We have just completed an amazing road-trip around Ireland. ’50 Shades of Green!’
“Our wee trip were grand! Oh to be sure, to be sure!”
We have tended to avoid cars for a lot of our travels, but in Ireland it’s the way to go!
After a few days in Dublin we took off in a clockwise direction around the coast, staying for one, sometimes two nights in places that we pre-booked through Airbnb.com This proved to be a good money-saving way to stay and took the hassle out of finding accommodation in the evening after a day’s sight-seeing.
The scenery was spectacular! The Cliffs of Moher, the Ring of Kerry, the Giant’s Causeway above, the Blarney Stone, Bunratty Castle and Belfast should all be on your list.
Cliffs of
Moher
Blarney Castle
Here now are tirty-tree tings we noticed about Ireland on the way round:
1. They like a drink, particularly a Guinness or an Irish whiskey.
2. They say tink instead of think and turd instead of third.
3. There are lots of Rangas.
4. They luxuriate in every bit of sun.
5. Everything is green and they claim numerous shades of it. (We went literally miles without seeing any brown soil, because it was all covered in green.)
6. There are pubs and cafes everywhere, particularly pubs.
7. It rains a lot. A real lot. And you get rainbows.
8. The Wild Atlantic Way can be wild.
9.. The summer fog can last for 2 weeks, apparently, but we didn’t cop it.
10. The Cliffs of Moher had 25 tour buses there on the day we visited. Must be worth seeing!
11. On cold days, you can see why they like to drink whiskey, learn instruments and sing songs.
12. Wearing shorts in 10 degree weather, even if it’s ‘summer’, is still ridiculous. So is having your shirt off.
13. They like to have a singalong and a dance.
14. Some of the roads are a wee bit narrow and there are LOTS of roundabouts.
15. There are numerous rock walls in the rocky areas.
16. They like to go for a walk or a ride.
17. B and B’s are almost every 2nd house.
18. Lord Mountbatten was blown to bits in the quaintest little village in Ireland. (Did you know he had dandruff? They found his head and shoulders on the beach.)
19. Poetry is popular and Yeats’ grave is often visited.
20. Many Irish puzzlingly place rocks or pot-plants in front of their houses to stop motorists parking or stopping there.
21. There are lots of sheep on the road along the Wild Atlantic Way.
22. They use dried mud/turf/peat from their bogs in their fires.
23. One-lane bridges can be interesting and they often park on the ‘opposite’ side of the road, even on one-way streets, which can be confusing for Aussies.
24. Churches and cemeteries and wildflowers are everywhere.
25. Parking is a problem, especially in towns, where ‘Pay and Display’ is the trend.
26. If it’s sunny, they like to be outside. Some caller on the radio suggested a National Holiday when it’s sunny!
27. They like good craic.
28. Camper vans are discouraged through limited parking opportunities and height barriers in many places.
29. There are still a lot of thatched roofs across Ireland.
30. Trimming the grass and cutting back the greenery along the road-sides is a constant job.
31. Ireland is as neat as a pin.
32. There is a contrast in affluence going from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland.
33. Belfast is picking up since ‘the troubles’ and Belfast now is apparently one of the safest cities in the world.
Wow! You’re so funny and bright! I’m going to start the follow-up book for Home Sweet Anywhere and I wonder if you two would be willing to be interviewed for it? I want very much to tell people about the fascinating folks we are meeting both in person and through the Internet. You really fit the bill, but I wouldn’t write so much that it would impede your own efforts in the future to get something published, if that’s your goal.
We are in Paris now through end of August, then in London August 28 – September 3. If you will be anywhere near those places, do let me know. Would love to meet, but we can certainly do any work about my book via Internet.
Congratulations! You guys are terrific!