Travels

Ok, so I kind of forgot that I have a blog, all this travelling I am doing has made me lose my thoughts and become forgetful it seems J Of course that was not me rubbing in that I am jetsetting around the world but I am, well at least around Europe.
As I haven’t actually updated this at all since I began travelling, I will give ye all a run down of what I having been doing and the places I am yet to see.
I have been travelling outside of Ireland for a month now.
Started on the 25th of November when I flew to London, stayed in Brighton for the night, thought since I had a stopover in London that I would pop down to Brighton and check it out, it was cold and wet but cool and I am glad that I went down there. After rising early I jetted off to the airport to fly into Athens where the adventures and much needed sunshine would begin. Athens was great, about 20 degrees everyday which just made it even nicer. 3 days there checking out the sights and discovering new foods, which has definitely been my favourite thing to do in each new country. I went to Aegina for a day which is an island an hour from Athens, I was hoping to go to Santorini but with it being low tourist season, I was told that there wouldn’t be much happening on the island with a lot of the shops and the like closed. Aegina wasn’t really that happening but I was happy enough to sit in the sun eating pistachios (grown on the island). I then headed North to Thessaloniki, it was cold and quiet, but a nice city all the same.
Next stop, Roma. Rome was great, so much to see and nice weather made it lots of fun. Met some lovely people at the hostel on the first night who were heading to Naples in the next couple of days so I joined them, it rained ALL day. We started the day with pizza, (mmm) at a place that had been open since 1870 I think, very possibly the first pizza place in Italy. Liz Gilbert goes there in her book, Eat Pray Love, and comments on how amazing it is so that was one of the reasons for going. And it was very good, and cheap, a lot of pizza was eaten that day! From Naples we took the metro to Pompeii where the city was ruined by a volcano (still raining), very interesting. Back to Rome. 2 more days of exploring and discovering all that Rome has to offer. More pizza consumed. Took the train to Florence, where I spent 2 days. A beautiful city where I would have loved to have spent A LOT more time but there were more places to see so I had to return to Rome to fly to Barcelona.
I really liked Barcelona, before I left people had told me that they either loved Barcelona or really did not enjoy it. I thought it was a great city. On my first full day chose to spend the whole day outside rather that visit any museums or the like as the weather was just too lovely. 3 days spent there in total. From there I went to Valencia, the home of Paella, so I had to acknowledge this and have some J very good! It rained and was quite cold in Valencia which was a bit sucky because although I should be accustomed to rain, I still hate it and really do not enjoy being in it. Back to Barcelona to fly to Munich. On arrival it was snowing. Light snow but SNOW. The Christmas market were quite an experience. I thought that I had found the main one then I found another and another and another, I think my fist night in Munich I visited 5 markets, the Germans really know how to do Christmas, although having said this it didn’t feel like Christmas until a day or 2 ago. I only had one a half days in Munich but from what I saw it seemed like a nice city. Cold but nice. I was yet to experience real cold as I bussed it to Prague the night of my day in Munich. Prague was so cold, proper snow here. Prague was also very beautiful, I had very high expectations of this charming city, as everyone I spoke to had told me how much they enjoyed Prague and it delivered. And I really do think that the snow just added another layer of beautiful J 3 days here! And more Christmas markets, with more yummy food and hot wine, Gluhwein, which I didn’t really like though. This made me sad L never mind I like the hot punch! Next stop Berlin, where I find myself now waiting in the airport for a plane to Edinburgh which was meant to leave an hour and a half ago but due to bad weather in Edinburgh we cannot fly just yet, not sure how long we will wait either, supposedly they were going to inform us an hour ago, this did not happen. Back to Berlin, I only had just under 3 days here, bus delayed in Prague making time in this great city shorter L Wished that I had of had longer here. Such an interesting history has Berlin that I would have loved a few more days to explore it, but never mind, I shall just have to come back again as I hope to with all of the cities and countries that I have visited so far there are so many other places in the different countries that I wanted to visit. As you may have guessed I am having a great time.
If I ever get to Edinburgh, I am meeting 2 of my friends from home for Christmas which I am super excited for. I have also heard that Edinburgh is amazing. White Christmas too me thinks J
The rest of the trip:
Edinburgh, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, England, Wales and back to Ireland for 3 weeks before heading home on the 16th of Feb.

Merry Christmas xx

It begins...

So i am currently sitting in the restaurant at Shannon Airport drinking a cup of tea, waiting for the plane to start boarding in about a half hour. I will be on my way to Gatwick where i will make my way to Brighton for the night which i hope will be fun, then at 9 am tomorrow morning i will be on my way to Athens (yay) (no rain). I'm in Greece for 6 days and hope to make it to Santorini while I am there as well as having a few days in Athens. Then I'm off to Italy, Spain, Germany and Czech Rep during the weeks leading up to Christmas. I am excited and between you and me a little scared.
So quick Ireland update: all is well, finished up work a week ago kind of weird but nice not to have to go to work. Up until this morning when i left home, i was living Harry Potter style under the stairs in my apartment - I think if i had been there any longer cabin fever would have set in. (new person moved in - took my room, meant i didn't have to crash on someone's couch). Has been raing cats and dogs in galway the last week so much so rain that I wasn't sure if i would even be able to get to the airport today. Lots of flooding in areas surrounding the city - thankfully not in the city though. Was nearly blown away on many occasions last week. Any excuse to stay indoors was made. I think this is one of the top reasons as to why I am so excited about going to Greece -because there will be sun. My housemate couldn't go home to her family home basically because she couldn't get into town. Scary!
So i will keep this updated as I make my way around!
All my love xx

I finally made it to Cork

After planning to go to Cork many times over and never getting around to it i decided Friday arvo after work that I would go down for the weekend. And I was a little disappointed :( It seemed that there wasn't that much to do. Saturday, I walked around town, went to a market, the art gallery, went to dinner at this cool restaurant (Quay Co-op) and saw a film as part of the Cork Film Festival (an Aussie film called Samson and Delilah, which is actually going to be screened on the ABC on Sunday November 22 at 8:30, so you should check it out) . Then today, Sunday I went to Blarney castle, which was class, and the grounds were beautiful. I am glad that I did make the effort to go down there though.

Other than going to Cork I have been planning my Europe adventure that begins November 26 when I fly to athens :) so still have planning to do but will hopefully have it all out of the way by the end of this week. YAY!!

All my love xx

If I had a surfboard and a wetsuit, does that mean that i went surfing??

Well if it does then, yesterday I went surfing near Westport, north of Galway and apart from the fact that it was absolutely positively freezing in and out of the water, it was lots of fun. For the record, I can't actually surf but I still had heaps of fun. We spent the whole afternoon at the beach. A lot of that later in the arvo was time was spent in the warmth of the car watching other people surf but still. I went with a friend who's house i also stayed at over the weekend. It was lovely. Even if just to be in a house with a family and dogs and all that homey kind of stuff, and the company was great. Friday night was so clear out that there were sooo many stars. You can't really see much star wise in the city. So it was great to just lie under the starts wrapped in a jacket and blanket.

Last week I was also on TV, well kind of I was in the audience of the taping of a show called the Byrne Ultimatum. A comedy quiz show hosted by comedian Jason Byrne. It was very funny. It was broadcast on Monday night but I was at swing dancing lessons but I was able to watch the recording of it over the weekend. It was only a half hour show when aired but took just over 2 hours to record, so of course there were lots of the funny bits were taken out but it was still good. We were on TV 2 or 3 times I think as we were in the front row. So I'm now famous!

Still working more than i would prefer but its ok and means more money than i would be instead be earning, I think that it is going to decrease this week.

Well it was a great weekend!

This week, I am going to swing dancing lessons and bongo lessons. So I will be a self proclaimed amazing dancing drummer by the end of the week.

After a few dry weeks, the rain has started again today :( And it is getting cold and dark.

All my love, Rhiannon xx

How do other people work full time???

So it is now Friday night and I have just finished a 40 hour week of work and I am wrecked. Wrecked I tell you! It's only been a week and I already miss my 12pm starts :( I am amazed at how a majority of the population work full time. One of the girls at work finished up last week so i am working her shift and mine so I am in the kitchen/food prep all day everyday. So glad that it is Friday. Although I only have 5 weeks left of work before I go off and explore the rest of Ireland and Europe. Of course being the very disorganised person that I am, I haven't actually planned anything yet other than where I want to go but I will get to that soon.

I had a lovely birthday last week, got sent lovely things in the mail which made me feel very loved :) I went out for birthday drinks with some friends which was lots of fun! Thanks xx

Not too much is happening atm other than work, but at least the more I work, the more travel money I have, which is a plus!

All my love xx

You'll be glad to know that I did not get run down by a bike..

Last weekend, I went to Amsterdam! It was lots of fun. Really nice city, very pretty. Lots of fun markets to trek around looking for cool buys. The hostel that we stayed in had the best brekky that I have ever had in a hostel. There was lots of food, which we got so much more than we needed and a pile of napkins to not very sneakily wrapped up for a make do lunch. Excellent. There was cake served. Made an excellent afternoon tea :)

Everyone in Amsterdam rides bikes, so crossing the road you have to look out for cars, trams, buses and BIKES. Scary.

Went to the Anne Frank Huis, which in a building that was the factory owned by Otto Frank, Anne's father and where the family lived/hid. It was very interesting and worth a visit. We bought a hop on hop off pass for a boat that went to the sights via the canal which was quite cool, slow but fun and because it was sunny it was also all the better. Joined a 3 hour walking tour around the city which was quite informative although I am pretty sure that it went for more than 3 hours, very long. all in all a good weekend. I would go back to Amsterdam again!

Of course because I left Galway last weekend, the weather was BEAUTIFUL, thankfully this weekend has been lovely out so it is ok and as I mentioned the weather in Amsterdam was nice and sunny and that is all that matters.

All my love xx

RAIN

It is raining AGAIN. But I am getting used to it, i guess. I will need to get used to it. On my walk to church this morning the rain was coming from every direction, there was no way of blocking it. I had remembered to grab my umbrella before leaving the home, thankfully. I was very wet for the whole service, not nice, trust me. I think that I need to invest in a rain jacket this week.
Last week I made a Butternut squash (pumpkin) , spinach and chickpea curry. It was very yummy. I didn't put in chili, but chili powder as well as mixed spice. So if you are looking for an easy dish, you should try this, it went down well. tasted great the day after i made it. If anything, it is very visually pleasing, which in my book is always important.
I am going to launch into being active this coming week as I have spent the afternoon in bed (wrapped in my Snuggie, mummy sent me one), dozing on and off and am now feeling extremely lazy :(
Currently enjoying Florence and the Machine. FANTASTIC!
Happy Birthday to my lovely cousin Fio, for this week. Super jealous if you will be making it to her party.
all my love xx

The Bedroom Philosopher

I forgot how good the Bedroom Philospher is, so am currently having a love affair with the music player on his myspace page.

Rain rain, go away!

Officially it is still summer, somebody forgot to mention this to Galway, where it was rained quite heavily for the majority of the day :( I was inside at work but could see the mental weather that Galway had put on for the day.

I am going to Dublin for the weekend to meet up with a girl I met when I was in London, she is over for the weekend, so that should be fun. Facebook really is so handy when travelling in that you can keep in contact with people after meeting them where ever you find yourself. YAY!

All is well, with the exception of the weather, I am dreading winter. But I knew coming into this that Ireland was wet and cold, so can't complain too much. I am still going to complain though. I feel it is only the right thing to do.

I have a problem atm, all my friends seem to be leaving Galway, so am on a mission to find new friends, I will keep you updated on this. I may need to force my friendship on people. They'll love it :)

All my love xx

And they're off...

The Galway Races were last week, all week. I didn't make it to any of the race days as I had to work everyday - although I would have loved to dress up in a pretty dress and wear an obstruction on my head - I could have gone on Saturday or Sunday but was happy enough to just head into town after the races. The races brought loads of people to Galway, loads of people who went from the races to the city for a big night. The main street of the city was made a glass free zone as people gathered both inside and outside of the pubs. Many pubs set up outdoor bars so that you didn't even have to go inside to get drink. I was quite amused that there were lines outside of pubs - this I had not seen before in Galway and pubs that would never be full were packed. It was a great atmosphere, a busy hard to move inside and up and down the street atmosphere but it was fun.

All my love xx

Parlez-vous anglais?

Haven't updated this for a while and it feels like forever since I got back from London and Paris, really it has only been a couple of weeks. So I had a great time in Paris, I got lost a lot and I mean really lost, there was one day when I ended up at a train station so far from where i was headed I wasn't even sure where I was. Even though I spent a large amount of time lost and confused, I managed to see a few things. I had planned to see the Eifel Tower at night, as I have heard that it is very pretty but I kind of forgot. Oops, I guess that just means that I will have to go back :) Plus I also want to go to Disneyland Paris. I learnt from my trip that I need to plan more when I go away. I don't really like planning because I am disorganised and lazy, but there were a few things that I wished that I had of seen when in the city of love but didn't get around to it. Never mind - lesson learned. I am finding myself saying that a lot lately - "its ok a least I will know next time what I should have done", its grand though.
Anyway no I am back in Galway. The arts festival is on at the moment, so the city is buzzing a little not as much as I had expected but there are still lots of people in town during the day and lots of buskers, there are usually a few but since last week there have been many. I like it. some are interesting - I guess you could say :p I am heading to see Bon Iver tomorrow night which should be lots of fun! and Midsummer Nights Dream on Sunday night. Also checked out the Parade on Sunday night (with the rest of Galway), which was good.
I went to Killarney last weekend with my friend and her friends. It was a weekend. Took just under 5 hours on the bus to get there though, which kind of sucked. Killarney is beautiful, lovely little Irish town. Although I was doubting how Irish it was when it took us a good 20 minutes to find an off license (bottle o) :) anywhere that you can but drink is often not too hard to find. You will be glad to know that we found somewhere. I found a pub called Molly Maguires so that excited me a little :) although being an eejit I left my camera at home. Could have snapped some beautiful shots of the scenery, which was amazing I must say. Even having been here for nearly 4 months (can you believe it? 4 months on Saturday), I am constantly astounded by how GREEN everything is.
Well everything is still going well. i have all new housemates, they are lovely!
I will be sure to update this a little more often, i have been quite busy at work and what not.
Not sure if i wrote a little while back that i dyed my hair blonde, but as the weather is getting colder :( and my regrowth is getting longer, I will be brunette again soon. It was fun to be blonde for a little bit, but it is time to go back.
All my love xx

I am a terrible tourist...

I have been in London for the last 3 days, one more day here and then I head to Paris for 3 days, then back to Galway (and work). I am having lots of fun but keep forgetting to take photos L. I really am a bad tourist and I get angry at other tourists although I am a tourist. Maybe I’m just a bad person? I am definitely a grumpy tourist. Not because I don’t like other tourists, but because I have a blister the size of JUPITER on my heel. Did you know? The temperature on Jupiter is minus153 degrees Celsius. How do I know that you ask? Well I went to the Natural History Museum – it was very cool – I stayed there for about 2 hours, it just kept going and going. I could have easily stayed for sooo much longer, had I not had a giant blister L

Things I have done in London so far:

- Hamleys Toy Shop – very cool, so many toys, so much fun to be had.

- Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace – I couldn’t see too much so I left before it had finished.

- Kensington Park

- Hyde Park

- Walked around Piccadilly Circus and surrounding areas – I got lost so I can’t tell you exactly where I was

- I had a sundae at Harrods – it was so yummy (very expensive) but pretty good. Thought I might have to roll back to my hostel though.

- Went to see ‘Wicked’ at the Apollo Theatre – Very Very Very Great!

- Wandered around a lot.

- Sat in a few parks and people watched.

- Went for a drink in Soho.

- Camden and Portobello market – I got so lost in the Camden Markets, at one point I was inside upstairs and next thing I knew I was downstairs outside (????). So lost.

Tomorrow I am going to head into the city and check out a few things, see what I find.

The weather is stunning and beautiful here at the moment! Very warm :) I had to buy some thongs today.

Will let you know what I end up doing and my adventures in Paris!

All my love xx

Veggie Stew

I have just finished making a lovely veggie stew and thought that I would post something. This week has been a good week nothing overly exciting has happened but nothing terrible has happened either so in my book that is a good week.

Actually come to think of it a few exciting things have happened this week. I booked my flights and accomodation in London and Paris and after a little bit of difficulty (which was resolved with the help of my very helpful dad (thanks)) my Eurostar ticket. So I am heading off July 1 and returning July 9. Very excited.

I also got a new housemate this week, which was nice but it was sad that one of my housemates left :(

The weather this week has been MAD. Very Four seasons in one day. It looked as though a storm was coming on Thursday, but as i recall all we got was a little bit of rain and some sun. It is sunny out at the moment but a little windy, hard to say how long it will last though.

I have started my own little routine (and as every good routine should, it involves food). Every Saturday, i but myself a pizza bagel from the market, they are so yummy and only 1 euro! If i could send some home I would but alas i do not think that it would be a very good idea.

Next weekend I may be heading to the Aran Islands with my housemate and her friends, it was a snap decision made Thursday night. The Aran Islands are a group of islands, 4 I think off the west coast. It takes about an hour on the ferry to get out. So if that happens it should be lots of fun. Just going for the Saturday night.

I saw a good band play the other night from Melbourne called the Wishing Well, they were playing at a few venues around the city during the week so I caught them - it was much fun!

Not much planned for the upcoming week, just working etc.

Everything is still going well.

All my love xx

The boats have gone :(

The Volvo Ocean Race has officially left Galway on its way to St Petersburg I think. We farewelled it on sat and after nearly 2 weeks of no rain, praise God, the rain came pelting down as the boats left from Salthill, a beachy part just out of the city. Even with my brolly I got very wet. Never mind it was a great 2 weeks, and lots and lots of fun. I was worried that I wouldn’t know what to do with my self this week but I have been surviving. I have been trying to catch up on sleep, although having said this I can not get to sleep before 10, lying in bed when it is still quite bright outside seems silly and hard to get to sleep. The summer solstice is in a couple of weeks so that should be fun, not sure what we have planned but I don’t think that much sleep will be involved.
I need not worry about the race festivities coming to an end though. July will bring the Galway Arts Festival and the Galway races which are meant to be huge, so that should all be fun. I already have my ticket to see Bon Iver at the arts festival – Yay!!!
Did you know that, Ireland has a Prime Minister and a President – bit greedy.
I found out last week that Tim Tams are available here, it was very exciting and I have already bought 2 packets and have got my American and Canadian friends hooked.

Galway Girl!

I saw Sharon Shannon who is playing the accordian, on Saturday night, she played this and it went off. It was then played again on sunday night by a different band and got a similar response. Lots of fun!

Topped up my vitamin D today!

It seems like such a while that I have updated this, apart from terrible excuse for a post the other day but I have been quite busy you see. Galway is currently hosting the Volvo Ocean Race , it is all very exciting. Galway was selected as a stopover, so we are having a big festival at the moment. There is a big Race Village that hosts, stalls, food and stages. There are bands on every night from about 6:30 to 11pm, as I live very close to the docks where it is all being held, myself and the rest of Galway city have been heading out every night to enjoy all of the festivities that the festival is offering. It has been lots of fun so far, but I am exhausted and there is still a week to go. 

It is also the end of a bank holiday weekend and the city was FULL and mental busy. It was crazy, they opened the streets to people, so you could get your drink inside and then pour your drink into a plastic tumbler and go drink in the street, some pubs had outdoors bars so that you didn't even have to go inside. So as soon as the last band of the night finished everyone rushed to the main street of the city. It was great craic. Great atmosphere. I think that on Saturday night the whole population of County Galway and surrounding counties embarked on the Race Village for the night concert, it was madness. I stayed in tonight though, a bit tired from lying in the sun all day :p

This weekend also brought the most glorious weather - it was roasting. You were mad to stay inside. It was HOT. We sat in the square in town this afternoon and it was so warm. It was only 25 degrees at the hottest part of the weekend but it felt so much hotter. But it was just wonderful and so good to see everyone out, kids playing in the fountain, sqirting each other with water pistols, people were swimming in the sea, people sunbaking. Just great!!

I had to buy sunscreen today, couldn't get any at the supermarket because it had basically sold out by this arvo. BUT sunscreen is sooo expensive here, it is terrible. There were so many burnt people wandering around today. 

I also had a friend who I met in Dublin come down for the weekend so that was lots of fun, I got to play tour guide :) 

This evening the power went out (we blamed the race), it was a great way to make new friends in our apartment block, i found myself standing on our balcony yelling into the apartment next door giving them updates. Friend making. 

All in all the last week and a bit has been lots of fun, once this is all over I will be having a BIG sleep. 

All my love xx

Today's To Do List

A day in my life, specifically today:

Breakfast

Check emails, facebook, write new blog

Shower and dress

Make up bed with clean sheets

Tidy room and put on washing

Hang washing

Sweep room

Look for bandana for work 

Work 12:30  - 6

Walk home via Penny's - buy pillow

Write a list of breakfast stuff for Sunday

Have dinner

Clubhouse at Docks for band @ 8:30, meeting girls there

Meeting friend at bus station at 9:15

Go home

Maybe back to Docks for Volvo Ocean Race Festivities

Bed

Well I better get a move on that looks like a busy day now that i have written it down. 

Will post better blog in a couple of days telling you whats been going on. All my love xx

Or maybe this festival, it is one heck of a mission!

I would quite like to go to this festival - Electric Picnic - just need to find some people to go with, i'm on a mission!

Mem Fox's 'Where is the green sheep?' would have been a lot shorter had she been in Ireland

Since arriving in this fair country, i have seen red sheep, blue sheep, yellow sheep and green sheep - how can this be you may ask? SHEEP GRAFFITI. People here tag sheep,  no walls for them, just sheep. Hilarious! 

Not too much has happened this week. Just working and stuff. You know stuff. 

One thing i have started doing, is walking in the morning, only for an hour or so but by the end of the day i am exhausted - it is a terrible, in both a tired aspect and reflection on my fitness i think. But its been good to get out in the morning before work.  And thankfully we had a few sunny days this week. 

I went to a 'gathering' last night of non-Irish people working in Ireland, mostly Canadians. It was lots of fun! Met lots of nice people. Before i went, I had to drag myself away the EUROVISION semi-final though which was upsetting- I love Eurovision. Spoiler alert: Ireland did not get through, quite sad. 

I have been listening to Triple J on the internet - It makes me seem less far away from home, its a nice feeling. 

All my love xx