Hi everyone,

Wow - we leave in just five days!  I'm feeling good and bad about things.  I started a new job about a month ago which though has been great, has left me with very little free time to finish preparing for our trip.  Thankfully, I did most of the planning months ago. 

Anyway, I'd like some perspective on how I stand.  I'm really trying for a kind of "relaxed prepared."  Want to be prepared, but not overly OCD about things.  All our accomodations are booked as is our car rental.  We have our Ordnance Survey Road Atlas and last night went to buy all the little travel goodies that we will need.  I have Michelle's book to take along as well as a binder that I've complied over the last year with all our B&B info, and info on things we may or may not want to see while over there.  I've printed directions in Kilometers from the AA site. 

Today we're going to start packing and try to highlight our routes in the atlas.  I'm also going to send e-mail confirmations to all the B&B's to make sure they have our reservations. 

Saturday morning, we arrive in Dublin at 7:30 am.  Our accomodations that night are at Beechwood House in Malahide.  What we'd like to do on that day is head to Malahide and take the DART to Dublin, tour the city and then take the DART back later that afternoon or evening.  However, as we will just be coming off an overnight flight, I'm sure we'd like to freshen up some and change our clothes first.  When I made the reservations back in May, Vera mentioned we could book in early as long as they weren't full.  I'm thinking of calling them from the airport once we arrive to see if we can come straight there and book in early.  If we can, great - we can freshen up there.  If not, is there someplace at the airport we can freshen up or somewhere in Malahide - at the DART station perhaps?  This is really the only part of our trip that I am concerned about.  The rest of it, I'm good with playing by ear, but for our first day, I'd like to have a good plan - especially since we only have one day in Dublin.  So any input or ideas on this would be much appreciated. 

Overall, are we on track?  Looking good to leave so soon?  Is there something important I'm forgetting? 

Thanks for all the help!

Annette