Quick shout out

This is just a quick post to let you know I'm not dead. I can't currently upload any photos as I'm using a hostel computer where I don't have access to the case, so I'll keep this one brief and try to get to an internet cafe tomorrow and do the real thing.

So, today I left Killarney for Doolin. Doolin is a tiny little town on the west coast of Ireland right near the Cliffs of Moher. Now, the connections aren't direct and buses don't run there very often. From Killarney I could only get one at 10am or 2pm. Wish I had known that the day before when I booked a tour for the Gap of Dunloe! The tour was supposed to start at 10:30, and wouldn't arrive back in Doolin until after 4. That would leave me stuck. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice little town, but I sorta wanted to get on with my holiday. So, in short I got up early, refunded my ticket and did what I call the "poor man's Gap of Dunloe".
Now, the Gap of Dunloe is a pass through the mountains which was carved out during the last ice age. The bus would have set me off at the entrance to the pass, and I would have walked through it to the upper lake and taken a boat through the three lakes to end up back at Ross Castle, and the bus back to Killarney. Instead, I simply walked to Ross Castle, taking the scenic route around the skirts of the lower lake (Lough Leane), and then took an hour long boat tour from there through two of the lakes. Meh, close enough. It was a nice walk, and the boat tour was spectacular.
So then at 2 O'clock I grabbed the bus to Doolin. Now, as I said the connections aren't direct - I had to change in Limerick. And I can tell you, I'm glad I'm not staying there! The word seedy comes to mind. I don't think I would have liked to walk there at night. And I still have Belfast to look forward to!
Okay. Now here's the fun part - a bit of audience participation! I always underestimate how much longer public transport takes than driving, but even so I wasn't prepared for this. Now, I want you to open up Google Maps and get the directions from Killarney to Doolin. About two and a half hours, right? Now guess what time I arrived, bearing in mind I left at 2 O'Clock.
8pm. Yeah. Fun.
Still, I have a whole day here tomorrow and am leaving again the day after, so I think I should be able to get everything done this time that I wanted to. I've also added a few more pubs to my list, but again you'll have to wait until I can get onto a real computer.