Seeing the ocean for the first time :)

 The number one item on my bucket list was to see the ocean. I have been in love with the water since I was a little kid so one of the major benefits to the study abroad trip was checking the ocean off my bucket list! The very first trip to Bruges, Belgium we thought we could bike to the ocean. We all rented bikes and pedaled fast as possible 9 miles to come to realize we could not make it there in time, and had to turn around and slowly bike the 9 miles back. I have to say I was quite disappointed that my hopes were up. Needless to say I was really

climbed down into the rocks

 excited to see the ocean by the time we got to Ireland. When we were getting close winding through hills to get to the ocean edge my emotions were on edge. I just wanted that first glimpse to know what I have been missing all those years. Than everyone was pointing and I was missing it. I was looking for a patch of blue and couldn't spot it with my eyes. Than finally I saw the massive block of blue in the distance and all I wanted to do was get closer. Than we were finally there driving closer parking the bus. I was pretty much the first person off the bus to get to the ocean edge which was a journey through the wet grass and the rocks once you got closer. The very top picture is the first picture I took with the ocean and I was so excited to be experiencing it with the wind in my hair and not a care at all in the beautiful country of Ireland for the first time. I will have to say it was worth the wait in the long run. We than got free time to explore. I was so overexcited I was jumping around on the wet rocks and fell within

Cliffs of Moher

 the first five minutes of being there. My whole knee disappeared into a crevice in between two rocks. I had quite the bruise and quite of few cuts on my hands, but I did not even notice until later that day. In the moment, I was running on pure adrenaline. After taking all the pictures uptop I needed to get closer view so I decided to be adventurous and climb down into the rocks to get closer. That would be the second picture. When a wave would come I would get hit with the seawater the wind would catch. I was hoping to get soaked by a big wave but now came when I was down there sadly. After a really short time it seemed, we already had to

 load the bus. We than had to chill on the bus for a few more hours to get to another part of the ocean. Our second destination of the day was the Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs were breathtaking. The one guideline we were given for the hour and a half we spent there was not to go beyond the marked path. Pretty much the first thing I came to was a sign that was so stickered and written on I pretended like it didn't say "Do not enter" (sorry Dr.Wright) and went on. This picture was taken beyond the sign a little bit and I feel in love with the ocean all over again.

 The path that was not suppose to be on had many people walking up and down on it and there was a well worn path to follow also. I than started being adventurous with my pictures and got closer to the edge to get the next two pictures. But as I kept walking along the wind kept picking up and was threatening to blow me over so I finally decided to turn back and head back. The experience of seeing the ocean at both of these locations in

there is no more ledge!

the same day and having those locations be in Ireland made it my favorite place I have been to in my lifetime. I will recommend the Cliffs of Moher to anyone. I must thank CGI NDSU for letting me study abroad and experience the ocean for the first time! Check out the blog for CGI at http://ndsu-studyabroad.blogspot.com/ to learn more about it. 
- Caitlin