Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 102 – Derry, Northern Ireland

    Saturday 19 February 2000
    Highlights: Thieves in the Night, the Tower Museum

    During the night someone quietly entered our dorm room and stole my backpack.  After searching we reported it to hostel staff and later the police, not a great feeling :(.

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 101 – Belfast to Derry, Northern Ireland

    Friday 18 February 2000
    Highlights: Queen’s College, Irish pubs 

    We got up early an started the second walking tour.  Unfortunately luck was against us and it rained heavily most of the time.  We walked past the Europa Hotel, the most bombed building in the world apparently and to a nearby Royal Ulster Constabulary (or police) station.  All the police buildings are like fortresses and the cars like tanks.

    The other highlight was Queen’s College which was built during Queen Victoria’s reign.  It is apparently based on Magdalen College at Oxford.  We then caught a bus a Derry.

    The name of the city, Derry or Londdonderry, causes controversy. It was originally renamed to Loddonderry in the 16th century to reflect close relations with London but Catholics call it Derry, as it was originally.  The Republican City Council changed it’s name to Derry but the city itself is still Loddonderry.  Your background (Protestant or Catholic) is exposed by what you call the city.

    We met a fellow Australian from Burnie in Tasmania called Kent.  Kent currently plays in the State Australian Football League for Burnie.  We all went out to find a pub that plays local Irish music.  Three pubs later we had drank three Guinness beers having an enjoy night out.

    Since the hostel did not take our credit card we had to use the little UK cash we had left.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 100 – Belfast and the Giants Causeway, Northern Ireland

    Thursday 17 February 2000
    Highlights: Giant’s Causeway, personal tour of Belfast. 

    We did a Youth Hostel Organised tour to the Giants Causeway.  Leaving from a different Belfast Hostel down the other end of town at 9.30 am so we had to get up early.

    Along the way up we visited a coastal castle, abandoned long ago, which sits on a cliff over looking the sea.  Part of the kitchen fell into the sea which encouraged the owner to move.  The magnificent views from the castle make it worth the visit.

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 99 – Belfast, Northern Ireland

    Wednesday 16 February 2000
    Highlights: Walking tour of Belfast, City Hall, Guinness.

    Today we went on the Lonely Planet’s first walking tour of Belfast.  While this tour had frequent rain luckily for the most part it was while we were undercover.  The highlights of the tour included the leaning clock tower in honour of Queen Victoria’s husband and the tour of the Belfast City Hall.

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 98 – Stirling to Belfast, Northern Ireland

    Tuesday 15 February 2000
    Highlights: Ferry crossing to Northern Ireland.

    After very little sleep we started our second last long travel day.  The American in our room was sick and coughing and an Asian kept talking in his sleep so I only got 2 hours sleep.  We caught the 9.30 am train to Glasgow and than a train to Stranneat.  From here we caught a ferry service to Belfast.

    The ferry cost £20 and basically had all the features including a McDonalds and Duty Free shopping.  The crossing did get a little rough and Jon did not find that very enjoyable 🙂

    We ended up staying at the Linen House Hostel, an independent hostel which only opened recently and cost £6.50 per night for a 18 bed dorm!  Luckily there were only five others in the room including 1 American girl and 2 other Australians and we stayed up to 2 am talking.