Traveling on days off

Hitchhiking in Ireland

I was given today off.  I was determined to get somewhere without asking Antoinette or Andrew for a ride anywhere...not even into the town of Athy where the bus and train stations are.  So I left on foot before anyone was up.  I started walking with my iPod in my ear and a determination to walk the 7km (5 miles) into town to get the 10:00 a.m. bus to Kilkenny.  About halfway there, it started to rain and I got soaked.  So I decided to try my hand at hitchhiking.  I mean I would pick someone up who looked like I did...soaking wet with backpack.  And so I was.  By a nice Irishman named Paul who worked in Athy.  Well, that was easy.  I was very early for the 10:00 bus so had a coffee and then just started to walk on Rt. 417 to Kilkenny.  I figured someone would pick me up and another guy did.  Michael.  Nice guy.  But was only going a short ways and would drop me off way before Kilkenny.  That was great!  I could continue walking and hitching.  Then I got picked up by Steven (73) who was just out getting milk and a newspaper.  He lived a short ways on the road to Kilkenny.  His wife's name was Monica.  He decided to take me past his house, further on into the town of Castlecomer where there was a bus stop going into Kilkenny about 13 km away and costing only 3 Euro.  I asked him  when getting home if Monica would ask him why he took so long.  He said "no".  I said she must be a nice wife.  He said "well, no, not really".  So we laughed and he let me off in Castlecomer.  I walked right past the bus stop on the road to Kilkenny and continued hitching.  I was then picked up by a woman (59), Marian, who was delivering flowers from her flower shop in Castlecomer to a wedding near Kilkenny. She had no problem taking me right into Kilkenny.  very nice lady.
I think I'll take the bus back to Athy and hitch back to Dollardstown.  My hitching experience was great but I'm not liking the looks of the sky right now.  I think I'll get the 5:00 bus back to Athy.
Kilkenny was one of the loveliest town so far.  I really like this town.  And I just drank a pint of cider.  And I and Marisa and Julia are leaving tomorrow to go up North to Canamara peninsula and Galway and the Cliffs of Moher for 3 days.  We all got tip money!!!!