From Dream to Reality

Well, we've finally done it. John (my darling husband) and I have made reservations and are heading to Ireland in the very near future... in five weeks, we'll be there.

In the meantime, we've decided to set up a blog to capture the planning and prep for the big trip across the pond. To say we are excited is a gross understatement. To say there is much that must be done before we go is an even grosser (perhaps not a real word, but it really fits!) understatement.

A little history: In July, 2001, my niece (the lovely Kerry) and I went to Ireland for a week to celebrate her graduation from college and my graduation from just about everything else in life. It was an adventure of the highest order.... as she called it, The Pubs and Lads Tour. Now... to be quite honest here, we went to a couple of pubs and we met a couple of lads (including a couple from right here in dear ol' Indiana!), but that was about the extent of it. However, great tours and great adventures deserve great titles, yes? YES! We laughed and talked and drove and saw the sights for a very active and funfilled week. We got home totally exhausted (and turned around and headed to San Antonio for the last great All-Curlee Family Adventure trip), but at that moment, I knew I had to return to Ireland. Never had I stepped foot in place that made me feel more at home. I had gotten off a trans-Atlantic flights, gotten into a rental car I wasn't sure I knew how to drive, survived my first round-a-bout and headed out on the Irish highways (more like alleys here) and headed for the west coast of Ireland. Now, exhausted, cold, damp, confused, a wee bit lost, and did I mention TIRED, I stepped onto the Cliffs of Moher and I knew, without a doubt, I had come HOME. If Ireland doesn't grab your heart, you haven't got one! And so... to make a long story a little less long, I started saving for a return trip to Ireland.

In the intervening years, I've acquired a new husband (the aforementioned wonderful man) and we've had on again / off again thoughts of making this trip. Over the last 2 years we've discussed it and life just never seemed to afford us the time to make the leap and make the plans. This year, I was determined, with thoughts of April as a very good time to go (not as crowded and before the price jumps of "high season"). And so, I started actually reading, instead of deleting, those Tourism Ireland emails that come on a weekly basis. There was one that talked about Aer Lingus fare sales. Hmm... sale is one of my favorite words, so it seemed like fate. As I read through the info I realized that these fares were so much better for the month of March. Now, put the words "better" and "sale" into one sentence and this MidLifeDiva wakes up! We talked dates, we talked to our bosses, we talked to our staff and we started thinking very seriously. And we kept checking the fares. One way, $120 was an incredible price. As we kept searching dates, the $120 turned to $130 and at times $165 and then $245 and WHOA.... time to get serious as every second seemed to be costing us money that could better be spent elsewhere.

A plan of "two weeks" in Ireland turned into a little more.... actually 15 days, when we got down to the nitty gritty of purchasing tickets and looking for the cheapest flights. Truthfully, this was all fate once again as it worked out perfectly for us to fly into Dublin, spend a few days there, then pick up the rental car and head out for two weeks "on the road". And so... that's exactly what we're doing. We leave stateside on March 9, arrive in Dublin on March 10, spend three days in Dublin without a car (who wants to drive in Dublin? Not me... that's what taxis are for, right?), then pick up the car in Dublin (okay... I will have to drive IN Dublin just long enough to get OUT of Dublin!) and head for points unknown.

And so... there you have it.... We're heading for the Emerald Isle and all that goes with it.

Stay tuned.... More later!

Dawn