2017 UK Trip

England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland

June 9 Friday — The first step of this trip was to get Emma from Raleigh to Fl. That went
smoothly enough with Lee (Roger’s niece) picking her up at Orlando (MCO) and hosting her for
the night.

June 10 Saturday — The next day Mandy and Frank Offerle came to our house and we left at
about 1230 for the drive to Joe's house. Turned out that Joe (Roger’s brother-in-law) wasn’t
there but Lee showed up and got us to the airport. MCO was as expected. Over crowded,
construction zoned, and confusing. It took an hour to get through the checkin and security. We
grabbed a quick bite at Nathan's. When we got to the gate we learned that the plane was
delayed 45 minutes. When we finally boarded we found the ground support AC was not working
and, when all 461 passengers and seventeen crew members got on, the air temp went to over
ninety. It was not pleasant but the crew was very apologetic and brought cold water around for
the kids.

Kids. There were way more children on this flight than adults. But, then we were at Disney
World.

I chose the pasta in mushroom sauce for dinner. It satisfied the requirement as a meal. The
coolest thing was the dessert. It came in a small jar like face cream. The must cook it that way.
I am curious how since it was plastic. I bet it is steamed and the the icing is added later.
Anyway it was rather good, red devil cake.

These red eye flights are like having a massive sleepover in a sardine can. Not sure I ever
really slept but at least I was able to rest my eyes. How people sleep on planes in these tight
seats amazes me. The ride was smooth until about 0630 when we were getting close to land.

11 June Sunday — Arrived at Gatwick after overnight flight at 0812, 6998 km . It took a couple
of hours to process through and get to the Travelodge using the bus , 3£ each. Although Raxa
had made reservations for three rooms, only two could be found. It worked out okay since they
found a family room which allowed Emma to sleep in the same room (31£). We paid an extra
10£ for early check in and all took a much needed nap. Roger woke me up when it was time to
go out and wait for a driver to take us to E. Grinstead (32£ for all five). The taxi was late but we
eventually made it to the Sukhtankars where they provided a wonderful lunch and pleasant
company. Angili had arrived the day before with her family. It was great seeing them all,
especially Mama who gave me a box of chocolates in thanks for the portrait I painted of her
after my last visit. She, like me, had recently been diagnosed with cancer but only needed
surgery to take care of it. We were both lucky in that.

12 June Monday — We were sure glad to have a driver today. Getting from Gatwick to Cardiff
would have been way too stressful. The trip started at 0830, went through Runnymead and we
saw where the Magna Carta was signed, then a stop in Windsor for breakfast, a stop in Bath for
a couple of hours, then on to Cardiff across the Severn Bridge. It was right at 1500 when we
crossed into Wales. The countryside is quite lovely as they say here. In Bath we wandered
around, saw the king's bath then we were on our own. Emma was very excited because she
found a store that sells bras in her very unusual size. She bought four.

When leaving Bath, Claire, our driver got into a verbal altercation with a driver who wouldn't
move out of the way in the car park so she could get by.

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While in a shop this evening, the staff started chatting, asked where we are from. One of us
answered that we were ashamed to say because of our president. The discussion moved to
making America great again and one of the shop guys said it will be “AT”. (After Trump). We
are getting a real feel for the thoughts of our mess and it is not favorable.

Cardiff is a college town and the center is pedestrian only. The Jury's Inn is a good place with
excellent service. Not sure why Harriet thought she couldn't put us in one room. We paid for
two but didn't need but one with an extra bed.

For dinner we went to Henry's which is just across the courtyard from our hotel. I had a cheese
and leeks tart with a fresh salad and roasted potatoes which was good and only cost 6£. Roger
had a version of lasagne that had no pasta. Afterward we went looking for a place for breakfast
but the pickings are slim. Roger finally found a sit down place.

13 June Tuesday — Up and out by eight for a quick breakfast at Crockertown (all three for less
than 10£). Claire picked us up at 0900 for the long ride to St David's. In Carmarthen we
stopped for a break and ended up at the Salvation Army cafe where we got some good but
cheap drinks. The countryside is gorgeous. Flowers cover the road shoulders. Resources
aren't wasted on mowing which gives a wild yet civilized appearance.

It was about 1130 when we arrived in St. David's where we had a quick lunch, walked down to
the cathedral for photos then went out to the Head. The hike along the cliffs was great. The
views were tremendous. Roger and Emma climbed to the top of a rock. It was good that the
winds were mild. Otherwise it would have been treacherous. There wasn't enough time to go to
the end, but I didn't feel disappointed because the hike had been good. Not only was the view
magnificent, but there were a plethora of plant life in bloom.

Dinner was at Jamie Oliver. Can't say I was impressed. (63£ for all)

I hope that being in cars the past couple of days has acclimated my brain to driving on the left.
It was great having someone else drive but soon we will be doing the driving ourselves. Stress
city here we come.

14 June Wed — Our last day in Wales started with another breakfast at Crockertown (13£
since Roger thought he was ordering two individual pancakes but ended with two complete
orders.)

We walked to the park where we boarded a water bus to Cardiff Bay. For 4£ apiece we had a
very pleasant narrated ride down River Taff. The end of the route was at the Roald Dahl Plass.
This was one of the places Frank wanted to see. I had never heard of this writer. Roger and
Emma went to the Dr. Who exhibit but decided that 16£ was too steep so they didn't go in all the
way.

The bayside area is pleasant but the varied eras of architecture is a bit difficult to absorb. I sat
and watched the birds and people. Instead of white pelicans there are white swans. I watched
as a mother coot chased away a pair of mallards from her preferred spot under an old piling.
Then a crow chased a gull.

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Lunch (10£) was at the Norwegian Church which has now been turned into an art center and
cafe.

We took a different water bus back, Aquabus. The price was the same but we didn't get a
narrative. These boats dock in the park next to the Cardiff Castle and on the way back to our
hotel we detoured to it and had a good tour. Emma and Roger climbed to the top of the Keep
while I stayed down enjoying the park atmosphere.

The walk back to the hotel made me realize how much my foot and ankle were bothering me
from the break last year. About 1610 we decided to go to the airport. The taxi driver with a
vehicle big enough for all of us had a real attitude. He reluctantly opened his trunk for us and
we had to load our own bags. It took longer than we had been led to believe it would to get to
the airport so it was good to get there early. Check-in was a challenge. For some reason there
were two bookings for me, one attached to Roger and one individually. The computer system
wouldn't let Roger check in unless I did. I had already checked in. It took quite a while to get it
all sorted out and am not sure we ever did. Now I wonder if we paid double since I had my
choice of two seats.

Security was another challenge. We had to pretty much unpack and put every thing in
individual bins. I think I ended with five. Roger didn't have his toiletries separated so that was
an issue, then they took his knife and cork screw. These had all been in the checked bag on the
way over. It could have gone in Offerle's luggage.

Even after all that, we had time for a meal and a beer. They were out of chicken for a salad so
ended up with a Brie sandwich which was quite good. (20£)

When we got to the baggage reclaim area we couldn't find our driver. Roger wandered off in
search of him so when the driver showed up we had to go looking for Roger. This had been a
theme all day and added to all of our stress levels. After checking and settling in to the
DoubleTree in central Edinburgh. Roger and I went down for a drink in the bar and watched the
happenings on the street.

15 June Thursday — Today we were able to sleep in later and that felt great. We opted for a
cab to take us to Waverly Bridge where we exchanged our vouchers for tickets on the hop on
hop off tour buses. The recommended green route worked well since it had a live guide and
gave us a good feeling of the city. After that loop finished, we had lunch at the Booking (15£). I
had Bombay potatoes which were very tasty combination of potatoes, onion, and pepper with a
very spicy sauce. In the afternoon we boarded the Blue line and went out to the Britannia. A
few minutes after we entered the exhibit, several hundred children piled in which slowed down
the tour considerably.

Just as it was time to leave, it poured but slowed down just enough for us to get to the waiting
bus. When we got back to Waverly, a red bus was waiting and the driver agreed to take us right
to our door. After an hour rest we went across the street to the Blue Blazer but that turned out
to be just a bar. Across a side street was a pub and grill. The burgers were huge. I had a
mozzarella tomato salad that was filling and tasty. With our three meals and drinks it was £40.

There were a lot of sirens this evening. Reminds me what I miss living in the country.

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My take on Edinburgh is that there are a lot of old buildings with spires and towers. This is a
city with less than 500,000 people and the traffic is bad. Because of the historic nature of the
area, widening the roads is not going to happen so the buses are a necessity. I am glad I don't
live here. The hills would kill me.

16 June Friday — After a leisurely breakfast, and a short walk to the bottom of the hill, the bus
dropped us off on the Royal Mile below the Edinburgh Castle. We spent an hour and a half
going our separate ways exploring the castle grounds. The War Museum shows a chronology
of all the wars in recorded history. It is constant, which is depressing. And yet, we humans are
unable to live peacefully with one another. Greed, power, and religion assure that wars will
continue.

For lunch we stopped at the Ensign Ewart pub where we had their soup of the day, split pea and
Roger had a sandwich. Peas in various sorts are popular. Lunch and drinks came to £33 and
left us fueled for our tour of Holyroode Palace. The opulence was way too much for my tastes.
This is the Queen's home when she is in Scotland. I wonder if she finds it as oppressive as I
would. Does she get any privacy? We had tea and scones, etc at the Palace Cafes. The
whisky cake tasted suspiciously like my mother's fruit cake. (£8.50)

Four of us came back to the hotel while Emma shopped on the Royal Mile. She was challenged
by the buses on the way back but kept me informed of her progress and did make it back safely.
The city traffic sort of convinced her that she doesn't like cities even though she lives in one
bigger that this.

Dinner was at Byron where they serve "proper" burgers. I opted for a portobello with tomato,
pepper and goat cheese. The cheese was too strong for my tastes but the rest was good. For
dessert we shared an Oreo cheese cake (£61 for everything). Their cheesecakes are a lot
lighter than ours and we have a consensus that they are better. I tried Thatcher Cidre and feel
sure I will again.

17 June Saturday — What a day! All our concerns about driving in Scotland were realized.
First we didn't get the correct vehicle and Emma had to sit on the hump with three belt buckles
poking her butt. Frank maneuvered around the round-abouts rather well even with all the back
seat help. The problem was he kept driving too close to the left curb. Coming around a curve
on the way to Roslyn he jumped a curb and broke the seal on the left front tire. By time he
found a place to pull over the tire was ruined. It took an hour and half to get a recovery truck,
then another two hours to get it replaced. Hertz has not been responsive. Their phone lines are
not answered by us or tow truck driver, or the repair shop. QuickFit couldn't change the tire until
given an ok by Hertz because it was a different brand. That is what added to the time. The
actual change only took a few minutes.

We took the wait to have lunch at Little Italy in Pennicuik. (£46 for all of us).

Once we got back on the road we went back a few miles to Roslyn to see the chapel mentioned
in Dan Brown's book “The Da Vinci Code”. It is a small church with intricate carvings and
supposedly has the holy grail among other treasures in a below ground vault.

From there we were a short distance to Stirling where we were to spend the night. Frank hit
another curb and this time took out two tires and an alloy. Another hour wait. This time the AA

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driver arrived in a small van truck and we knew right away that wasn't going to work. After an
hour with Brian trying to get in touch with Hertz, we finally decided to leave the vehicle where it
was parked and try in the morning to get back to Edinburgh to switch it out for a van.

I contacted Harriot and she jumped right on the problem by calling the AutoEurope folks who
then called me back. They also had difficulty reaching Hertz at Edinburgh. To say the least, it
was a stressful day that would have been avoided if we had a driver. I have no idea how much
this is costing.

Our hotel is the Golden Lion which was built in 1787. It is in need of repair but that sort of gives
it a decadent ambiance. The room has three singles which works out well. There is no air and
for some reason the heat is on in the hallway. Our window looks out on a tower that I think has
something to do with Wallace but I'll have check it out later since the wifi is not very good. I
have again run out of my allotted space on data even though Roger assured me that I had
unlimited. This same thing happened in Africa.

We had dinner and drinks in the Robert Burn's Cronies, the bar in the hotel. I had a rump steak
ciabatta sandwich that was tasty but a bit tough. That is the first meat I have eaten on this trip.

18 June Sunday — I woke at 0333 and saw that the sun had come up. My mind was filled with
dread about dealing with the car issue. At breakfast I again tried to call Hertz with no luck. My
second call was to AutoEurope who advised me to go on and get the car towed to Edinburgh,
which I arranged. Frank and I walked down the hill to wait. A group was working on setting
barricades for a big bike race. Our car was in the way. Three of the guys came over and we
had a nice chat regarding curbs, tires, and Trump. Messing up tires is quite common even
among the locals.

Tommy showed up and loaded the car on his truck, drove us to Edinburgh airport where we
exchanged our Volvo for a Mitsubishi Outlander that Frank picked with one of the clerks.
Despite reserving and paying for a van, the clerks were not allowed to issue us one without
authority from someone who would not answer the phone. The first clerk turned the final
transaction over to another one who thought he was doing us a favor and substituted a
Mercedes sports car. We took one look and said that it was not going to work. We insisted on
the Outlander because it would hold all of us and our luggage . I traipsed back to the office to
switch the paper work again. Time spent one hour to airport, forty five minutes doing
paperwork, another hour back to Stirling.

That would have given us time to see some of the highlights in town. But, no. The cyclist
racers were still going strong and we could not get to our hotel. After driving around in circles
for two hours, Frank pulled into an area that usually was pedestrian only. With the race going
on, other cars were parked there and we joined them. Later Frank retrieved it and parked in the
hotel car park.

By four o'clock we were starving since lunch had not happened for us. Again we ate in the
Cronies. I had an excellent baked potato stuffed with shrimp salad and a Magners cidre. We
watched the racers go by from our table.

All the hassle and stress caused by the car problems were mediated by the attentiveness of the
folks we dealt with. They seemed genuinely concerned about this messing up our holiday. I did

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get to have chats that I wouldn't have had otherwise from the chaps by the car, the wrecker
driver, and the folks at Hertz but it was at the cost of not going to a National Park.

19 June Monday — We made it to our destination without any incidents with the car. It took
from 0930 to 1800 with a couple of detours and stopping at three small towns along the way.
Pithlochry, Grantown on Spey and Tomintoul. The scenery was gorgeous and the towns had
their own character but it still would be great to have a driver familiar with the roads and places.

Cragganmore house is an old Victorian. We have to share a bathroom with a another couple
and it only has a tub not a shower. It took some yoga moves to get out of the tub. The gourmet
meal was included in the price and was excellent. The other couple staying here is from
Germany and they also hit a curb and experienced the AA Recovery operation and QuickFit
type service on Saturday.

Emma was sick to her stomach and spent an hour downstairs at the toilet throwing up.

20 June Tuesday — Lovely day. Spent some time in the morning at Ballindaloch Castle
gardens. We had a quick lunch in their Tea Room, stopped at the petrol station for fuel and
wine, then rested . At 1400 we were met by David of Glenlivet Wildlife Land Rover Safaris. We
were happy that we didn't have to drive any where. He provided a great afternoon adventure.
We saw 17 bird species, thousands of sheep, a couple of brown hares, and he identified 22
species of plants. David is quite the story teller and really enjoyed telling us about people like
Malcolm Gillespie.

The meal was again expertly prepared gourmet. I chose venison over lamb and admit it was
rather good, tender and not gamey tasting. Taking a bath in a clawfoot tub was a challenge,
especially getting out. Thank goodness for my yoga moves and the “table” position. I never
would have gotten out otherwise.

This was my best day of this trip since St. David’s Head because we were out in the fresh air
away from people.

21 June Wednesday— After a good night’s sleep wearing the blind fold from the airplane (it is
daylight long into the night and early to return), we headed out about 0945 for what was
supposed to be a couple of hours drive. True to our history on this trip we didn't get to the
hostel until 1230. Naturally nothing was ready. We backtracked to Dromnadorchit for lunch and
info regarding the next day’s cruise. We had no desire to go all the way back to Inverness to
catch a bus to come part way back where we would have started. After that was worked out
with the cruise folks, we did a bit of shopping for things for supper and then checked in. Not
sure what Harriot was thinking with Bearnock hostel. It is really far from anything which would
be good if driving weren't so stressful.

Our place is a small cottage with two bedrooms, one bath, dining area, kitchen, and mud room
with washer and dryer. Offerle’s room was quite different. One large room with beds for five.
No kitchen or even a fridge. We gathered at our place for dinner of Brie, crackers, strawberries
(the best I had tasted in years), the crisps, cookies, and chocolates from Raxa and Mama with
our wine. Size-wise this has been the most convenient for us but there is no wifi and it is far
from our companions. Their room is very hostel like. Nothing is furnished and they borrowed

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towels, hair dryer, and glasses from us. Their neighbors were quite noisy into the night. We all
took advantage of the washer and dryer even though the washer was frustrating to use.

Birds are quite active out the windows. A wren in particular is having a ball in the cracks of a
tree.

I still wish we had a driver. The stress has been tremendous and I am glad Frank stepped up
and is doing the driving. Being the co-pilot is bad enough. Pavement-wise the roads are good.
Width-wise is another story and reminiscent of WV mountain roads. The scenery is lovely, lush
green, the weather has been moderate. Much more pleasant than I had expected. Our guide in
the Cairngorms said that they haven't had a proper winter since 2011. What climate change?

22 June Thursday — Today worked out better than we thought it would when we started.
Finding a place for breakfast was the first challenge. The post office was the only place we
could find. The next stop was The Clansman Hotel and the Jacobites cruise. Our original ticket
took us back to Inverness which we didn't like. We had called the day before and were
scheduled to start the tour at the Clansman instead. The folks in the ticket booth were aware
and helped us. Jonathan walked me up to meet the bus driver. While waiting it donned on me
that we could take the boat back and forth and forego the bus part. It was cheaper than the
ticket we had but suited our needs best.

It took until right before launch to get it straightened out and that put us the last to board. The
boat was packed and we really didn't have seats. It was okay because it only took 30 minutes
to cruise to Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness. The Castle is ruins and it also was packed with way
too many tourists.

I think I would have preferred staying closer to the bay where we could have gone whale
watching.

Dinner was at our place with things we picked up at stores and cafes. That worked out well.
Roger has been fighting a cold for two days, reminds me of the fun I had in Africa.

23 June Friday— It is 10:30 at night and I am looking out onto the Sound of Sleat and it is still
daylight. It has been Interesting to watch the sun change the lighting on the water and hills this
afternoon and evening. Here at Kinloch Lodge the weather is constantly shifting from fog, to
rain to sun but perpetually windy. This place is owned and run by McDonalds so Roger thinks
he is at home.

The day’s journey was gratefully uneventful. We stopped in Kyle Lochalsh for lunch and
directions to this lodge. It is quite elegant and the meal was excellent. Way more than we
needed. Five courses turned into eight or nine and I am stuffed. All professionally prepared
and served.

This is the first place we have been to that has what I was expecting to be typical Scottish
weather, cold, windy, dreary.

24 June Saturday — What a difference a day makes. We are in the Royal Hotel in Portree. The
room is a large suite with a fake fireplace, king bed, and sitting area. The sitting area
furnishings are ratty and carpet is stained but the bedroom furniture and bathroom are new.

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Emma is upstairs next to Frandy. The room faces the the Inner Sound but the road is between
and it was a wee bit noisy in the afternoon/evening with the vehicle and foot traffic. By 2200 the
noise had died down.

Our arrival in town was just before noon. We passed the hotel and turned around after a mile or
so. The info center was helpful in directing us to the bus that would take us to Dunvegan
Castle. We waited for the bus in the West Highland Bar with a cup of tea. This gave poor Frank
a break from driving and the timing worked out well and gave us about an hour and a half to tour
the premises. The rain was spotty and the wind chill was uncomfortable.

We had both lunch and supper at the Plaid in the hotel. Not the best but satisfied the
requirements and kept us out of the weather. Afterward we had drinks in our room. The stuff
that comes out of Emma’s mouth is amazing. She is well read and versed in a wide range of
subjects and speaks intelligently about them. I know I wasn't that aware at her age.

The bus system is very personal. The driver helped an elderly lady on and off, even walked her
across the street with her bags of groceries and cart.

25 June Sunday — Cafe Arriba is across from the hotel and had Belgian waffle with ice cream
and fruit as a special for breakfast. It was delicious but loaded with calories. Breakfast for all
three was £22. Strolling around we found a craft sale and I bought a knitted ear cover to wear
on our afternoon boat trip. We were too late for the noon excursion so we had to wait until two.
By then it was raining and cold. The Stardust held only twelve passengers which was to my
liking.

For lunch we went back to the West Highland bar and I had tomato zucchini soup and Roger a
Caesar salad (19.90). Emma skipped lunch and opted for a nap instead.

The wildlife cruise (£20 each) began wet but cleared and the rest was a wee bit cold. I much
prefer nature cruises to castles.

While walking to dinner I spied a Bernie sign on a post and a few more steps was an “H” sign.
Oh if only one of them were living in the White House. We wound up at L’Contina for an
excellent pizza. Emma came all dolled up. She said it felt good to look like a teenager again. I
guess she was feeling a little out of place hanging with four old people for two weeks. She is
also enjoying her time in a separate room.

I have seen enough of Scotland and am ready to move on but we have two more nights. This
time would have been better spent in Northern Ireland.

26 June Monday — Our plan to cross on the ferry from Armadale to Mallaig was foiled by
extremely low tide which prevented the afternoon boats from sailing. So, the two hours it was
supposed to take, took six. That included backtracking and stops for breaks, gas (£42.86), and
lunch at Invergarry Hotel (£20.05). For some reason both Frank and I were having a rough time
staying awake.

Our lodging was at the Inverlochy Castle Hotel. Offerle's had a room in the main Castle and we
had the Gate House, a two bedroom place with kitchen etc. It was a way from the main house
but the grounds were lovely and we took advantage of the trails. This is another Michelin

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experience but this time we skipped the multi course meal and had a light supper in the lounge.
You can see Ben Nevis from our window. (£58 for food and drinks)

Tomorrow we turn in the car. Yippee. I know Frank will be thrilled.

27 June Tuesday — It was a long drive in the rain on some very narrow roads but we made it to
the airport in Glasgow, turned in the car, and took a cab to the Hilton. Was that a relief! The bill
was a bit confusing and I am still not sure how much the car cost us. When we get home and
check the Visa bill we will know. The Crainlarich Hotel was our lunch spot. Two sandwiches
and a pizza for £36.20. We were half way by then and the next quarter of the way was quite
treacherous driving but had some wonderful views. As we approached Glasgow the road
widened to four lanes and we were able to get to 60 mph. The last couple of miles getting to the
car return were confusing and we circled around a couple of round-abouts a couple of times.
What a relief to finally park that car. The cab to the Hilton was £30 for all of us which was
cheaper than taking the bus. After six hours on the road we checked in about 3:30.

Dinner was in the bar and a wine, a cidre, soft drink, nachos, soup, soup and sandwich, and
sandwich were £60.64.

The view reminds me of the Soviet era buildings in Cuba. I know cities are where the airports
are but I surely do not like being in them.

28 June Wednesday — Although it was a long travel day it felt good to leave Scotland and get
to Ireland. We started at 0830 and got to Connemara Coast Hotel after 1800 after flying from
Glasgow to Heathrow and then to Shannon before driving to Galway. Having a driver was
wonderful. Offerles had no problem checking in but our reservation was not there. It was good
that I had a printed copy. They had to quickly get a room ready. What hotel doesn't have the
rooms ready at seven at night? While trying to get served in the bar, a large group from a coach
monopolized the place. The fish chowder was a bit disappointing but it was late and served its
required purpose (€32).The room also serves its purpose but is nothing special which is fine
with me. Emma used the pool and is happy that the young men are easy on the eyes.

29 June Thursday — Our driver, Jonathan, picked us up at 0930 for a drive through Joyce
Country with a first stop at Brigit’s Garden where we spent an hour or so strolling (€19.50). It
was pleasant and we managed to be there before two buses showed up for lunch. On the way
to Kylemore Abbey I saw signs with Joyce on then so we stopped to take photos of a bar and a
craft store in Recess. For lunch we ate at Mannins in Clifden (€23). The afternoon activity was
walking the Walled Gardens at Kylemore (€29). It was cold but worth it.

We ate in the hotel bar again but this time it was quieter and the service was better (€16.50).
Afterward the four adults met in the Offerle room for snacks, wine, conversation. It was a full
day but relaxing since we didn't have to drive. These were places we would not have gone to
without a driver.

30 June Friday — On the way to the Cliffs of Moher we stopped for a potty break in
Lisdoonvarna. A small town known for its matchmaking festival in September. I guess it is the
original eHarmony. Today was a great day for the Cliffs. The sun shone all day. The gauges at
the center read 57 degrees with 54kph winds. Walking was difficult but the views were
tremendous. Jonathan drove us into Doolin to the pier so we could see the cliffs from the other

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side, something most folks wouldn't know to do. Doolin is his home town. It is good to have a
local person as a guide. Emma asked to stop at a rock shop to get materials for her jewelry
making.

For a late lunch Jonathan took us to one of his favorite pubs, McGanns. I had Irish stew. It was
similar to our stew but instead of chunks of potatoes it was served with mashed. Interesting.
Three of the group had fish and chips and claimed they were the best of the trip. They looked
good but I don't eat fried food. (€46.50)

Lunch was so late that we just snacked for dinner (€22) looking out at Galway Bay from
Offerle's room. When we got back to our room we had a bit of color in the sunset at 10:15. As
we were getting ready for bed, the outlets and some of the lights in the room crapped out and
we ended up moving at 2330. I looked out the window and saw the half moon reflecting off the
bay and Venus just next to it. Something we couldn’t wee from the old room. There was an
earring on the floor that we are hoping is a real diamond and not just a cubic zirconia. It does
scratch glass. We will check it out when we get home. Hope it is worth enough to pay for the
car expenses. (It was a cheap topaz.)

Also, found out that Ron (my brother-in-law) is in hospice.

1July Saturday — Jonathan picked us up at 0930 for the trek to Dublin. It was a dreary day but
we managed to make it through with very little rain. Again, I am so glad to have had a a
knowledgeable and professional driver to get us where we needed to be. He stopped at Athlone
to allow us to visit the Castle museum which is very well presented. However, it was a bit
depressing to see that nothing has changed in centuries. We still have the same issues with
religion, war, and refugees. Humans have an innate cruel and mean nature. The same
thoughts came to mind at the Edinburgh Castle.

We got to The Intercontinental Hotel in Dublin around 1500. It is way more than we need but
really nice. Our last stop before flying home. Frank searched out some pubs in walking
distance and we set out. The first one, Crowes, didn't have a menu that appealed to us so we
had a half pint of cidre or ale and moved to Horse Show House (€45.70) where we had drinks
and dinner. There was a Comic Con next to us that had Emma champing at the bit but she
realized that the expense would have been hers so opted to stay with us. There were a lot of
oddly dressed folks wandering around.

Wine and chocolate were served at Offerle's.

As we were walking to the pubs, I realized I didn't have my little Sony camera. I was sure I had it
when we left the room. Later I found it at the front desk. That was a relief since it had a lot of
flower photos.

2 July Sunday — Although we had paid for an all day Celtic tour on a big bus with lots of people,
only Roger and Emma went. Emma reluctantly, because she would have preferred to head
down town to shop. Frank and I did just that but not to shop. We scouted out pubs and ended
up in the Temple Bar and toasted James Joyce. It was a short train ride and a lot of confusing
streets that change names from block to block. Many corners don't have signs to let you know
where you are and the map wasn't detailed enough to have all the street names. It was an
adventure and we got a good walk in.

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Construction projects are everywhere. From our room I can see a dozen cranes on top of
buildings and the streets downtown were barricaded, torn up, and covered with traffic cones.
Most of the traffic were buses of one type or another and the main thoroughfares were packed
with tourists. The side streets were more interesting and less crowded. Mandy, Frank,and I had
dinner in the hotel lounge while we waited for the McDaniels to return from their Celtic tour
which was an hour and half late. As a last try, I had the seafood chowder which was served in a
bread bowl and was quite good. Just as we finished, Roger and Emma were getting out of the
cab.

It was a good last evening but am tired and I am reluctantly looking forward to being in familiar
surroundings.

3 July Monday — Our taxi picked us up right on time but the traffic was bad and it took us
almost an hour to get to the airport. Because Emma’s boarding pass wouldn't print the night
before, I went with her through the long line. My hope was to get them to combine her two
tickets but that didn't work out. For some reason my boarding pass wouldn't print and it took
about twenty minutes and a couple of agents to get it straightened out. Then there was a
security check, customs, another security check, a quick opportunity to go to the toilet and buy a
cold drink. This all took about 1.5 hours. As I tried to board my pass wouldn't work. By this
time I was emotionally spent and just wanted to collapse. I had left Emma with the others when
I went to the toilet and figured they were ahead of me boarding. When I finally got to my seat I
didn't see them. A while later three others came through. But no Emma. I started asking the
flight crew if she had boarded but at first didn't get an answer. She finally showed up very
exasperated and by the time she got settled into her seat she collapsed in tears. They had
screwed up her boarding pass as well. It seems that our entire group were messed up. Delta
system sucks.

Once we got on the plane we sat at the gate for an extra two hours while they verified that the
luggage matched the passengers. What a mess. All the stress of hurrying through for naught.
The crew on the flight were excellent. It was obvious that they work well together as they tried to
keep cheery and calm down the passengers who already knew they were going to miss their
connections at ATL. The flight itself was uneventful. Once we got to Atlanta we hurried to our
assigned gate hoping to just make the boarding but were unsuccessful. The gate was empty
and there were no Delta folks around to help us. I flagged one down and he figured out that we
would be on the next flight in two hours. Luggage for two of us had made the original flight but
the other two would be on the second one.

Had we known that the plane had already left, stress would have been less as we strolled to our
gate. We then had time for one last meal as a group before we went one way and Emma the
other. Our boarding was delayed for some military event. Not sure but there may have been a
body on board. The agent kept apologizing in a sweet southern voice but that didn’t help us feel
less annoyed at yet another delay. The take off was about 30 minutes delayed. As we
approached Orlando we had the first sunset in three weeks. It was lovely. As we taxied to the
gate I could see an Honor Guard lined up on the tarmac. More announcements apologizing for
the delay that was necessary for this military event. From my window I never saw anything
happen, just folks standing around in line waiting for something to happen.

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Finally, we made it to baggage claim where Roger and I found our bags waiting for us. Then an
announcement that the baggage on our flight would be late coming because of the military
event which was another indication that there was a body in the hold. It was over an hour after
landing that the belt started turning. Roger waited until Offerles had their bags before calling
Joe to come get us. Add twenty minutes to our time. While waiting I texted Emma. She was
home in Raleigh as snug as a bug in a rug.

Twenty minutes back to Joe’s place then we turned toward home for the 3 hour drive. First stop
was for gas and milk. Roger missed the turn to the turnpike so we had to loop to the beltway. It
was 0130 when we pulled into the drive. Exhausted and still frustrated from all the things that
showed what a screwed up system flying has become. If I didn’t already have a deposit on our
Hawaii trip I would be tempted to say I will never fly again. Delta will be my last choice from
now on.

July 4 — When I checked with Vicki later in the day, I learned that Ron had died that morning
after a heart attack from which his chemo weakened body could not recover. Lois was there on
a previously planned visit and drove to my house on 5 July for a five day stay. The memorial
was set for 29 July which would give us time to leave for GA as planned on 1 Aug

Thoughts

We are glad to have finally gotten to these places but will never return. This was the most
stressful trip we have ever taken. There are other places that I have thought about seeing in
Europe but don’t see us flying there again anytime soon. The rental car cost us over $3000 plus
fuel by the time we paid for insurance that didn’t cover anything, three tires and a rim. And,
Frank and I lost a day while trying to get a decent vehicle. Hertz and Delta will not get anymore
of my business. The next time I ask for a driver, I will not back down.

As much as I enjoy seeing different places and meeting new people, airline travel has become
so difficult that I am not sure how much more I can endure.

I kept reminding myself how fortunate I am to be having these problems. We made it home
safely. No one required any medical attention. Life is good

Libby Cagle

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