Lovely Irish Mary from the Tourism Ireland NZ office in Auckland has been organising our return air tickets and booking our B&B’s & car rental for our first week in Ireland. All this, the winnings of a fabulous competition, entered over 9 months ago now, through their Discover Ireland NZ website. It seems like a long time ago that I won the trip but now it's just days away... 19 to be exact!
For months now, I’ve been putting together our month long itinerary & I have to say, it’s looking incredible.
Among my most anticipated Irish experiences are:
ü Setting foot on the land where my Great Grandmother was born - the place she left at the age of 18 to immigrate to NZ – the home she was never able to return to.
ü Visiting the place of my ancestors & meeting my Northern Irish cousins for the first time
ü Getting in amongst the St Paddy’s Day Parade in Dublin on March 17
ü Sitting in cozy wee Pubs, enjoying the craic & listening to local musicians belting out well-known tunes
ü Acquiring a taste for Guinness
ü Ringing the bells at St Anne’s Shandon Church in Cork
ü Standing ‘near’ the edge of the Cliffs of Moher
ü Taking a ride on a pony trap around the Aran Island of Inishmor
ü Tucking into Full Irish Breakfasts in homely B&B's
ü Drinking a true Irish Coffee
ü Driving through the limestone landscape of the Burren
ü Taking a Black Taxi ride with ‘Paddy Campbell’ around Belfast
ü Visiting the Free Derry Museum in the Bogside area of L’derry & learning about the ‘Troubles’
ü Walking around the Titanic Quarter, Belfast where the famous ship was built
ü Stepping across the Giant Causeway stones along the Antrim Coast
ü Seeing lots of stone fences & a Castle or two
ü Kissing the Blarney Stone.... actually, to be honest...I'd far rather kiss an Irishman! J
It really isn't long now... my trusty 'Wagon' is packed & ready to hit the road. Roll on February 18!
