Things are lookin' good.

My Itinerary is pretty much the same (a few changes, but nothing worth writing about) although now I have some preliminary dates. Looks like I’ll be in Ireland for closer to 2 months now as I’ve got too many places to stay than can fit in a single month.

Once I’m finished in Ireland I’m going to cross via ferry from Dublin over to Holyhead, Wales. I’ll figure something out for Wales when the time of my arrival is more imminent.

(I'm sure these things are going to get WAY more interesting once I actually arrive in Europe.)

A new and improved update.

The waiting game is over (It was a quick game!). After connecting with a few folks overseas this is my revised Irish itinerary . . .

I’ve got a tree nursery in Co. Clare to stay at the first week or so after I arrive in Ireland. They’re going to send someone to meet me at the airport. Once I’m there they’ll take care of food and accommodations. I won’t be the only volunteer there either so I’ll have some folks to chat with who’re in the same boat as me.

Once I’m finished in Co. Clare I’ll head south to Co. Cork to help a man with his pedigree goats. I’ll be there for a little while, which I’m looking forward to because I’ll have my own room and en-suite and access to a sauna.

After that I’m going to head west to Co. Kerry where I’ll help stay with a musician and his family for a week or so and then perhaps head to the Dingle Peninsula. I hear it’s a very traditional area of Ireland where hearing farmers conversing in Celtic is quite common.

After that I’m going to head East to Co. Wicklow to this place where I’ll be camped out for a while and meeting people and helping out as much as possible. This is my last official stop on my trip before I nip up to Dublin for a couple days and then continue my journey in Wales, England, and Scotland.

I would love the opportunity to visit Northern Ireland, but I guess I’ll just have to play that one by ear!

Here’s an update!

I’ve been talking to some people in Ireland and I’ve got a farm lined up for the last week of May and a couch arranged for when I first arrive. Aside from that I’ve got nothing. I sent out about 7 more e-mails, to farms in Ireland, today to see who could put me up for a while. Now I’m sitting back and playing the waiting game.

It’s funny how when you’re planning a trip everything seems so attainable and then once you’ve booked the ticket and you’re watching the departure date approach you start to doubt yourself! I know I’ll be fine. I know I’ve got the skills I’ll need to get by. I know I’ll love Ireland and all of Europe when I’m there. However, regardless of everything I know, there’s still a voice in my head saying ‘What the hell have you gotten yourself into?’.

I guess I’ll have my answer May 10th.

Oops!

I guess it wasn't Glow Worm.

Perhaps it was Ferral?!

Elephunk

Here's my contribution.

Thanks Glow Worm - http://jewschool.com/2007/04/05/quick-comics/
And Glum Chum - http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g60/Sazzmo/Un2.jpg?t=1175

Aujourd'hui

The day started out at 5:10am.

I woke up, got ready, went to work, started work and was in the process of not really enjoying myself when I found something. Someone was throwing out a figure of a really cool looking green monster. I decided it was too good to pass up so I took it. Then a few streets over someone was throwing out a tiny red guitar. I took it and gave it to my monster. I can’t find my digital camera at the moment but when I do you’ll see just how awesome he really is!

Following that things just got great! I found ANOTHER scooter, a Canadian flag, an English flag, a German flag and a plant holder made of sea shells, bamboo and old coconut shells (kind of ugly, but in the best possible way!)

But wait! It gets better!

So then I’m picking up this guy’s garbage, and he comes over and asks me if he can throw out a bunch of lawn stuff as well. That would put him over his limit so he went to talk to my driver. APPARENTLY he bribed the driver with 4 cans of Guinness! What’s even better is that my driver didn’t like Guinness so he gave them all to me!!!

Then we sat at the dump for an hour and the day was over.

Ahem . . .

I would like to correct my earlier post. I will NOW (and apparently always was) be flying to Ireland for £200 and not $200. Silly me. Still not a bad price!

I’ve been looking into different ways to stay and see the country and have sent out a few e-mails. No responses yet (I literally JUST sent the e-mails) but I’m excited and everything is looking good!

I also got an e-mail response from one of my friends from England. He wasn’t an easy guy to track down, and that’s probably due to the fact that he lives in Trinidad now. Anyway, I’m not sure how he got the postcard I sent him but he’s written back and I’m in contact with 4 or 5 of the gang from the old highschool exchange program.

Things are looking good!