Ireland trip report

Old Dec 2nd, 2003, 08:21 PM
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Ireland trip report

Thanks so much for all the wonderful advice provided for this trip. It made a huge difference in the planning and I was much more prepared for the trip as a result.

First, let me say we bought a package with CIE Tours with air, car, B&B vouchers and a night at a castle. We could not have been happier and even though I initially begrudged the fact that not all the B&B's recommended here were participants, some that were not listed accepted them anyway and with so many great options, I would not hesitate to do it again.

Saturday; departed Atlanta for Baltimore on Airtran. With a 5 hour layover, we had PLENTY of time to connect to Aer Lingus. Airtran is great in that you can upgrade to Business class for $35 from coach. They also have a fast frequent flyer program (you earn free tickets fast, that is!). So we arrive Baltimore grab our luggage (the 2 airlines do not have a baggage agreement so we have to claim, then recheck. But that's ok, because we have FIVE hours there. (Seriously, it worked out great that way as I was able to catch most of the Purdue-Ohio State game in a bar. Ironically, my sister and I met the GM for Adare Manor while waiting to check into Aer Lingus, so he hung out with us in the bar and regaled us with his stories. Not a bad way to pass the time. We also met some soldiers who had been home on leave and were returning to Kuwait. Quickly gives you a reality check regarding our situation there when you are seeing face to face these soldiers rather than just hearing about it on the news. Really nice guys too, except the one rooting for Ohio State!)

Sorry, I digress! We made the connection in just the nick of time..... ha. Stuck in coach, shame AirTran doesn't fly to Shannon. We had bulkhead which meant noone lying on top of our laps, but also meant even less square inches of seat as that was now taken up with our tray. Really is a quandry; are you taller or chunkier? What is really the kicker is just beyond we see First class thru a crack in the curtain... almost empty. Bribes to the flight attendants don't work. (It did remind me of the commercial where someone brings a hamburger (?) on a flight, then everyone was trying to bribe the guy for it; including the pilot with the offer to fly the plane. Anyway, I mention this to my sis who starts checking to see what is bribe-worthing in her purse! Naw. But it was a great commercial!

Ok, I digress again! The flight over was at night of course. I had heard repeated suggestions regarding taking a sleeping pill so I tried this. It worked great! We had a full day planned upon our arrival, subject to necessary naps of course. They really weren't needed. Due to the icky seats, I maybe slept 4 hours total, but was wide awake when we landed and we hit the ground running. Customs didn't take too long and the bags not long either. Shannon airport was a bit of a disappointment though. Very dingy and rather run-down I thought. But, it was just the airport so we got the car from Hertz (paid for the automatic and SOOOO glad we did) (also paid extra for the additional driver and the insurance that waived a co-pay should anything happen to the car... tires not included. REALLY, REALLY glad we did that too!!) If anyone is thinking of driving solo to save the cost of the extra driver, don't. 2 reasons; one, you will want the break from concentrating so hard on the road and 2, the scenery is breathtaking and you should be able to check it out without risking the lives of yourself and your travel partners.

We left the airport in the early am in a fog, and of course, still dark out. We had directions for the Cliffs of Moher (sp). It took us less than 2 hours to get there and was really worth the drive. The sun had come up at that point and as it was still fairly early, we were alone save for this photographer we felt sure we would have to rescue as he was so close to the edge. I did ask if his insurance was paid up when we got closer (him to us, not the other way around!). He just leaped over the fence and laughed. Kinda cute, if you like the suicidal type. Seriously, the views were fantastic, but the drop down; sheesh! Could not pay me to cross the fence. Long-ish walk to the top, but so worth it; and the bonus was that the return was mostly downhill!

I think my favorite part of Ireland, besides the people, were all the great little towns we drove thru. Very picturesque and the ones along the coast right by the water were really great. They are very fond of using bright colors aren't they? Makes our homes look almost bland by comparison. But really great to drive thru, stop, take pics., coo at the cows and sheep (yeah, we don't have those at home!). Lots of these villages/towns between Shannon and the Cliffs. We were staying at Dromoland that night and while I wanted to drive thru the Burren, my sister was anxious to see the Castle, so back we went. We had great directions from the hotel and were there in time for lunch. Dromoland itself is great and if you can swing it, a very luxe choice. You are completely pampered from literally, when you arrive. They take your car key, get your name, then advise your luggage will be sent to your room. Too cool! (Ok, so I am not a jaded world traveler! It was really nice though!) You receive a tour upon checking in as well as a booklet on the property. We had a light lunch in the bar by the fire overlooking the lake. Sister had mussels, I had an omelet, both were great, total for 2 was around 37 euro. The crown molding in that room alone made me drool. It was, simply, phenominal. Our room also overlooked the lake and while 3 of the walls had been covered and wallpapered, one was left as stone and gave it a really neat effect. Overall, a great choice and would happily recommend.

We took a short tour of the property, came back to the room, napped for about an hour, then left for Bunratty Castle for the banquet. This was highly touted and while I thought it was alright, my sister loved it. Very touristy as some have mentioned here. I can't say personally that it is something you MUST do.. but again, it is a personal choice. We literally rubbed elbows with alot of people as the tables were very close together and you were kind of squished together. But it did make for a more intimate gathering in that you were more open and talkative with someone who was basically sharing a plate with you! The music was really nice though, and I can easily see a group attending it and having a great time. Just not my cup of tea.

We head back to the hotel, and here is where the roundabout gets us. We return back to the main road we came in on, only to find it doesn't have access to the other lanes, just the one we came in on. So we think, ok, go up one "exit" and turn around. Wrong. Takes us back to Bunratty and that same road. So up one more "exit" and this time we get turned around. So now we get to were we think we need to get off, but we take the wrong exit within the roundabout. We quickly learn that it is better to keep going in a circle within one of those rather than take the wrong exit out of it. (Anyone see National Lampoons European Vacation?!) So we have to go up one exit, and turn around... again. The 10 minute ride back turned into 45 minutes.. but, boy we sure knew that road by then... all 3 miles we saw of it! It really was funny though.... oh yeah...!

Ok, will report more tomorrow, and will definitely try to be less wordy. I can see how people get caught up in it though. It really is like reliving it. And I don't have spell check, so please ignore the obvious errors!
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 04:11 AM
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this is great! i am planning a trip to ireland now...so i am looking foward to everything you have to say!! i probably will have questions as well...if that is ok?
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 06:17 AM
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Ask away! This was my first trip, so I am definitely not an expert, but if I don't know the answer, someone else surely will.

Sorry again for the lengthy report. Believe it or not, we missed kissing the Blarney Stone! (You would think I had been there numerous times already!!)
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 06:41 AM
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sjbisanz,

This is wonderful! ...and don't be less wordy next time at all. Keep it coming and leave no detail untold - we here all know EXACTLY how you feel on your first trip (or soon will) and it's great to read the enthusiasm. (And to be in Ireland vicariously since I won't be going back for a while )

Thanks!

w
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 06:43 AM
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And don't forget to mention all the wonderful beers you had to drink. Did you try Smithwich?
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 08:43 AM
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my main concern it the driving. is it as dangerous as people say? my wife can't drive well enough for it to be a consideration..so i am having serious reservations about making the trip due to the driving....is it something i shouldn't be THAT worried about?
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 10:52 AM
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Please don't try to be less wordy. I'm loving hearing all the details!

Its been about six years since I was in Ireland, but our trip sorta mirrored yours so far. Although we didn't stay at Dromoland Castle, we did have tea and scones there one afternoon. We also went to the Bunratty banquet, checked out the Bunratty Folk Park, and hoisted a few pints at Durty Nellie's next door.

I'll be going back in June of 2005 for a wedding, so until then, I can enjoy reliving some of the memories through reports like yours. Can't wait for the next installment!
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Old Dec 3rd, 2003, 01:16 PM
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Oldorch,
DH and I have been to Ireland 3 times. On the most recent trip, we put about 1300 miles on the car. I can't say the driving is easy, since I'm the navigator and don't drive, but we have never (knock wood) had more than a scratch on the car from the hedges. (Watch out, underneath all that greenery is probably a stone wall.) True, the roads can be very narrow, but if you drive with caution and respect for other vehicles, you should have no trouble. Twice our cars were standard, and we splurged on an automatic this last time. You just have to keep thinking "left" all the time. (We did almost take out a group of pedestrians in a Dublin intersection once, but I was quick to scream and we stopped in time. If you can avoid it, don't drive in the cities!)
Sjbisanz1, keep the story coming! Hearing the tales is the next best thing to being there.
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Old Dec 4th, 2003, 11:17 AM
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Dear Oldorch-driving in Ireland can be a bit of a challenge because of having to drive on the left. Someone said always think "left" but its always think "right". Traffic circles and intersections are challenges because you MUST always giveway to the traffic on your right. For example, coming out of a driveway you would normally look to your left. In Ireland you have to look to your right. Similarly in circles you drive to the left in the circle but you must be aware of the oncoming traffic on your right. Sounds difficulty but if you are cautious in a day or two it will not be so bad. Most of local drivers are courteous so they are aware of foreign drivers. Don't let the driving keep you from a vacation of a lifetime.
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Old Dec 4th, 2003, 01:30 PM
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You all are really sweet (and bored?) to encourage my rambling! I apologize for not replying back earlier; I left my notes at home and wanted them so I cold include the names of the places we ate at for others as a reference.

oldorch - regarding the driving; that was my biggest concern before arriving and it turned out to not be a problem. There were 2 instances when my sis was departing the B&B in the AM that she pulled out into the wrong lane; myself once. But the remainder of the time was fairly easy. A client told me before I left to just remember to keep the line in the middle of the road on my right. (The opposite of here). I didn't have to remind myself of that too often. It really wasn't hard. to remember. And murphy is completely correct; the "locals" were very understanding; not at all like some of our hotheads over here! Did not see even a hint of roadrage of there. Road's taken over by sheep; different story.

Ok, Day 2... We had a great breakfast at Dromoland and left around 9am. We had directions from our B&B on how to get to Dingle. Now, from here I had received the suggestion to take the ferry rather than drive around Limerick. But from where we were at outside Shannon, the concierge and several others said it would be about equal distance either way. As the other way would take us thru Adare; we took it instead of the Ferry. I was curious to see what it looked like as people here had such conflicting opinions of it. To be fair; we simply drove thru the town; did not see anything worth stopping for (was in a hurry to get to Dingle). It was a nice little town; and indeed, it had the thached roofs many expect to see everywhere. Did see a lovely church that had a gothic look to it. Alot of steeples and very ornate. Pretty neat!

So, we are puttering along in our mini, I am getting used to the driving, then we go down to the 2 lane with NO shoulder. Lovely. Experienced it yesterday, but I think we were zoning due to jet lag because today it hits me. And I am looking around; I see LOTS of land and I am thinking, hey, with all this undeveloped land; you couldn't include a shoulder here? Seriously, I think the phrase, "Not knowing what's around the corner" was coined here. Wicked roads sometimes. Not if you are taking it easy, but if I was, then I would have someone behind me making me feel guilty so I would pull over or I would have a burst of confidence, punch it for awhile, only to have a quick fall to earth ripping around a blind corner. Exhilirating though! The scenery there was almost all countryside with pastures that went on forever; and all this land is broken up by the stone walls. Made me laugh to think how stacked stone is such a hot decorative item on homes now (at least here inthe South) and over there it is simply used to contain sheep/livestock and define land boundries(that was the reason we were given; if someone knows another reason; please share it!)

It was slightly overcast, but no rain. So it took us maybe 3 hours from Shannon to Dingle. This included us taking the Conor Pass which we were NOT going to take, but due to their lack of signage until you are basically upon it; missed turns were a great part of our trip. I was leary of it as it was foggy and not feeling overconfidant in our abilities, not really keen on it. At this point, sis was driving. We weren't 100% sure we were even on the right road until it got rougher, narrower and more windy. After a couple hair raising turns, we figured this had to be it. In a way, I was glad for the fog so we couldn't then see the drop down the side and how far it was. But the road itself; wow! Hugging the side the whole way; jagged rocks leaning out ready to snag your rear-view mirror; tiny waterfalls coming right out of the rock, goats standing on this short rock wall with the agility of a ballerina ready to take flight if you approach for a photo-op. My heart is in my throat now, thinking of it. I am not crazy about heights but do like edge of your seat thrills so this was definitely a little of both. We survived it, so did the car (ooh hoo; not for long though!). We got into Dingle and the B&B was 1/2 a block from Main street on the road we came in on. It was called Ashe's B&B and was a great location. Plenty of parking there so you could easily walk to Main Street which was fairly crowded. Can't imagine it later in the Summer!

Will have to continue this from home. Quiting time!
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Old Dec 4th, 2003, 02:11 PM
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I've been wondering about where you ended up staying in Dingle! Thanks for your great reports. So much fun to read.
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Old Dec 4th, 2003, 08:11 PM
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MaryZ; thanks again for all your advice. It really made a huge difference. After 6 months of research; I didn't feel so much like a stranger there. And I was definitely more comfortable as I had received so much consistent and correct advice. Knowing at least some of what to expect really does help, at least for me anyway!

So, back to Dingle and the B&B. As I mentioned, it was in a great location. 1/2 block to Main St. The room itself was just alright. Not very large; kind of cramped actually. And the shower could have used a shot of Tilex; but the owners were really nice; offering us a map upon arrival of the town, as well as suggestions for dinner and live pub music. Not a bad place overall, just not my first especially with so many raved about here. There were many B&B's along Main St. and just outside of town too, at least half were closed for the season though. But it was still kinda cool to see these places after hearing their names bandied about here.
We headed over to Main St. and immediately bee-lined to an internet cafe so we could email loved ones our safe arrival. While sis was utilizing a couple terminals (don't ask), I walked up and down the street, checking out the shops, restaurants and pubs. I loved how all the buildings were side by side and so brightly painted. It definitely could lift your spirits with the gloomy weather. It was drizzling on and off but not really cold, just enough to keep people indoors. We went to what looked like a fast food place right off main street that reminded me of home with its menu of hamburgers, fries, etc. and the American juke box playing. After this, we shopped for a while, touring the town itself. Roads were a bit confusing where they would suddenly become a one-way, but after just one scare, we caught on then got really smart and just parked the car. Walked around checking out the buildings (we were raised by a builder and she is a kitchen designer, so architecture and design are appealing to both of us), loved the coziness of the small roads (make sense?) and the people could not have been nicer. Everyone said it here before, and I completely concur, the Irish are about the nicest people I have met. And great about helping foreigners "find their way"!

We returned to Ashe's for a shower and rest then headed back out for dinner. We ate at Lord Baker's on Main St. The restaurant has a great story attached to it, and the atmosphere was very cozy and relaxed. The food was wonderful; mostly seafood on the menu. Sis had mussels and loved them. I had the lamb and it was great too. After dinner, we headed across the street to the recommended bar (can't recall the name of it, but it was at the corner of Main St. and Spa Rd.). The place was pretty full, but we waited it out and finally got a table close to the performers. Their music was great; lively one minute, melancholy the next. They definitely got us into the mood. And for you Budman, my sister had her first and last Guiness there. She is the beer drinker between us, and went to Murphys after that or a merlot. I am not one to imbibe often, so with the exception of the occasional Bailey's on the rocks, I was drinking cola. Living in the South, sweet tea is my drink of choice so I was obviously out of luck there. Sorry to disappoint you Budman!

We snapped a couple photos of the guys playing (so touristy!!) then headed back to Ashe's. Alot of driving and then walking that day, but we saw alot of the countryside. It really gave me a great first (or second) impression of the country itself. I was anxious to see more of Dingle the next day and do the Slea Head Drive.

Couple odd things I did want to mention: the first place we bought items, nothing was said about the VAT and we forgot about it ourselves. The next place we went, we remembered to ask, and were told our receipts would be sufficient (they weren't). Luckily, the next few stores provided us with the correct forms and we remembered to ask. But I just thought to mention this so others are aware. I don't think anyone was trying to pull anything on us; the VAT agent we saw at the Dublin airport said many merchants are confused about what is accepted and what is not. So, just an FYI.

Day 3 tomorrow (if work is slow!).
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 04:41 AM
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The only thing better than your trip report is your job!
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 05:52 AM
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Glad you had a great trip. When are you planning the next one?

No disappointment at all. If we all liked the same things, what a boring world we would love in.
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 07:09 AM
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Day 3: This was a bit of a disappointment but I blame myself. We had breakfast at Ashe's (tried blood sausage; not what I was expecting. Definitely an acquired taste! We passed on that for future meals!!) The other guests were rather noisy the previous night so we were curious to see who else was there. It turned out there were 6 guys from Germany visiting that worked/owned a Irish style bar. They were visiting to gather some "authentic" material to return home with. I think it was really just a drinking holiday, but they were pretty funny and kept insisting we had to visit Germany next and could provide all sorts of help if we did. I think the Guinness was still in effect, but they were fun anyway!

We left around 10am because a shop owner we met the previous day was going to check their stock at home for lace my sis was looking for. She thought she would open around 10am so we swung by there first. Before I go further, I would just like to re-iterate; she THOUGHT she would be open at 10am. Noticed the huge gap between us and them at that point... we live to work and they work to live as it was pointed out to me before we left. Don't know if I would go that far, but we did take it in stride as part of the experience and thought it kind of amusing until at 10:30 she still wasn't there. Then we decided there was no sense wasting time waiting so we headed out to start the Slea Head Drive. Here is where I was disappointed. Not with the drive itself; we didn't do it. This was the one thing I had heard the most about and was so anxious to see. But when we got on the road, it was fairly foggy and overcast. My sis noted this right away and wondered what could we see thru this weather. Several locals had told her it wouldn't be worthwhile to do the drive if the weather was bad. We saw on the news the weather was supposed to be clearer east of there so she thought we should forgo the Drive and head straight to Killarney and try to do the Ring. This was not at all what I wanted but trying to be a good sport, agreed to it. (You'ld have to know my sis; older and wiser according to her so thought it better not to rock the boat and get her in a tizzy) So we left Dingle and headed to Killarney. We had directions from our next B&B, but of course, after looking at the map, sis thought she had a better route, so we took it and went out of our way for about 30 minutes. (Do I sound bitter here?!) We made it to Killarney in time to drop off clothes downtown to be washed and grab a bite of lunch at a pub (fish & chips and house soup... questionable as to the contents but good and probably the least expensive place we ate at. 5-7 euro per person. Of course I don't remember the name of it!!). We decided to do the Ring as it was still early 1:30. She had wanted to do the Ring from recommendations she had received and I thought I had changed her mind (Ring over Slea Head), but apparently she had her own agenda. So we headed out with myself driving. A short ways out of town and we were on the Ring, but it was a tad confusing because as I mentioned before, the lack of signs on the road make it difficult to navigate at times. We were on the Ring for several miles before finally realizing it (asked some road workers). There was a town we went thru where the road forked. We went left then wondered if we were correct. Right after making the left we saw a ruin on the side of the road so of course we had to stop for a photo op. (By the end of the trip, we had decided we were going to make a bumper sticker that said "I Brake for Castles"!)

After determining we were on the right road, we continued driving the Ring. It was overcast there as well and slighly foggy so the views weren't as great as we had hoped, but just the drive thru the area was really neat and the towns we went thru were just as interesting. Several photo ops still presented themselves and by now I had the hang of finding a quick place to pull over. I was getting pretty good with learning the "rules of the road" too so far as moving over to allow others to pass. I even pulled into several driveways when the roads were really narrow and shoulder-less (which was just about everywhere!!). We were making fairly good time, driving quickly where we could where it was less scenic, then slowing or stopping when something grabbed us. I was concerned with returning to Killarney after dark. As it turned out, we decided we would take a shorcut to get back to Killarney when we were about 3/4 of the way along. I don't know if there is a preferred route for doing the Ring, we were hugging quite a few walls heading south then east then north (couter-clockwise). It might have been more interesting going the other way so the passenger could have a better view without having to look around the driver. Of course, this would have meant looking over at the dropoff in a few places, but I don't think that would have been nearly as bad as Connor Pass... which we did... in the FOG! Oh, I already mentioned that didn't I. But it bears repeating!!! (Obviously that stands out in my mind!)

Our shortcut took us thru the National Park, bypassing Kenmare. I had intended for us to visit it that afternoon seeing the lakes rather than doing the whole Ring. By the time we got to the Park, it was dusk out. My sis was driving at this point and as we flew thru it, we kept gawking at all the obvious sights and knew we had to come back the next morning. We made it back to town in time to pick up laundry (in case interested; it was 8 euro per load, washed, dried and folded... socks not sorted though! But I did get all my socks back so no complaints here!). It was around 5p at this time so we called the B&B which we had seen on the way into town and advised we would be there shortly. (The first place we stayed at had asked us to call to give an approximate arrival time. Noone else did, but I called when I could as a courtesy so they could go about their business without waiting on us. We never got to one before 4pm, but were never later than 6pm either. This night we stayed about 1 1/2 outside of town at Redwood House. This was a fairly new home and a big improvement over the night before. The rooms were much larger (about twice the size). Our hostess was very kind offering suggestions for dinner and local tourist spots. We were not alone here either, but these guests were not quite as rowdy so it was definitely more tolerable. The house was set back from the road just a bit and was really pretty with very scenic views of its own. Nice stay overall. The only thing that could have been improved would have been to place it in town itself, but that really was not a big issue.

Killarney itself was nothing like what I heard here though. I remember someone saying to not bother with the town itself but just stick to the sights outside it. Here is where we all can differ. This ended up being my sisters favorite place in Ireland (combined with the Ring and the Park). I thought the town was nice too with the exception of all the round-abouts that were a little confusing. We circled the town a few times trying to get around, but aside from that thought it was really darling with great shops. I must be contrary because I didn't think Adare was allthat, so I can't really say for sure if I am a consumate tourist or what. But I did like Killarney town though.

We cleaned up then headed back to town for dinner. We ended up eating at a place not recommended by our host, but funny enough, her other guests were there too. Will have to get back to you on the name, but the food was good, and the atmosphere nice too, but the staff was definitely shorthanded and for what they were charging, I expected our very own waiter to hang out by my water glass! I had a steak, sister had seafood pasta. We would take turns trying different hors d'oeuvres and really enjoyed the meals. I went over my expected budget of $35 per day on food; it was more like $45-$50. Lunch was usually more than I expected and dinner definitely was too. But I am sure we could have been more frugal, I opted to live for the moment and go ahead with the extras. At home I never order hors d'oeuvres and dessert, so this was my treat. It was really enjoyable though (I have a 3 year old so a relaxing meal is non-existent these days) so I don't feel too guilty.

We headed out to a pub down the street, wandering in then wandering back out again. It was called the Speak Easy and we took that literally. More like a local sports bar and since neither of us was drinking we headed back to Redwood.

Ok, back to work!
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 07:39 AM
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Budman - Ironically, I had a super deal faxed to our office yesterday; airfare from Atlanta to Cancun, 3 nights at an all-inclusive, myself free and my companion is $299. But it has to be this month and hubby can't get time off. Will NOT be traveling with sis again so I can't go. Really bummed about it!
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 07:34 PM
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Day 4 - We had a tiff in the morning which caused multiple problems later. We ate a great breakfast at Redwood, then headed out immediately for Killarney National Park and the lakes. We were initially going to do the following:
Killarney to Blarney, shop, see the Castle, then drive North to Thurles with stops in Cahir and Cashel. Not going to happen. After traveling thru the park at dusk, we knew we wanted to come back. I told my sis we could, but Blarney would have to be cut as there wouldn't be enough time. She agreed... for the moment. Again, just like the Ring was her choice, so was Blarney. We returned to Redwood that 3rd night and she hit the map right away. The next morning she informed me that after reading the map, she thought we could include an hour for the lakes, another hour for Kenmare, and still do the rest. I told her that after doing the research beforehand, we would be pushing it to do the original itinerary. I also reminded her that we would more than likely not be able to go as fast (55-60) as she was thinking; that the average had been 35-40. She insisted it was possible, so rather than argue with her, I said we would go the park and Kenmare then see how we were doing for time. I hoped I could ask someone in Kenmare for their recommendation. She continually ignored my suggestions and insisted the times couldn't be accurate (even though up to that point they were pretty much on the money). I reminded her all my information came from either the B&B owners or from the research here and other places. Anyway... blah blah blah... it was not pleasant for the first half hour after leaving the B&B. Finally, at one point upon returning to the car from taking pictures, she got real nasty, and informed me she was going to find her own rental car and return home. At this point I honestly didn't care. I told her she could do whatever she wanted so she whipped the car off the main road at her first chance. The only problem was, it was a hiking path.. not a regular road. I kept my mouth shut so not to anger her further and waited to see what she was going to do. She said later she was looking for a place to turn around, but never made it. The tires caught the side of the road and next thing you know, we are half into a ditch that is about 3 feet down with 3 feet of water in it... on my side. I had to crawl over to her side to get out, and (don't tell her this), almost burst out laughing. I honestly wasn't mad at her for it happening... it could have happened to me just as easily and it is so much easier to just let it roll off than get ugly again. So I just told her it was ok; let's just try to push it out. As small as those cars are, they are really not that light. Add to it the front was wedged into the ground pretty good, we were definitely in trouble. We decided to hike back to the main road and of course, as soon as we headed out, it starts to rain. We were speaking at this point and by the time we reached the main road, she was eating humble pie, I was grateful it was over and we both looked like drowned rats. Someone was looking after us though because not 3 minutes after we got to the road, along comes 2 construction workers, in an SUV (if you haven't been to Ireland, these are few and far between compared to back home), and ropes they can use to pull us out. We are so grateful for their help. They asked where the car was, we pointed and away they went.... without us or the key to the car! She and I looked at each other and wondered what our white knights were thinking, then shrugged and followed them. I had knee surgery a couple months ago, so I told her to trot ahead and get them the key. By the time I got there, they had the car tied up and ready to pull out. She and I watched as both guys got behind the wheels of both cars, SUV slowly pulling, mini slowly following, SUV kicking it up a notch, mini changing mind and moving its front end further down into the water and the rear end completely coming up off the ground about 4 feet! She and I had moved away initially to avoid and flying rocks that might be kicked up. So we had a great view of the guy in our mini with eyes as large as saucers probably wondering if the car was going to flip with him in it. Well, that's what I was thinking anyway! She and I ran over and offered to sit in the back using our weight to keep it down. Not that this is something I would normally refer to, but in this case, it seemed best to put vanity aside. So I am sitting in the back with my legs hanging out the open door, straight out so the car doesn't land on them should it decide to cooperate. Sis is hanging on to the open door itself, heaving away. And after a couple heart-stopping moments when I thought we were going in the drink (I've always wanted to use that expression!), we were pulled out. THEN, we all started laughing, us from relief, them from relief they could be done with us! We offered them 50 euro for their help which they took and soon they were off. (Sis was a little put out they took the money; she has a decidedly short memory!) We kissed and made up (not literally), then headed over to Kenmare. After some quick shopping and a coffe break, we realized that even with our excursion, we were on schedule so we headed off to Blarney. Here is where it got really interesting... like nothing couldn't beat the car right? We got in the car to leave; I put the car in reverse, and it started making this growling noise. I thought I might be running over or scraping against something so Sis got out, checked around, didn't see anything so got back in the car. I put it back in reverse and started to back out and the growl switched to a howl and the rear of the car started to vibrate. Now, if there is a mechanic out there and this sounds familiar; please tell me how much damage we did to this car! All I know is the car had bottomed out on that ditch and the guy behind OUR wheel had put it in reverse to get it out, rather than neutral. Our thought was something under the car was ticked off and ready to fall off around the next bend. We decided our wisest course would be to try and exchange it (maybe get the chance to wreck another one!) at the Cork airport. We had discussed that anyway as one of the headlights was going dead and try as we might not to drive after dark, it was happening with complete regularity.

We made it to Cork and it was exactly as it was told to me before; all dug up and not pretty at all. We spent 1hr and 45 minutes getting to the airport; having them change the light bulb (because of course they didn't have any automatics!) and getting lost then getting back to the main road. At this point we knew Blarney was impossible. We headed North to Thurles from there. We made one stop in Fermoy, had lunch at a little cafe, then headed out again. It was getting to be dusk at this point and was not crazy about fing the B&B after dark. All the other places we sought out their location before dark so we at least knew where they were. It was definitely dark by the time we reached Cashel and I was glad then it was. The Rock was lit up from ground level making it look absolutely breathtaking. I would love to have visited it then, but 1) it was probably closed and 2) we were anxious to get off the road. From Cashel it was maybe 20-30 minutes to our B&B. And this was by far our favorite. I tried to get rooms at Legends and a few other places recommended here in Cashel, but either they were closed or were sold out. So I chose The Castle in Thurles and am thrilled we did. It was not far from the main road and easy to find. And best of all, their was a large ruin/castle right behind the house. The house itself was built in the 1400's and our hostess, Joan Duggan was our favorite by far. She was very warm and down to earth, offering suggestions and just chatting it up. I was hungry for alternative companionship at that point so it was great just talking with her about the house and its origins. The house was really beautiful and the rooms were gorgeous. By far and away, the best we stayed at and our favorite. I highly highly recommend. They were also only a couple miles from another town that had a great Chinese restaurant (I know, what are you doing eating Chinese in Ireland? I was trying Irish Chinese of course!) There was a river running thru it and was a nice area. Had we not been so tired, we would have maybe explored, but our beds beckoned. We made it back with everything still attached to the car (as far as we know), but the growl now also occurred when it was put into drive, but subsided when the gas pedal was pressed. It was actually becoming quite interesting trying to guess at what could be wrong and I'm sure we probably didn't even come close.

We returned to The Castle without incident, watched a little tv, then crashed. (not the car!)

Speaking of which, it's late so I shall do it again; crash that is. More later.
sjbisanz1 is offline  
Old Dec 5th, 2003, 08:40 PM
  #18  
 
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I cannot tell you how much I am enjoying this story of your trip! We are planning our first trip to Ireland in May - didn't you just eat up the trip reorts before you left? Additionally, your writing is fun and very conversational - thanks for sharing it with us.
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Old Dec 5th, 2003, 08:58 PM
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HappyCheeseHead; yes, I devoured everything written here on Ireland. I thought I had an idea of what to expect until I found this website. I re-wrote my itinerary about a dozen times before leaving; to the point I was embarassed to ask for more advice. But other than a couple bumps, we pretty much stuck to the itinerary. But we also spent alot of time in the car which might have contributed to us becoming short with each other (being sisters had nothing to do with it, I'm sure!). That and the lack of daylight. But the towns don't shut down at dark though. Quite the contrary. We would have a late (to us) dinner at 8:30 and people were arriving as we were leaving. Shops were open late and so we didn't miss out on too much there. In hindsight, the only thing I would alter from my original itinerary would be my travel companion!! Hope you have a wonderful trip. If you have any questions; please ask. If I don't know the answer, others surely will!
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Old Dec 6th, 2003, 06:05 AM
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I'm sorry you missed Slea Head. But, I've been out there on foggy, rainy days and it really isn't the same as on a clear day. So, as much as I hate to say it, your sister may have been right.
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