There will be three of us on this trip . . . David, his mom and me. Thanks to an airline credit card offer more than a year ago, the three of us will be flying to Dublin for just over $250 (TOTAL!). We were able to use one of our timeshare units for an exchange into a cottage on the western side of Ireland and have added another cottage for five days in SE Ireland. With a few other one and two night stays to fill in the gaps, we have our 15 nights of accommodations set.
While we will have a rental car, once again testing David's "opposite side of the road" driving skills, we have planned on a couple of motor coach drive tours to give him a break. I'm especially looking forward to the Cliffs of Moher and Ring of Kerry tours. It is my belief that adding such tours not only provides David with a break in the driving, but it also gives us a chance to learn about the Irish culture and its people directly from the Irish.
While we will have a rental car, once again testing David's "opposite side of the road" driving skills, we have planned on a couple of motor coach drive tours to give him a break. I'm especially looking forward to the Cliffs of Moher and Ring of Kerry tours. It is my belief that adding such tours not only provides David with a break in the driving, but it also gives us a chance to learn about the Irish culture and its people directly from the Irish.We are also planning a ferry trip over to Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. Once on the island, transportation will be by pony & trap provided by one of the local residents. The island is roughly eight miles long and a mile and a half wide and is home to some of the oldest ruins found anywhere in Ireland.
As with our UK holiday back in 2006, we are anticipating the opportunity to see plenty of old castles, abbeys and ancient monuments. Irish Crosses, also known as "high crosses" are also on the travel itinerary during our drives through the countryside.
Speaking of castles, one of the highlights of our lodging plans is Ballyseede Castle located in County Kerry in the town of Tralee. In the heart of Kerry, this will be our transitional base between the two cottage stays. It will also be our launching point for the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula drive tours.
As our vacation comes to a close after our first 12 days in Ireland, we'll be staying in the village of Malahide, located about half an hour north of Dublin. From here we'll have access to the Dublin public transit system and will venture into Centre City Dublin for a day of "HopON HopOFF" touring of the city's most famous sites. Included will be the Dublin Castle, Guinness Storehouse, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Kilmainham Gaol (jail).Dublin Castle and Kilmainham Gaol are part of the Heritage of Ireland along with some 80+ other historical sites throughout the country. Their Heritage Pass affords visitors access to all sites for one low price, so this will be something we invest in once we arrive in Ireland. We did a similar program during our UK travels throughout Scotland and England, and found it to be the best value for anyone spending more than a couple of days visiting historical and cultural sites throughout the country.
Look for updates from "on the road" once we arrive in Ireland in late April. It is my plan to blog at least every few days with stories, photos and videos from the beautiful Emerald Isle of Ireland.
NOTE: Photos in this post are from promotional literature provided by tour operators being used during our holiday.
