I'm just not the blogger that I wish I was

I know, I know. It's been almost three months. If anyone actually is reading this anymore, a giant YIPPY because I've actually got something new up here. So since the last post was from when I was still in Ireland here's what happened a little bit after that.
I flew home on Thursday the 26th of June around 4 something and I arrived in Canada on Thursday the 26th of June around 5:30 something. My wonderful mother picked me up at the airport and we jumped into the car and drove straight up to Kamloops. After catching a few hours of sleep we ran around town getting the essentials for camp and then booked it out to Sunnybrae. It was really strange getting straight into stuff at camp without actually taking a second to readjust to life in Canada. Fortunately Mom and I arrived just in time for lunch where I was able to meet a few of the people I would be living with for the next two months. I was excited to be at camp but nervous about making a bad jet legged first impression on these people. Turns out that right after lunch we were heading off to do "Something so hard you wont know what it is until it kicks you in the face" challenge. Turns out that the challenge was to get into three groups. Wait, I know what your thinking, "how hard is it to get into three groups?" but really, it actually was. The rest of the challenge wasn't so hard after that.
We divided ourselves into three groups, one that was blindfolded, one that had no use of their arms, and another that couldn't talk. Then with one from each of the three groups we began our challenge. They also told us that if anyone in our group was caught doing what they weren't allowed to (like use their arms) then another "disability" would be added to them. First off we grabbed life jackets from the boat shed. Not hard at all you're thinking, but remember I'm lacking my arms here. And I'm trying to communicate with a team member I had never met before (my mute team member and I know each other from when my family used to live in Kamloops). So after getting life jackets we grabbed a canoe and started off on our way to Sunnybrae park. I don't know how long it took us to get there, but our blind person was in the back steering and I was trying to yell directions because our mute paddler couldn't. "Left, ooops, I mean right!" "Umm, we're kind of almost on shore maybe we should head ri..left some more." Gosh, who knew that the pressure would cause me to forget me Lefts and Rights?
Once we were up on the Sunnybrae beach the next part of our adventure began. We got to hike to the top of Sunnybrae cliffs. Once again, not too hard when you have all those things like sight, arms, a mouth to communicate with and the lack of jet leg. Actually we did not too bad at all. Our mute led the way with the blind close behind and me yelling "Rocks!", "Branch!", "LEFT!" and "Umm, don't step to the left, you'll fall to your death!" At the top we were freed of our disabilities where our leaders told us how proud they were of our efforts to work together and communicate with each other, despite our lack of communication tools.
It was at that time that we learned about the real challenge. You know, the whole time we were thinking the challenge would be to get everyone up to the top of the Sunnybrae cliffs in one piece, but instead it was for 25-35 people (not really sure of the exact number) to eat 200 hot dogs in half an hour. Yes, 200 hot dogs in half an hour. That means five to eight hot dogs each. I must admit that I did eat six and I regret that choice. However, my crazy girl Lauren wowed us all by downing eleven! That's more than the average boy there.
It was a great bonding time to be sure. It's not very often that you just meet someone and then have to watch them throw up two or three hot dogs.
(Sorry, got not pictures for ya)

Irish

Here's a list of funny things I've experienced or seen since I've been here that are somewhat if not 100% Irish...

• Clocks are on 24 hour time, like the whole 14:30 thing, but no one actually ever says it like that.
• Light switches are upside down!
  
• Dinner actually means lunch
• It's "Post" not "Mail"
• You often see door knobs in the middle of the door, but you never really use them.
• It's "Toilet" never bathroom or washroom.
• If you ask for Lemonade you end up with a Sprite.
• People will paint their house crazy colors just to stand out from the rest, especially apartments that are all in a row together because they paint to a certain point on the wall an then it changes to the next apartments color.
  
• Wacky Wollies are these hilarious sheep that make me laugh every time I see them.
• You don't walk on the sidewalk, you walk on the foot path.
  
• Nothing (house-wise) is made of wood here...it's all either stone or brick or some kind of stucco thing.
• Instead of saying "It's five thirty" they say "It's half-five." (which I actually like better!)

That's all for now...comments? ;)

Some more for ya...

Jill and I have survived one more whole week (at least) in Ireland together. Last time I left off we road a crazy bus to Galway (which I have mispronounced only a thousand times and sounded like a complete tourist to be sure). While in Galway, we stayed at this crazy big and busy hostel which have female dorms; very ducky :) Met some neat girls from Canada (Vancouver area) and enjoyed their company the first two nights.

We also took a tour of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher, which was somewhat wet, foggy and soggy. After our walking tour at the Burren Jill and I were so wet and squishy that we even took pictures of our feet to prove how wet it was. The landscape was truly stunning though.This was a sign at the cliffs warning about the dangers of falling off the edge. Our bus driver said that they loose about 5-8 people every year, some by accident, some by the wind blowing them off and others for other unfortunate reasons.

Then we jetted off to the Aran Island of Inishmore where we viewed over 450 km of stone fences and a crazy old stone fort that is built on the side of a cliff (a.k.a. danger zone!) by bike. I must warn you however that not only are Jill and I not the safest, most experienced with those contraptions. It was quite an adventure! We were on a small Irish road which could classify as a death trap or something dangerous like that. Unfortunately there are no pictures to prove our cycling. We also spent a lot of time searching for something known as "The Worm Hole" but only came up empty (twice actually). We did however see a lot of amazing waves and cliffs along the way.

After that we skipped onto the Dingle Peninsula where we got to see Fungi, the resident dolphin. Jill and I took this gorgeous walk-about along the coast line and saw Fungi's "Fungalow Bungalow." The sites were simply stunning with the vibrant green of the hills and blue sky and water! That's all for now, even though there is plenty more to speak of, but I hope that you enjoyed the few pictures that I was able to put up.
Kriss

Feeling better

Jill and I made it from Letterfrack to Galway today, even though I wasn't sure that I would survive the journey.
We are now in a hostel that is hopping full of people our age. Like Jill said, the average person in town is about 23 years old, which puts a lot of young people in the hostel too.
Since I didn't really write anything last time, I figured you might want to hear about some of the adventures that Jill and I have been having.
- I have been mistaken for an Australian by a drunk man at the bus stop
- Jill and I hiked Croagh Patrick and I nearly died going up and down. Jill however, is an amazing hiker (something like a billy goat) and totally beat me going up and down.
- We got to do laundry today, the first time since I arrived, and it's so nice to smell all pretty again!!
- Jill rode in the death seat on the bus today because it was sooo full. Basically she was right at the front with the sun blinding her and every bump sending her almost through the window.
gosh, when I get down to writing things I can't remember what I was going to say at all! Sorry all!

Letterfrack

Jill and I are in Letterfrack right now, and it must be the smallest place we have been to yet. It's a very cute little town, although I must admit that I haven't seen very much of it at all as I have been quite sick over these last few days. If you are thinking about it please pray that I would get better soon.
Unfortunately I don't really feel like writing my own words, so you'll have to see what Jill says, just click on the link on the right side of the page that says "Jill."
Maybe talk again when I feel better.