see the colours of another sky.

you are all so incredibly patient.

i got back from ireland earlier last week.

i spent six days between dublin and belfast. i took a train from london euston station to wales, a ferry across the irish sea to dublin and finally a train to belfast. that was a whole day of travel. it was ridiculously cheap to do it this way...but you sort of lose a day. depends how you look at it. when i purchased my ticket the sales person told me it would be a long day. i told him this will be an adventure in of itself.

i was in belfast for two and half days and then in dublin for another two and half days. flew home from dublin.

while in belfast i took a train to carrickfergus. turns out i've got a bit of irish in me. there's a great, great, great, great, great grandfather of mine on my mom's side that emigrated from this town to albany, new york with his nine children in 1775. there's a castle in carrickfergus and you know i'm always up for a castle.

traveling is an interesting thing. when you're alone, you call the shots. there's no one else to consider or accommodate. i woke up early each morning and was out the door by eight am. i walked everywhere. i walked six plus miles a day. i've noticed more tone in my legs now. ha. i came back to my hotel room after seven in the evening exhausted each night, yet completely satisfied with the amount of sites i saw. i slept very well. the hotel room in dublin was such a blessing. the bed was ridiculously comfortable. never have i slept in such a comfortable bed before. i wish i had a euro for every, 'oh, this bed' i moaned over the course of those two nights. the hotel was more money, but worth it. i cranked the heat every night. i watched television in bed. i drank beer in bed. it doesn't take much to make me happy.

the downside of traveling solo is there's no one to share the experience with. i am very much aware of this.

the irish accent was an adjustment. it was stronger in some people than others. every person i encountered was warm and friendly. dublin is expensive. more touristy. it's a bigger city than belfast. more sights to see. however, i preferred belfast, even though i felt more safe in dublin. when and if i go back, maybe i'll take half pint and tour more of the rural parts. i know there's a lot more to see and experience in ireland and northern ireland than just dublin and belfast.

i backpacked this trip. i packed too many socks. lesson learned. i liked having less and the idea that everything i owned was strapped on my back. backpacks are liberating.

so, what's next you ask? paris in march. i'm going with the american.