To allow my friends and family to keep track of where I’m going – and also to help me to figure out where I am on any given day – I’m putting up my itinerary here, along with links that I’m going to need, and that you might find interesting.
Please don’t stalk me. Or at least don’t be either creepy or violent if you do.
Thanks.
Saturday, Sep 17, 2011 – Flight Out
- 10:20 – Depart Winnipeg for Toronto.
- 18:15 – Depart Toronto for London
Sunday, Sep 18, 2011 – Arrive in Dublin
- 12:35 – Depart London for Dublin
- 13:55 – Arrive Dublin
- Staying at Ariel House
- Pick up Dublin Pass
- Activate iPad and iPhone on Irish network (Vodaphone or 3)
Monday, Sep 19, 2011 – Dublin
- Morning/Afternoon – Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
- 19:30 – Musical Pub Crawl
Tuesday, Sep 20, 2011 – Dublin
Wednesday, Sep 21, 2011 – Dublin
- 09:40 – Newgrange and Hill of Tara Tour – Pickup in front of D4 Berkley Hotel
Thursday, Sep 22, 2011 – Dublin
- Free Day – revisit sites, museums, shopping, rest
Friday, Sep 23, 2011 – Travel to Cork
- Bus to Cashel
- Take an hour or two to see the Rock of Cashel
- Reboard the bus to Cork
- Staying at Garnish House
Saturday, Sep 24, 2011 – Cork
- 09:30 – Ring of Kerry Tour
Sunday, Sep 25, 2011 – Cork
- Morning – Tour of Cork City – NOT YET BOOKED!
- Afternoon – taxi to Blarney Castle
Monday, Sep 26, 2011 – Travel to Portmagee
- Bus to Killarney
- Bus to Cahirsiveen
- Taxi to Portmagee
- Hope to arrive early enough to see the Skellig Experience (closes at 18:00)
- Stay at The Moorings
Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 – Portmagee
- Boat trip out to Skellig Michael, weather permitting
Wednesday, Sep 28, 2011 – Travel to Bunratty
- Probably have to take a taxi to Killarney – bus seems to come through Cahirsiveen in the late afternoon.
- Bus from Killarney to Bunratty
- Hope to arrive early enough to see the Bunratty Folk Park (last admission 16:15)
- 20:45 – Bunratty Castle Medieval Banquet
- Stay at Bunratty Castle Hotel
Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 – Travel to Galway
- Bus to Galway
- Stay at Jury’s Inn
- Afternoon – Galway City Tour
Friday, Sep 30, 2011 – Galway
- 10:00 – Connemara and Cong Tour
Saturday, Oct 1, 2011 – Galway
- 10:00 – Cliffs of Moher and Burren Tour
Sunday, Oct 2, 2011 – Travel to Derry/Londonderry
- Morning – Bus to Derry/Londonderry
- Stay at Saddler’s House
- Bus trip is very long – no tours, etc. that evening. But I should be able to walk the medieval walls.
Monday, Oct 3, 2011 – Derry/Londonderry
- Morning – Bogside Artists Tour – NOT YET CONFIRMED!
- Afternoon – City Tour from this list, depending on getting the above confirmed
Tuesday, Oct 4, 2011 – Travel to Belfast
- Train to Belfast
- Stay at The Old Rectory
- Afternoon – sightseeing, shopping, rest
Wednesday, Oct 5, 2011 – Belfast
Thursday, Oct 6, 2011 – Belfast
- Free Day – revisit sites, museums, shopping, rest
Friday, Oct 7, 2011 – Travel to Dublin
- Morning – Train to Dublin
- Stay at Clarion Hotel Dublin Airport
- Afternoon – Last chance to see stuff, shopping, pack, rest
Saturday, Oct 8, 2011 – Flight Home
- 08:40 – Depart Dublin for London
- 12:05 – Depart London for Toronto
- 16:30 – Depart Toronto for Winnipeg
- 17:59 – Arrive Winnipeg
Pingback: My Planning Process | Ireland 2011
I hope you have a wonderful time in Ireland. Perhaps your appetizer tour will encourage you to go back again and see it by car next time. That really is the best way. Then my book will come in handy! BTW, what was the one tip in my book that kept your trip from “crashing and burning”? I’m in suspense to know.
You are welcome on my forum any time. Hope you will let us know how your trip turned out. Wishing you some good weather and a grand time in Ireland.
Bon voyage,
Michele
Thanks for the kind words! I really liked your book – it just wasn’t the right book for THIS trip. It certainly makes me want to go back and see Ireland by car next time.
The one tip was about ATM cards, and how you need a four-digit code to use them in Ireland. It’s a little tip that no other guidebook offered, that my bank didn’t tell me about, and that I never thought of. My code was five digits (I set waaaay back in the early days of such things, when I got to choose a code from four to six digits), and that would have caused substantial problems. So, thanks for that, too.
Rick,
Thanks for letting me know which tip you liked! I always try to pass along all the info needed for traveling to Ireland. I would hate for anyone to be there with no access to ATMs.
I agree that my book is not for everyone. Those traveling around by public transportation or organized coach tour and those who want to “rough it” in hostels are probably better off with different books, depending on circumstances. But I always say there is no one book that is right for everyone. That’s why there are many choices available. I have two huge bookcases full of Ireland travel books I have accumulated over the years. I still have the first book I used in 1973 – “The TWA Getaway Guide to Ireland”. I wish the prices were still the same!
You are in Ireland right now. Hope the sun is shining on you.
Michele