#1 Bucket List - Ireland
Anyone who knows me, understands my love of all things "IRISH". It is my heritage and I am proud of it. After taking care of others for the last 45+ years, I decided it was finally time to go to Ireland; to touch the soil and to walk the path of my ancestors. So . . . . I planned a month long trip to find what I have always felt was missing deep inside - and I was going SOLO.
I hope you enjoy my narratives, somewhat crazy photography (I was so excited), videos and share in the memories that will last me a lifetime.
Getting There
My ticket on Aer Lingus was $1250. I later found out I could have saved $500 by taking British Airways with a one hour layover in England and then onto Dublin - I didn't even have to go to Orlando!
My adult son drove me the hour and a half to Orlando, FL for the non-stop 8-hour flight. My nerves were frazzled, probably due to traffic, his questionable driving skills, my anticipation, skepticism of going alone, length of the trip, a wee bit of fear, etc. I was so sick but at least I waited until after take-off. The flight attendants were awesome, checking on me, offering me dry crackers, flat cola, etc. and letting me sleep through the flight.
Once I arrived in Dublin, I had a car waiting to drive me to a pre-booked hotel for a 3 day stay and sightseeing. Dropping the luggage off in my room, I was so excited to get outside and see everything that I promptly fell down the hotel's top flight of stairs!
With my ego wounded and my right knee, leg and foot in pain, I called for a cab. The driver took one look at me and assumed control of the situation. Not only did he retrieve my bags, get my pre-paid hotel monies refunded, he took me to the emergency room, waited for me, drove me to the pharmacy where he took the prescriptions to have them filled, then onto my new hotel without all the steps - and negotiated a very fair price!
I have never met a more friendly and helpful human being - my own personal Irish Angel.
Irish Healthcare
While waiting in ER triage, a petite older lady came by wheeling a tea cart. "Tea?", she asks me. "Ah, yes" I answer hesitantly. She asked if I have eaten lately and I replied that I had not. She promptly hands me an egg salad sandwich and the hot cup of tea. "Tea," she says with a wink, "will make it all better." (WHAT? Food and open drink in the ER? What about infection control?). She smiled sweetly and continued on. NOTE TO SELF: The U.S. SERIOUSLY has to re-examine some of our healthcare interactions!
After x-rays, the ER Physician sits down in front me of me. Oh - - My - -YES - - YES! Tall, salt and pepper hair, blue eyes and that wonderful Irish brogue.
"Who's here with you?", he gently asks. I whimper my response 'No one.' "Okay," he says. "Who's waiting for you at the hotel?" I start to sob, 'No one.' Now this poor man must be thinking I am very thick in the head. He slowly asks, "Who. . . is. . . with. . . you. . . in. . . Ireland?" I start crying "NO ONE!"
He sits back slightly shocked, checks the paperwork again (probably verifying my age), apologizes and says it appears I have a non-displaced fracture of my right foot and hands me two crutches.
MY FIRST IRISH SOUVENIR!
P.S. Total bill for Emergency room, physician, x-ray, crutches, etc.,
was $420 without insurance!!
