Here are the links to all the pictures (except for my favourites which I haven't yet sorted out).
Part 1: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart1?authkey=Gv1sRgCOLqst-2u6TnFQ#
Part 2: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart2?authkey=Gv1sRgCJvurdDP55-tqwE#
Part 3: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart3?authkey=Gv1sRgCPPFha-i3t_6Mw#
Part 4: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart4?authkey=Gv1sRgCP2oz6e9hvK8cg#
Part 5: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart5?authkey=Gv1sRgCNKI8MmPp_yxmAE#
The pictures that I sorted for Nick's school: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePhotosForNickSClass?authkey=Gv1sRgCOH5kPH7mPHCMA#
As to the inevitable questions about adding captions, I will eventually get to that but, as you can see, I've got over 1800 pictures/videos to add captions for and that's not including the ones for Nick's class.
If you have questions about any of the pictures, let me know and I'd be happy to tell you where they're from! =)
07 October 2009
04 October 2009
Day 9 - Driving to Edinburgh
It was nice to wake up in Cumbernauld Village. The town is quaint and restful. The night we spent there helped me to be in a better mood. I could look out the window and watch the locals gather outside a bar. We were on Main Street which was very small but not the smallest road I've driven on.
When we went down to breakfast, we were the first down there. Nick and I got breakfast and then the other two couples joined us. Nick decided to go back upstairs and hang out while I stayed downstairs and chatted with the adults. One couple was Scottish, living in Australia and the other was also Scottish but living in England. We had a lot of laughs and the Scottish gentleman who lives in Australia gave me some of his Black Pudding. I said that I would try that and Haggis when I came over so 1 down and 1 to go. It wasn't bad, it wasn't awesome either (and it definitely didn't compare to the Bread Pudding) but it was edible. =)
After breakfast I went back upstairs and packed. Nick and I dragged all the stuff to the car (we had to go up/down two steep sets of stairs to get to our room) and then I went back to pay. Annette and I talked for awhile and then the monkey and I headed for Edinburgh.
I must confess that on the way I picked up McDonalds for him. He had been really good the day before (again) and so I had told him that he deserved some McDonalds. The interesting thing about the McDonalds that we went to was that the music is much louder than at our McDonalds in the States. A strange thing (at least by American culture) happened...one lady who was sitting next to us asked me to keep an eye on her kids while she went to the restroom. She had a baby and another kid who looked about 4 or 5 years old. The older kid was in the baby's face so I was trying to get Nick to entertain the kid while I watched the baby. We were able to distract the older kid and after a few minutes the mother came back.
From the McDonalds we could see ASDA which is like a King Soopers with a bit more. It's not quite like Target or anything but they do have clothes, some electronics, toys, etc. The shop itself was quiet large but mostly food...so I guess like the opposite of a Super Target...where Target has mostly clothes and other things and then some food, ASDA has mostly food and then some of the other things.
We enjoyed walking around ASDA...they have an escalator that's just like one of those moving walkways that are in the airport. It didn't have any steps on it, just a slanted upwards moving walkway. Very cool. =)
When we went down to breakfast, we were the first down there. Nick and I got breakfast and then the other two couples joined us. Nick decided to go back upstairs and hang out while I stayed downstairs and chatted with the adults. One couple was Scottish, living in Australia and the other was also Scottish but living in England. We had a lot of laughs and the Scottish gentleman who lives in Australia gave me some of his Black Pudding. I said that I would try that and Haggis when I came over so 1 down and 1 to go. It wasn't bad, it wasn't awesome either (and it definitely didn't compare to the Bread Pudding) but it was edible. =)
After breakfast I went back upstairs and packed. Nick and I dragged all the stuff to the car (we had to go up/down two steep sets of stairs to get to our room) and then I went back to pay. Annette and I talked for awhile and then the monkey and I headed for Edinburgh.
I must confess that on the way I picked up McDonalds for him. He had been really good the day before (again) and so I had told him that he deserved some McDonalds. The interesting thing about the McDonalds that we went to was that the music is much louder than at our McDonalds in the States. A strange thing (at least by American culture) happened...one lady who was sitting next to us asked me to keep an eye on her kids while she went to the restroom. She had a baby and another kid who looked about 4 or 5 years old. The older kid was in the baby's face so I was trying to get Nick to entertain the kid while I watched the baby. We were able to distract the older kid and after a few minutes the mother came back.
From the McDonalds we could see ASDA which is like a King Soopers with a bit more. It's not quite like Target or anything but they do have clothes, some electronics, toys, etc. The shop itself was quiet large but mostly food...so I guess like the opposite of a Super Target...where Target has mostly clothes and other things and then some food, ASDA has mostly food and then some of the other things.
We enjoyed walking around ASDA...they have an escalator that's just like one of those moving walkways that are in the airport. It didn't have any steps on it, just a slanted upwards moving walkway. Very cool. =)
Day 8 - Cumbernauld Village
That night we stayed in Cumbernauld Village which is north of Glasgow. The Old Mill B&B is highly rated and for good reason. Annette is a dear and she welcomed us.
But...before that...I must write about the drive. We were doing really well following the road signs to Cumbernauld but then, all of a sudden, the signs for Cumbernauld disappeared and we were a little lost again. Thanks to a nice gentleman outside of the Petrol Station we were on our way again. We found out that there is Cumbernauld and then there is Cumbernauld Village. It took us a few more tries to get to the B&B but we spoke with Annette again and she helped guide us. That cell phone has been a total lifesaver and well worth whatever I'm going to have to pay my mom.
Nick let me take a little nap when we arrived because I was so worn out from stress and frustration. After my nap, we went to Puccinis for dinner. It's another Italian restaurant (believe me, I was getting Italianed out by then) and Nick was really grumpy due to being hungry. I've found out that I must feed him constantly on this trip, otherwise he gets really moody but, once fed, he's all sunshine again.
Back to the Old Mill B&B for some relaxation...
But...before that...I must write about the drive. We were doing really well following the road signs to Cumbernauld but then, all of a sudden, the signs for Cumbernauld disappeared and we were a little lost again. Thanks to a nice gentleman outside of the Petrol Station we were on our way again. We found out that there is Cumbernauld and then there is Cumbernauld Village. It took us a few more tries to get to the B&B but we spoke with Annette again and she helped guide us. That cell phone has been a total lifesaver and well worth whatever I'm going to have to pay my mom.
Nick let me take a little nap when we arrived because I was so worn out from stress and frustration. After my nap, we went to Puccinis for dinner. It's another Italian restaurant (believe me, I was getting Italianed out by then) and Nick was really grumpy due to being hungry. I've found out that I must feed him constantly on this trip, otherwise he gets really moody but, once fed, he's all sunshine again.
Back to the Old Mill B&B for some relaxation...
Day 7 / 8 - Saying Goodbye to Eamon and Saying Hello to Glasgow and Gordie
Getting up at 5 wasn't easy and Nick didn't enjoy it either but at least he had a better time of it. We went and checked out and got directions back to Dan Dooley's Rental. I had to call them on the way to make sure I was going the correct way but we got there.
We said goodbye to Eamon and hopped into the van to ride to the airport. Once we got to the airport, that's where things got hairy. I knew that Ryan Air is will nickel and dime you but we had to pay a 150 Euro fee for excess baggage. They said that we could move stuff around between the two bags but it was a good thing I just sucked it up because we wouldn't have made it to the plane on time. *sigh*
I was so upset because of that and then the rental car made it so much worse. I was going to be charged around 250 pounds for the car but it went up to 600 pounds with insurance. Next time, I *KNOW* to get the damned insurance ahead of time. I probably could have covered both cars with one insurance policy instead of using two different ones. I spent around $700 that I didn't plan on on that day and thinking about it still upsets me.
Not much I can do about it now though...live and learn.
So after the debacle with the rental car, we went out to see it. We got to the car and I realized that I had been given a Ford. Now, anyone that knows me well knows I HATE Fords. Two have let me down and I didn't want to ever give another one a try for 3 strikes. However, I was already so upset that I wasn't even in the mood to deal with it. I was frustrated, all out of sorts and in the mood for a good cry. I wanted to go home so badly at that point and had I known before flying to Glasgow about the extra $700, I probably would have tried to switch our tickets right there.
Nick and I went back inside because I needed a break and figured I needed to kill some time before heading to our next B&B. We went to the Starbucks in the airport and I watched people and Nick walked around and checked out the arcade.
Finally, after about 1.5 hours, I was ready to go. We went back to the car and decided to name him Gordon (aka Gordie) because, as Atkins, we're a part of Clan Gordon.
Driving in Scotland is about the same as driving in Ireland. Many of the signs are the same but the difference with the roundabouts is that they're marked on the pavement to let you know which lane to go in to get to which exit. It's still sometimes confusing but I suppose it helps, especially on the large roundabouts or the wonky ones.
We said goodbye to Eamon and hopped into the van to ride to the airport. Once we got to the airport, that's where things got hairy. I knew that Ryan Air is will nickel and dime you but we had to pay a 150 Euro fee for excess baggage. They said that we could move stuff around between the two bags but it was a good thing I just sucked it up because we wouldn't have made it to the plane on time. *sigh*
I was so upset because of that and then the rental car made it so much worse. I was going to be charged around 250 pounds for the car but it went up to 600 pounds with insurance. Next time, I *KNOW* to get the damned insurance ahead of time. I probably could have covered both cars with one insurance policy instead of using two different ones. I spent around $700 that I didn't plan on on that day and thinking about it still upsets me.
Not much I can do about it now though...live and learn.
So after the debacle with the rental car, we went out to see it. We got to the car and I realized that I had been given a Ford. Now, anyone that knows me well knows I HATE Fords. Two have let me down and I didn't want to ever give another one a try for 3 strikes. However, I was already so upset that I wasn't even in the mood to deal with it. I was frustrated, all out of sorts and in the mood for a good cry. I wanted to go home so badly at that point and had I known before flying to Glasgow about the extra $700, I probably would have tried to switch our tickets right there.
Nick and I went back inside because I needed a break and figured I needed to kill some time before heading to our next B&B. We went to the Starbucks in the airport and I watched people and Nick walked around and checked out the arcade.
Finally, after about 1.5 hours, I was ready to go. We went back to the car and decided to name him Gordon (aka Gordie) because, as Atkins, we're a part of Clan Gordon.
Driving in Scotland is about the same as driving in Ireland. Many of the signs are the same but the difference with the roundabouts is that they're marked on the pavement to let you know which lane to go in to get to which exit. It's still sometimes confusing but I suppose it helps, especially on the large roundabouts or the wonky ones.
Day 7 - The Drive Back to Dublin
We woke up at the Ashford Castle and it was still raining and overcast. It took awhile to get up and get ready so we didn't eat breakfast there. We hurried up, packed up our things and went outside to see the grounds. We didn't have much time to look around. I knew that if an Irishman said it would take 3 hours to get back to Dublin, we could count on it taking us at least 5.
The drive back was pretty uneventful except that we had to head back towards the Dublin airport in order to find the Regency hotel again. I decided that we should eat dinner at the hotel again because it was just easier and it was getting late.
At first they put us in a smoking room and I accepted that (because we were tired and I figured we weren't going to be there that long). Then, our neighbors were loud (there wasn't much of a wall between us on that floor...or perhaps it was the connecting door), so I chose to go downstairs and ask for a new room. I think they might have charged us for the room but I have to check my account when I get internet access again.
The night was pretty restless for both of us...we had to get up at 5 in order to get to the airport on time...
The drive back was pretty uneventful except that we had to head back towards the Dublin airport in order to find the Regency hotel again. I decided that we should eat dinner at the hotel again because it was just easier and it was getting late.
At first they put us in a smoking room and I accepted that (because we were tired and I figured we weren't going to be there that long). Then, our neighbors were loud (there wasn't much of a wall between us on that floor...or perhaps it was the connecting door), so I chose to go downstairs and ask for a new room. I think they might have charged us for the room but I have to check my account when I get internet access again.
The night was pretty restless for both of us...we had to get up at 5 in order to get to the airport on time...
Day 6 - Ashford Castle
Again I'm pretty far behind. Part of that was due to actually getting out and exploring Edinburgh and part of that has been due to the lack of internet at a couple places.
I'll try and catch up so I don't have to worry when we get to London which isn't too far away.
The drive to Ashford was very easy compared to the previous day's drive but the Irish have a far different idea of what's "small" and what's "not busy" compared to (at the very least) me. Nick and I stopped at the Petrol Station before heading to Ashford and the guy there was very helpful but when he gave us directions.
I was really excited about going to the castle and wondering if Nick would think it was cool. It was crazy actually driving to a castle to stay the night. Rather surreal, really. =)
We were able to check in immediately, which was nice, and we went up to our room after a brief tour. The lad that checked us in and gave us the tour was named Ethan. If you've ever seen the movie _Love Actually_, he completely reminded me of Rowan Atkinson's character in the jewelry shopping scene. It was hilarious because Ethan kept saying "Lovely" after almost everything and, every time, I was reminded of the movie. If you haven't seen it, be sure to check it out.
Once we were in the room, Nick wanted to watch tv while I took a nap but the tv didn't work at first so we called the front desk. They sent someone right up and I chatted with him for awhile. He was a very nice guy and we discussed politics and things before he left.
Then I wanted to take a nap so that we could explore later but it started raining and the exploration was put to the side. I did get the nap, however.
After the nap, Nick and I got dressed up and headed to Cullens Cottage. Feeding Nick can be quite an issue because he's so picky but we managed to find something (fortunately they have a children's menu). I had a delicious chicken dinner and topped it off with the most divine bread pudding. That bread pudding is now up on the top of my favourite desserts list and I'm going on a mission to find a recipe...
The bed was comfortable and luxurious as was the bathroom...we even had a heated towel rack which pleased me to no end.
When we went to bed that night, the back side of the castle is incredibly dark. We couldn't see hardly at all and there was a wonderful storm raging. I slept like a baby and didn't want to leave.
I was really lucky because I had left my credit card at the restaurant (they didn't give it back, obviously) but Ethan had it for me the next day. It would have been a really bad thing to leave it on the other side of the country, especially when we were leaving the next day for Scotland.
I definitely recommend going to the castle and staying the night. So many famous people have stayed there and Pierce Brosnan was even married there. If you go on the tour with Sceptre Tours, it's well worth it. (I should have used them for the Scotland part of my trip...)
I'll try and catch up so I don't have to worry when we get to London which isn't too far away.
The drive to Ashford was very easy compared to the previous day's drive but the Irish have a far different idea of what's "small" and what's "not busy" compared to (at the very least) me. Nick and I stopped at the Petrol Station before heading to Ashford and the guy there was very helpful but when he gave us directions.
I was really excited about going to the castle and wondering if Nick would think it was cool. It was crazy actually driving to a castle to stay the night. Rather surreal, really. =)
We were able to check in immediately, which was nice, and we went up to our room after a brief tour. The lad that checked us in and gave us the tour was named Ethan. If you've ever seen the movie _Love Actually_, he completely reminded me of Rowan Atkinson's character in the jewelry shopping scene. It was hilarious because Ethan kept saying "Lovely" after almost everything and, every time, I was reminded of the movie. If you haven't seen it, be sure to check it out.
Once we were in the room, Nick wanted to watch tv while I took a nap but the tv didn't work at first so we called the front desk. They sent someone right up and I chatted with him for awhile. He was a very nice guy and we discussed politics and things before he left.
Then I wanted to take a nap so that we could explore later but it started raining and the exploration was put to the side. I did get the nap, however.
After the nap, Nick and I got dressed up and headed to Cullens Cottage. Feeding Nick can be quite an issue because he's so picky but we managed to find something (fortunately they have a children's menu). I had a delicious chicken dinner and topped it off with the most divine bread pudding. That bread pudding is now up on the top of my favourite desserts list and I'm going on a mission to find a recipe...
The bed was comfortable and luxurious as was the bathroom...we even had a heated towel rack which pleased me to no end.
When we went to bed that night, the back side of the castle is incredibly dark. We couldn't see hardly at all and there was a wonderful storm raging. I slept like a baby and didn't want to leave.
I was really lucky because I had left my credit card at the restaurant (they didn't give it back, obviously) but Ethan had it for me the next day. It would have been a really bad thing to leave it on the other side of the country, especially when we were leaving the next day for Scotland.
I definitely recommend going to the castle and staying the night. So many famous people have stayed there and Pierce Brosnan was even married there. If you go on the tour with Sceptre Tours, it's well worth it. (I should have used them for the Scotland part of my trip...)
11 September 2009
Pictures
Nick and I have been quite busy, running around, seeing some things...LOTS of driving again. But, I've decided to post the pictures in Picasa first so that at least they're out there. The link to the site is: http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart1?authkey=Gv1sRgCOLqst-2u6TnFQ#
and the second album is:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart2?authkey=Gv1sRgCJvurdDP55-tqwE#
If you want certain pics taken, you can still send messages via this blog. I've got notes on the blogs I need to write but we'll probably be out late tonight with a friend who lives here in Edinburgh. =)
and the second album is:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rabbitseuropeanadventure/RabbitSEuropeanAdventurePart2?authkey=Gv1sRgCJvurdDP55-tqwE#
If you want certain pics taken, you can still send messages via this blog. I've got notes on the blogs I need to write but we'll probably be out late tonight with a friend who lives here in Edinburgh. =)
07 September 2009
Lessons Learned - Notes on Driving
I might as well mention my thoughts on driving here. When I first arrived, I thought I'd have to go as fast as the speed limit and keep up with the Irish. They tailgate compared to the space that we're supposed to leave between cars in the states. However, I have realized that people go whatever speed limit they feel comfortable with and the others pass them. Passing is VERY common over here and no one gets offended or anything like that. When they get in front of you, it's *like* they're cutting you off but they're not. That's just how they drive like tailgating. If we got that close in the states, it would be because the person that passed you was ticked off at your driving. Here it's totally normal.
I feel comfortable driving now, for the most part and don't have trouble with the roundabouts or most situations. I still hate driving with anything too close on my left side because I'm afraid I'll rip off the sideview mirror but Nick lets me know that I'm doing a good job of maintaining balance.
I also have realized that the few times I've been honked at are when I suddenly put on the brakes (1 time) to stop at a Petrol station...and when I've been too chicken to go through a small space with cars on both sides. I should be more than good for heading into Scotland and England. I've been told that the roads are bigger over there but I don't know if the drivers will be as calm as the Irish.
Even though it's really scary and nervewracking at first, I highly recommend driving in Ireland, even for your first visit here. There's something more about being the driver as opposed to being on a tour bus or even the passenger in a car. You're much more connected to the country because you have to completely involve yourself in it with looking for road signs, watching for clues from other drivers, learning the rules of the road (both written and unwritten). I think I've learned a lot about Ireland this way.
Another Note: We haven't gotten to go to any touristy sites besides Dublin itself but we've seen a lot of the country. It would have been cool to go to Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone but hanging upside down over the side of a castle isn't really my cup o'tea. I am sad that we didn't get to go to my lighthouse but we've got a castle stay and a lighthouse stay in our future. ;)
I feel comfortable driving now, for the most part and don't have trouble with the roundabouts or most situations. I still hate driving with anything too close on my left side because I'm afraid I'll rip off the sideview mirror but Nick lets me know that I'm doing a good job of maintaining balance.
I also have realized that the few times I've been honked at are when I suddenly put on the brakes (1 time) to stop at a Petrol station...and when I've been too chicken to go through a small space with cars on both sides. I should be more than good for heading into Scotland and England. I've been told that the roads are bigger over there but I don't know if the drivers will be as calm as the Irish.
Even though it's really scary and nervewracking at first, I highly recommend driving in Ireland, even for your first visit here. There's something more about being the driver as opposed to being on a tour bus or even the passenger in a car. You're much more connected to the country because you have to completely involve yourself in it with looking for road signs, watching for clues from other drivers, learning the rules of the road (both written and unwritten). I think I've learned a lot about Ireland this way.
Another Note: We haven't gotten to go to any touristy sites besides Dublin itself but we've seen a lot of the country. It would have been cool to go to Blarney Castle and kiss the Blarney Stone but hanging upside down over the side of a castle isn't really my cup o'tea. I am sad that we didn't get to go to my lighthouse but we've got a castle stay and a lighthouse stay in our future. ;)
Day 5 - Kinsale to Claregalway
As I mentioned in the previous blog, I was told at 10:00 this morning that the owners of the B&B were heading off to church (the check out time was 10:30) and so they wouldn't be able to help us navigate. I had pretty much packed everything and so I got out the B&B book and map and figured out the route for us. I used the cell phone to call another B&B and make arrangements. I'm not sure that I chose the best one as this place technically doesn't offer internet but they said that they could help out. I doubt we'll get it and I probably won't be able to post all these blogs until tomorrow.
I took a page out of the first B&B owners book and wrote down the roads that I needed to take instead of trying turn by turn directions. For anyone who travels to Ireland, I highly recommend this way of directing yourself as opposed to Google Maps or the like. I'm not sure how well the GPS works...I might invest in one of those for Scotland and England.
Leaving the town I got lost again but decided to follow the road I was on. I also had a lot of trouble getting up one hill...it was one of those ones that was almost straight up and I could only take it in 1st gear...if I tried to go into 2nd, things would get all out of sorts.
Nick didn't like my decision to follow the road we were on, he wanted to turn back but I wanted to see where it went. The great thing is that it took us towards Cork (the way we were supposed to be going). After that, getting from Cork to Limerick and Limerick to Galway was a breeze.
One of the things I've noticed about Ireland is that you can't see much in terms of Food/Petrol/Shops from the motorways. They also don't have fast food on every street corner. Even in Sweden we saw a lot more fast food locations from the highways. I wanted to get Nick fed and fed quickly but it wasn't happening. I only saw 1 advertisement for McDonalds and, by then, it was too late to try and figure out which exit they were talking about.
We didn't eat until we made it up to Claregalway where we're staying. I went into a grocery store and asked for directions to a McDonalds or the likes. I know, I know...I'm here to try Irish food and experience Irish things and this was totally against what I'm trying to do here...*BUT*, as a parent, you have to know how to pick your battles. When you have a 9.5 year old that is being REALLY good on all these long car rides and who is hungry and wants what he knows, you can either try and pressure him into trying something new or you can reward his good behaviour and give him what he wants. I opted for the latter.
The drive to Orenmore was pretty uneventful except that I had to drive down the same skinny little road 4x (twice up , twice down) in this quest. We had Supermacs (which is like McDonalds) and chilled out there for a bit. Nick wanted to get back on the road but I knew that we'd have to wait a bit before we'd be able to get into our room.
I've noticed that it seems that on the western side of Ireland, the accents are thicker. I'm not sure if that's true or just my perception but I've had to work harder to understand what they're saying.
We then called the owner of the B&B who said that we could come straight away and she gave us directions that I thought, at the time, were pretty vague (like a lot of Irish directions) but were perfect. Her house was easy to get to and they changed the colour on it...that made it confusing for me but Nick was absolutely positive that it was the house and he was right. I've learned on this trip to trust a lot of what he says (although, sometimes, I go on my instincts too).
I forgot to mention that when we got up this morning it was raining and it's been raining all day. Neither one of us looked forward to a long drive in the rain but it wasn't too difficult and I drove quite a bit of the way at 100 km/h and felt safe doing so. I also managed to get behind some slow going people and that made me feel good because I wasn't the slow person. I could relax behind them and let the faster cars overtake us.
I keep looking out at the rain and it's 8:00 p.m. here (20:00) and we haven't had dinner because lunch was late...there's a pub close by and the owner of this B&B said that the food is good but the prospect of getting soaked doesn't excite me. However...feeding a monkey is more important and we'll probably go soon.
I took a page out of the first B&B owners book and wrote down the roads that I needed to take instead of trying turn by turn directions. For anyone who travels to Ireland, I highly recommend this way of directing yourself as opposed to Google Maps or the like. I'm not sure how well the GPS works...I might invest in one of those for Scotland and England.
Leaving the town I got lost again but decided to follow the road I was on. I also had a lot of trouble getting up one hill...it was one of those ones that was almost straight up and I could only take it in 1st gear...if I tried to go into 2nd, things would get all out of sorts.
Nick didn't like my decision to follow the road we were on, he wanted to turn back but I wanted to see where it went. The great thing is that it took us towards Cork (the way we were supposed to be going). After that, getting from Cork to Limerick and Limerick to Galway was a breeze.
One of the things I've noticed about Ireland is that you can't see much in terms of Food/Petrol/Shops from the motorways. They also don't have fast food on every street corner. Even in Sweden we saw a lot more fast food locations from the highways. I wanted to get Nick fed and fed quickly but it wasn't happening. I only saw 1 advertisement for McDonalds and, by then, it was too late to try and figure out which exit they were talking about.
We didn't eat until we made it up to Claregalway where we're staying. I went into a grocery store and asked for directions to a McDonalds or the likes. I know, I know...I'm here to try Irish food and experience Irish things and this was totally against what I'm trying to do here...*BUT*, as a parent, you have to know how to pick your battles. When you have a 9.5 year old that is being REALLY good on all these long car rides and who is hungry and wants what he knows, you can either try and pressure him into trying something new or you can reward his good behaviour and give him what he wants. I opted for the latter.
The drive to Orenmore was pretty uneventful except that I had to drive down the same skinny little road 4x (twice up , twice down) in this quest. We had Supermacs (which is like McDonalds) and chilled out there for a bit. Nick wanted to get back on the road but I knew that we'd have to wait a bit before we'd be able to get into our room.
I've noticed that it seems that on the western side of Ireland, the accents are thicker. I'm not sure if that's true or just my perception but I've had to work harder to understand what they're saying.
We then called the owner of the B&B who said that we could come straight away and she gave us directions that I thought, at the time, were pretty vague (like a lot of Irish directions) but were perfect. Her house was easy to get to and they changed the colour on it...that made it confusing for me but Nick was absolutely positive that it was the house and he was right. I've learned on this trip to trust a lot of what he says (although, sometimes, I go on my instincts too).
I forgot to mention that when we got up this morning it was raining and it's been raining all day. Neither one of us looked forward to a long drive in the rain but it wasn't too difficult and I drove quite a bit of the way at 100 km/h and felt safe doing so. I also managed to get behind some slow going people and that made me feel good because I wasn't the slow person. I could relax behind them and let the faster cars overtake us.
I keep looking out at the rain and it's 8:00 p.m. here (20:00) and we haven't had dinner because lunch was late...there's a pub close by and the owner of this B&B said that the food is good but the prospect of getting soaked doesn't excite me. However...feeding a monkey is more important and we'll probably go soon.
Day 4 - Kilkenny to Kinsale
Thanks to the owners of The Meadows, we arrived in Kinsale with little trouble. As soon as we got into the outskirts of the city, we called the owners of the next B&B and asked when we would be allowed to get our rooms. At first, the gentleman said to come right up but then he called back a little while later and said that his wife would not be there until 5 and asked us to wait. (I guess with the problems we were having navigating through town, we took too long.) We got the call around 1 so that was a 4 hour wait.
I was totally exhausted and not up for a lovely walk through town so Nick and I parked in a parking lot outside of town and I took a nap in the back seat while he played DS. After Nick woke me up, we decided to walk into town and I'm guessing that it was probably a mile or so in. We tried to find somewhere to eat and that took some doing since he's so picky.
There was a little shop on the main street that sells bagels so I bought Nick one of those and had a Chicken Caesar salad that was incredibly delicious. Then he had two scoops of ice cream and I had apple crisp with cream on top. That "meal" was very expensive as it came to $40.
We walked back to the car which exhausted the poor monkey and drove back into town to try and find their house. I got lost again, had to turn around, navigated through the crazy streets and eventually found their house.
There's not too much to say about that B&B except that they were kind enough to let Nick play in the backyard with their daughter and he had a ball jumping on their trampoline. It was a much needed break for both of us because 24/7 time together can kill anyone. It also was pretty cold in the room that night...Nick complained the next morning about it.
The owners of the B&B were nice but they didn't follow through on their promise to help us navigate the next morning. I had chosen Kinsale as our destination because there is a lighthouse not too far from there that I really wanted to see. However, I wasn't going to try and figure out how to get there and then figure out how to get all the way north.
I'm getting better at driving through crowded cities and Nick is pretty impressed with my driving skills.
Nick says that when he went on the trampoline, he did the splits in the air. He says that the mint ice cream that he ate was the same as the Hagen Daaz ice cream milkshake that he had at Cherry Creek Mall. He also says that the trip is very fascinating.
I was totally exhausted and not up for a lovely walk through town so Nick and I parked in a parking lot outside of town and I took a nap in the back seat while he played DS. After Nick woke me up, we decided to walk into town and I'm guessing that it was probably a mile or so in. We tried to find somewhere to eat and that took some doing since he's so picky.
There was a little shop on the main street that sells bagels so I bought Nick one of those and had a Chicken Caesar salad that was incredibly delicious. Then he had two scoops of ice cream and I had apple crisp with cream on top. That "meal" was very expensive as it came to $40.
We walked back to the car which exhausted the poor monkey and drove back into town to try and find their house. I got lost again, had to turn around, navigated through the crazy streets and eventually found their house.
There's not too much to say about that B&B except that they were kind enough to let Nick play in the backyard with their daughter and he had a ball jumping on their trampoline. It was a much needed break for both of us because 24/7 time together can kill anyone. It also was pretty cold in the room that night...Nick complained the next morning about it.
The owners of the B&B were nice but they didn't follow through on their promise to help us navigate the next morning. I had chosen Kinsale as our destination because there is a lighthouse not too far from there that I really wanted to see. However, I wasn't going to try and figure out how to get there and then figure out how to get all the way north.
I'm getting better at driving through crowded cities and Nick is pretty impressed with my driving skills.
Nick says that when he went on the trampoline, he did the splits in the air. He says that the mint ice cream that he ate was the same as the Hagen Daaz ice cream milkshake that he had at Cherry Creek Mall. He also says that the trip is very fascinating.
Day 3 continued...
Our journey continued on the way to Kilkenny. After the nice Petrol station lady helped us, we were able to follow the directions pretty well until we got to Kilkenny. Thanks to my mom's wonderful idea, we have a cell phone (mobile (mo-by-l for their pronunciation compared to our mo-bill) phone) and I was able to call the B&B. The VERY nice lady there sent her husband to come and rescue us and he lead us up to their location.
Kilkenny is a beautiful little town but the roads there are insanely tiny. There's barely enough room for 2 cars to pass and often times there are other cars on the side of the road so you have to let one side go first (or there are braver Irish people that just plow on ahead). I didn't have to drive through the town itself too much so that was a good thing. I'm not sure I could have navigated down those roads.
Nick and I were quite hungry after our 4-5 hour drive so we gamely took their map and walked into town to find dinner. The map said it wasn't to scale and, sure enough, it wasn't. We had to double back a few times to make sure we were going the right way (we were) and so finally I stopped a nice couple on the street and asked them if they knew where Italian Connection was. They didn't but they pointed to another Italian restaurant a few buildings up that we could try. (Little did we know that Italian Connection was right across the street!)
The food there was good, a bit expensive but it is in most locations here. After dinner we walked down to the castle (or at least what I think was the castle) and took some pictures. Then back to the B&B for some much needed rest.
The next morning the owners were so wonderful in helping us to plan our route to Kinsale. They even called the next B&B for us and wrote down the directions as well as showed us on the map. With their directions, we had no trouble getting to the town. Once we were in town, that was when we had some trouble...but that's for the next story.
I do highly recommend The Meadows B&B in Kilkenny (6 Greenfields Road, Bishop Meadows, Kilkenny City - 056 7721649) for anyone who wants a great place to stay. It was clean, quiet and they served an amazing breakfast!
Kilkenny is a beautiful little town but the roads there are insanely tiny. There's barely enough room for 2 cars to pass and often times there are other cars on the side of the road so you have to let one side go first (or there are braver Irish people that just plow on ahead). I didn't have to drive through the town itself too much so that was a good thing. I'm not sure I could have navigated down those roads.
Nick and I were quite hungry after our 4-5 hour drive so we gamely took their map and walked into town to find dinner. The map said it wasn't to scale and, sure enough, it wasn't. We had to double back a few times to make sure we were going the right way (we were) and so finally I stopped a nice couple on the street and asked them if they knew where Italian Connection was. They didn't but they pointed to another Italian restaurant a few buildings up that we could try. (Little did we know that Italian Connection was right across the street!)
The food there was good, a bit expensive but it is in most locations here. After dinner we walked down to the castle (or at least what I think was the castle) and took some pictures. Then back to the B&B for some much needed rest.
The next morning the owners were so wonderful in helping us to plan our route to Kinsale. They even called the next B&B for us and wrote down the directions as well as showed us on the map. With their directions, we had no trouble getting to the town. Once we were in town, that was when we had some trouble...but that's for the next story.
I do highly recommend The Meadows B&B in Kilkenny (6 Greenfields Road, Bishop Meadows, Kilkenny City - 056 7721649) for anyone who wants a great place to stay. It was clean, quiet and they served an amazing breakfast!
Day 3 - Dublin to Kilkenny
I'm quite far behind in my posting due to long driving hours and little sleep (trying to get naps in here and there). On Day 3, we left Dublin to head to Kilkenny. Unfortunately, Google Maps which works so wonderfully in the states failed me here in Ireland. I was trying to follow the directions, missed one of the crucial turns on Church Street and spent 2 hours in Dublin trying to leave.
It was a really frustrating experience and the monkey did pretty well through the whole ordeal. I had to talk to a cab driver who helped me a bit but I think he didn't remember that there's a street in which cabs can go straight but others had to take a detour so we ended up in some weird place. Finally we started making it out of Dublin and when we tried to go to the motorway (highway) N7, we lost it somehow. We were following the signs to N4 through N7 and then, all of a sudden, it was just N4 through N6.
I've figured out that, in the states, we have what I now like to call "Road Signs for Dummies" which I love and appreciate. In Ireland, you often get one chance to see a sign and if you miss that sign, you will miss your turn and keep driving, not realizing that you totally missed it. They also don't show the sign for the road you're on very often.
Fortunately, the Irish are generally very kind and have been very helpful in guiding us to the right path.
We got lost a few more times on this journey and talked to an employee at B&Q (pictures below are of that location).
Another hour or so later, I wasn't sure if I missed the turn or not (still using my Google Maps handwritten directions since I don't have a printer) so I stopped at a Petrol station (gas station for you Americans ;) ) and another lady helped us out.
More on Day 3 in the next installment which, since I'm so far behind, will be coming shortly. =)
It was a really frustrating experience and the monkey did pretty well through the whole ordeal. I had to talk to a cab driver who helped me a bit but I think he didn't remember that there's a street in which cabs can go straight but others had to take a detour so we ended up in some weird place. Finally we started making it out of Dublin and when we tried to go to the motorway (highway) N7, we lost it somehow. We were following the signs to N4 through N7 and then, all of a sudden, it was just N4 through N6.
I've figured out that, in the states, we have what I now like to call "Road Signs for Dummies" which I love and appreciate. In Ireland, you often get one chance to see a sign and if you miss that sign, you will miss your turn and keep driving, not realizing that you totally missed it. They also don't show the sign for the road you're on very often.
Fortunately, the Irish are generally very kind and have been very helpful in guiding us to the right path.
We got lost a few more times on this journey and talked to an employee at B&Q (pictures below are of that location).
Another hour or so later, I wasn't sure if I missed the turn or not (still using my Google Maps handwritten directions since I don't have a printer) so I stopped at a Petrol station (gas station for you Americans ;) ) and another lady helped us out.
More on Day 3 in the next installment which, since I'm so far behind, will be coming shortly. =)
Missing Blogs
To all the Document Controllers...even though you're not at work (and it's not morning here or there), I'd like to say "Good morning, my little chickadees!"
I know I'm behind on blogs so I'll get that info posted and then work on pics. I really want to post the pics from today since we're at Ashford Castle (http://www.ashford.ie/index.php) and it's amazing!
I've also got some "Lessons Learned" to write about. =)
I know I'm behind on blogs so I'll get that info posted and then work on pics. I really want to post the pics from today since we're at Ashford Castle (http://www.ashford.ie/index.php) and it's amazing!
I've also got some "Lessons Learned" to write about. =)
04 September 2009
Day 2 - Dealings with Dublin, a Surge Snafu and a Spectacular Sunset
After we got to the hotel and checked in, we weren't able to go to our room just yet because they only had smoking rooms available at that time. We decided to go into the heart of Dublin to purchase some food and have a look around. We were able to take the bus, a double decker one that was almost totally full so, much to Nick's disappointment, we weren't able to ride on the top level. We got off on O'Connell Street and on one side of the street was McDonalds and on the other side was Burger King. Nick wanted to go to one or the other but I was adament that we would go to an Irish cafe/pub/something and get food that didn't originate in America.
Picture of the monkey when we were walking around, trying to find food.
We walked all around and, finally, I gave in. He was cranky and tired and I didn't blame him. This was one of the battles that I chose not to fight anymore and we headed into McDonalds. The crew there was wearing shirts that either said something in Irish Gaelic or said "My boss is a clown." Who wouldn't want that shirt?! The meal itself was a little expensive but not too bad; around $14 for a Happy Meal and a 6 piece value meal. Nick and I decided to go upstairs and sit on the 2nd level. There was a mother and her 3 kids right behind us and the little boy was playing with his toy which flies. All of a sudden it came and hit Nick on the head, not too hard but it was noticable. The lady apologized many times but, since Nick wasn't hurt, I thought it was really cool to have an interaction with an Irish family like that.
Below are more pictures of the sites when we were touring Dublin.
A Bailey's sign for a certain person who loves the drink (and you know who you are)!
The River Liffey.
The bird Nick insisted that I take a picture of.
And the reminder to always look left for oncoming traffic (as a pedestrian of course).
We took the bus back to the hotel and were able to sit in the upper section; Nick was so excited!
Once we arrived back at the hotel, we were able to check into our room and bring the luggage up. I promptly tried to use my adaptor/converter and forgot to plug in the converter and fried my surge protector. When we left the next day, it still smelled fried. *blech*
Nick and I were both quite exhausted so we opted to have dinner at the hotel and were evel able to take it up to our room in order to relax.
Below are some pictures of the view from our hotel room.
Picture of the monkey when we were walking around, trying to find food.
We walked all around and, finally, I gave in. He was cranky and tired and I didn't blame him. This was one of the battles that I chose not to fight anymore and we headed into McDonalds. The crew there was wearing shirts that either said something in Irish Gaelic or said "My boss is a clown." Who wouldn't want that shirt?! The meal itself was a little expensive but not too bad; around $14 for a Happy Meal and a 6 piece value meal. Nick and I decided to go upstairs and sit on the 2nd level. There was a mother and her 3 kids right behind us and the little boy was playing with his toy which flies. All of a sudden it came and hit Nick on the head, not too hard but it was noticable. The lady apologized many times but, since Nick wasn't hurt, I thought it was really cool to have an interaction with an Irish family like that.
Below are more pictures of the sites when we were touring Dublin.
A Bailey's sign for a certain person who loves the drink (and you know who you are)!
The River Liffey.
The bird Nick insisted that I take a picture of.
And the reminder to always look left for oncoming traffic (as a pedestrian of course).
We took the bus back to the hotel and were able to sit in the upper section; Nick was so excited!
Once we arrived back at the hotel, we were able to check into our room and bring the luggage up. I promptly tried to use my adaptor/converter and forgot to plug in the converter and fried my surge protector. When we left the next day, it still smelled fried. *blech*
Nick and I were both quite exhausted so we opted to have dinner at the hotel and were evel able to take it up to our room in order to relax.
Below are some pictures of the view from our hotel room.
Day 2 - Eamon
Okay, I've been a bit remiss in my duties of posting pictures. I'm starting to get in the groove but today's activities sort of threw that off as well (more on that later).
The first pictures that you're lucky enough to receive are those of Eamon, our car. ;)
I just wanted to get caught up on those before continuing with new blogs...so here you go...
Isn't Eamon cool?! (He's no Bob but he rocks!)
The first pictures that you're lucky enough to receive are those of Eamon, our car. ;)
I just wanted to get caught up on those before continuing with new blogs...so here you go...
Isn't Eamon cool?! (He's no Bob but he rocks!)
03 September 2009
Day 2 - Arriving in Dublin and Misadventures in Driving
After we landed in Dublin (perfect landing thanks to Aer Lingus...I think I might start plugging them all the time because they were my heroes! :p), Nick and I went through Passport Control (which, of course, takes awhile for non-EU citizens) and then grabbed our luggage and then we didn't have to deal with customs which was surprising.
Then, we went to the rental car agency. I have to admit now that I was totally and completely terrified about driving. Thanks to the worry gene that runs rampant in my family, I worried about every little detail of driving. The fact that I would be driving a stick shift after being out of practice, the fact that I would be sitting on the right side of the car, the fact that I would be driving on the left side of the road, the infamous British Isle roundabouts...Yeah, I was scared.
We did our bit of paperwork and then drove over to the rental car location. We received our car, now dubbed Eamon ("aim + an") and I got in, with much apprehension, and took a turn about the parking lot. The snag came when it was time to reverse. I couldn't get that car into reverse for the life of me so I went back into the agency and confessed my problem. The gentleman showed me that you have to lift up on the ring around the stick to put it into reverse.
After that, I couldn't stall any longer and we headed out to go to our hotel. We drove for about 1/2 a mile and were trying to find a roundabout and I ended up turning left and going towards the airport instead. So we headed back to the rental car agency and passed by it on accident. I had to turn around in a parking lot and I decided to rest a bit before continuing on our way.
Nick was excited beyond belief about the car and driving and the whole adventure. I was still petrified but I knew that if I didn't get my butt in gear, we'd never get there. Back to Dan Dooley's we went and I got the directions again.
This time we got back on the road and found the first roundabout. I gamely drove into it and then realized that we were in the center ring and I would have to get into the left lane to get out of it. There wouldn't be enough time with my novice right side of car-left side of road driving skills (there are stop lights to get on the roundabout and stop lights inside the roundabout) so we went 'round again.
The next roundabout didn't look like a roundabout so we circled that area twice before we tried another direction. Nick was thoroughly enjoying this "adventure". Finally we were headed the way we needed to go. After another couple of turns and one minor mis-(not "step"...would it be "misdrive"?), we arrived at the hotel.
I was SO excited to get there. Unfortunately, I do not have the video that I promised. I was tired, stretched all out of shape, upset, stressed, etc, etc, etc and I forgot to ask the monkey to tape the drive. However, we will document our drive to our next location. We have time tonight to get ourselves organized. =)
Nick's take on the driving: It was scary driving from M-o-m because she got close to the lines on the left side. (It was not...there were no cars when I was more towards the left and monkey praised me for being right in the center of the lane when we were on a highway so HA!)
He's not in the mood to say anymore right now...he's watching some t.v. after the long day. I only drove for that wee bit today (although it took a long time to get there so it wasn't so "wee") and tomorrow should prove to be more challenging but I'm for it. I thought that driving on the left side of the road felt more natural although being on the right side of the car didn't.
If there's anyone reading this and you have comments, questions or just want to make fun of me...post away. ;)
Then, we went to the rental car agency. I have to admit now that I was totally and completely terrified about driving. Thanks to the worry gene that runs rampant in my family, I worried about every little detail of driving. The fact that I would be driving a stick shift after being out of practice, the fact that I would be sitting on the right side of the car, the fact that I would be driving on the left side of the road, the infamous British Isle roundabouts...Yeah, I was scared.
We did our bit of paperwork and then drove over to the rental car location. We received our car, now dubbed Eamon ("aim + an") and I got in, with much apprehension, and took a turn about the parking lot. The snag came when it was time to reverse. I couldn't get that car into reverse for the life of me so I went back into the agency and confessed my problem. The gentleman showed me that you have to lift up on the ring around the stick to put it into reverse.
After that, I couldn't stall any longer and we headed out to go to our hotel. We drove for about 1/2 a mile and were trying to find a roundabout and I ended up turning left and going towards the airport instead. So we headed back to the rental car agency and passed by it on accident. I had to turn around in a parking lot and I decided to rest a bit before continuing on our way.
Nick was excited beyond belief about the car and driving and the whole adventure. I was still petrified but I knew that if I didn't get my butt in gear, we'd never get there. Back to Dan Dooley's we went and I got the directions again.
This time we got back on the road and found the first roundabout. I gamely drove into it and then realized that we were in the center ring and I would have to get into the left lane to get out of it. There wouldn't be enough time with my novice right side of car-left side of road driving skills (there are stop lights to get on the roundabout and stop lights inside the roundabout) so we went 'round again.
The next roundabout didn't look like a roundabout so we circled that area twice before we tried another direction. Nick was thoroughly enjoying this "adventure". Finally we were headed the way we needed to go. After another couple of turns and one minor mis-(not "step"...would it be "misdrive"?), we arrived at the hotel.
I was SO excited to get there. Unfortunately, I do not have the video that I promised. I was tired, stretched all out of shape, upset, stressed, etc, etc, etc and I forgot to ask the monkey to tape the drive. However, we will document our drive to our next location. We have time tonight to get ourselves organized. =)
Nick's take on the driving: It was scary driving from M-o-m because she got close to the lines on the left side. (It was not...there were no cars when I was more towards the left and monkey praised me for being right in the center of the lane when we were on a highway so HA!)
He's not in the mood to say anymore right now...he's watching some t.v. after the long day. I only drove for that wee bit today (although it took a long time to get there so it wasn't so "wee") and tomorrow should prove to be more challenging but I'm for it. I thought that driving on the left side of the road felt more natural although being on the right side of the car didn't.
If there's anyone reading this and you have comments, questions or just want to make fun of me...post away. ;)
Day 1 - Delta Disaster and Aer Lingus LOVE
Greetings from Ireland!
The monkey and I made it safely over here, not without some trouble though. (But we're so happy to be here!!!)
My parents took us to the airport on the morning of the 2nd (is it really only yesterday?!) and that was an interesting situation in itself because I forgot my pin number and we had to go back to retrieve it.
When we got to the airport, we said our goodbyes and then headed to check in. I was planning on using a human representative to check in but they only had the kiosks so we went over to one and I started the process. I didn't realize earlier that Delta is one of those airlines that charges you for the 1st checked bag so I coughed up $20 for my bag and another $20 for Nick's bag.
After that we had to stand in line to actually check in the luggage. The lady wasn't the most friendly and when I asked her if she could check my luggage all the way to Ireland, the response was a curt "No". Then the weighing began...
Okay...I overpack...even when I use lists and try not to overpack, I still overpack. BUT, in my defense, this time I only took 1 large suitcase and one tiny one (the size of a banker box) to check in and the tiny one is filled with snacks. (Although in my continued prosecution, I did take a big backpack that is the only size my large laptop fits in as a carry on.)
It ended up that the bag was 5 lbs over the 50 lb mark and the lady told me that I would have to remove 5 lbs or else I would be charged $90...so Nick and I started removing shoes from the large bag and stuffing them into our backpacks. Poor monkey. In retrospect it must have been pretty comical (and it is to me now) but it certainly wasn't at the time.
Once we got on the place it was mostly uneventful until we began our descent into JFK. I have never been there but I was studying the layout so Nick and I could run from our gate, grab our luggage, run to the other terminal, check everything in, go through security again and get to the 2nd gate, all in an hour and a half. Pretty tight but doable. We were even ahead of schedule...
I don't know what happened but we went from being 10 minutes early to being 30 minutes late. We taxied around the terminal building and then sat on a runway for 20 minutes waiting for them to fit us in.
There was an INCREDIBLY nice flight attendant who wanted to help us out as well as the lady next to us. The lady who sat next to me had already discussed our journey through JFK and had help me discuss it with the flight attendant. Well, when time started ticking by and we kept sitting on the runway, she called over the really nice flight attendant who told me that no matter what, I would be on a plane to Ireland that night. He said that I wouldn't be able to make our 5:45 flight but that there was a Delta flight to Dublin at 7:30 and I could almost assuredly get tickets for that one.
To make a completely long story a bit shorter, we had to go from our gate to another gate once we arrived, the guy at that gate told us to call Delta directly and they told me that they couldn't help us and to try Aer Lingus. It took a great deal of time and I was scared and upset and trying to hold it together for the sake of the monkey. Otherwise, I might have gone in the bathroom and had a good cry before dealing with the situation.
At that point we had to go and collect our luggage, take the tram to Terminal 4 and head to the Aer Lingus counter. They were so awesome and wonderful and amazing and put us on the 9:40 flight. We had to go through security again but I'm guessing that we could have even made it in the 45 minutes (it would have been REALLY tight but might have worked).
Aer Lingus is definitely at the top of my wonderful airline list (along with Lufthansa and British Airways). They allow you to COMBINE the total weight of your luggage so if you have one ginormous suitcase and one tiny one, you can have a total of something like 50 kilos! I'm totally in love with them! (Just a side note, the ticket agent that we got was from Ireland and had such a great accent. It was a bit difficult to understand some of the things he said because he spoke rather rapidly but after learning bits and pieces of 6 languages, I didn't have too many problems.
Now, for Nick's take on the travel: I love flying on airplanes and Delta didn't have really great service. The food on Aer Lingus was great but I couldn't sleep at all (Note from Carolyn here...he did sleep even though he thinks he didn't...he had his feet all over me most of the night and even snored a bit!). The first airport (JFK) was really large took a long time to get through. It also took a long time at Dublin's airport (because of Passport Control, getting the luggage, etc...)
So the day started out wonderfully, had some yucky middle parts but ended well only wonderful, beautiful, terrific Aer Lingus.
Stay tuned for Day #2 - Arriving in Dublin and Misadventures in Driving.
The monkey and I made it safely over here, not without some trouble though. (But we're so happy to be here!!!)
My parents took us to the airport on the morning of the 2nd (is it really only yesterday?!) and that was an interesting situation in itself because I forgot my pin number and we had to go back to retrieve it.
When we got to the airport, we said our goodbyes and then headed to check in. I was planning on using a human representative to check in but they only had the kiosks so we went over to one and I started the process. I didn't realize earlier that Delta is one of those airlines that charges you for the 1st checked bag so I coughed up $20 for my bag and another $20 for Nick's bag.
After that we had to stand in line to actually check in the luggage. The lady wasn't the most friendly and when I asked her if she could check my luggage all the way to Ireland, the response was a curt "No". Then the weighing began...
Okay...I overpack...even when I use lists and try not to overpack, I still overpack. BUT, in my defense, this time I only took 1 large suitcase and one tiny one (the size of a banker box) to check in and the tiny one is filled with snacks. (Although in my continued prosecution, I did take a big backpack that is the only size my large laptop fits in as a carry on.)
It ended up that the bag was 5 lbs over the 50 lb mark and the lady told me that I would have to remove 5 lbs or else I would be charged $90...so Nick and I started removing shoes from the large bag and stuffing them into our backpacks. Poor monkey. In retrospect it must have been pretty comical (and it is to me now) but it certainly wasn't at the time.
Once we got on the place it was mostly uneventful until we began our descent into JFK. I have never been there but I was studying the layout so Nick and I could run from our gate, grab our luggage, run to the other terminal, check everything in, go through security again and get to the 2nd gate, all in an hour and a half. Pretty tight but doable. We were even ahead of schedule...
I don't know what happened but we went from being 10 minutes early to being 30 minutes late. We taxied around the terminal building and then sat on a runway for 20 minutes waiting for them to fit us in.
There was an INCREDIBLY nice flight attendant who wanted to help us out as well as the lady next to us. The lady who sat next to me had already discussed our journey through JFK and had help me discuss it with the flight attendant. Well, when time started ticking by and we kept sitting on the runway, she called over the really nice flight attendant who told me that no matter what, I would be on a plane to Ireland that night. He said that I wouldn't be able to make our 5:45 flight but that there was a Delta flight to Dublin at 7:30 and I could almost assuredly get tickets for that one.
To make a completely long story a bit shorter, we had to go from our gate to another gate once we arrived, the guy at that gate told us to call Delta directly and they told me that they couldn't help us and to try Aer Lingus. It took a great deal of time and I was scared and upset and trying to hold it together for the sake of the monkey. Otherwise, I might have gone in the bathroom and had a good cry before dealing with the situation.
At that point we had to go and collect our luggage, take the tram to Terminal 4 and head to the Aer Lingus counter. They were so awesome and wonderful and amazing and put us on the 9:40 flight. We had to go through security again but I'm guessing that we could have even made it in the 45 minutes (it would have been REALLY tight but might have worked).
Aer Lingus is definitely at the top of my wonderful airline list (along with Lufthansa and British Airways). They allow you to COMBINE the total weight of your luggage so if you have one ginormous suitcase and one tiny one, you can have a total of something like 50 kilos! I'm totally in love with them! (Just a side note, the ticket agent that we got was from Ireland and had such a great accent. It was a bit difficult to understand some of the things he said because he spoke rather rapidly but after learning bits and pieces of 6 languages, I didn't have too many problems.
Now, for Nick's take on the travel: I love flying on airplanes and Delta didn't have really great service. The food on Aer Lingus was great but I couldn't sleep at all (Note from Carolyn here...he did sleep even though he thinks he didn't...he had his feet all over me most of the night and even snored a bit!). The first airport (JFK) was really large took a long time to get through. It also took a long time at Dublin's airport (because of Passport Control, getting the luggage, etc...)
So the day started out wonderfully, had some yucky middle parts but ended well only wonderful, beautiful, terrific Aer Lingus.
Stay tuned for Day #2 - Arriving in Dublin and Misadventures in Driving.
15 August 2009
Fix-its
The aforementioned snags have been remedied, more or less. I have found a place in France. I decided to go for it and try to go for that really cool place in Paris but it was taken. However, the owners sent me a message with other bed and breakfasts to check out (ones that they're friends with the owners and they highly recommend). They also sent a message to the owners and the lady responded.
Cecilia sent me a really nice message and I've told her that I would like to book the room. Her site is at: www.ceciliasguesthouse-iledefrance.com. She said that she likes children and that there is a park across the street. She seems really sweet and has good reviews on hostelworld.com. YAY!
The suitcase thing is working out as well.
Now I have to book a place in Edinburgh. I tried to do the research tonight but it seems that it's not working out so I'll wait for the stars to align or whatever has been happening to make this trip work out so well. =)
Cecilia sent me a really nice message and I've told her that I would like to book the room. Her site is at: www.ceciliasguesthouse-iledefrance.com. She said that she likes children and that there is a park across the street. She seems really sweet and has good reviews on hostelworld.com. YAY!
The suitcase thing is working out as well.
Now I have to book a place in Edinburgh. I tried to do the research tonight but it seems that it's not working out so I'll wait for the stars to align or whatever has been happening to make this trip work out so well. =)
14 August 2009
Some Snags
I have been working feverishly to book the travel for the trip and to arrange the accomodations and rental car. I have all the flights booked except for the one from London to Paris (I was going to take the Chunnel but it seems that flying is a cheaper option) and the rental car for the UK is arranged although not paid for. I was lucky enough to get two nights at my beautiful lighthouse (http://www.ruareidh.co.uk/), a night near Isle of Skye, a night near Loch Ness and a cute little rental car (type to be determined later).
Now for the snags...
I knew that both London and Paris were going to be expensive to stay in but I'm having a hard time figuring out the arrangements for where we're staying. I've been working on the Paris side and I don't even want to imagine the London one (although I did start that before and have a general idea of where to stay). The problem is that I read the reviews on hostelworld.com and tripadvisor.com plus any other sites that show some reviews and a lot of the places I'm looking at seem pretty dodgy. I found one outside of Paris that the metro goes to easily but it would be $650 for the 4 nights there because they don't have a 2 person room, only ones starting at 3 people and you have to pay for all 3, even if you're only having 2 stay there. The thing is that this place is getting GREAT reviews from all the sites and they say it's safe, clean and the owners are friendly (in FRANCE! Half the reviews from other hostels/hotels talk about how rude and snotty the owners/employees are). So do I pay the extra money for the peace of mind? Do I go to Expedia or Orbitz or Priceline and trust their "good" reviews (places that have received really bad reviews on sites like Trip Advisor)?
The other snag is luggage. I found the coolest suitcases on Zuca (www.zuca.com) and they also get really awesome reviews on Amazon and other sites. I ordered 2 of the sport suitcases and because I'm really bad at spatial imagery, I didn't really fathom the dimensions properly. The cute little suitcase is about the size of a banker box. That's fine for a 9 year old boy but I can't even fit my laptop in there diagonally (I should have done the math on that...it's my mistake). I had already ordered a backpack for me, one of the really big women's backpacker packs, but I'll have to use my ginormous laptop backpack to schlep my computer around. I think we'll pack Nick's daypack and use my Zuca bag as his carry on and my laptop bag as my carry on. My backpacker pack has a detachable daypack so he could use that during the daytime. We'll have a lot of time where we're driving from place to place and then, towards the end, we'll just chill in the locations. I'm thinking of getting a Pac Safe (http://www.pac-safe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=48) bag protector but that's more money out the window.
I'm already bad at saving money and budgeting and this is making it worse. Once I've figured things out, I'll post a more detailed itinerary (although is that the most wise course of action? Having it all out here on the internet...?).
Now for the snags...
I knew that both London and Paris were going to be expensive to stay in but I'm having a hard time figuring out the arrangements for where we're staying. I've been working on the Paris side and I don't even want to imagine the London one (although I did start that before and have a general idea of where to stay). The problem is that I read the reviews on hostelworld.com and tripadvisor.com plus any other sites that show some reviews and a lot of the places I'm looking at seem pretty dodgy. I found one outside of Paris that the metro goes to easily but it would be $650 for the 4 nights there because they don't have a 2 person room, only ones starting at 3 people and you have to pay for all 3, even if you're only having 2 stay there. The thing is that this place is getting GREAT reviews from all the sites and they say it's safe, clean and the owners are friendly (in FRANCE! Half the reviews from other hostels/hotels talk about how rude and snotty the owners/employees are). So do I pay the extra money for the peace of mind? Do I go to Expedia or Orbitz or Priceline and trust their "good" reviews (places that have received really bad reviews on sites like Trip Advisor)?
The other snag is luggage. I found the coolest suitcases on Zuca (www.zuca.com) and they also get really awesome reviews on Amazon and other sites. I ordered 2 of the sport suitcases and because I'm really bad at spatial imagery, I didn't really fathom the dimensions properly. The cute little suitcase is about the size of a banker box. That's fine for a 9 year old boy but I can't even fit my laptop in there diagonally (I should have done the math on that...it's my mistake). I had already ordered a backpack for me, one of the really big women's backpacker packs, but I'll have to use my ginormous laptop backpack to schlep my computer around. I think we'll pack Nick's daypack and use my Zuca bag as his carry on and my laptop bag as my carry on. My backpacker pack has a detachable daypack so he could use that during the daytime. We'll have a lot of time where we're driving from place to place and then, towards the end, we'll just chill in the locations. I'm thinking of getting a Pac Safe (http://www.pac-safe.com/www/index.php?_room=3&_action=detail&id=48) bag protector but that's more money out the window.
I'm already bad at saving money and budgeting and this is making it worse. Once I've figured things out, I'll post a more detailed itinerary (although is that the most wise course of action? Having it all out here on the internet...?).
07 August 2009
Pre-Adventure Planning
This blog is a record of the trip that Nick and I (along with his stuffed rabbit, Rabbit) will be taking to Europe. I have started planning the trip and even booked some of it. I initially started planning it months ago but had to shorten the trip and change the itinerary more than a few times. The plan so far is 6 days in Ireland via a "tour" (which I'll describe later), then a few days in Edinburgh, a jaunt around northern Scotland, driving down to London and Stonehenge and then a few days in Paris. The second half of the trip (starting with Scotland) is still in the planning stages but the first part, the Ireland part, is already booked.
I found a great package on www.sceptretours.com called The Emerald Package. The first of the six nights is spent in a hotel in Dublin. Then you're given a rental car and the second through fourth nights are spent driving all over Ireland, anywhere you want to go, and staying in Bed and Breakfasts. They have a list of ones that you can stay at and you call them/email them and reserve your room for the night. Hopefully it really IS that easy. The fifth night is spent at Ashford Castle which is a 5 star hotel inside a castle, http://www.ashford.ie/index.php. Then the sixth night is back at the hotel in Dublin. Not a bad trip, I must say!
I'll write more about the rest of the trip once I've sorted it all out. =)
I found a great package on www.sceptretours.com called The Emerald Package. The first of the six nights is spent in a hotel in Dublin. Then you're given a rental car and the second through fourth nights are spent driving all over Ireland, anywhere you want to go, and staying in Bed and Breakfasts. They have a list of ones that you can stay at and you call them/email them and reserve your room for the night. Hopefully it really IS that easy. The fifth night is spent at Ashford Castle which is a 5 star hotel inside a castle, http://www.ashford.ie/index.php. Then the sixth night is back at the hotel in Dublin. Not a bad trip, I must say!
I'll write more about the rest of the trip once I've sorted it all out. =)
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