We’re Tania and Adam, and we’re travelling around Europe in Jitters for a year.
We’re stuck in Ireland.
We can get out because it’s so beautiful.
We’re three weeks behind our original plan because there is so much more to see
along the Wild Atlantic Way than we anticipated
but I guess that’s one of the great things about van life
we get to make up our plans as we go along.
After exploring some local bars, cliffs, a lighthouse, caves
spending some time with locals and a fellow vanlifer
and a quick visit to Farther Ted’s house,
we made our way to The Burren.
The Burren, meaning 'great rock', is an iconic part of the Irish landscape
said to expand up to 560 square kilometres.
It was formed by geological forces including the collision of continents
and the expansion and contraction of polar ice caps
over 300 million years ago.
So we’ve just been driving through The Burren.
Burren?
The Burren
And Tania is now going to cut my hair because it has got ....beyond control.
Isn’t that right Tania?
Yes, beyond control.
[Adam] The sun actually now sets at five o’clock
[Tania] It’s so depressing
Yeah so depressing. So we’ve only got like an hour of light. So we better go cut my hair.
[Tania] yeah, let's do it.
We do have a hat around don’t we?
Incase like this goes terribly wrong?
[Tania] Yeah, we do.
Tania’s not particularly experienced at cutting hair.
I don’t think.
[Adam] Trying to fit the perfect haircut spot.
Job well done.
After a few weeks in County Clare, we left to
make our way up to Connemara National Park in Galway
for our first parking spot without a sea view.
So we arrived here at night so couldn’t exactly tell what it would look like.
but we’ve just woken up and it looks like this.
It actually feels a little bit like Canada.
Or how I imagine Canada to be.
Lakes and mountains basically. So it is beautiful.
Umm and at the moment we are sleeping in, well I’m sleeping in my hat
because since Tania chopped off all of my hair, my head gets very cold at night.
You’ve been using it before as well.
Yeah but especially now. And thermals.
And I sleep with a thermal and two jumpers.
TWO jumpers?
haha yeah
and I got extra blankets because Adam doesn’t need as many blankets as me.
Yeah, I’m just under a duvet.
And we’ve also decided that Tania’s haircut, well my haircut that Tania did, makes me look like a boy.
Haha well right now it makes you look really like a boy.
Oh, why?
Because it’s all like spiky and stuff.
Oh well anyway.
And you’ve got hat hair.
You can’t blame me for the hat . . .
I look like a baby because I’ve just got a round head now.
Yeah, that’s okay, I still look better than I did.
Yeah I need to go again.
Umm, ugh. . . I think it’s the hat hair, I don’t think it was me.
Okay.
Anyway, I’m going to go fly the drone now because over there is beautiful sunrise.
colours
Sunrise colours.
It was hard to believe we were still on the Wild Atlantic Way route
The mountains, rugged landscape and open roads felt like a world away from the wild coast and Atlantic sea.
In reality we were only about a 10 minute drive inland.
This time of year means quiet roads and beautiful light and we soaked it in.
Taking our time and making the most of the short days,
we parked alongside an endless road
overlooking an epic mountainscape.
Tania is making another full English. Another full Irish.
Oh sorry. A full Irish.
Did you actually…
That was a genuine mistake.
Was it actually genuine?
Yeah because it is a full English breakfast.
I never had a full Irish breakfast.
Well it’s like a full Irish.
So we’ve got the sausages.
The tofu, for the scrambled tofu.
We're gonna have toast, for the beans on toast, like always.
And yeah, just enjoy it with the view.
This is amazing. Vegan junk food.
Whaaay!
Woo!
Oh, for f**ks sake.
Delicious.
That evening we drove to the foot of Diamond Hill
ready to climb it first thing in the morning.
Would you like some tea?
Oh coffee!
Coffee?
Yes please.
Let’s do coffee.
Great. And now some soy milk.
Tania is making some lentil soup for the walk so we’ve got some snacks.
This is our little twelve volt blender that actually seems to be doing quite a good job.
So good.
Ooh...
You can feel the heat come off that. It’s very nice.
Already? Wow yeah!
I love that there’s a sign here that says ‘this appliance should not be used to heat the interior of the vehicle’.
Although it’s eh, very tempting.
Ready to hike?
Yeah
So the hike is supposed to take about three hours and em, we’ve got distracted by some goats.
We've been here for about half an hour we've walked for about five minutes.
Yeah um but the goats are really cute.
They’re climbing trees to eat and one of them just fell out the tree.
The Diamond Hill trail is friendly for walkers.
It’s well sign posted, with plenty of gravel paths,
boardwalks over the marshlands,
and steps etched into the rock up to the summit.
How you finding it?
Good!
So here we are. We’re almost at the top.
There’s Adam over there, racing me.
nooooo!
I think that’s the top.
As we ascended we were treated by spectacular views all around,
from the islands on the Connemara coastline,
to a haven of mountains including the Twelve Bens.
The perfect spot to enjoy our lentil soup.
oooh.
Well it looks disgusting.
hahaha!
Is it good?
Hmmm, yeah. I mean, I’m not one to toot my own horn but that is… delicious.
Try it.
So we’re heading back down now ‘cause it’s suddenly got very, very cold.
Very cold.
My hands are numb.
And I’ve got my yellow mitts… to match my hat.
Um so yeah, we’re going to head back down and have a nice cup of tea and a shower.
Yay!
Warm up! Quick, quick let’s go, let's go!
We’re coming Jits. We’re coming home!
One of the reasons I love Jits...
One of the many reasons I love Jits…
is the fact that she looks like the emoji
haha
She does!
She’s the original. She’s before the emoji.
The emoji looks like her.
The best this about coming home to a van is that we've just come down from our hike and home is there
like that is it, we're now at home.
Right, I'll get the hot water on.
Shall I show them how the hot water works?
Yeah yeah, go on.
It's a bit dark in here is it?
Yeah, a bit dark.
Yeah open up that.
So the hot water, you literally just press this button here.
Oh wait, you have to turn on the gas.
Oh is the gas not on?
No
So you turn the gas on.
Step one, with Adam.
... in the little gas cupboard there
Lovely!
... and then you press this button here
and that has ignited a little flame on the boiler underneath Jits and we will have
in about 10 minutes it makes it warm
20 minutes it makes it really hot
and we'll have 60 litres of hot water ready to shower or wash up or do whatever we want
yeah so we just the timer and yeah. Shower time.
Yeah and this is the shower
because lots of van don't have showers.
There you go, very simple.
That's a teaser of the van tour because we're not going to do a whole van tour now but at some point
there will be a van tour video.
Oh I can't wait.
If you would like a van tour from me...
...and Adam.
Well mainly you but I'll film it.
Mainly me, only because I go into the nitty-gritty details
like I've done this with friends.
I get very passionate because I love Jits
If you want a van tour, comment below. Let us know.
If you've got any questions about how Jits works...
comment!
Yeah and then we'll include that in the van tour.
JITS!!!!!!!!
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We promise we'll leave Ireland one day.