Ireland, the end of UK, and Paris
Just quickly for my own sake, since these French keyboards are hard to type on:
Oct 17th: Giant's Causeway
Oct 18th: Belfast. For somre reason, at this point, I started getting a bit bummed. I'm not sure whether I was hitting a stage where I was tired with travel generally and needed a break, or whether I could blame my feelings on the fact that the previous events (being stood up and therefore missing out on my tour in perfect weather, losing a day and having to reschedule the tour for another day that was terrible weather which destroyed my umbrella) were making me miserable. Over the next few days, instead of getting out and doing things and being active, I was hermitty.
Oct 19th: Travelled to Dublin today, met up with Peter, a good Irish friend I met last year.
Oct 20th: Chill out day, did some sewing and some research. It was nice. Peter and I went out for dinner at an Indian place, and met his house mates, who regaled me with tales of trying to get a shoe-boat-lamp through airport security. This started to lift my spirits out of the dumps.
Oct 21st: I decided to stay in Dublin one more day so I could catch up with Seamus, an Irish friend of mine that I got to know last year, who had just come back from a week in New York. Peter, Seamus and I went out for dinner and I had steak, and talked about things. Good times.
Oct 22nd: Transit! Woke up ridiculously early to catch the train then taxi to the ferry port. Caught the ferry from Dublin to Rosslare in Wales!!! A shuttle bus transferred us to the train station where I caught the train through Wales, traveling North to South through Wales countryside and towns.
So. Many. Sheep.
Changed trains at Newport and arrived in Bristol at night. Temple Meads train station is really pretty.
Oct 23rd: Walked around Bristol. Went down to the river, saw the S.S. Great Britain then the smaller ship, Matthew of Bristol, where I ran into the previous Mayor of Bristol, which was pretty cool! Then up toward the Clifton suspension bridge, very pretty!
Oct 24th: Went for a walk in Bristol to where Banksy first started out, saw a few street art pieces, then took the bus to Bath. Very pretty buildings there!
Oct 25th: Toured the Roman Baths in Bath, took a walking tour of the city, then took the train to Salisbury, then saw Stonehenge! There was a rainbow! Then took the bus to London.
Oct 26th: Saw the London Bridge... no wonder there are songs about it falling down :P Left London!
Oct 27th: Arrived in Paris! Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph, can't spell the rest...
Oct 28th: Internet research and learn how to use the Iphone day :P
Oct 29th: Visited Versailles with a new friend, followed by pictures at Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower at night, and Moulin Rouge.
Oct 30th: Today I fly to Switzerland!