Just back!

Caroline · Veteran Member

Just back!

Michele Erdvig · Host

Caroline,

Welcome back. I am delighted that you both had a great time. I know you were very concerned about your mother enjoying the trip since you were both just back from another. How did that go? Did you slow down a bit and just savor the things that you could do? Did you get some down time for yourself? Are you glad you made the decision to go after all? Did the order of the itinerary work out well for you?

I'm glad to hear you liked Dualla House. It is a special place to stay. It sounds like you had some good weather, which always enhances a trip.

Sorry to hear you deleted half your photos. That is indeed a bummer. I would have had a fit myself! It is nice to know that you liked all the places you stayed even if you didn't have quite the location or view you wanted.

We would love to hear more if you care to elaborate.

Michele

Melissa5 · Guru

Caroline, I would love to hear about your adventures getting lost on the back roads of the lovely rings of Dingle and Beara. Welcome home.

Laoghaire · Senior Member

Hi Caroline,

Shades of our 2003 trip!! Deleted photos! Himself and I in Dublin, with pics of the Famine Memorial, Garden of Remberance, special places in the city. Then to Belfast with a tour of West Belfast with all the murals and the IRA Graveyard, and on to Carrickfergus. We were on the Torr Road and stopped for a picture of far away Scotland, when Himself gasped and said an expletive. Asked him what happened and he said "I just deleted all the pictures!!!" It was a new camera, too. After I got my heart started again, all I could say was, "Thats's allright, DEAR, there's always tomorrow".

When we got to Inchigeelagh ( Home of the O"Learys) in Cork a week later, my Irish friend, Joe Creedon, said " Don't worry Helen, those photograghs are in your heart and your head, you won't forget!"

So, Caroline, those pictures are in your heart and will always remain there.

Helen

wojazz3 · Guru

I'd like to hear about the jaunting car incident.

Bill

Caroline · Veteran Member

The lost pictures were from the best parts of our trip (the first half), but I'm searching for similar pictures on the internet and pasting them onto our photo pages. Live and learn.

The jaunting ride driver had a bad hangover and really shouldn't have been 'driving' that day. He admitted that he'd been out in the PUBS to wee hours in the morning. He seemed to get that pony going as fast as possible simply to get the trip over with sooner. I talked to our hostess at the Killarney Lodge about our experience. She said the drivers right at Muckross House seem to have a poor attitude and the drivers at the Ross Castle are usually much better.

Caroline

Willie · Veteran Member

Caroline wrote:

Advice for future travelers:

-Purchase a couple Irish CDs and play them while driving

Absolutely! I took a few of my favorite Irish CDs with me (Lunasa, John Spillane, Paul Brady, et. al.), but I bought a few compilation CDs during the trip, and they were great to have in the car with us.

I listen to a few Irish radio stations via the internet at work, but I hardly listened to any radio when I was *in* Ireland, go figure. :) I was thrilled to John Spillane's weekly show (not sure if it's still on) one evening. The signal was weak, but I was able to listen for a bit.

shashie50 · Veteran Member

I had a problem with lost photos once because the battery ran out while I was uploading them. I took the card to a camera store and they were able to retrieve the photos -- plus some photos I had deleted weeks earlier. I was quite surprised!

If you have completely filled the card with other photos, this might not work for you, but it might be worth a try. -Marsha

Caroline · Veteran Member

I called the camera company, and they said they're gone. I'm finding some online pictures that capture some of what we experienced, so that's helping.

Michelle,

My mother did amazingly well!!! In fact, the trip seems to have renewed her spirit. She even forgot to pack enough of her meds (heart and diabetes), but seemed to do fine without them... maybe better.

Caroline

Michele Erdvig · Host

Caroline,

I am delighted to hear that your mother did so well. It seems that Ireland was just the right medicine for her.

Sorry to hear about the jaunting car ride. I usually interview the drivers before going. Then I choose one that appeals to me. I'm sure they think that I am a very particular (and weird) Yank.

Michele