Day 8
A transit day. Ugh
Ferry Across the Shannon
The Irish roads are getting to me. It took a boring 6 hours to get from Sneem up to County Clare to our new house in Liscannor. A decent delay in Killarney due to traffic, a one hour delay due to construction north of Killarney, a wait for the ferry across the Shannon. Then we got a little lost after getting off the ferry, got stuck in some crappy towns... you get the idea.
In the USA it would have been maybe 2 hours.
In the USA it would have been maybe 2 hours.
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Our new cottage is fine by me. It was originally a one room slate worker's cottage, it's in the middle of fields right next to the Cliffs of Moher. With a big hearth fireplace that has been converted to a little smaller. There's an abandoned slate quarry across the lane that's not too attractive, but you can't see it from the house.
Slate is everywhere... too much. But then again we're surrounded by it outside. Jill hates it because it's not "light enough", they didn't leave enough toilet paper or salt, and the washer & drier are in a shed outside, and there's no coffee maker. Next time she can get the house. Not every house in the world is a marvel of modern American engineering. Get over it. Flexibility is the key. Plus it's now cold and misting, which does not help anyone's mood. |
We're eating in tonight, instead of looking around for somewhere. Looks like there are a couple of restaurants a mile or two away. There is a pony trekking place, which we'll take Kristen to as soon as weather permits.
Unfortunately a crummy meal of French fries (no salt), weak sausages and frozen peas. Apparently there is a fresh vegetable shortage in the country, as Jill has seen virtually none on the entire trip. Potatoes are fine but fries are getting old.
Saw a hare in the road in front of the house. Jill had seen one twice in Sneem. They're about twice as large as an American rabbit. with very long legs. Kristen found a bunch of swallow nests in an adjacent slate shed. Dave saw a pheasant flying low and squawking across the fields. Also saw some poor kid walking down the road with a backpack and a guidebook out, looking for a hostel or something - but I don't think he'll find one out here. I would have offered him a ride but I was inside and he was out, even though we were only about 5 feet apart.
Day 9 >>>
Unfortunately a crummy meal of French fries (no salt), weak sausages and frozen peas. Apparently there is a fresh vegetable shortage in the country, as Jill has seen virtually none on the entire trip. Potatoes are fine but fries are getting old.
Saw a hare in the road in front of the house. Jill had seen one twice in Sneem. They're about twice as large as an American rabbit. with very long legs. Kristen found a bunch of swallow nests in an adjacent slate shed. Dave saw a pheasant flying low and squawking across the fields. Also saw some poor kid walking down the road with a backpack and a guidebook out, looking for a hostel or something - but I don't think he'll find one out here. I would have offered him a ride but I was inside and he was out, even though we were only about 5 feet apart.
Day 9 >>>