Hi all!

I have a bit more time to write, so hopefully this blog turns into something slightly more interesting than the previous ones.

Firstly, those who were concerned with my anti-socialness in Dublin: I've been doing a lot better since I moved on. I was roomed there with 3 Spanish snorers who were on a bit of a different time-scale than myself, they couldn't speak English, other people were always coming and going... It wasn't the kind of place that lends itself to meeting up with and hanging out with other travellers.
I palled around with a couple of Italian blokes and their German friend in Wexford. Apart from being great fun, they were indicative of what's happening in Ireland immigration-wise. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of Irish people left. Many of the ones I seem to come in contact with (in customer service and tourism) seem to be from somewhere else. Apparently the Irish Government gives tax concessions to multi-national companies to move their base here, they bring some of their workers, those workers bring their cultures, and a whole other slew of industries spring up to support those cultures.

Once I moved on from Wexford I hooked up with an Australian lass in Cashel (although I should caution that "hooked up with" is regarding our travelling arrangements, and no romantic entanglements. Sorry Mum). We've been riding around together for the past 5 or 6 days having a grand old time. She's been navigatorix as we negotiate the highways and byways of the Irish countryside.

Before I left Australia I sorted myself out with a TomTom device after I discovered that it'd be cheaper to buy one, than hire one along with my car. I tested it thoroughly while at home, was suitably impressed with its performance and comfortable with how it would operate overseas. Once it got here though...it didn't seem to want to work. For some reason I couldn't fathom it's very finicky about when it wants to, and under what circumstances, it can pick up signals from satellites. Sometimes it just gives up, sometimes it takes hours, in latter days it's been a matter of minutes - hopefully it keeps that up for the rest of my stay here. Particularly as I lose my navigatorix from here as our paths diverge. Thanks Lisa, I seem to recall saying that you were pretty awesome, but I don't think you ever believed me. Actually, I'm pretty sure you did, and you were just being modest....

Apart from TomTom troubles, driving hasn't been too bad at all. The roads are pretty ordinary, I've only seen a handful that are more than 1 lane in either direction. There are no speed advisory signs and no-one seems to pay any attention to the speed limits (which is just as well, 'cause some of the roads are posted ridiculously faster than they should be). Haven't seen any speed cameras or police monitoring traffic (since all the police wear bullet-proof vests, I imagine that it's not their main concern). Entering each county, there are signs saying how many people have died on roads over the past 4 years. There seem to be a lot... I would be thoroughly amazed if way more aren't dying on Irish roads than Australian ones.

The days are weird. It's 10pm now and it looks like it should be about 5 or 6pm. There's still a touch of light in the sky at around 11pm. Still, the sun seems to rise before 5am. I presume the days in Australia are remarkably short to equal it out (in the order of about 6 hours of sunlight).

Anyway, when last you heard I was hob-nobbing with celebrity comedians. I didn't have much to do with Adam Hills when he was off-stage, but Lisa is a big groupie (er, fan) and amongst general chatter asked him on our road trip. Apparently he was quite nice generally, and specifically in regards to him saying "No, get away from me you freak" (paraphrasing). So yes, Adam Hills is nice, for those who asked.

The second show was just as good (Arj Barker was brilliant) and it was afterward I discovered that I had fans. Adam asked what Lisa and I were doing in Ireland (it was she that dragged/sweet-talked me into going to the show) and I said we were on honeymoon. The female half of the audience all went "Awww" and, naturally, Lisa went into hysterics. Adam asked what she was laughing at, and she cries out: "We only met yesterday!". For some reason, everyone found my delicate subterfuge hilarious and Adam concentrated on us for the next 5 minutes or so. I played up to it a bit. Anyway, we were lining up at Supermac hoooours later and some guys by us must've been like "You ask them" "No, no. _You_ ask them". Eventually they came over and go: "So how's the honeymoon going?". Then they preceded to tell us how hilarious we were.

No. I don't understand it either. And every other person I have recounted the story to either: gets confused and thinks we were performing at the festival ourselves, or thinks that I should be a comedian. Irish people are weird.

Anyway, we'd met in Cashel and saw "The Rock". Great from the outside, crap on the inside (particularly in the rain, as it bucketed down for the first and, heretofore only, time.

Killkenny had nothing but the Comedy festival going for it (and I didn't hear one single comedian say: "Oh my god this' Kilkenny! b******s...".

I've a feeling I'm missing a day or two, but... next was an aborted trip to the Skellig Islands which, unfortunately, everyone says are the highlight of Ireland. The sea was too rough so it was cancelled. Not only that, I reckon the captain told me the wrong time anyway. Unless I rang the wrong number and someone was pranking me.

So we drove around the Ring of Kerry instead. Nice, but a bit same-y after a while.

Then we missed out on a bike and boat tour of Killarney National Park and did a bit of a drive and wander instead before ending up in Dingle.

Dingle penisula has been the highlight so far. Which is a little worrying, as I never intended to see it. From there we rushed to Limerick to miss another tour (the director was sick) and thence to the Cliffs of Moher. See the picture accompanying this blog? OK, you no longer need to visit.

This morning we went through The Burren which is a desolate limestone plateau thing, that was pretty good, before ending up in Galway. I'm going to base myself here for a night or two before continuing my way up northward.

Not finding myself at all fascinated with the country. It's nice, there are things I'm finding interesting, or beautiful, or entertaining but I'm not finding myself waking up in the morning going: "Golly! Can't wait to see what I'm going to see today!". Truthfully, I'm about ready to move on, but I've got another week and a half to go. Hopefully I meet up with a few other people along the way who can keep me as amused as Lisa's done the last few days.

I know people are trying to live vicariously through me as they toil in their crappy jobs. Sorry, I'll have more fun shortly. I promise :)

Yeah, so hope folk are good. Have yourself a Guinness, they taste quite nice.

seeya :)