August 08, 2006

Days 7-8: buses in the water

We're getting to a point in the trip where we're exhausted all the time. Although we went to sleep really early yesterday, we wouldn't mind going to sleep now already and it's only seven o'clock. It took us all day and three buses to arrive at Bushmills from Donegal. And the fact that it hasn't stopped raining isn't very uplifting either.

Still, travelling is great! One could just get used to this life - planning the days as we go, looking up hostels and bus schedules and calling ahead to book (I don't want to see my phone bill..) and just going where your nose takes you. Of course it's still nice to go home on Friday. Tomorrow we'll explore the Giant's Causeway, which is one of the most important natural attractions in the United Kingdom (that's right, we're in another country now) before going to Belfast for a day and a half.

Yesterday was a bank holiday, so getting around was tricky. First of all, we slept late (the previous evening was spent exploring Donegal's nightlife with our four roommates from the hostel - we hope to meet them again tomorrow in Belfast). We wanted to go to see Slieve League, the highest sea cliffs in Europe about an hour's drive from Donegal town, but since there were very few buses (and it has to be said we're now on a very tight budget - don't even think about Ireland on a shoestring budget) we hitchhiked. It took us four separate rides to get there. Sometimes we got a lift easily and sometimes we had to wait over half an hour.

It was fun, actually, once we got the hang of it. As a friendly mother who gave us a lift told us, there's far more to it than just standing at the edge of the road and lifting your thumb. We perfected the art by determined and vigorous eye contact with the drivers, frantic waving AND a sign we made ourselves saying where we were going!

Today, we stopped for two hours at Londonderry/Derry, but it was raining so much we only made a tour of the mall. The next stop was made at Coleraine, boasting a very shabby bus station and a stuttering ticket officer (poor thing). From Coleraine, it was just a ten minute drive here to Bushmills. Let it be said at this point that Ireland can also lay claims to the biggest idiot of a bus driver in the world - don't worry, you'll hear the details.

We've been using the kitchens at the hostel to cook dinner and store food from the supermarket. Today we had pasta with tuna and olives. This hostel is the best one until now because the rooms have CUPBOARDS!! How nice to finally have a place other than the cramped backpack to put my clothes. Also, we have our own shower. I'll now go to wake Mikko up and we'll think of what to do tonight.

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