On the Cliffs of Insanity.

If I thought that the day before was early, then I was really in for a wake up call. This bus left at 7:10am - thankfully I knew where I was going this time! I made sure I had time for my Starbucks run, of course. The tour guide for this trip was an interesting one, that's for sure. She was obsessed with Lord of the Rings... and herself. If people were talking while she was talking, she would very obnoxiously say "sssshhhhh" into the microphone. That's just not enjoyable for anyone. 

I was fully prepared for this trip. Maybe that's why so many horrible things happened to me the day before - so that I would be 100% prepared for an even more spectacular adventure. We enjoyed a 3 hour drive to the Cliffs of Moher. This group was a bit of a different mix than the day before. There was many other girls traveling alone (and when I say girls I also mean the two 50 year old women who took an extensive amount of selfies).

When we arrived at the cliffs, the guide told us about all the movies that shot scenes at the cliffs, like Harry Potter and THE PRINCESS BRIDE - hence the title. As soon as I got out of the bus, I walked over to the edge and looked down, imagining Inigo Montoya helping Westley up over the edge so that they could engage in their epic sword fight. 

What great childhood memories were brought to mind!

I then put in my headphones, pulled out my camera and began walking along the cliffs. When you're walking along the cliffs, they don't seem real. Around every turn, the view gets better and better. As one couple said to me, "We are getting SO many Facebook cover photos." Not exactly where my mind jumps when I'm standing on the edge of a cliff... but it is true.

I actually wish that I could get this picture to this guy (he's the one that was taking all of the cover photos!) I was absolutely terrified for him. Then his girlfriend said, "You are pretty brave for a guy who is 'afraid of heights.'" I was so impressed - I would never get that close to the edge and no part of me is afraid of heights.

I was feeling pretty adventurous as I climbed over the wall to walk closer to the edge of the cliff, but then I came across a photographer even more dedicated than I.

Liiike I don't even know what she's standing on!

Seeing that she was clearly an experienced photographer - or something - I got her to take some pictures of me!

My other friend that was leaning over the edge of the cliff also took some pictures for me and told me to make sure I made it my cover photo... I ended up using a different one, but I do love this picture!

You can already see that I must have been beyond grateful that my camera had been dead the day before and not on this day. I can't even imagine not being able to show people the beauty of the Cliffs of Moher! It's amazing how many people you meet when you're just walking along the edge of cliffs!

We piled back into the bus and headed to some more cliffs - only for a fifteen minute stop this time so that we could take pictures, but we sure all made the most of those fifteen minutes! This is where I bonded with my Croatian friend over our love of nature and cliffs! Not too hard to love either of those things.

I was actually TERRIFIED for this shot. I made the mistake of looking down and realizing that I was standing a foot away from the edge on a wet rock. But hey, I love this picture!

These cliffs were actually where none other then J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis came for inspiration for their mythological lands. So in other words, where Narnia and Middle Earth were born. 

Makes sense right?!

We then journeyed onward towards Galway... driving along the sea the whole way.

The drive wasn't so bad.

We arrived in Galway and after a short walking tour with some fun stories, were sent on our way to explore the town. Off I went again with Julia's amazing camera to see what beauty I could attempt to capture. 

Incredible the things you stumble across when wandering along rivers in Ireland.

We were strongly encouraged to find a bathroom before going back to the bus because apparently the highway in Ireland does not have rest stops. So, I decided to grab a beer before taking my pee break at the pub called "The King's Head." It was opened by the Irishman, "Stubbers," who executed Charles I because no one else would. With the money he was given for completing this task, he bought himself a pub - what a stand-up guy.

I then met up with my Croatian friend and chatted with her all about how people back home thought that we were crazy for just heading off to Ireland alone... don't you feel better about it now? Look at all the fun that can be had when you travel alone?!

After 2 and a half hour ride home, the bus dropped me off right in front of my hostel! I grabbed a few things and then headed off for one more night of Irish stew, Guinness and Smithwicks (Irish red ale from Kilkenny). Oh! and live Irish music. The singer ended his show and then walked over to me at the bar and said, "Don't drink too much Guinness, girlie." Close to how the love story goes in P.S. I Love You right? Except in that movie the singer wasn't 50 and they actually had a conversation and fell in love, but hey, same difference!

This was just another one of those days where I took to heart that pictures are worth a thousand words - hope you enjoy them all!

On smoke and lessons learned.

Intersting title, huh? Well, interesting day...

Have I mentioned why I originally wanted to go to Ireland? Well, let me tell you. I was looking at a map one day (this is after I had already decided to go to Great Britain because I wanted to go back to London and I wanted to see more of the UK than I had four years before - and they speak English), and I thought, "Wow, Ireland is so close to Great Britain - bet that would be easy to get to." And the decision was made. Also, in movies,  girls are always safe when they go there alone - so there you have it. I had two perfectly logical reasons to go. 

I woke up at the crack of dawn for my day tour - giving myself plenty of time to get to the bus on time. It was leaving at 8:10am for Kilkenny. I may have ended up leaving my hostel late - me? Weird, I know. So unlike me. I HAD to go to Starbucks though and get a coffee and some food - wouldn't be able to survive the hour and a half bus ride without it. True story though. After leaving Starbucks I had ten minutes to find where the bus left from - I had never been there before, of course. The tourist info guy had said it was at Gresham Hotel down the road. So I walked down the road. After four minutes - a little bit of panic started to build up inside of me... but then I saw it! Buses parked in front of... Gresham Hotel across the street! I headed that way and went to board my bus, thinking I had made it early woohoo, yay me! The tour guide said, "Mary?" Woooo how'd she know my name? Oh. I'm the last one. Oops. And just like that we were on our way to Kilkenny! Me and all the retirees on their Valentine's vacation!

One thing that I forgot to mention. The night before, I couldn't find my camera charger and my camera was on low battery. And somehow, my stupid self forgot to charge my phone - so that was the situation as I headed into the Irish countryside. The first stop was Dunmore cave, where we learned of a major Viking battle that took place there. My favorite part of cave tours is always when they turn off all of the lights because no matter how much your eyes attempt to adjust - they can't because there is absolutely no light. It's just so cool!

The next stop was the town of Kilkenny. While in the caves, my camera had died, so when we got to the town I headed to the camera store that my guide had recommended. They did not have the charger that I needed, but they did have a universal charger that the owner promised would work with my battery. I wandered through the town and soaked in the beauty of the quaint town - I have no pictures of the town, but I did manage to snap one of the castle.

The last picture that I took with my phone before it died.

Shortly after we got back onto the bus, I asked the tour guide if I could plug in my (very expensive) universal charger that I had just bought to charge my camera. She had a spot for a car charger (which was of course a part of the package). I was finally able to settle in, knowing that when we got to where P.S. I Love You and Braveheart were filmed, that my camera battery would be charged and ready to go. 

After five minutes of peace, the tour guide screamed into the microphone as she was describing the scenery. I looked toward the front of the bus, and saw smoke pouring from the front of the bus. And then I saw the smoke coming towards me. The charger that I had just bought was smoking, and the guide, seeing no other option, unplugged it and raced it back to me and placed it in my hands. So, there I was, holding my smoking charger. Not exactly how I expected my day going. I definitely got some looks.

We then stopped where Braveheart was filmed, and I did not have a camera of any kind. So I soaked in as much as I could to hold onto as a memory. I then had the brilliant idea of asking my guide to take a picture of me, which she graciously did.

This picture doesn't do it justice - but so thankful I got A picture!

The next stop was just as beautiful. And my guide let me take her phone, so that I could at least get a few pictures - and then she sent them all to me later! Although right when I really wanted to get a picture of something - her phone died too. I was so mad, but I couldn't help but laugh. I guess God really wanted me to learn to not lean on technology and just live in the moment and really appreciate His beautiful creation that I was observing. 

Never before have I thought that a graveyard was so Beautiful.

I tried to charge my camera again when we were in the hotel at this stop, but it didn't work. My guide then offered to front me the money for the charger and then take it back to the store the next time she was there, which was amazing!

When we arrived back in Dublin, I was feeling a bit defeated. After finally buying a camera charger, I booked a reservation at a show for the evening. I took a shower and got all dressed up and then went to a three course meal and two hour show featuring authentic Irish music and dancing. Because that is what you do when you're traveling alone. No one is there to say, "It's OK that the bus almost caught on fire because of you." So you buy yourself a fancy night out and then all is well with the world again.

The final course - it was divine.

On Ireland, my new favorite country

Never before have I been so proud of a country that I am not a descendant of. The Irish people just have a way of tricking you into thinking that you are also Irish. By the end of my short visit there, I was like, "Yeah, Hozier is from Ireland! And the Script! And Guinness. We ROCK." And then someone would bring up that Obama is from Ireland, and I quickly would be brought back to reality... "Oh yeah, I'm not Irish like him..." Ha.

Tuesday, I let myself sleep in. Well, this was also the morning that I thought one of my roommates was in the bathroom... When in reality, I ended up getting ready in the dark every morning because they all loved to sleep in until God knows when. Feeling fully refreshed, I headed to the tourist information office straightaway. 

Now that's another amazing thing about traveling in the winter - the tourist people don't have that much business, so they treat you extra special... At least in my experience! Not only did he spend so much time telling me everywhere I should go in Dublin, but he also explained to me all of the day trips that I should and could make from there. When two ladies came in asking for bus tickets, he said, "Are ya students?" Their reply, "No..." "I'ma ask you again, are ya students?" "Yes!" they said. And just like that they got cheap tickets. 

He asked me how long I was staying in Dublin for - I replied with a "Ummm, I don't know. I should really look at plane tickets though... til Friday possibly?" He looked at me with a horrified expression on his face and replied with, "You're an interesting kind of traveler..." Why, yes. Yes, I am.

With a good idea of what I wanted to accomplish, I grabbed a coffee and muffin from a local bakery and hopped on the bus. 

Another perk of winter travel: best seat on the bus... because no one else is on it!

After a short ride and nice little tour, I hopped off at the National Museum of Archeology. Now, you may be thinking, "...Why?!" Well, let me tell you. Rick Steves highly recommended it, and it was free! After wandering lost for a bit in the museum, I remembered that Rick had a walk of the highlights of the museum! I was pleasantly surprised with how much I liked this museum. Seeing so many ancient artifacts with incredible stories was so fascinating. From gold jewelry from 2000BC to Viking swords from the 12th century - I learned so much and soaked it all in. This brings me to one of my favorite stories from the day.

I overheard this interaction between a 5th grade student and his teacher...

Student (standing in front of ancient Viking sword, holding his iPad): "Hold on, everyone, get out of the way. I'm going to take a selfie with this!"

Teacher: "If I hear that word come out of your mouth one more time, I'm gonna take that thing from ya and break it over your head!"

I wanted to give him a standing ovation and applaud - it was such a brilliant statement that I've never had the courage to say to my friends... I have been inspired.

I then headed to my favorite part of the museum. It was a special exhibit with human remains of people that were found in Irish bogs anywhere from 200 BC to 200 AD. It held my attention for so long and the time just flew. Take a look.

Yep, you're seeing it right... the hair is still there from 100 BC! SO CRAZY. 

They had a detailed description listed by each body of where they came from and how they died. They could even tell that the second guy used a certain kind of hair product from Rome. 

After the history geek in me was fully appeased, I headed back to catch another bus with absolutely no clue where I wanted to go next. I stared at the map, pretty sure that I was going to go to St. Patrick's Cathedral - felt like an Irish thing to do. Then everyone started getting off at the Guinness Brewery... now if that's not a very Irish thing to do then I do not know what is... And when in doubt, follow the crowd, right? Well, at least, that's what I did. 

Now, for some people the Guinness brewery is a pilgrimage. If you are thinking of going on a pilgrimage, I wouldn't recommend this one. Thankfully, I had been warned that the brewery is disappointing. It is not actually a tour of the brewery - it is more like a museum and fake brewery to show tourists how the factory began and how everything is done - which is cool I guess - but after touring both a working brewery and a working distillery in Scotland, this was definitely not on the same level of authenticity. There was a tasting room that was pretty cool and I did get an included (or "free" as they like to say) pint of Guinness at the end.

When I was in line for the tasting room, I observed another funny interaction. 

Guide: "So the free tasting room is right through here."

Irish guy: "But where do I get my pint?"

Guide: "Upstairs, but there's free tastes right through here."

Irish guy: "Thanks, but I want the pint."

The Irish are often a one-track-mind kind of people.

 My "free" pint with Guinness stew at the end of the tour!

My next stop was Dublin Castle. I navigated my way there with my trusty map. I could have taken the bus, but I would have had to loop all the way around because we had already passed it. So I basically navigated by following the many steeples in Dublin and made it without a problem to the castle, where I did a self-guided tour. I couldn't stay too long because I had to get back to the tourist-info guy before he closed because he told me if I booked the tour through him, he would give me a discount. 

So I booked my day tours for the next two days through him and then grabbed the bus on its last loop through the city. I just sat at the front of the bus on the top deck and listened to the fascinating history of everything on the tour for a full acclimation to the city of Dublin. When the tour ended, I realized just what a perfect location my hostel was in because the bus dropped me off right in front of it!

I then headed out with my computer to find a nice, quiet restaurant at which to plan the rest of my trip. Wanting to be healthy, I ordered a salad - mistake. I was hungry again by the time that I left. I did buy two plane tickets though and figure out where I was staying for the rest of the trip. 

I feel like I may be stressing some of you out... ferrying into a country not knowing how I'm going to leave the country. Booking my hostel a day at a time as I figure out that I don't want to leave the city. I originally booked it for one night and ended up staying for four. I wouldn't dare traveling this way if I was with other people - because then when something inevitably goes wrong everyone gets stressed out and the blame game ensues (this is when things aren't planned ahead for a group.) But when you're alone, you have only yourself to blame - so why not wing everything? It adds excitement. I love it. Keeps me on my toes. 

On towns being smaller than pecieved: Conwy, Wales

Monday morning. I had the hardest time getting out of bed. Also, I had been too tired the night before and hadn't packed. So I got out of bed - much too late - and threw everything in my bag, splashed some water on my face, brushed my teeth and walked out the door. It was just one of those mornings where all my faith in my optimistic self was restored. I woke up late. Walked out the door late. Made it to the train station late, but got on the train without a problem. Things just worked out. They always do.

Ten minutes later, I realized I shouldn't have felt quite so triumphant. My glasses hadn't made it into my bag in my rushed packing of the morning. It was then that it hit me. I've been to Europe four times. This was the third time that I had lost my glasses while in Europe. I'm stupid. I need to be more careful with things that are that freaking expensive. To set anyone's mind at ease - mainly my dad's as he reads this - all is OK now. I emailed the hostel and they are sending them to me, so all is not lost :)

Apparently when one wants to stop at Conwy, Wales, they need to tell the conductor, else the train just doesn't stop there. Definitely underestimated the size of the town. Thankfully, there was one other backpacker on the train, who knew this and had requested the stop. If not, I would have been in real trouble. When I got off the train, I saw a building straight ahead that said, "Visitor's Center." I thought, "aha, I am in luck!" No. It was closed. I then pulled out my handy Rick Steves' book and read that I shouldn't go to the "Visitor's Center" anyway. What I needed to find was the Tourist Info.

I followed the map and in probably two minutes I was there. Now, my biggest concern for the day was whether or not I was going to be able to leave my bag somewhere or not. That was another reason that I wasn't planning on staying long in Wales... If I was going to walk around with a 12 Kilo backpack, then I did not want to be there for the entire day. This leads into me falling in love with the Welsh and Irish people. I think I may have been the only client at the TI that entire day, and the owner graciously let me leave my bag behind the desk for the length of my stay... "unofficially" of course.

With a skip in my step - I could not hide my joy of having that ginormous weight lifted - I headed to the castle. I didn't know what to expect when I went to the castle... Oh, and by headed to the castle, I mean I walked across the street. I don't even know how else to explain how small and quaint this town was. I thought that it would maybe take me 30 minutes to explore the castle. Nope. It took me two hours. It had so many rooms and towers. The view from each tower was more exceptional than the last. 

It was another one of those "silly grin on my face for hours" deals. In my entire time there, I saw maybe 10 other people in the castle. It was just the perfect time to go. Yes, I was cold, but the pictures - with absolutely no one in them - were worth any frostbite that I may have accrued. One tower would have a perfect view of the bay - another tower a perfect view of the sun in between two mountains. Just beyond thankful for Julia's camera which made it possible for me to capture, to the best of my ability, the beauty of Conwy.

After a perfect afternoon tea and lunch, I hit the highlights of Rick Steves' walking tour of the town and then headed to the train station. 

Now get this - in order to get picked up from Conwy, one must wave down the train, or else they won't stop. I was the only person on the platform, so whether or not I would get on that train (that only frequented Conwy once an hour) was completely up to me. I accepted this challenge... seeing as I had no choice. I stood on the edge of the platform and waved my hand wildly as the train pulled up, and it was worth all the energy I put into it. 

The conductor stopped the train for me, gave me a discount on my ticket for no apparent reason (because he's Welsh and he's awesome?) and I settled in for my ride through the countryside of Wales. Which was gorgeous. I wish pictures and videos from trains turned out well, but they don't. You'll just have to go yourself. With me. I'm going back.

So there I was on the train, headed to Holyhead, where the ferry to Wales embarked for Ireland. Did I have a ticket? Nah. Was I sure that I would be able to figure out where to get one and how to get on the ferry when I got there? Yep. Was I right? Yep. Thank you optimism for another win. When I went up to the ticket booth to buy my ferry ticket, the guy said, "Do you have a rail pass?" "No..." I replied. "Ah, yeah ya do," he said - and just like that my ticket price was cut in half. And just like that my love and respect for the Welsh soared.

The ride on the ferry went by much too quickly, but I guess, in the end, I was happy that I got to Ireland sooner. I had spent so much time the night before trying to figure out how I would get from the ferry to my hostel. Nothing made sense. 

This time around, I was much more realistic than usual, and positive that I could not figure out how to get there, I took a taxi. I feel like, in the end, taxis are never worth it. This one ended up being more than half the price of my ferry ticket. But this taxi was worth every penny.

The moment I climbed into the cab, the driver said, "Where ya from, girlie." My reply - obviously, "The states!" "Oh, I'm sorry." I start laughing, thinking to myself how funny Irishmen are when he glares at me and says,"You people think that we have such a great sense of humor, but really we're just rude and mean everything we say." And this is the moment I fell in love with the Irish people. I have read that they have the "gift of gab." But it's something so much more than that. Not only can they talk to whomever about whatever... They actually care. You can see it in their eyes and in their actions. Businessmen on their way home from work sit down and chat with the homeless and beggars on the street. It seemed like every Irishman I came in contact with immediately took on the role of either brother or father to me. Like, back to the taxi driver for example, "If anyone bothers you, call me up honey, I'll teach 'em a lesson."

He gave me a tour of the city, as only a taxi driver can do. Telling me absolutely everything that I need to do during my visit in Dublin - I gladly soaked it all in, having absolutely no plan for the upcoming week. He then launched into a lecture about how stupid I was for traveling alone, and that 350 girls get taken in Europe each year. And even though I may think that everyone will come looking for me that I'll be in Saudi Arabia by then and I will never get out and never be found. 

After scaring me senseless, he gave me a grin and told me that I would be OK as long as I stayed in Ireland. When he dropped me off at my hostel, I handed him my card - as I have always seen it done in NYC and Boston - and he looked at me like I had two heads. "What am I supposed to do with this?!" Apparently they only take cash in Dublin. "Ummm... Do you know where an ATM is?" I have learned from this trip that you never ask a taxi driver if he knows where something is; the reply will always be, "I know where everything is." He left me with a "f***ing crazy blonde girlie" and boom there I was in Ireland, and I already knew that I never wanted to leave.

I immediately booked my room for the next night as well, not wanting to have to think about checking out the next morning. Upon arriving in my room, I saw that I had 3 guy roommates. I couldn't help but laughing to myself, thinking about the reaction that this would have caused among my fellow interns in Brussels. A couple of them probably would have cried if they had stayed there and seen the guys walking around in boxers. They preferred the apartment scene... But you don't meet new people that way!

John, my Portuguese roommate, had just gotten a job as a chef and was staying at the hostel until his apartment was ready for him to move into. Just an example of the different people you end up sleeping feet away from. Another plus about rooming with guys - they take like 5 minute showers. When rooming with girls, I outwardly groan if she beats me to the bathroom. If a guy gets into the bathroom, I know I better hurry and get all my things ready, so that I am ready when he gets out! Although, one morning, I waited for about 30 minutes and was starting to get super annoyed. I decided to knock to hurry them up... Only to realize that the last guy had left the light on. It was empty.

I then headed out to find a good Irish pub, realizing as I left what a perfect location I was in. I surprisingly found a nice, more quiet pub where I drank the recommended Guinness and read up on the history of Ireland. After coming up with a tentative plan for the next day (aka: go to the tourist info center and possibly get a hop on/off bus ticket), I strolled the streets - and grabbed McDonalds. In my excitement I had forgotten to eat. Now THAT is how you really know that I was excited.

On the small town of Chester

It just so worked out that Kelsey and I had to leave at the same time (me for a train to Chester and her for the US). So I heaved my backpack on my shoulders and she lugged her luggage out the door and we were on our way. She got to the airport no problem, and I had no issues with my train. It was a three hour train ride, so I had a whole plan of how I was going to use my time super wisely... but I was tired, so I slept. I was meeting up with my Norwegian friend, Christopher (I met him in Budapest this past summer), and I asked him how we would find each other when I got to Chester. He said that he would just see me at the train station. (He goes to school in Manchester, so he just took a bus over to Chester!) I was skeptical of this plan, but it worked! And now I understand why: the Chester train station is tiny and there is only one place for every one to come out of, and there he was waiting for me! 

I had the address for my hostel, but that was it. Julia and Christopher's friends that he was traveling with this past summer laughed, I'm sure, when they thought of Christopher and I meeting up and trying to find anything. We were definitely the two least helpful people in Budapest when it came to directions. But we found our way, he with his google maps and me with my actual map. Google maps was more helpful.

After I got my huge backpack dropped off, we headed to the humongous Chester Zoo. (We took a taxi, of course, because he is too high maintenance to take bus...) At like 2pm, I finally had my first food since the fish and chips the day before... and by food I mean a "flap jack" aka a granola bar. My stomach was still not ready for a full meal. Christopher scared me when we were searching for the lions. The bats scared him when we walked through the bat house. Like literally, he made us leave because he was terrified. So funny.

We then had a taxi, of course, take us to a castle... that was closed, so then we wandered about town and found all sorts of cool things!

Ruined Roman Amphitheater

Chapel ruins

It's one of those days where there is not much to tell because everything went so well! We made our way to dinner so that I could finally have a real meal!

After dinner, we checked out the Cathedral and wall walks before he had to head back to his megabus - which was so much easier than the one that I took to Paris!

I got back to the hostel only to remember that I had absolutely nothing planned for the rest of my trip, including the next morning. Like, I knew I wanted to head towards Wales, but that was about it. My plan was to stay in Wales the following night, but as I did research, I realized that the town that I was going to was even smaller than I realized and it only had one hostel that was completely booked. I looked at hotels, but there was absolutely nothing that was close to the town that was even close to worth paying for.

Let's just say I did research from 9:30pm until 1:30am and I had only actually accomplished one thing. I had decided I was just ready to get to Ireland, so I booked the following night for Dublin. I didn't give up on Wales, though. I had a plan. Buy a train ticket to Conwy, Wales at the station in the morning, and then after a few hours there, go to Holyhead, and from Holyhead take a ferry to Ireland. It sounds like it's not really a plan, but I did have all of the times and everything I wanted planned out... so the next post will tell ya if ANY of this worked :)

London

My flight from Eindhoven left at 8:00am. This meant I had to leave my hostel by 5:10 to get the 5:45 bus from the train station. Which, of course, meant that I left at 5:30. Here's what I did though. I tricked myself into thinking that I had to leave that early, so that I would still get out of the door with plenty of time. I (secretly) knew that I would be OK with the the next two buses after that. I had a twenty minute walk to the train station, and I'm not gonna lie, I think for the first time this trip, I was a little bit concerned. As I walked alone with my huge backpack and map open in my hands there was not another soul out and about. I saw one person on my entire walk, which is more scary than seeing several.

Wearing two scarves because I didn't have room in my bag for either of them... I was super warm!

Empty.

Bus station - Empty.

I made it to the airport without a problem though and even snuck my huge backpack on as a carryon! I was supposed to check it, but since the flights are so cheap - only $20 to London - they charge double just to check a bag. I did not give in to this bullying, and I came out on top. 

After obnoxiously being the person that holds up the line by taking FOREVER to make their bag fit in the overhead bin, I settled in for a 40 minute hop across the English Channel. And then I was that same person again as I barely avoided hitting several people as I pulled it down.

When I entered the London airport, I realized something that I had overlooked... customs. The line for the EU citizens was much longer than the non-citizens line, so I was grateful in that moment that I was not a citizen... That sentiment quickly faded when their line disappeared completely, and an hour later, I was still standing in a short line.

After no sleep and standing in a daze in line, I stumbled into the madness of figuring out how to get to the city center of London. There was no information booth to help me know which way was best. So I wandered from booth to booth, trying to decipher whether train or bus or whatever else I was being offered would, both budget wise and time wise, be the best way. After deciding that bus was definitely not the way to go, I was somehow convinced by the most sketchy bus company that I should buy a ticket from them because their bus was leaving in 5 min and would take me straight to Victoria station (just a short walk from where I was staying).

Well the next bus did indeed leave in 5 minutes. And believe it or not, I was there in time for it. There was just about 50 other people that were in line ahead of me. Oh yeah, and the bus was already full. And the next one wasn't coming for another 30 minutes. And there was no guarantee that I would make it on. At this point, it was 9:30 and I had told Kelsey that I would meet her at 10:00... And I had an hour and a half bus ride that I was still in line for. Optimism strikes out again.

As the next bus rolled up, everyone held their breath and crossed their fingers, hoping against all odds that there would be a seat awaiting them. The line moved forward, and with three people ahead of me, he pulled down the rope in front of us. And told us to wait. After a very long five minutes, he said that there was room for five more. I was number four. Oh happy day.

After dozing off for a bit, I woke up to see Big Ben across the river. LONDON, BABY. After going the opposite direction than I was supposed to go, I mentally stepped into my map and was reunited with Kelsey, who welcomed me with open arms. We then headed to Borough Market.

I love meeting up with people while traveling because you get to recount stories in a way that no one else will ever hear. All of our failures and triumphs as solo travelers for a day were fresh in our mind... So I would definitely say that the story-telling from both sides was on point.

Borough market, in my opinion, is the best place to eat lunch in London. There are so many options of food, all fresh and inexpensive. We settled on some €5 Italian dishes. (It also helps that samples are offered from all around.) We also got some mulled wine (heated up with spices - tastes similar to a hot cider, but better!).

Westminster Abbey was the next stop. Now, paying €18 for Westminster Abbey (and that's with the student discount!) was a bit spirit-dampening, but the moment we stepped into the nave, it was all worth it. The history of this church is more fascinating to me than any other. Westminster Abbey is the burial ground for over 3,000 people, including Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary, Henry VIII and so, so many more. Listening to stories of their conquests and accomplishments, while gazing at their magnificent tombstones and epitaphs is the best option for any history buff, like myself, on a cold winter's day in London.

Now, I have been to London before, about four years ago. I remember being enamored with this city, and I was interested in seeing if I would still feel that way after being all across the continent of Europe. The answer is, yes, I feel exactly the same way towards London. It has the right combination of a deep, spectacular history, combined with a familiar, "I could live here" feel... At least for me.

London - 2011

London - 2015

We then headed across Westminster Bridge for what Rick Steves describes as the "wow, I'm really in London" feeling. It has a gorgeous view of the Thames, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and much more. We asked how long the line for the Eye was. The reply was "two hours." We started backing away, all interest immediately lost. But he yelled out a "just kidding!" We only actually had to wait for ten minutes. While overpriced, the views were quite exquisite.

I love traveling with Kelsey. We take turns navigating, and the only time we got lost (for about 3 minutes) we simply asked two guys standing outside of a bar which way to go, and they sent us on our way, after, of course, trying to coax us into the bar they were at instead.

We went to a (Rick Steves' recommended) pub for dinner and were not disappointed. When we asked what kind of English beer we should try, the bartender brought out 8 different kinds for us to try, so that we could decide for ourselves! He may have ended up being a bit too helpful though. Right when we were trying to leave he decided to give us a 15 minute description of everything we should do the next day... Which was sweet, but we already had our itinerary planned.

Day 2 in London began with breakfast at the hostel and then a tube ride over to the magnificent St. Paul's Cathedral. While Westminster Abbey's history is unmatched, St. Paul's has its own kind of history that makes it fascinating. Listening to how Christopher Wren designed the domes is remarkable. Another favorite of mine is listening to how, during WWII, about 30 men would watch over St. Paul's. They would extinguish incendiary bombs as soon as they were dropped. While all the area surrounding St. Paul's was flattened, the cathedral remained and is a constant symbol of resilience and hope.

At the top of St. Paul's Cathedral.

We grabbed lunch at a pub right next to Borough market, where I finally had an entire meal of fish and chips! Phil and Julia constantly got this the last time we were in the UK, but I refused. I thought that when I wrote this post, I would be saying how pleasantly surprised I was by this meal. Instead, I am here to tell you that I experienced waves of nausea for the next 24 hours. Never again.

The Tower of London was the next stop. We missed the last tour by about 15 minutes, but I think that we gave ourselves a grand tour. The crown jewels were as jaw-dropping and sparkly as ever. And the history. From the 11th century all the way up until WWI, people were tortured and hung here. We read of so many incredible stories of deception and betrayal.

We then took a lovely cruise down the Thames as the sun set, and took a stroll through the park to see Buckingham Palace. We then went to a lovely bar for dinner (that used to be a bank) where I couldn't eat because of the cursed fish and chips that I had at lunch. Once we got back to the hostel, I realized I also had a fever. I curled up in bed and watched Kelsey pack, knowing that I had to do the same thing. I then booked a train for the next morning (should have done that before, I know) and a hostel for the next night. Very on the fly. We then watched "Sherlock" in honor of London, and I finally worked up the strength to pack. Kelsey drugged me up and I had a fitful time alternately sleeping and cursing the fish and chips all night long.

On my first day alone.

I ventured out Thursday morning, sad to leave everyone, but so ready to go off on my own and finally gather my thoughts. For being an extrovert, I sure enjoy my time away from other people. I think that it is necessary for survival.

On my way out the door, Susan Young, friends with my Uncle Cal and Aunt Edie in Japan, grabbed me and asked me if I "want a beer, ya know, for the train?" I replied with a "why not!" She grinned and said, "You can always count on the Cummings!" I walked out of the Zav center, feeling proud that I had upheld our good name.

Once I arrived in Delft, I was too cold/lazy to take out my iPad and figure out where I was going, so I saw a steeple and headed for it. It is hard to walk briskly when you are constantly stopping to take pictures of every canal and bridge. The snow that layered the ground multiplied the beauty... Added to the cold too. Before I knew it, I stumbled upon market square and found a cozy cafe to grab a cappuccino and orient myself to this quaint, Dutch town. When arriving somewhere new, by yourself AND in the winter, I would definitely recommend (if you have time) to sit in a corner by the window and plan/people watch.

Not wanting to leave, but knowing there was so much to see, I headed to the market and was so overwhelmed that I walked through and made a mental note of all of the things that I wanted to buy for people. I technically didn't have extra room... But I bought some pretty cool souvenirs and figured I would worry about where to put everything later. I then headed to the new church in the square (the new churches are never "new" in Europe). This is where William of Orange, who led the Dutch to Independence, and many others in the Royal house of Orange are buried.

I slowly made my way to the old church, which has a leaning steeple because of the not-so-sturdy foundation - it is, after all, built basically on top of the canal. With my student discount, I got a combined ticket for both churches for €2.50... let's just say when you read about London, the things we go to see cost a bit more than that.

Note the leaning steeple!

After wandering through the canals a bit more, I decided it was about time for lunch, so I stopped in a place right next to the church, and boy, what I pleasant surprise it is when you pick a fantastic pub at random! They had Belgian beer, which made me happier than I can even describe to you. I also ordered one of the most amazing paninis I have ever had - goat cheese, tomato pesto and bacon. My mouth is watering just writing the ingredients down. I caught up (or tried to catch up) on blogging here, ordered another beer, and just relaxed, not only not wanting to leave Delft, but not wanting to leave this awesome pub, with the cutest, sweetest bartender ever.

Eventually I left, not giving myself nearly enough time to get to the Delft museum that I was planning on going to next. It didn't help that I had absolutely no idea where I was going. Rick Steves had mentioned that it would be difficult to find the Delft manufacture museum... did I listen? No. Delft is so small. I was so happy. I wandered in what I figured could only be the right direction. I paused every 10 seconds or so to snap another picture of the beautiful canals. As if I didn't have enough pictures already. I was just in one of those moods, where I knew nothing could go wrong, so I glanced at my map, but didn't really try to understand it. After "searching" like this for about thirty minutes, even I knew there was no way I was going to find it. This didn't phase me one bit.

I remembered seeing a really good shopping street, so I figured why not wander in that direction? Remember that time when I bought souvenirs for other people even when I didn't have room in my luggage? Well, I figured if I was going to make those things fit, then why not make room for some new clothes for myself? So, I made H&M my home for the next hour.

Another thing that I have realized about traveling alone... I spend a lot more money. When I'm traveling with Julia, we don't need to shop or eat great meals all the time, or travel in the most convenient way to have a fantastic time. We have each other. Well, when I'm alone, eating a sandwich by myself on a train, just sounds awful. When it's Julia and I, dipping our fingers into our Nutella jar and trying to spread it on our crackers without utensils - it's fun. No one wants to go through such things alone. So, I eat out for every meal, and I shop and I buy beer... and chat extensively with bartenders when I get the chance. And it almost replaces Julia. Almost ;)

With that being said, I actually did eat by myself on the train on my way to Eindhoven that night. That was Dutch cheese though. Which, obviously, is a whole different story.

On my way out of Delft, I stopped in Rotterdam to pick up my bag that I had checked for the day. I figured maybe I'd explore Rotterdam for a bit before heading to Eindhoven, where I was staying for the night and flying out of the next morning. I walked outside, walked around the block and walked back into the train station. "Why?" you might ask. IT WAS SO COLD. I even bought Starbucks to prepare myself... it didn't do the trick. It is one thing to be cold when in Delft when every way I turn my breath is taken away. Rotterdam didn't have the same effect. Granted, I only got within one block of the train station. But, in my defense, Rick Steves didn't have anything written on Rotterdam, so I had absolutely no direction.

So, this is where it gets embarressing... You'd think that by this time I'd be a pretty smart traveler. Well, I am. But I had a really weird and confusing moment. I was walking toward my train out of Rotterdam and this British guy came up to me. He said something about only having pounds and needing change in euros to get a train home. In my mind, I was like, "Oh, he'll give me pounds and I'll give him euros, this is perfect!" Well, I didn't realize until I pulled out five euros that he wasn't going to give me anything in exchange. And then he said, "Don't worry, I'm not trying to take your wallet or anything." And that is when I realized that I had fallen for the oldest trick in the book. The "I need to get home" trick. When counting up for my expenses that day I wrote "5 euros - random man." Not something that I was ever planning on having to write.

I had prepared myself as much as possible for my arrival in Eindhoven. I had all my bus options and walking directions from the bus station. I forgot one simple thing. You have to press the "stop" button in order to get off at the right station. So, I got off at the wrong stop. Here's something else that I've learned about myself... I don't know if I mentioned this or not before, but apparently I talk to myself when I'm lost. I kept catching myself talking myself through everything I was doing. These are the only moments when I'm glad that I'm walking the streets alone.

Whether it was divine providence or my newly found sense of direction, I found my hostel! Maps make sense to me now... It is the most amazing feeling in the world. I looked down at my map and realized that the hostel should be about 100 meters behind me... so I walked back to where I had just come from. Like a beacon in the night, I saw a banner with a backpacker on it. The silly grin that overcame my face the moment I saw that banner probably didn't disappear until two hours later.

I love all of the people I meet while traveling. I just end up having so many conversations with the most fascinating people. For example, one of the girls in my hostel was telling me all about how she was in Cairo, Egypt (traveling alone) when there was a terrorist attack and she was told that if she didn't leave right away she might never make it out. This was her reasoning for only traveling alone in Europe now. Duly noted.