Paddy's Day in Ireland To be Sure To be Sure

The trip began like any other, rushed to get a seat on a train we all thought would be full of Paddys trying to get away from the comercialisation and crowds that was Paddy's weekend in Dublin. Much to the dissappointment the train was not full, nor was it worth rushing for!

So the girls were off on the big cultural adventrue of a lifetime Paddy's day in the most irish place you could find in Irealnd the Aran Islands. Inis Mor to be exact.

We arrived on Inis Mor about midday on Saturday (Paddy's day) and being rather hungry and full of beans we decided the best place to go for some grub was the pub, so we did. Realizing the last weekend of the 6 nations clash was on, and that Ireland were in with quite a big chance of taking it away this year we got distracted after our food and outstayed the locals being at the pub until 7pm, then realising we were possibly a little drunk, and not dressed up for the night we got changed, and well where else were 4 girls gonna go at 8pm on Paddy's day on Inis Mor? the local pub perhaps?

The fantastic thing about our Paddys night was EVERYTHING!!!! Gayle, Leah and I got up and played a game on stage each attempting to get a fork through our lads trousers from pant leg to pant leg. The DJ telling the guys the Frank n Beans should be carefully watched out for as the girls had been in the pub since midday! I spent a lot of the night tattooing anyone I could find with tacky flags and shamrocks in true Irish spirit, and finding anyone I could to bail up in the corner and teach me some Irish. (not remembering any of it the next day).

Sunday morning, very much worse for wear we found a little cafe to have some real grease! being such a small town we ran into many people from the night before asking us all how our heads were, and how we capped off the night. To be fair I don't know how the night was capped off, or half these new friends were who knew I was a mad Aussie girl called Carmen.

We all decided the best way to get over a toxic hang over was to hire bikes and cycle the Island. Brilliant idea as the sun was shining and the wind was blowing a light gust....... Then we got on the bike and the heavens opened. Not willing to waste €10 we went on our way beaten half to death by hail stones and gusts that would lift a sheep if it stood on it's highned legs (or front ones and did a head stand). I can honestly say I have never ever been so freezing cold, wet and bruised in all my 23 years of life, and don't forget my friends I also had a colossal hang over. It took us two and a half hours to ride the length of the Island which is 14km long, two hours!!! it also felt like we had riden 100km not a mere 14! During this time I had a discovery that tea is quite possibly the best drink to ever exist! Now this 14km, 2.5hr bike ride took us 30min to cycle back due to the extreem wind gusts that sent us flying all the way to the other side of the Island, which is a good indication of just how strong those winds were!

Beautiful Scenery should be mentioned about now, because after all that was half the reason we went. it is gorgeous there, so unbelievebly green and rockey, and one place where you can look and see both coast of the Island. Minus all the cattle that moo at freezing cold cyclists it would have been beautiful!

Where else would freezing cold, hungry, thursty tired cyclists go after a hard days riding??? Bed? No, the lounge? No, The Pub? Yes of course! This time much quieter occasion we sat with a group of Dubliners sining Irish songs, and sharing the craic till the wee hours of the morn.

What a great time spent on old Aran, He was very hospitable to 2 aussies, a Kiwi, and a Canadian!

Thanks Aran for all the Craic, good times Happy Days!