By nikkihop from Texas USA, Spring 2012
This trip report was originally posted on slowtrav.com.
Trip Description: Nicki and her mom tour through southern Ireland, ending in Dublin visiting castles, churches, natural wonders and even kayaking from June 10 - 21, 2012.
Introductions
I should warn you that this isn’t a strictly slow travel trip. In fact, none of my trips seems to be strictly slow travel. It’s not in my nature. I like to see, do, experience, and absorb at a slightly faster pace than most. Even my natural walking gait is fast. That being said, I love the slow travel philosophy (and website). I generally stay in bed and breakfasts and guest houses, love Mom and Pop eateries, and really strive to get to know a place while I’m traveling. I will spend months researching a place and listening to foreign language CDs in my car to work to try to absorb as much of the culture of a place before I go. Then, when I get there, my dreamy mental images all become magically sharp and focused and vibrant. I like the idea of really getting to know the people at my destination, which is why I love to learn languages. The truth is, though, I’m pretty shy of people. I like to be able to talk to them, and I love knowing what’s being said around me, but I don’t easily fall into conversation. The Irish do not suffer from this affliction.
Nevertheless, I apologize if this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. I try to make up for my un-slowness by providing detail and reviews on sites, B&Bs and restaurants, in case YOU want to slowly enjoy these things. I read every trip report about my destination on the SlowTrav website before embarking on my journeys and try to incorporate the things I love about others’ reports into my own. I particularly love the stories that showcase the humanity of the travelers. I love stories about mothers finding the perfect gift for a child whose birthday occurred overseas, or even stories of arguments where I think, “I have so been there before!” You’ll see at least one of those if you keep reading.
My story has two main characters: me, a 38-year old lawyer with admittedly type-A tendencies; and my DM (darling mother), a 65-year old retiree with a seriously adventuresome spirit, but poor balance, as you will find out if you persist. DM and I travel together once every 12 to 18 months. We’ve been to Hawaii, Mackinac Island, South America, the Caribbean, and Alaska. That’s if you only count our adult trips together. As an Army brat, I remember my mom as a kind of superwoman. Dad would ship out and leave the packing, moving and traveling to my mom, who had two small children a year or so apart for a decade and then a third child who came along towards the end of our military lives. My mom is amazing. When we lived in Germany for a three-year-tour, she would pack my sister and I up in our VW bus and head off on road trips to waterfalls, amusement parks, great cities and small wonders. I wish she had kept a journal of her travels. I would have loved to read it. I can honestly say I’ve seen the world with my mom, and am a better person for it.
Here is our story of Ireland.
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland
This trip report was originally posted on slowtrav.com.
Trip Description: Nicki and her mom tour through southern Ireland, ending in Dublin visiting castles, churches, natural wonders and even kayaking from June 10 - 21, 2012.
Introductions
I should warn you that this isn’t a strictly slow travel trip. In fact, none of my trips seems to be strictly slow travel. It’s not in my nature. I like to see, do, experience, and absorb at a slightly faster pace than most. Even my natural walking gait is fast. That being said, I love the slow travel philosophy (and website). I generally stay in bed and breakfasts and guest houses, love Mom and Pop eateries, and really strive to get to know a place while I’m traveling. I will spend months researching a place and listening to foreign language CDs in my car to work to try to absorb as much of the culture of a place before I go. Then, when I get there, my dreamy mental images all become magically sharp and focused and vibrant. I like the idea of really getting to know the people at my destination, which is why I love to learn languages. The truth is, though, I’m pretty shy of people. I like to be able to talk to them, and I love knowing what’s being said around me, but I don’t easily fall into conversation. The Irish do not suffer from this affliction.
Nevertheless, I apologize if this isn’t exactly what you’re looking for. I try to make up for my un-slowness by providing detail and reviews on sites, B&Bs and restaurants, in case YOU want to slowly enjoy these things. I read every trip report about my destination on the SlowTrav website before embarking on my journeys and try to incorporate the things I love about others’ reports into my own. I particularly love the stories that showcase the humanity of the travelers. I love stories about mothers finding the perfect gift for a child whose birthday occurred overseas, or even stories of arguments where I think, “I have so been there before!” You’ll see at least one of those if you keep reading.
My story has two main characters: me, a 38-year old lawyer with admittedly type-A tendencies; and my DM (darling mother), a 65-year old retiree with a seriously adventuresome spirit, but poor balance, as you will find out if you persist. DM and I travel together once every 12 to 18 months. We’ve been to Hawaii, Mackinac Island, South America, the Caribbean, and Alaska. That’s if you only count our adult trips together. As an Army brat, I remember my mom as a kind of superwoman. Dad would ship out and leave the packing, moving and traveling to my mom, who had two small children a year or so apart for a decade and then a third child who came along towards the end of our military lives. My mom is amazing. When we lived in Germany for a three-year-tour, she would pack my sister and I up in our VW bus and head off on road trips to waterfalls, amusement parks, great cities and small wonders. I wish she had kept a journal of her travels. I would have loved to read it. I can honestly say I’ve seen the world with my mom, and am a better person for it.
Here is our story of Ireland.
Cliffs of Moher, Ireland