First....day?

Ok, so I'm still in the airport, but I'm in Europe!!! Here's a little recap of my saga so far. So I got to LAX around 6 and met up with Marina (the girl I'm traveling with). She'd been there since one and managed a prime spot with internet plugs and had made friends with some guy named Steve who'd also been there since one. Our flight (and Steve's incidentally) was delayed and was to leave at 11:10 instead of 9:20. So, we chatted, read, ate etc. til going through security. Then we chilled some more before finally getting on the plane at around 10:30. Before we leave LAX, can I just say it's definitely much different (as well as much more exciting) being in the INTERNATIONAL terminal. Way different feel. Makes me wonder where everyone's going and why. Anyway, so we took a shuttle to the plane. Also, an interesting experience as it was packed to the brim, the lights were out and there seriously was this strobe light thing. I think we all felt like we were at a club or something and we were all kind of chuckling. Anyway, flight was alright. Not too interesting. Took 10 hours and I'm horrible at sleeping on planes. I wasn't next to the window, or on the right side of the plane, so I didn't really see London much. Apparently if I'd been next to a window on the right I'd have seen Buckingham Palace, the London Eye and Parliament. Once we got to Heathrow, we walked FOREVER through winding hallways before reaching a conglomeration of people trying to fit through a tiny opening for "connections." About this time I went to the bathroom and the only reason I mention this is there was this wiered hanging towel thing that you dry your hands on. It looked like a normal paper tower dispenser, only with...an actual towel hanging out of it. Anyway, my bag was too big because the size allowance changed and I had to check it. So I had to separate from Marina, go through customs, they kept giving me bad directions, I waited in a lot of pointless wrong lines and such before finally checking the bag. Then I had to somehow get from the part of the airport they'd sent me to to where Marina was which was probematic because she went a completely different way. Anyway, we ending up having a very random meeting wilst I was running the wrong direction and she happened to be walking toward me. Good thing. Anyway, we waited more (flight was delayed again) and then finally got onboard Aer Lingus to Shannon, Ireland. It was cool looking out over Ireland and England and the many many clouds and it still doesn't seem like i'm in Europe because we've barely ventured outside at all. Anyway, we got to Shannon and since we missed our hostel reservation, we were going to have to sleep in the airport. First we ate at this Cafe/Bar thing (Bars are different in Europe - family friendly - OK) and got a cold yucky sandwich for 5.96 E (about $7.50?) then after walking around awkwardly for a while and talking to a travel agent lady who kept asking us awkward questions like (well, where are you staying), we decided to pull some benches together in this little back corner under the stairs-ish kind of area and make a cool little sleeping place for ourselves (pics will come later). We couldn't really sleep well, though we sure tried, so we've been up pretty much the whole night just wandering around this little airport. And I must say, its kind of wierd being in an airport when it's all quiet and empty and the only people there are the staff and little colonies of sleeping people. I felt very much like a "seat of you pants" backpacker. Also wierd thinking that it's like 11pm at home and I'm really not quite sure which day I did what on or how long I've actually been in airports. Anyway, the cafe will open soon. At which time we'll probably get some breakfast and get all ready to catch the 8 o clock bus to Ennis. More later!
p.s. I can't put pics up yet because I'm not using my comp right now.
p.p.s. I can put picks up now! Here ya go: