals. By the time I reach the junction to turn into Northumberland street to go to Shankill road to see more murals, the sky has darken and the snow started falling. So I skipped Shankill road and walk towards the city centre instead. The snowfalls was significantly heavy by the time I reached Divis Street. I wanted to explore the harbour to see the Big Fish and Titanic shipyard but I was distracted by Tesco. Shopped for food instead. Unfortunately, I met a man inside Tesco that creep me out . Initially I thought he was just being friendly like any other Irish people but that was something not right about his gaze. My internal alarm was beeping away so I steered away from him. But by the time I finished paying at the counter, he was waiting outside the door for me. That really scare the hell out of me. Because of that, I cancelled my initial plan to explore the harbour and walked back to the hostel instead. I made a detour to make sure I was not followed. Belfast suppose to be one of the safest town in Lonely Planet listing but somehow I just do not feel safe at all. I was prowling the streets of Dublin at night without feeling any ounze of fear but the Tesco experience left a bad taste in my tongue.
My bag was very heavy with food supply and by the time I reached the hostel I crashed onto the sofa in the lobby to rest. Ate Tesco pasta for dinner and slept after a hot shower...And I felt warm that night :)
Murals on Falls Road near the Beechmount Drive
Murals on Falls Road near the junction to Northumberland Street
Sunday 5 December 2010
Ireland 1st day: Sat 27/11/10 Ireland became Narnialand!
It was a mad day to begin with. Slept at 4am and rose at 8am. Need to catch a bus to airport at 11am. Prepared breakfast and lunch in a gusto. Made fried rice with egg. And I was waiting for a parcel that contains the much needed waterproof hiking boots that luckily arrived at 10am. I had to rush to the hospital to print out my hostel bookings. Really last minute...
I was still in the silly notion that Ireland is not snowing and I would have to prepare for rainy weather during hill hiking. I even bought a raincoat online...Rain is the least worry! The Regatta shoes proven to be really waterproof, well padded and has decent grip but too stiff (due to leather) and too snug for my feet after wearing a pair of socks. I did not feel it when I tried it on but after started walking around for days, the pain became significant that I was practically limping on the last day of my trip. The colour of my left 3rd toe actually turned blue and the nail is dying due to the impingement caused by tight front of the shoes. I actually thought I had frostbite but the fact I could still feel and move the toe is a big relief. Is too late for any return as I have worn the shoes across Ireland. I have to find a cobbler to expand the shoes as I do not want to give up on it yet. Surprisingly, as I googled the internet, there are quite a number of solution to stretch shoes.
I have done loads of reading on lonely planet, checked the sunrise and sunset timing but for the love of God, I forgot to check the weather!!! How stupid of me! Had I know it is snowing ....I would have just take the Paddywagon tour and cancel/forfeit all deposits made with car and hostel booking. Driving on snow clad roads are truly a nightmarish experience which I was to find out soon enough...
Reached Gatwick airport South terminal on time. Like many other passengers, I was stucked in the airport due to delayed flight. There was 4 inch snow in the Dublin airport and the airport staffs were trying to thaw the ice. My flight which was initially scheduled at 130pm was postponed to 430pm then to 630pm and later to 720pm. I had to call up the car booking agency repeatedly to inform about the delay and change the collection time. I had to call up the hostel in Drogheda as not all hostels allow check in beyond 10pm without notice. The long wait was not such a pain after all because I met Tina, a very nice Canadian girl. We were in the same flight. She is a very positive girl who was trying to cheer me up by saying that the snowing in Dublin is probably just for 1 day. How I wish that is true. The Queen of Narnia is back and she is meant to stay for a couple of months. The 4 inch snow on that day was just a beginning...
Coming from a country which has worse winter, Tina reassured me that 4 inch snow is really nothing to worry about. She advised me on how to drive on snow which came handy in later days. What is interesting is, though Canada has colder winter, the days has longer sunlight just like Texas and air is more crisp and fresh. Seriously, that changes things. I hate the fact that sky becomes dark by 4pm in winter. Is just too depressing with prolonged darkness. I met a very kind Irish couple who gave me their contact number just in case I need any form of help. The Irish are very friendly and kind people. They have really BIG heart :)
The long wait became quite emotional at the end. A couple of passengers began to voice their dissatisfaction. The delayed flight changed things. For the nice Piers couple, they missed attending a funeral, for one of the girl, she had to fly back the next morning which really means she had only 8 hours in Dublin and for me, my initial plan to visit the shopping centres in Drogheda vanished into thin air. What became the last straw that broke the camel's back was when another flight to Dublin that was scheduled at 630pm was allowed to take off in time way before us, the much delayed 130pm flight. The crowd flew into high rage at this unspeakable stupid move of Ryanair. There is no Ryanair office in Gatwick hence no spokeperson to complaint to. Alas, at 720pm we managed to board the plane and arrived at 840pm.
Upon arrival at Dublin, I ran like mad woman to get my car because the collection time was 8pm. Reached the counter at 9pm. I paid for the full tank of petrol at euro60 and paid euro 88.83 for 6 days rental (included euro15 for booking fee!!!) My rented car is a new car...way beyond my expectation. It is a Fiat punto with manual transmission. Now, I have not driven manual car for some time since the last time I driven a manual rented car was in Kota Kinabalu early this year. Driving an european car is slightly challenging. I got confused with the fact that the lighting switch is on the left and the wiper switch is on the right. The petrol cap does not have a lever to open it, just use hand and use the key to unlock. There is heater and fog lamp. I had to fumble around to find the cigarette lighter point to plug in my GPS. And I had no idea that a reverse gear has an extra lever to press when using it. On the first night driving, I did struggle as I was not used to the GPS but thank God, I had the good sense to book a nearby hostel in Drogheda that is only 20-30minutes drive from Dublin airport. To go to Drogheda, exit south Drogheda at M1 motorway to avoid the tollbooth between Julianstown and Drogheda North.
Reached Drogheda fairly easy but I could not find the hostel! Drogheda is quite a big town with 2 Tescos and few shopping centres and many bridges. The problem with GPS is without the exact address or coordinates, is impossible to find a place without getting a bit lost. I circled around the town and landed at the railway station before calling the hostel and thank God again, found the place. There is no parking provided and I was supposed to park at the railway station which is 5min walk away. But the staff in Green Door Hostel was very kind. He allowed me to park just outside the hostel, helped to reverse the car (and taught me about the reverse gear) and even explained about the facilities in the hostel thoroughly. Unfortunately, the heater was off and it was freezing cold. Skipped bath (to my delight :p) and had warm chocolate before sleep. In the kitchen, met an Irish man who is really friendly. He works as a child entertainer and is involved with charity organization and plan to go India. Due to low season, I had the whole room for myself. I am the only girl in the whole hostel but somehow I felt safe. Later in the night, another Irish guy came in. He works in Drogheda but stranded because of the weather, unable to cycle back to Slane. First time in my life, a guy kissed my hand at introduction. I thought that kind of gesture only practiced by the French or during Victorian time in the movies. He is a friendly chap and we chatted a bit. It was a long day and I was totally wasted. Buried myself under the quilt to create an igloo effect and armed with my thick woolen socks, I fell into a deep slumber...
I was still in the silly notion that Ireland is not snowing and I would have to prepare for rainy weather during hill hiking. I even bought a raincoat online...Rain is the least worry! The Regatta shoes proven to be really waterproof, well padded and has decent grip but too stiff (due to leather) and too snug for my feet after wearing a pair of socks. I did not feel it when I tried it on but after started walking around for days, the pain became significant that I was practically limping on the last day of my trip. The colour of my left 3rd toe actually turned blue and the nail is dying due to the impingement caused by tight front of the shoes. I actually thought I had frostbite but the fact I could still feel and move the toe is a big relief. Is too late for any return as I have worn the shoes across Ireland. I have to find a cobbler to expand the shoes as I do not want to give up on it yet. Surprisingly, as I googled the internet, there are quite a number of solution to stretch shoes.
I have done loads of reading on lonely planet, checked the sunrise and sunset timing but for the love of God, I forgot to check the weather!!! How stupid of me! Had I know it is snowing ....I would have just take the Paddywagon tour and cancel/forfeit all deposits made with car and hostel booking. Driving on snow clad roads are truly a nightmarish experience which I was to find out soon enough...
Reached Gatwick airport South terminal on time. Like many other passengers, I was stucked in the airport due to delayed flight. There was 4 inch snow in the Dublin airport and the airport staffs were trying to thaw the ice. My flight which was initially scheduled at 130pm was postponed to 430pm then to 630pm and later to 720pm. I had to call up the car booking agency repeatedly to inform about the delay and change the collection time. I had to call up the hostel in Drogheda as not all hostels allow check in beyond 10pm without notice. The long wait was not such a pain after all because I met Tina, a very nice Canadian girl. We were in the same flight. She is a very positive girl who was trying to cheer me up by saying that the snowing in Dublin is probably just for 1 day. How I wish that is true. The Queen of Narnia is back and she is meant to stay for a couple of months. The 4 inch snow on that day was just a beginning...
Coming from a country which has worse winter, Tina reassured me that 4 inch snow is really nothing to worry about. She advised me on how to drive on snow which came handy in later days. What is interesting is, though Canada has colder winter, the days has longer sunlight just like Texas and air is more crisp and fresh. Seriously, that changes things. I hate the fact that sky becomes dark by 4pm in winter. Is just too depressing with prolonged darkness. I met a very kind Irish couple who gave me their contact number just in case I need any form of help. The Irish are very friendly and kind people. They have really BIG heart :)
The long wait became quite emotional at the end. A couple of passengers began to voice their dissatisfaction. The delayed flight changed things. For the nice Piers couple, they missed attending a funeral, for one of the girl, she had to fly back the next morning which really means she had only 8 hours in Dublin and for me, my initial plan to visit the shopping centres in Drogheda vanished into thin air. What became the last straw that broke the camel's back was when another flight to Dublin that was scheduled at 630pm was allowed to take off in time way before us, the much delayed 130pm flight. The crowd flew into high rage at this unspeakable stupid move of Ryanair. There is no Ryanair office in Gatwick hence no spokeperson to complaint to. Alas, at 720pm we managed to board the plane and arrived at 840pm.
Upon arrival at Dublin, I ran like mad woman to get my car because the collection time was 8pm. Reached the counter at 9pm. I paid for the full tank of petrol at euro60 and paid euro 88.83 for 6 days rental (included euro15 for booking fee!!!) My rented car is a new car...way beyond my expectation. It is a Fiat punto with manual transmission. Now, I have not driven manual car for some time since the last time I driven a manual rented car was in Kota Kinabalu early this year. Driving an european car is slightly challenging. I got confused with the fact that the lighting switch is on the left and the wiper switch is on the right. The petrol cap does not have a lever to open it, just use hand and use the key to unlock. There is heater and fog lamp. I had to fumble around to find the cigarette lighter point to plug in my GPS. And I had no idea that a reverse gear has an extra lever to press when using it. On the first night driving, I did struggle as I was not used to the GPS but thank God, I had the good sense to book a nearby hostel in Drogheda that is only 20-30minutes drive from Dublin airport. To go to Drogheda, exit south Drogheda at M1 motorway to avoid the tollbooth between Julianstown and Drogheda North.
Reached Drogheda fairly easy but I could not find the hostel! Drogheda is quite a big town with 2 Tescos and few shopping centres and many bridges. The problem with GPS is without the exact address or coordinates, is impossible to find a place without getting a bit lost. I circled around the town and landed at the railway station before calling the hostel and thank God again, found the place. There is no parking provided and I was supposed to park at the railway station which is 5min walk away. But the staff in Green Door Hostel was very kind. He allowed me to park just outside the hostel, helped to reverse the car (and taught me about the reverse gear) and even explained about the facilities in the hostel thoroughly. Unfortunately, the heater was off and it was freezing cold. Skipped bath (to my delight :p) and had warm chocolate before sleep. In the kitchen, met an Irish man who is really friendly. He works as a child entertainer and is involved with charity organization and plan to go India. Due to low season, I had the whole room for myself. I am the only girl in the whole hostel but somehow I felt safe. Later in the night, another Irish guy came in. He works in Drogheda but stranded because of the weather, unable to cycle back to Slane. First time in my life, a guy kissed my hand at introduction. I thought that kind of gesture only practiced by the French or during Victorian time in the movies. He is a friendly chap and we chatted a bit. It was a long day and I was totally wasted. Buried myself under the quilt to create an igloo effect and armed with my thick woolen socks, I fell into a deep slumber...
Ireland 27/11-4/12/2010: My first driving tour in Europe
Ireland will remain in my memory for a very long time. My tour in Ireland had been very eventful laden with many unfortunate events and I am very thankful to God I am still alive! Ireland is a very beautiful country but during winter, it takes a lot of physical and mental strength to be able to enjoy its beauty. One of the nurse said I am crazy to drive around Ireland. Now I know why.
Initially, I was contemplating to join a 6 days Paddywagon tour which would be much easier in winter, free of worries and cost lesser than to rent a car. BUT the travel itinerary does not include Newgrange and Hill of Tara in Meath county, Gap of Dunloe in Killarney and Glendalough in Wicklow county. After travelling in Scotland , I realized buses are infrequent during winter months. Hence, I decided to rent a car and drive on my own which is a mistake for someone who has never driven a european car nor driven on winter roads before. I have never learnt how to defrost a car! I even struggled on how to open the gas cap and frequently getting confused with light indicator on the left with windscreen wiper on the right (opposite in Malaysia). The european car is just made quite different from Malaysian car.
I planned an ambitious trip driving around Ireland for 8 days which is really a crazy thing to do in winter but I did not realize it until when I was actually doing it and by then, there was no turning back. Starting from Dublin airport, I drove north to Drogheda in Louth county, the Meath county, Belfast, Antrim county, Londonderry, Cong in Mayo county, Connemara in Galway county, Galway city, The Burren, Ring of Kerry, Killarney and Gap of Dunloe, Glendalough in Wicklow and back to Dublin. For my friends who may want to drive around Ireland in summer, here are some tips:
1) Get a good GPS with updated maps. I drove around with an old GPS and the roads in Ireland are constantly changing even at the smaller cities. Ireland loves roundabouts with loads of new roundabout to confuse a new driver. I had to circle around the new roundabout at least twice to get the bearing of the old route shown in my old gps. You can imagine the "fun"/ "stress" I had. My GPS also does not stick well on the windscreen which I suspect related to cold temperature and slightly moist screen in winter. I had to put it down near the gearbox or hold it with my hand while driving which had caused many "near accidents". I had an accident in Tralee very near the roundabout when I looked down at the GPS :(
2) Get an accurate GPS coordinates of places of interest. Most tourism website in Ireland gives the coordinates but I did not realize the importance until it is too late. This was my first time using a GPS and I was ignorant about its function. It took me a day to get used to it and because it is an old GPS, it does not have list of POI (places of interest) which I assumed it would have. I was using a Tom Tom and am not sure whether Garmin would have performed better. I manage to get few GPS coordinates for Hill of Tara, Newgrange and Monasterboice, and it did help to make the journey smoother.
3) Renting a car: There is a grace period of 1 hour to the time of collection and returning the car. There is also extra charge for after hour collection which you need to check as it differs with each company. So, if your flight is delayed like mine, you do need to call up the agency to hold the car and update the collection time and your flight number or else you would be forfeited the deposit for NO show up and the car would be released to other customer. ALWAYS read the small print of the terms and condition. Print it out and bring along with you. Many HIDDEN charges. Some company requires you to pay for full tank of petrol and return empty tank OR return with full tank and get a refund. There is extra surcharge for collection of car in the airport and Dublin city. Some company even charge one way trip surcharge if you collect and return the car to a different place. For that reason, I collected and returned the car to the airport and took a bus from the airport to the city to escape from paying the extra charge. There is also extra insurance coverage that is called super CDW etc (different company, different names) that helps to reduce payment to zero or GBP100 in the event of excessive damage. But what I forgot to foresee or even ask the company is in the event that I wrecked someone's car, who will cover for that damage???. This happened to me in Tralee as I bumped into an Irish man's car. The normal CDW included in the car rental does not cover the damage on victim's car and the car rental company charged my card euro1000 as front payment . It gave me mini heart attack and I had to contact Nova to enquire about whether the extra insurance that I bought at GBP40 helps to cover the damage cost. Surprisingly, my Fiat Punto is undamaged. This Italian car is tough but the Nissan car of the victim was not so lucky...
4) Petrol: price changes every day. A full tank of economy car cost about euro55. Needless to say, smaller city has cheaper petrol but the station may not be open during winter. I was stupid enough to pump petrol near the airport before returning the car full tank. The price of petrol near the airport is ridiculously much higher than the city. Try to get receipt to claim VAT. The VAT here is about 21%, VERY high. The unfortunate thing is when I tried to claim VAT in the airport, all counters are closed and no one knows where to get the VAT reclaim forms. I am not sure but I think you need to use credit card to purchase petrol in order to claim VAT because one of the information required in the form is your credit card number, flight number, address and passport number.
5) Driving on the left. No problem for me...
6) Driving in winter. Do not attempt if possible. Is very slippery and can easily loose control. If it ever happens, grab the steering wheel tightly and pray hard. I was told not to slam the brake, just pump the brake repeatedly and slowly. But when panic sets in, it is difficult to remain calm. Try not to drive in thick snow area. Once the tyres get burried in the snow, you are stucked! A bit of slush is fine. And if going uphill, DO NOT ever stop, once stopped is difficult to get a good grip and get the car running. It happened to me in Eniskerry and my car just went backward instead of forward. A kind passerby called up a towtruck to get me out of the snow. The back tyres of my car were stucked in the snow. The Irish man who came to help is a very experienced driver. Instead of towing, he maneuvered the car and managed to get it out of the ice and even managed to back the car and moved it downhill so that I could reroute through the town to M50 motorway to Dublin. I was told to drive uphill in gear 3 and downhill with gear 2 but I was driving mostly in gear 2 on the mountain roads. When turning a corner, be VERY extra careful. I lost control once and almost ran into bushes but somehow miraculously, managed to stop the car an inch away..
I had to learn how to defrost the car on spot. I did not expect Ireland to snow this early this year hence had not be Google-ing online to prepare myself for driving in winter.
Do not trust your GPS in winter, use your common sense and gut feeling. The GPS always try to give the fastest route but it does not know about the safest route because it does not know about the snow condition. Once, GPS tried a murderous attempt on me by teaching me to go through the mountainous road from Newsbridge, through Blessington to go to Glendalough in the night! I realized I made a mistake half way through the journey but I had no choice except to move forward since the roads are narrow and icy and is impossible to make a reverse or u turn. The snow at the side of the road was more than 10 " thick. The GPS also taught me an uphill road to M50 from Powercourt House in Eniskerry that caused my car tyres to get stuck in the snow...Instinct told me that it was a bad road but I followed the GPS instead of my good sense and that was not wise at all.
7) Extra cost to consider:
Parking: If park on the city street, there is hassle about finding a carpark and at some city like Galway, finding a spot is very stressful and parking can be very expensive.
For that reason, I only stay in hostel that provides free parking and walked around the city .
Places of interest: In Giant causeway in Antrim, you get charged GBP6 for the carpark and in Cliff of Moher euro 6 for the carpark. National Botanic Garden in Dublin charges Euro2 for the carpark.
Toll: Yes, the motorways are not free. Equip yourself with the information about the toll rates at www.nra.ie. Some are fairly easy to pay, the fees ranges euro 1.80-2.00 and some motorways has a toll booth where you can pay cash. But at M50 near Dublin, there is no booth and only electronic booth available whereby your car would be captured by the camera. One has to pay the toll online at www.eflow.ie before 8pm the next day to avoid fine for late payment.
Ferry: I had a shock of my life when the GPS directed me to drive into the sea when I was driving from Burren to Dingle. The fastest way is to drive to Killimer and get a ferry to cross the sea to Tarbert. It is also the fastest way to travel to Kerry county. Or you can choose to drive a longer distance to Limerick then to Killarney. In winter, time is precious. The cost of the ferry is about euro18 and it takes 20minutes to go across. The only problem is the schedule...it departs every hour and once you miss it, you have to wait for the next ferry in an hour time. But driving to Limerick will take extra time and the fuel burnt probably will cost euro 18 anyway. So make sure you plan your journey well to avoid missing the ferry.
Initially, I was contemplating to join a 6 days Paddywagon tour which would be much easier in winter, free of worries and cost lesser than to rent a car. BUT the travel itinerary does not include Newgrange and Hill of Tara in Meath county, Gap of Dunloe in Killarney and Glendalough in Wicklow county. After travelling in Scotland , I realized buses are infrequent during winter months. Hence, I decided to rent a car and drive on my own which is a mistake for someone who has never driven a european car nor driven on winter roads before. I have never learnt how to defrost a car! I even struggled on how to open the gas cap and frequently getting confused with light indicator on the left with windscreen wiper on the right (opposite in Malaysia). The european car is just made quite different from Malaysian car.
I planned an ambitious trip driving around Ireland for 8 days which is really a crazy thing to do in winter but I did not realize it until when I was actually doing it and by then, there was no turning back. Starting from Dublin airport, I drove north to Drogheda in Louth county, the Meath county, Belfast, Antrim county, Londonderry, Cong in Mayo county, Connemara in Galway county, Galway city, The Burren, Ring of Kerry, Killarney and Gap of Dunloe, Glendalough in Wicklow and back to Dublin. For my friends who may want to drive around Ireland in summer, here are some tips:
1) Get a good GPS with updated maps. I drove around with an old GPS and the roads in Ireland are constantly changing even at the smaller cities. Ireland loves roundabouts with loads of new roundabout to confuse a new driver. I had to circle around the new roundabout at least twice to get the bearing of the old route shown in my old gps. You can imagine the "fun"/ "stress" I had. My GPS also does not stick well on the windscreen which I suspect related to cold temperature and slightly moist screen in winter. I had to put it down near the gearbox or hold it with my hand while driving which had caused many "near accidents". I had an accident in Tralee very near the roundabout when I looked down at the GPS :(
2) Get an accurate GPS coordinates of places of interest. Most tourism website in Ireland gives the coordinates but I did not realize the importance until it is too late. This was my first time using a GPS and I was ignorant about its function. It took me a day to get used to it and because it is an old GPS, it does not have list of POI (places of interest) which I assumed it would have. I was using a Tom Tom and am not sure whether Garmin would have performed better. I manage to get few GPS coordinates for Hill of Tara, Newgrange and Monasterboice, and it did help to make the journey smoother.
3) Renting a car: There is a grace period of 1 hour to the time of collection and returning the car. There is also extra charge for after hour collection which you need to check as it differs with each company. So, if your flight is delayed like mine, you do need to call up the agency to hold the car and update the collection time and your flight number or else you would be forfeited the deposit for NO show up and the car would be released to other customer. ALWAYS read the small print of the terms and condition. Print it out and bring along with you. Many HIDDEN charges. Some company requires you to pay for full tank of petrol and return empty tank OR return with full tank and get a refund. There is extra surcharge for collection of car in the airport and Dublin city. Some company even charge one way trip surcharge if you collect and return the car to a different place. For that reason, I collected and returned the car to the airport and took a bus from the airport to the city to escape from paying the extra charge. There is also extra insurance coverage that is called super CDW etc (different company, different names) that helps to reduce payment to zero or GBP100 in the event of excessive damage. But what I forgot to foresee or even ask the company is in the event that I wrecked someone's car, who will cover for that damage???. This happened to me in Tralee as I bumped into an Irish man's car. The normal CDW included in the car rental does not cover the damage on victim's car and the car rental company charged my card euro1000 as front payment . It gave me mini heart attack and I had to contact Nova to enquire about whether the extra insurance that I bought at GBP40 helps to cover the damage cost. Surprisingly, my Fiat Punto is undamaged. This Italian car is tough but the Nissan car of the victim was not so lucky...
4) Petrol: price changes every day. A full tank of economy car cost about euro55. Needless to say, smaller city has cheaper petrol but the station may not be open during winter. I was stupid enough to pump petrol near the airport before returning the car full tank. The price of petrol near the airport is ridiculously much higher than the city. Try to get receipt to claim VAT. The VAT here is about 21%, VERY high. The unfortunate thing is when I tried to claim VAT in the airport, all counters are closed and no one knows where to get the VAT reclaim forms. I am not sure but I think you need to use credit card to purchase petrol in order to claim VAT because one of the information required in the form is your credit card number, flight number, address and passport number.
5) Driving on the left. No problem for me...
6) Driving in winter. Do not attempt if possible. Is very slippery and can easily loose control. If it ever happens, grab the steering wheel tightly and pray hard. I was told not to slam the brake, just pump the brake repeatedly and slowly. But when panic sets in, it is difficult to remain calm. Try not to drive in thick snow area. Once the tyres get burried in the snow, you are stucked! A bit of slush is fine. And if going uphill, DO NOT ever stop, once stopped is difficult to get a good grip and get the car running. It happened to me in Eniskerry and my car just went backward instead of forward. A kind passerby called up a towtruck to get me out of the snow. The back tyres of my car were stucked in the snow. The Irish man who came to help is a very experienced driver. Instead of towing, he maneuvered the car and managed to get it out of the ice and even managed to back the car and moved it downhill so that I could reroute through the town to M50 motorway to Dublin. I was told to drive uphill in gear 3 and downhill with gear 2 but I was driving mostly in gear 2 on the mountain roads. When turning a corner, be VERY extra careful. I lost control once and almost ran into bushes but somehow miraculously, managed to stop the car an inch away..
I had to learn how to defrost the car on spot. I did not expect Ireland to snow this early this year hence had not be Google-ing online to prepare myself for driving in winter.
Do not trust your GPS in winter, use your common sense and gut feeling. The GPS always try to give the fastest route but it does not know about the safest route because it does not know about the snow condition. Once, GPS tried a murderous attempt on me by teaching me to go through the mountainous road from Newsbridge, through Blessington to go to Glendalough in the night! I realized I made a mistake half way through the journey but I had no choice except to move forward since the roads are narrow and icy and is impossible to make a reverse or u turn. The snow at the side of the road was more than 10 " thick. The GPS also taught me an uphill road to M50 from Powercourt House in Eniskerry that caused my car tyres to get stuck in the snow...Instinct told me that it was a bad road but I followed the GPS instead of my good sense and that was not wise at all.
7) Extra cost to consider:
Parking: If park on the city street, there is hassle about finding a carpark and at some city like Galway, finding a spot is very stressful and parking can be very expensive.
For that reason, I only stay in hostel that provides free parking and walked around the city .
Places of interest: In Giant causeway in Antrim, you get charged GBP6 for the carpark and in Cliff of Moher euro 6 for the carpark. National Botanic Garden in Dublin charges Euro2 for the carpark.
Toll: Yes, the motorways are not free. Equip yourself with the information about the toll rates at www.nra.ie. Some are fairly easy to pay, the fees ranges euro 1.80-2.00 and some motorways has a toll booth where you can pay cash. But at M50 near Dublin, there is no booth and only electronic booth available whereby your car would be captured by the camera. One has to pay the toll online at www.eflow.ie before 8pm the next day to avoid fine for late payment.
Ferry: I had a shock of my life when the GPS directed me to drive into the sea when I was driving from Burren to Dingle. The fastest way is to drive to Killimer and get a ferry to cross the sea to Tarbert. It is also the fastest way to travel to Kerry county. Or you can choose to drive a longer distance to Limerick then to Killarney. In winter, time is precious. The cost of the ferry is about euro18 and it takes 20minutes to go across. The only problem is the schedule...it departs every hour and once you miss it, you have to wait for the next ferry in an hour time. But driving to Limerick will take extra time and the fuel burnt probably will cost euro 18 anyway. So make sure you plan your journey well to avoid missing the ferry.
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