Day 5: Inis Oirr & The Cliffs of Moher

Ireland's west coast gave us its best and its worst today. Our tour took us on a long bus ride to Doolin, followed by a ferry across Galway Bay to the smallest of the Aran Islands. Never have I been so close to death as when I was crossing the bay in that tiny ferry.

I suffer from motion sickness that comes and goes. It will strike me when I least expect it, and then not affect me for a month. My first descent into Toronto was particularly rough, but the flight to St. John and then Dublin was no problem at all. It would seem that fate had chosen today to remind me I have no control.

During the last twenty minutes of the bus it began to hit me. I was saved by a quick photo stop along the way that gave me some fresh air, but I only barely made it to Doolin. And within minutes, the whole tour group was thrown onto a small ferry that was only barely big enough to breach the mighty waves that Galway Bay threw at us. I could barely stand sitting in the cabin of the boat for more than five minutes. I had to rudely interrupt a conversation Sean, Nora, and I were having with a girl named Kate from Australia, to go out to the stern (or "back of the boat" to all you non-boat people). I stood out there for the remainder of the ride, remembering what I had learned in a sailboat in Greece two years ago. Stare at the horizon and use the pressure points on your wrists*. Those are some helpful tips for anyone else who suffers from sea sickness. Also, fresh air does wonders, so don't wait around in the cabin with all that stale air circulating, get out into the wind.

While the boat ride was rough, the Aran Island we went to (Inis Oirr) was well worth it. The three of us rented bikes and toured around. We finally got to explore a ruined castle, and we even got a bonus shipwreck to poke our heads into (literally). Even just biking around the streets and paths of the small island was enjoyable. There were plenty of cows, horses, and even a friendly dog that followed us for a while, to stop and say hello to. Getting out on dry land and exercising was great for body and mind, which made the boat ride back slightly more enjoyable.

Castle

Shipwreck

On the way back to port in Doolin, we got the chance to see the Cliffs of Moher up close from the water. I have been to the tops of the cliffs before about three years ago, but it was interesting to see them from a new angle. But before ten minutes had passed, the ocean rhythm grabbed hold of me again, and I decided it was best to save my appreciation for when we made it to the top.

Before touring the cliffs, the bus stopped at a pub for lunch. The pub had hundreds of dollar bills (American mostly) lining the walls, each inscribed with a message from the person who taped it there. I saw one that read "Lynch Providence RI" and another that said "URI Narraganset RI 2015" as well as plenty from Boston. All three of us put up a dollar of our own, to be remembered for years to come. Unless the pub owners need some quick cash within the next few years.

The Cliffs of Moher were just as amazing to see the second time around. I could have spent hours walking the cliffs, but we only had one, or the bus would leave without us. Which it almost did for some people (including some friends we made, but don't worry they made it, they just HAD to get some ice cream).

There are plenty of things I could try to say to describe the cliffs, but I'll let the pictures do the talking this time:

I think that's the only way I can really do it justice.

Aside from a few good photo stops along the way, all that was left of our tour was the bus ride back to our last night in Galway.

I have to give a shout out to our tour guide Tom. He drove the bus all the way from Galway to Doolin, rode the boat to Inis Oirr and back, drove to the Cliffs of Moher, and finally back to Galway, all while telling us all kinds of historical facts about the land we were traveling through. While we rode the boat he would stop by each of us to see how we were doing and on land he gave us suggestions on the most efficient ways to explore Inis Oirr or the cliffs. The tour would not have been the same without him, and for that I thank you Tom. If you ever read this. Or maybe if I leave a review on the website or something.

Tonight we ate dinner in Galway and continued our pattern of finding a place to watch live music every night. The music was great, but for their last song they transitioned from "Don't Look Back in Anger" to "Ho Hey" which was the only disappointing part. "Don't Look Back in Anger" is the closer, not "Ho Hey." If anything it should have been the other way around. Of course that's only my opinion on the matter.

Tomorrow I return briefly to Dublin to catch my plane to Rome, which will begin my solo journey for the next month and a half. I think I'm ready for it.

I will try to put together a video for Ireland over the next day or two so look forward to that. Make sure to check out my YouTube channel to keep up with when that goes public. The link to that is in the top right of the page (unless you're on mobile, then I'm not sure where it is). If you search YouTube for MattGoesExploring it should come up.

Also, as one final self-plug, if you want to see more pictures from the trip, you can find that on my Instagram (@mattgoesexploring) which is also in the top right of the page if you're not on mobile.

Finally, thanks for reading & I'll see you tomorrow.

Bonus Sea Sickness Tips:

*Wrist Pressure Points: Directly on the inside of the wrist, maybe an inch below the palm, press a thumb to that point and it will help soothe the sea sickness. When I was in Greece they actually had bracelets on the boat that were specifically meant for this.