With the light streaming in through the curtains, we get up bright and early and tuck into some oats, blueberries and yoghurt that we bought from Tescos yesterday.
We had booked a tour of the Titanic area for 11am, so we make our way over at 9am so we had plenty of time to see the exhibition before the tour.
The whole building is one big dedication to the fallen liner. Even the way it was designed to be the exact same height, using the same materials and a lot of symbolic architecture, it was quite special to see.
We cruise through the exhibits, seeing replicas of the staterooms and first class. Getting a visual tour of all the decks and even going on a ride that showed us how the ship was built with actual footage from back in the day.
Time for the tour and we all head out to the building yards, the buildings where titanic was sketched, designed and drawn and then out into the loading docks where she was pushed out to sea and set sail.
It was amazing to see and be so close to where it all happened, we were in Titanic heaven.
A bit of a cool added surprise that was pointed out by the tour guide, Titanic have their very own studios right next door to the exhibition building and wouldn’t you know it, they are filming Game of Thrones in there, you can even see the outdoor set setup outside.. If only we could get over there!
Titanic Photos
Before we leave, we jump aboard Titanic tender boat, the SS Nomadic and take a look around. Now retired and the last surviving ship of the White Star Line, we wander about pretending that we are on the Titanic herself, a pretty eerie feeling.
We were also quite jealous of the size and luxury of this tender compared to the awful, small and cramped tenders that we get on cruise ships these days.
Time for lunch, we head back and duck into the cafe across from our airbnb and order up baked potatos, just what the Dr ordered!
Full and satisfied, we head down to the garage and jump in the car, time for an expedition to the Giants Causeway!
About 1 and a half hours later, driving through narrow roads with lush green grass and tall hedges on either side, we make it to the Causeway.
Not wanting to pay $50 odd dollars to park and then walk through an information building, we pull a fast one on the parking attendants and park up at the neighbouring hotel.
You can park here for free as long as you go inside for something to eat. So we pop in for a coffee and to share a raspberry scone. Free parking, take that!
Going around the information building we find the path and head down to see the rock formations. And they certainly did not disappoint! They were like something from a different time, or even from a movie set.
Giants Causeway Photos
The perfectly shaped hexagonal rocks seemed to rise out of the ground in all different levels. Sort of like a nature made staircase. But the weird thing was, the formations were only in the one area, everywhere else surrounding it was just normal jagged rocks. So weird!
A quick walk back up the hill to the carpark, breathing in as much fresh open air as we can after being in cities all week, we make our way back to the car and head to the next spot, the Dunluce Castle.
We pull up the narrow opening and get our first look at the castle ruins, it was spectacular. A huge castle literally sitting on te cliffs edge with nothing else around but a sheer drop into the ocean.
We go inside and make our way around the old stone walls, trying to picture how it would have looked so long ago. The poor old castle was involved in wars, rebellions and uprisings. She had part of her kitchen drop off in a landslide and was then left to fend for herself for 100’s of years.
It would have been an amazing grand place to see back in the glory days.
Next on our Northern Island discovery trip we head to “The Dark Hedges”. Not as spooky as it sounds, the Dark Hedges was a filming location for Game of Thrones.
All be it one scene, but I’m glad they used it and got the road put on the map, because it was beautiful to see. A simple road lined with 18th century beech trees with branches that have twisted and bent toward each.
I probably wouldn’t want to walk up here at night time, it’d be like something out of a horror movie, but in the daylight, they were beautiful.
It getting on and the rain starting to team down, we decide to end our day of discovery. We drive the hour back to Belfast getting hammered with rain, luckily us Ballaratians are expert rain drivers and we make it back in one piece.
Time for dinner as we were ravenous by this point. We scour google maps for somewhere close, as it was still raining, and decide upon a trendy burger place that offered delicious sounding veggie burgers. And delicious they were! Even if we had to wait half an hour for a table!
Heading back, we get a little soaked and are sad to be walking the home trail one last time. Tomorrow we head to a whole new country and even get to ride on the ferry, here’s hoping for nice calm water.
Dunluce Castle Photos
