We got pretty lucky with our trip to Ireland. There may have been best and worsts of the trip, but nothing went horribly wrong. We didn't run out of money, we didn't get sick, and we didn't end up out in the cold and non-existent rain (seriously, they say it rains nonstop there, but I hardly saw any precipitation!)

Ireland took a lot of planning and saving. It was our first international trip. There was plenty of research, but no matter how much you plan ahead, things are not going to go according to plan. This can be a disaster, or it can create some of the best memories you can look back on for years to come.

We learned a lot during our trip, from budgeting to getting around to what our personal preferences are in travel.

Here it is: the best and worst of Ireland 2016.

Accomodations

Best: Galway AirBnB

This place felt like home. The living space/kitchen was separate from the bedroom. It even had a little entry way were we could hang all of our coats and hats after coming in from the cold. There was a television, plenty of outlets, reliable wifi, and fantastic heating, We were never ever chilly. It was clean all throughout the apartment (even the cooking utensils. We could have done some legit cooking). The only downside would be if you wanted to go to bed early, the pub downstairs played music until around midnight.

P.S. Bunratty Castle Mews B&B was a VERY close second place.

Worst: Dublin AirBnB

It seemed great at first; located next to a park and walking distance to the city center. But when you have to shower in a bathroom that smells of mold and you sleep with a spring sticking into your back, you just don't feel very rejuvenated the next day. The bath towels were stinky so we ended up using our own travel pack towels. And the pillows were flimsy so we ended up using our travel pillows instead. Kitchen utensils were sparse and a bit gross. And even though it was quiet at night, we were freezing our buns off with the weak heater.

Food Spot

Best: The Bakehouse, Dublin

Painted obnoxiously pink on the outside, but, oh, the food. We ended up coming here twice. I am going to be craving their chowder and bread for years to come. It was tiny, cute, and had friendly and young staff. They even serve brunch all day! This was a major plus for us since we always ended up waking up late due to a rough night of sleep in our Dublin AirBnB.

Worst: Yamamora Sushi, Dublin

We only ended up here because I was about to pee my pants. (Public toilets are hard to find)! The California Rolls had something that did not look or taste like crab. And the flavor ratios of the sushi were just all wrong. It was a very expensive pee break.

Activity

Best: Aran Islands

We love the outdoors. Being active and in nature puts us in a good mood. So naturally, we are inclined to have this activity as our favorite. There were cool rocks, cute farm animals, and beautiful scenery. We felt so adventurous riding our mountains bike through the rough road of the island's countryside (Tip: The road is paved if you go the correct way). Plus, at the end of it all, you can gaze down from the top of some astonishing cliffs. Be careful! There are no railings, which makes the view even better!

Worst: Butter Museum, Cork

Again, this was basically an overpriced pit stop. I love butter. I thought it would be fun to learn all about Irish butter. But it was just awkward all around. The educational video was shown on an old fullscreen ratio television that looked like it should have been in a 90's living room. The exhibits were meager and unimpressive. Not worth €3. At least the toilets were clean.

Transportation

Best: Buses

Buses in Ireland are super reliable. Not to mention fun when you ride at the front of the top level of the double decker! But brace yourself. Bus drivers are crazy drivers. It may be a wobbly ride, but you are sure to reach your destination on time, if not early. A major bonus is that all buses have wifi. It makes finding your way around the city so easy, especially if you can't use your phone data internationally.

Worst: Car Rental

I don't regret renting a car. I'm really proud of myself for driving over there. But it was stressful as hell. The roads were narrower than expected. After all, they were made for horses and wagons, not cars. At times it felt like I had to decide between clipping the oncoming car on my right or the scraping along the stone wall on my left. If you are renting a car, know how to drive a stick shift. Automatics are insanely expensive. Also, get all of the insurance coverage; CDW and Excess. It will give you peace of mind when you are winding through narrow roads where, for some reason, the speed limit is 100 kmph.

City

Best: Galway

It was so quaint! It's coastal with a river running through it into the ocean. Plenty of shopping and food while having an old-style feel. We felt very safe here. This city is a great jumping off point for day trips to neighboring sights (which is something we should have done).

Worst: Cork

Just too modern. It had a "Brea" vibe, which is not what we were there for. In certain areas we felt a little uneasy, but nothing too extreme. Maybe our opinion would have been different if we had had the chance to go to more pubs. But they were all closed on Good Friday--the day we had planned to do our pub crawl. Instead, we just crawled back home from the Greyhound Races.

Savings

There were some ways we saved a few extra euro while on the trip, including:

• Promo Codes: We saved $100 on our AirBnB just by googling the current coupons.
• Bed & Breakfasts: Not having to pay extra for breakfast saved us a lot of dough and time. A protein and caffeine filled meal is a great way to start a day of travel.
• Student Rates: Even if you aren't a student anymore, use your Student ID. Half the time they don't even care to see your ID.
• Nature: Hikes are always free or, at the very least, cheap.
• Skipping Meals: With such a big breakfast at the B&B's, we often ended up having lunch so late that it ended up being a late lunch/early dinner. More money for drinks!

How Much We Spent

We were pretty close to our target budget for our trip. Here are the numbers for a two week Ireland trip for two.

Accommodation: €950

Food & Drink: €550

Transportation: €580

Flights: $1,650

Entertainment: €255

Grand Total (w/o flights): €2,335

Grand Total (w/ flights): € 3,792 or $4,291


Personally, I'm content with these numbers.

Food & Drink was a bit more because we had to drink in Ireland. No question about it. If we hadn't rented a car, our transportation expenses would be significantly lower. I probably would have opted for day trips originating out of Galway instead.

Well, there it is. All of our life savings have been dumped into the Irish economy, and I couldn't be happier about it!

I'm back to having coffee and tea at home, home cooked meals, and staying in on Saturday nights to save up for the next trip. I'm addicted. Where will we go next? Thailand? Canada? New Zealand?

I'm ready to experience the world.