Getaway

1. Catching Up

"Dont forget to bring some towels, Val!" Mum screams to me as I do my last minute packing. "have you got your tooth brush? how bout shampoo and conditioner? Deodorant?" She continues, screaming toiletries at me.

"Yes mum! Ive got them all! I just need my charger and laptop!" I scream to her from the other room as she readies my bag full of my camera equipment, since I was the designated photographer for the trip. My back pack carries my camera bag, laptop and some clothes wrapped around my electronics to cushion the trauma of any inevitable hits or falls to it during the journey there. Especially in the suitcase compartment of the 5 hour bus ride to Shan-árd Gleann. Which was where we were headed.

Before planning this trip I hadn't noticed how many names of places I hadn't known, so many Irish named cities and towns which you'd think were supposed to be obvious considering we were going to the west of Ireland. Which if you didn't know, the West was considerably more Irish than the East. a lot of Celtic place names that I definitely won't understand since I never learned Gaeilge.

"Mum its almost 8:00 they'll be here soon! I just need to get my shoes ready."I shout as I bring my suitcase full of clothes downstairs and fill a plastic bag with 2 pairs of shoes. I would have packed earlier had mum not changed her mind about it last minute. She was so protective of me but I'm glad she let me go this one time. A few minutes later mum brings down my suitcase and just as she does a car horn beeps from outside followed by whooing and cheering

"Vaaaaal! Get out here now! Are you ready?!" A girl screams with excitement. I guess leaving myself 45 minutes to pack wasn't a very good idea. I put on a pair of sneakers and take the suitcase from mum and pick up my backpack and shoes from the ground with my other hand and head out the door.

"Wait!" mum screams before i get out the door and kisses my cheek "Don't forget to call every night,"She says as i leave the house "Look both ways! Don't get into fights please! Don't be down none of that weed they're doing!"She adds as i leave the suitcase and bag in the boot of the car. "I love you!" mum screams finally as I wave goodbye to her

"Love you too, mum" I shout as I get in the car and were off to the bus stop.

The ride there was loud and buzzing with excitement for the 10 day trip ahead. In the car was Audrey my best friend with her beautifully long dirty blonde hair and blue eyes. Along with Justin her boyfriend, a buff baby faced looking ginger with new freckles that keep appearing everyday. A seemingly unlimited amount of freckles, and in the drivers seat was his dad who didn't want us carrying our luggage all the way to the bus station almost 200 metres from our houses which was very considerate of him and rightly so, we would've died even before we got to the house. Mr Jones was both caring and loving which is where Justin obviously got his traits from including his red hair.

Last but not least was Ethan, A tall relatively fit 19 year old with light brown hair and a love for exercising and the outdoors. Always doing marathons every month and always urging us to do something active, he was the one in charge of the itinerary for the week which included a lot of hiking and sightseeing.

Mr Jones had dropped us at bus stop, where the rest were waiting for us along with their own luggage.