Day 43 - AIRPORTS - DUBLIN, LONDON

Went off this morning in Dublin for breakfast at Flanagans then off to get the boots Kim saw in the window last night. Having bought them, she then couldn't fit them in her suitcases (which were already packed) so into the handluggage they went.

Booked an airport to Times Square shuttle on the net, hen off to the airport. Checked in, waiting for flight. Told flight would be delayed, then embarked 15 mins later. Sat on tarmac for half an hour. Eventually left, an hour late. Missed connection to New York by 7 minutes!

Stood in queue to rebook for 2 hours - no joking here - and it was no joke. Then told that because Aer Lingus brought us to Heathrow, we would have to go to Terminal 1 (we were in Terminal 5)  and get them to find us a hotel.

Eventually got there - 2nd in queue, an hour later - all hotels in area booked out (BA were having trouble too so wasn't just the irish!) because so many connections had been missed because of the pea-soup weather in London! 11.15pm - we had arrived at 7pm - and we finally get a taxi chit to go to my friends house 30 min away from Heathrow - she was in nearly in bed when we phoned.

Get to Sally's house at 15mins past midnight. What a fiasco! we are now back in the airport for a 10am flight to JFK. Lets hope we do go this time. had to phone the hotel in NY to say we were still coming, but a day late, as well as the shuttle who probably never got my 2 messages and charged us for a no-show.

What a day!

Day 42 - DUBLIN

We set off earlyish today as had a lot to fit in. First we headed down the main road that had the shops on it as Kim wants some brown boots and NO we didn't find any that suit, so New York better have them!!!!

Just another lovely pub

We then took the On-Off  bus around Dublin which was very good and the driver was very entertaining to say the last (I must admit we had a little trouble understanding some of the things he said! To be sure! To be sure!)
 We then walked around on foot as you get to see so much more and walk off all the alchol and food we ate the day before (Yes we have put on a few little kilos, so just be mindful when you see us next and don't say you look healthy with a smile!!!!!!)

The 'tart with the cart', the 'dolly with the trolley' - Molly Malone

Kilmainham Gaol, where the 14 rebels were executed in 1916
  

The Millenium Spire - erected in 2003!

 Well, we thought that we needed to hear some good old fashioned Irish music, by the way they don't start playing till 9pm or after. We had a little rest before heading out around 8pm to the Temple Bar area that has lots of pubs and music. We picked one that seems to have lots of people in it and it was very Irish, but let me tell you they don't play the old Irish music - it is all the modern stuff that we can sing along to, which I really enjoyed. Met some people and asked them where we go for Irish music and we were told that Perth has great Irish music or Christchurch back home (haha, go Ireland).

The Temple Bar at Temple Barr area

Dublin at night - the Liffey River

Pedestrian bridge

Sharon's impression of the teetotal monk's plea for abstinence

 Walked home around 11ish and still wasn't dark dark in the sky but pleasant seeing the city at night. OK fellow followers off to New York to see the Big Apple before returning home! :-) Talk tomorrow

Day 41 - OUGHTERARD TO DUBLIN

Well up and at breaky early today as wanted a good start for the crossing of Ireland.

We stopped just out of Oughterard at Aughnanure Castle then moved on to Brigit’s Gardens about 10mins away from the castle.

These gardens are arranged in a Celtic fashion with the four seasons centered around a thatched Roundhouse. Here we were just in time to join the meditation session. Unfortunately, we did not have the time to sit around and hum so we hummed as we quickly walked around the gardens instead.

We then decided to take some of the back roads before getting on the motorway to Dublin. We headed up around Lough Corrib, which by the way, is the biggest lough in Ireland (the reason I know this is it shows me on the map!). It was good not to just hit the motorway straight away as there is not much to see when travelling at 120kph on a dead straight road – hard not to fall asleep.

 Well, the rest of the trip to Dublin was pretty boring on the motorway. When we hit Dublin they don’t have the names of the streets or turn-offs, so you have to guess and by the way it can be a little stressful (I have medicated Kim and put her to bed!). See you tomorrow I’m knackered and need medicating too!

Day 40 - CLIFFS OF MOHER, THE BURREN, AILLWEE CAVE

Now, yesterday the people at the Liscannor Bay Hotel promised us that the day would be good. Well, once again we awoke to a windy, wet Irish summer's day. Really gutted as our memories of Ireland will be of hills and valleys shouded in mist, not beautiful sunny countryside. The Irish aren't very happy about how their summer is either!



First stop of the day was to see the Cliffs of Moher. They are spectacular, I'm sure, on a sunny day but even when we got glimpses of them through the mist, they looked amazing. Having been formed over millions of years of deposits of different materials, then eroded in different ways, they are truly one of the 7 wonders of the natural world (they are touting for votes for this at the moment!)

This is how they look on a sunny day from the other end!

Leamaneh Castle

The Burren

From there, we wound our way along the coastline, then inland to Aillwee Cave in The Burren - formed through the ages by the melt waters of a prehistoric ice age and home to the brown bear many years ago. There are bear bones found there that are over 2000 years old. Also saw some stalactites and stalagmites.

Aillwee Cave, Burren

Off then through Galway to stay the night in Oughterard so we can visit a castle tomorrow.

Staying on the shores of Lough Corrib, Ireland largest lake tonight. They are promising better weather in Dublin tomorrow. Will let you know when we get there.

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Day 39 - RING OF KERRY, TO LISCANNOR BAY IN COUNTY CLARE

 Well, we woke to a day of rain and rain, thought it must get better as we go! (No it didn't so if you want to check out now we won't be offended!)






Heading to the Ring of Kerry and I must say if the day was clear and all scenery was visible it would have been spectacular, but alas the rain never gave up - it rained from the back, both sides and straight down and some of the high points around the Ring of Kerry were covered in cloud.








Took a little detour to see an ancient 2500 year-old fort near Castlecove.
 I still love Ireland (Sharon) even in this wintry phase.
Took about 3 1/2  hours on winding, narrow and bumpy roads - who needs vibrafit? Could just feel those pounds that we have added because of cooked English and Irish breakfasts just bouncing off!

 We then headed along to Tralee and onwards towards Tarbert (lunch at Listowel - this is if any of you want to consult a map)  to take the car ferry to Killimer, on to Kilrush then to Kilkee (hope you have the map and are following me and not saying where the f..k?).

Thought we should get as close as we can to the Cliffs of Moher (which we are hoping to see tomorrow by the way and you will be impressed!), so stopped at Liscannor Bay for the night to watch Coro Street only (you know whats coming!!) to find out that the weather affects the reception and YES Coro cant been seen! :-(. Well fellow followers see you tomorrow with the sun shining and a view of the sea which, by the way, the hotel people promised us in the morning! :-)  Sleep well.

Day 38 - CORK, BLARNEY & ROAD TO KILLARNEY

After breakfast, we walked into Cork from the B & B (10 mins) to do a bit of shopping and to get to the bank to change the last of our pounds - they use euros here in Ireland. 

Entrance bridge to University College Cork

Cool looking bar in Cork

On the road again - this time not far though to Blarney Castle to kiss the proverbial Blarney Stone and to have the gift of eloquence forever. Unfortunately, we arrived at the same time as 3 busloads of tourists (damn tourists), mainly loud Americans. - just to add that when we came out, no-one was around and the half hour it took us to climb the 100 steps would've only taken us 5 minutes.



So, after scaling the castle steps, we have proof that we'd bent over backwards to kiss the Stone - we have pictures! Let me tell you guys that was the first kiss for me (Sharon talking!) in I don't know how long and it was over in a sec, poor me! :-(  I would like to tell you all that after us there was an 80-year old lady who did it (go grans!)

Visited the Poison garden at the castle - have pics of the Mandrake and Wolfsbane that they use in Harry Potter. Lunch at the castle cafe and we are back on the road - this time to Killarney.
 

Church in Killarney

Arrived in the rain (when isn't it raining in Ireland?) and found a B & B real close to the town. Dumped gear and went into town for a little shopping. Back to B & B with purchases then return to town for an Irish Stew dinner with our usual merlot.Coronation Street was on tonight so we caught our first episode back at the B & B. By the way it is 10.07pm and still light outside - not good for menopausal women who are easily confused! I think that over here they only get about 5 hours of darkness through the night. Kim could tell you a she has had trouble with sleep (poor thing!) The Ring of Kerry here we come tomorrow!

Day 37 - ARKLOW TO CORK

Well up and on the road by 10am, yes we did have a bit of a lie-in :-). 
We stopped at Ardmore which is a little town with a beautiful beach on one side and a tower which was built in the 10th century and the door to this tower is 4 metres above the ground, no passing sales-mens for this address. This allowed the monks to store their treasures away from possible attackers, then haul in the rope ladder behind them! The church behind the tower is from the 12th century.

















Then back on the road - Kim wanted to stop at Waterford as it has Waterford Crystal factory. Lonely Planet said it is 2km out of town. We looked and looked and drove round and round, only seeing the Waterford Crystal Shop in town. Thinking that it was not it (as it was still in town and no sign of factory anywhere) we drove on, only to find it was the place we were looking for (the tour bus outside should have told us something do you think?) We had driven about 10mins out of town and not going back, so poor Kim didn't get to buy!

Well, we arrived in Cork and found a B&B which was very nice except for the size of the bathroom. We had to sit sideways on the toilet as you couldn't sit straight unless you held your knees up (not a pretty sight even if it is just you in there). We wandered down to town and had some tea and then wandered around a bit before going back and to bed.

Day 36 - CARDIFF TO DUBLIN

Woke to a wet day, cath went off to work, Luke to school, Sharon and Kim to Chloe's dad's hair salon to transform us back to the young, natural hot NZ chicks we are!

Came out looking a million dollars each (sorry a million pounds). Packed up ready to hit Ireland. Jo took us to the airport and we winged our way to the land of the leprachauns and shamrocks.

Arrived with a bang in that the pilot had us careering around the runway at quite a fast pace, turning corners on a lean - we think he thought he was on the motorway in his car. Pilot tests here must be different than at home (or anywhere else).

Car - so - we have to pay for the full tank now and leave it as empty as we can when we bring it back - is that Irish or what??? The good news is that we got an upgrade of car-type, the bad news is that we couldn't fit our cases in the boot and therefore had to take one of the big ones into the hotel so you couldn't see it in the car overnight - insurance you know.

Started on our way - through the toll booth, 30 minutes on way to Arklow where we are staying tonight, when realised we are missing one bag - take next turnoff and return through toll booth and 30 minutes back to find it. No-one to be seen at the car rental place, phone them, answerphone only, check again at car place and thank God they were back there and found bag! Had Kim's laptop, camera etc so had to get it back.
Back on motorway, through toll booth again, 30 minutes down the motorway and we can start again. eventually got to our hotel at 8.30 (arrived at the airport t 5.45!!!) Talk about 'Luck of the Irish' I think we've got it!???

No photos today - as was in bag that went missing! Promise some tomorrow, to be sure, to be sure, potatoes, potatoes. Goodnight.

Day 35 - NEWPORT, ST. DAVIDS, TO CARDIFF

Awoke to beautiful day this morning. Had a light breakfast at the B & B and left on the last leg on our UK car journey.
Drove from Newport on the coast through fishguard and on to St. David's. Visited the cathedral which was originally set up there in the 6th century and fully built in the 12th century. So old - makes you realise how young a country NZ is.


Walked to St. Non's Chapel on the coast where Sharon actually did go down the track to see the ruins (there was some talk of the 'rubble hill') and Kim stayed up the hill to take the photo. She reckons she's got the luck now cos she touched the healing water.

Continued on our way to Cardiff and dropped off the car. Cath picked us up at the rental car place - took us a whole hour to find the place! - and arrived at her house by 4.30pm. Here's Luke with his black eye - this one's for you, Emma. had a lovely dinner with Cath and caught up with all the family life. Jo went off to the pub with his mates to see them after the 9 months he was in NZ and Aussie.

Lovely to see the family again and to see Jo back home safe and sound.  

Day 34 - WALES - COAST, SNOWDONIA TO NEWPORT

Spent most of today on the road. Stopped off at a few castles - there are over 600 of them in Wales but we only saw a few so not sure if we believe what the Lonely Planet says anymore!

Had lunch in Llandudno on the north coast and continued on around the coast - nearly got caught on a one way bridge to Portmeiron and had to back back a little way - lucky we were not too far on - the locals know when to go but not the tourists!








Cut through Snowdonia down to Machynlleth and then on past Abersythwyth and Cardigan. Fantastic scenery - beaches and hills - including a slate caverns where all the hillsides seem to be slopes of slates.





By this time we were getting a bit tired of driving so decided to stop at the next B & B we saw - came into Newport and ended up at a B & B with a couple from Northland - this one was full so got sent on to another. This one has no shower - just a bath - our first place with shared bathroom (didn't have much choice as the prices here are pretty steep) and a dog and cat for company! Still, the beds are comfortable and the price is right.

Coming through Snowdonia National Park

Had dinner at a pub down the road where the barmaid is from Mt. Maunganui! She said we are the second set of NZers she has seen in a whole year. Not the place where many NZers stop.