My Adventures on a Shoestring

I have always had quite a nomadic lifestyle, so it was no surprise to my friends and family when I suggested that I was thinking about jacking in my boring old job and taking a round the world trip. Don’t get me wrong, I know that I will miss the Emerald Isle something awful, but I’ve been “exploring” Ireland for 20 years now and need something as comparison.

All by Myself…

Having taken the plunge, I discovered that none of my friends were willing to make the same giant leap. Some of them were willing to commit to a week or two here or there, but no one I knew well enough was ready to give up their settled life for a year long whirlwind adventure. I figured that if I’m brave enough to quit my job to travel into the unknown, then I must be brave enough to go it alone. So that is why I’m stilling here at Dublin ferry port all alone waiting for the next ferry to Liverpool. Well, not quite alone…

The Adventure Begins

It’s a long way from home to Dublin ferry port, and I wanted to start my journey feeling refreshed, so I decided to spend my last few days in Ireland doing a bit of sightseeing and “relaxing” in Dublin. As this is a budget trip, I booked myself into a budget room in a (nameless) budget hostel in the Temple Bar area. Whilst the accommodation left a lot to be desired, the company was nothing short of excellent.

Dublin is a trap for people from all around the world who want to experience a little Irish hospitality and enjoy a pint of Guinness. Having been to Dublin a few times before, I had the advantage over most of the visitors because I knew a little about how to enjoy myself in Dublin for less money. Temple Bar is a great area, but it can be a little bit expensive if you do not know where you are heading to, so most visitors to the city do not budget accordingly. Some of the top pubs in the centre of the area can end up charging a wee fortune for a pint of the black stuff, so beware. However, it turns out that having a little local knowledge goes a long, long way, especially if you want to make friends in a budget hostel!

Unlike the stereotype of most Irish people, I’m not much of a drinker, but I still managed to enjoy the high spirits of others, especially when they are enjoying a few Irish traditions. Whether you are into classical music or hip hop, I find a bit of Celtic folk music is a great unifier, and my attempts to spend my last night in the country relaxing were (rhythmically) stomped into the ground.

Onwards Journey

And so, whilst enjoying my first solo hostelling experience and a little Irish culture I happened to find a few like minded spirits who were planning on setting off in the same direction as me. I met a Spanish girl (Manuela) and a Polish guy (Mitre) who had come to Dublin via Liverpool and loved Liverpool so much that they wanted to go back and stay there a while again. And that is how I came to be sitting with them at the ferry port waiting for the next boat out of Ireland. Although their previous visit to Liverpool was only brief, I’m hoping that they will be able to return the favour and share a little bit of their local knowledge of the city with me. And so the adventure begins…