The Luck of the Irish

Me enjoying a pint of Guinness at the Guinness Brewery in Dublin 

So a few years ago one of my friends was living in Ireland for a while so I decided to Rail Sail up from Cardiff to Holyhead and across Irish Sea to Dublin. It was a really relaxing way to travel and I highly recommend it, I am all about the journey being as much as part of the adventure as the destination. I really didn't know what to expect, would it be just like the the UK mainland or would it had a very clear identity of it's own. I feel it's a mix of both, you do feel like your somewhere else but with all the comforts of home and there is something delightful about that.

Dublin at night

Dublin is such a creative and vibrant city and a wonderful place to walk around. We took one of those open top buses which was a great introduction to the city, over the next few days we visited a few art galleries, markets and the Trinity College Library to see the famous Book of Kells which was really inspiring. Of course a trip to Dublin would not be complete without a tour of the Guinness Brewery.

Living Temple Bar in the centre of Dublin

We decided to take a train across the country to Galway, a city lying directly across Dublin on the other side of the Irish Coast. Even though the journey was only about 2.5 hours it gave me an insight into the countryside of Ireland and what a beautiful and luscious place it is. Once we arrived in Galway city we stayed at a trendy little Backpackers right in the centre. The city has a laid back small town charm to it with a beautiful Cathedral and quaint little shops, as well as views out across the sea as it lies right on the coast.

Bike outside a bistro in Galway

I found on my return home that I was left wanting more from Ireland and would love to go back very soon. I feel there is still so much more to see both in the South and in Northern Ireland. I have developed a fascination with Belfast which has a very interesting background and is steeped in culture and history. In a way it always reminds me of home, South Africa, a vibrant place with a violent yet passionate history which rises above and provides for an inspirational trip.

Belfast City hall (Image via Pinterest)

 We have a lot of travel plans in the works this year but with Ireland basically on our doorstep its not something to overlook and I have already started pricing up the travel and accommodation costs, which is often my favourite part (what can I say I'm a budget hunting planner) and love using sights like Hotels Direct to find the cheapest place to stay, pair that up with the reviews on Tripadvisor and hey bingo you can usual find somewhere clean, central and stylish for a very reasonable price.

Hopefully we will be walking around Belfast's many parks and Belfast Castle very soon - what are your  travel dreams for the next year?

Belfast Castle (image via pinterest)

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