Linguistically Speaking: Irish luck

So I am late with the post because I was in Ireland without a computer. It is kinda tough to write with out a way to actually do that. I figured you all would forgive me, if not, well not much I can do about that!

I didn't take a holiday or a trip as much as I went on an adventure. This particular adventure had a few exciting moments that were, well very unplanned. The first rule of thumb when traveling is always leave yourself "slush" time. Meaning always plan for at least 30 minutes of time in case of unforeseen problems. Sometimes more depending on the type of trip and how many foreseeable issue may arise to counter the unforeseeable ones as well. If you don't believe that this is a good idea, maybe you will change your mind by the end of this blog.

My flight out of Southampton was at 6:50 am. The buses don't run early enough to the airport so I booked a train ticket. It was due to leave the train station at 5:09 am to get me to the airport about 5:30 so I have the allotted time to check in and get through security etc and be at the gate in time to board the plane. So I drag my luggage to the train station which is around the corner from me, collect my ticket and head to my platform. The station was quiet and I'm thinking this should be relatively easy and painless getting to the airport. As I round the corner to head up the stairs, a policeman came running past and down the stairs. I walked down to the platform where there were three people. I notice a freight train sitting on the far platform, engine idling... weird.... I get down the stairs to be told to go back up and over to platform one because there "may have been an accident". After a few minutes and watching my train and the other train I could have taken be cancelled, we were informed we needed to vacate the station, as it was being closed. Apparently there was a guy sprawled on the tracks (on purpose) in front on the freighter.... just beyond the station. The station manager was in meltdown mode (not a good way to start the day) and so no alternatives were set up for the now stranded passengers. 4 of us decided to share a taxi to the airport (one works there, I need to catch a flight and the other two were hoping to catch trains at that station that were rerouted around Southampton Central station). That was a rather auspicious beginning.

Flight went well, I found the airlink coach to town, however I managed to get off the bus one station too soon. I was given directions by a guy with a map (I should have bought one from him) and set off down the road. There was a bunch of construction and there is no such thing as a straight road. I managed to get turned around several times, but eventually found the tram to take me to my accommodations. I found my stop, my street and the house. I followed the instructions to get the key and unlocked the door, to hear the familiar sound of an alarm system countdown.... uh oh..... I had no instructions for turning off an alarm... I think it is the loudest house alarm I have ever heard in all of my life. I couldn't reach the hostess on her phone (ironically she had to travel to the states.....) and I also couldn't find her mother's phone number incase I had a problem, which I indeed had. I was waiting for the cops to show up and arrest me...(Did I mention it was raining as well?). The alarm had been blaring for about 5 mins or so when a car pulled up and a lady got out. "Vicki?" yes that's me. "Hi, I'm Joan, Melanie's mom". She apparently was given instructions to make sure the alarm was turned off before the time of my arrival.....Oops. She was mortified and I was laughing. We became instant friends.

I took a ride with her to get some paper products for a church social they were having later in the week, and then over to a nursery to buy flowers for her planters. She then took me to her home, I met her son, and she to introduce me to her husband to get advice on the best way to get up to Malahide and other things I could do with my day. She decided she didn't have what she needed to fix me a proper sandwich, so she took me to "The dropping Well" for lunch, after which she drove me back into Dublin and dropped me off at the train station so I could go exploring.

Chris, Beth, and I had almost as much fun trying to find the coach to take us back to the airport yesterday. The bus stop had been moved because of road construction, but it wasn't clear, and actually I think we were at the wrong one anyway for the bus line we needed. After 30 mins we finally found where we were supposed to be to catch the right coach, to then have my bag flagged because of my cpap machine, which has never been a problem before...... Maybe I was having the luck of the Irish? wait..... Or because I was in Ireland my luck worked backwards? But because we had built in time, no harm done and we were able to catch our flight.

"May the road rise up to meet you and may the wind be always at your back!" and " May your troubles be less and your blessings be more and may nothing but happiness come through your door." Yep, something went wrong there....but good came of it so...maybe not.

Amid the adventures, we saw some awesome things and had a good time. Some pics from the trip are below.

lunch at the dropping well- smoked salmon sandwich