Thirteen Days!

That's right!  We're now counting days instead of weeks until we blast out of Miami's hazy sky and touch down on the Emerald Isle.  That is enough to make me screech with happiness.

I gave up on the gaitor hunt and bought replacements.  They've arrived and look anxious to be put to use.  No worries there.  Those babies will be all mucked up two weeks from now.  All that's missing is the Compeed.  It's been ordered, but not delivered.  Compeed is a European miracle that I've yet to see in the States.  It's like rubber, stretchy covering for blisters that melts into your skin and stays on for days and days, even if you shower - which we do on occasion.  Compeed is a godsend on a walk like the one we're about to begin.  Once it arrives, we are ready to pack.

I'm still farting around with train schedules and rental cars.  I think I've decided on the following plan, but am waiting to hear from an Irish friend regarding the drive.

6/11 - 6/20:
Lauren and I walk the Dingleberry Forest and have a grand adventure  (that's the easy part)

6/21:
Doug arrives Dublin and hops a train to Wesport.
Lauren and I get a cab to Kerry Airport from Tralee and drive to Westport OR we train to Westport, cab to Knock Airport, rent a car and hightail it back to Wesport to meet Doug.

(It seems easier just to drive, but then again, it's about a 3 1/2 hour drive from Kerry to Westport.  I don't know if the drive will be all crazy highways or slow country roads.  I'm waiting to hear from a local before making a final decision.  Never having driven on the wrong side of the road, I want to be sure I'm not tackling an overly dangerous thing with my girl in the car.)

Either way, we'll spend the later half of the day wandering Wesport.  I plan to spend the evening in Lavelle's Bar, hopefully meeting the famous storyteller Mick Lavelle, if he's still on this side of the grass.

6/22:
Climb Crough Patrick, drive around Clew Bay and around Achill Island, stopping at castles, ruins and pubs as we see fit.  Booked at a nice B&B in Mulranny.

6/23:
Venture east to Castlebar, where I've felt drawn for quite some time.  Not sure what's waiting there, but something is.  Return the car that evening to Knock Airport.

6/24:
Hop a train from Castlebar to Dublin.  Arrive around 1pm, which leaves us all afternoon and evening to see some sites and hit some pubs.

6/25:
Regretfully, I have to come back.  Doug and Lauren will continue their adventure in England and Switzerland without me.

So, there you have it.  Decisions yet to be made, but the bulk of the planning is done.  Now it's the execution I'm waiting for!!  Bring on the Guinness!