July 2, 2010
The national park outside Killarney is a never-ending expanse of lush green lands, crystal blue lakes, ragged mountains, and a narrow curvy road. It’s no wonder that buses advertise scenic trips through the area to offer the average tourist the chance to see Ireland’s beauty. Even the green woods are greener than they are in America, because every rock and tree trunk is coated in a soft green moss.
But if I had my way, and enough time and energy, I would want to backpack through the whole park.
As our coach narrowly missed touching other cars around the sharp bends (do bus drivers here take advanced classes for certain routes?), I spotted several hikers with large packs along the road’s edge. I wish that my dad and my sister were here with me, because they would be ready to pack up and map a route in an instant (exploring and being outdoorsy are in the Thisdell gene, my dad says). Then we could spend days wandering the trails that wind through the ---- acre park. We could hike to the top of the Torc Waterfalls that we saw today that reminded me of the Cascade’s, find a place to camp in the middle of fields, put our feet up at roadside cafes, and take photos of everything we see. Maybe one day we’ll get to, but for now I’ll just look forward to a walk along the park’s edge tomorrow afternoon.
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