squirreldiary0102

I've arrived!!! After many long hours and thousands of miles, the u2squirrel has made it to Cork. My tail (chee hehe) began after I spent my New Years morning scurrying around, making sure I had everything set for the trip, speeding to make my dad's on-the-dot departure time for the airport. Of course I forgot many things, including a hairbrush (slightly scary I admit). After much waiting, and switching planes and staring at beautiful copies of SPIN magazine in Newark Airport, I was in the air bound for Dublin. So the flight began and went...and went...and went. I must say it was quite hurl-inducing and I was feeling hurlly squirrelly as the night went on. I did receive a good sign when the stewardess stopped at my seat and said, "Did anyone order a vegetarian meal? Last name Mullen?" Chee hehe I must admit I quite enjoyed that. And with Larry mentioned, I was in a good mood and ready for Dublin.

We had traveled all night through the darkness, but the sun rose perfectly on cue, letting my first glimpse of Ireland be of wonderful Dublin opening before me. I got off the plane, picked up my luggage, checked in with the slightly scary customs guy and then made my way forward.The excitement soon turned to confusion, though. It was about 4 a.m. my time, and I started getting tired. I also realized that I had been mistaken in my plans. I thought the bus station was located in the airport, but I was wrong, I had to take a bus from the airport to the central bus station in downtown Dublin. So after getting my new Euros and finding the bus stop (and the bus number), I was once again in order. So I'll skip ahead a few hours, not making you deal with my ventures of trying to drag my good ole rickety suitcase in one mass SKANKY Dublin restroom, and then almost death-falling up an equally skanky staircase (grrr evil sabotage suitcase). *Note: For future reference, Ohio squirrels are surprisingly uncoordinated with a lack of sleep, disorientation, new Dublin accents, and bad scary squirrel hair (slightly like gnome hair).

Once I had boarded the bus to Cork and was finally able to rest, I couldn't. We pulled out of the bus station and drove through the Temple Bar Area. My eyes were everywhere: the river, the colors, the people, the stores. It was so upsetting that I couldn't see everything at once. I couldn't decide what side of the road to look at. As my eyes were scanning the area, I was miraculously lucky to catch a glimpse of the great Clarence hotel; just like a dream.I had seen so many pictures of it. Seeing it so close, I made a small squirrel noise and for a second, I was cardiac. My eyes were glued to it until it was out of my sight. Faraway, So Close...I couldn't believe I had seen it. I couldn't believe the guys had walked these streets. It was so cool for me being a complete U2spaz. The rest of the trip was peaceful. I got to see the beauty of the country go by outside the window while I went in and out of a great sleep. Before I knew it I was at my new home, Cork. It was night when we arrived, but the lights of the city were there to meet me, I was home............................................................