After a lovely breakfast at the Northern Light Inn, we said our good-byes to the South Air FBO and had clear sailing all the way to Shannon, descending through a very light drizzle on the way down. The welcome at West Air Aviation and Jetex Flight Support was just wonderful, complete with gifts and skillfully management of us through customs, luggage and a rental car.
We headed out for the great Irish adventure, and promptly got lost in the lovely but winding roads....Julian at the wheel on the right side, cool as a cucumber. We laughed that any traffic cameras we pass will catch me clutching the dashboard, wide-eyed and mid-yelp! But before long, it all came back to us and we’re not dangerous on the roads here anymore.
We found our way to Limerick and to the Savoy Hotel, a lovely place with hospitable staff, right in the thick of the downtown, and a block from the Shannon River (longest in Ireland we hear). We settled in for a quiet night, and then got a wild whimsy to see a movie and ended up eating popcorn for dinner, then walking 2 miles back to the hotel. It was great to get some walking in!
Next Day
Somehow we didn’t expect that jet lag would really affect us as the time changes are only 1 to 2 (and 3) hours at a time....but it affected us last night cumulatively! We got a late start but still managed a full Irish breakfast (eggs, back bacon, sausage links, black and white pudding (more sausage types), beans, tomatoes, and soda bread with marmalade). Good grief! It lasted us all day believe me.
We wandered the city a little, then hopped in the car for a very late drive to the Ring of Kerry. As it happened, it was ideal for us....we missed all the tour buses, the traffic was lighter, and the afternoon light was spectacular -- bright sun in between lumbering clouds. We stopped in Kenmare for tea and scones and drove the magnificent road. The photos don’t do justice to the full, green, life-filled, light-filled, sumptuous landscape on the edge of the Atlantic. We find ourselves feeling very small having visited the west side of the Atlantic in Halifax and the East side of the Atlantic in County Kerry, while the air miles are still fresh in our minds.
We had lots of happy miles in the car today, breaking up the trip back to the Savoy with the best fish and chips ever!
Tomorrow is a bit of a surprise...but we’ll give you a hint: we “will arise and go” somewhere very special.
