Exams Irish Style

So the first one was this morning. In a hotel ballroom. Apparently the school doesn't have the facilities to hold all the exams on campus - even though the exam period is spread out over three weeks. I guess I kind of noticed that when I downloaded my exam "timetable" a few weeks back (the very first day it was available), but it only occurred to me yesterday that I didn't know how to get to the hotel. I asked one of the roommates and he said "oh, that's over in Salthill," which is a section of town pretty much as far from my end of town as you can get.

"Do most people walk all the way out there?"

"Na, you'd be best to take a taxi. Better book it today too, to be sure."

Good thing I asked. Luckily, the cab appointment and ride went without a hitch (although you better believe I re-confirmed that this morning). However, upon alighting from the cab, I learned I owed ten (ten!) euro. Granted I'm not a math major, but since three of my exams are at the hotel and the other two are next door at "Leisure Land" (a waterpark/arcade/gym/conference center), that means 100 euro (about $125) just to get to my exams.

After the exam, which I'd put in that all-too-familiar law school category of "tough but fair," I walked out of the hotel to bright sunshine. I decided to walk it. A bit over an hour I arrived home. A bit of a pain, but doable for $12.50. No wonder I can climb mountains now.

I figure I just saved 90 euro. Wonder how many pints of Carlsberg that will buy? And you thought I was just studying over here.