Mystery tour, indeed.

(Written yesterday but never posted)

Soooooo... went to Derry-Londonderry because it's a historic pretty town that I planned to stay the night in before going to Coleraine to take a bus from for the Giant's Causeway. Well I get here about three hours ago. I've been looking for a bed ever since.
I've gotta say, it's a pretty enough town, but whoever put all those hills there should likely flatten them out a wee bit. Absolutely ridiculous. Nothing but hills. With a 60 pound backpack. And many times THE SAME hill. Both ways, 3 times.
My impression?
Way too many loud drunk teenagers. And I mean 15 year old girls, in all black, and what looks like dancing shorts way up their butt. Drunk and loud. Guys too, don't get cocky. In fact, they were the loudest and most annoying.
Half of everyone I came across, including a woman from Alaska that asked me if I was lost, a lady that walked me all the way up one of those steep hills to show me a hostel, a guy that called his friend to ask if he had room at his place, and a woman that offered to give me a ride- they were out their way kind. Everyone else? Wouldn't even make eye contact with me.
And of course- what the hell Londonderry? What is there nowhere to sleep?

I re-met an Israeli guy that apparently remembered me from the Dublin hostel, he was really nice, walked me to the bus stop and offered to carry my bag- which of course I refused (but I hesitated).

I had asked what one thing I should see was, and everyone told me the city walls, which were alright. Nothing that exciting. Even though the town was named city of the year in a billion different magazines and travel guides.
Not impressed. Glad I saw it, at least I got a workout. I also got to hear someone call the trunk a "boot" so that itsself was worth it.

Thank God I don't pay for individual train rides.
Which by the way, I'm pretty sure I could have gotten away with photocopying someone's europass, because NO ONE looks at it. I had to ask to get it stamped to verify it the first time I used it (so they'd know what day it was valid until). That's right, I had to go request and find someone to stamp my pass so I didn't cheat them. No one asked me for a ticket getting on or off at Londonderry. The ticket guy on the trip I just hopped (having no idea where it was going, but knew it was out of town, and that was enough) asked me for it, glanced at it, and didn't even take it out of my hand. Seriously? I wonder if Europe is the same? I'm also relatively certain my ticket isn't even valid here, since it's technically UK, but I'm too scared to ask anyone for sure- and they keep taking it.

Here's some crappy pictures of (and on the way to) somewhere I can't recommend backpacking through.