Pint 2: Let me continue.

Yes, my previous post was cut short. I will explain in a minutes.

If anything can be said about me, I learn from mistakes. Learn but not always change. This mistake isn’t among the ones I was referring to earlier, but it will do.

Last night, I arrived in Dublin around 2200. I was hankering for some food and with the recommendation of the guy at the front desk; I headed to the Temple Bar area for a pint and a bite. I did not know then that the bars and restaurants stop serving food at 2230. I was out of luck. Thinking back, this really isn’t a mistake on my part, just unfortunate timing. I did manage the pint and that was enough to fill me.

This brings us to 1. What I learned. 2. Why my previous post is as it is.

As you can see from the time/date stamp of the previous post, I was nearing the end of the day. Once again hankering for some food after a long day’s journey and remembering that food is not served at all hours of the day, I decided to adjourn the previous message and seek out that which I desired. Why not just continue with the post after returning? Good question! The answer is simple; I had another pint of Guinness, of course. This brings me around full circle to the first mistake.

My mistake was not taking into account that not all of the world is filled with cash machines and the conveniences of the modern world. Not every business establishment accepts a Visa card, regardless of its claim to be “Everywhere you want to be.” I want to be in Doolin, Ireland and it ain’t here.

I left Dublin on a bus with 70 Euro and a handful of change in my pocket. That would seem like more than enough to get me through a few days. Factor in five nights at a hostel, 13 Euro a night, and that leaves me with 5 Euro and the handful of change. The nearest ATM is 10 miles away and I now have to spend 10 Euro to rent a bike and ride the 10 miles to it. The bike thing isn’t so bad, I would have done it anyway, but there is some principle behind having to spend 10 Euro to get more Euro.

The second mistake, which is really the only mistake, makes me even more frustrated with myself. Trinity College of Dublin is located in the heart of Dublin. TCD is world famous, established back in the 1500’s. I would know the exact date but I don’t because the long sleeved T-shirt that I bought this morning which had the name of the school and the date established on it seems to be missing. For the life of me I can’t remember what I did with it. The logical conclusion is that I left it at the hostel in Dublin when I was obtaining my backpack. I had initially carried it in my top sack while I walked around Dublin this morning. After retrieving my full backpack, I intended on switching items around to make more space in the rather small top sack for books and other things I would need on the bus journey. It must have been during that switch that the shirt was left behind.

I am frustrated because this is not the first thing on this trip that I have lost, and most likely it won’t be the last. I have also lost a 10 Euro note, and a couple socks. The socks are no big deal, and the 10 Euros is upsetting, but the shirt today cost me 20 Euro. That is 20 Euro down the drain unless some kind traveler decides to turn it in and the hostel holds it for a week. Now the real question is that after returning to Dublin, do I purchase another shirt, or punish myself for being stupido? I haven’t decided on that one yet.

Now I feel that after all this moaning you deserve some lighter talk about the countryside and how wonderful everything is. Sorry, it is late now and I just don’t feel up to all the light and fluffy stuff. The country side is wonderful and I promise to talk about it tomorrow.

Until then and tomorrow.

Jason

Just realizing this, you all don’t have to wait because I will be posting all of these at the same time. I take back my apology.