xxx

Mina: If you need to change over from Guinness, have a pint of cider. Nice change of pace. Have a great trip! As a single woman who's traveled through Ireland, let me tell you that you won't have trouble meeting locals - and plenty of Irish lads.

Butch

Mina, loved your 'Australia Escapade'. Hilarious!!! What'd happened to part 2,3,4,..........? <BR><BR>Enjoy your trip to Ireland.

Ann

Mina, my final suggestion: try a couple of vats of Smithwick's (beer). You can get cider anywhere, but you can't even get Smithwick's in London.<BR><BR>I'll be enjoying a smooth, refreshing half-pint myself on Saturday.

Mina

Butch, my friend works for the eugene.com site, and was one of the people who had received the emails while I was in Oz. She sent them to the general manager, who asked to post them. They were going to post all 9 emails in a series, one every other week. They started posting them about 2 weeks ago. <BR><BR>However, I asked them to unpost, because I'm working on rewrites and possible submittals (to who knows what). A lot of pubs won't take anything that's been run before, even online (although I don't think that anyone in Eugene's even READ the thing. )<BR><BR>I have all of the series of emails. I can send them to you, if you want to see how the whole crazy thing turned out. Thanks for the compliment.<BR><BR>Yes, I do like cider, but it goes down too fast! And Ann, please don't make any "final" suggestions...I've appreciated all your good suggestions immensely. I'll be more than happy to try all "cool refreshment" suggestions made by all of you. =P

Dan

My favorite photo from Ireland is me gleefully retrieving my hubcaps from a field with about a 100 sheep looking at me. Sadly I ended up losing the hubcaps for good next day.

Dan

Oh, and I should add if you don't think its possible to damge your car while in a 5 mph traffic jam, try driving in downtown Kilkenny sometime.

kam

Alternatives to pricey Dromoland (although a one time stay there is worth it) Merriman's Hotel in Kinvara or Bunratty Manor Hotel (or Bunratty Castle Hotel, but it's almost always booked with tours) or the Old Ground Hotel in Ennis (again a big tour hotel, but nice town) Or, if you want to get out in the country a little more, anything in Ballyvaughan---on the way to Doolin. All of these good for first or last day from Shannon. Adare is wonderful town--"the prettiest village in Ireland" and has two wonderful hotels.<BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR >

Butch

Yes, please Mina. I am going to Queensland in October, would love to read about your adventure. Thanks.

sam

Why are Americans such bad drivers?

Mina

Butch, I'll get it to you later tonight, since the file is on the home computer.<BR><BR>Kam, if you could name the two hotels, that would be great. The guidebooks only seem to name the Adare manor. <BR><BR>Dan, I'm a Korean woman driver...I'm capable of doing damage to cars at any time. &lt;G&gt;<BR><BR>And Sam, thanks for kindly fulfilling my flame quota. =P

Mike

Sam,<BR><BR>Because Irish roads are as wide as my driveway.

Mcdonald

Just go! Every time is a new experience!

kam

Hi Mina, Two hotels in Adare are Adare Manor---very grand and more of a golf resort and the wonderful smaller Dunraven Arms where we stayed two years ago. Couldn't have been better. Close to the little town, good food and there's another restaurant across the street which I can't remember the name of. Adare is thatched roofs and little shops, though it's not particularly old, has no real old history and is quite touristy. Still a very nice place to spend the first or last night. From there you can easily access Limerick if you just want to go quickly to see King John's Castle---wouldn't ever stay in Limerick though. Oh---just thought of the other restaurant--it's called the Inn Between. Another wonderful little town nearby is Killaloe/Ballina on opposite side of the Shannon River. Can't help with hotels there though. And, my two cents about Killarney. We've been several times. It totally depends on the time of the year you go. In the summer tourist season, Killarney is overwhelmed and looks a bit like Coney Island. If you go off season (we were last there in October) it can be charming. We stayed out across the road from Muckross Abbey/ House and it was delightful. In the summer Kenmare would be a good alternative or somewhere on the west Cork coast. Have a great time and watch out for those baa-baas.

topper

To the top!

Mina

Hey, how funny...someone topped this thread for me. I always thought only the original posters topped their own threads under generic topping names. Thanks! <BR><BR>Just an update on flights, as it may help others who are planning. I am flying to London because of FF miles. So had I to pay for a ticket from London to Shannon and back. Not too many airlines service Shannon, so I was open to flying out of any airport in London.<BR><BR>Ryanair had a rate of about 55 pounds out of Stanstead. Aer Lingus was 88.60 out of Heathrow.<BR><BR>Quite a difference, when translated to USD. However, I pack very light so I can take the tube. Very cheap to get to Heathrow and back. The Stanstead Express is 23 pounds round trip. Also, with Ryanair charging extra for luggage over 15 kilos (which my carry on bag will probably be), if you want to breath or pee on their planes, etc, I decided it was more convenient to go with Aer Lingus.<BR><BR>Car: Dan Dooley so far as given me the best rate. 327.87 USD for 10 days, including VAT, CDW. Automatic car, Ford Fiesta (oh joy!). Extra 54.34 if you want to bring the $455 deductible to zero (due to hubcap posts, I will take this), and 21 euro airport tax. This equals about $400, plus the gas they will charge me. Have to call them a month prior, so they can charge me the full amount, but I understand this is how Dan Dooley operates. BTW, they replied very quickly to any inquiries I had.<BR><BR>OK...now on to the Bed and Breakfast reservations. Cheers, Mina<BR><BR>P.S. I am having dreams (and I'm not kidding here) of driving in Ireland and crashing into hedges and walls already. Not good.

Mina

Greetings again...<BR><BR>Just wanted to update on where I have decided to stay, and the rates I was given. I also need help on lodging for my last night in Ireland. Dromoland castle has not responded. Dunraven Arms is 153 euros for room only, not including tax. I'm not sure this place is going to be worth the price. Any other suggestions in Adare? Or is the Dunraven worth the stay? I prefer to save money on lodging, so I can spend money elsewhere, but not at the expense of sharing rooms with unwanted critters.<BR><BR>Other B&B's booked (paying "single" rates):<BR><BR>Galway: Ardawn House 60 Euros/night<BR>Doolin: Cullinan's Guesthouse 60e/night<BR>Dingle: Greenmont House 50e/night<BR>Kinsale: Old Presbytery 55e/night<BR><BR>I'm sure each of these rooms will be the size of a shoebox, but breakfast looks great, and locations seem good. Any suggestions let me know!

Carolyn

Dear Mina,<BR><BR>I am 11 and I loved Dingle!!! I loved Conner Pass, Brandon Point, Inch Beach and the cottage we stayed at especially!!! I've noticed that the beds in Ireland are sssssssssoooooo much more comfy that here in America. I suggest going to Dingle and spending alot of time there. Have fun!<BR><BR> Carolyn<BR><BR>

ml

Hi Mina <BR>Sounds like a great trip! I agree with switching to Galway first then on to Doolin. It's a more sensible order!<BR>The Tarbert Ferry is easy. It runs on the every half hour alternating directions and is cheap. It's part of the fun....crossing over the River Shannon and it saves a lot of driving time through Limerick. If you're early for the trip there's a pub right there where you could enjoy the Guiness or perhaps something different! Dingle Peninsula is beautiful as so many have already said and Dingletown is cool to walk around. Murphy's Pub there served a great meal...all 4 of us had something different and it was all very fresh and tasty!<BR>Have a great trip!

Frank

Dingle, Dingle, Dingle. That's all you need to know. Galway is all right but I wouldn't go back knowing I could stay on the Dingle Peninsula and take day trips from there. Don't worry about the driving highways are small and simple you will be fine.

Mina

Thanks all for the new posts. Kam, still looking into Adare, so I'll keep you posted on where I end up.<BR><BR>Carolyn, I'm glad you enjoyed Dingle...seems there's something for everyone there. It's good to know that I'll be in some nice beds...two weeks is a good chunk of time away from home!<BR><BR>ml, ideas on places to get a Guinness are always appreciated. <BR><BR>And Frank, I am sure Dingle is the place to be...but since it's my first time there, I figured I had to see more than Dingle. I can have fun anywhere, so I know I'll have a grand ol' time.<BR><BR>As an update to everyone, I'm still trying to figure out where to spend the last night. Never heard back from Dromoland. So I'll have to see if I can contact them another way.