Category: Travel

Another Day…

Another day, another beer! 

After a day of riding a tour bus and touring the Muckross House near Killarney, several of us found a small pub and enjoyed a locally brewed beer. I had the Killarney pilsner. It was lip-smacking good!


Here’s another Irish toast befitting the occasion:

Irish Quotes

I wish you health, I wish you well, and happiness galore. 

I wish you luck for you and friends; what could I wish you more? 

May your joys be as deep as the oceans, your troubles as light as its foam. 

And may you find, sweet peace of mind, where ever you may roam.

Peace from Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland.

When in Ireland…

When in Ireland, do as the Irish do!


I’m operating on three hours of sleep after a long flight, but managed to down a pint or two of Guinness at a highly recommended pub before our room was ready. Maybe I need to relocate to Ireland. 

Here’s an Irish blessing that seemed appropriate for this momentous occasion:

“When we drink, we get drunk. 

When we get drunk, we fall asleep. 

When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. 

When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. 

So, let’s all get drunk, and go to heaven!”

Packing Hell

 

I’m trying to pack for an eight day trip to Ireland with a two day stay in Orlando prior to the flight.  So, ten outfits should do the trick, right? Then would someone tell me why I’ve packed a carry on bag to full capacity along with a suitcase the size of Delaware, and I’m still wondering if I’m taking enough along.


Studly Doright’s side of the large suitcase contains exactly one pair of shorts or pants for each day and a complementary shirt, along with an equal number of underpants and pairs of socks. He’s not even taking a carry on bag; although, he will have his golf bag in tow. 


I’m stressing out, but I found this message tucked in with the packing humor in Pinterest. 


Thank goodness none of the above takes up space in a suitcase. I’m all out.

Peace, people.

Ireland on the Horizon

I’ve been planning for our trip to Ireland since the day Studly Doright brought home an informational packet and dropped it in my lap several months ago. He’d told me that our trip to Scotland, four years ago, was probably the last time the wives would be invited on a golf trip, so I was shocked and pleased at the prospect of another European vacation.

Like all looming vacations, this one felt so very far away until all of a sudden it’s staring us right in the face. In just a week we’ll be winging our way over the Atlantic to the city of Shannon, where we’ll meet up with the rest of Studly’s golfing buddies from Great Bend, Kansas, for an eight day adventure. 

I know there are wonderfully unique sights and sounds and experiences waiting for us, and I’m looking forward to every single minute. If I don’t post for a few days, starting on the 21st, just know I’ll be engaged in discovering the wonders of the fabled Emerald Isle. 

Keep us in your thoughts as we travel. I’m kind of absent minded and will appreciate all the good vibes my friends send my way. Thanks!

Peace, people!

Gadget Girl

I got called “Gadget Girl” today while shopping at TJ MAXX. After thinking about the title, I decided to own it. I like gadgets, especially those that make packing and traveling easier. 

A woman in the store had asked where I’d gotten my handbag (ebags.com) and I showed her all of its little pockets and clever features. After my demonstration, she said, “Why, you’re just a regular gadget girl!” 

What kinds of gadgets, you might ask? The bag is geared to keep thieves from casually unzipping the main compartment and removing a wallet or cell phone with locking devices at every opening. Plus it has RFID pockets built in to reduce the likelihood of someone scanning my credit cards and passport. The bag also cannot be easily sliced open and the straps are reinforced to prevent a thief from snipping one off. 

Of course it could always be stolen, but that would mean a lapse of vigilance on my part. We all know how vigilant I am. (Studly Doright is crying tears at that statement.)

A couple of weeks ago I ordered some items from a company called RūMe. I’d seen their ad on Facebook, and thought, “Wow! Cool travel gadgets!” I didn’t pay for expedited shipping, though, and was beginning to worry that my items wouldn’t make it in time. So, I found a “contact us” link and shot off an email. They got back to me within 24 hours and provided a tracking link. 

After several days, the package still wasn’t moving, so I sent off another email. This one was answered immediately, and I was promised a speedy delivery. True to their word, I received my products Saturday morning, in plenty of time to practice packing for my upcoming trip to Ireland. Yay!

So what did I order? The product is called a Garment Travel Organizer. 



It allows for one to carry up to six items on hangers, and additional items in the mesh pockets. Supposedly, when one folds the packed organizer in thirds, it will easily fit into a carry on bag. There were several patterns from which to choose, but I’ve been on a blue kick lately, so I ordered this navy and white number.


I also received this trio of Tech Tacos to keep cords from tangling. Cute, eh?


And a trio of bags, one of which was a freebie:


I’m extremely pleased with my RūMe products. They look good and were reasonably priced. And the RūMe staff was responsive to my needs. I’d order from them again. My Gadget Girl status remains intact.

Peace, people!

(Oh, I received nothing in compensation for this review. I just wanted to praise a good product.)

Birdsong: Paradise in South Georgia 

Studly and I had friends visiting this past weekend from Indianapolis. Gary and Lee Ann are two of my favorite people, and their annual visit to Doright Manor is a highlight of my year. 

Lee Ann enjoys exploring nature, so while our golf crazed husbands headed to the links on Saturday morning, she and I drove into Georgia to visit the Birdsong Nature Center just south of Thomasville. 

From their website: 

Birdsong Nature Center’s 565 acres of wildflower meadows, forests, ponds and swamps, are home to a myriad of birds and other wildlife. Here you can enjoy the serenity and beauty of the natural landscape and return home with a renewed spirit.

The preserve features several distinct natural habitats including grasslands, swamps, and lakes. 

Lee Ann posing in the tall grass. It almost looked like a wheat field.
Who wouldn’t love a place with this name?
Inside the Listening Place we were surrounded by the sounds of the swamp. Apparently none of the resident alligators were feeling vocal during our visit.
The swamp is a surreal setting. Scary and fascinating.

Lee Ann and I walked nearly four miles and climbed the equivalent of eleven flights of stairs during our trek through Birdsong. The day started out cool, but by the time we finished I was sweating like a nervous groom at a shotgun wedding. 

Our journey ended at the preserve’s main attraction, the Bird Window, a beautiful viewing area tucked away inside an old house on the property. The Bird Window is just that–a huge window overlooking a scenic spot landscaped with the goal of attracting our feathered friends. 

This area features fresh water supplied by a misting device and a small pool. There are bird feeders in key spots as well as loose seeds spread on tree stumps. Carefully placed rocks and logs provide perfect perches for the avian visitors.

I became so enraptured by the show of bluejays, chickadees, cardinals, woodpeckers, and titmouses (titmice?) that I totally forgot to snap any pictures! Still kicking myself, but the experience was breathtaking. Next time I’ll see if the camera works well through the glass. The birds come right up to the window as if to say, “Wow! What a great way to view humans!”

Come visit Birdsong Nature Center before the migratory birds return to their northern homes in late April. You don’t have to be a diehard birdwatcher to enjoy the experience. 

Here’s the link to their website:

http://www.birdsongnaturecenter.org

Peace and feathers, people. 

Over a Few Rivers, Out of the Woods

“Off again,
On again,
Gone again,
Flanagan.”

Thus began our journey northwest from Tallahassee to meet our children and grandchildren for a family Christmas in Nashville, TN. With my mother-in-law, Saint Helen, along for the ride, Studly Doright and I set out on our eight hour trip on Thursday morning. We were in no great hurry, since the house we are renting wouldn’t be available until Friday afternoon.

Saint Helen and I took turns riding shotgun next to Studly in the front seat. I enjoyed my turn riding in the backseat, taking note of texting drivers and giving them dirty looks. Saint Helen is too nice for that task, though, but she and Studly enjoy visiting.

Just north of Montgomery, Alabama, we stopped at a Bass Pro Shop to stretch our legs and use the restroom facilities. If you’ve never visited a Bass Pro Shop, you’re missing out on a grand experience.


The stores are humongous. 


And chock full of everything an outdoorsman or woman could possibly need:


Boats and guns share space with crossbows and fishing gear, shoes and clothing. Most disturbing are the dead animals displayed in abundance:


This guy posed with me:



There is a shooting gallery with fake guns:


Rows and rows of the real thing:


An archery section:


An aquarium with live animals instead of those stuffed ones that were displayed hither and yon:


A general store and a fudge shop with real fudge for sale. No fake fudge here!

We spent an hour or so wandering around Bass Pro Shop before climbing back into the car. No stuffed animals were injured in the writing of this post. 

Studly’s Big Birthday Adventure, Part 3: The Leftover Photos

I snapped many photos while Studly Doright and I toured the USS ALABAMA and the USS DRUM in Mobile, Alabama, this past weekend. Here are the ones taken while we snaked our way through the DRUM, a World War II era submarine on display at Battleship Memorial Park. 

Studly and I had to go through some drastic physical manipulations to get through all of the sub’s narrow hatches.
Run silent; run deep
Beautiful brass fittings gave the sub an artsy feel.
Doors (aka hatches) approximately 2 feet x 4 feet.
No privacy for the sailors!
Captain’s wheel
The officers’ shower room.
Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

I can’t imagine being stuck on this vessel for months on end. Claustrophobia would’ve been the death of me.

Peace, people!

Studly’s Big Birthday Adventure, Part 2

On our way home from New Orleans where we purchased parts for a motorcycle Studly Doright is building (see Tuesday’s post) we stopped to tour the USS ALABAMA, a decommissioned battleship that saw duty from August of 1942 until 1947. Since January of 1965, the ship has been the centerpiece at the USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park east of Mobile.

I highly recommend a visit to the park where, in addition to touring the battleship one can also tour the submarine USS DRUM, and an aircraft exhibit. 

Below are just a few of the photos we took during our tour:

Does this propeller make my butt look big?
View of the ship from the gangplank.
Part of the deck was made wooden planks.


GUNS AND MORE GUNS!
Compass
The ship’s chapel in the photos above and below.
Medical isolation room–gave me the creeps!

Talk about a fearsome sight!

The ALABAMA earned nine battle stars, and shot down 22 enemy planes during World War II. She’s a beautifully fearsome ship. 

More than ever, peace, people!

Studly’s Big Birthday Adventure, Part 1

Saturday was Studly Doright’s 59th birthday. Having feasted to the overflow mark on Thanksgiving he wanted no special birthday foods and said he’d play a round of golf to celebrate the big day. I sang “Happy Birthday” as he headed to the golf course while he grinned. I have that effect on people.

When he arrived home after golf, though, he told me to pack an overnight bag. He’d bought some motorcycle parts online and we needed to pick them up. In Metairie, Louisiana, outside of New Orleans! I didn’t quibble and ten minutes later we were on the road. 

New Orleans is a five and a half hour drive from Doright Manor, and we made it to the seller’s home around 5:30 p.m. Studly was delighted with his bargain, so while he and the seller stood swapping motorcycle tales (a.k.a. “kicking tires and telling lies”) I booked us a hotel room in Metairie. 

After a nice light dinner at PF Chang’s we checked into our hotel and cheered on the Florida State Seminoles from the comfort of our bed. 

A birthday toast at PF Chang’s.

Knowing the New Orleans Saints were playing at home at noon on Sunday we planned to get up early and be well away from the area before game time. Studly had me find us a breakfast spot using Siri, and with only one little mixup we were soon seated at a table at Willa Jean, a top brunch spot in the central business district in downtown New Orleans.

I had beignets on my mind, but unfortunately they weren’t on the menu. But, oh my goodness! What a menu! Studly, who is a breakfast traditionalist, had biscuits and sausage gravy and proclaimed his meal to be perfect. I enjoyed grilled cornbread with a syrupy butter and a side of bacon. We both believe it was the best restaurant meal we’ve had in years. Check out their website: http://www.willajean.com. 


After we left Willa Jean, finding the interstate was a cinch. I snapped this photo of Louis Armstrong just standing on a corner:


Ok, so Satchmo was only there in statue form, but the city was waking up around him in preparation for the game.


Once on the interstate I took a few random shots. Whatever did I do before I had an iPhone?


I’ll finish up my piece tomorrow with photos of our visit to the USS Alabama. For a low-key birthday, we had a pretty grand time. Thanks for reading! 

Peace, people!