Unregistered User
(3/22/04 5:30 pm)

Did "the impossible"

---

We're Baa-aaack! You might remember me with my 4-1/2 days itinerary that "can't be done"

Lousy mixture of weather (as expected for early March ), but overall a good vacation.

Sunday March 7th - overnight flight Toronto Canada to London. 5 hr. time change. Arrival Monday 9:05 a.m. at Heathrow. Took TUBE into Piccadilly Circus. Reservation at Regent Palace Hotel right there at the subway entrance/exit. Dropped off our luggage. Headed right back out to The Original Sightseeing Tour bus stop, again right there at Piccadilly Circus. Very convenient location. Sunny but cool day. Rode outside on top to see the sites, hear the commentary, take photos. Hopped on/off at a few places, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey (closed that day), Tower of London tour, etc. Had a great fish & chips dinner 3 pounds$ bought through the tour bus company at Sherlock Holmes Restaurant/Pub. Returned to Piccadilly Circus about 6:30 p.m. Walked the street window shopping for an hour. My friend found a great deal on a fancy church hat & bought it.

Tuesday Next morning took the underground back to airport for approximately 8:00 a.m. flight to Belfast. It was delayed one hour & they had to switch us to a different plane because of "technical problems" (at least done BEFORE take-off - ha,ha). Arrived Belfast City Airport, picked up rental car -- the steering wheel was on the WRONG side ! Were on our way by about 12:00 noon. Drove west to BELLEEK. No problems sorting out the driving on left, and standard transmission shifting with left hand. Stopped for a few scenery photos en route. BELLEEK POTTERY TOUR. Drove to OMAGH to visit friends for supper & overnight stay.

Wednesday Had "Ulster Fry" breakfast, left house by 8:30 a.m. Drove OMAGH to BURREN AREA (stopped for few scenic photo shots of the area) & CLIFFS OF MOHER. Clear but very cold strong winds. Walked up both sides of hills visible as you arrive at the cliffs (maybe a mile total - too cold! plus we saw private property signs & fences although a path led further). Great spot. Worth the visit!

Easy day. Had an extra hour of daylight we could have used somewhere. Overnight at PADDY'S DOOLIN HOSTEL. Clean good bunkbeds but cold bedrooms, friendly people. The "thing to do" was walk across the road to the pub for live music that evening. Smoky but fun atmosphere. Quite cold, heavy rains & winds overnight.

Thursday Drove DOOLIN to CLIFDEN. Went on Sky Road drive, took lots of photos. Drove a few other roads in the area to see what there was to see. Went to CONNEMARA NATIONAL PARK. We were the ONLY ONES THERE. It was way too cold for everyone, including the ponies! Not a one to be seen. Only did one trail - a 1/2 hour brisk walk since it was so cold & lightly raining, watched the video, looked through the visitor centre displays.

Again - an early night - arrived at the B&B at supper time (as you can tell, we're not used to travelling this lightly on mileage/time out on roads -- However VERY GOOD ADVICE from everyone NOT to drive Ireland roads after dark). Overnight - SEA VIEW HOUSE B&B on the Sky Road (back the way we'd came), just west of Clifden. Easy to find. Beautifully decorated, clean, friendly, good breakfast, good view from dining area.

Friday CLIFDEN to DONEGAL - fresh snow on the mountain peaks. Found parking and walked the streets a bit in Donegal window shopping. Went to DRUMCORROY HOUSE B&B. Earlier email conversations had said they were not open but to "stop by anyhow & chat" -- so we did. Had a great visit with them, stayed an hour. They showed us the sheep & dogs, and Patsy still in his farm clothes came in and played the fiddle for us.

Found a place for supper in Donegal. Then went on the Killybegs Road just outside of town to DONEGAL TOWN INDEPENDENT HOSTEL. Again, an early arrival in Donegal but not early enough to drive out to Slieve League Cliffs the same day.

Saturday morning early. Awoke to sunshine! Continued west on Killybegs Road to SLIEVE LEAGUE CLIFFS. No problem finding it thanks to BILL's directions. Love listening to & watching the waves crash in.

Decision - not enough time to do Glenveagh Nat'l Park AND Fanad Head. Went across country to Fanad Head. Went up another little peninsula just west of Fanad thanks to my friend's map reading (only took an extra hour of our day because of the slow driving). No problem. Just enjoyed the drive. Came back down and went east & up the next peninsula to Fanad Head. Nice view of light house & cliffs (but I had hoped we might have been able to get closer or tour inside). Drove through Portsalon on way back down the peninsula.

Across to DUNLUCE CASTLE (again all fenced across - was closed for tours this early in the year - just took some pictures). Onward to GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. Visitor centre closed. Walked out the top and bottom paths. Raining lightly by time we got out to the causeway. A couple folks ventured out on top but said it was far too slippery with the rain. So we just walked around. By then POURING rain. Soaking wet by the time we got back to car.

Drove to BALLYMENA to meet friends. They changed our meeting location at last minute on our phone call from the causey and we could not find it. So we stopped at the original meeting place and called again and they came to where we were (thank goodness). It was starting to get dark by then. Followed them home near Ballymena. Arrived about 6:30 p.m. Supper, music on bagpipes by their daughter, a bit of a concert with us on piano, singing, etc. Then off to bed.

Sunday Breakfast there then our SURPRISE visit to our previous church Pastor & his family who moved to RASHARKIN 1-1/2 yrs ago. Drove back to Rasharkin to the church. POURING RAIN. Waited in car for a signal from our friends that the service had just started. Walked up the aisle during the song. Shocked our friends, the pastor & his wife. Great surprise. Went over well. They had absolutely no clue! Great visit with their family (4 young children) Sunday and Monday.

Tuesday - left about 6:00 a.m. for drive back to Belfast City Airport without incident.

Oddities we got a laugh at:
- traffic lights go red, yellow, green.
- prices in grocery stores - horrific! (at least with our exchange rates)
- warm centre sitting area of home - very cold wings/ bedrooms. Makes for a cold toilet seat and bathroom floors - yikes!
- Twisty, windy, narrow roads. Dotted centre passing line CONTINUES over crest of hills, and around blind curves! No wonder there are so many accidents.

Saw lots & lots of sheep. Took lots & lots of pictures. Didn't spend too much money. Overall a good trip but many more places in the world still to go! Till next time....


Sylvia

twanda49
Unregistered User
(3/23/04 11:28 pm)

Sounds wonderful

---

Sylvia,
Congratulations on a trip well done and a very good trip report! I'm so jealous. I still have 4 months to wait.
Marsha

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2350
(3/24/04 2:34 am)

Welcome Back

---

Hi Sylvia,

Welcome back and thanks for posting such a comprehensive trip report. I'm glad to hear you trip was a success and that you enjoyed it. What fun surprising your friends at church! All too short a trip but you really saw a lot and did things your way. There is a lot to be said for that. I hope that your future trips are all happy ones.

Michele

Syv
Unregistered User
(4/10/04 6:38 pm)

Ireland photos

---

Finally was able to get someone to scan a very few of my photos from Ireland in March 2003.

You should be able to view them at

public.fotki.com/Syv/ireland/

Ande
Unregistered User
(4/10/04 7:31 pm)

Pictures

---

Excellet pictures! Where was the "traffic jam" picture taken? That's some road!

Ande

Michele Erdvig
ezOP
Posts: 2424
(4/10/04 10:29 pm)
 
Lovely Photos

---

Hi Syv,

Thanks for the photos. It makes me want to be in Ireland right now. The one of Slieve League was neat. Also liked the rainbow and traffic jam!

Michele

Syv
Unregistered User
(4/12/04 7:51 am)

"irish traffic jam"

---

That photo was taken on the road to Slieve League Cliffs --- although it not unlike several other "one-lane" roads we found.