Ireland, Scotland and England
August 3-23 1998

One evening in April of 1998, my friends Angel, J.P and I were sitting around talking.

For a long time, we had all been in love with Ireland and Scotland and so our conversation began to turn to the question of if any of us would ever actually get over there .
We talked about it and then said good-night, unsure if it was even possible. But an idea had begun to form in my head..I decided to do some research to see if a bunch of poor college kids could possibly afford it.

I spent quite a bit of time online, and went to a travel agency to get some price quotes. Not only was it possible, once the idea had entered my head-I was hell bent to make sure that it happened!

Everyone was very excited at the possibility, and after talking and thinking it through, four of us decided that we could do it!

Originally we decided to just visit Ireland for a week..then it became Ireland and Scotland for three weeks, but while at the travel agents making the reservations, we were offered a package that extended our trip by four days with minimal cost increases-not a bad thing at all! So our original plan of a seven day vacation had now grown to a 18 day adventure!

No one had any definite must see places except me, and since I enjoy the research and project type organization-I decided to organize the trip and put an itinerary together. This page contains is excerpts from my travel diary along with our itenary.

Many of the quotes are directly from my journal. I eventually hope to transfer my journals contents fully, but for right now-I have just included tid-bits for your reading pleasure!

Travel Log
 

 August 2
Very early in the morning, Susan and I pick Angel up. Together, we drove to Baltimore, Maryland. J.P. had moved back home to Baltimore the week prior, and since it was cheaper to fly from the east coast-we decided to drive out there.

August 3
I wake up, smile at Angel and say "Hey Angel..wanna go to Ireland today?"
Angel smiles:)

6:10 PM depart Dulles airport

August 4

6:25 AM Arrive London Heathrow
wait and people watch, so excited we can barely keep straight faces!

Board flight from London to Dublin
Susan offers me window seat so I can be the first to see Ireland. :)
I eat Black pudding for the first time-I eat my friends too-then I find out what it is
I don't eat anymore black pudding the entire trip

11:10 AM Arrive Dublin, Ireland
-hurl stuff (bags-not black pudding) into hotel room and head out to explore Dublin-

Christ Church Cathedral
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Dublin Town Walls
Dublinia
Angel has her first Guinness

9 PM we are all in bed (separate beds that is)

August 5
I discover to my horror that Mountain Dew isn't sold everywhere in Ireland
 

Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth
Drove through Slane
J.P loses my CD player
shortly afterwards, Angel discovers her journal is missing-she left it at hotel
-go back to hotel-no luck finding it-maids are probably enjoying the saucy read-
Back roads to ruined tower
-get lost on back roads-
find nice man who gives us directions
get lost using man's directions
completely by accident after a wee bit o' cursing, stumble on Tara Hill-from the opposite way we intended

Drive to Waterford, arrive after 10:30 PM-once again get lost
The girls collapse in bed.
J.P. and I go for moonlight walk in an attempt to find the ocean-we can hear it, but never reach it. At one point, I see what looks like ocean waves below-I charge down hill (fall down hill is a more accurate description) to beach-only to discover it is a field of really tall waving grass-
I climb back up hill embarassed,lol.
This walk was incredible. Just two best friends traipsing the Irish countryside talking about this and that. very cool.

August 6
Dunamasse
I lock keys in the trunk..locals laugh at me for not calling it the boot, friends join in
have the splendid opportunity to "donate" to the Irish economy to open the "boot" up
Cashel
exterior of Cahir Castle

August 7
Spend most of the day driving
Cahir castle

Lunch in Killarney pub
Arrive in Dingle-crest hill to see ocean...wow-so incredible..beautiful!


Check in at B+B. owned by a rather strange man-we call him lurch. women sleep dressed and we push desk against door, lol
We watch man with a herd of sheep moving straight through the village-no relation to weird B+B man that I know of.
climb Dingle hills into the mist, sit and talk
Angel buries memento
J.P. and I build small cairn
Dinner at Bakers pub (Est. 1830)

August 8
slept with window open-very cold-not bright idea
8:30 AM we are on our way!
drive to Limerick
St. Johns Limerick Castle, I wasn't expecting much but the castle was really cool
Bunratty Castle-way too crowded-modern bathrooms in castle annoyed me. felt too touristy
day became warm, hot actually-about 84 degrees or so
today would be the only day I wear jeans...
Watch sunset from the Cliffs of Moher

August 9
Poulnabrune
desperately try to see dolmen through all the old people caravans that keep arriving
Dunguire Castle
Clonmacnoise
Arrived in Galway, watched the sunset over Galway bay
debate about whether it is the moon or sun, how cool is that?
J,P. and Angel decide to save money by buying food ahead of time-purchase peanut butter for sandwiches.. they make them in pub. People stare. Susan and I rub in yummy steak dinner.

August 10
driving day to Donegal-Angel's one must see destination!:)
Angel and J.P get in huge fight while trying to navigate roads
Donegal Beach
Angel and I get in fight over stupid stuff, what a day..
I spend time alone walking on beach
Donegal Castle

August 11
Drive to Armagh
Navan Fort-wow....
Brian Boru’s burial site
Need directions. I hope out and run into library. meet hot library girl. get directions but nothing else.
Visit remains of Franciscan friary dated 1263-1264
All went out to dinner

August 12
Susan and I drive to find standing stones
watch sun rise
saw crannog
Dunluce Castle
holy crap it's windy here
Giant’s causeway
Drive to Larne checked into Seashore B+B
ate at The Kiln pub

August 13
12:20 PM Depart Belfast to Stranraer Harbor, Scotland
(insert humorous dialogue with Belfast man-coming soon)
Our first ever attempt at driving a car onto a boat. Angel is funny..because she traps herself inside by parking too close to car next to us. we all point and make fun of her while she climbs out passenger door.
arrive in Stranraer, pick up car rental
Drive to Dumfries stayed in Borelyn
 

August 14
Drive to Carlisle
Hadrian’s wall
Swing into England for Lunch: ate at Dempsy’s pub in Carlisle
Purchase ticket to Edinburgh Castle at 5:06 PM
Make frantic attempt to see entire castle, fail miserably-it's way to big
Do get to see the Honours of Scotland-the sword of state, the crown and the
supposed stone of scone ( I don't believe it's the actual one..)
We have to clear out by 7 PM because of the Military Tattoo (sold out months before so we couldn't get tickets)

Spend evening walking around Edinburgh
I discover two Holy grails-purchase both which are now on my fireplace mantel

August 15
Tour Stirling castle
Wallace Monument-very awesome view of the Highlands from here
Ask locals and tour guides for Falkirk battle site-finally locate it after looking through piles of maps, evidently the Scots don't like remembering the defeats. It is now a playground and housing development identified with an small courtyard obelisk marker. ..I am sad to see the battlefield built over:(
Stirling battle site
Bannockburn

August 16
Glamis Castle. We are excited because of the haunted history!!
We get to see tour o' the ceramics because we are placed in a group of senior citizens interested in that kind of stuff.. COME ON, show is the ghosts, the blood soaked floors! sigh-very disappointing tour. cool castle though.
Dunnataur Castle. WOW, they sure know how to build em! We spend quite a bit of time climbing all over castle, and in the caverns below the castle. very pretty view here.

August 17
Culloden Moor
weather by chance-is exactly like it was during the battle-very cool
Afternoon and evening hiking in the highlands
Evening in Inverness

August 18
Eilean Donan Castle 9:30 AM

Loch Ness-nope, we don't see any monster.
I almost fall in Loch bc I am so excited to be there
stay night at farm overlooking Loch

August 19
Drive to Iona (we have to cross Mull Island first)
Narrow, single car road gives us all the heebie jeebies. Sheep try to run us off road
Mull Island
see very sad reminders of the highland clearances:(
Duart Castle which has two of the coolest inscriptions I have ever seen
over the castle entrance:
-insert quotes here-
Meet bus driver who tells us stories of his youth while driving highway 66..
Park car and take ferry to Iona for the night
Hike all over Iona-enchanting place!!!!

August 20
depart Iona
Begin to make our way back to Edinburgh for flight home
Visit Rob Roy’s burial  site

August 21
Continue slow drive back to Edinburgh
stop at standing stones in field
spend night outside of Edinburgh
Stare out over the forth at Edinburgh castle all lit up-so beautiful..found myself wondering where Edward built his bridge when he invaded.
It seemed fitting somehow, that my last night would be spent gazing across the water towards a castle..
 

August 22
1:15 PM Depart Edinburgh to London
4:00 PM depart London for Dulles


*I created a really awesome soundtrack for the trip full of beautiful music. If you would like to listen to the various songs I chose, click here.
However, it will take a few moments to load even with broadband, so please be patient.*