So my bags are packed - except for the last addition of cosmetics, and all my paperwork is printed out, including boarding passes. Other than a few last errands today, and bill paying, I'm pretty much ready to go. At least I think so! There is always that last minute detail that comes up and needs to be taken care of.
It's an early to be tonight as I'm being picked up by the shuttle before 5:00am. Southwest Airlines to Midway through Las Vegas - maybe I'll strike it rich during our short layover! Then a transfer to O'Hare and American Airlines for the overnight flight. I know that sounds strange, but there are no direct flights from LA to Ireland. And with airline miles, this trip was virtually free. So for a little inconvenience, it's worth it. Just hoping for some sleep time on the flight from Chicago to Dublin as the next day there will be no nap time in order to quickly adjust to Ireland time.
We will land in Dublin Wednesday morning, pick up the rental car, exchange enough money to get started, and be on the road. Most of the B&B's where we are staying have Internet access, so I hope to be posting a blog at least every other day with some pictures. If I can, I'll post more often, but pub time comes first, so there may be some delays! :)
I'm also going to try and use tripline to map our trip. It does show "as the crow flies", so not necessarily the roads we'll be traveling, but you'll get an idea of our location. I'll post the link on the side bar of the page after our first day and it will update as I add locations.
Now it's time I get moving and get those last minute things done. As I post this, it's just over 20 hours until our first flight leaves. YIKES!!!
Monday, June 20, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Less than a week!
Just a short post here.
It's less than a week until we leave and things are still happening. We've found out about a fun event in Wexford at the hotel where we are staying. It's called Gossip Girls . Secondly, we're not quite sure where we are staying in Kinsale.
It's a long story, but basically we canceled an over night in Kinsale to stay in Wexford, and wanted to move one of our days in Cork to Kinsale. Now to locate a B&B, or Inn, in Kinsale to stay. I was not really impressed with the first one we located as they didn't have quite the room we wanted. And we have to stay in Kinsale as I have a drink waiting for me at The Spaniard. Another long story there, but suffice it so say, a kind gentleman has made these arrangements. Besides the fact that Kinsale is one of the places I've so wanted to visit in the past and never really had the chance.
At the moment, I'm out of town watching the grandkids while their dad travels for work and their mom is in Sweden with her brother. Again, a long story, but they are picking up my son's car at the Volvo plant in Sweden. Mostly I'm chauffeur for all the places the kids have to go - swim team, swimming lessons, Bible camp, and day care, and making dinners in the evening. When my SIL is here we split the driving duties. So very little can be taken care of for the trip unless it's online.
I will have 3 days back a home to catch up on sleep and get organized and packed. I'm not too panicked about this yet, as I've done this 3 times before and with a smaller suitcase. At this point I can't imagine how I possible managed.
I do want to thank a couple of people who have helped make the planning for this trip even more exciting. One is my friend, Tom, from Mass. who has given me all kinds of hidden gems from Dublin, to the Kinsale area and the Dingle Peninsula. He just returned from his trip there. The other is Michael Londra, who shared the information about Gossip Girls. It's things like this that make the trip much more of an adventure than just sightseeing. :)
My next post will probably be the night before we leave. Looking forward to sharing this will everyone who is interested.
Slan!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
24 Days and Being Flexible
So here we are 24 days away from departure and we've already made 2 sets of changes to our "set" itinerary. I have to say that is the beauty of getting started early enough on all this. Yes, unfortunately, I've had to email some of the B&B's and see about changing dates, or canceling reservations, but this far out there are no extra charges or fees.
The first came when we were able to adjust our plane flight so we didn't have to stay overnight in Chicago on the way to Ireland. That gave us an extra day. We planned to stay around Clontarf, Howth and Malahide that day, and then head out on the road. As we looked at our itinerary more, we realized that we needed an extra day in the Cork area. So all days up to Cork were moved up a day and we changed a 2 day stay to 1 day at the end of the trip to plug in our Clontarf, Howth, and Malahide day.
As of yesterday we have decided to change an overnight in Kinsale, to an overnight in Wexford so we are able to meet up and have drinks with a friend. Totally an unexpected change, but being flexible is what it's all about. And when we looked at the itinerary for the day, this actually makes a little more sense to our travels. We'll still be spending some time in Kinsale, but not an overnight, and we will still have two nights in Cork.
Another friend just returned from Ireland and messaged me that he had some recommendations for me. I hope it's just great pubs, as I'm not sure I can handle too much more in the way of changes. I feel so very bad emailing the B&B owners and canceling reservations. I'm anxious to see what he has to recommend.
Still considering one more change, but it's more of a convenience one, than a travel one. Still thinking on that one. I like the idea of staying at one place for a couple of days now and then, and this was one of those places. Still time for that decision as it's near the end of our trip.
I'm finding that at times this trip is designing itself and we are just working around it. And actually it's working itself out just fine.
The first came when we were able to adjust our plane flight so we didn't have to stay overnight in Chicago on the way to Ireland. That gave us an extra day. We planned to stay around Clontarf, Howth and Malahide that day, and then head out on the road. As we looked at our itinerary more, we realized that we needed an extra day in the Cork area. So all days up to Cork were moved up a day and we changed a 2 day stay to 1 day at the end of the trip to plug in our Clontarf, Howth, and Malahide day.
As of yesterday we have decided to change an overnight in Kinsale, to an overnight in Wexford so we are able to meet up and have drinks with a friend. Totally an unexpected change, but being flexible is what it's all about. And when we looked at the itinerary for the day, this actually makes a little more sense to our travels. We'll still be spending some time in Kinsale, but not an overnight, and we will still have two nights in Cork.
Another friend just returned from Ireland and messaged me that he had some recommendations for me. I hope it's just great pubs, as I'm not sure I can handle too much more in the way of changes. I feel so very bad emailing the B&B owners and canceling reservations. I'm anxious to see what he has to recommend.
Still considering one more change, but it's more of a convenience one, than a travel one. Still thinking on that one. I like the idea of staying at one place for a couple of days now and then, and this was one of those places. Still time for that decision as it's near the end of our trip.
I'm finding that at times this trip is designing itself and we are just working around it. And actually it's working itself out just fine.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Under 30 days to Go!!
My traveling partner and I met this weekend to talk about last minute things. We are now just under 30 days until departure and this was the last time we would have a chance to get together face to face and check to make we had things covered. At least as much as possible covered. No vacation ever goes without a little catch here and there, but that's what makes it all an adventure.
Since this is my 4th trip to Ireland and her first, she had some questions about details that I take for granted. So I thought for anyone following this, I might take a minutes to write about these things so that anyone reading this might find it helpful.
Money....Yes, it's always good to have some. LOL But what everyone needs t think about is exchanging money from dollars to Euros. Where, when, how much? You can purchase Euros from AAA, or your bank. They make it sound great with only a $5 service charge per $1000. What they don't tell you is that the exchange rate they quote you is higher than the standard exchange rate. That's where they make their money. And unless you are at the main branch of a bank in a big city, you need to give them a couple of days notice to get the Euros in.
You can take dollars to Ireland and to to an exchange window at the airport and get Euros there. Again, you will pay a little more for this service also. If you can hold off and use your credit card until you get to an ATM, this is where you will get the best exchange. You are not paying for someone to give you the money, you're just taking it from your account. If you can't find an ATM at the airport, and need cash right away, just exchange a small amount at the airport and stop at the first ATM in the city when you arrive.
Electrical - basically make sure you have adapters with you. If you take a hairdryer, it must have a little place to change the voltage, or even with an adapter, it will burn up! I've only been to one B&B where they had adapters available. As you travel and repack so often, make sure when you pack that the adapters are the first thing to be put in your suitcase. I found a great deal on the ones for Ireland and Britain here:
http://bit.ly/hHeYZ5
The shipping was more than the adapters, but the total price was perfect.
Before you go-- Before you leave contact your credit card company and bank that you will be using your ATM and credit card(s) in Ireland. Some banks have rules about how much you can withdraw per day, or may question the use of the card outside of the norm. Make sure you know their withdrawal rules. They may also charge you to convert your Euro purchases on your credit card back to dollars. Nice to know if you are watching how much you spend.
Speaking of money - So how much money do you take? This is a difficult one. Almost all hotels and B&Bs take credit cards nowadays, but there are a few out there that want cash. If a B&B runs 40 Eruo, and you still need to pay for admissions, and meals and or drinks at pubs, or small restaurants, you might want to have around 100 Euros on hand. That's around $140. That may sound like a lot, but it goes very quickly. And that is only one day! Don't forget the cost of gas for your rental car, or bus and train fares.
If you need to transfer money from your savings to your checking and are using a computer that you don't usually use (or different URL) you may have to go though a verification process that will take a few minutes. This can happen even if you notify your bank. They are watching for hackers.
Internet cafes - If you don't have your own computer with you, you might need or want to get in touch with family using an Internet Cafe. They are not as predominate as they used to be, but you can still find them. If you use a site where you log on, make sure to log off and don't just close the window when you are done. Most Internet Cafes do wipe all info once a person is finished, but some don't. Just to make sure no one can get into your account, make sure and log out.
Make sure someone at home has a copy of your itinerary and a number where to reach you. And carry an itinerary with your that has the phone numbers of all the B&B/hotels where you are staying in case you get lost, or need directions. Make sure your traveling partner has an emergency phone number back home if they need you to call for them.
Oh, and don't forget. Take an small travel umbrella! If you don't have one, it's sure to be raining! :)
Since this is my 4th trip to Ireland and her first, she had some questions about details that I take for granted. So I thought for anyone following this, I might take a minutes to write about these things so that anyone reading this might find it helpful.
Money....Yes, it's always good to have some. LOL But what everyone needs t think about is exchanging money from dollars to Euros. Where, when, how much? You can purchase Euros from AAA, or your bank. They make it sound great with only a $5 service charge per $1000. What they don't tell you is that the exchange rate they quote you is higher than the standard exchange rate. That's where they make their money. And unless you are at the main branch of a bank in a big city, you need to give them a couple of days notice to get the Euros in.
You can take dollars to Ireland and to to an exchange window at the airport and get Euros there. Again, you will pay a little more for this service also. If you can hold off and use your credit card until you get to an ATM, this is where you will get the best exchange. You are not paying for someone to give you the money, you're just taking it from your account. If you can't find an ATM at the airport, and need cash right away, just exchange a small amount at the airport and stop at the first ATM in the city when you arrive.
Electrical - basically make sure you have adapters with you. If you take a hairdryer, it must have a little place to change the voltage, or even with an adapter, it will burn up! I've only been to one B&B where they had adapters available. As you travel and repack so often, make sure when you pack that the adapters are the first thing to be put in your suitcase. I found a great deal on the ones for Ireland and Britain here:
http://bit.ly/hHeYZ5
The shipping was more than the adapters, but the total price was perfect.
Before you go-- Before you leave contact your credit card company and bank that you will be using your ATM and credit card(s) in Ireland. Some banks have rules about how much you can withdraw per day, or may question the use of the card outside of the norm. Make sure you know their withdrawal rules. They may also charge you to convert your Euro purchases on your credit card back to dollars. Nice to know if you are watching how much you spend.
Speaking of money - So how much money do you take? This is a difficult one. Almost all hotels and B&Bs take credit cards nowadays, but there are a few out there that want cash. If a B&B runs 40 Eruo, and you still need to pay for admissions, and meals and or drinks at pubs, or small restaurants, you might want to have around 100 Euros on hand. That's around $140. That may sound like a lot, but it goes very quickly. And that is only one day! Don't forget the cost of gas for your rental car, or bus and train fares.
If you need to transfer money from your savings to your checking and are using a computer that you don't usually use (or different URL) you may have to go though a verification process that will take a few minutes. This can happen even if you notify your bank. They are watching for hackers.
Internet cafes - If you don't have your own computer with you, you might need or want to get in touch with family using an Internet Cafe. They are not as predominate as they used to be, but you can still find them. If you use a site where you log on, make sure to log off and don't just close the window when you are done. Most Internet Cafes do wipe all info once a person is finished, but some don't. Just to make sure no one can get into your account, make sure and log out.
Make sure someone at home has a copy of your itinerary and a number where to reach you. And carry an itinerary with your that has the phone numbers of all the B&B/hotels where you are staying in case you get lost, or need directions. Make sure your traveling partner has an emergency phone number back home if they need you to call for them.
Oh, and don't forget. Take an small travel umbrella! If you don't have one, it's sure to be raining! :)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Holy Days Batman!!!!
When I began this blog there were over 100 days until our trip. Now there are just 51 left until we depart. Not much has needed to be done in terms of reservations, rentals, or anything but there is still a lot of planning.
As I research areas, I still continue to come across places I want to add to the itinerary. Even with the length of the trip as it is, there will not be enough time to see it all. And many of the places are very different than what I would have visited before. For example, the Cork English Market is such an amazing place. I guess you could compare it to Pike's Place in Seattle. Can't wait to be taking some pictures there and try some of the local cheeses and chocolates.
http://www.corkenglishmarket.ie/
Two very different locations have a very similar product - smoked salmon. One is just to the north of Dublin in Howth Harbour called Wright's of Howth, and the other is in Lisdoonvarna called The Burren Smokehouse. Obviously, we'll have to sample both and compare!
http://www.wrightsofhowth.com/
http://www.burrensmokehouse.ie/
I'm going to need an instruction guide as to how to bet at the races in Ireland. We've planned a day at Dundalk Stadium to see some horse races. I've bet at horse races in the US for a win, place or show, but I'm not seeing place or show when I research betting in Ireland. I may just have to bet to win! Not that there would be any sense in a place or show bet. Now there's a real course of study before we get there. I hear if I set up an account beforehand I can phone in my bets! I'm sure they take credit cards! LOL
We would have loved to catch a High Kings show while we were in Ireland as their tours have not come to the west coast of the US, but unfortunately we'll be in the North when they play in Killarney. If they do add some more shows we'll try to get there. We've already booked a concert in Derry. Missed it last time I was in Ireland.
As I finish planning docs I decided to load them onto the "cloud" so I have access to them while we travel. Trying not to have to print everything and I'm not taking a big laptop with me. I've finished the document with the list of 28 days of B&Bs, hotels, and inns. Need to work on that as the pictures with maps did not transfer. Always something with technology!
As the days tick down, it gets more exciting. Until next post! Slan :)
As I research areas, I still continue to come across places I want to add to the itinerary. Even with the length of the trip as it is, there will not be enough time to see it all. And many of the places are very different than what I would have visited before. For example, the Cork English Market is such an amazing place. I guess you could compare it to Pike's Place in Seattle. Can't wait to be taking some pictures there and try some of the local cheeses and chocolates.
http://www.corkenglishmarket.ie/
Two very different locations have a very similar product - smoked salmon. One is just to the north of Dublin in Howth Harbour called Wright's of Howth, and the other is in Lisdoonvarna called The Burren Smokehouse. Obviously, we'll have to sample both and compare!
http://www.wrightsofhowth.com/
http://www.burrensmokehouse.ie/
I'm going to need an instruction guide as to how to bet at the races in Ireland. We've planned a day at Dundalk Stadium to see some horse races. I've bet at horse races in the US for a win, place or show, but I'm not seeing place or show when I research betting in Ireland. I may just have to bet to win! Not that there would be any sense in a place or show bet. Now there's a real course of study before we get there. I hear if I set up an account beforehand I can phone in my bets! I'm sure they take credit cards! LOL
We would have loved to catch a High Kings show while we were in Ireland as their tours have not come to the west coast of the US, but unfortunately we'll be in the North when they play in Killarney. If they do add some more shows we'll try to get there. We've already booked a concert in Derry. Missed it last time I was in Ireland.
As I finish planning docs I decided to load them onto the "cloud" so I have access to them while we travel. Trying not to have to print everything and I'm not taking a big laptop with me. I've finished the document with the list of 28 days of B&Bs, hotels, and inns. Need to work on that as the pictures with maps did not transfer. Always something with technology!
As the days tick down, it gets more exciting. Until next post! Slan :)
Sunday, April 24, 2011
So many places, so few days
Now that flights, car, and B&B have all been confirmed and we have set our itinerary - not in stone - but a general plan is in place, I've been searching out roadways and directions since I'll be doing the driving. I did all the driving on my last trip, so I don't mind. I do realize that the driver sees the roadside sights much differently than the passengers. The only way to help with that is to constantly pull off to the side of the road so the driver can take a gander at the wonderful sites being viewed by the passenger. And that is what sightseeing is all about.
As I've checked out roads and directions I've come across more sites to check out. And when I came across this site, things got even more complicated.
http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/index.html
I was so glad to discover that I had previously seen some of these "hidden gems" and that we have already scheduled to see many more. But in amongst the ones I've seen and the ones we plan to see were a few extra suggestions that I wanted to try and fit in.
I do have to say that after 3 previous trips most people would think I've seen pretty much all there is to see, but while Ireland might be small in size, it packs a punch when it comes to sightseeing. It was not until my third trip that I saw Kilmainham Goal in Dublin, or the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. With this trip lasting just under 4 weeks, there is that extra time, so we will adjust as needed, where we can, and I hope we have the time.
I want to pass on another website that is a great reference. Wish I had found it earlier for some additional references for B&Bs, but will mostly be using it for restaurant and pub references.
http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/
I love that Ireland is working on becoming a foodie destination. My last time in Dublin I was pleasantly pleased to find some very delicious tapas, and a surprisingly scrumptious vegan place for lunch. There will always still be the lamb and potato places with traditional Irish food, but they are now taking the traditions and turning them into a delicious and unique dining experiences. I'm looking to visit some of those places and see for myself. But don't forget, I am taking a cooking class in traditional Irish cooking! :)
So the list of places to see keeps growing. I'm sure we will have to weed through and eliminate a few, but we'll see. We've tried to leave enough time in each day so we are not too rushed. Hopefully that will help.
More to come now that we are under 60 days to departure.
As I've checked out roads and directions I've come across more sites to check out. And when I came across this site, things got even more complicated.
http://www.irelands-hidden-gems.com/index.html
I was so glad to discover that I had previously seen some of these "hidden gems" and that we have already scheduled to see many more. But in amongst the ones I've seen and the ones we plan to see were a few extra suggestions that I wanted to try and fit in.
I do have to say that after 3 previous trips most people would think I've seen pretty much all there is to see, but while Ireland might be small in size, it packs a punch when it comes to sightseeing. It was not until my third trip that I saw Kilmainham Goal in Dublin, or the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland. With this trip lasting just under 4 weeks, there is that extra time, so we will adjust as needed, where we can, and I hope we have the time.
I want to pass on another website that is a great reference. Wish I had found it earlier for some additional references for B&Bs, but will mostly be using it for restaurant and pub references.
http://www.goodfoodireland.ie/
I love that Ireland is working on becoming a foodie destination. My last time in Dublin I was pleasantly pleased to find some very delicious tapas, and a surprisingly scrumptious vegan place for lunch. There will always still be the lamb and potato places with traditional Irish food, but they are now taking the traditions and turning them into a delicious and unique dining experiences. I'm looking to visit some of those places and see for myself. But don't forget, I am taking a cooking class in traditional Irish cooking! :)
So the list of places to see keeps growing. I'm sure we will have to weed through and eliminate a few, but we'll see. We've tried to leave enough time in each day so we are not too rushed. Hopefully that will help.
More to come now that we are under 60 days to departure.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Moving Along With the Agenda
As we move along with plans we've made our reservations at B&Bs along the way. It took an entire weekend just to get the majority of emails and enquiries sent off to approximately 17 locations for our 4 week trip.
This week I finally heard back from the last of the B&Bs with confirmations. I did find out that often the responses came back to me in my junk mail, so was checking there daily. And those online enquiries that are part of the B&B network don't always work. After not hearing from a few B&Bs, I searched for direct emails and received responses within 24 hours.
So at this point we have plane reservations and reservations at B&Bs, and a car reservation. I'd say we're pretty much ready. We did end up changing the tour plan for our last 4 days on the road to include a visit to the horse races. Something new for me during a vacation to Ireland. Now we are down to finding some additional unique places to make sure we have a chance to visit.
I'm very excited that when we are in Dublin a friend and her husband from London are flying over to spend our last weekend with us touring this wonderful city. They have never been to Ireland before, even though they have lived in London for a year. Have to admit, with everything there is to see in England, I might be in the same boat if I was there.
As a reference, I'll be listing the B&Bs in the various locations as we travel, so that if anyone is looking for a B&B in a town they might want to use the same one we stay in, or not, depending on our experience. For the most part, after having stayed at B&Bs my last trip, I really haven't found one that was unacceptable. It's really important to understand that some are newer and "purpose built" - built as a B&B, and some are older and converted to B&Bs. Most are ensuite, meaning each room has it's own bathroom and shower, but on occasion, they are not. For the most part a "double" room means a room for 2 with a double bed, no queen-sized, or king-sized. They are not really what you would consider luxury accommodations, but very comfortable and homey.
Outside of a hotel or a self-catering cottage, a B&B gives you a better chance to meet people. Both the people from Ireland and others traveling to visit Ireland. Some B&B proprietors are very business like and only tend to the business at hand, others are much friendlier and spend some time getting to know their guests and chatting with them. Back in 2009, at a B&B in Dublin, Mary our hostess sat down in the evening and had a nip of whiskey with us while she shared about her life. It was great.
In all these plans we did make reservations at hotels in and around Dublin when we first arrive and the last 4 days before we leave. It was important to be closer to the center of things where walking would be our means of transportation. If you are staying in Dublin City Center you are within walking distance of most locations. It's not really a city I'd want to do much driving in.
As we approach our departure time in close to 80 days, we'll make a few more online reservations where we can save a little with online reservations, like the ferry to the Aran Islands, or a hop-on-hop-off tour of Dublin.
I wanted to post this little picture of one of those "out of the ordinary" sites. I hope we get a chance to go and see this little church.
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