“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” - Susan Sontag
I have always wanted to travel the world and my two month stay in Dublin is the first of many, I hope. The amount of planning required for this trip somewhat dampens the spirit, but it's exciting to see pictures of the places I am to visit.
My dad and I are flying over a week before the program starts and it is my responsibility this time to book everything - flights, hotels, buses, trains, and cars. It's exhausting - crawling through lists of hotels on Google Maps, reading reviews on TripAdvisor, and trying to find places that aren't ridiculously priced. There are very beautiful hotels - many shaped like castles - but the cost of a night stay is upwards of $200. Perhaps I might stay in one of these one day, just for the sake of it, but as of today, they remain a nonexistent option.
As for our itinerary, we are planning to visit West Ireland (County Kerry) and Edinburgh, Scotland. I'm still planning the individual destinations for each of these places. There are so many castles, abbies, gardens, ancient monuments, and museums that I hardly know what to pick. Every time I decide on a place, I feel a twinge of regret - what if I overlooked a smaller, but more beautiful place for this one? I have compiled an enormous list of places to see, and within the amount of time I have, I must pick and choose. I would rather see one or two places thoroughly than to try and see everything briefly.
Six months ago, I would have laughed if someone told me I was going to Ireland and Scotland this summer. This will be the last opportunity for a while, so I must make the most of it.
