I left my heart in........Ireland.

Monday April 4, 2011

Happy Monday. Happy 4 days till Dream Trip 3- Sicily to me.

So what’s new? Well, I left my heart in Ireland. That’s what is new. I was practically in tears leaving good ol’ Dublin yesterday. But boy do I have a story to end this blog, so keep reading this lengthy thing! Good thing I wrote Friday’s already. : )

Well, Saturday- we got into the Dublin city bus stop at about noon-ish. I called Tricia to see where her, Chelsea, Molly, and Lindsay were and they were at lunch, so she told me how to get to the hostel, which was luckily right around the corner and we dropped our stuff off cause we couldn’t check in till 2 and went to go walk around. Our hostel was in a really good spot thankfully! So I called Tricia so we could meet up with them and they were right near us and I am like Tricia I don’t see you and then she was like I SEE YOU! And I was like BAHH and went running for her and gave her the biggest hugs ever and of course yes, I cried. I was so happy to see her! Her roommates were like that was the cutest thing ever! Haha! So I ended up going with Tricia and them, splitting up from the other girls because they wanted to wait and check into the hostel and shower and get ready for later and we were going to meet up again at the Guiness Factory!

So I bought the little bus ticket they did that was a 48 hour hop on, hop off ticket that took you all around Dublin’s main sites pretty much. SO we got on the bus and went to a few of the sites including Trinity College, the Castle, City Hall, and a few others. They all went to see the Book of Kelz museum thing, but me not being the museum go-er just looked around the gift shop! I found some really good stuff! So then we headed over to the Guiness Factory tour. It was so cool! We got to try the Guiness and Tricia and I both don’t like beer……..at all. But I figured I HAD to try it, so I did! I LOVED IT! SHOCKING! I know! It didn’t taste like beer at all to me! Then we went to the floor where we could pour the perfect pint! So we all did and got our own certificate : ) !! We all agreed; we need to frame them! I absolutely loved Tricia’s roommates! They were so funny and so fun to be around! They all wanted to go to the Jameson factory but I wanted to meet up and walk around with the other girls, so they all went there and we were going to meet up later!

I got some awesome souvenirs from the gift store and I am pretty much in love with my brother’s present. He’s going to love it! He already knows what it is anyways; I couldn’t not tell him cause I was so excited. Tricia and I immediately were like RANDY when we saw it! I got him a hat that says Guiness Ireland on it and has a bottle opener at the end of it. If you know my brother, you know he would love that. Haha

SO then I met up with the other girls and we all left and walked around a bit in the more residential areas and then back to the Castle and St. Patrick’s church, as well as others. It started sleeting literally, so we had to sprint everywhere and stop in random stores! We finally found a quick place to get take away for dinner and bring it back to our hostel. So we all ate and then we were so cold laying in our beds and all of us passed out and woke up later and finally got ready to go out. We met up with Tricia and them and headed to this bar next to us, such a funny story. So funny, I could still LMAO about it. So we left that and looked for another pub to just chill at and ended up at THE Temple Bar and it was of course so crowded. It was pretty late already and all of us were so tired and not in any mood to go to any clubs or anything so we all stayed around there. I met 2 boys from Argentina who spoke English, Italian, and Spanish. I know some Italian and Spanish so we tried that out! Haha! Then we met some guys that were so Spanish who I could barely understand! Then we all had kind of split up and Kate, Kate, and I were pretty tired and ended up walking around a bit and then went back to go to bed.

Sunday we all woke up and everyone pretty much had different flights. Whitney, Jessica, and Lana all had early flights, but Sarah, Kate, and Kate all didn’t have a flight till 1ish. Mine wasn’t till 7:50 so I was fine! Haha So we all got up and got ready to go and went and ate breakfast and then headed to one of the few gift shops they have in Dublin shockingly. I got some pretty cute stuff there too! So then I sadly had to say goodbye to them, but no worries I will see them all again when they come Easter weekend : ) !!

So then I called and met up with Tricia and them. We all went to get them some food for lunch and then walked around a bit and they wanted to go to the oldest bar in Dublin, so we all went there and got Irish coffees! They were really good! I think I may start liking Baileys when I get home. (Yes, I know Irish Coffee isn’t Baileys, it’s Jameson! I’m just saying Baileys and coffee could work.) So we all just hung out for a bit and then they wanted to go to the Leprechaun Museum where everything was huge and made you feel like a leprechaun. I still had some souvenirs to get so while they did that, I went and got my Ireland track jacket I am OBSESSED with and a few other things I am excited for. I got myself a Guiness Ireland bottle opener now that I like Guiness. HAHA! So then I met up with them again finally, took me forever cause there were literally 3 of the same gift shops all in the same general area! So then I had to be back at the bus stop at about 5:30, so we went to this pub they had been to before and really liked and got dinner. I got a ham and cheese and tomato and tuna toasty! It was so good as weird as it sounds! But sadly, I had to leave and go get my stuff and head to the airport. It was so sad saying goodbye but I will see Tricia again next Monday and Chelsea and Lindsey at the end of April too! So NBD.

I was like crying walking into the Dublin airport cause I did not under any circumstances want to leave. I checked in and of course always have to make the deal of having a pacemaker and no metal detector, here’s my pacemaker card deal. I’m starting to get used to this flying thing, easier than I thought it be!

Well then I checked in for boarding at the gate and here’s the big story I promised you all!

I guess I caught RyanAir on their bad day. The 2 flight attendants made me stuff my bag to fit the regulations and I threw everything out and put some extra clothes on in order for the bag to fit, made it fit, and then went to get on the plane. I forgot I probs put my passport and boarding pass somewhere in my bag when I stuffed everything in my bag. The flight attendant asked me for my boarding pass and I told her I put it in my bag when they told me to fix it, so one moment and I will get it for her. So I proceeded to sit and throw everything out of my bag. Well, I couldn’t find my boarding pass, which meant no boarding pass- no passport. I was freeking the hell out undoubtedly. I told her I couldn’t find either and she was like NBD on boarding because we are fine, but as for the passport…… and I am like I have to find this. She wasn’t really paying much attention cause she had to do the safety examples. I was balling my eyes out and everyone around me was like it’s going to be fine, you just call the embassy and they’ll send you a new one, you have copies right? And I was like yes I do, but I am going to Sicily next weekend. So the flight attendants had talked to the gate and they hadn’t found it, so the main flight attendant and the other lady were telling me how when I get to Pisa, they’ll help me at Customs and then we’ll report it stolen with the police and I was like OMG I don’t know what to do. They said they could get me a temporary pass for Sicily and I could call Dublin Airport’s lost and found later……but I was like I NEED TO FIND THIS DAM THING!!!!!!

Everyone around me kept trying to reassure me that I would be fine and I am like no, I am going to find this thing. I knew when I packed my bag and walked through the door, that I walked back and checked to make sure that I didn’t drop anything. I knew I didn’t see anything; so it was either someone literally picked the passport up within a few seconds or I had it somewhere. I already had taken everything out twice and then I was like here we go again and I looked at all the pockets.

THANK YOU DEAR LORD!!!! It was in my side pocket somehow. I felt like such an idiot and apologized to everyone around me and they were like NBD. I was like you have no idea, I have been told so many times do not under any circumstances lose that passport and of course I lost it. I was so relieved, yes I cried. Ughh I was so happy I couldn’t even think straight. When they were telling me embassy, calling lost and found, dealing with cops and customs, I was like OMG I cannot do this!!!!  I am so thankful beyond reason for finding the thing! I cannot remember who said it, but someone was like you’re going to cherish that thing now aren’t you. I was like YOU BETCHA! So I apologized to the lady flight attendant who had tried to help and then later had to tell the main man when he came to meet me and tell me what we were going to do about Customs, etc. before we landed and me and the lady flight attendant told him I had found it and it was so funny cause he was like AHH pop a bottle of champagne! I was like ……… please do : ) !! haha

Flight needless to say, wasn’t so long! Haha! I did my budget and OMG I should be an accountant now. I am becoming such a pro! I should be coming home with money!! THANKFULLY!! Let’s hope it stays that way!!

So then we all got off the flight and I luckily got to take the bus back to Florence with Amy, B, and Haleigh who were coming back from Sicily! So we all exchanged stories and they got me even more pumped for SICILY on Friday thru Sunday with Sam!! Cannot wait!

So then I got home and did laundry because it had to be done. I went to bed around 2 and had to get up early to go print my project with Haleigh and was so exhausted. Had special events at 9 am and we toured the venue we are having the farewell party at.. Then I went to Italian and fell asleep pretty much.. And then went and worked out because after this weekend, I NEEDED TO. Gotta get a beach body ready by FRIDAY for SICILY!!

Then I had to go back to Customer Relations and we went to a 4 star hotel where my teacher is good friends with the family who owns the hotel. We got to talk about Marketing and the use of Social Media when it comes to hotels and customers with the main manager. It was interesting and then we got to see some of the rooms in the hotel. Every room in the hotel is different and they even have a terrace you can sit on that overlooks Florence like my balcony does and have a few drinks, it’s just not as high up as my balcony is. It was a really cool hotel though, cause I haven’t seen the insides of any hotels in Florence yet! The double room they offered was so neat, but sadly we could not see the double room superior and the suite that my teacher said were awesome!

So then I came home, caught up with Bess and Alexa, did benderball, finally got take a warm shower (all my showers this weekend were basically cold..), and then ate dinner. Now I am writing this!

Alexa and Bess are having problems with their internet, so I am really hoping I don’t have that problem : ( !! Please pray I don’t! I don’t need any more bad luck!!

So yes, that’s the update but here’s more.

I absolutely had a blast this weekend. I was kind of worried cause I barely knew Kate besides from knowing her through Deanne, Tricia, and Kasie, but I didn’t know any of the other girls at all. I know I like to talk and everyone thinks it’s so easy for me to make friends, but I was still kind of worried! I had nothing to worry about because they were all so nice and so funny! I had so much fun with them and cannot wait for them to come visit Easter weekend! And same with Tricia’s roommates! I had told Trish I was so excited to meet Lindsey and Chelsea cause from her photos and stories, they looked so fun and they def. were! I cannot wait for them to come at the end of April either! Those last few weekends are going to be a blast! Julie and Debbie from my work will be here too that last week and I am so excited to see them and glad they do get to come now!!

Well, other than this. Galway was absolutely amazing. I loved how it was so Irish and had all the signs basically in English and Gaelic (It’s the law there!). The tour we went on was so worth it for sure! I know people are going to think when I say this, I didn’t like Dublin, but dude, I totally did, so don’t think I didn’t. I was just kind of disappointed/shocked Dublin wasn’t so Irish. I had this picture in my head and Dublin just didn’t hit that picture. I was really disappointed because I could never find a Murphy or Hogan sign to take a photo with! BUT I still thoroughly enjoyed Dublin! I am just saying, the picture I had in my head wasn’t what it was. I still adore Ireland and would give anything to go back. I know in the future I WILL return….once I get that bank account back up! Haha! I cannot wait to go back someday and go to different parts of Ireland. I just didn’t have much time to go to many other parts of Dublin sadly either. Tricia and them wanted to go to Cork to kiss the Blarney Stone and I knew my mom wanted to me to do that, but I was like I cannot sit on a train for 6 hours again and then go get on that flight and bus home! My body could not do it after all the traveling I had been doing; I was so exhausted because I had barely been getting any sleep. I was still pondering it, but then they found out how pricey it was and we all were like no, it’s not worth it because we all couldn’t spend all day Sunday there to make it worth it. SO in the future, that is on the list of places in Ireland to go to! Just writing all of this makes me want to cry, I want to go back so bad : (! I totally see why Hogan is obsessed with Dublin/Ireland….. not that I doubted her, but ughh I am just as obsessed now! I really would want to live there like Hogan introduced the idea. So tempting. May not come home anymore, may meet Hogan in Ireland and we’ll live there. Anyone can join us, so feel free to pack and move after May 14.

SICILY is on Friday and me and Sam are so ready! Laying out on the beach, oh to try and be tan again!! I told Sam, snacking on canoli while laying out? Sadly they would melt, we may need a cooler. Dream trip NUMBER 3! I am so ready. I wish I could have taken the Dublin and Sicily and Sound of Music trips right when I got here, so then I could go back and do it again before I left and go back to everything else I missed! Haha!! But it’s okay! I will return someday!!!!!!

Like I said, Tricia will be here all next week and I am super pumped for that! We already have so many plans! We’re going to stuff our faces and then go work out. Haha! It’s going to be a blast!

Well this is long; so I will cut it at this, hope you all enjoyed reading it. I want to go cry now because I miss Ireland so much.

Love and miss! Enjoy the rest of your day!