12.05.2018 Ring of Kerry

Today the alarm clock should ring at 8 o'clock. However, my internal clock woke me up at 7 o'clock! But somehow everything seemed strange to me. Why is the sun still rising? Well dear people, because Linda had turned off the automatic clock setting on her new phone. So it was only 6 o'clock and the day before I didn't arrive at half past 9 as I thought, but at half past 8. And I wondered why the sun didn't set until 10:30 pm!

Well, after 8 o'clock Irish time, a great breakfast prepared by Kathleen followed. Some small talk and the journey continued. As a first stop, I made a stop at a deserted beach, which gave me a positive mood for the rest of the day. It continued along the coast. Along the Skellig Ring Scenic Drive, Ireland showed itself from its best side. Just wonderful! Of course, a short hike to the cliffs was a must. After exploring Valentia Island, I took the car back to the mainland on the ferry.

At some point, I got hungry, so I decided to drive to the nearest beach and have a proper meal there. Delicious chicken wings....yummy

It was early afternoon and I realized that my originally planned route wouldn't work. So I went straight to Killarney. When I arrived there, exhaustion overcame me, so I decided to take a boat trip. Sailing a little on the lakes and leaning back - exactly what I needed. Since my accommodation was nearby, I decided to drive there and check in. My AirBNB host for the next two days is a very nice woman, a bit scatterbrained and lively, but she gave me valuable tips on what I can still experience on this day. I dropped off my things and continued. To Muckross House and Garden. An old castle in a huge park with lots of wonderful nature. After an extensive walk, I also wanted to go to the Torc Waterfall. Well, unfortunately, I didn't take Patricia's advice to heart and drove up to Torc Mountain. There I took the yellow hiking trail, which led directly to the waterfall. It was steep downhill. The waterfall was beautiful, but I already had in mind that I had to climb all the way back up. Sweaty, I arrived back at the car and decided to drive back to the accommodation. It is now 7 o'clock and Patricia offers to drive me to the center. The center is not far away, but I am very grateful for her hospitality! When I arrived there, I went in search of food. I ended up in an upscale restaurant, which was filled with couples. With my Caesar salad and a glass of water, I observed the scene. Afterwards, I got two small scoops of ice cream for €4.50 (completely crazy) and strolled along the mile. In search of a suitable pub, I had to realize that everything is occupied on Saturday evening. In the end, I ended up at O'Connor's and had a pint of Guinness while listening to live music. 1 pint = 0.5 liters. Slightly tipsy, I strolled through the lively streets again. Back at the accommodation, I was welcomed by Patricia. Completely exhausted, she tells me about how disorganized she thinks she is as an AirBNB host. She offers me an expensive English gin and adds some tonic. Wow...what a taste. The small talk continues until I eventually say goodbye late in the evening and retire to my cozy bed. What a day, simply fantastic. :)

Fact:

Whether it's high season or low season, every pub is packed on weekends.