When I got to Galway, I spent the first few days exploring the city and trying to figure out how to get everywhere that I needed to. After a few wrong turns here and there I had the city just about figured out. The only problem I ran into was that my classes and coaching assignments were a little longer than a thirty minute walk away from my apartment. I looked into getting a moped but those efforts turned out to be futile so I knew I needed to figure something out.
I ended up enrolling in a bike share program. On the surface it seemed like a great idea; only ten euros for the entire year and stations conveniently located all throughout the city and everywhere I could want to go. I was excited to get around the city quickly and have a little more time to sleep.
However, the bike share program comes with a few problems. It’s almost comical every time I take a bike out. There’s rarely a time I don’t have to return the bike because of a chain that has fallen off or a broken wheel of some sort before trying the next bike. A few times it takes over three tries to get a working bike.When I do get a bike, I had to deal with a bit of a shock of people driving on the left side of the road. Not going to lie, I’ve had a few close calls there and I’m surprised myself I haven’t been in an accident yet. Another thing I deal with is rain. If you haven’t heard, it tends to rain a little bit in Ireland. Not only does this make it not exactly exciting to be outside riding a bike but it makes the roads and paths slippery so there have also been a few close calls there.
Overall, the bike share program has been a good thing. It certainly makes each day an experience. Galway has a really nice canal system that’s nice to take to school every day and occasionally rewards me with views like the one above. I never thought I would miss my 2003 Toyota Highlander, but Galway had made me appreciate the luxury of any car.
