What’s that joke about the girls’ trip that never leaves the WhatsApp group? Does not apply here.
It was a cold April morning. My girlfriends, Meg, Tan and Na, and I were in the drawing room of one of Cambridge’s colleges, groaning over numerous datasets, trying to establish correlations and associations.
“I don’t have it in me to continue this not-so-fun doom-scrolling.” Meg said.
“I just want to take a break, go on holiday.” I said.
For the record, there are two things I am always down for – a holiday and a lottery win.
“We should take a long weekend trip!” Tan exclaimed. “We could go to Scotland or Northern Ireland!”
Northern Ireland won the vote easily. Of course, we all love Scotland. The cobbled streets, the whiskey, the nature, the unending rain that makes you wonder if you should build an ark… But did you know some parts of Game of Thrones were filmed in Northern Ireland? That was all we needed to know.
Our trip started off “just great.” We had an early morning train from Cambridge to Stansted so I reserved an Uber from my residence to the train station the night before. By the time I was ready, there was no sign of an Uber driver lurking around. Attempts to re-book a ride at 5:30 am proved futile, so I ended up calling a local taxi company. Five minutes later, I was in a cab, urging the driver to go as fast as possible. My friends had made it to the train station easily because they lived closer. The driver was a real sport. We whizzed through the empty streets of Cambridge like we were joining the Fast and Furious crew on a mission. I MADE IT to the train just before the doors shut. Victory! I sank into a seat next to Na.
We arrived in Northern Ireland and checked in early at Premier Inn, our budget hotel . Back then the hotel did not have early check-in fees so it was seamless. When I was in London recently at the same hotel, I was told to pay £10 for an early check-in. I don’t know how I feel about that, but that’s not for this post.
We started our time in Northern Ireland with a visit to the Titanic Museum.
The Titanic Museum is easily one of the most beautiful and reflective places you can visit. In addition to showcasing Belfast’s historical shipbuilding industry, it hones in on the Titanic – the ocean liner that sank on 15 April 1912 on her maiden voyage from England to New York. There is so much to learn here about what went into building a ship like the Titanic, the class disparities on the ship and some of the tensions between the Irish and the English back in the day. Don’t miss the elevator that takes you up through the museum. My friends and I almost did. There is also a section of the museum that broke my heart. I will leave that to you to discover when you go.
Across the road from the museum is the SS Nomadic – Titanic’s sister ship. Our tickets to the museum scored us an entry into Nomadic where we could have a look around. The ship has the same luxurious designs as the Titanic, but is not as gigantic. We spent the rest of the day in the city center, and had dinner at a pub. Imagine going to Northern Ireland and not doing the pub thing.
The next day was our coach tour day, aka the Game of Thrones tour. This was the reason we visited Northern Ireland and it did not disappoint. We made our way to the pickup point in Belfast – a ten-minute walk from our hotel and boarded he coach with no hassle. I highly recommend grabbing a couple of chocolate bars, cookies and water before getting on the bus. If you are in Northern Ireland and looking for a fun way to see much more than Belfast, I highly recommend this tour. We stopped at some of the castles and the dark hedges in the series, and visited the Cushendon caves and Giants Causeway. We even sat on the iron throne in one of the villages after lunch. Did I hear you say “Power is Power”?
The tour will take you along the beautiful coast of Northern Ireland with lots of rest stops. And I am not exaggerating when I say the ocean breeze will make you calm. We spent a bit of time at Giants Causeway, sitting on the rocks and enjoying the breeze. I could feel the stress of data analysis leave my body. Be sure to dress comfortably as you will be on the coach for most of the day. And if you need to pee at a rest stop, best do so.
On our last day in Belfast, we went to Fish City for an early lunch. No matter what you have planned for your trip, please stop at Fish City if you love seafood. Everything we tried was delicious. I am saying anything about food in England, but the Irish seem to know what to do with spices. Afterwards, we had fun walking around some of the historical buildings in the city.
There is a lot we did not get to do or see given the little time we had, but it was a worthwhile trip. I returned to data analysis with a clear head and a glow from spending time near the ocean. I’ve been telling everyone to visit Northern Ireland since.
I also got to spend quality time with my friends. They (the three on this trip and many others) have pulled me through difficult times, and made me laugh until my sides hurt. One of my girlfriends even taught me how to ride a bicycle in my 30s. Girlfriends are amazing and investing in time together is always worthwhile. This is not to say you need a Girls Trip to connect with your friends. But if you think you want a trip, and Northern Ireland is within reach, this is your sign to go!
