Two Weeks in Ireland: A Healing Birthday Adventure

My birthday adventure in Ireland was absolutely incredible—so incredible that it will take some time to distill it all into readable updates. I didn't want too much time to pass before then, so I thought I'd do a little overview update to keep the excitement flowing.

Until touching down in Dublin two weeks ago, it had been eleven years since I last ventured to a new country alone with the bare necessities on my back. (Moving to Australia for the third time with loved ones waiting at the airport doesn't count, in my opinion.) Needless to say, I was beyond excited for the long overdue international vagabond adventure, but I was also unsure about how my griefy heart would cope without the Pegster alive to share it with. Especially when the only thing I could handle outside of work for the last few months was binge-watching The Vampire Diaries from underneath a blanket on the couch.

I am pleased to report and was thrilled to discover that travel is still my magic elixir. Wandering around Ireland nourished my heart and soul so immensely that I came out the other side feeling like a new human being. The grief was still lurking in the background, but the awe, wonder, and joy of traveling solo through a new landscape was so vast it was practically impenetrable. 

Knowing my emotional turmoil could easily follow me across the Atlantic, I embarked on this trip with an acceptance that it could be a lonely and uncomfortable two weeks. I didn't have an attachment to how the trip played out; I just knew I needed to go, and I was at peace with whatever unfolded from there. Between that mindset and the monstrous overwhelm I'd been living with, I planned nothing for this trip in advance. I checked out a few travel books from the library for inspiration, but they went unread by my bedside for weeks. With the freedom of a blank canvas, the travel gods created a masterpiece.

My wish list going into it was to see the Cliffs of Moher, hear live traditional music and lay on the land from which my ancestors came. I was gifted that and so much more.

I was taken in by family I'd never met, who treated me like royalty for nine days. They fed me delicious home-cooked meals and drove me around daily to explore. I learned about the brutal hardships my ancestors faced, danced with locals to live Irish music, weighed in on the Guinness vs Murphy's debate, saw iconic landscapes and crumbling historic buildings, braved the tiny Irish roads in a rental car, went on adventures with other backpackers within minutes of meeting each other, had perfect weather on the days I needed it most, explored bucket-list tourist spots, and wandered the winding streets of several idyllic Irish towns. I even found my way to a much-needed energy healing session through serendipity and signs the universe had planted throughout the unscripted trip. Everything unfolded magically with minimal interference from me. Or, to quote the local gent that asked about my adventure while listening to a music sesh in Galway, "It was like a fucking Yeats poem."

Based on the chatter I saw in several Ireland Travel FB pages, I probably only did a fraction of what others would've done with two weeks on the Emerald Isle. But that's not what this trip was about for me. This was a recon mission for future adventures. It was a rescue mission for my soul. I wanted to connect with the pulse of a smaller area rather than grazing the surface of a wider expanse. It was less about quantity and more about being present for whatever Ireland wanted to show me. And she rewarded me handsomely.

Now, I don't believe in traveling to escape my problems. However, this trip taught me that flying to a foreign land for a short stint can create life-changing breathing room to regroup from our heartaches. As the trip wound down, I noticed I felt capable of rising up and creating a beautiful life out of my grief rather than just surviving amongst it in a semi-paralyzed state. It will take some time to do that, and that's ok. I know if I practice applying my vagabond mentality, trust, and open heart to everyday life, no matter where I am or what the world presents me with, I will create a life beyond my wildest dreams.

Thank you for following along, and keep watch for more updates and stories from my first Irish adventure.

Hugs,

Cat