Neither my mom or had ever been to Ireland so when dad let us loose in Europe for three days following his departure from Paris, we decided to head over to the Emerald Isle. And before we even set foot in Dublin, we had booked a day trip to the other side of the island with Extreme Ireland. The weather surprisingly held after five days of rain in Paris and we were excited to breathe in some fresh country air and sea the Atlantic from the other side.
Travel & Food
Nearly every tour group leaves from the same place at 6:30am in the center of Dublin. If you're out of walking distance, I seriously suggest getting the taxi and showing up a bit early. There's a Starbucks across the street and a McDonald's around the corner if you're craving some hot drink. Multiple buses leave for the same trip so try your best to finagle your way to the front of a bus for better views, better circulated air and getting off the bus first. Granted, I slept through most of the initial bus journey due to the minor fact I had contracted tonsillitis in Paris, but that didn't stop me from enjoying the trip! The bus itself is your typical coach bus with seat-belts, a fold out table and foot rests. Nothing too special, but the driver is beyond entertaining with stories of Ireland's past, present and future. Bring snacks because although there's a midmorning stop at the Barack Obama Plaza - he has a great-great-great grandmother from the area - everyone is going for food. The lunch stop has a single bar, but if you walk around the corner you'll run into the cutest sandwich shop with (a bit) less of a line. The late afternoon stop at a quaint village has nothing much more than a bar for a drink or two before you return to Dublin around 7:30pm.
Trip Highlights
You make five main stops along your journey to the western coast of Ireland and back. Around 11am you arrive at the Cliffs of Moher. One of Ireland's greatest natural beauties. I'm sure my mom could tell you more about their creation, but I just soaked up the sun and the fresh air and took a wander down the cliff face.
The second stop is at the Burrens. Just a few miles down the coast from the main attraction, these "mini-cliffs" provide the perfect opportunity for a crazy photoshoot. They're also less well-known than the Cliffs of Moher, but they provide the same dramatic view.
We stopped at a run-down monastery before our final stop where we learned about the dissolution and the oh-so-famous Irish Whiskey. Much like Scotland, Ireland's not he hugest fan of England. The tour was also similar to my Scottish Highlands tour, but as a day tour we spent a bit more time at each stop (and we spent over 12 hours out and about as opposed to 8-10).
Our final stop was at an Irish seaside town for a pint (which neither mom or I had due to my illness), but the stop was peaceful and calm before heading back to the bustling city of Dublin.
Now that I've got a taste of the Emerald Isle, I'm sure to be back for some more.
