Paradise isn’t quite as paradise-y when it’s windy and rainy. Fortunately, while the wind was persistent all day, the rain was mostly showers off and on breaking up the “monotony” of the sunshine.
Turks and Caicos 2016 – Day 2
Author: Laura Irwin
Turks and Caicos 2016 – Day 1
Paradise. That’s the only word that comes to mind to describe Turks and Caicos. Warm weather, sun, and sand. Exactly what this trip is all about. This is my third visit to TCI, and a week of relaxation, sun, and reading is just what I need. I have thought about visiting other islands (Grand Cayman was a top contender for this trip), but in the end, I love Grace Bay Beach (the main “resort” beach in Providenciales) and the familiarity of visiting a place I love.
The Boston Harbor Islands
Can you believe that after almost 20 years of living in the Boston area, today was the first time I visited the Boston Harbor Islands? Sure, I’d heard of them, and I know plenty of people who have visited, but today was the first time I explored them myself.
A Day in the White Mountains
Having spent a good amount of time in the White Mountains of New Hampshire growing up, I enjoy returning to the area whenever I get a chance. While many people opt for the shopping mecca of North Conway, I prefer to visit the “quiet side” of the mountains in the area around Franconia Notch.
Ireland 2015: Day 15 – Dublin to Boston
2,317 kilometers (1,439 miles) driven, 1,849 pictures taken, 15 days of traveling, and 1 happy-to-be-home traveler.
Ireland 2015: Day 14 – Galway to Dublin
The “going home day”. I’ll admit I’ve been thinking about home for several days now, wanting to be in familiar surroundings, but at the same time not wanting vacation to end. I woke up this morning to sun in Ireland, and felt a little sad to be leaving. It’s hard to believe I’ve been here for two weeks. Things I did on my first couple of days feel like a distant memory already. But I’m also very ready to be home. I repacked my suitcase last night, which was no small feat. Zipping it closed this morning was a small miracle!
Ireland 2015: Day 13 – Connemara
Well, the weather miraculously cleared up for one last day in Ireland. My plan today was to visit Connemara, an area west of Galway known for it’s more rugged beauty. Connemara is also one of the areas of Ireland which retains the Irish language; all road signs are in Irish only. I set off relatively early from Galway along the coastal route and stopped first at the Spiddal Craft Village. The village is several individual vendors set up in little shops around a small common area. I didn’t end up buying anything, but it was fun to browse the jewelry, artwork, and other local handcrafts.
Ireland 2015: Day 12 – Doolin to Galway
Here are the things I miss about home today: sleeping in my own bed, knowing where everything is when I need it, buying, cooking, and eating my own food, and driving my own car on the right-hand side of the road. And here are the things I love about Ireland: the people, the history, the incredibly picturesque landscapes, and the music. I’m heading home in two days, and part of me wants to leave now and part of me wants to stay here (or at least take Ireland home with me!). There are some vacations where I want to soak everything in because I don’t know that I’ll ever be back (the Cotswolds is a recent example of that). There are other places I’ve traveled to where I absolutely know I will be back (I had that feeling on my first visit to Turks and Caicos and returned a year later). Ireland definitely falls into the latter category: I will definitely be back.
Ireland 2015: Day 11 – Dingle to Doolin
Today I visited my ancestral hometown of Cahersherkin in County Clare, near Ennistymon. I wish I could say I met some long-lost distant cousins, but that didn’t happen. I did visit two cemeteries where Shannons and Finucanes are buried (both family names). In fact, Cahersherkin is more like an area, not an actual town.
I asked a gentleman walking on the road if I was going in the right direction and he pointed down the street and told me it was at the crossroads. The crossroads were two single lane roads through the local farmland. I didn’t feel any strong pull telling me that this was home, but it was very neat to see. I kept thinking that my ancestors could have helped to build the stone walls and buildings I was driving by.
Ireland 2015: Day 10 – The Dingle Peninsula
“When life gives you lemons….” Once again, I woke up to cloudy skies and the threat of rain. I determined to make the best of what is becoming a common theme the last few days. I set off from Killarney after breakfast heading toward the Dingle Peninsula. Known as another lesser-visited area, the Dingle Peninsula is the northernmost of the southwest peninsulas heading up the west coast of Ireland. It wasn’t long before I hit Inch Beach. I was determined to put my feet in this side of the Atlantic Ocean, and this seemed like as good a place as any to do it. You might expect the Irish waters to be cold, but compared to Massachusetts, it wasn’t shocking. I met a gentleman walking his dog on the beach and he said this weather is not what summer in Ireland is typically like.
Traveling with Laura 