Achill is a small island off the west coast of Ireland, in county Mayo. You can get to it by crossing a short bridge. As you approach the bridge, note the near decrepit grey building on the right. In there, this old guy sells whole, fresh fresh fish, caught earlier the same day.

There are several small villages on Achill. In these are several pubs, a couple of touristy trinket shops and a few art galleries. Visitors will get to know these quite well, given the typical weather there. The pubs often have live music, too. Of more interest to the tourists are the beaches. Achill has lovely beaches. There is Keel beach, the nearest to the camp-site and surprisingly good for surfing. There's the golden strand beach, which looks lovely, though the howling wind will make you wonder why there aren't any waves. Another notable beach is Kim Bay. To get to this you must embark on a hair raising car trip along a road carved into the edge of a hill, complete with avalanche signs on your right and a 50 foot drop to the sea on your left. The beach is quite nice though. The quietest beach on Achill is aptly named 'the back of beyond'. Have fun trying to get to it.

While all this makes Achill seem a pleasant place, living their permanently would be another matter. It's a long long way from anywhere. And there's the weather; the drizzle all year round interspersed with thunder storms and sea fog. And there's the absence of a single set of traffic lights on the whole island. It's suitable for some.

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