Day 15 – August 17th, Sunday
Sunday morning we got up, packed and ate breakfast at the hotel. I called a car hire to take me back to Sixmilebridge and Jessica set out for the airport (a very short walk). I made sure to arrive early to the train station and picked up my tickets. I had everything planned out and it was going to be a breeze, but I was still a little nervous.
And then the hiccups started. I knew I needed to get from Sixmilebrige to Waterford. I had booked my tickets this way and kind of knew how it was going to work. I had a train change in Limerick that messed everything up though. Limerick was a small station and when I arrived I asked an attendant about the train to Waterford. They told me to hold on because they had to check something. Next thing I knew someone else (another employee) was telling me that there wasn’t a train to Waterford. Now, part of the mistake was not having faith in myself and my plan. Another part was in not making it clear that I had tickets already and that there were train changes/lay overs in various places. And my last mistake, was listening to people that didn’t know what they were talking about, even though they were employees.
Needless to say I missed my connecting train. I started to freak out a little before someone helpful was able to help me figure out what I needed to do. And what I needed to was go around my ass to get to my elbow. I ended up having to go all the way to Dublin and then back down to Waterford. What should have been a 4.5 hr train ride ended up being about an 8 hour trip with a long layover in Dublin. I was not a happy camper by the time I made it to the hostel.
That night I walked around the neighborhood in search of an ATM and a place to grab a quick bite to eat. This was one of the few times that places not serving food after 8-9 pm was a problem. I ended up finding a take out place that offered burgers, fish and chips, kebabs and other items. I took my food to go and walked back to the hostel. The only thing that I felt was safe to eat was a burger and fries and honestly, those were barely edible. After eating I made a few calls (parents and Jessy) and then watched a little TV before have a shower and heading to bed. This was my first night in a shared room and while it was a little weird sharing a room with complete strangers it wasn’t too bad. I wasn’t murdered and they didn’t snore or keep me away so it was a good night.
Day 16 – August 18th, Monday
After waking up early and packing as quietly as I could, I set out for the Waterford Cystal factory for a tour. With luggage in tow I made the mile walk across cobblestone and brick streets (which is not easy) through the city. I was glad to have enough time to have a bite to eat at the show room and to look around the gift shop. The tour was very interesting. It provided information about the history of the company and the way the crystal is made all while being able to see artisans create pieces right in front of you. Fun fact: Waterford still creates all of the their commemorative and special pieces by hand there on-site.
The tour ended in the gift shop so I was able to pick up a souvenir before making my way to the bus station. Making sure I didn’t make the same mistake that I made with the trains, I got to the bus station early, read all the signs, and talked to multiple employees. Once I was sure I knew what to expect I took a stroll across the street to get some supplies, meaning caffeine and and sugar.
The next few hours was spent leaching WiFi from the station and passing buses and then riding the bus to Rosslare Harbour. Of course I almost got off the bus at the wrong stop, but thankfully the bus driver was nice enough to take me back to my stop since the Harbour was the last stop of the day. Then it was a .25 mile walk to the hotel. I checked in and then walked back to the area of the bus stop in search of dinner. There were surprisingly few choices and nothing that really appealed to me at the time. So, I bought a few items at the grocery store, and then went back to the hotel. I dropped my stuff back in the room before taking a brief hike along the harbour cliff trail.
Making my way back to the hotel I stopped for take out, which was better than the meal I had in Waterford, but not by too much. That night, with very little to do, I had a drink or two in the hotel bar before retiring to my room for the night.
Day 17 – August 19th, Tuesday
Today was almost a really, really bad day. It started out like any other though. I got up, dressed, packed, had breakfast at the hotel, and checked out. The walk to the port took a bit longer than I thought but I was there by about 8:50 am. I didn’t really think much of the fact that the terminal was fairly empty. As I approached the counter I presented by ticket and the girl said that it was too late. Apparently you are supposed to be on board the boat by 8:30. I didn’t argue, I just tried to remain calm and ask what my options were at this point. She said that I would have to wait until the late 9pm ferry. I almost cried at this news. And I guess the girl felt sorry for me because she picked up her walkie and radioed someone. The next thing I knew she was telling me to go through the door and to be quick, that they were trying to get the boat secured to leave. And hurry I did. I don’t think I ever moved that fast with a suitcase and two bags.
Next stop: Wales!