Ireland: Last night I slept in a haunted hostel and didn’t even know it

After telling friends and family I was staying in Galloway and not Galway, I realised I’d better stop sleeping on the bus and start listening to our tour guides.

The first thing they said to us was, “anyone notice anything weird last night? Anything strange happen to anyone? Well the hostel we stayed in last night is HAUNTED!”

‘Ohhh myyy gooodddd!!!!’ was my reaction. Thank heavens we didn’t know, or we wouldn’t have slept a wink.

Apparently the man who used to own the hostel enjoyed throwing large parties. And when his debt became too heavy to handle, he hung himself in the building.

Luckily we were too tired from the day before and slept through the entire night. But two sisters on our tour did experience some supernatural activity.

Opting for a private dorm, it was just the two of them in the room. One couldn’t sleep, and had her blanket covering her head for some darkness. She swore she heard her sister pacing around the room. She wondered, what is she doing? Impatient with the footsteps she withdrew the blanket expecting to see her sister walking. But her sister was fast asleep in bed across the room. Holy shit balls!! Ghost!

The Evil Ranga's castle

We spent the morning sightseeing, where we came across an old ruined castle. Legend says that the woman who owned this castle was essentially, an evil ranga. When her husband died fighting an opposing clan, the woman concocted a plan to marry a new soldier to keep the castle from being stormed and inhabited by the enemy. When she ‘got bored’ with her new husband, he would ‘mysteriously’ fall from the roof of the castle, or ‘accidentally’ cut himself shaving. She went through 25 husbands before anyone realised what was happening.

On New Year’s Day, the people of the town tried to storm the castle. Not wanting anyone else to take control, she burnt it down instead. Consequently, as this woman had red hair, it is said that on New Year’s Day it is bad luck to speak to people with red hair. Sorry Livi!

Lucky it's not New Year's Day

Next stop was the Poulnabrone dolmen rocks in County Clare, said to be older than the pyramids.

How did it get here? Was it aliens?

As if it is older than Pride Rock

We visited a fairy fort, where our Irish guides were so superstitious they wouldn’t let us go inside the fort, but led us right the way around. The fairies can grant wishes, but they can also be cheeky if you don’t respect them. Our guides have had buses break down after people have damaged or desecrated the fairy fort. You don’t mess with that shit.

Walking around the fort making wishes

 

Next up were the Cliffs of Moher, or the Cliffs of Insanity from the Princess Bride film. Their sheer vertical drop was intense.

You drive me crazy

The cliffs are the most visited natural attraction in Ireland, ranging eight kilometres over the Atlantic Ocean, at a height of 214m at the highest point.

What is the meaning of life? I don't understand boys. What am I going to wear tomorrow?

Have you ever? Ever felt like this? Where strange things happen, are you going round the twist?

We learned about the mystical Gireeps – giraffes crossed with sheep. Turns out the tour guides were joking about this, and we were all fooled for days. They were actually alpacas. Stu-pid.

That night was a group dinner in Galway (not Galloway) before heading out for some live music at the Quay. Not Trad music, thank god.

Instead of drinking the usual disgusting Guinness, we drank baby Guinness shots instead. A shot of Kahlua with some Baileys on top; much more my style. And they were delicious.

Baby Guinness shots!

Classic before shot

Classic after shot. Ooohh, feel the burn

We hung out with our tour guides and bus driver, before turning in after a big day of sightseeing. The ghosts, fairies and evil red heads really took it out of us.

Nikki the friendly ghost

Ireland: Last night I listened to Traditional Irish music, not a fan

Ireland has beaches? And coastal towns? And is actually a really big island?

Who knew?

Having booked our Shamrocker tour less than a week before it began, I knew very little about Ireland; besides Leprechauns, four leaf clovers and the colour green, of course.

So when the scenery out of the bus window was of beaches and sand, I was a little surprised.

Take me to the beeeach

They say that if you swim in the Ocean in Ireland you leave part of your soul there, and have to return to the island years later to collect it. It was way too cold and I didn’t want to get sand in my shoes. Sorry Ireland but all of my soul is coming with me this time.

The keeper of souls

Will write anywhere

Party in my batcave?

We stopped off in the Dingle Peninsula, and I couldn’t comprehend these coastal towns. How can they be beachy, and it be so cold? Doesn’t it have to be hot to go to the beach? Nevertheless people were surfing in the ocean, some in wetsuits and some not. Crazy.

Surf lesson anyone? Wetsuit optional

Pretending it's not cold

 Ridin', my dolphin

Staying the night in Ennis we ventured to the pub again to listen to some traditional, or Trad music. Thinking it was going to be a performance, we were surprised when the people playing the instruments sat around a table and played among themselves and not to the people listening. It was interesting to listen to for a little while, but give me some Beyoncé any day.

An early night is just what the Leprechaun ordered. 

Ireland hopper, Nikki

Ireland: Last night I drank Guinness and partied like a rock star

The first day of our Shamrocker Tour through Ireland I slept on the bus, kissed a stone, and froze my ass off.

Selecting my favourite Zimmermann singlet, jeans and a blazer, I was severely under dressed.

And when it started to rain, we had only our scarves wrapped around our freshly straightened hair.

Our first big stop for the day was Blarney Castle, where we could kiss the famous Blarney Stone. It’s said that if you kiss the stone you will get the Gift of the Gab – not that the three of us need it.

Blarney Castle

To kiss the stone you must climb to the top of the tower, lie upside down in the wet, hold onto two poles while a man holds you by the waist, almost back flipping, stretch your head further upside down, pucker up, and kiss some cold rock.

I thought it was hilarious.

I have to do what?!

Mmmmwwwaaahhhhh

Brad Pitt has also kissed the stone, so effectively, we’ve made out.

That night we went out in Killarney, the party town where something is raging every night of the week. This was a Monday night and we went out clubbing. Ridiculous.

Ridiculously fun!

Cheers!

We started at O’Connell’s Pub where we watched a ‘pub theatre’ performance – comedy, drama, and drinking by the eccentric, Pa.

Being serenaded

We tried Guinness – not as bad as I was expecting once I got past all of the froth. But I still wouldn’t pick it if I had a choice. It looks like thick mud.

Three wines and some Guinness down we were off to The Grand Hotel, where a live band played in one room and a DJ in the other. Just the way I like it!

We danced with the band for hours, had songs dedicated to us, sang along in the microphone and just generally loved life.

Hey girls, you like my bass?

When they played The Wanted, holy shit we lost it. Naturally, it was dedicated “to the three lovely ladies at the front”.

Groupies, and we're ok with that

We love you Ash, Livi and Nikki

Our hostel had a 3am lockout, so we partied until 2:30am, trying to find our way back before running into Pa. He wouldn’t direct us to the hostel, but instead to the strippers. Classy!

Pa be crazy

Such a fun night, I love Killarney!

Name’s Nikki, I’m with the band

Ireland: Last night I slept in a 16 person mixed dorm

Our first experience in a real hostel; holy crap it was interesting.

Hoping to save dollars/pounds/euros along the way we knew we would have to stay in hostels, and potentially share rooms with random strangers.

Walking into the dorm room the first thing I noticed was the smell. Dearie me it stunk in there. A horrible combination of BO and farts, which we kind of got used to. Is that gross? 

In the 16 person dorm there were three other Canadian girls of similar age, a couple, four other random fellas, and an old man.

Freaking out over whether our bags would be safe in the room, we checked out the gym change room style bathrooms. Not terrible.

So far, so good.

Imagine packing this up in a 16 person dorm, impossibile

Relaxing in the room before bed, the old man wanted to have a chat about life and his travels, before suddenly whipping his pants off and standing there in his tightie-whities. Gross!

As we chatted among ourselves, we could feel eyes on us. The old man, who we later referred to as Gramps, was lying in his bed, craning his neck and looking up at everyone in the room. It was a little weird, but he was harmless.

Exhausted after a day of travelling we got ready for bed wondering whether the light would remain on all night.  The few hours we had been there people slept, woke up, napped, rested, and woke up again, all with the light on. I was wondering, ‘was it a sensor light?’, ‘does it even turn off?’

So when one of the Canadian girls asked if she could turn the light off, I was joyous.

Ok. Showered and hair washed. Bags packed up and valuables locked away. In bed safe up on the top bunk where no one can touch me. Now to sleep.

Two minutes lying in bed with the lights off and I hear someone at the door having trouble with their key. After minutes of trying, he was still locked out. No way was I getting down off my top bunk to open the door for this stranger.

Slowly and gingerly the person made it into the room. With my eye mask ensuring darkness and pretending I was asleep, I heard someone stumble, trip over a backpack, yelp, and then stop. He was leaning against Ash’s bed.  

A few more minutes and he threw himself into the bottom bunk below me. Or more like passed out into the bed below me. I was praying he wouldn’t lean out of the bed and vomit on my clothes or handbag.

I woke up hoping it was almost time to wake up. Wrong. It was 1:30am. And someone was snoring unbearably loud. It was Gramps. I wanted to throw my lumpy pillow at him.

The next time I woke it was time to get up. Lights still off, everyone else still asleep, only two working power points in the whole room, and I wanted to straighten my hair. This was not going to happen.

I picked up my straightener and power adaptor and sat in the hallway of the hostel, using the cleaner’s vacuum power point for the straightener, and the reverse camera in my iPhone as a mirror. Genius.

Now imagine pulling out all this stuff  and more in a shared bathroom

Returning to the room I was able to catch a glimpse of our drunken friend from the night before. He was lying in bed, fully clothed and still wearing his shoes. Must have been a big night.

He awoke asking the time. “Ah breakfast time,” he said, and went down to the kitchen. We later overheard him asking, “Anyone know a lawyer? I think I got punched in the ribs last night.” Must have been a huge night.

Although it was a little out of our comfort zone, Kinlay House Hostel in Dublin was actually quite nice. It was clean and the bathroom facilities were more than fine. If we were worried about leaving our backpacks in the dorm there were lockers and safes available for hire for an affordable fee. A small breakfast of toast, cereal and coffee was also provided.

It set us back around €22 each for Easter Sunday, much cheaper than the £55 each we paid for every night in our budget hotel in London. Although it smelled funky in the room, I would probably stay there again.

First night in a hostel and mixed dorm, complete!

Almost professional traveller, Nikki

Saving money: Tours and trains

Loving Contiki so much, we decided the best way to see Ireland and Scotland would be to book organised tours.

A week before the tours started, we weren’t surprised to hear that Contiki was fully booked out. Our next option was to sign up for a HaggisAdventures tour through Scotland for £289, and a Shamrocker Adventures tour through Ireland for £315.

These companies are associated with Busabout, the hop-on, hop-off style bus tours. They include all bus travel, as well as tickets to many attractions, but they do not include accommodation. However beds are reserved in recommended hostels for all tourers, and you pay as you go.

I did the maths, taking accommodation into account, the two tours would cost around the same price as the one longer Contiki tour, if not cheaper.

We could also save some pennies by taking the train to Dublin instead of flying. A one hour plane ride would cost £90, whereas the train would cost less than £40. Pretty decent saving.

Only thing – taking the train would incur over 10 hours of travelling. Two tube trains, three V-line style trains, and one ferry. We’re told the journey wouldn’t usually take this long, but train track maintenance works were undertaken over the Easter weekend. Bugger.

Lugging these around all day with a shocking hangover was nearly the end of us

The two weeks we spent in London gave us no dramas with the tube. However the one day we had to be on time and at Marylebone train station by 9am, signal failures held us up for what seemed like an eternity.

Three of us hungover, still held up and only 15 minutes before our first train was due to depart, we made the decision to get off the stopped train and take a taxi the rest of the way.

I forgot it was Easter Sunday.

There was not a cab in sight.

Panic.

Heart racing.

Less than 10 minutes before the train would leave.

I thought, this is it, we’re done. Miss this train and we miss the next two trains, as well as the ferry.

We finally got a cab. Jumping into the back seat so fast, I forgot I had my backpack on. The top of my backpack got stuck on the cab roof, wouldn’t come inside with me, and eventually made me fall backwards like a turtle out of the cab. Luckily I have two best friends who would catch me when I fall. And they did.

Shouting orders at the driver we got into the cab like normal people, threw money at him and ran out into the station.

Two minutes before the train would leave.

Not even carrying, but dragging our backpacks we flashed our tickets, threw ourselves and our luggage onto the train, and took a huge sigh of relief. Holy crap. We made it.

Chillen on the train

The rest of the day was a piece of cake. Fun even.

Ash playing some dungeons and dragons online

Livi sleeping off the booze

In hindsight, flying would have been much easier and less of a hassle. Although the train did save us £50 each, and it ended up to be quite a relaxing day, complete with a self-made Easter egg hunt in the train carriage.

Definitely all things to consider if you’re ever faced with the same dilemma. Also the whole public holiday thing probably didn’t help us either. But saving money to shop won out on this occasion.

Ninja turtle Nikki  

The Easter Bunny delivered the goods this year, kind of

Finding a cheap hotel in London for Saturday night over Easter. Hard work.

Door knocking time.

We decided to spend an extra night in London before making the journey to Ireland. Our accommodation at the Victoria Hotel had finished and was going to cost us £50-60 each to book another night over the Easter weekend. I could buy two pairs of Zara jeans for that.

Having blown our budgets on Oxford Street we decided to find alternate accommodation. Liking the Russel Square area so much, this led us to walk the streets door knocking, asking for availability and prices.

We finally found one location with a vacancy for three on a Saturday night, and it was only going to cost us £80 between us. Hallelujah.

I was very sceptical at first. The man wanted us to pay upfront a few days before checking in. I said hell no buddy we’ll pay a deposit and pay the rest later, thanks. We also asked to have a look at the quality of the rooms before making a reservation.

Ashii in our tiny room. My bed covered the fireplace, sorry Santa

When we did check in, however, the staff kindly held our luggage in a storage room while we did our laundry, and when our room was ready they had transferred our backpacks to our sleeping quarter.

The room had three single beds. Good start.

It had a small fridge, and a tiny television.

The bathroom was a whole other story. It was as if a port-a-loo had been dropped into the hotel, and walls built around it to make it look a part of the room. You aint fooling no one buddy.

All squished into the fake bathroom. We couldn't even shut the door

The main thing we noticed was the smell. It reeked distinctly of curry, and we would later fondly refer to the hotel as ‘The Curry House’.

Watching Jessie J and Tom Jones on Britan’s version of The Voice, we tried to get dressed and ready to go out in the room. This involved straightening and curling hair without a mirror, squeezing into the port-a-loo to slap on some makeup, and washing out glasses from the bathroom to drink our wine. We are fast becoming pros at this.

Happy Easter vino and chocolate

When our pre-drinking got a little loud, the staff asked if we were having a fight. This was our cue to leave.

We ended up sleeping in the hotel for only three hours, up with an early start. It was one of the worst sleeps I’ve ever had.

It was 200 degrees Celsius in the room, and it smelled like curry.

Upon checkout we cleared up the noise complaint with the staff and we were on our way.

Having said it was a terrible sleep, I would probably stay there again. The rooms were clean and secure, and the port-a-loo wasn’t so bad.

When finding a place to stay, knocking on doors and asking for availability and prices isn’t a bad idea, especially if you have limited access to wifi.

Make sure you are specific about what you want (we wanted cleanliness, security and three beds), don’t pay the full amount upfront, and ask to check out the room before you agree to book the accommodation.

In hindsight I wished we’d asked to pay £75 – easier to split three ways but still a decent price for the hotel – something I will think more about in the future.

It was a good experience and quite funny when we reflect on the night. It really wasn’t so terrible, and the £30 we each saved went a lot further on tequila shots.

Port-a-Nikki

Loopy for Loop: Clubbing in London

We had two Saturday nights in London, and we spent them both at Loop nightclub in Mayfair.

Bottoms up!

It came as a suggestion from an Aussie friend living in London for the past nine months; this place must be good.

It is free entry into the club before 10-10:30pm, and £10 (around $15) cover charge after that. Drinks cost around £5-6 each – either way a three person round is less than £20.

Wowza!

The club has three floors; the ground level is more of a bar with seating inside and out. The next floor down has its own bar and beats, pumping the latest dance, house and R’n’B tunes. The third floor down is a retro room, complete with light-up dance floor and go-go dancers. Booyah!

                                                                            

Burn baby burn

The crowd is a mixture of ages, but fair to say the younger party goers stick mainly to the middle floor.  The fellas can be quite persistent, but nothing that we couldn’t beat off with an imaginary stick.

Hanging with the boys from One Direction

Perhaps the highlight was the ladies who work in the bathroom, with a counter full of perfume, lip gloss, deodorant, tissues, and glow sticks. For a coin donation you could freshen up and raid their stash.

One of the women had rhymes and songs encouraging girls with heavy coin purses to lighten their load. My favourite was “no spray no lay, no spray no lay, feeling hot, hot, hot!”

Naturally, we just got glow sticks.  

Loopy for Loop Round 2

We had two big nights out in London and Loop treated us very well. The DJ also played our favourite song, the song that got us through the hard work and the saving before we left. You play the song, we love you forever. When we heard ‘I’m Glad You Came’ by the Wanted, we literally went loopy.

 

Ohhh myyyy godddddd! I'm glad you came, do do do do

Do yourself a favour and have a listen! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ggzxInyzVE&ob=av2n

We may just have to head back for our final Saturday night upon our return to London.

And there is a McDonalds next door for the trip home.

Sounds like a party.

No glasses on the dance floor! Rebels

 Don’t even ask how we pulled up the next morning.

Always loopy, Nikki

Nuts for Nutty

I had never seen a squirrel before. So when Ash spotted one in Hyde Park, we went nuts.

OMGGGGG it's a squirrel!

Ash named him Nutty, and from then on every other squirrel we would see would also be called Nutty.

Pick someone who won't run away with the camera!

Hyde Park was huge, filled with people walking, cycling, eating lunch, playing organised soccer matches and those simply enjoying the scenery.

Get out of my shot people

Lovely day for a teddy bear's picnic



We were lucky to visit on such a lovely and sunny day, enjoying a little warmth chasing squirrels around the grass.

Hanging out in the park, doing what we do

 Nutty Nikki

Devonshire Tea

One of the things we wanted to cross off the bucket list was to have Devonshire tea in England.

It was our coldest day in London, around three degrees Celsius. After spending our morning walking around with a map trying to find Lily Allen’s clothing store, Lucy in Disguise (which has apparently vanished into thin air), we were freezing and wanted a hot drink. This turned into Devonshire Tea at a cute café in Leicester Square.  

Sorry mum, but they were the best scones I’ve ever eaten.

They were huge! They had fruits in them and had a shortbread taste to them. They also came with cream and six different jams.

It cost around £6-7 each for the scones and a pot of tea, and kept us so full we didn’t eat again until dinner.

Holy moly they were delicious.

All three of us were in concurrence, best scones ever!

Scone eater, Nikki