Airport to Ballyvaughan question

Caroline · Veteran Member

Airport to Ballyvaughan question

Michele Erdvig · Host

Caroline,

Since your reservations are already set, I think you should stick to your plans. It is doable, if just a tiny bit awkward. Sometimes it is tough to find the exact order that will work for you. So stay with what you have.

You are probably thinking of this map site: http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/routes/ It is very easy to get from Shannon to Ballyvaughan so don't sweat it.

Michele

Caroline · Veteran Member

What would be the better itinerary? I'm willing to try changing it, if it makes for a better plan. I'm the one traveling with my 79 year old mother. Perhaps that's why it was planned the way it was?

Thank you

Caroline

Michele Erdvig · Host

Caroline,

There are many things to take into consideration with an itinerary and traveling with a 79 year old mother is certainly one of them. Pacing is important as the older we get the longer it may take to deal with jet-lag. Sometimes an easy drive for the first day is best in that case. Easing into a trip when traveling with older folks generally makes sense.

Also, if you are seeing the Bru Boru show in Cashel, it is only open on certain nights of the week. Staying in Cashel at a particular time may be the only time in your trip that it is available for viewing. If traditional Irish music and dance is important for your plans, Bru Boru is an excellent show. Everyone always comments that they really enjoy mixing with the musicians after the session. So fitting in things like musical shows, castle banquets, entertainments, etc. may have a great impact on the order of your trip.

Other things that impact the order of an itinerary may be festivals or events in other cities along the way where lodgings may already be booked up or where you may have secured your reservations during an event. To mess with it now may impact the whole plan and set you back to square one.

Any itinerary will also take into consideration where you might be on weekends and Bank Holidays (if these apply to your trip). Without knowing your exact dates it is not possible for me to know if any of these things apply to your itinerary.

An itinerary is an interlocking puzzle where many factors determine where the final pieces are placed. What may make sense for one person's itinerary may not work for anothers. There really is no "one size fits all". The people who commented on Fodors may have completely different desires and needs. It is possible that this itinerary makes sense for your needs.

If you want to give me your dates, I will be able to comment further on the plan.

Michele

Caroline · Veteran Member

This is our itinerary:

8-1, 2 & 8-3: Ballyvaughan (on the coast of Clare not far from Doolin)

8-4 & 8-5: Cashel

8-6, 8-7 & 8-8: Kenmare

8-9: Killarney

8-10, 8-11 & 8-12: Dingle

8-13: Bunratty

Thank you
Caroline

Michele Erdvig · Host

Caroline,

Thanks for the additional info. Now that I know your dates and a few more details everything makes sense. Not only are you dealing with August high season and your mother's age but a long Bank Holiday weekend (Aug 4 - 7), another weekend and the Dingle races. Taking all of these additional details into consideration, I think you did an excellent job with your itinerary. Ideally, Cashel might have been your first stop and Ballyvaughan the stop just before your final night in Bunratty, but doing that would have impacted negatively on the rest of the plan.

Keep what you have because to start changing things around now might mean you will not find the reservations available in the places you want. I like your pace of multiple-night stays in most places. Your mother will thank you for that. There is nothing as tiresome as packing up and moving on every day. After all you are on vacation and want to make the best use of the time you have in Ireland. Don't spend a single minute more second guessing yourself. Your itinerary is a good one. Enjoy your trip to Ireland with your mother.

Michele