"ayr-land"

It's been awhile since I have updated, so I am going to try to update the last few days as best I can. Let's start with Galway.

The wonderful Clare took us to the airport and we flew to Galway... and landed at the worlds smallest airport. We were looking around at each other totally clueless as everyone else rushed off to their cars/friends/family. But seriously... it's small like in the movies. A taxi driver waiting in the lobby took advantage of our clueless faces and shuffled us into his friend's cab. She started talking and we all lit up! IRISH! We got to the hostel (which to-date has been #1 hostel) checked in, then went to a pub for dinner and a beer. Mind you: it's 11:30pm and still light outside...

The next day, we tried to catch the bus to go see the Cliffs of Moher. Tried being the key word... We bought tickets, ran around asking everyone we could where this particular bus station was--we bounced around like a ping-pong ball. Once we finally found it... "The bus isn't going. Not enough people, sorry girls..." <--Brilliant Irish accent... It all got sorted out with the tickets, but no cliffs for us. We took a walk down Claddagh and along the coast instead. 2 things: SUPER WINDY/COLD and did you know there were jellyfish up there b/c I sure as heck didn't!

We met some really great people while staying in Galway and we constantly joke (sorta) about going back before we leave. These 5 girls from Dublin taught us how to say Ireland. "Pretend your a pirate, 'ayrrr-land' " ...and now that each of you has tried it, I'll move on.

After Galway, we took a bus to Dublin. But we were pretty much wiped. We definitely didn't plan very much down time in this trip. Transportation vehicles have become a moment of rest for me. I don't have to know where we are going--I paid the driver to take care of that for me.

Ireland is beautiful! I loved it so much. It would be so incredible to go back there sometime (move maybe...). My pup would love it-summer and winter! Okay. This post is going to stick to Ireland, Paris adventures will come soon.

But first... I'm just going to tell you our nicknames. I won't explain them because I haven't slept well in 3 days and I'm beat... but you can ponder them.

Me: Fearless Leader.

Karri: Sidekick (occasionally, we call her Robin).

Kelsey: Little Red Caboose--more commonly known as Lil Red)

We have videos and pictures to come!

Days 2 & 3

First off: English toilets and I are not the best of friends. They just do not want to flush for me! Push handle, nothing happens. Push handle, nothing happens. It's been a problem since I arrived... Hopefully Ireland will be more in my favor!

Yesterday we had a tough time with jetlag. Even though we had gotten plenty of sleep the night before we were still failing at functioning at full capacity. Then, last night we all stayed up until 2am. MISTAKE. We started out tired and then trekked all over London doing everything touristy... Now we are beat!

We took the Tube into London today. Starting out, things were a little confusing and a nice gentleman helped us out. But we quickly caught on changing trains like pros. On the way in, the lady over the intercom commented on the "hot" weather. We got a huge kick out of that--these people don't even know HOT!

Anyway, yesterday Clare drove us around and showed us all the sights, today... we were on our own! We started out going to the Tower Bride, London Tower, at fish and chips (I had chicken and chips since fish is gross) at a restaurant that we all agreed was a tourist trap but ate at anyway. Then we went to House of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park. After Hyde Park we joined rush hour traffic on the tube and adventured home.

Note to anyone who travels with Karri: She likes to listen to every boring detail the tour guide says. She also abandons her traveling buddies without a second thought to run with the tour group. However, us being great traveling buddies followed around the tour group bored out of our minds.

French people need to learn to wait in line.

Tomorrow evening we leave for Ireland! We have loved staying with Clare, so it's a bit of a bummer. Enjoy the pictures!

Day 1

Wow. I am going to try to write everything I can about today! I want to write to tell you about it, but also so I can remind myself later how incredible this adventure has been. Pardon any errors, jetlag is definitely getting the best of me right now.

First, the flight! I think everyone should fly first class at least once in their life. It was such a blast! All of the flight attendants loved us because we were spunky (don't say spunky in the UK) and fun. They kept chatting with us and taking pictures for us. Our flight was just a party with some turbulence! One of the flight attendants, Jim, was particularly insightful. So, here are the 3 things we learned:

1. Piss and Pub. Go into town, walk around until you need to pee. Enter a pub, buy a beer and do your business. Drink, leave, then continue until someone else has to pee.
2. Follow the flavor. When given a choice between 2 streets, choose the most appealing. Your instinct will take you in the right direction.
3. Don't take anything seriously. This is just Jim's philosophy on life, therefore, he passed it along.

Jim also gave us wings to keep in our purses and pull them out if we are ever feeling lonely or down. When we pull them out, remember, "Jim loves you." Every economy passenger missed out.

Also, 5 courses for a meal is... A LOT! of food! So, that sums up the flight (save the incredible seats that lay down).

We arrived in London at 9 and after the LONG line at the border, a man was standing by the baggage claim with our name on a board. If your name on a board doesn't make you feel important, I don't know what would. The driver drove us to our friend's house and I can say 3 things: the roads are crazy, the drivers are crazy and being on the left side of the road is just straight up strange.

After we got "home," Claire made us WONDERFUL lunch, then we went straight into Oxford. We took a "hop on, hop off" bus around the city and it was amazing. We learned so much and saw so many things! I was particularly fond of The Eagle and Child--where C.S. Lewis gathered with Tolkien and others.

After the bus, we stopped in a Pub that had the game on. The English LOVE their futbol and don't you dare call it soccer... It was, by far, the most enjoyable crowd to watch a game with. I was cheering for a team that several days earlier I was opposing. It was great!

These people over here know how to eat. It's an event. They take time to enjoy food and enjoy eat other. It makes me so much more aware of how insignificant I treat mealtimes. I eat on the go, while doing something else... No more, I tell you! Also, cheese, grapes and bread is something America should adopt.

And now... I am going to bed. I didn't sleep much on the plane jetlag is taking me out. Tomorrow will be another big day!

Anticipation Builds

Well, I leave tomorrow. Today has been a crazy array of emotions. In the mix of finishing up final tasks, saying goodbyes and driving to Houston, I have just felt like my feet weren't entirely under my body. (Hence, spilling cherry limeade all over Lauren's car.) But now, I am in Houston. I am committed--all in. I leave tomorrow.

Let me just leave with this: I have fantastic friends. You know who you are and you know what you've been doing. I am so grateful. Thank you.

Europe!

I am leaving for 5 weeks in Europe on Tuesday! This blog will therefore become trip updates until I return. I will post everything from pictures to what God is teaching me as I travel with my life on my back. Hope it isn't boring for you--I will try to keep things interesting. :)

5 days!

Time wasters

I have several things in my life that are very much time wasters. While I enjoy these things, I really gain nothing from them. Would my life be just as good without them? Definitely. Would I be more productive without them? For sure.

If I didn't look at a time waster (read watch Glee) and then look at what I need to do (read study Galations 1) only to inevitably choose Glee (they are doing some of my favorite Journey songs!)... maybe then I wouldn't feel like such things are time wasters. But clearly I have little self control and struggle with moderation, so ~80% of the time I choose my token time waster. TV, reading, etc... Time wasters. They aren't bad, but I abuse them for sure.

Seeing as my life will no longer be structured by college, it's time I learn some moderation. I won't have due dates anymore or scheduled tests. I can no longer strategically procrastinate in order to maximize my laziness and indulge in time wasters. I need to step it up. I'll start small, but believe it when I say, "I'm aiming high."

I'm aiming high.