I have a credit with Aer Lingus and if I can plan a reasonable trip where they fly maybe I can get my husband to go with me. Money is tight right now and if I can't go with him, I may plan a trip alone. My credit is good until next March. Any help is appreciated.

Carol, <BR> <BR>Some thoughts on Ireland on the cheap: <BR> <BR>Although you wouldn't think so from reading this forum, you can travel around Ireland by bus rather than renting a car. There are a variety of passes - check out "www.buseireann.ie" for details. I spent a very satisfying two weeks in Ireland this spring using a combination of coach travel and day tours. As I recall, I purchased an 8 day flexipass (valid for any 8 days over two weeks, in the Republic only) for about 70IRP. Although traveling by public transport presents a different set of challenges from renting an auto, I find it to be a very rewarding experience. As a solo traveller, it also gives me an opportunity to spend some time with other people, rather than alone in a car. <BR> <BR>If you go in the off season, you might find cheaper accomodations, but keep in mind that bus services are cut back significantly. <BR> <BR>Hostels are probably the cheapest places to stay; but Ireland is a REALLY hot destination for the younger set these days and my impression is that many hostels book quickly, especially if you want a private room. There are plenty of B&B's though, and if you get a budget oriented guidebook (like Lonely Planet) you should be able to find something reasonable (I think I typically spent around 20IRP for a single). <BR> <BR>Dublin is more expensive (and more crowded) than elsewhere. I was quite content with one day in Dublin. There are several companies offering hop-on/hop-off bus tours of the city, which allow you to combine sightseeing with transportation. I would highly recommend visiting Trinity College for a look at the Books of Kells (be sure to get there early, before opening time if possible). Two of the most famous sights in the city are free - Stephen's Green and the General Post Office. <BR> <BR>Pub food in Ireland is pretty good (at least in my opinion). Some places serve food from the bar, others have an attached "Carvery". I became very fond of Irish stew during my stay, and had some great meals of vegetable soup and soda bread. My memory is a bit vague here, but you should probably budget around 5IRP for a pub meal. <BR> <BR>Some of the places I visited: <BR>- Galway <BR>- *The Burren/Cliffs of Moher <BR>- Connemara <BR>- *Innishmor (Aran Islands) <BR>- Drogheda <BR>- *Newgrange (Brugh na Boyne) <BR>- *Dublin <BR>- *Glendalough (Wicklow Mtns) <BR>- Rock of Cashel <BR>- Cork <BR>- Blarney Castle <BR>- *Dingle <BR>- Limerick <BR>- Bunratty Castle <BR>Although most of these are worthy destinations, the *'s are the one's I really enjoyed. By far my favorites were Dingle, Newgrange, and Glendalough. If you have any questions about any of these destinations, or about traveling by bus, e-mail me and I'll see if I can answer them. <BR> <BR>Hope you can arrange to go. <BR>Dave

The bus sounds like a good idea--just don't except the buses to run on schedule! Also, train fares aren't too steep, either. A really nice thing about staying at B&Bs when traveling by yourself is that you only pay per person, not per room. Most B&Bs I've stayed in are closer to 17 punts. Also, the breakfasts are large enough that you won't need to eat again until dinner. <BR> <BR>At the same time, many of the sites you'll want to visit are free. For those that aren't, I believe there's some sort of pass you can buy. Not sure on that one. If you're traveling on a budget, skip Bunratty. It's a fun night, but a little on the pricey side, and not worth giving up three nights in the pub for! <BR> <BR>Pub grub is the way to go, but the little cafes you see all over the place are also very economical--often cheaper than the pubs.

Although I've never used them before, I've heard that Sceptre tours offer wonderful package vacations to Ireland that are inexpensive as well. Their website is great too, though I forget the URL. You could probably find it through your browser. Frommer's recommends them a lot.

I thank all of you for your help, and Dave, I would like to take you up on your offer to email you with some questions in the near future. I would like to throw out an additional question. What would be a good time to travel in Ireland that would be close but not in-season?

Carol, <BR>Just a few tips - Bus Eireann and train schedules can be accessed at www.cie.ie CIE is the umbrella company for a group of public transport companies - they also run escorted tours throughout the country. In Ireland you do really need a car to view some places, as the train and bus network, apart from not running on time are also limited. <BR> <BR>Talk to Aer Lingus - they have a special deal with some car hire companies. <BR> <BR>Best time to come to Ireland is Sept mid to late as the season ends - if the weather is good then you will have a great time, otherwise day light hours are not greatly affected if there is bad weather. <BR> <BR>The pass mentioned for gaining access to Historic sites is the Heritage Pass - I posted a complete rundown on it recently - do a search and see what you can find. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps, post if you have any more questions. <BR>

Carol, <BR> <BR>I was there the first two weeks of April. Although the crowds weren't bad (except in Dublin) and the weather was decent, the Emerald Isle wasn't very green, which I confess was a bit disappointing. <BR> <BR>

I will know soon if I will have to consider going alone to use my credit. I would like to ask Dave if it isn't too lonely going solo. I feel a bit aprehensive about traveling completely on my own.

Carol, <BR> <BR>I'm not quite sure how to answer your question about lonely travel. For me, it's no big deal since the alternative to traveling alone is to stay at home alone. <BR> <BR>I can say that, if you're going to travel alone, Ireland is probably one of the best places to give it a try. First of all, it's pretty safe, given the usual caveats. Second, language isn't a problem. And most important, the people are generally very friendly and quite willing to spend a few minutes chatting. <BR> <BR>

Try checking www.oconnors.com occasionally for airfare specials on Aer Lingus, cottage holidays, car hire, etc.

Carol: <BR>Aer Lingus is having a 2 for 1 sale now good for travel through March. Not good for two weeks between Christmas and New Years. Maybe now is the time to get there with the hubby!