First Solo Travel: Dublin, 2018
Heading to Dublin was a huge step for me. It was my first solo trip overseas to a place I’d never been.
The closer the trip got, the more anxious I became, but getting dropped off at the airport was one of the most empowering feelings in my life up until that point.
Once I landed in Ireland and made it to my hotel, it was already the morning of day one and I didn’t want to waste time catching up on sleep after the overnight flight. So after a quick nap, I headed out for the day to wander and explore the city.
The Trinity College Library Long Room
One of the first things I knew I wanted to do in Dublin was visit the Old Trinity College Library. So I booked my tour tickets a few weeks before the trip, and was so excited to see the Long Room full of books. The library itself was gorgeous, but also included in the tour was the Book of Kells, which was also pretty cool to see. I feel like this is a must-see exhibit for anyone who loves books as much as I do.
The colourful umbrellas of Anne’s Lane
The rest of the sights don’t require a fee of admission and just came from me wandering the city.
The hanging umbrellas on Anne’s Lane gave this side street a beautiful pop of colour on a grey and nearly rainy day. Definitely one of the most Instagrammed streets in the city.
Oscar Wilde Statue, just chillin’.
Another one of my favourite wandering discoveries was the Oscar Wilde statue in Merrion Square. The statues in general in this city were really cool, but as a Wilde fan, this one held a special place in my heart. Walking around the square and admiring all the greenery and statues was truly peaceful.
Bright coloured Doors of Dublin
I also really enjoyed just walking around the city and taking in the doors of Dublin. All of the buildings are sort of the same shape and colour, but each door is painted a different, bright colour and decorated in its own way. It’s very neat to see the creativity and individuality.
Honestly, I had no real plan when I planned this solo trip, but taking to the streets and just walking around Dublin was kind of a blessing in disguise. I actually really loved just getting a coffee and wandering the city, or sitting in the park and journaling in the drizzling rain next to an Oscar Wilde statue.
Finding these pops of colour in the city when the sun was hiding behind a bunch of grey clouds was kind of a representation of my life at the time.
Using my camera to capture these beautiful spots around Dublin where I spent time on this trip, focusing on the positive when my life was in a very negative place, was exactly what I needed to do.
