WEATHER: 12C plus a wind chill factor
HIGHTLIGHT OF THE DAY: New friends
BUMMER OF THE DAY:
BUYS OF THE DAY: Smirnoff reds at the bar for 5.50 EUR
WORD OF THE DAY: - Fu#kwit
We had the latest start this morning on all of my Contiki trips of 9.45am. I set my alarm for 8am and woke up at 7.45am in a panic that I slept through and missed the bus. It was really an odd feeling, and more pressure for the wake-up’s for the next 6 weeks as I have no roomie. Odd but GREAT feeling.
We left Derry and had a 2 hour drive to Sligo, where we stopped for lunch. The weather comes and goes, but when it rains it is a light mist, and not full on pelting rain (touchwood), so it is bearable. It is the wind that drops the temperature by 5C. I have just about given up trying to use an umbrella, as the wind is quite gusty it turns it inside out or keeps catching in the wind and I feel I may do a Mary Poppins and float off ( well maybe not ) but it is pretty windy.
A further 2 hour drive got us into the university city of Galway. We got a few hours free time here before driving to our hotel. We visited a jewelry shop that is the original makers of the claddagh rings from 1750. Legend has it that an Irish young man, Richard Joyce, bound for the West Indian slave plantations - was kidnapped in rough seas by a band of Mediterranean pirates and sold to a Moorish goldsmith who over the many long years of his exile helped him perfect the skills of a master craftsman.
Back in Ireland a young women had never stopped faithful waiting for her true love to return. Upon which time when he presented her with the now famous Royal Claddagh gold ring - a symbol of their enduring love. Two hands to represent their friendship, the crown to signify their loyalty and lasting fidelity, and the sign of the heart to symbolize their eternal love for each other.
They soon married, never to be separated again – what a beautiful story! After all that I walked out of the shop with a shiny new claddagh ring!!! I am wearing it the right way, which is upside down, heart facing my fingernail – telling people my relationship status is single.
Our hotel is located about 20 minute drive from town. So we checked in and then Aaron drove us back into town for dinner and a night of drinking and dancing (I know – a big shock). We went to a pub called Munro’s, where we ate dinner and they had a live guy playing his guitar. He was pretty good, and even though the drinks were a little expensive, it was a great place. From here we walked to a nightclub called Karma at 11pm. When we got there we were the only people in the place. It is a 4 level club, so even with 35 of us in there, it really wasn’t that busy. Well 40 minutes later, the place was swarmed with people – where the hell they all came from I have no idea, but the night just picked up a notch and we partied the night away. The club closed at 2.15am (which was a blessing in disguise) and we were back home by 3am. Big Dave asked our awesome taxi guy about doing a Macca’s run for 9 cheeseburgers, but we were already too far out of town for him to turn around (another blessing I do believe). It was an awesome night out and a great way to meet some more of the ‘original’ and new Contiki’ers.
Plenty of stories to tell, it is Contiki after all, but as the saying goes “What happens on Contiki, stays on Contiki so my lips are sealed!!!
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