Trip booked..BUT how do I know...

justreeses · Member

Trip booked..BUT how do I know...

Andi · Senior Member

Since you have time to do some reesearch before making your plans, why not peruse this website and some others to get ideas? You can also get a guidebook, such as Michele's, or one of many available from companies such as Fodor. Maps are usually included. You can also search on-line for government-owned Irish visitor centers and request information. Your itinerary could then be tailored to the types of things you enjoy, whether that be towns, historical sites, music, scenery, etc.

Many of the stops you plan are very close together; Kinvara, Clifden, Aran Islands, Doolin and Ennis for example. I think Michele would suggest you not move your lodging every night, but instead tour from a base for a couple of nights during your trip.

In my opinion you have chosen some of Ireland's most beautiful areas to travel in!

It seems that you are flying into Shannon. Is that correct?

justreeses · Member

Andi,

Thanks so very much for taking the time to answer me! Yes, we are flying into and out of Shannon.

The trip was purposefully set up according to my daughters desire to experience Irish life as the Irish do and to have as much exposure as possible to traditional music and dance as possible. We did not want to see the 'usual' touristy trap kind of things and really had no desire to go to venues with organized and routine shows. Isn't it too late to change my boarding reservations since it is entirely paid for? We wanted to be in Lisdoonvarna around the matchmaking festival and wanted to leisurely drive the Ring of Kerry. We did get our night on the Aran Islands. If you were to drop a night in a town which town would you eliminate? Which towns provide a starting point and an ending point for driving the Ring?

Connie..............still confused

Dude · Guru

Don't be confused, Connie, we'll walk ya through it! First, call 1-800-223-6470 to order your free trip kit. I'll wager there is a map in there.

Next, surf around on Michele's website (above the forum, click on "IrelandYes! Ireland Dream Trips"). There is all sorts of good advice available..

Search around the forum for specific items you are interested in. And ask questions. The only thing we like more than helping someone else with their trip is going ourselves.

Go to your public library and see if they have any Ireland travel guides, and/or check out used bookstores. Last time I was in the Half Price Books in Corpus Christi they had some older Ireland travel books. And I daresay a lot of the things you want to see haven't moved in the last few years, so they would be quite adequate.

This can be done on a budget. The scenery is free, visiting with the people is free, and there are lots of ways to save on the things that do cost. Be sure to check out Michele's coupons. Load up on that Full Irish Breakfast and then stop at a corner store for bread, cheese and fruit and have a picnic lunch somewhere in that free scenery. Or if the weather is soft, in the car. Then do an Early Bird for dinner. Get a tiny car with manual transmission, perfectly big enough for just two. Petrol is very dear, but that tiny car won't use much. Remember to ask for a discount at the B&Bs when you stay for more than one night.

I'm sure others will have some great tips, but these are the ones that come to me at the moment. Your charge for the "free" advice is that you must post a trip report when you get back!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Connie,

There is absolutely no need to be confused. I have designed my website to help you out. All you have to do is to take some time to actually look through each page. Go to the IrelandYes Index (near the top of the page) to click on the different pages. My Budgeting page will help you use your money smartly. My Discounts page will give you free coupons to print and clip as well as info about my Ireland Discount Coupon Pack, which may well save you a lot of money on your trip (depending on what sightseeing you do). My Getting Started page will tell you how to jump start your trip and how to get free info from Tourism Ireland, including a free map. Until your map arrives you can look at one online. Go to my Links page to find it. As you see, you will have to do a bit of homework to make your trip worthwhile.

Dude's advice to go to your local library and get books about Ireland is excellent. It will give you ideas of what you want to see and do. Many times the library books are not up to date. Once you have an overview of Ireland you will want to invest in a good up to date guidebook. It will be money well-spent.

My only comment about your itinerary is that you are spending each night in a different place. With more work you could have planned several two-night stays, making for a more relaxed itinerary. You may want to check with your lodgings to see what their cancelation policy is. Rearranging things might make for a better trip.

During your stay in Doolin you can certainly see the Burren. In fact Doolin is in the Burren!

The Ring of Kerry is west of Killarney. You will be staying on it in Waterville.

Michele

justreeses · Member

Michelle,

Thanks so much for your advice. I have already contacted my travel agent and asked about extending the stay in Dingle to two nights and dropping Waterville. Was this a mistake? Can't I still see the ring from Dingle?

Connie

yesiree · Guru

You'll get more of Irish life with a multiple night stay than you ever could jumping from town to town, so keep looking at ways of doubling up your nights. Your time will easily fill with quality experiences, so don't worry "missing out." You're on the right track.

Has anyone on the board been in Lisdoonvarna during the matchmaking festival. When I was there, the atmosphere was a bit more like a singles club in the evening...maybe I had a romanticized vision, but there seemed to be lots of backpackers ready to party on that night. Then again, I was just passing through, and I may have just hit it at an odd time.

Just remember, as you adjust your plans, you're going to simply have a different experience, not a better or worse experience.

oopsy · Senior Member

I think there are probably several ways you can rearrange your trip to stay in places for one night, but the one that comes to mind right away is to spend Sept 12 AND 13 in Dingle. Instead of changing Waterville to Dingle, you could change Tralee to Dingle.

oopsy

justreeses · Member

Unfortunately, the night in Tralee is the night we are booked in a castle....cannot change that date. So it would have to be the night in Waterville.

Connie

Michele Erdvig · Host

Connie,

You are going to be in the Kinvara/Doolin area twice on your trip. Is that because of the Matchmaking Festival? It does seem a bit redundant.

Michele

justreeses · Member

I am?? Could you please point out to me which dates have me repeating?

If you were me, which days would you switch, keeping in mind that our purpose for visiting is to experience irish life as the Irish do, and for traditional music and dance if possible. Also, this is all already paid for.....won't it be a pain in the butt for my travel agent?

Thanks so much Michelle! How on earth do you answer all of these questions? Where DO you find the time?

Connie

Michele Erdvig · Host

Connie,

You are in Kinvara on September 5. You are in Doolin on September 14. They are basically in the same area. I question if you need to be there twice on your trip. Did your travel agent plan the itinerary? If so, I would call and ask how to go about getting a new itinerary that has some two-night stays.

Michele