Northern Ireland forms part of the United Kingdom and still has the same currency. When one starts getting into the politics of the United Kingdom, which is typically England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, it all becomes very complicated. For example, they competed in the Olympics as all four nations combined under the name of Great Britain but they never took part in the Olympic men’s soccer because they thought that if they did, they would be forced to do so in the World Cup as well. In the World Cup they compete as four separate countries, but to increase their chances of medals and putting together good teams, when it comes to the Olympics, they combined as one country and so they just don’t want to have any confusion about whether or not there is a soccer team called “Great Britain” and as a result, even though they were hosting the Olympics, there was no Great Britain team nor teams from any of those countries taking part in the men’s under 23 football. The situation with Northern Ireland becomes even more complicated where athletes living in Northern Ireland can choose to take part in either the Great Britain Olympic team or if they want as a member of the Irish team, Ireland being a member of the European Union.

It is no surprise then that when it comes to currency they use the same currency except that they call it an Irish Pound and most people in smaller shops don’t want to accept it once you are back in England, even though it is a legal tender. The countries could not be any more different with Northern Ireland having far inferior weather generally than England does and on the same day that it can be 30° and hot in London, it is 17° in Belfast and raining. Belfast looks like a fairly sizeable city, but my journey travelling around Northern Ireland really revealed narrow, winding roads, up and down hills, past houses and long gardens, possibly farms which all seem to have sheep and cows. I would imagine, if you were trying to get away from it all, hiding in the countryside in Northern Ireland would be a pretty good way to live a very quiet and desolate life and while it is all very green and very beautiful, the non-stop rain and plenty of grey skies, is not exactly the kind of weather that I relate to.