The Short Story

Firstly, let me provide you with a map that you may choose to open in another window or tab to track the places I may mention. Any times mentioned will be in local times, so for your benefit Ireland is 6 hours ahead of CST. This is my organization post, and I intend to discuss many of these locales in more depth later. Don't think this is all the highlights, because how wrong you would be.

• Feb 6th: Departure from Dallas sometime after 5 pm. Tried to sleep, but chocolate covered espresso beans proved detrimental to this plan. Instead, played with fancy tv screens on plane, did sudoku, played Speed, etc.
• Feb 7th: Arrived in Dublin 12 noonish, got rental car, GPS, and basic map. Hit the road to Galway. Avoided death on roadways, very hard what with the flipped driving positions, lack of visible signage, missing road markings, and two way roads wide enough for one and a half vehicles. This would prove to be a recurring issue.
• Feb 8th: Happy birthday to me, drove to the Cliffs of Moher. Found out that the roadways from the day before were actually quite safe compared to other regions of Ireland, and now with occasional sheep strolling in the road. Drove to Adare. Had fun in a pub, and found out Harp isn't found everywhere but Bud Light is.
• Feb 9th: Awoke in Adare, minus cell phone apparently. Crap. Visited Limerick, discovered the O'Brien's chain of coffee/sandwich shops. Drove toward Kenmare, with a breather hike taken in Killarney National Park. Arrived in Kenmare, enjoyed our first afternoon tea. Found cell phone, yay!
• Feb 10th: Had first full Irish breakfast. Drove toward Cork, visited Blarney. Found a pay internet station in a tiny little restaurant, got a much needed Google fix. Proceeded to Cashel.
• Feb 11th: Had 2nd full Irish breakfast, without the black pudding. Drove into Waterford, and got to see the Waterford Crystal areas of production, and now understand why it's so freaking expensive. Drove to County Wicklow and our final B&B in the village of Laragh.
• Feb 12th: Ate delicious scrambled eggs courtesy of the B&B's resident hens, took quick detour through Kildare and then proceeded to Dublin, our final Irish destination. Saw a movie.
• Feb 13th: Came home.