Ireland: Day 6

Also see Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5

Day 6: Connemara

This was the peak of my illness. My whole body ached, my head was so congested I couldn’t think straight, I wasn’t sleeping, and I also developed a sinus infection. Part of the problem is that I didn’t want to miss anything, so I kept pushing myself. And not sleeping (I later realized that the meds I had gotten from the chemist were keeping me awake at night. Nice. Even the handfuls of PM pills I was taking were defenseless against it.). So on this day, everyone went for a few-hour long walk to the village of Leenane, and I stayed back and took a few-hour long nap.

When I woke up, they weren’t back yet, so I grabbed a book and my journal and sat outside to enjoy the fact that I was in a truly gorgeous place.

That’s about all I did. It kind of worked out good because if you’re going to be ill in Ireland, this is the place to do it. It’s completely relaxed. Only a couple times did I feel guilty about not feeling like doing anything but sitting or sleeping.

When everyone returned from the walk, we watched a movie, and then the owner of the hostel – a friend of the professor and a very intelligent guy – sat down and talked to us about Irish politics and economy. After the talk, we all made dinner together, and a few people took a cab to a pub in Leenane. Pas moi. I read and went to bed. It was a chill day and I was so thankful. I missed the Giraffe a lot though. I wanted him to comfort me, but not only was he not there, and not only could I not call him, but there was no internet in secluded Connemara, so I couldn’t even email and complain and ask for sympathy.

I know I just spent a few paragraphs complaining about being sick, but seriously that’s all I did on Day 6. Feel sick. That was my only day of true non-activity though.