My first day tour! While in Belfast I decided it would be a good idea to take a tour to the Giant’s Causeway, and I was right. I booked this tour in advance because I knew it was something I wanted to do and so I planned for it ahead of time and booked my slot several months before I left. My tour guide Gary was very knowledgeable about North Ireland in general and gave us little tidbits about famous people and places along the way. We did stop at one of the oldest distilleries in the world, no I didn’t try the free sample.
Now, I thought it was windy back in Belfast, by the time we got to the Causeway it was blowing pretty hard, like, fall over hard. And despite the heavy wind this world heritage site was swarming with people! It took me forever to get a clean shot without people in it and because everyone there is a tourist taking their own photos, they don’t give a shit that you’re taking pictures too. I’m sure I have my moments where I just don’t realize it, but I do try and be respectful of other people taking pictures around me. (P.S. the visitor center there is a tourist trap!)
After the Causeway we piled back into the bus and headed for the Carrick-A-Rede bridge. Back in the day the land owner decided to impose a %50 tax on anyone who caught fish on his land. So the fishermen threw two ropes over to this rock along the side of the shore that wasn’t owned by anyone and they did their fishing there, like any good tax evading people would do. Now, it was still windy, and if it had been any windier than it was, they would have closed the bridge to crossing but I made it across and back without any troubles. It’s a short bridge but it’s more intense than I thought it would be.
I don’t remember as much of the ride back to town as I should, despite having taken 24 hour Dramamine at the start of the day, I was getting a little woozy towards the end and I dozed off. All things said and done though, it was a great day and I loved the tour.
Now, my #1 travel essential! Earplugs. Seriously, I’m only a week into this trip and those little beauties are the one thing I will not live without anymore. For the open windows because there’s no AC. For the roommates who snore or sniff all night long. For that one lady who apparently pulled her mattress off the bed in the middle of the night. EARPLUGS! I’ve been sleeping pretty well thanks to these buddies.