The Old Country
Tickets are purchased and I have my renewed passport in hand.
I'm traveling to Ireland, Hungary, and England from June 6-22 (wow that looks really cool to type!) This has been in the works for some time. An aunt, uncle, and cousin are staying in a house in Baltimore, West Cork. It's a small village on the tip of one of the southwestern peninsulas. This is actually the same place to which another aunt took me and another cousin way back in 1991 to take sailing lessons. Baltimore is a quaint, quintessentially "Irish" experience and I very much look forward to going back. I'm able to go thanks to my very generous aunt, who is treating me to airfare and room/board. My Mom decided to go as well, so I am flying over with her.
Once over there we will be staying in the same house for the first week (6/7-13). Baltimore will be our base of operations and we will explore from there. Day car trips but nothing more - better to see "more of less" with limited time. And frankly I think there's no better way to experience a foreign country than simply hanging out with the locals.
With Porkins in Cambridge, England right now I decided to extend my trip for a week and go over to visit him since taking the extra time was no problem and it's just a puddle jump to England. As I was planning the trip, Rigs mentioned that one of his friends from Oxford is getting married in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, 6/14. Jek asked me if I wanted to accompany him as his platonic date and I said, "Sure, when will I next have the opportunity to visit Budapest?" (Which I hear is fantastic.) So I'm flying from Dublin-Budapest on Friday 6/13. Jeff and I will likely do an extra day or two in Buda to check it out, then it's Budapest-London and I will spend the remainder of that week exploring JCB's haunts (Cambridge, Oxford, London). Foonyor also has his thesis defense at the end of the week so I plan on heckling him during that. [For those of you confused by this, Porkins, Rigs, JCB, Jek, Jeff and Foonyor are all the same person. And yes, I did that on purpose.]
I'm extremely psyched for this trip. I can't believe it's next week! I haven't been out of the country in years.
The Old Country awaits.
6 comments:
While it would take some sort of 'at gun point' scenario to get me out of Boston during the Finals if the Cs are playing, I must say that sounds like an awesome trip. Have fun.
Just great news, M!
Hope you have additional opportunities in Dublin, the West -- I suppose it might take a team of eight to get you into the north? -- and in the middling.
Nothing like travel!
Hungary...that sounds good too.
Russ
Yes Doc - I am excited! I doubt I'll make it north. I'm just leaving out of Dublin but I have been there before. We won't be doing too much long-range travel so it'll probably mostly be south/southwestern Eire.
What an amazing opportunity! Have fun! Drinks lots of beer!!
Since when is JCB also known as "Porkins"?
@keraven: Since high school.
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