[Definition: Travel - Ireland - Solo - Culture]

I've felt a calling to travel to Ireland since early childhood, and always expressed as much to my parents. We didn't do a whole lot of traveling, and by the time I reached the end of High School, my parents were divorced. So, much to my surprise, my father bought me a round trip ticket to Ireland as a graduation present, and my mother gave me funds for the travel therein. A great gift, to say the least.

June 29th, 2005, I arrived on the southwest coast of Ireland in Shannon Airport. Little did I know, at the time, that most of my trip would take place on this southwestern portion. I came with $1,500 for two weeks, and I was alone. Suffice it to say, the journey gave me a good bit of life experience. My first day and night in Ireland were spent resting in Limerick, a short bus ride from the airport. After sleeping off 18 hours of jet lag, I was up and ready for business.

My journey took me from Limerick, to Tralee, to the Dingle Peninsula. I have to say, Dingle was one of the better places in Ireland; a secluded little peninsula with a mountainous interior. In fact, I climbed one of the mountains, and as soon as I reached the top a storm blew in. Talk about cold. After Dingle, I traveled north, passing the Cliffs of Moher (an amazing sight, one definitely not to be missed) and arriving in Galway on July 7th.

Galway is amazing. It is one of my favorite places on Earth thus far - the variance in cultures, the easy going atmosphere and the never-ending nightlife. It's not too expensive, either. I went clubbing with two amazing ladies from Switzerland, downed Guinness with locals, talked politics with Kiwis (New Zealand natives), and danced to a group of buskers playing what I would guess was Czechoslovakian music. Street vendors roamed the section of road blocked off every night at 1800hr, and locals started bar songs in almost every pub. In one pub, I was even allowed to experience the amazing power of one man's flatulent clearing out the place in 10 seconds. I will return to Galway if it is the last thing I do.

My heart begged to see more, though, and it was off to the Aran Islands. These islands are truly astonishing; rugged and sparsely populated, it would be safe to say that everyone knows each other here. With a rocky coast on the eastern side, and sheer cliffs on the west, it contains many beautiful sights. By far, the hostel I stayed in here was the most friendly. While there, I even learned how to weave hemp - an American was working there while traveling, and decided to show me how one rainy day when there was nothing better to do.

Alas, all things must end, and so too did this. After a great two weeks, I returned to Shannon Airport and flew home. I had spent a total of $2,000 (requiring some transferred funds from my parents) and was able to learn from my mistakes, of which there were many. The experience gained here would come in handy on travels to come, though one never really stops learning when traveling on a budget.