The Little Things

So my time in Ireland is coming to an end. Today we took the train to Belfast, Northern Ireland, and our group of 5 split into a group of 2 and a group of 3. It was fun to take a train for the first time into a really big city I wasn't familiar with and just set out on an adventure with my friend Amy. We hit the Titanic museum, because it was built in Belfast in case you didn't know. Then we set off to St. George's Market, which was a local farmers market type place with seafood, produce, baked goods, crafts, etc. it was really cool to be able to see what the locals do on a normal Saturday afternoon. I also tried my first falafel and my first Scottish soda called Irn Barr Bru. We just walked around and picked up a few souvenirs, but mostly just took in the atmosphere. From there we wandered around the city and a shopping district and sought out a couple old churches to take pictures of. The two of us didn't have a time schedule to stick to or a plan in particular to follow, but it was more about seeing where the city took us. It was great to see how native Northern Irelanders live. Another thing I realized about this trip is that the things I'll remember the most are the little moments that aren't necessarily planned. Yes, we've seen some amazing natural wonders such as the Cliffs of Moher and the Giants Causeway, but some of the most fun times involved something spur of the moment. If you caught my last blog, guest posted by one of my travel buddies, Amy Mann, it was all about the hilarity that ensued when I took on my first lesson in driving a stick shift and on the wrong side of the road. That was definitely not something that had been circled on the calendar, but it ended up being a bonding moment in pure joy and laughter. If you haven't seen the video, check out my Facebook page. We've laughed for days at stupid inside jokes and nicknames, etc., but the most important thing is that we are all here for each other, no matter what. We have been able to find find humor in the smallest moments, which has made for an amazing trip and experience! It is the little things in life that are easy to overlook that are often times the most important to pay attention to and be grateful for. Having fantastic friends who know you inside and out and still want to be friends with you anyway is the best feeling!