What is it that stirs your blood? For me it is the years of family history research which have yielded insights into my ancestors and their lives, loves and losses. Ireland, and the threads to the neighbouring Celtic origin and ties to Scotland make my heart sing. So from the bottom bunk of the 9 pod room at Jacobs Inn hostel in Talbot Place I am happily tapping away…though with my fingers rather than any dancing toes.

Sure, to be sure…corny I know…..I was a little wary of the budget flight from Gatwick airport with Ryanair, and after a 30 minute delay on the tarmac, my wariness grew – but all was hunky-dorey as my fun-loving grandfather used to say. I can highly recommend the Dublin Express bus from the airport to the city. Friendly efficent service, great price and the chance of catching sight of the familiar EPIC Immigration Centre and the Famine Walk on the bank of the Liffey River which were part of our last visit. It was a strange feeling during the short walk across the bridge to the hostel without LSM, as we have shared a few trips to Ireland and both love it.

THE HOSTEL – what can I say – secure, super clean, friendly, efficient and a great bar and budget food, ensuite rooms with comfy beds, charging docks and lockers…….almost perfect. Young women who spread their million and one beauty items all over every inch of space and talk in very high decibels was the only distractor. Had made a slight change to my original schedule due to my catsit commitment, but the hostel was able to accommodate it without fuss or condescension.

Loved the Sunday night onsite music of the Imperfections – a great band playing a selection of music I actually knew – great craic! Plus the massive beef burger was much appreciated after the non-gf brekky on the Eurostar from Paris, and the light, but tasty, sushi lunch at Gatwick.

And so to my first Doing Dublin Day. When I spotted The Spire I felt right at home and didn’t even need the gps. The Michael O’Connel and James Joyce statues are cbd icons, and set the scene for my day of exploring the book stores I had targetted before leaving Australia. A quick chat at the Tourist Information Centre and off with the James Joyce Ulysses map. Once outside the wind was so blustery I couldn’t open the map, so it was into the shops to avoid the weather.

It was time to divest a couple of my rather stale and ‘sick of the sight of’ outfits, and restock a few budget items from Dunnes…hey, don’t judge me. Still have 2 weeks of rough wear and tear, so budget is best. Even after a hearty full Irish brekky at the hostel, the shopping and exploring the thousands of new books at Eason’s beautifully displayed book store tired me out. Yes, ok, I did buy a book – Irish Customs and Rituals by Marion Mc Gary. So it was on to a snack of Hot Chocolate and toasted gf banana bread. My yearning for Paris pastries was over!

Wandering the streets in Dublin is easy, flat and full of delights. I found a nondescript secondhand bookstore straight out of Dickens…and the quirky owner was a jewell in the crown. Yes, another book bought! Yeats is Dead – a novel by 15 Irish Writers in aid of Amnesty International. What a find…he accepted an offer of 5 Euro. Sweet man….but in need of a bit of a reorganisation and better signs on the shelves…I was itching to give it a good tidy 😀

So it was back to the hostel to savour my day, sit beside the little book shelves for travellers, catch up on news from home, planning my routes for Tuesday’s tripping around and start reading. Back to my room and admiring my new budget- wear and then tucking in to a plate of bbq chicken wings before tip-toeing through the strewn clothes of the girls and into more reading and watching a few humorous You Tube videos…..yes reruns of Black Books!

Bring on the delights for Tuesday. So tempted by these first editions……..hmmm