HEY! FROM IRELAND!

Well we are having a fantastic trip so far... the weather has been AMAZING... literally we could not have dreamed better weather!

Our first day in Limerick we were a little bit like zombies, we still wandered around in the rain for an hour trying to find the church... to no avail. But it was still fun. Michelle, Mindi and I went to Fionn Regan and we all ate a Dolan's... Matt and I had traditional Irish Stew that was amazing.

The Next morning we started out early... It was freezing and the wind was blowing like mad! I was a little nervous, but by the time we were on the Road in ADARE it was beautiful and was just as nice all the way to Dingle and finally to Kenmare where Anne met us at our beautiful B & B.

I am just going to post some pictures right now because i am not making much since.

Ireland or Bust!

Well, the day has arrived. I just hada couple of things for everyone:

Make sure you have your passport, and medication (if you need it). Everyting else we can get along the way if we need too. Thanks, in advance, for you patients with me... it will be a great trip!

Here is an email my mom sent me... I think it is fitting:

Have a wonderful time on your travels to Ireland.
St. Augustine of Hippo wrote, "The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only one page." Travel changes us, sometimes superficially, sometimes profoundly. It is a classroom without walls. This is from the introduction to the book "1,000 Places To See Before You Die", by Patricia Schultz. She also quotes Mark Twain, who says, " Travel is fatal to predjucide, bigotry and narrowmindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts." Travel dispels many of our bad impressions, confirms the positive, and promises innumerable surprises!

More important than packing a bag full of money, pack a bag full of patience and curiosity; allow yourself-encourage yourself-to be sidetracked and to get lost. There's no such thing as a bad trip, just good travel stories to tell back home. Always travel with a smile and remember that you're the one with the strange customs visiting someone else's country. Relying on the kindness of strangers isn't naive, there are good people wherever you go. The more time you spend coming to understand the ways of others, the more you'll understand yourself.

Mr. Twain says,"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did."

Happy Travels

love mom
 
Gotta love Momma Smith, she is wise beyond her years!

Check List

I found a really good travel check list for packing here (I love that it has a hers and his list). Check it out... don't worry about the comfirmations and car rental stuff, I have all of it three times over. BUT pay attention to the identification information... BRING YOUR PASSPORT. and make sure you have warm clothes at a waterproof coat of some sort. Gloves are not out of the question, I don't think I will bring them... but will not laugh at you if you do.

Day 9! Sunday, 11/30/08

Depart / Newark Airport
655am - # CO1535

Yes that early.

Arrive / Sky Harbor
1036am

Welcome home!

Day 8! Saturday, 11/29/08

Our flight home leaves at 4:00pm...  So this will be alot of packing and getting ready to head home. We will also do any last minute shopping anyone wants to do... go get out last bit of Irish Pastry. Michelle will have her last bit of Irish Guiness and we will bid our farewells to the lush land of Ireland. We'll need to be at the airport by 1:00pm in order to get through international customs. I will probably take everyone and drop them off at the airport and then take the car to the drop off, and come meet up at the gate.

Depart 
Dublin International flight # E1 0109
4:00 pm

Arrive
New York (JFK)
6:40pm

Once we get to JFK we will have to head across town to Newark the same way we came over from Newark the first day.
Michelle has made us reservations for two rooms at the Sheraton Hotel right by Newark airport. (the cost of the hotel room will be $50 per person)
We'll sleep like babies!

Day 7! Friday, 11/28/08

Welcome to Dublin!

Get out your walking shoes! Most of what we do here will be from Rick Stevens book. BUT, I wanted to give us these last two days in Dublin for a couple of reason; one, it will give us time to get into the city and do some travelors shopping (touristy stuff), two, once we are in the city we don't HAVE to stay together, if people want to go out on their own that is fine as long as we have meeting places and a good plan. Three, we might be pretty sick of each other, or at least you'll be sick of me telling you what to do so go be free in the city. I will plan stuff for us, but Dublin is yours!

Ofcourse you are welcome to stick with me, but I promise to do a lot of walking and most of my plans will be off the cuff AND WICKED FUN.

Some include:

1. Dublin Castle
2. Trinity College
3. The O'Connell Bridge and Street Tour
4. Moore Street Market
5. Grafton Street for lunch/dinner

This is just at a quick glance... as I put more stuff together I will let you guys know.

Day 6! Thursday, 11/27/08

Happy Thanksgiving!

I would really like to try to eat at a nice place. I have emailed our B & B in Dublin and asked them if they have any recommendation but have not heard back from them. IF we are in Doolin and hear of a great place to eat I say we do it... but the only problem is that we will still need to drive 3 and a half hours across the county to Dublin. WITH THAT IN MIND. I think we should get up pretty early, check out the cliffs of moher one last time, if we didn't get a good view the night before. Then head off the Dublin, try to get in before 12p... and then talk to the locals or look around for a really great place. Reguardless it will be a different Thanksgiving then normal... kind of like the Thanksgiving Matt and I had with the Tongan's in LA... Pig Brain, Crab and Fish... lol. Anyway, i really think we should be able to find a great place and I will look for the next couple of days on line... but the locals always recommend the best places.
Here is our basic route across the country... this day will be mostly driving and EATING, once we get to Dublin. It is possible that we will make it into Dublin this day. Our B & B is about 30 minutes out, but I am all about getting into the city and find some fine food in there. If I find something I think everyone will like, I will post it on here and send it out!

ps no cracks about my spelling errors, my blogger is working weird.