The Luck of The Irish

Following our budget-busting week in London we threw on our backpacks once again and departed Britain for its eye-wateringly expensive neighbour - the beautiful and timeless Ireland.

Ireland moves at a different pace

From the second we emerged from our cost-friendly (but 12+ hour long) coach and ferry journey, we noticed the change of pace.

Whereas London had been typically manic and full of people rushing to get somewhere, Dublin felt positively languid. Shopkeepers conversed with their customers, inquiring after their family and their health. Bus drivers greeted us warmly and gave directions to our accommodation. People stopped to help mothers manoeuvring large prams, or to assist elderly patrons board the bus... It all just felt so warm and welcoming.

And before anyone accuses me of perpetuating Irish stereotypes, such behaviour has been consistent throughout our journey which has thus far included Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Galway, Cork and Killarney. They're just such a friendly bunch of people! And I, for one, am soaking up their hospitality like a sponge.

Mind the Gap: Penny-pinching in London

It's been a few years
since I lived in London

Last week I returned to London for the first time in four years. I'd spent two years living in England's capital city from 2008 to 2010, before moving to Melbourne with a former partner. Going back was a bit like reuniting with said ex-partner: I'd felt a tad nostalgic for "the good ol' days"; I wondered if things had changed... and whilst my first few days felt promising and it seemed as if we'd both moved forward, inevitably I was reminded why it didn't work the first time around.

That's not to say that London isn't a fabulous city. It most definitely is. I just realised over the eight days I was there that my 31-year-old self is far different to the idealistic 25-year-old that jumped on a plane to Heathrow within days of graduating from university.

You see, back then it was all about my career. I lived to work. Within days of stepping off the plane in London I had secured an interview with the BBC, within two weeks I was walking their halls in my first ever TV job. And I didn't look back (well, until last year when my career came to a screeching halt as I departed on this round-the-world sabbatical).