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Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Getting Ready to Go: Counting Down to Ireland

Eleven days from now I will be at BWI about this time of the afternoon, preparing to board a flight to Ireland!

It's really going to happen. My sister Theresa and I have been planning this trip since March and now it's just around the corner. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that all will be well, that nothing unexpected will happen to keep us from going. Yesterday I took a little tumble--nothing major--but my first thought as I fell was, Don't hurt anything! You're going to Ireland! I'll be stepping a little more carefully for the next week and 5 days.

Our trip will take across Ireland by train, stopping at various cities along the way. We have some specific places we want to go--the Aran Islands,


Newgrange, 



the Hill of Tara


 and the Cliffs of Moher. 



There's lots more to see, of course, but for this trip those will probably be the major sites. Mostly we just want to enjoy the countryside, old churches and old streets, stand on the shores and listen to some good Irish music.

My suitcase is already packed, almost. I've been putting things in, taking them out, changing my mind about what I'll need/want. I've bought new walking shoes, an umbrella and a raincoat, and my son gave me a perfect backpack.

So now I just wait for the days to pass, and I bet they go slowly. I'll miss the brunt of our apple harvest probably, and the grapes too but I'm not going to worry over it. Larry will take care of what he can, and what he can't he can give away or feed to the chickens.

I hope I'll be able to post while I'm over there, but we'll see how that goes. Be assured that I'll have plenty to say and share when I get back. Just keep your fingers crossed for me that nothing happens in the next week or so!

Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.

14 comments:

  1. So excited for you kiddo. How fun. AND to be with a beloved sister. Nothing better. Kiss Ireland for me. I've always wanted to go there. God bless you, your sister and this lovely trip. (Back to the Homeland)

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  2. Hope you have a wonderful trip, we loved our trip there, particularly New Grange and Tara. We're off to England tomorrow.

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  3. Jealous! Have fun though and do share your adventures with us :)

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  4. John we are really excited to go. So much to see, so few years left to see it--for me, anyway.

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  5. Janet, really! Have a great time. See Ely Cathedral if you can, it's astounding. And do read my cousin John's blog By Stargoose and Hanglands. He has so many cool places there, so much history. Have a wonderful time!

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  6. I will, Dustin! It's not as expensive as one might think. Lots of great deals can be found online. We found this one through Travelzoo.

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  7. Have fun! I cannot wait to see your photos when you return! I do hope you will share them with us!

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  8. Wear those new shoes some before you go to be sure you don't get blisters from them!! Have a great time. Collect some Irish folklore stories while you're there!!

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  9. I'm sure that you will love Ireland, I've been a couple of times but the Cliffs of Moher are the only one of the places on your list that I've seen. One day I want to see fragrance and the Hill of Tara as well. I think you will probably need your raincoat and umbrella though:)

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  10. What a great trip this will be for you. Hope you have the very best kind of time there!

    =)

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  11. Long time reader here, de-lurking to welcome you to Ireland. We have had a very very rainy summer, so you are bound to get some sunshine now! Pack the rain gear though, just in case.... As for stories, if you sit in apub or stand at a bus stop, I'm sure you'll pick some up!

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  12. Sounds like a fine plan! I visited Ireland in 1995 - seems like last year - for research on my Master's Thesis. It was a real shoestring-budget trip, staying in hostels and a couple of B&Bs, walking over a hundred miles with a heavy backpack, focusing on visiting three landscape areas which included several of your selected sites as well, including Brug na Boinne and Inis Mor, and others like Emain Macha.
    I have a crazy favor to ask:
    If Inis Mor is the Aran Island you visit, and you go to the little (it was in 1995 anyway) visitor center, would you do me a huge favor? There was a huge enlarged photograph on one wall, of a woman (knitting, I think) and a cat. I have looked for that image in online Irish photography archives for years since with no luck - even started to write a blog post about it recently! Anyway, if you happen to be there, and happen to see that image, and happen to get a picture of it to share...I would be thrilled!
    Enjoy your journey - I will be thinking of you and your sister, and wishing you good weather :)

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