This is Us...Living

Live Simply & Travel Slow

discover dublin

Getting out of Dublin: Hiking in Glendalough & Exploring the Wicklow Mountains

by 5 Comments

Getting out of Dublin: Hiking in Glendalough & Exploring the Wicklow Mountains.Read this post for tips on how to make the most out of this day out!We recently celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary by taking a bus trip through the Wicklow Mountains to Glendalough. And of course I had to share with you the review of the tour! Some quick facts/tips about the tour and area:

  • Glendalough is pronounced Glendalock
  • The tour costs EUR27 per person, there are lots of tours going out to Glendalough, we went with Wicklow Mountain Tours. Our tour guide/bus driver really made the trip!
  • There are two pick up and drop off spots (City Center and Ballsbridge) – I recommend getting on and and off at city center, this is because we got on at Ballsbridge and by then spaces were limited to two individual seats only so we weren’t able to sit together. If you want to sit together, then get on the bus early. We were lucky that we asked the bus driver and he was able to make a plan for us to sit together. Since you are travelling on the bus for a large part of the trip, it makes sense that you would want to sit next to each other.
  • The Tour starts at 9am and you arrive back in town around 5pm. It is a long day, so bring snacks!
  • You stop for photos at various spots along the way but the bulk of your time is spent at Glendalough exploring the upper and lower lakes, and the monastic cemetery yard.
  • I recommend you pack a lunch (saves you cash too!), even though the tour does stop at a restaurant in Avoca Village. It arrives at the pub quite late in the day, and you get an hour there – enough for a pint (or two) but a bit rushed for a full meal.

This particular tour stopped at various scenes from the popular rom-com PS I love you. So it was full-on romantic cheese for our wedding anniversary (I am still not sure how I managed to rope Rob into doing it). I also managed to get Rob to watch the movie the night before so we would know where we were going. Naturally, I balled my eyes out when we watched the movie – it’s such a sweet film! Rob and Jack eye rolled so hard I wasn’t sure they were going to see properly ever again!

Scene from PS I Love you with Gerard Butler, Wicklow Mountains, Ireland

Even if you are not a fan of the movie (who doesn’t love Gerald Butler, swoon). The trip is definitely a must-do and if you are without a car, taking an organised bus tour is a great way to get out there and explore it just for one day. The Wicklow mountain tour group offers a bunch of tours, we chose the Glendalough and Avoca village tour. In hindsight, I am sure there may be better tours to go for. The reason I say this is that we mainly just wanted to see Guinness Lake and take a walk around the Wicklow mountains. There were one or two stops that in my opinion could have been shortened or removed completely from the agenda as they just weren’t that amazing or necessary for me.

Before you take a bus tour to Glendalough in the Wicklow mountains, read this post! Click To Tweet

Guinness Lake, Lough Tay, Wicklow, Ireland

The best part of this tour and the main reason we did it, was to see Guinness Lake and to take a hiking trail through Glendalough in the Wicklow mountains. The trail is fairly straight forward, barring a steep section for about 10 minutes at the start. But it is well worth the effort, the views and the wilderness were beautiful to look at and you can walk at a slow pace (there is enough time to stop and take lots of pics!). If you are not up for the hike, then you can stay at the visitors center, but I loved that our bus driver offered us the option to take a walk with him. It was a great way to see it and experience in real life instead of being inside the visitors center.

Glendalough, County Wicklow, Ireland

The walk ends by cutting through the monastic cemetery, in the last little while we have found ourselves in quite a few cemeteries (look out for my next post about all the places to visit in Dublin for Halloween!). It was interesting to walk around, but heavily populated by other tourists, which in my opinion, kinda ruins it. I realize I was part of a tour group, but kids running and screaming through a cemetery is hugely disrespectful (not part of our tour group thankfully!)!

Glenfalough Monastic Church and Cemetery, Wicklow, Ireland

The restaurant at the end of the tour in Avoca village is quaint, but definitely not the best Irish pub we have visited. Although the food look good and is well priced, I think the ambiance and atmosphere is lacking. We had a pint and people watched the locals and other tourists in our group.

Avoca Village, Wicklow, Ireland

As I said in the beginning, it is a great tour to take if you don’t have a car, but I think once we do own a car – driving there yourself is probably heaps better because you can skip the random spots and head to the mountains early, take a longer hiking trail (there are several routes) and stay for a slow picnic.

DO OTHER TOURISTS ON TOUR BUSES ANNOY YOU, OR IS IT JUST ME?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

p.p.s. I try post varied content once or twice a month, to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

PIN THIS AND READ LATER:

Getting out of Dublin: Hiking in Glendalough & Exploring the Wicklow Mountains.Read this post for tips on how to make the most out of this day out!

Getting out of Dublin: Hiking in Glendalough & Exploring the Wicklow Mountains.Read this post for tips on how to make the most out of this day out!

10 things I do in Ireland that I never did in South Africa

by 9 Comments

There are a few things that I have noticed that we do here in Ireland, that we didn't do back in South Africa. Here are some of the differences we found.I can’t actually believe it’s been 11 months since we left South Africa and moved over here to Ireland with the pug. Some days I miss home terribly, other days it still feels like a dream that we are actually living here. And truthfully, most days, we are still wading through everything and still trying to find our feet.

So much has changed, yet so much has stayed the same. We still work, we still need to pay bills, we still battle to carve out personal time to exercise and keep healthy, and I am still forever wondering what to cook for dinner (I am my mother’s daughter no matter where I am in the world!). There are a few things that I have noticed that we do here in Ireland, that we didn’t do back in South Africa. So I thought I would share some of these differences, but maybe they aren’t really that different as they are just a new norm?

10 things I do now that I live in Ireland as an expat Click To Tweet
  1. I now use all the coins. I have been known to jingle jangle all the way to the store with over 20 euro in change, and buy a week’s worth of groceries. Thank goodness for self-service machines, it means I can slot all those pesky coins into the machine without feeling guilty that the teller has to count it all. We used to have a piggy bank in SA too, but we used to put it into money bags and take it to the bank – Rob always felt too shy to go out and pay for things with coins. Now in Ireland, I feel nothing to go and pay for meals, or groceries with a handful of change. I do feel like 2 euro (largest denomination of coin here) goes a lot further than R5 coin (largest in SA), but maybe that is because we had to learn how to live off one salary.
  2. We weekly shop instead of monthly bulk buy. This might have started more out of necessity, we don’t own a car so we have to rely on what we can carry in back packs and in our arms while walking to and from the store. The largest store close to our home is a 3km loop there and back. I don’t mind so much as it helps get my steps up for my fitbit. The other reason for a weekly shop instead of a monthly bulk buy is that we have less food wastage, We also save money because we eat what we have in the house before walking to the shops to buy more.
  3. We don’t eat Hawaiian pizzas or MacDonald’s that much. Take out food is expensive, so if we are going to have a cheat meal, we often resort to frozen pizzas from Tesco. There are not a lot of pizza topping variations when it comes to frozen pizza, so we tend stick to pepperoni. I really miss a good Hawaiian pizza – pineapple on pizza is the best thing ever! And I suppose it is not a bad thing that we don’t have a MacDonald’s drive thru close by!
  4. We use the postal service (and it actually arrives). This still cracks me up. I get my payslip posted to me each month, I have had my job contract posted to me, our bank cards with a separate envelope for my pin have all been posted to us too. Direct mail is not dead here. In some instances you will find companies are more likely to post something to you than they are to email you, and it is reliable. It usually arrives within a day or two, which still boggles my mind.
  5. I carry a material shopping bag in my handbag. This is really bad because I know my mum does this back home, but in SA, I very rarely brought shopping bags with me to the store. Now I always keep a cloth bag on me because I refuse to pay extra for a plastic bag – plus we really should be thinking of the environment more.
  6. We walk everywhere. We don’t have a car (yet. We are thinking about getting one next year) so we rely on our two feet a lot more. We walk to get groceries. We walk the pug. I walk on average 4km every day just to get to walk and home.
  7. I don’t know how much data I use each month because wi-fi is everywhere. We both have phone contracts with 30 gig data plan, and we have wi-fi at home, not to mention there is wi-fi on the bus to work. I honestly don’t know how we ever lived on a gig of data back in SA.
  8. We don’t own an “american size” fridge. When we were looking for a place to rent, a lot of rental options had the term “american size fridge” – upon further investigation, we realised it was basically a fridge freezer combo – standard in most South African homes too. Since Dublin pet-friendly rentals are hard to come by, we had to forego the big fridge but for two people on a tight budget, the fridge we have suits our needs perfectly.
  9. We use public transport every day. I have gotten pretty good at figuring out Dublin Bus routes, taking the train, riding the luas, topping up with credit through the app (super handy!). Not to mention running to catch the bus and knowing which bus route is the fastest way home.
  10. I now own a coat for every season – all of various thickness and waterproof range. All serve their purpose, trust me I have thought about cutting them down to one (to suit my capsule wardrobe lifestyle). The one thing I am yet to master is figuring out the right coat on before I leave the house and then as they say here in Ireland, “I’ll be grand so”.

It has been the most challenging year we have ever faced, moving overseas is often not as glam as you might expect, but these funny quirky stories are what makes us laugh and learn from these new and different situations. No matter what happens in the future, our lives have certainly changed either way. I think the key to having a successful expat transition is to embrace the changes, try roll with it and go with the change. Not everything you did back home is right (or wrong) – it is just different, and sometimes that change can actually be for the better.

WHAT DO YOU DO DIFFERENTLY IN AS AN EXPAT?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

p.p.s. I try post varied content once or twice a month, to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

PIN THIS AND READ LATER:

There are a few things that I have noticed that we do here in Ireland, that we didn't do back in South Africa. So I thought I would share some of these differences, but maybe they aren't really that different as they are just a new norm?

The Best Ways to Find a Pet-Friendly Rental in Dublin

by 13 Comments

Although it is super tricky to find a rental that is pet friendly, it is possible. Here are the considerations you should have when looking for a pet-friendly rental in Dublin, Ireland.Lately I have been getting a few emails from people looking to move to Ireland with their pets. The number one question they ask is how easy is it to find a place to live with your pet. In the sage words of Nelson Mandela, it always seems impossible until it is done. Although I am sure he never meant it for moving to a new country with your pet. Although it is super tricky to find a rental that is pet friendly, it is possible. I tried to list a few of the considerations you should have when looking for a pet-friendly rental in Dublin.

While moving your pet over to Ireland can be relatively easy to do (no quarantine definitely helps, but read my post on all you need to know about moving your pet to Ireland f you need help with this.). The trick is once you are over here; it is a bit of a stress finding accommodation for the whole family, fur babies included.

Here are some ways to find a pet-friendly rental in Dublin. Click To Tweet

If you can – divide and conquer. 

We didn’t want to kennel Jack while we looked for a place to stay, so my husband moved over a few weeks before we did to find a pet-friendly place.

Search online, but try do it while you are in Ireland.

We looked online, on www.daft.ie, to find a place to rent in Dublin. I think we were lucky, given the time we moved over and that my husband was available to meet at any time of the day. We found a place within 10days, and were able to move into the place 4 days later. I do think that was a bit of luck and the fact that the place we found was empty already helped move the process along quicker than expected.

Narrow down the search, by looking for what you need.

It is better to look while one of you is here; this is because places go so quickly. When you are looking for places online, try advanced search settings by looking for places that are privately managed by the landlord and not a rental agent. This is because a landlord can make a decision on the spot on whether he/she is happy to allow pets – a rental agent will need to sign this off with the owner, and it is far easier for that person to say no if they haven’t met you. Search for places that have a garden or small outside area. You will also find it more likely to find a pet friendly lace in a house, versus a flat. I guess this might also come down to what kind of pet you have, but a flat doesn’t just mean what the owner allows – you also need to factor in what the body corporate of that block of flats allow.

Be available to act fast.

You will need to act fast, if you see a place that ticks all your boxes, be available to go see the place and make a decision right there. One of the deciding factors to how we were able to secure the home we live in now, was that Rob was able to draw the deposit and offer it right then and then.

Be prepared to pay a bit more.

If you can, you might have to budget a bit more, in some cases I have heard of people offering a double deposit to secure a home for themselves and their pet. Depending on where you want to live, rental prices in Dublin are quite pricey. We chose to find a place that was closer to the city, and central to public transport because we don’t own a car and we also wanted to experience living in a city versus outer areas which are more similar to the suburbs we had back in South Africa. We ended up with a place that is a bit older and with basic furnishings than what we hoped, but it’s central and close to bus, train and luas (tram) so it’s the perfect lock up and go for us. We are super lucky that our landlords are really nice, and they allowed us to keep Jack with us which was the most important thing!

HOW DID YOU FIND PET FRIENDLY PLACE TO RENT IN YOUR TOWN?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

p.p.s. I try post varied content once or twice a month, to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

PIN THIS AND READ LATER:

Although it is super tricky to find a rental that is pet friendly, it is possible. Here are the considerations you should have when looking for a pet-friendly rental in Dublin, Ireland.

Although it is super tricky to find a rental that is pet friendly, it is possible. Here are the considerations you should have when looking for a pet-friendly rental in Dublin, Ireland.

How to see Dublin in 3 days (and avoid drinking in Temple Bar)

by 4 Comments

How to see Dublin in 3 days. Ideas that get you out of the city, and exploring more of what Dublin has to offer - and avoiding drinking in Temple Bar.If you think of Dublin, most would first think of Guinness pints (or whiskey) and pub crawls through Temple Bar. For most tourists they think this just refers to the pub called Temple Bar, when actually the name of the whole suburb/district is Temple Bar. I like to avoid Temple Bar at all costs, it is just a huge tourist trap, and there really is a lot more to do in Dublin than just to do an epic long pub crawl. Firstly, I would argue that attempting to pub crawl throughout Dublin will probably kill you. Secondly, Temple Bar as a district, is not a true representation of Ireland and the Irish culture. It is highly commercialised, and largely a giant trap for tourists to spend all their cash on overpriced drinks in over crowded pubs.

I am not saying you should totally avoid Temple Bar, poke your head in there if you want, but definitely avoid drinking there – unless you are young, flush on cash and drunken crowds are totally your vibe. I think most tourists are looking for an authentic experience, and Dublin has a lot more to offer than just drinking in Temple Bar.

Transport in Dublin:

You should know that if you are flying into Dublin, you don’t necessarily need to rent a car if you plan on just sticking around Dublin. Public transport is pretty good in the city, and it can get you to most of the places up and down the coast. If you are planning on exploring more of Ireland, then yes, you should totally rent a car.

If you are not renting a car, there are basically two ways you can get from the airport to the city center: taxi or bus. Taxi could work out expensive, depending on the time you arrive and where you are heading (around EUR30 and upwards). The Airlink bus offers a EUR10 return ticket, however if you get a visitor leap card, this is included as a mode of transport you can use.

The public transport system is pretty decent in Dublin, definitely far better organised than back home in South Africa. But it is not as organised as other major cities (like London or New York). The time tables are fairly accurate, but sometimes buses have been known to not arrive on time, or arrive and leave before you get there.

For those of you looking to conserve your cash, the best way to make use of public transport is by purchasing a visitor leap card. It means you can use all modes of transport (bus, train, and tram, as well as the Airlink which takes you from the airport into the city and back). For a 3 day/72 hour pass, it will cost you under EUR20. You can buy this card at the airport, or in the city. More info on the visitors leap card can be found here.

Just a final note on public transport, things often take longer than expected when you use it. Public transport is less frequent over weekends, and it often takes longer than you think to walk around and orientate yourself. I often find that we can easily get distracted and lose track of  time when we are exploring the city. We have learnt to be fairly flexible in our travelling itineraries and always leave a bit earlier if we have a specific time slot booked.

The Weather in Dublin:

It will rain – but that is Ireland, so don’t let that stop you from fully exploring the city or you will be waiting all year for the perfect day. Dubliners really have the best attitude, they never let the weather hold them back from getting out and doing things.

You will find that although Dublin has a pretty mild summer (only a few days of really hot weather), it also has a fairly mild winter compared to other European countries, we rarely get lots of snow. The weather can honestly change within the hour, so dress in layers, and account for all seasons – regardless of what time of year you plan your visit.

How to explore Dublin in 3 days, and avoid drinking in Temple Bar. Click To Tweet

Here is my 3 day itinerary to exploring all that Dublin has to offer:

Day 1 – Explore the city

    • The Ha’penny Bridge versus the Samuel Beckett Bridge – Rob and I have different favourites. I love the history behind the Ha’penny, whereas Rob loves the structural/modern appeal of the Samuel Beckett. Regardless of our opinion, you should totally walk along the Liffey River between the two bridges, it gives you a nice overall feeling of Dublin as a city, and it is a pleasant walk. Most people when giving directions in Ireland, will give you the name of the closest pub as a reference point. Two pubs worth checking out close to both bridges would be The Ferryman (close to Samuel Beckett Bridge), and The Church (which is an old church turned into a pub, pretty close to the Ha’penny Bridge).Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
    • Grafton Street is also a great tourist spot. Most would say it is good for shopping, but I find it quite expensive. The reason I suggest you should walk along Grafton Street is actually more for the buskers. The street performers you will find on this street are just phenomenal. Stephen’s Green is at the top Grafton Street, and it is a great spot for a picnic lunch.
    • If you are keen for more bargain shopping, then on the other side of the Liffey are plenty of shops along Henry and Mary Street. At the top of Henry Street, on O’Connell Street, you need to check out The Spire, alternatively titled the Monument of Light. This is kinda hard to miss, but if you are not looking for it, you might not be aware of it. It is a large, stainless steel, pin-like monument 120 metres tall. It is quite a good landmark to help you orientate yourself too.

  • If tech is your thing, then I really suggest a walk around Grand Canal Docks – this is where Facebook, Airbnb, and Google Head Offices are. The Bord Gais Energy Theatre is also here, and often has ballet, opera, or musical events taking place here.
  • The Aviva Lansdowne Stadium is a must-see for the sports fanatics. You can walk along the dodder river from Grand Canal to the stadium. It is a short work and a great view of the stadium from a far. There are other walks you can do in Dublin, all free to do, read my top 7 walks to do in Dublin.Lansdowne Aviva Stadium, Dubli, Ireland
  • A night in Dublin is not complete if you don’t check out a pub (or three).
    • In the city, our fave pub is Doyle’s. This was recommended to us by a friend, and honestly, it gets really festive as the evening progresses. It is also central and close to bus stops if you are staying out of the city.
    • Another lively pub is The Bath which is pretty festive on match days (close to Aviva stadium), and if you are looking for a more quiet spot, just up the road is the Old Spot.
    • In summer, the Barge is the pub you can mingle outside along the canal (and if you are sneaky, you can bring your own).

Day 2 – History & Culture

Day 3 – The great outdoors; heading North or South along the DART line

If you are travelling through Ireland for the first time, then you totally have to get a walk along the cliffs in as part of your travel plans. You can head out of Dublin for a day out, either heading up North, or going further South. Both are conveniently on the DART train line (included in your visitor leap card pass), so you can definitely do this as a day trip out of the city. I would suggest either heading north or south, as I am not sure you can do both in one day.

  • If you head North, then you should visit Malahide castle and gardens, with a stop at Avoca for tea. The tour of the castle is interesting, costs EUR12.50 which includes a guided tour of the rooms as well as access to walk around the gardens which are also really beautiful. Malahide Castle and GardensFrom Malahide, you can walk to Portmarnock beach, which is probably the first beach we have been on that reminds me of home. After this short trip to the seaside, you should head to Howth for some fish and chips and a walk along the small harbour front. Follow the path along the cliffs towards the lighthouse, with a stop at the pub at the top of the hill, the Summit Inn Pub.
  • If you head South then you should start in Dun Laoghaire, which has a food market ever Sunday at the People’s Park. It is a great place to grab a quick brunch, but make sure you have space for a Teddy’s 99 ice cream cone and a walk along the pier or promenade.


    Here is a post I wrote about a day trip to Dun Laoghaire. Then from there you can catch the train to Bray and do the Bray to Greystones cliff walk, followed by taking the train from Greystones back into the city. If you want to spend more time in Bray, here is a post with more things to do in Bray.

As you can see there is TONS of things to do in Dublin. I have purposefully left out the Guinness Storehouse, and the Jameson Whiskey Museum – For more ideas on what to do in Dublin, check out this post on the 5 things every tourist needs to see in Dublin. I also wrote a post recently on the 20 FREE things to do in Dublin.

Come to think of it, I didn’t include things like visiting Phoenix Park (the largest walled park in Europe), or the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Square Park, or even where to find cool street art murals in Dublin, not to mention the donut shops to visit, or the walking trails you can do in the Dublin Mountains.

There really is so much to see in Dublin, you might need more than just 3 days to really see it all! But I hope that this small itinerary gives you ideas that get you out of the city, and exploring more of what Dublin has to offer – and not just sitting in a dark pub in Temple Bar drinking away your travel budget!

IF YOU COULD RECOMMEND JUST ONE THING TO SEE IN DUBLIN, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

p.s. If social media is your thing (snap! It’s my fave too!), you should totally follow me on Instagram.

p.p.s. I try post varied content once or twice a month, to be sure you don’t miss out on the new post you should sign up and get all the news straight in your inbox – Sign up now!

PIN THIS AND READ LATER:

How to see Dublin in 3 days. Ideas that get you out of the city, and exploring more of what Dublin has to offer - and avoiding drinking in Temple Bar.