ok the dublin speel ..... what can i say i had a tops time as was expected considering all really needed to do was listen there accents and i was a happy little vegimite. well we got up at some stupid oclock on thursday morning to get a cheap ass flight thought we got hit with and extra £10 fee for book in as we couldnt book in online as mark and I arent Eu passport holders. which sucked as i was on a very tight budget the flight was fine though waiting an hour and half at passport control was a little bit of a joke. even funnier was the fact was zoie had to wait by herself for once as she was the only one out of the 3 of us that had a british passport. anywho after checking into the hostel and got the directions to my pub we were off to discover dublin. Well under my direction we were lost in about 10 mins. after about an 40 mins turn around we found Flannery`s Pub. I was home. After getting inside and trying to see what i could weasle out them seeing my surname was plastered all over the place i then asked if i could buy anything .... 2 pints later and a few photos it was time to leave on leaving the establishment i thought i would give them back comupance for not giving me anything free so i stole their menu with the log on the top. to which lead to a quick escape. after wandering back into the temple bar area and having some of the best beef stew ever the drinking began. Mark picking the first pub to which had a live guiarist who played me every crowded house song he knew, i picked up a few local boys to show us the rope and to help me not feel so much like a 3rd wheel. Couldnt have meet a better pair of guys as they were honestly 2 of the biggest boozers in dublin. To be honest these were the beginning of the end of me for this night, what started out as a casual drink through out the course of the night we picked up an american english couple an american dude ( who wore overalls and loved buying shoots ) and 2 german girls. well this ended up with myself, kevin ( the man with no bed and my bf for the next 4 days ) the american english couple ( dustyn and mark 2 ) and german girls back at kevins penthouse studio apartment doing irish jigs and drink cheap warm wine till some stupid hour of the morning. needless to say i found a couch and took a " power nap " as i had about 1hour and half sleep the night before and had been drinking all day. needless to say i woke up 2 hours later with everyone wearing kevins hat collection and having a parade. to which i decided i wanted no part of and went straight back to sleep. to only be woken up an hour later ( now 6 am ) as i was asleep on kevins bed. ( he had a couch bed fortress - pushed both to face each other taking the back cushons and filling the gap between the couches then places a single bed mattress ontop hey presto a couch fortress bed ). impressed to begin with not so much when i rolled ontop weak spot to then fall through the bed on sevreal occassions to obtain several brusies all over me. Any way..... woke up again at 9 to stumble back to the hostel for breakfast and begin round 2 i mean day 2. Today we all nursuried hang overs so we wandered through the city going to the famous Trinity colluage to find out that i have come at the one time of the year that the BOOK of KELLS was not on display - heart broken to say the least. but it was a good day for a walk to which we went to a viking museam for bit of fun and to kill some time until it was acceptable to start drinking again. we thought better of our selves and bought euro beers at off liceance round the corner. well no sight of kevin we went to The Temple bar which end up being another night that i have forgotten. i do recall having a go at an english man for wearing a convict outfit and not being australian and then that the ashes was safe with us as they just lost the captain and coach. that and our new amercian friend Buck was buying round of shoots every 20 mins. It also reintroduced mark and I to an australian couple that were about 10 people ahead of us on the passport control que. which the night ended a 3 oclock stumble with my new mates to the burger king across the river liffy ( zac had vouchers ) and then finally to the hostel. now day 3 ....... welll was up again for breakfast to then be out the door to city hall for the free walking tour. to which the lovely coner was our guide. He informed us of all the little bits of history around the city that we would have other wised missed and if you knew any of the history he pointed it out. ( he also told me where i could go see a replica of the book of kells - super happy ) so one pub stop over and 3 hours later the tour was done and it was time for lunch ( we went to a place that was like johnny rockets called oddly enough eddie rockets.... interesting ) any way back to hostel for a nap and euro beers again. It was zoies bday today so it was going to be a biggin..... so back to temple bar to meet up with some of the people from the night before. in the mean time i got a sly text from old mate kevin to come to his local ( where there was river dancing people ) for a pint.... on arrival he was there for a drink then went home as he was ... leggless to put it nicely. any way to carried on as i had the original shoot buying american to which he came true to his name....... and the drinks were a flowing ..... little did i realise that .... those drinks came at a price and lets just say i moved away quickly..... talking to another gentle man who was happy to buy me drinks..... though on a smoko i started chatting to a 70 something year old women whose nephew i had earlier taught how to do the nutbush too.... any way sat down with her and her husband till about 2 in the morning convincing him that australia is a great place to holiday too. After i had enough there i walked to get chip kebab ( trust me awesome ) then on walking home got a call to head out to this other bar. to meet up with kevin on arrival he left and introduced me to some aussie guy ben. to which we were there till about 4 in the morning after walking ben home i thought it was time for bed..... on walking back i got the call again from kevin informing me of the party back at his ..... so off i trotted to his place where there was more wine drinking dancing and then movie watching till about 7 in the morning to which i woke up once again due to following thru the bed at 8.30 and headed home as it was GUINNESS factory day. woo hoo..... very tired i dragged my sorry self all the way to the factory for what was then and hour and half self tour on EVERYTHING GUINNESS. also got taught how to pour the perfect pint of guiness and got a certificate for it. after which we headed down to a pub called brazen head which is apparently the oldest pub in dublin for another awesome meal and some more great live music. after watching the man utd chelsea game and having a few more drinks with kevin we parted ways to meet up later on that night as i was falling asleep in the bar so i needed a sleep..... needless to say i was out like a light at 8.30 pm sunday nigth to awake 8.30 am monday morning i had apperently missed out on a cracking night.... though i had about £30 in my wallet and my card for the second time that week got eaten by an atm it was probably a good thing. making a few more friend during day at the hostel and petting the swans in the pond at St stephens green..... it ended what was a great time though an expensive city..... had some great nights some beautifuls days and some awesome people. till next time kids. xoxoxo