On Friday,  I am going to Ireland.

Not just Ireland.  My good friend and “travel director,” Helen, also has us scheduled for 2 days in London and 3 days in Edinburgh.  (Can we all say together Harry Potter and Outlander?)

Helen is from Northern Ireland, so we’re spending some days there (locations for Game of Thrones), but did I mention the 4-day Ulster bus south to the Dingle Peninsula and the Ring of Kerry?

When I say I’m going to see Ireland, I would say that is an understatement, wouldn’t you?  Can you imagine the work Helen put in to schedule all of these activities for us?

So now you see why I am obsessed all week with Ireland. Besides the above mentioned movie and TV links, I am truly excited by the history and beauty of the place.  I love castles and we will be seeing plenty of them. Carrickfergus (built in 1177), the Norman defense against invasions by Scots, Irish, English and French, is minutes from where we are staying.  It has also been a life goal of mine to see the Giant’s Causeway, and that will be a day trip for us as well. Of course, just being in the Emerald Isle will be enough for me.

Briefly, Helen goes home every year at Thanksgiving, and every year myself and a couple of other friends have said, “One of these days, we’re going to go with you.”  Nothing like inviting yourself.  Anyway, two years ago, Helen said, “You have two years to save enough money, then we’re all going together.”  So the four of us, Helen and I and two other friends, Lisa and Sheila, are flying out on Friday for the long-awaited vacation, leaving husbands and children behind to fare without us for two weeks.

How excited am I?