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Brunei, Ireland and EnglandBrunei, Ireland and England
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Fly Royal Brunei Airlines to Ireland with a three day stopover in Brunei. Two weeks touring Ireland and then two weeks touring England. Read more
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  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 14

    Blarney Castle, en route to Cork.

    June 10, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Late start but all "clean and pressed". Had a lovely chat to Bryan about farming etc. then did a couple of wrong turn loops before arriving in Tipperary for an egg & bacon brunch. Tipperary is a lower class town - a bit like you'd expect the Irish battlers would live.
    From there we went to Blarney Castle which was amazing and had beautiful gardens over many acres. Google Blarney Castle gardens to see the full number of gardens.
    There is a legend that says if you kiss the Blarney Stone, you'll get the gift of eloquence. Anyone with the 'gift of the gab' is often told they must have kissed the Blarney Stone. The queue to kiss the Blarney Stone was too long and it was very high up - it's right at the top of the castle. Lots of Americans were happy to wait.
    After an ice-cream we headed into Cork and by good luck and the map on the iPad we drove straight to our digs - the Montenotte Hotel.
    When we were planning this holiday, we chanced upon the fact that Riverdance were starting a new world tour. Their schedule had three free days at the start. They agreed to play Cork for those three days, with opening night the 11th June. Due to demand for tickets, a matinee show was added on the Saturday. This would be the first time they had played Cork. The day the tickets went on sale, I sat at the computer waiting for the box office to open. I managed to get two tickets in the middle of the second row for opening night. This locked us into being in Cork now.
    Just about to get ready for Riverdance when John checked the tickets - oops - it's tomorrow night! - just as well we're here for two nights.
    Cork's river is the Lee. It forks and then comes back together forming an island. Cork City is built on this island.
    We walked down to there and into the restaurant district on Castle Street. We dined in a nice chinese restaurant and were 'home' reasonably early.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 15

    Back in time at Drombeg.

    June 11, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 14 °C

    Day Fifteen - Cork area

    As we had done a lot of west coast scenic drives we left early (7am) for a trip along the south. There was less large scenery but it was very beautiful. Saw the Drombeg ring of stones on the road to Skibbereen. They date back to 900BC. They are on private farmland. The farmer allows access to the public. There is a car park and an access gate. Access is free. The sign on the gate asks visitors to respect the fact that it is private land.
    Lunch at an alternative cafe in Ballydehob.
    Went to Mizen Head then back to the hotel early to get ready for Riverdance. Upgraded to King room as our shower wasn't working. Dinner at the hotel restaurant overlooking Cork.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 15

    Skibbereen.

    June 11, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 12 °C

    Skibbereen is a picturesque and bustling town. Skibbereen means 'little boat harbour'.
    It has strong ties to the Great Famine of the 1840s which devastated the local community. There is a large famine graveyard at Abbeystrowery nearby.Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 15

    Riverdance.

    June 11, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Cork doesn't have a concert hall. Each year a huge marquee is erected for a series of concerts by top name artists. The concert series is called 'Live at the Marquee'.
    So it was that our taxi dropped us out the front.
    The show was absolutely amazing - great music and spectacular dancing. A highlight was when the musicians were featured individually. They each played and got the recognition they rightfully deserved.
    A fiddler took his turn and played a traditional Irish piece. After that he started to play a ballad. It was a piece that was instantly recognisable to the locals in the audience. They immediately started singing along with him - we must have been the only people there that didn't know the words. It was spine-tingling!
    A taxi back to our hotel and another WOW! added to what is becoming a very long list of wows.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 16

    Waterford Crystal

    June 12, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 17 °C

    Earlyish start. Breakfast at Dungarvan.
    Went to Waterford to the Waterford crystal factory for a comprehensive tour which was really interesting. Waterford Crystal apprentices are given a five year apprenticeship. At the end of the five years, they must carve what is known as an apprentice bowl (these are real collectors items) featuring every kind of cut found in Waterford pieces. They are allowed three mistakes- any more than that then they must choose - leave or start the five years again.
    Most Waterford craftspeople train for at least eight years, with Master Sculptor level taking twelve years.
    Purchased some little crystal trees for our Christmas table, had a "bowl" of coffee, then walked about and did some shopping?    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 16

    On to Duncannon via Wexford.

    June 12, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ 18 °C

    At home, we have bought hay from Gerard Whitty of Wangaratta. He has a relative, also Gerard Whitty, who owns a pub in Wexford, the Whitford Hotel. Because of this, we added Wexford to our itinerary. We expected the Whitford Hotel to be a pub but it is huge, more like a resort. Gerard wasn't there. We had a Devonshire tea and then headed for Duncannon.
    Duncannon is another big surprise. We checked into our B&B. From the front, it looked like any ordinary house. The back of the house however was virtually on the beach. The place was purpose built to take advantage of this location with the B&B bedrooms and dining / lounge room upstairs.
    Had a long walk on the vast beach which felt like a great workout for the sore legs. We had dinner at the local pub, “The Strand Tavern" and it was the quality of a top restaurant. I had scallop entree and John had breaded sole with chips which were the best chips in Ireland so far. Love their vinegar also. Walked home to sort and write some postcards.
    We met an Aussie couple who had been travelling for a couple of months and enjoyed hearing their tales. They loved Turkey and showed us the view from their hotel room of the Blue Castle - amazing! Deb had taken a gorgeous photo of sheep (wish I had got her to send it to me). King was fromSwan Hill and went to school with a lad called Colin Brassa!    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 17

    Last day in Ireland.

    June 13, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    Had a huge breakfast said goodbye to the amazing view from our room (I woke to the sound of the waves outside our window-that is how close we were to the water).
    We drove along lots of little roads to coves and interesting rural villages. A cruise ship looked most out of place in the Waterford estuary.
    We stopped in Augrim for a cuppa. Through the cafe window, we could see across the street. The houses opposite opened onto the footpath. A door opened and an elderly gentleman appeared carrying a ladder which he placed against the front wall of the building. On this wall hung three baskets of flowers. The man went back through the door and reappeared with a watering can, climbed the ladder and watered one of the baskets. He came down the ladder and moved it across to the next basket. He went back through the door and again reappeared with the watering can. This was repeated till all three baskets had been watered. He then carried the ladder back through the door and closed it behind him.
    This was probably his daily morning routine. We found it quite entertaining.
    Enniskery was a lovely village, just South of Dublin, where we stopped for lunch and also bought some Irish linen tea towels. The salesman had a brother in Perth.
    We organised to stay at Swords, just North of Dublin, tonight as it's very close to the airport to make it easy to drive there tomorrow morning.
    Arrived at Kettles Country House Hotel in Swords around 3.30 and spent some time washing, sorting cases and paperwork.
    When we felt organised we went to Howth drove around the peninsular and decided on a hotel called The Bloody Stream for dinner. Once again the food was superb - we both had a fish dish - we have hardly had red meat in Ireland.
    A blackboard in the dining room explains the name:-

    On 10th Aug 1177, the 2nd (Norman) invasion of Ireland, a great battle took place against the Danes who were in occupation on Evora Bridge over a stream afterwards known as The Bloody Stream. During construction of this public house, we found that stream runs directly under the premises. Having fought a constant battle with the stream flooding the bar,we decided to make peace with it. Hence the name.    Read more

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 17

    The food was a real surprise.

    June 13, 2015 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    The biggest surprise so far has been the superb quality of the food everywhere. The only exception to this was our lunch in Bangor.
    We've eaten mostly seafood.
    The Irish hospitality is second to none.

  • Janette and JohnBrunei, Ireland and England
    Day 18

    Ireland to England.

    June 14, 2015 in England ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Left Kettles at 6.25 am to return hire-car - what a debacle. We went the back way from the hotel which was straightforward and easy but couldn't find Dollar (Thrifty) Car Hire to return vehicle. Asked at airport only to be directed to where we could hire a car. Parked in the wrong place despite other Thrifty cars being there. Eventually we were told to leave it at the service station on the way in to the airport from Dublin (not the way we came!).
    John left me at arrivals to wait for his return. He had no money and I had no mobile! John returned about 15 minutes past eight so we had plenty of time to check in, go through Customs, have a coffee & toilet break etc. We didn't spend remaining Euros but no matter - I am sure we can spend them in Dubai.
    Good flight and Heathrow is well signed. Over an hour wait for our hire car as they were busy. Finally off to the ring road and headed the wrong way - went South instead of North. Cost us about an hour.
    Quick Indian meal at roadside stop before going straight to our B&B at Alton near Stoke-on-Trent. Amazing B&B - Manor House Farm. Dates back to the 1500's and the owner's family have been here for over 200 years. Chris and Margaret, the owners, also had an antique business so the place is jam packed with fantastic antiques - so interesting. The garden is gorgeous with established old trees, tennis court, croquet pitch, summer house and lots of old curios and garden furniture.
    Dinner on Margaret and Chris's recommendation at The Duncombe Arms nearby. Had a first class meal of roast beef & Yorkshire Pudding and an amazing dessert of panna cotta topped with strawberries and a basil sorbet.
    Finished the day beautifully after a bothersome start.
    Tomorrow we meet Geoff and Maureen.    Read more

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