Well … I’m back in the internet cafe wondering what to do next. I was here last night checking email and checking some stuff at 7 pm. Today Ennis is less interesting than I thought it would be, and the typical Irish weather doesn’t inspire me to be outside. Or maybe I’m just being lazy? Dunno. I’ve walked the whole town just about, saw the museum, visited the tourist info place, saw the ruins, walked the high street, etc., etc. And I still have seven hours to kill!
I’ve arranged to meet up with the folks from Sunrise farm, my next wwoof hosts, around 8 pm at Shannon Airport. They’re dropping someone off and picking me up. I decided on Ennis as it was seemingly the closest, more interesting town than any other to Shannon Airport. It’s definitely got a lot going on, but it’s not really a pretty place particularly and unless you want to spend money shopping, eating or drinking, there’s not a lot here. Which means there’s not a lot here for my frugal, scraggly self as I wait to be saved by the countryside. (My hair - face and head - is longer than it has ever been. I’m fighting the urge to cut it, and just let it grow until I get back. yikes!)
Last night I wandered around trying to find a place to stay. I was directed by two people to the only hostel in town, only to get there and find it was closed, and looked to have been closed for some time. (Why weren’t these people aware of this in their tiny “tidy” town?) I walked back past another so called bed & breakfast that was charging 69€ a night, with the disclaimer that “There is a nightclub in the building, so ya might here some music from time to time.” Right, not for 69€ am I paying for that irritant. I told the lady at the desk I just came from the closed-down hostel, and she (mis)directed me to the Banner Lodge. Her actual directions made no sense, but it was a good place to send me. For, at 30€ a night, it was quite a nice place and probably the nicest place I’ve stayed at that price. If you ever find yourself in Ennis for some reason, I’d stay there! After I set my bags down there, I went back out to find dinner. I’ve had a craving for Thai food for weeks - something different than the usual stuff that passes for food here in Ireland. I ended up having a really decent red veggie curry, though the whole thing was a bit expensive. Food and drink in Ireland so far is proving to be on the expensive side, just as expensive as anywhere else I’ve been. So … spending time in a place trying not to spend (much) money is not easy.
There is a football match at three that I can sit down and enjoy, but that’s hours away. There is a cinema with movies I don’t really want to see. I went to the intriguing sounding Glor Irish Music Center, and there’s absolutely nothing going on - the event for today was cancelled and the gallery is in transition. Last night I took some time to edit/develop the last photos from Sneem/KAT and hoped to upload them today - back at the internet cafe, I find out, irritatingly, frustratingly, stupidly that using your own laptop costs MORE than using one of their machines! It does not make a single bit of sense. Why would it cost more? I’d only be using the connection and not the hardware!? They’re ripping you off for the convenience and nicety of using your own stuff. Ridiculous. It’s not the first place I’ve come across that does this.
Anyhow … I feel like I’m just kind of complaining and whiny right now, and maybe I am. My friend Adrian asked me if I was tired, as it’s been well more than six months of traveling. At the time I responded, no, I’m not. But in reality, I am. I think more and more about being back in the USA. The thought of working again isn’t as repulsive as it was even a couple weeks ago. Maybe it’s because it is now September. All I’m interested in is being on a farm and learning and working and being in the country. Sunrise Farm ought to be drastically different than everywhere I’ve been.
The aim of our farm, overlooking Lough Derg in East Clare, is to educate for health, happiness and sustainability. Work includes: gardening, care of berry bushes, alternative construction. Fun is: hiking, swimming, horses. We offer daily yoga and meditation. Delicious vegetarian and vegan food. Please no alcohol, drugs, or meat. Contact us by email, or call Didi.
It all sounds great! Didi, the host, sounds like a great person from what I’ve heard from her. I’m looking forward to it! It looks like they expect five days of work, so the two days off will be nice. And, I think I will most likely spend the rest of my time abroad in Ireland rather than breezing through Scotland and Wales. It seems a shame, I guess, but I really can’t be bothered. (Like I said, I’m tired.) And, it won’t do anything for me to spend such little time in either country. I’ll just have to hope to return to the UK again and spend significant time there.
That’s all I can think of right now. It’s possible I may get bored again and cough up another Euro for access later today! So, if you’re online, send me an email or look for me on Skype or gmail chat.