In Dublin

September 4, 2007

6:10 p.m.

Dublin

I made it to Dublin with no problems. It’s been a long almost 24 hours, but here are some of the highlights/lowlights of the trip:

After strategically planning about a month ahead and selecting a seat along the aisle of the plane as to maximize my legroom, my trusty brown sandal was run over by the drink cart on my Boston to JFK flight, severing the front part that holds the sandal together. I got a water, it was lukewarm Upon arriving at JFK I took my backpacks (luckily my luggage was going straight through) and dragged my right sandal behind me as I limped across the terminal, asking anyone and everyone for a stapler or a piece of tape. After making it all the way to the gate with no luck, I found a FedEx box and ripped off the adhesive strip on the top of an envelope (by the way, try neatly ripping a FedEx envelope – easier said than done), ripped the strip in three, and effectively repaired my sandal while sitting on the floor near the gate. (When I mentioned “If this works I should get a patent” to the couple sitting on the floor next to me they turned away in disgust. Welcome to New York.)

The flight to Dublin was pretty run-of-the-mill as far as trans-Atlantic flights go. After flying Virgin Atlantic last time across Delta seemed unimpressive in virtually every aspect, but it got me where I needed to go without destroying any more clothing or footwear items. I sat next to an Irish woman who was about 40 years old and on her way back after a 4 week trip to the states to visit her brother and cousin. I don’t know her name, but she took her tea with one milk and no sweetener. She was very nice and was excited for me. The in flight movie was Fracture, a hot-shot-young-lawyer-gets-antagonized-by-clever-old-murderer-but-gets-him-in-the-end flick starring Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. I don’t feel bad about telling you he gets him in the end because it was a pretty bad movie with a pretty dumb, predictable ending (there’s a reason I’m not a film director).

When I got off the plane they had “passport control” where I met Sam, a Cornell student from DC also studying at UCD this semester. Sam was very excited to meet me and even more excited by the fact that his Cornell buddy knew how to play the guitar (he wasn’t playing, mind you). Sam gave me the old “oh, Boston, I should have figured by the hat” number multiplied by about ten. Since he’s also in the business program, I’m sure I’ll run into him pretty soon, however I think it’s safe to say that if I was writing a book, the 15 minutes I spent in the same general vicinity as Sam would be one of those small moments to which an author would dedicate an entire chapter. Moving on.

I stood next to my old buddy Lance at the baggage claim and was “that guy” as I walked up after everyone and had to jump through the crowd as I proudly saw my bags come out as some of the first. I snatched them from the belt and when to find some internet station to email Mom and check my email for my landlord’s cell phone number.

After talking to the landlord I went to catch the bus to Kelley’s Corner outside the airport. At the bus stop I stood next to what looked to be a couple, their son, and his girlfriend/fiancée/wife. The patriarch seemed to be perplexed by each of the bus drivers telling him to wait for the other route (there were only two), while his wife seemed to think that either route would have been fine, but that his black hat with big block yellow letters that read “VIETNAM VET” screamed “I’m an American tourist who wants to take your bus during rush hour with my family and luggage!” just a little too loudly. After finally getting on the bus I sat next to 2 guys from Halifax who had graduated from college last year and were embarking on a 2 month Euro-trip. Their first stop was to see their friend in Rathmines, and upon discovering that we were both going to the same part of town and that I had a road map, they quickly appointed me their city guide to Dublin. They were good guys, Brent and his friend whose name I didn’t catch. We talked about coming to Europe, the NBA, Brent’s friend’s 12 hour layover in the Newark airport, and how it’s kind of a pain to live in Nova Scotia. After picking up and dropping off the rush hour crowd (the bus went from the Airport (on the north side) through the city centre, and continued on to the south side, where Rathmines is), Brent, his friend, and I all piled off the bus at Kelley’s corner (Brent’s friend helped me out with one of my bags.)

From there I made my way the roughly 5 blocks to the house. It’s pretty nice. For now I have a single (only 2 of the six of us are here so far, so we’ll see how things shake out). My roommate James and I (I know, not the first time, huh) went and got lunch and I got a cell phone. Then I came back here to get some more sleep. Depending on how my foot’s doing we’re going to try to go out tonight, so hopefully it’s feeling all right.

Some quick details on the house for inquiring minds (if you’ve made it this far, you undoubtedly my mother or father). Hi Mom and Dad.

2 stories on a really small one-car-wide lane that doesn’t really get cars down it (there was a car parked at the top of the street earlier, just sitting there with no one in sight. Nobody seemed to mind.) For college students it’s pretty much perfect: full kitchen and living room with a small tv and a separate room with a foosball table downstairs. Upstairs are 4 bedrooms, 3 singles and one triple. The house has 3 full baths (one downstairs, one upstairs, and one in the master bedroom. I’m sure the six of us will work out something reasonable, don’t worry). That’s pretty much it. Came with all linens and towels and everything. Right now I gotta go because I think James is hungry. More later.

Joe