The trip over was quite uneventful with no delays (with the exceptions of the line at customs). However, when we got to the car rental counter, I realized immediately that I have left my driver's license at home. The only solution was to put John on as the primary (and only) driver subject to an additional insurance rate at three times the car rental rate. However, the clerk said that I could get a copy of my license faxed from a local Avis in Knoxville. I, with John driving, could then go and have me switched to the primary driver and utilize the insurance provided by my credit card. As I type this, Amy is retrieving my license and John and I are awaiting word so that we can drive to Belfast International Airport and do the deed.
Back to the Trip. Leaving Dublin Airport, John had to contend with, for the first time, driving on the wrong side of the road (of course), driving a
straight shift left handed and roundabouts. All in all, he did quite well and the trip from Dublin to Belfast was reasonably uneventful. Particularly while we remained on the M1. As we transformed to the A and the B roads, his challenges increased. Finally Our Lady of the GPS announced that "...you have arrived at your destination".
Our lovely 1760s Cottage turned out to be even better than we had anticipated. With one full bedroom downstairs (John's) and two upstairs, one including an en suite bathroom (Cissy and Tom's) and the third a full bedroom with a hall bath for me and John to share. The grounds are small but very charming with flowers, apple trees and a deep shaded, area next to a brook. It is my hope that, if I rise early enough, I may find Fairies dancing in the deep glade before we leave.
While waiting for Amy to work some magic in Knoxville, we crossed Drumnagreadh Road to lunch at Mattie's Meeting Place, an 1800s Pub. It being Sunday, we all ordered the Sunday Special - Roast beef, roast potatoes, peas (English as dad would have called them) and, of course, that quintessential of English side dishes - Yorkshire pudding. Tom and I topped ours of a pint of Guinness. We sang praises of the meal and left sated.
We then took a stroll down the Cairncastle Road to Ballygally along the shore of the Irish Sea. As we gazed to the east, we could see the coast of Scotland near Portpatrick in the mist. And lighthouses in the mist
Coming back to the cottage we finally received a call from Amy. We found out that there was a problem:however, John and I started to Dublin in hopes that it would be resolved shortly. (I had called the Belfast Airport to get their fax number and found that they had no fax machine. So we had to go all the way to Dublin.) Amy called us within 15 minutes of our leaving saying that they were unable to complete the fax transaction. (It turned out that, unbeknownst to all, the fax machine in Dublin was on the fritz.) We wound up with Amy texting me a copy of the document they were trying to fax including both sides of my DL and a business card from the local Avis agency. I thanked Amy for her effort and we decided that we would all return to Dublin early the next day and go from there.
At that point, we all repaired to our beds anticipating a 5am rise and shine.
Back to the Trip. Leaving Dublin Airport, John had to contend with, for the first time, driving on the wrong side of the road (of course), driving a
straight shift left handed and roundabouts. All in all, he did quite well and the trip from Dublin to Belfast was reasonably uneventful. Particularly while we remained on the M1. As we transformed to the A and the B roads, his challenges increased. Finally Our Lady of the GPS announced that "...you have arrived at your destination".
Our lovely 1760s Cottage turned out to be even better than we had anticipated. With one full bedroom downstairs (John's) and two upstairs, one including an en suite bathroom (Cissy and Tom's) and the third a full bedroom with a hall bath for me and John to share. The grounds are small but very charming with flowers, apple trees and a deep shaded, area next to a brook. It is my hope that, if I rise early enough, I may find Fairies dancing in the deep glade before we leave.
While waiting for Amy to work some magic in Knoxville, we crossed Drumnagreadh Road to lunch at Mattie's Meeting Place, an 1800s Pub. It being Sunday, we all ordered the Sunday Special -
We then took a stroll down the Cairncastle Road to Ballygally along the shore of the Irish Sea. As we gazed to the east, we could see the coast of Scotland near Portpatrick in the mist. And lighthouses in the mist
Coming back to the cottage we finally received a call from Amy. We found out that there was a problem:however, John and I started to Dublin in hopes that it would be resolved shortly. (I had called the Belfast Airport to get their fax number and found that they had no fax machine. So we had to go all the way to Dublin.) Amy called us within 15 minutes of our leaving saying that they were unable to complete the fax transaction. (It turned out that, unbeknownst to all, the fax machine in Dublin was on the fritz.) We wound up with Amy texting me a copy of the document they were trying to fax including both sides of my DL and a business card from the local Avis agency. I thanked Amy for her effort and we decided that we would all return to Dublin early the next day and go from there.
At that point, we all repaired to our beds anticipating a 5am rise and shine.
