Another beauty of an entry from the lovely Sue.
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Well yesterday started off a bit poorly. Al left at 7 to go back to Dooleys to get his hat. Lyn and I wandered down to breakfast and grazed for a couple of hours, read the paper etc. When at 10:30 when Al hadn't made it back in time for breakfast, we debated at what time we would start worrying. Lyn has a point of view that Al is a really smart man... but is hopeless at personal admin and we really shouldn't have let him go. I say look he's got the GPS bitch in the car to tell him where to go, there is only one way really, it will be fine. So we pack up. Decide 11:15 is the official worry time. At 11:30 lyn rings the Dooley to be told Al only came 40 minutes ago! Stop worrying as we realise he must have got lost going. We check out and sit waiting in the foyer. The receptionist tells us never more than 3 hours return to Waterford but Al takes 5 and walks in after 12.
He had trouble getting out of the underground car park with his parking ticket not validated, wasted 30 minutes back and forth to reception, had to find a petrol station and got caught in road works. 5 hours.
Off we go to drive the Ring of Kerry. This is the Irish version of our great ocean road. Ours is more spectacular but it is very pretty and rugged and harsh as well. We were coming from the south and it is one of 3 little peninsulas on the south west corner of Ireland. The ring is the middle one. We planned to drive it in a clockwise direction to finish at the north of it and go on to stay at Limerick. That was the plan but somehow we missed another sign and we are in Killinsdale which is the north side. So we set off driving anti clockwise around the ring. It is windswept harsh and rugged. There are lush green valleys behind the hills of the coast as the road meanders in and out from the water. We see the Atlantic and a lot of little islands that are all now bird sanctuaries and marine reserves. Several little villages we drive through seem asleep with only one looking active at all. So when we get half way along the southern side I find a road on the map that cuts through the peninsula and suggest we do it to save time!
It doesn't save time but it is an adventure. We drive a trail/track. Hairpin bends sheer sides mountains with snow on them on one side. Lyn is in love with the scenes and keeps stopping to take photos and she is the driver, so we take ages to get back to the start. Thankfully it stays light until 8:30 or this road would be terrifying. We arrive back to where we started the ring and it has taken us 7 hours. We go to a pub and he tells us of a nice b&b where we are now. We walk back up the hill for dinner at another pub at 9. We then call into another pub, there are several in one block! This one is called the Canberra bar and we need to find out why. This ends up with life stories being told with the owner. More drinking. Lyn getting a lesson behind the bar on how to pour Guinness, which I video. Being taken on a tour of the owners b&b rooms so we can give him our opinion. More drinking with the locals who ask us questions and know a lot about football in Australia and especially Jim Stynes. Finally back to our rooms.
I have woken up to sunshine pouring through my window and a beautiful view over the river which has a centuries old stone bridge made up of several arches. Oh no time for more food. At least there's no alcohol at breakfast.
We are going to limerick this morning and planning to end up in Dublin tonight. I will report on the limerick competition. Surely we can't miss the signs to Dublin!
(Sue)
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