Connemara adventure camp

This weekend Fairfield sponsored a trip to Connemara, the region west of Galway city for us to go to Killary Adventure Center and experience...well...adventure!
It all began when the big white bus came to collect everyone at 7AM Saturday morning -YIKES. Luckily, I learned my lesson with the early Dublin bus and decided on staying in Friday and skipped the tequila. It was about an hour and half drive through County Galway, which was incredibly gorgeous. If you don't believe there are mountains in Ireland, drive out to Connemara so you can see them. It is a change from the green constantly and are more orang-y, dusky, brown. Once we arrived at the KILLARY ADVENTURE CENTER we were immediately given rooms and our activities began, summer-camp style.
Since it was windier than a hurricane, kayaking was canceled. Instead, I was in the first group who went on the zip line. I have done a zip before, so it was fun, of course, but not very new. We were on the zip for awhile though....wooooooooooooooooooooooooooo and then we bounced off of a tire before we smashed headlong into a large telephone pole. Very safe. Then we switched groups after an hour and changed into fabulous wet suits. As you can see from the photo, I was one of the last ones so I ended up with a retro 80s HobieCat sailing wetsuit in aquamarine. Very styling.
So, why the wet suit? I'll give you a hint..it has to do with water.
Actually, we went cliff jumping and walked up a waterfall.
WHAT.
Serious.
CLIFF JUMPING?
Yes. About 15-16 feet off of a rock jetting out over Killary Fjord, and Yes, it did start sleeting as we climbed over the rocks to jump into extremely icy water. Yes, I was still in Ireland in March when this was done.
IT WAS THE COOLEST THING EVER.
Then once we all swam out of the fjord and climbed back over the rocks, we went on a "gorge walk" which is really a fancy way of saying we walked up a fast flowing river that had mini waterfalls.
After lunch of soup, sandwiches, fruit and flapjacks (a chewy, sweet cookie, not pancakes) served to us by delightful French people, we changed for our afternoon games....laser combat!
Laser Combat was intense. We all had camoflague jackets and hats with two sensors on them, as well as our laser guns. When we walked to the outside course, it literally looked like whatever soldiers must train in. It was muddy, there were wooden forts, there were trees, there were hills, there were ditches and shrubbery. We played four games, including Capture the Flag and Last Man Standing (self-explanatory). It was intense and awesome. We all got into it, the group of 2 men and 14 women (yes we are finally collegiate men and women, I think). I fell into the mud no less than 4x and possibly ruined a pair of Gap jeans - they are more brown then blue! By the fourth time, I just gave up and resorted to lying in wait on my stomach in the brush, ready to laser anyone who attempted to cross the field. It should be Conne-mud-a instead.What a day...
On our walk back to the center, the sunset was beautiful and sheep were rambling over the hills and the road in front of us. We had a great dinner and for the first time in a long time -not counting my jet lag catchup sleep- we all went to bed and slept for almost twelve hours that night.
The more time I spend with the other stags, the more time I am loving our FU time. I'm having a great time getting to know them all better.

In other news, Erin is coming to visit tomorrow for a week, for her spring break, and I cleaned the refrigerator today.