By the time I got to Galway I was tired. I decided to sign up for the express tour of the Cliffs of Moher even though rain was predicted. It was the same price as the other tour that also went through the Buren but it was 3 hours shorter. I got on the bus and learned that it was also unguided, but we could pay an extra 15 euros to go on a boat to the cliffs instead of spending all 3 hours at the top. I was coming to learn that there would always be an extra thing to pay for on these tours. Optional of course.
We drove by this castle on the way.
We came REALLY close to a bus
The weather was not good. I had brought my California sunshine to so many places like London and Northern Ireland that I thought maybe I could bring it today too despite the forecast. I was wrong. Initially I passed on the boat. Isn’t the weather bad? Not too bad. Won’t it be rocky? No! They would cancel if it was too rocky! You get to go right up to the cliffs and see things like a cave you can’t see from the top! It’s SPECTACULAR. Ok, fine. If you say it won’t be rocky. Here we are bundled up on the boat. 
We were told to stay in our seats until we got through a big swell right by the pier. Then we rolled over the waves. It was the better than the best roller coaster I’ve ever been on. I was loving it. My glass was simultaneously half full and half empty. I was pissed that they’d lied to me- it was totally rocky. Two people next to me leaned over the side and puked (unfortunately) onto the lower deck (yes, where other passengers were). But I was having such a great time rolling over the waves bouncing up and down. And then we came right up to the spectacular Cliffs of Moher!
We could barely see anything! And that cave? Couldn’t see it. Didn’t even go up close.
I mean, I could tell that there was land, but I didn’t see what the big deal was. Every podcast and guidebook and person says that the Cliffs of Moher were not to be missed. I even heard a story from a woman who was skeptical because it was so cloudy, but then when they got close to the cliffs, it cleared up and was spectacular. … …. …. 
It didn’t seem to be clearing up. I was thinking that we should be charged half price since we couldn’t really see anything. I think if someone had said, before I got on the bus, you know, the weather is terrible today. You’re not going to see anything. I would have said, oh well! Today is the only day I can go! I’ll see what I can. But the build up was leading to major disappointment. With a really fun ride on the waves. 
The guy did point out that at least we could make out the bottom of the cliffs. The people up top couldn’t see anything!
Also, Smee worked on our boat!
We got back to the bus and they asked how it was. I told them I couldn’t really see anything. He said, but it’s kind of magical that way. Nice try buddy. You’re the one who said the view would be spectacular. Magical because the mist made the cliffs disappear? If I want to see fog, I can go to Sacramento in the winter.
We arrived at the top of the cliffs, still covered in a blanket of mist.
I went into the visitors center to see what I was missing. OH! THOSE are the Cliffs of Moher!
That’s the cave I was supposed to see from the boat!
There’s that little rock sticking out that I saw!
And here is a woman kissing a cross
On my birthday! And the picture was taken by a Kelly!
I had a reasonably priced quiche for lunch, went out and saw the bus driver I asked him if there was a part of the exhibit that I had missed, but it seemed I’d seen it all. He said someone had just come back from the walk out to the cliffs and you couldn’t see anything. Oh well. I guess I’ll go for a walk in the clouds.
As I reached the edge, though, the fog was beginning to disperse. Look at those cliffs! They just keep going!
I made my way as quickly and as carefully as I could as far as I could. The bus was leaving in 50 minutes.
I made it!
There’s that cave!
A little bigger!
I did as everyone else did and climbed over the fence. It was so far down and I was right at the edge!
The water was so pretty!
That lake up there looked like it would make the edge fall off!
So far down!
Looking the other way away from the cliffs, there was a cute town.
So THIS is what everyone was talking about!
This is what the path looked like
There was a whole in the ground. Watch out!
See the stacks of stone on that lower part that juts out?
Just some cows napping on the edge of a cliff
And here’s the after picture. 
And again, in the end, it all worked out 😉 I would totally come back and hike along the whole stretch of the cliffs on a clearer day. Yet another thing that makes me want to come back.