Day 4, May 30, 2003

On the fourth day, we set off for Galway. On the way, we drove to Tarbert to cross the Shannon by ferry . It's supposed to be possible to see dolphins there as well. The crossing takes just under 20 minutes, and although we stood on the upper deck of the ferry, we didn't spot any dolphins.

We stopped in Lahinch along the way and walked a little along the beach, after the Atlantic had already accompanied us for a while. We hadn't planned a longer break there, so after a cigarette and the walk, we continued on our way.

After a good hour, the next attraction: the Cliffs of Moher. An absolute must-see, with the O'Brien's Tower and the sheer drop.

Cliffs where the occasional tourist has fallen. One should be careful here and not venture too close to the edge. After a short break for a coffee after the descent, we continued towards the Burren, a kind of lunar landscape without trees or bodies of water, made of highly porous limestone. Naturally, we found spots here too that demanded a photo stop. Then we continued on to Galway, where the bed and breakfast wasn't exactly a highlight, but that wasn't foreseeable. I guess these things happen.

You can drive around the country at random; there are several of these houses in every city. If you don't want to book in advance, you can simply ask at the houses if you spontaneously decide to spend the evening in that city. However, as mentioned, you only see the houses from the outside first; after asking and booking, you get to see the rest. Up until now, we've had en-suite bathrooms, but here there was one bathroom and one toilet for seven rooms, which was unfortunate. But it was sufficient for sleeping and breakfast, especially since we were out and about in Galway in the evening.