Well more like 2 1/2 weeks to go but I'm trying to be optimistic.  Looking forward to my upcoming trip with my 22 year old daughter who is just graduating from college this spring and her best friend.  Her first trip to Ireland, my 10th.  I'm excited to show her all my favorite spots.  The plan is set.  Nothing dramatic.  I've learned my lesson many years ago to take it easy and enjoy and don't try to see everything.  Mostly this is just a revisit of my old favorites in Co. Mayo, Galway, and Clare.

Westport, Co. Mayo is first.  Naturally.  I simply can't visit the west of Ireland without staying at least 2 or 3 days there.

Next up Clifden for the first time.  I've never stayed in Clifden.  In fact even though I've driven through Connemara quite a few times and even Clifden once or twice I've never stopped and stayed for a couple of nights.  I thought that kind of odd since I love Connemara so much.  So I'm fixing that oversight.  I've decided to splurge a bit on this one and stay at the Abbeyglen Castle Hotel.  I really gave this a lot of thought and read many reviews first and just found there is just something about the various quirky things I've read about the place that appeals to me and I think the young ladies will really enjoy it.  We'll see.

Then Ballyvaughn one night and Lisdoonvarna one night.  Wait .. what?!  I know it sounds strange to stay one night each in two different places only 15 km apart but there is method to my madness.  Firstly, Ballyvaughn is a place I've passed through many times and liked it so much that I've sworn too often that someday I'm going to stay a night or two there.  Well I decided to stop procrastinating on that one.  Then Lisdoonvarna because I'm meeting a local Co. Clare friend that is a beer lover like me.  We have met in Germany a couple of times in the past and we decided to meet for a session at the Roadside Tavern/Burren Brewery in Lisdoonvarna.  Drinking and driving is not an option so we're going to migrate to Lisdoon for the night.

Grand finally is a three day weekend in Kinvara for the Cuckoo Fleadh.  I think the girls are most excited about this part after I've shown them photos and the program of the goings on there.  Not my first time to Kinvara but my first time to the Cuckoo Fleadh.  I think that weekend is going to be fantastic.  I'm glad I booked our rooms early since every hotel room and B&B is now completely booked solid for that weekend.

Now just to wait patiently.  The closer it gets the more the clock seems to move backwards.