The taxi driver managed to find the clinic with no problems, and was also very sympathetic when I told him my story of missing my flight. He also tried to find someone else to share the taxi with me so that I could halve my fare, however noone else was going our way.
Once I was at the clinic, Kieren's wife Maire picked me up and drove me to my accommodation, which was actually their old house that they had moved out of 6 months ago and would be 
renting out as soon as I left. It was a 3 story, attached house, and compared to what I'd been used to over the past 2 months from 
travelling and staying in hotels, it was very spacious and luxurious! I was also supplied with Kieren's little blue VW polo to drive around in. I was quite nervous driving a car again after not having done so for a few months- plus it was a manual which I also hadn't driven for a while- but at least I could drive on the left hand side of the road!
renting out as soon as I left. It was a 3 story, attached house, and compared to what I'd been used to over the past 2 months from 
travelling and staying in hotels, it was very spacious and luxurious! I was also supplied with Kieren's little blue VW polo to drive around in. I was quite nervous driving a car again after not having done so for a few months- plus it was a manual which I also hadn't driven for a while- but at least I could drive on the left hand side of the road!
Work was great. It was VERY different from my job in Launceston. Firstly, it is an open surgery, which means no appointments, the clients just turn up during consultation hours, and I have to work through them until they all go home. The consultation hours weren't very long though, just 9am-10:30am and 5pm-6:45pm. After finishing the morning consults, I would then work through all the surgery cases for the day (and sometimes there were none!) before going home for a well deserved rest before heading back to the surgery for evening consults. So there were days when I was actually only working for about 4 hours!
While I was in Belfast I had only a few opportunities to do some sight seeing. The 12th of July was one of those opportunities- it was my only day off as it was a public holiday for the Orange Day Parades. I had brief plans to perhaps drive out of Belfast and visit Giant's Causeway, or Dublin, however when I woke up that morning it was a rainy, horrible looking day, so I decided to stay in Belfast instead and perhaps go and watch some of the parade. I did end up watching some of the parade- on TV! I had gotten dressed and put my raincoat on to go outside, however once I opened the door, it suddenly started pouring down, and I didn't much fancy going out in that weather. Besides, the nurses at work had been telling me stories about the parade and the bonfires and talked of "show of strengths" and how scared it made them, that I decided that watching it from the comfort of my lounge room, was much more appealing!
The weather was actually fairly constantly miserable whilst I was in Ireland. I think it didn't rain on 2 of the 30 days that I was there!
On one of the least wet weekends, I decided to drive up to Giant's Causeway after I had finished work on Saturday. For those of you that don't know, Giant's Causeway is a group of rock formations on the North Coast of Northern Ireland which was formed when the Irish Giant threw rocks at his enemy the Scottish Giant and vice versa. Either that, or it was formed through a series of volcanic erruptions. There are some similar formations on the coast of Scottland.
However it was formed, it is a very beautiful part of Ireland.
I did also manage to catch one parade while I was in Belfast. I caught it completely by accident (I didn't actually know it was on, I was on my way into Belfast to buy the new Harry Potter book!), but I thought it was worth watching it for a little while.I had so much fun on my open topped bus ride while I was in London, that I decided to take another one in Belfast. They took us around all the important parts of Belfast, including the ship yard where The Titanic was built (they pointed out that The 
Titanic was perfectly seaworthy when it left the yard and that it was an iceberg which sank it, not the workmanship) and past Sampson and Goliath, the two enormous cranes at the Ship building yards on the opposite side of the road. Looking up at the mountains behind the shipyards, you can make out a man's face looking up at the sky, set into the side of the mountain. 
Apparently, this was the inspiration for the tale Gulliver's Travels. They also talked about the troubles in Belfast and we saw the old courthouse and jail which have been closed since 1997. We also went along Shankhill and Falls Roads and saw the wall murals and peace wall and the wall that divides the city.
Titanic was perfectly seaworthy when it left the yard and that it was an iceberg which sank it, not the workmanship) and past Sampson and Goliath, the two enormous cranes at the Ship building yards on the opposite side of the road. Looking up at the mountains behind the shipyards, you can make out a man's face looking up at the sky, set into the side of the mountain. 
Apparently, this was the inspiration for the tale Gulliver's Travels. They also talked about the troubles in Belfast and we saw the old courthouse and jail which have been closed since 1997. We also went along Shankhill and Falls Roads and saw the wall murals and peace wall and the wall that divides the city.
On my last night in Belfast I decided that I should have at least one traditional Irish Pubmeal before I left, so I visited the Bot Inn (near the Botanical gardens) and had a half pint of local beer (I was driving) and Traditional Pork and apple sausages and champ (mashed potato with spring onion mixed in it). It was so good that thinking of it now, I think that's what I'd like to have for dinner tonight!I had a great time working in Belfast, and hopefully will do a bit more work for Kieren in the future, however, next time I visit Ireland, I hope to see a bit more of the country!
Love,
Lis x.
