discover dublin

Slow travel and how to explore your own city first

August 3, 2017 by Meg 5 Comments

“Where is the first place you will visit now that you have a job?”

“When are you going overseas?”

“Now that you are working, when will you book your next holiday?”

These are the main points of conversation since I started my new job. Seriously, why are people always in a rush? Why does it feel like it is all a big comparison and competition? Life is so crazy as it is, everyone seems to be in a rush to tick off that bucket list, to rush through and get to the next bigger and better thing. They rush to travel to new places, but can they honestly say that they have truly savored the experience? Most people I find are waiting for Friday, waiting for their next holiday, waiting for a new year – why? Why are we not focusing on life as it is right now in the moment?

Why do people assume that to travel means to leave?

You can still explore and travel by staying at home. So often we think that to be living our best life we should be filling up our passports with visas and stamps in foreign countries – how many people can say that they have truly explored their home town? Have they have been a tourist in their own city? Making life an adventure every day, by slowing down and savoring what we have right in front of us is truly what I think makes your life infinitely happier, relaxed, and much more fulfilled.

Here is how to explore your own city first. And no, you don’t need a huge budget, and you don’t need to jet off to distant lands to become an explorer.

Create a staycation. Some weekends I like to plan a mini itinerary on what we can see and do in Dublin, where we can eat and how our whole day will go. Just like as if we were visiting Dublin for the first time.
Keep a bucket list for your city. We have an ever-growing list of things we want to do in Dublin, and we had a similar list in Johannesburg. On weekends when we are not sure what to do, we can go through the list and find ideas that we wrote down. It is a great way to remember and get to see everything.
Try visit a new place every time. One of our rules is that we try not go to the same restaurant or pub more than twice. This is because there is such a wide variety, and we want to explore everything. Also routine can be so boring and monotonous. If you feel like you want to spice up your routine, change it first by trying a new place instead of sticking to your local go-to spots.
Get creative and find the things to do that don’t cost a thing. Not everything in life has to be expensive and over the top. Sometimes exploring a new park, or museum, or finding a free event makes life exciting!
Do one new thing. Key to exploring is to fully explore something, you can’t say you have truly experienced a new place if you run in, snap a picture and leave. Slow down. You don’t need to rush through your whole weekend, doing everything. I like to pick one or two things we can do each weekend, but leave it really casual, and play everything as it goes – some weekends you just want a pj and series day and that is OK too.

So many people use Dublin as a chance to jet overseas without fully exploring what it has to offer. And while I will admit that was definitely a reason we chose to move to Ireland (it is so central to all sorts of wonderful countries) because we have been short on cash recently, it has forced us to get creative on how we get out and enjoy our free time. Through living on one salary and still wanting to explore, it has made us realise that it doesn’t have to cost a lot to explore your home town, and for us, it’s still an adventure exploring Dublin from the inside out.

The biggest benefit to exploring your own city first is to really fall in love and appreciate where you live. You start realising just how much your home has to offer, and it turns you into a travel expert and brand ambassador for your own city – you can become that go-to person on where to go and what to see in your home town. And because things are always changing, new restaurants are always opening up, life never really gets boring because there is always something new to explore.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CITY? HAVE BEEN A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

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How to get a taste of Northern Ireland in 1 day

June 27, 2017 by Meg 14 Comments

The great thing about travelling in Ireland is that it is easy to travel around the country. In fact, it only takes 2 hours to get from Dublin to Belfast. So with a 2 hour drive, you are technically in another country, even if you never leave the island of Ireland. The problem comes in when you don’t own a car. Some of the best spots along the coastline, are not easily accessible if you don’t have wheels to get there. While I am not against hiking, or walking, sometimes it is just easier to drive to your destination. It also means that you can see more than one place in a day.

We found a great Groupon deal to take a bus tour up to Northern Ireland from Dublin. In one day, you get to stop at several stops, learn a bit of Irish history and see beautiful coastlines as you sit comfortably in a bus.

I wasn’t sure if we were going to enjoy the bus trip. As you all know, we are not conventional tourist type, in fact, I make it my mission to avoid crowds and tourist traps wherever we go. But this day trip was a great way to get out town over the long weekend – and get a taste for Northern Ireland. At best I thought we would snap a few pics, and have a fun day out. I have to say that the tour guide we had on the bus was super informative, she made it feel like she wasn’t just reading a script – she cracked a few jokes, told us some interesting facts, and pointed out things we would have missed had we driven there by ourselves. All in all, I have to say that if you are looking to see parts of Ireland that require a car, then taking a bus tour should be your first choice – and I highly recommend taking Finn McCools bus tour – since it is affordable and well worth it (also out for Groupon deals to make even more budget friendly!).

Tips on how to make the most out of your @Finn_tours of Northern Ireland. #discoverireland Click To Tweet

The day starts out quite early. We had to be at the pick up spot at 6:45am. Because it was too early to take public transport, we walked to a bike station, rented bikes and cycled up to the pick up spot just off O’Connell street.

The bus left on time, and we headed out of the city on the motorway. They stop at a petrol station just outside Northern Ireland, as a last chance to buy any snacks or beverages for the day.

*Tip: Rob and I made sandwiches and packed a picnic of snacks we brought from home. Bringing your own will save you money, as buying snacks at the petrol station, or at the tourists spots is bound to be overpriced.

The first official stop is in Belfast City. We arrived in Belfast at 9am, on a Sunday, which meant it was pretty quiet. Most of the shops only open at 1pm on a Sunday! You get a little over an hour to walk around. The nice part was that it was quiet, so we got to take pics, without tons of crowds. We took the time to draw some money, and walked around city hall.

*Tip: Keep in mind that Northern Ireland does not work in EURO’s, so you would need to have pounds to spend at any of the stops. This stop is also the only chance you get to draw some pounds, which you could need if you want to do any of the add-ons during the trip.

The next stop is at the Dark Hedges. This is one for the Game of Thrones fans. It is a strip of road that has these unique trees on either side. It was used in a scene in GoT, but obviously looks a bit different without all the special effects. To be honest this stop is overcrowded, there are people and cars/buses trying to access this road (as it is not cut off from the public, people still try use this road to drive through), so it is difficult to get a “perfect” pic.

Tip: You only get 10 minutes or so, so get out the bus quick and try get ahead of the crowd to take a pic before it gets too crowded.

A quick stop to take a pic of Dunluce Castle is the next stop. It was pretty windy, and because the castle is a little farther away, my cellphone pic just didn’t do it justice.

The main stop for the day is Giant’s Causeway. Our tour guide, Tara, gave us the “full Irish story” of this UNESCO world heritage site, and 8^th wonder of the world as we were driving there. I won’t give too much away, but I will say that it involves a giant named Finn McCool. We stopped here for a good hour and half, and had our picnic lunch with a view of Giant’s Causeway.

Tip: It is a unique spot, but I recommend if you have time to walk down towards it, and then loop back going up the stairs and walking along the cliffs. It gives you a nice view of the Causeway from above.

The next stop is at the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge. You have a little over an hour to explore, and if you would like, you can walk across the rope bridge for £7. Unfortunately, the rope bridge was closed when we went, due to extremely high winds. It is however, a beautiful stop – we walked along the cliffs on both sides of the car park, and really will have to go back to brave the rope bridge!

Tip: Finn McCool’s offers a discount if you buy your rope bridge ticket from the bus driver – but you need to pay in cash, and they only accept pounds!

From here, we drove to Cushendun, and did a quick stop here to see another famous GoT scene, as well as Ireland’s most famous goat! On a clear day, you can get sight of Scotland, but we didn’t get to see it on the day we went. Still, it is a quaint little village, with beautiful views.

On the way, back to our last stop, our tour bus had to detour due to a car crash that diverted traffic. In usual circumstances, you would expect the bus driver and tour guide to get a bit flustered, however this did not slow them down one bit. They cracked a few jokes about getting us lost in the Glens, and we ended up seeing a bit more than we thought we would. Even with the detour we still got home in time, and I loved how well it was handled.

The last stop is back in Belfast. This time we managed to walk down a few side allies and find some great street art while we were there. I definitely think it gives you a nice flavour for the city, but not nearly enough time to properly explore Belfast – so we are keen to head back and really stay a few days. I see that Finn McCools have added a new tour that gives you more time to explore Belfast, so perhaps that may be a good option for us too.

Let me know in the comments: Have you done a bus tour? How did you find it?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

How a pet improves your life as an expat

June 12, 2017 by Meg 15 Comments

We always knew we would take Jack (our pug) where ever we went (Read how to bring your pet into Ireland). He is part of our family and we love him dearly. In truth, I love him more than most people. He has always brought us so many laughs and love in the 3 short years we have had him. But I never really knew how much we needed him until we moved to a new country.

Moving countries is hard. It is genuinely the hardest thing we have ever done. But I think it would have been so much harder if we didn’t have our beloved pet. Only since we have moved over have I realized how much a pet can improve your life as an expat.

When everything is said and done, only people who have gone through a move to a new country, or are going through a move like this, can really empathize with what you are going through. People get busy, and when you are not around them, they move on and life happens. But a pet will always be there no matter what. Jack genuinely just loves us. I think he loves his little life with us, and having him around has lifted our spirits when we have felt despair and loneliness. The truth is, we have had an emotional year so far. As much as we have grown stronger as a couple, having Jack has improved our lives greatly too.

I have been unemployed for over two months now, and it has been a hard adjustment for all of us. You have this idea of how things will go: move over, get a job, start traveling, life is grand. But life doesn’t always stick to a plan you have designed in your head. We have had to work out a budget using only one salary. We have had to learn how to figure out this new dynamic of me being home all day, and Rob going off to work. Rob has had to figure out the new work culture here, and when I start work, things will change again. But every morning we start the same as we did back home, and every night when we go to bed, the same as we did back home. We do it with Jack. We do it all three of us together.

Jack gets up when Rob gets up in the mornings, and he sits with him while Rob eats his breakfast (hoping for treats, I am sure). Then when Rob hops into the shower, Jack jumps back into bed with me, for a snuggle. When I get up, we play with the sheets (I try to make the bed, Jack tries to sleep some more). We mission down the stairs and start our day. Jack follows me everywhere. He comes out and watches me load the washing machine, while I make coffee, while I iron and clean the house (except when the vacuum cleaner comes out because then he hides away). When I sit to blog, check mail, make calls, scan social media – he sits on my lap and snoozes. He loves to be where I am. And I love that he loves me so much. The best part of my day is when we go for our walk. The way that he runs and sniffs everything. I think I see him smiling. He is always so excited to get outside. To meet other dogs and get treats from other people. I could be having the worst, loneliest, saddest day but the minute we are in the park and Jack is off his lead, I can’t help but smile and love him even more. He lifts my spirits. I think more people need to live life like Jack: care-free and with an open heart.

When Rob comes home, often as he is turning the key, Jack is running to the door. He is the first one to greet Rob when he comes home. And it makes Rob so happy. I see it in Rob’s face – the love he has for both of us. Jack just makes our hearts happy. Rob goes up to get out of his work gear, and the two of them play while I cook dinner. Sometimes the three of us walk together; or we sit and watch series; or talk about our day. After dinner, we all get ready for bed. He is the first one to snuggle up in between us and usually starts snoring before we turn the lights off. We kiss each other good night, all three of us together. One happy little family.

I have heard all the benefits on owning a pet, and how a pet improves your life. But I can’t stress it enough, how much our pet has improved our lives as expats. When everything is foreign, and new – he remains the same, and loves us just the same.

If you are on Instagram, check out my stories, Jack features in a lot of them!

Let me know in the comments: Do you own a pet? How has your life improved since owning a pet?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

Six of the best donuts in Dublin

June 2, 2017 by Meg 14 Comments

June 2nd 2017 is National Donut Day! To celebrate this momentous day, for the past few months, I have been going around tasting donuts all over Dublin. To be extra thorough in this review, I tried them more than once, so you know – to make extra sure that I give you all the right facts. I will say this, Dublin might be known for Guinness, pub crawls, cliff walks and canal views. But Dublin needs to be known for making some of the best donuts we have ever eaten!

The best donuts in Dublin and where you can find them! Click To Tweet

Here are my fave donuts, and where you can find them in Dublin. Give them a try and let me know which is your fave!

6. Krust – Our first ever taste of a cronut. A cronut is a croissant mixed with a donut. I have to admit, I wasn’t wow’ed by this on first bite. But I warmed up to it after a couple of bites. Krust also does regular donuts, but we decided to try a cronut instead. I will be back to sample the regular donuts soon!

5. Aungier Danger – I think I may have hyped this too much in my head. I went with high expectations – I especially had to try their creme egg donut that they brought out just for Easter. I am so sorry to say, my expectations were not met. The filling was a little sparse. I found the donut to be quite heavy, and a little dry. They were kind of not so memorable. I actually had to look back at the pics to remember what we ate.

4. Boston Donuts – In true American fashion – this store boasts a bunch of flavours, and endless options to choose from. Rob and I battled to select donuts to sample. They were also the cheapest, and even offered a combo “coffee and donut” deal. I chose the mint chip topped with a mint thin. Rob had something chocolatey. He didn’t enjoy the pudding filling but we both agreed that the donuts were fresh, and spongey. I absolutely loved my mint chip donut! I could have this again, for sure!

3. Offbeat – Truthfully, I would rate that there is no third spot. Rob favours Rolling Donut over Offbeat, whereas I honestly dream of the red velvet cream filling at Offbeat often. We have gone back to both spots more than once – this just shows how undecided we actually are on this. I will say it again, the red velvet cream cheese filling is heavenly – and it is packed with filling. Secretly, I dream of going back and eating all the donuts in all of their stores all over Dublin. Leave no donut behind – they all will be mine!

2. Rolling Donut – The store that started this whole donut craze. We had our first taste in the first week I arrived in Dublin last year, and even went back with our friends visiting from the UK. Rob still talks about his first ever Rolling Donut, the maple bacon. I actually bought us some donuts from here to celebrate National donut day today (also, I needed them for this post! Not really). With all the sentimentality, Rolling Donut should have been first place, and it would have been, had I not stumbled across a little shop in Blackrock (thank you Instagram).

1. Mellow out – OMG. These are the best donuts in Dublin. This might look like a small little take out shop from the outside – but it is bursting with flavours and I literally felt like a kid spinning in my high top chair eating these donuts. The. Best. Donuts. EVER. I had the 99 – which is a donut with icing and sprinkles, and marshmallow filling, topped with a flake. Rob had a classic chocolate donut (with chocolate ganache filling). They were both out of this world. So yummy!

$Mellow out \donuts, Blackrock, Dublin, Ireland$

So there you have it, the best donuts in Dublin, all picked out for you on National Donut Day! I hope you use this as a great excuse to have a cheat meal, and smash some donuts – but who needs a reason to eat donuts?!

Tell me your fave flavour donut – and where you eat them?

Unlock the simple life,

~Meg~

Slow travel and how to explore your own city first

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CITY? HAVE BEEN A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN?

PIN THIS AND READ LATER:

How to get a taste of Northern Ireland in 1 day

Let me know in the comments: Have you done a bus tour? How did you find it?

How a pet improves your life as an expat

Six of the best donuts in Dublin

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WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CITY? HAVE BEEN A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN?

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Let me know in the comments: Have you done a bus tour? How did you find it?

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