May 19

May 19 Ireland 2016: Day 7

Another early wake-up in London at The Marriott in Maide Vale followed by a walk to the train station where our oyster cards didn't work.

The nice gentleman behind the glass let us go, but when we couldn't get through the next station, we found out we had passed for off-peak travel. Lesson: book your London flight arrivals and departures to have your tube travel be in off-peak hours.

That adventure aside, we made it to Gatwick with plenty of time to get to the check-in counter and get the appropriate stamps for our passage into Ireland. We headed into security and let me just say, WOW!

Dear American airports,

Please go to Gatwick airport in the UK, take notes, return to the states, implement.

Thank you, Sarah

This was hands down, the absolute best airport off ever been through. Security moved so smoothly and everything was mostly at your own pace. Meaning, if you're fast in line, you don't get stuck behind that slow guy. And likewise, if you're frazzled and need to take your time, there isn't an asshole like me standing behind you tapping her foot.

The impossibly fast check in line for Ryanair from Gatwick to Cork

I wish I had some pictures from the airport to show you, but I was afraid to take any. The only part that you need to know is, travel in off-peak hours and fly into Gatwick when you wanna visit London.

After the airport, we boarded the plane, also in a rather clever way. We boarded from the front AND the back. It went so quickly! I absolutely loved everything about flying with Ryanair on this trip and I will most definitely be flying with them again.

Boarding the front AND the rear of the plane on the tarmac, go Ryanair!

A one hour flight later, we landed in Cork and identified our hotel for the night. The Martello Hotel in Bray.

We ended up in an apartment on an accident, which is awesome. It sleeps 4 and has a kitchenette and washer. My sister and I have the two pull-down Murphy beds and my mom has the master.

Feels like camp with the Murphy beds and my sister and I bunking in the living room!

We ventured down for drinks and dinner and had quite the spread. I got a steak and potatoes and they had lasagna.

10 oz steak with crispy onions, a grilled tomato and garlic butter in the hotel restaurant

My sister's starting to get a little sick with all the travel and has dosed herself fairly strongly with Irish cold medicine (not a euphemism, literal cold medicine purchase in Ireland). She promptly went back to the room to pass out and mom and I wandered the beach.

Night view of the beach across from the hotel on the eastern coast off Ireland in Bray

Like with most things, the photo doesn't do it justice, but it's not a bad shot for a cell phone camera, I think.

Outside of the GPS getting us lost and pulling a National Lampoon-style roundabout tour of the outskirts of Dublin, the trip wasn't that bad. We started to run a little low on fuel at one point and that led to a minor panic, but naturally, as soon as we came across one gas station (or "petrol garage") we saw one every 5 minutes the rest of the way into Bray. We were laughing so hard, we were crying!

Not a lot of pictures today I'm afraid, just a long car ride. Off to bed for Belfast in the morning. We really wanted to go to the Titanic Museum, but the timing was off initially. So, we're going to try again tomorrow. Drive to Dublin airport, drop off the car, catch the bus to Connelly Station, catch the train to Belfast then a cab to Titanic Quarter and spend as long as we want in the museum.

That's definitely something for you to keep in mind on your long holiday, transportation. If you're relying on trains and such, plan for it. Lots of interchanges and switching around. If your driving, lots of roundabouts and narrow roads full of crazy drivers. The things we learn.

Bed for me now, goodnight Ireland. I hope you enjoyed today's boring journey.

Thanks, y'all!