6. Watch a rugby match in New Zealand

Out of all the challenges on this list I knew that this one was going to be tough. With less than 12 months to go until my 30^th birthday I knew I would not make it to New Zealand however when I heard New Zealand were playing Tonga at St James Park for one of their group matches for the 2015 Rugby World Cup I knew I had to try and get a ticket. Not only would it be an awesome experience to be part of the World Cup but in my opinion it would act as a worthy substitute  for not travelling over to New Zealand before my 30^th (and there is no doubt in my mind that I will get to New Zealand at some point in the future).

I didn’t fancy going to the match alone so I bought a ticket for my dad as a birthday gift because even though he doesn’t like the All Blacks it was the opportunity to watch some world class players and I had a suspicion that the All Blacks would end up winning the whole competition. The week before this match St James Park played host to its first world cup match between Scotland and South Africa and the city was electric. The local news reported that 200,000 fans had descended on the city to be part of the event and when I was watching the match in the fanzone at Science City there was a lot of love for both teams in the atmosphere which just made me more excited to watch the New Zealand v Tonga match.  The highlight of being in the fanzone was watching the grown men attempt to play rugby after far too many beers and a man in salmon pink trousers being tackled and splitting them right in the crotch!

Getting to match day and there are only 2 words to describe it. Frickin awesome!!

The atmosphere was awesome.

The haka was really awesome.

The Tongans bringing it to the All Blacks was awesome. 

Richie McCaw as water boy was awesome.

The seats were ridiculous (Me and dad even had a fleeting appearance on the telly).

Witnessing Ma’a Nonu scoring a try and achieving his 100^th cap was awesome (apparently if you are from the South Sea Islands then you get tinsel as a symbol).

All in all I think this has to be one of the best experiences on the list thus far!

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19. Have a pint of Guinness in Dublin

This is an overdue entry but better late than never!

 

The view of Dublin from the top of the Guinness Storehouse. You can see the Aviva Stadium on the right hand side.

 

On Friday 15 November myself and Laura Fenwick (who is becoming somewhat of a regular travel companion) flew from Newcastle to Dublin. The opportunity for the trip came about when we learnt that our friend and fellow archaeology graduate Mandi Henderson was being swept away by her husband Neil to Dublin to celebrate her 30th birthday. This came up in conversation and you express an interest that it's somewhere you'd always like to go so Mandi suggested we come along too (much to Neil's initial horror) so we did.

 

From left to right; Laura, me and Mandi

 

Everyone I've spoken to have said how friendly the Irish are but I actually think that it ius THE MOST FRIENDLY place I've been too. When you land at an airport you're prepared  for the miserable but at passport control who barely grunts at you...not it in Dublin. [Insert gorgeous southern Irish accent] "Well good morning Kathryn, welcome to Ireland. How are you today, did you enjoy your flight?"

 

We also had a very friendly cab driver who took us to our hotel (he gave us his mobile number in case we needed him over the weekend...) And then met up with Mandi and Neil for a few, which turned out to be a lot of drinks and one of their best burgers of my life. I had never considered putting smoked cheese on a burger before but I'd do it again. I resisted having as pint of the black stuff because I wanted I to 'save myself' for the Guinness Storehouse.

 

 

 

I think Saturday 16 November will definitely feature in the top 5 days of 2013 and here's why;

• Amazing all you can eat breakfast to start the day
• Visiting Trinity College and the Book of Kells
• Indulging in bog bodies and Ireland's prehistory at the Museum of Archaeology
• Eating nachos and drinking bulmers in the Hairy Lemon
• Visiting the Guinness Storehouse and experiencing a pint (and a half, because that's all I could manage) of the black stuff
• Watching Ireland v Australia in a pub packed full of Irish men

The library at Trinity College

So in one day I had culture, archeology, rugby, nachos and beer coupled with brilliant company and another thing ticked off my list. I think Dublin was a fantastic city, yes a little pricey but I will definitely go back. I wasn't to fussed with the Guinness Storehouse, far too many tourists for my liking, but the views from the top bar were incredible and the Guinness was smooooth.

 

 

 

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