The Aran Islands
"Ireland, once you live there, you're seduced by it." - Frank McCourt
On the Tour
We headed to Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, on a cold and windy ferry boat ride. An adventure waited on the other end, though, for those of us who braved the choppy waves! On the island, local bus drivers took us around, pointing out various sights including areas that were used in the film Leap Year, as well as "Leprechaun Houses."
The bus couldn't take us up to Dun Aonghasa, the ruins of a prehistoric fort built on the very edge of a cliff. However, the uneven stone steps made the walk to the top even more adventurous and fun, and the view was certainly worth it!
Tip for Shy Introverts
Use Meals to Meet ALL the Tour Members
Once you connect with fellow travelers, it can be tempting to latch onto them and spend all your time with them. Don't do this! Depending on how long your trip is, you'll have multiple breakfasts, group dinners, and sometimes lunches together. Whenever I asked if I could sit at the same table as other people on the trip, they NEVER said no. Soon, I didn't even have to ask because there was always at least one offer. That doesn't mean you have to sit with different people at every meal; I certainly had a few I sat with most often. But don't be afraid of changing it up for a meal now and then! You never know which person on the tour you'll connect with next.
Having pre-determined questions to ask while eating together is always a good idea to avoid the dreaded awkward silence. Common questions on my trip were the typical "what do you do" and "where are you from", but since all the members of the tour were obviously travelers, it was also easy to discuss favorite vacation spots and future tour recommendations. After those initial common questions break the ice, the conversation will naturally move forward to other topics.
