:: carrie peterson : travel |
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| travel |
| travel |
| IRELAND August, 2002 |
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| Around the world in 80 days? Perhaps not. Around the world in 80 years? Perhaps. |
| RECENT DESTINATIONS |
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| IF YOU GO TO IRELAND, HIRE A CAR. My best friend, Linda, and I drove around the country for 9 days. We had full mobility and freedom to stop whenever we wanted. Anyhow, instead of detailing my entire trip, I thought I'd offer some "DO's and DON'Ts." |
| DESTINATIONS |
| DO |
| * Visit Temple Bar area in Dublin * Take the Fore Trail * Make a pit stop in Athlone * See Galway and lay on grass at Eyre Square, but... * Stay in Oughterard * Allow 3+ days in Connemara! Stop in all the towns and beaches * Walk thru Ennis at night * Explore the Ring of Kerry * Go Camping in Sneem * Visit Clonakilty, try the famous black pudding * Do not miss Youaghll on the southern coast! |
| * Spend more than 1 day in Dublin, head for west coast * Skip the small towns, they are the best part of Ireland * Spend more than 1/2 day in Cork. After Connemara, the big cities will fighten you * Visit the SE coast, instead spend that time in Connemara |
| DON'T |
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| Linda and her brother, Gary, at the Irish History Museum. Very interesting, worth a visit. I liked the Celtic cross. |
| FOOD & DRINK |
| * Try Guinness in Ireland, even if you hate it * Eat rhubard crumble!!! * Have a traditional Irish breakfast (rashers, black pudding, soda bread, tea...) * Eat in pubs. Pub grub. mmm. * Try black pudding * Try coleslaw chips * If all else fails, Smithwicks * Weetabix for breakfast * Baked potato with tuna, corn and onion in it * Drink tea outside in Glandore * Guinness beef stew |
| DO |
| * Skip the Fanta, it is pure orange goodness * Wait to eat dinner. Most pubs/restaurants stop serving food after 8-9pm. ...Clearly, the food/drink in Ireland is a 'DO.' |
| DON'T |
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| I pet a goat in Ireland. teehee. |
| MUST DO'S |
| * Drive a car! Very fun once you get the hang of it. Good luck with roundabouts. * Watch a rugby game in a pub. * Look at the sky at dusk - gorgeous. * Listen to trad in a pub. * Visit churches if only for the stained glass windows. * Pull over and pet sheep/goats. * If a driver lets you pass, flash your hazards twice to say "Thank you!" |
| AVOID |
| * SE coast - it's nice, but your time is better spent in the North and West Coast. * More than 1 day in big cities like Dublin and Cork. * Parking tickets! Be sure to buy disc parking tickets from local shops and display on dashboard. * Leaving Linda alone with underage Irish lads. (heh) * Letting Linda's mom gamble, you'll never see her again. * Drying your underwear outside for Carrie to photograph! |
| Linda's underwear |
| SCOTLAND February, 2002 |
| AYE, Y' WEE BASTARD! Just a few days in Scotland, and you'll find yourself speaking with an accent. It's contagious. Soon everything becomes a 'wee bastard,' your friends, your cold hostel showers, even the hairy coos. |
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| DESTINATIONS |
| * Visit Edinburgh - walk everywhere for 2-3 days * Take the Ale Trail in Edinburgh * Walk the Royal Mile in Edinburgh * Biddy Mulligans - best pub in E-town * Take a Haggis tour of the Scottish Highlands * Culloden Battlefield * Clava Cairns (old cemetery, burial grounds) * Fort Augustus (must see Highland life exhibit!) * Eilean Donan castle * Visit Partree on Isle of Skye * Have a jaunt at Saucy Mary's on Isle of Skye * Sligachan River - dip your head under the water for 7 seconds and you will have good luck. You must be a 'crazy bastard' to do this. I was that crazy bastard. |
| AYE |
| * Finnegan's Wake pub in E-town (too crowded) * Glasgow (I'd spend more time in Edinburgh & the Highlands) ...Eh, everywhere in Scotland is gorgeous, go see it all. |
| NEY BOTHER |
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| Holding my head for 7 seconds in freezing Sligachan River. Certified 'Crazy Bastard.' |
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| FOOD & DRINK |
| * Haggis! (just try it) * Traditional Scottish breakfast (toast, hash browns, beans, tomato, haggis, mushrooms) * Bar Oz in Edinburgh * Strawberry Kiss shooter * Wagon Wheels * Sausage rolls and chicken pasties * Pork stovie * Crisps (so many interesting flavors) * Try every potato shop! * O'Neils pub in Glasgow |
| AYE |
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| * Haggis! (blecch) * Starbucks! (wee bastard!) * Vegetarians - it's hard to avoid all the BEEF, baby! * Wimpy's * McDonald's * Drinking your breakfast (see left), eating too many pasties and crisps - you'll go home with some 'extra baggage' on the hips |
| NEY BOTHER |
| Emily drinking her breakfast |
| DEFINITE "AYE's" |
| * Fly Virgin (Don't question me) * 'Ghost Hunter' tour in Edinburgh * Haggis tours - great guides * Any pub that plays Corrs - man, I love this country * Pet the hairy coos * Get a haircut at Ian Cameron Salon on Princes St. in Edinburgh * Find Crazy Colin on Isle of Skye. He's a serious nutcase, will have you in stitches * Skinny dip in the Loch Ness at night. (Or at least hold your friends' clothes, like I did) |
| DEFINITE "NEY BOTHER's" |
| * The ice cold showers at Edinburgh Hostel on Cockburn St. * Don't forget your warm clothes, gloves, scarf, and hat if you go in winter * Don't spend more than a day in Glasgow. Go to the Highlands! * Annoying American teenagers at hostels. (grr) |
| We hiked to the top of a cliff on Isle of Skye |
| BELIZE May, 2001 |
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| I'VE GOT A LOVELY BUNCH OF COCONUTS. The problem was learning how to open them. Linda, Kathryn and I spent nine days in San Ignacio & Placencia, Belize. [ MY BELIZE JOURNAL ] |
| I woke up at 5am each day in Placencia, so I could watch the sunrise. It was amazing. |