Doing Dublin

The best decision on planning this trip was to fly Aer Lingus to Paris.  Much like flying Iceland Air they offer a free stopover in Dublin (likely anywhere in Ireland) for up to 7 days.  Lo and I had a total of 11 travel days, and I knew that would be too long for me in Paris.  I love London and Amsterdam so looked up doing either of those in combination with Paris.  The cost was double what we would pay for Paris.  For those that know me, I love travel planning and spend a significant time on it.  Searching out places and deals, followed by reading reviews.  After about 10 pages of notes and 20 open tabs I found Aer Lingus and couldn't believe how affordable it was.  Plus the flight times and connections were excellent, and it was on an air bus, which for long flights I find more comfortable.
We left Seattle around 8pm and took the 9 hour flight to Dublin arriving the next morning in Dublin. Super easy waisting no time.  The only downside (which there was none) was their onboard service was so good I hardly slept.

One thing I always heavily research ahead of time is airport transfers and the best way to do it.  I like affordability if it's easy, like the tube in London, otherwise a cab or Uber it is.
Per the recommendation of a friend that had just been in Dublin a few month before she suggested the Do Dublin card.  If I haven't mentioned yet, the Irish are amazing, so kind and helpful.  We followed the signs found the bus line, and asked how it worked.  I believe my ticket was 35 pounds (Ireland's currency is still the pound, except Northern Ireland which is the Euro) and Lo's should've been as well but the salesman gave her the child's price of 17 pounds.  This card was our transfer to our hotel as well as a 72 hour hop on hop off bus tour, which any new city I recommend!  Per another friends recommendation we stayed at Temple Bar Hotel.  This was a fabulous place to stay.  As the name states it's located in the Temple Bar area right on Fleet street. If you want to experience Irish music and nightlife this is where it's at.  The hotel does provide ear plugs because it's pretty noisy but I slept so go it didn't matter.

Around the corner was Trinity College.  Seeing the Book of Kells was high on my list as well as the long room.  This doesn't take long at all and very much worth the stop.  Buy your tickets online and avoid queuing up!

A short walk from here was Molly Malone's statue and of course you can't go to Dublin without grabbing a pint at the oldest bar.

This is all for part one of Dublin.  In the next blog I'll got over Kilmainham Gaol , if there is one must in Dublin this is it.  From this tour and jail you will truly understand why the Irish are so proud of the hard fought independence, and how relatively new it is.  I'll also post on the Guinness family and of course when in Ireland, it is a must to drink Irish whiskey.

Ok and having an awesome travel partner is the best!

Traveling Abroad

To travel abroad, solo with your most precious cargo, your kids can be scary.  I do it, and according to social media it looks like with ease.  However I will tell you I have a moment each time when I am on foreign soil, and I do not speak the language I panic.  I mostly worry that I am not prepared enough for my children to keep them safe.  However, it is short lived.
I just returned from 4 days in Dublin and 7 in Paris with my 17 year old daughter.  I took lots of notes and plan to do several blog post.  I do this so I can reference, but also so anyone can gather my do's and don't as well.
I am often told by people they wished they traveled and did these adventures but it's overwhelming, to plan, let alone do.
I get it.  This started long ago for me. 2000 and 2001 I was a flight attendant for Untied Airlines.  3-5 nights a week I woke up in different cities around the U.S and abroad.  Rarely was I with people I knew and well before there was such a thing as google maps or smart phones.  I took full advantage of every place I landed to see what there was to see.  I used the free hotel maps, asked questions at the concierge and took all those free rack cards with descriptions and set out.  I learned to successfully navigate the "L" in Chicago,  the "metro" in D.C and the "MTA" in NYC.  Not an easy feat for a girl from central Washington.  The more I traveled the more I wanted to see.  I love people, culture and history, I was hooked on travel.  Things came to an abrupt halt in 2001, and my career as a flight attendant was over.
2002 I had a second child and 2003 started a business.  For the next 9 years I would focus on my little family and business.  We traveled but often to Hawaii, for easy relaxing vacations. However in 2011 after going through a devastating divorce, in an attempt to pick my self up I decided to revisit the things that used to make me happy. I realized that during that 15 year relationship I had lost so much of who I was.  I had become an "us" and zero clue who "I" was.  All I knew was I use to love to travel.  It was now just my children and I, so if I wanted to travel it would have to be them, because there was no way I was leaving without them, and it would have to be cheap.
We started with all the major cities in the U.S. I wanted to show them, and then branched out on a super cheap deal in 2014 to Iceland, from there the international bug came flooding back!

Hence where I am today.  The memories from all our travels are something I will forever hold close to my heart.  We have had a lot of mishaps along the way but I wouldn't change it.  We've managed to find our way, communicate, and walk miles and miles in every new place.  It reminded me of who I am, and that is a capable woman.  Stay tuned for Dublin and Paris blog posts!