Just what the doctor ordered

Aran Island was amazing!!! Everyone who's anyone should venture on out there when they're in Ireland. The people, the isolation, and the beauty was amazing! I finally got there around 7:30pm on Friday and checked into a nice little hostel right on the harbor. I then treated myself to a good dinner of shepard's pie (love those meat and potatoes) with a nice Irish Coffee (thank's Dr. Ben - I think the whiskey did the trick). I then walked around the little town while the sun was setting. The island is full of old ababdoned buildings covered in ivy and over grown with trees and cows, which made me feel like I was in a sleepy little oasis. I then walked up to a pub that was suppose to be a happening place where a Nice Irish boy named Danny called me over and bought me a pint. A night of fun pursued in which a lot of Guinness was consumed and I met Ryan (the Canadian), Owen (the Yank), Johnny and Brian (the Irish boys), and Yvonne, Caotirna, Jo, and the cute blonde girl with a pink hat whoes name i absolutely can't remember (the Irish girls). The night ended with cheeseburgers and curry chips (something they definately need to start providing in the States) at the chip hut.

The next morning I woke up really thirsty, so I drank lots of water and then Ryan and I rented bikes and rode around the island going to Dun Angus a fort built around 1100 BC on the edge of a cliff. We also went to some castle/lookout on the highest part of the island which actually was quite destered and looks like no one has been keeping it up all summer. Climbing up to the top of the tower provided stunning views of the island, Galway Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. We then headed back to town, where Ryan was glad he could just coast all the way into town down the hill instead of peddle. We then needed a place to stay becasue we didn't book a room and being the Bank Holiday, the island was full, so we asked around and heard of this non-liscened B&B on the harbor that may have room. We asked...and sure enough..two beds left! Kinda pricey...but better than sleeping with the cows! Another night of fun insued, and I left the island this morning after a traditional Irish breakfast of bacon, sausage, and eggs - with a side of grease! Just got back into Dublin. I'm still a little congested, but my sore throat is gone. Off to Scotland tomorrow morning! Wish I could go into more detail about my trip, but time is short and internet expensive! Cheers!

It's fockin' pissin'...

English translation...it's rainning...A LOT! I woke up this morning to rain...and it hasn't let up since. But being from the Bay Area...rain is nothing new to me, so I decided to brave the weather...even though I'm feeling a bit under the weather myself...and get meself a pinty of Guinness at the source.

I made the trek to Trinity College along the way and saw the ancient Book of Kells....very cool. It's 4 books of the New Testiment written over 1000 years ago my four monks who wrote it on dried calfskin and elaboratly decorated it using various inks and colors. The college was really cool as well...saw thier bell tower...which the refer to as...the Trinity Campanile!!! Thier ugliest building on campus is know as a concrete photocopier and is actually called the Berkeley Library. (It's pronounced BARK-lee not BERK-lee) Outside of this library they also had a futuristic looking sculpture of a mechanical looking ball...sound familiar? Like the recently erected sculpture at Berkeley on Oxford and Center?! Well that's becasue it was done by the same artist and my tour guide actually mentioned the one at Cal (after confusing us with stanfurd initially) and said there is also a similar stature at the Vatican. I found all the similarites quite amuzing...but the best part...if you're a undergraduate scholar at the college (ie, you're on a scholarship)...you get free Guinness every evening in the Dining Commons! If I knew this four years ago...I may not have gone to Uni in the states!

I then headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral, but only spent a short time there becasue I realized it was getting late and the Guinness Storehouse closes at 5pm...so I headed over there. The self guided tour was awesome! You don't actually get to go through the factory...the Storehouse is more set up like an exhibition in which they take you through the whole process and history of Guinness! Did you know hops was actually used in Ancient Eygpt to treat liver disease and that yeast is actually very nutirous and good for you! To that I say, "A pint of Guinness please!" The tour was topped at the fifth floor bar with - what else - a free pint of Guinness, as well as stunning veiws of a very wet Dublin.

It's awesome traveling by myself, becasue I basically get to do anyting I was, but I feel like somethings are more memorable in the company of others. I thought I'd make friends with fellow travelers at the hostel, but as it turns out, many of them are actually in Dublin looking for jobs and are living at the hostel on a more permenant basis. Since Ireland is part of the EU anyone from another EU contry can work here and since Ireland speaks english you often find people from Italy, France, etc here to work and learn english. Right now I'm the only one in my 14 bed room that speaks english and is from the states. With my ventures west tomorrow to Galway maybe I'll have a different experience.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll feel better (a sore throat in bothering me) and I'll get some sunshine!

A walk in the park

So I spent today walking around Dublin...and when I say walk...I mean it. I think I logged around 10 miles on my feet today as I walked all the way from the hostel, across the river, around Temple Bar, and then all the way into Phonix Park, the largest city park in the world that's over 700 acres big! I saw the President of Irelands resisdance...which closely resembled the white house, however it's actually located in the park...so it is surrounded by nothing but serenity.

Tomorrow will be spend at St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, the Old Jamison Distillery and of course....the GUINNESS STOREHOUSE!!!! Hopefully I'll still be able to stand by 5pm!

I'm loving Ireland, and I'm planning on making a trip out to Galway. Supposedly that is the place to be this time of year due to the Galway Races (a 24 hour party) and of course I'll have to take a trip out to the Aran Islands...home to Ireland's richest archaeological sites going all the way back to the celts. County Galway is also supposedly the most authentic place in Ireland as many of the residents still speech Irish.

Dublin is great, but I can't wait to see more of the country! Last night in the bar every Irish chap in there was making fun of me becasue I'm American, but I told them that I know they're just joking, becasue my family makes fun of me the same way! Now I know where you all get it from...it's that Irish blood.

Sorry for the brevity, but my internet is running out. Dad - sorry I'm not answering your questions. Mom - read your email! :)

Talk to you all soon!

A breath of fresh air...

...which is exactly what Dublin is! Once I got here the sun was shinning (which I haven't seen in three days) and everyone was so friendly! Quite the contrast from all the newspaper reading black suits of London.

None the less...I don't have much time to talk...I'm off to a local pub with an Aussie chap I bumped into who has actually been living here for the last couple of months. I'm going to go drink me some guinness and listen to some Irish music! Cheers!

I'm not coming home!!!

This will be brief, as I am recovering from the number of pubs and bars Chris, Peter and I traveled to last night...

I'm not coming home! I've decided to extend my stay until August 5th. I checked the number of seats open...18 in business and 33 in coach I believe. However, getting back to SFO may prove to be a bit more difficult, but at least I'll be back in the right continent.

As for my travels...tomorrow I will be taking the train and then ferry over to Dublin. I'm sooooooooooooooo exctied! I think I'll fit right in with those crazy Irish and I'll be sure to hit up the Guinness brewery as well!! On August 1st I'm off to Edinburgh, Scotland in which there is a house with friends from Berkeley in it. They're here for a month as part of Fringe, a huge theatre festival that takes place here every year!

My last day in London will be spent hitting up some of what I missed, including the Tower of London and St. Paul's Cathedral, to be concluded with Billy Elliott the Musical tonight! London is wonderful and I can't wait to be back, but I'm extremely excited about my continuing adventures and my travels back to me roots...Ireland...here I come!

Tourist for a day!

It's not like I haven't been a tourist while I've been here, but today was the first time I actually felt like one!

I headed to north London to Camden Market, which was lots of fun! Once I got there, there were plenty of people at the first market, but I followed the advice of my handy dandy Let's Go London book and walked three blocks up the street to a much less crowded and better bargin market with the exact same stuff! I did a little shopping and got some good lamb curry for lunch...mmm...and then I wandered the streets and other markets for a bit taking in the eclectic atmosphere. I couldn't compare it to any other place I've been...however...there were hoards of tourists everywhere, which kinda took away from it a bit.

I then hoped on the tube and preceeded to go to the British Museum, which I got lost finding becasue I got turned around. With London not being on a grid system, I constantly start out on a road thinking I'm heading in the right direction, but I then find myself at some massive intersection not having a clue. Once I got my bearings and found a sign point to - what else - "The British Museum" I was realize I had just walked in a huge circle around the tube station I got off at. At least I got to do a little window shopping...just imagine...a whole rack of pink shoes...50% off!!! However, being practical...I don't have a clue where or when I'd wear pink shoes...so I didn't take the store up on thier offer.

The Bristish Musuem is the coolest museum in the world! Not only is the building gorgeous, with the Great Court in the middle leading to all the galleries, but thier collection is off the hook! Saw the rosetta stone through a hoard of Japanese tourists, that was very sterotypical. I was actually impressed because I thought it was a lot smaller then it was. I guess that was becasue I had only ever seen textbook pictures and the lovely Rosetta Stone jigsaw puzzle Ben had on his coffee table. You can have your own to for only £9.99 at the gift shop! :) I also saw the bog man that was killed and thrown in a bog thousands of years ago. The anerobic conditions left him very well preserved!!! (My Berkeley education had taught me something!) The mummies I actually found erie...it was wierd to think there was a person under there. It was the same feeling you get when walking through a graveyard, except this was exceptionally odd becasue you're in a museum gallery where these things are displayed for people to look at almost as a form of entertainment.

After staying at the museum until almost closing, and not getting to see nearly enough of it...I headed back to the tube station as it started to rain. Luckily, I didn't get lost this time, but of course, the rain stopped as soon as I got into the station.

I made my way home and once I got there, I chatted with Chris' mum and dad as we watched the news. It's absolutly awful all the things going on over here. I'm really not sure what you all are hearing there over in the states, but there was a 20 minute report on the news of the on going investigation here in London yesterday, only to be highlighted today by the fact the police killed the wrong man and 88 more people are dead in Eygpt, including some British tourists. The Brits like thier news, but it's horrible to be reminded of what's going on. Everytime a train I've been on has stopped in the tube between stations, I get an eerie feeling like somethings about to go wrong. Just the other day I saw a picture of them removing the train from the tracks at King's Cross. It was being hoisted up by a crain and it was all tighly wrapped in plastic, making me think of a person wrapped up in a burial shroud, so you couldn't actually see the car. Everyone is putting on a good face of "We are not afraid" and "London United" but the truth is every one is scared to death - just look at the man who was running and got shot, he very well could have been running becasue he was afraid a bomb was about to go off next to him and he wanted to live. (Disclaimer - that's not actually what I believe after seeing the news report here, but someone could very easily make that case.) With this, I think it has crossed everyone's mind that they could be next.

Anyways...it's on my mind so I thought I'd shine some light on the subject. Being here during these developments has made me put a whole new perspective on terroism. Dinner tonight consisted of good old fish and chips at a little joint down the street served up with genuine lack of British hospitality. (With the exception of Chris' parents of course!) No wonder they include tip in the check, or else they'd never get paid!

It's suppose to rain all day tommorrow so I believe Chris and I will be hitting up the Tower of London! Later!

PS - Go Lance! Vive le Tour!

Rocks, Paper, Salisbury!

Ventured out to Stonehenge today, which I found awesome...it's a lot bigger than I expected...but then again it is one of the seven wonders of the world...or so they say. Then on ly disappointment was all the people! There was a steady ring of tourists around the whole site, not to mention the 20 or so people I saw lining the highway, who were too cheap to pay the £4 admission. I have to say I can't really blame them, as it is about $7 USD, which can buy you a pitcher of beer in some places...I must begin to prioritize!

I then walked around Salisbury and went to the Cathedral, which was amazing. I was struck with how huge it was, as well as all the tombs within them, as there are no 13th century cathedrals in the states, and especially no dead people in them. Chris' mum said she'd never thought of it that way before and everyone here takes England's history for granite, which I found interest becasue yesterday Chris was telling me how Britain's history is grilled into them at school year after year, yet a big part of thier history, the monarchy, is purely symbolic and doesn't have any real power today.

I also saw one of only four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. There were origionally 12, and I must say those Brits were thinking, compared to our Declaration. First off, they made 12 copies, we only have one...and no matter what you do...paper deteriorates! Secondly, the Magna Carta was written on some kind of leather or skin...I believe...which (I should know this) lasts longer then paper.

Don't know if that made sense becasue it's so late. Until next time...

Buses = London at its worst

So yesterday I had a lovely time in Kensington exploring the museums. I than walked down the street and ran into a little department store called Harrod's. It's funny how the store just seemed to find me, becasue I wasn't looking for it I was just wondering down the street and saw this cool looking building that I thought I'd check out. I also realized that London goes crazy in July and every store in the city has a sale. This definately proves to be a problem for someone who loves to shop, yet is economically challanged, like myself. However, I quickly ran out of time, as I had to be back at the house becasue Chris and I were going out with a few of his mates.

This is where the fun began! I walk over to the tube station and it's closed - which seems to be a common occurance these days! When inquiring as to why, the officer was very nice as to tell me the whole story. Apparently, there were three packages in peoples backpacks that were suppose to detinate, fortunately, they all failed to go off. I wasn't scared in the least bit...I was actually happy to be handed an obscure bus map with only vauge idea of where I was and were I was heading...it was an adventure!

Well, getting on the bus proved to be the least of my worries, as the great thing about London is every time you turn around, there seems to be some form of public transportation ready to wisk you away to the destiation of your choice. However, I was unsure as to where to get off the bus becasue the only map I had was of Central London and as my luck would have it, Chris lives in South London. I end up going a bit too far, but luckly, I get off at a tube station that is actually functioning. I hop on the tube and make it to the train station, in which I almost didn't get on the train becasue everyone was crowded in the doorway, typical of how Brits tend to be very rude about stuff like that. However, this one friendly chap, said "Come on girl, you can make it!" and grab my arm, just in time to pull me on the train as the doors were closing. At this point I had been trying to get home for two hours, and I was very late for meeting up with Chris and his mates. I finally got back to realize that the tube had closed only minutes after I had gotten to Kensington that morning, therefore everyone and thier mother (literally becasue Chris' mum, my mom, and my mom's mom) were all worried.

After relaxing for a bit and calling my mom, I cleaned up and we (myself, Chris, and Ellen - Chris' friend from Uni) headed out to a swanky cocktail bar on King's Road - where else, but back in Kensington. On the way, Chris kindly informed me that London doesn't have a good map of the bus system, becasue no one ever rides the bus and that taking the bus during rush hour (as I had done) was London at its worst. I then kindly informed him that it wasn't all that bad compared to the 405 any day of the week.

After getting back home rather early, as all bars in England close at 11pm, I crashed and woke up at the bloody early time of 6.30 this morning as Chris was heading off to work. My agenda for today includes a train ride out to Salisbury to see the mega tourist trap of stonehenge.

Here's to hoping London gets a better map of thier buses! Cheers!

Day number one...

I met up with Chris yesterday and he actually told me that King's Cross isn't the nicest part of town, and that his mum found it better if I stay with them instead, so I'm now crashing for the next few days at his place in Wandsworth. His parents have been so gracious and made dinner last night after I returned home from a long trek along the South Bank from the London Eye to the Tower Bridge.

As there was a horendous queue at the Eye, and Chris had to be off to work in an hour, we walked down to the Globe, only to realize the theatre closes in the afternoon. By this time, Chris had to be off to work, so we parted ways and I decided to explore the Tate Modern. Not being one for a lot of modern art, I actually found it quite enjoyable. One piece I found interesting was a number of artifacts that had been collected during a dig prior to the musem being built in 1999. The artifacts were all laid out in drawers and cabniets of a bereau, but they weren't in any order and weren't labeled. There was also this locker that included two buckets of seemingly unimportant rubble from the dig. What stricked me was that this "rubble" was pieces of porceline and china, that looked to me to have more archaeological significance than the plastic Coke bottle caps that were on display in the bureau. Also, since everything was out of context and not labled, thier potential historic value ment nothing. It was interesting to see an archaeological display depicted as art; however, I felt it was at the cost of the integrity of archaeological purpose.

Moving on...I walked along the river down to the Tower Bridge and the "egg" shaped ecological building next to it. Amazing Race style, I decided this would be my ending point of that day's leg, and I hopped on the tube and headed back to Chris' house. The tube was crazy, as it was the evening rush hour and I just got sweapt into the stream of people filing throughout the station. Thanks godness Chris warned me of the crazyness of Waterloo stations 19 platforms, or else I wouldn't have had a chance of finding my train.

Once I got back to the house, I ate dinner and went to bed early. I didn't even realize how exhausted I was until I woke up this morning and realized I felt like a completely different person. Todays plans involve Westminster and maybe the Eye again this afternoon if the clouds clear up.

Cheers!

I'm here!!!

Despite two very long flights and almost missing my connection in Atlanta becasue of a thunderstorm...I'M HERE!!! And mom - I didn't even get on the wrong train! :P

Now, I've only been in the city a grand total of two hours, but I'm already loving it! Despite trying to pull - not push - doors open and looking the wrong way when crossing the street, this place is awesome!!!

For some reason, London seems a lot more quite and calm then I thought, but that could very well be because I've only explored the area around my hostel. However, I'm meeting up with Chris in a half hour, and were going to hit up some of the sights, so my impressions will undoubtly change.

Since I'm only functioning on the three hours of sleep I got on the plane, tonight I'll be in early, so I'll be sure to post more about today's upcoming adventures.

Triathlon pictures...

Now mom....I know what you're thinking...why are you up at this hour the day you leave?! Well...first off...I can't find my camera, which is odd becasue I know I had it earlier today because (leading me to my second point) I uploaded the pictures from my race this weekend. So enjoy and hopefully I'll find my camera in the next few minutes.

I'll talk to you all from the other side of the Atlantic in approximately 24 hours! Cheers!

T minus 10 hours and 20 minutes...

So...I'm all packed and I'm sitting back enjoying my last few hours in Berkeley. My feelings...I'm a bit nervous, traveling to a big city all by myself for the first time; however, I'm also very excited just thinking of everything I'm going to do, places I'll see, and people I'll meet. This is going to be AWESOME!!!

Love you all! Hugs and kisses!!!

Camp Pendleton Triathlon

I'm down in sunny San Diego, where I had a great race this morning. It was a well put on event and I had a lot of personal bests, despite my bike computer getting stuck in my spokes and my sore quads, I had a great day. RESULTS are up, so check them out! I'll post the pictures my dad took tomorrow when I get back to Berkeley.

Also, thank you to everyone (mainly mom and granny) who had helped me get this trip together! I love you all!

Detour to San Diego

So I leave tomorrow morning for my race at Camp Pendelton on Saturday...wish me luck...I'll need it. I've decided to pass up going to Disneyland on Sunday (I'm feeling crushed like a 5 year old) giving me all of Monday in the Bay Area to tie up loose ends.

So...after talking with my family yesterday, no one know how to post comments on a blog. So family - follow this link: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=1082&topic=23
and educate yourselves.

Laters!

Too little time...

I've begun to realize that there is way too little time between now and when I leave. I have my passport and my handy dandy Let's Go London book, so now I just have to manage to put some clothes in a suitcase and get my butt on the plane. I think I can handle that - oh yeah - not to mention my trip to SoCal and my triathlon I'm squeezing into my schedule before then. I don't think I even mentioned that my insistence on going to London this week (July 19-27) is justified. My friend Chris is actually leaving for Tanzania on July 27th for a month! Therefore I'd rather be crunched for planning time and get to see more of Chris then not see him at all.

I checked on getting to my hostel from the airport and the train I take to King's Cross station is still running. Turns out the train I take isn't part of the underground system, it's a different one...who knew London had so many trains!?

Now I'm going to grab a bowl of ice cream (yey for being at the grandparents house, where the ice cream is as plentiful as the salt in the sea and double yey for having a race on Saturday as an excuse to carbo load!) and get cozy with my London book! :) Since my time in London is so short...I appreciate suggestions on what the best ways to spend that time on!

Ta ta for now! ;)

YES!!!

I just got my new passport in the mail! Damn...that's a mighty fine picture! :) 7 days and counting...

England it is!

Hey all--

So, after talking with Josie it turns out she's leaving Barcelona the morning of the 29th after classes end, and then she's off to Italy with friends! So it looks like I'm just sticking to England on this jorney to Europe! Regardless, I'm very excited, but feeling super stressed for time!!! I only really have three days to get ready becasue I leave for San Diego on Thursday and won't be back until Monday and I leave Tuesday morning! Other than clothes, my passport, and money...is there anything absolutely essential I'm forgetting!? (well...besides my mind, but we all know I misplaced that a while ago...) :)

My flight schedule

Tue 19 JUL DELTA 386 LV SAN FRANCISCO 810A
AR ATLANTA 350P
Tue 19 JUL DELTA 8 LV ATLANTA 440P
AR LONDON-GATWI 605A

Wed 27 JUL DELTA 37 LV LONDON-GATWI 1015A
AR CINCINNATI 205P
Wed 27JUL DELTA 1293 LV CINCINNATI 450P
AR SAN FRANCISCO 635P

The light is green

After talking with friends and family no one wants what happened in London today to deter me from going. More importantly, I still want to go, so I will still be leaving on July 19th as planned.

I've talked to Chris and he and his family are just fine. I was initially shaken up because the attacks happen right in the area where my hostel is loctaed (http://www.ashleehouse.co.uk/) at King's Cross station. I'm not sure how extensive the damage is to the stations, so getting to my hostel may prove a bit more difficult that I previously thought.

Again, I'm greatful everyone I know is okay, and my thoughts are with those whom have suffered today.

I'm a bit shaken up

I just heard about what happend this morning in London. In case you don't know - four terrorist bombs went off throughout the city during the morning commute. I believe one on a bus and three in various tube stations. My heart goes out to everyone. Chris - please let me know you an your family are ok.

IT'S OFFICAL!!

I have my ticket and am leaving on July 19th! There are plenty of seats available on my flight, so getting to England shouldn't be a problem; however, getting back to the states may be more difficult, but who ever wants to come home anyways! Besides, I don't mind spending the night in an airport or two...just makes it more of an adventure!

Cheers!

Looking for suggestions...

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

I spent the weekend snowboarding up at Mammoth!!! Despite the trip to the ER (don't worry - my mother is fine), sore muscles and the altitude sickness, it was amazing!!

As for europe -- I may be going to Barcelona after all. A girl I work with is actually staying there for six weeks this summer, so if I'm able to crash with her for a few days, I'll be there!

As for London, I know there is plenty to do in the city, but what are some good day trips to take outside of the city? Any suggestions...especially considering my limited budget?

Anyways...off to work and then to watch the Tour!