You do have quite the accomplished record of successful driving trips! And the one with your mother, what a fantastic experience and wonderful memories.

DH loves to drive, and we have driven all over Europe. Having the car definitely took us to places that would have been difficult or impossible to get to otherwise. But as I noted, Ireland ended up being exhausting after awhile, and on a recent trip to England, he really enjoyed having a private driver for the day in the Cotswolds. And on our trip to Italy, he loved the private driver in Tuscany. It allowed him to relax and enjoy the scenery and the commentary. I guess as we age, our stamina, attention span and ability to make quick decisions has diminished and the comfort of letting others lead the way occasionally has helped a lot.

So moving forward, a hybrid approach best suits us. I know we could never just do a tour, to be on a strict schedule and constantly with a group of other people would annoy us. But when my Mom travelled on her own, she got to enjoy a short tour, with independent driving time before and after it. Happy planning!

I’m glad you decided to rent a car. 60 certainly isn’t too old to drive while on vacation, even if it entails driving “on the wrong side of the road” (which has never been a problem for me and I’m in my 80’s). Heck, I even decided to go to racing school when I was 64 and afterwards finished 3rd in my first race. Have fun, Ireland is a great country to visit.

A hybrid plan is what is going to probably work best for me too.

Until last year, virtually all of my trips were self-planned. I gave small group tours a try. In May, small group with train back to Paris and then London and then a private driver. In June, a safari. Everything pre-arranged. In July, Venice and Tuscany, all self-planned and rental car. In November, a small group excursion but added on two self drive days out of Milan. In December, a river cruise, no driving. I'm missing a trip. I'm still struggling with small group tours. I know, it's more about me than them. After I decided to cancel this May in Ireland, I realized I REALLY want to drive it again. Hence, this thread.

"I’m glad you decided to rent a car.
Thanks! Me too!

" 60 certainly isn’t too old to drive while on vacation, even if it entails driving “on the wrong side of the road” (which has never been a problem for me and I’m in my 80’s)"
See, that was my big question. After driving in France, Italy, and Friesland in the last few years, I'm really questioning my earlier decision NOT to do it when I am "older". If I follow in your footsteps, I have more than a decade of driving on the wrong side of the road ahead of me!

"Heck, I even decided to go to racing school when I was 64 and afterwards finished 3rd in my first race."
That is so cool! I'm impressed.

" Have fun, Ireland is a great country to visit."
I can't believe it's taken me so long to get back.

This is how long ago our trip to Ireland was...


Photo taken in Scotland on the same trip

I was so proud of the camcorder. I had "won" it in a work incentive contest. Mom took a photo of me taking a video. So much has changed. Everything we need is in the palm of our hand when we hold our cell phones. Navigation. Photos. Videos. Notes. Reservations. Everything I use when I travel now.

If this Ireland trip goes well, Scotland (again) and Wales will be next. Wish me good luck!

My husband and I (from the US so used to driving on the right side of the road) rented a car in Ireland in our 60s. We flew into Shannon, and when we departed the parking area there were signs in 4 different languages stating, "stay left!"

He drove and I navigated (this was prior to the ubiquitous GPS aids we have now). We rented a stick shift, and he said that in many ways for him driving the stick made him constantly remember to drive on the left since he was also shifting with the opposite hand as usual. At one point, I mentioned driving for a while, and his comment was, "You don't want to try this."

I agree!

I started traveling for work in the 80s and my co-worker became my travel mentor. She taught me all the little tips that worked for her. My boss had been flying out of Hartsfield ATL since it was built and he shared his little tips with me. I was really confident thanks to the both of them.

JoAnn told me to go to a mall parking lot on a Sunday. Back then, the stores were not open and the huge parking lot was empty. She told me to drive around, visualizing driving in the "wrong" lane - and told me to lean my left shoulder towards the center line. I practiced a lot and built muscle memory.

I also found what your husband said to be true. I didn't have to just lean my left shoulder, I was shifting with my left hand. That really helped. I was surprised at how much. It almost felt natural - after that much practice.

The BIG problem was pulling out onto the road. By day 3, I got all cocky and told mom she could stop her job of saying "Think left, think left think left". I immediately pulled out of a petrol station - into the right lane. We both shrieked. I zipped back in the other entrance of the petrol station and stopped to catch my breath. I told her to NEVER stop - no matter what! LOL

JoAnn was fabulous. She was a former college professor. Never married. A student, 20 years her younger, kept asking her out. They eventually married. They were such a cute couple. In the 80s she spent a 40K bonus on a condo overlooking the ocean in Portugal. They would fly over to their other home about three or four times a year. I think of her almost everytime I pack a suitcase. 90% of what I do when I travel is thanks to JoAnn, from a tiny town in the panhandle of Florida.

Good times.

I am not afraid of getting lost. In Connemara I stopped to pull a map with Gaelic placenames out of a tote in the back seat. One "wrong" turn was due to the language. Three cars followed us. Another time I intentionally turned on a very small road. Mom asked if I knew where I was going and I thought I did. I was wrong. Both "wrong" turns turned out to be great adventures. Making navigation "mistakes" don't bother me. It was years later when I realized that not everyone feels the same. I am my mother's daughter. "We aren't lost. We are just seeing countryside we haven't seen before".