@font-face { font-family: "Cambria"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 10pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }

The plan was to leave the hostel around 9 to go get a proper Irish breakfast before we got onto our bus at 10:45. We left around 9:10, went to the nearest place to get breakfast, ate some very strange "pudding" and were soon back at the hostel collecting our bags and walking to the bus station. The bus took us all the way to the airport, which was definitely a relief that it wasn't necessary to take a bus to a bus or train or bicycle like other trips have been.We got to the airport about 2.5 hours early so we had time to eat a nice lunch and get starbucks (hell yeah peppermint mocha) one last time before returning to the land of pasta and cappuccinos.

We weren't paying attention to time and when we realized that our flight was boarding in 40 minutes we decided it was in our best interest to get our butts moving and to security. Of course the security line snakes back and forth literally 5 times. Some of the girls start freaking out a bit. I wasn't too worried until we were one snake away and they announced the commencement of the boarding of our flight. Crap. We get up to the front and the lady looks at my boarding pass and tells me that I should skip to the front of the queue and tell everyone it was alright because otherwise I would miss my flight. Crap. Then she tells me that my gate is a 15-minute walk away. Crap. I ask this man if I can move in front of him and he, of course, doesn't understand what I'm saying. Thanks a lot Europe. I tell him I'm sorry in Italian (could have been right) and throw my backpack onto the security belt, whip my belt off, empty my pockets and speed walk through the metal detector. It goes off. Come on!! I get patted down for literally 7 seconds and they let me through. Excellent. They also let my bag through no problem. I see Maura getting her boots on and tell her I'm headed to the gate so hopefully if they're trying to close it I can let them know that they are all on their way.I didn't have my laptop in my bag because I was afraid they would weigh my backpack and it would be too heavy and they would have to check it and we absolutely had no time for that. I also didn't put my belt back on. I start jogging through the airport carrying my jackets, my laptop, and my belt. I looked crazy. She was not kidding about the 15 minute walk. Four moving walkways and two serious shin splints later I arrived at the gate to the sight of a line still being formed. Thank god.

On RyanAir you aren't supposed to have more than one carryon. Therefore I, very suspiciously, wrapped my laptop in my coats and got in line. There was one suitcase nazi that was having everybody place their bags into the horribly designed metal cages before they walked through the gate. I waited until her back was turned and booked it past her and down the steps. Close call. We ended up getting fairly good seats on the plane and I was able to get some good pictures of the sunset and Irish clouds.

We landed around 8pm then took a shuttle and a taxi and am now back on campus. Goodbye land of free water, beautiful countryside, and very friendly people. :(