♣ May 13th, 2008. Barnicle Hostel, Galway, Ireland

I’m woken, dazed as a morning for in Bray and feel not so much like a million bucks. Sam jolted me awake and told me that she couldn’t find Ian. I rally, with a hangover and all, soon realize I actually in my drunken stooper managed to get in my sleeping bag and bivy. I guess I am an impressive drunk in that respect. The sun is just rising, I pack my gear and begin to search for Ian. I check everywhere mind you. Behind stone gray walls, abandoned-half lived in cement buildings (mostly filled with cans and broken glass bottles) phone booths and even the squatter’s heaven of a park behind McGann’s Pub. He is no where. We (Sam and I) Search for the better part of 3 hours and then head off to an Internet Cafe to leave a message for Ian… “looked for you everywhere headed to Galway”… After about 10 am we had to leave, Sam needed to make her way to the rental agency to return the car by 1 pm and Galway is a 3 hour drive away. We did a quick last minute pass through the town and headed out. I figured we were headed originally to Galway so then we would just meet there. The ride was very picturesque, with hills, ocean side and a green that lets you know exactly why it is known as the Emerald Isle. The island is indeed as green and precious as the stereotypical cliche. We arrive in Galway and check into a hostel (Barnicle). Still worried about Ian, I made my way to the Internet Cafe. No new news from Ian so I told him to meet me in the Kennedy Plaza in center of Galway. I went back and did laundry. The majority of my clothes needed a good cleaning because the wet night in Bray started the molding process. I hand washed the clothes then hung them out to dry. Hang drying seem almost a blast from the past with modern day dryers but it is Europe and costs no money to dry. I take a warm shower and then go to explore the town with Sam. We get aquatinted with the city and find a cheeper Internet Cafe and I check on Ian.

 

 

He is in Galway. We start looking for him and he was in the Erye (Kennedy) Plaza, kinda figured. We went to meet him and after talk’n to him we come to find out he did pass out be hind the phone booth but Johnny ended up calling a cab and he saw Ian behind the booth and threw him in the cab and later his couch back at Johnny’s home. Ian then woke up in an awkward, where am I state. He ended up getting another taxi back into town 3 km out and began looking for us around 11 am. He ended up catching a ride up to Galway in a RV with some Italians who stopped in Doolin for directions. Lucky Chum. We checked Ian into the Hostel and after a while we (Ian and I) made lunch-dinner of pesto pasta. Good travels call for good meals. I felt lethargic after that feast and so I went for a nap. I awake with a room full of 7 other people talking. I come to and start talking with them. A guy named Sven from Germany strikes up conversation and we end up grabbing a pint across the street at a pub called the Queys (pronounced keys). The building is like a renovated wooden church turned pub and it is amazing. Tired and not wanting to drink anymore we went back to the hostel and to bed.