With my Ireland trip blog complete. It’s time to wrap it up with a few thoughts. I know that Maui was the first “real” international trip I took. However, going to the US from Canada doesn’t always feel that “international”. So I’m going to identify this Ireland trip as the “first” one! If you’ve spent the time to read through the trip, I appreciate it! If not and you want to, you can find the whole trip here. Here we go!
Top 3 Highlights
Highlight #1: The Giant’s Causeway
The Giant’s Causeway was hands down my #1 highlight of the trip. The combination of the bright blue sky, red trail hike and uniqueness of the terrain makes this attraction shine. I think doing the red trail hike before arriving at the causeway gives you an amazing overview of the area. Plus it has the added affect of making you “work for it”, so that the Causeway becomes the prize. The hexagonal pillars are also truly unique and not something I’ve seen in all my travels. So while other attractions have left me slightly underwhelmed in past. The Giant’s Causeway really did deliver!
Highlight #2:Â The Aran Islands
The Aran Islands were a surprise highlight for me. When I originally booked the tour, my main goal was to see the Cliffs of Moher. Some tours only did the cliffs, while this one visited the Aran Islands and “cruise” beneath the cliffs. So at the time, seeing the cliffs from the top and bottom felt like good value. The Aran Islands were really just a “bonus”. What a bonus it was! This island has a lot to offer. From being able to explore a big shipwreck to seeing the prototypical rolling green hills and stone walls, I really enjoyed this visit.
Highlight #3: Guinness!
While this highlight culminated in the visit to the Guinness Storehouse. I think being able to have my favorite beverage from all over it’s home country is a highlight. I’m not sure if its a placebo, but it really just tastes better in Ireland! And to be able to visit the “home of Guinness” really puts an exclamation point on the trip. Learning a little about the intricacies of how it’s made, its history and even how to pour it, I really have a greater appreciation of the “black stuff”.
Favourite Meal
Thinking back, my one gripe about Irish food is that after a little while, I found it lacked variety. Near the end of the trip, I started seeking out more ethnic options like Asian cuisine because I was a little “bored”. However, I will say that the meal that stands out the most in my memory is the Guinness Stew I had at the Quay Street Kitchen. Maybe it’s because its the first proper meal I had after arriving in Ireland. But when I saw it on the menu, my heart was set on stew! And it tasted really good! My only regret is I ordered a bit too much food and near the end I was way too stuffed!
If I could change the itinerary…
I probably would have cut one of the cities out. While I enjoyed visiting all three spots. And I came to Ireland knowing that It would be a whirlwind trip. I did feel very rushed trying to enjoy everything. I also think that I essentially “lost” two days out of my week moving from one city to the other. So reducing the places I would visit and also the amount of transit between these cities. This would allow me to spend a bit more time exploring one place.
In addition, I would probably spend less time in Dublin. I think one of Ireland’s best features is its nature and countryside. So I think focusing your time on that would be better served.
Somewhat related to this, the next time I come, I will likely rent a car. For the short trip I had, it didn’t make financial sense to do so. However, to explore some of the really cool areas, having your own means of transportation gives you a lot more freedom. I think having that freedom to explore will really enhance the Irish experience!
What surprised me?
The divide between Northern Ireland and Ireland. I knew this cognitively. But It didn’t really ring true until this trip got closer and I was there. There is the “train mix up” which highlights this for me. But also small things like the change of currency. I had to remind myself that ordering food in Belfast converts differently back to Canadian than it would in Dublin. I also noticed Flags on buildings changing going from Dublin to Belfast. And to a lesser extent, I visited during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral. And while not super overt, I did pick up on some “mixed” reactions depending on who you had a conversation with.
One memorable story from this trip
In total, I ended up doing two day tours, a day at the Guinness Storehouse, and two experiences at Jameson. When on a tour, you start to get a sense of your tour mates and in some cases you strike up conversations with them.
While at lunch during our Cliffs of Moher tour, I ended up at a table with another Canadian and two ladies from Florida. We chatted a little before finishing and heading back to our bus. I didn’t think anything of it, but was a bit flabbergasted when I ended up bumping into the two ladies on the bus to the Giant’s Causeway! We got to chatting again and thought the coincidence was a cool travel story. Imagine my surprise when I ended up bumping into them again at the Jameson Distillery in Dublin! We all had pretty good laugh! Unfortunately, I was just finishing my Jameson tour, and they were starting theirs. So we didn’t get to take a photo to commemorate the experience. But three tours in three different cities over the span of about 6 days. What are the odds?!
Did I pack appropriately?
I did. This was a fairly quick trip, so I didn’t need to pack too much. I knew that Ireland weather can be somewhat unpredictable and cloudy so I did have appropriate gear for that. However, I think I lucked out pretty well because I was blessed with some amazing weather! I don’t think it started to rain until my last day in Dublin.
I think in retrospect, I probably would have brought another top because I didn’t anticipate such nice weather, and so on the days I was out and about, it was actually quite warm, and I probably sweat a bit more than I expected. So having one extra top probably helps with not having to re-wear a shirt or two.
Regrets?
I regret not spending more time in Galway. Or more specifically doing more trips based out of Galway. I think there’s a lot of interesting things in the area surrounding Galway and I don’t think my visit did it justice. On top of this, Galway is right on the coast, and the seafood is supposed to be very good. I only got to try this one evening, and I think given the opportunity I would have stayed a little longer to try out different dishes. From Galway, there’s also the opportunity to go South to visit even more Irish attractions. Even though this trip is already time limited. I think similar to the itinerary change, spending more time in the west and south of Ireland would probably have been just as fulfilling.
Advice for people considering similar trips/destinations?
I have a few disconnected thoughts and advice:
- Ireland is NOT cheap. I found the food AND accommodations to be quite pricey. Especially Dublin, I struggled to find a spot in my price range. Especially, as a Canadian with a weaker dollar to their Euro. So my first bit of advice is to make sure you budget appropriately when embarking to Ireland.
- Get out of the cities. While there is cool history and great pubs and atmosphere IN the cities. I think the true beauty of Ireland lies away from them. The coast line is unique and beautiful. You have the lush green “screensaver” type fields. You also have the alien like landscape of the Burren. And that’s just what I experienced!
- Transportation can be slightly confusing.
- There are multiple bus companies that can take you from the airport, to various places across the country. They’re all individually branded, but I did notice that they sometimes share the same staff. So they could be wearing one company’s uniform, but be taking tickets for another.
- Dublin has two major train stations. So depending on where you are going, you may need to make sure you’re at the right station. They are not super close together. So if you’re transiting from one to the other, you should allow for enough time to get across the city.
- Trains between Belfast and Dublin are operated by different companies depending on where you depart from. I learned this the hard way, when I couldn’t print my Dublin purchased tickets in Belfast. So you’ll need to pay attention to who you bought the ticket with, and ensure you have them with you before embarking on your trip
Final thoughts?
Ireland is the second (first) international trip I’ve taken this year. And the first solo trip I’ve taken in a while. Ireland is a beautiful country with a rich history and beautiful landscapes. I also found that the Irish people are warm, friendly and hospitable! I didn’t have any negative encounters on this trip. While Ireland is known for its natural beauty, I think its cultural influence is also something that I have grown to appreciate. Yes, they are the purveyors of some of my favorite adult beverages.
But the idea of “Irish Craic” (just having a good time), pub culture, traditional music. These are all things that are present in lots of places I’ve been to in the world. I can honestly remember passing an Irish pub or two in some of the more obscure destinations I’ve been fortunate enough to visit. So being able to experience it at the “source” is a pretty special thing in my opinion. So while this may not have been the most “epic” of trips, I do think that it will have a lasting impression on me. Every time I pass by an Irish pub now, I’m going to think back to my time in Ireland. And it’s more than likely I may just pop in for a pint or two!
With the world returning to normal, I had this trip booked a fair bit in advance. I’ve found that “having something to look forward to” has been really good for my mental health. It gives you something to work towards and get excited about. With all the “stuff” going on in the world, I realize that travelling is a luxury and one I am very grateful to have the means, health and ability to do. So every time I do these wrap ups, I’m continually reminded of how blessed I am and simply come away happy and grateful! Until Next Time!