The way down south - including a little Game of Thrones and golf!

 

We are in Newcastle, which is a tiny seaside town with a promenade and guess what?! Surprise, surprise a golf course. Not just any golf course, no sireee, the number one golf course in the world (so Dave says). So guess who has booked to play at it? We checked it out when we arrived to see where it was (by the sea - a links course with no trees). Seriously lovely entrance and garden, however 4  buses parked up - why I asked? - apparently there is such a thing as golf tours which take you around special golf courses (and there are quite a few in Ireland) and organise tee times etc for the tour party. Fees and accommodation included in the cost. So that means there were 4 busloads of people on the course playing - plus those who had just finished and were packing up their clubs etc to be put into a truck that follows the truck! I was rather blown away by it all.

The game!

Dave played with 3 others, all American and they had caddies who carried their clubs. Dave managed without (too expensive) but they helped Dave anyway. They were all Irish, and they took the photos that have him in it.

This is the view from the second hole, looking back at the clubrooms. Right beside the beach.

Dave was very proud of his hole in one! This is him retrieving his ball from the hole. The truth was Dave was teeing off the 2nd hole, and the ball went into the hole on the 5th hole! The caddies thought it was hilarious.

This is the 9th hole - their signature hole. From where he is standing there is a drop down of 3 - 4 metres down to the fairway.

Dave tee-ed off at 9am, lovely day, no wind. By  just after 11am seamist rolled in and then left by 12.30.

I stayed in our room, and walked for an hour through town and along the beach to the golf course. Apparently the club house is a stickler for dress-code in the bar, but I talked to one of the pros and he escorted me up to the bar, talked to the bar staff, who poured me a beer and set me up at a table overlooking the 18th tee so I could see when Dave's group came in. Very lovely to me I must say!

Game Of Thrones Studio Tour

We saw this advertised and decided it was on the way south so why not. You book a time (yes it costs) and get picked up by a shuttle bus that takes you to this out in the wops place called Linenmill Studios. Dave is a huge Game of Thrones fan and has watched all episodes over 8 seasons. This was his 'must-watch - do not disturb' proramme. Now I, on the other hand, have never watched an episode but know who Jon Snow and the Dragon lady is! Dave spent time the night before over dinner, trying to give me a simple overview of what it is all about. He lost me after ' So there were 7 kingdoms' ...... But being the good, supportive person that I am, I went along and was absolutely fascinated! Read every word, watched every little video and am now the expert (not!). Maybe I might start watching it when I get home,

Warning - if you know nothing about Game of Thrones this may mean nothing to you.

This is the set of when the dragons destroyed everything. Fires were still burning.

This is the cool 'Iron Throne' which everyone was trying to get on. Made out of real swords that were welded together. The detail was incredible especially since it was all real iron.

The map room with a real map painted on the floor.

Dave trying his hand at shooting bows and arrows at interactive games - shooting the un-dead.

Dave now trying swoard fighting!

This is a seriously huge cross bow used and actually works. Looks lethal.

I liked this part. There are very tall towers with faces of people who had died , you could look into a camera and add your own face.

These are dragon head props - very big.

A very big hall where someone got made king of something! (lost me on that one!)

A huge giant from the giants - played by a guy over 7 foot tall and then added height.

Entrance was impressive

We also stayed at a small town called Dundalk, which was our Aussie./Irish friend Vivs home town.

I think this was the cathedral she and Peter got married at.

big mural on the wall called the 'Artic fox;

Farewell to Ireland

Ireland - we loved our time in the country. I am so glad we got to go on the little back roads, the scenic coastal routes and even our travels through the Wicklow Mountains. The countryside is so like NZ but acutally prettier, with stone fences, more trees and McMansions everywhere! (Who could forget them?) Very little sheep or cattle to be seen, but lots of paddocks. People were lovely and funny, always ready for a chat and a yarn - maybe they all have kissed the Blarney Stone. Loved their sense of humour and accent, which definitely was a lot stronger in the North. Surprised to see quite a few women as short as me, and the men seem to be quite big - Dave's size, tall and broad shoulders. Maybe the Viking influence?? Downside really was the expense from our perspective - the money rate of the NZ dollar was not very favourable for us. Also got quite confusing with the two Irelands - moneywise - one has Euros/ km and litres for petrol. Signs are in both English and Irish. The road signs change when you go  into Northern Ireland and you are in pounds, miles and English road signs. Would hate to live near the border!