Flying to Ireland from Newark

We had a long day getting here, but it has already been worth it. We boarded the plane ahead of schedule, only to sit there for 2 hrs while weather and crew issues were resolved. The kids were total champs - sat there pleasantly, buckled in,  reading and playing on their gadgets. Excellent go-with-the-flow travelers. 

I got two watch two movies, an ultra-rare treat for me: American Hustle and Monuments Men, both were great.  Sleeping on the plane wasn't great, of course, but aside from the kids (who can sleep anywhere in any position, bless them), I think I got the most sleep of the adults. 

We got through "security" in Shannon in record time. The lady who checked our passports was very nice. The man who was evidently the customs agent merely asked if we wanted a picture of him with the kids, which we did. He didn't look through any of our bags at all. Perhaps he could sense quite rightly that we had only good intentions. Very relaxing entry into the country. 

We went to the car hire (rental car) office and got our "7-seater people carrier", an Opel Zafira. Only 7 people can fit in there, not 7 people and their luggage. I'm sure the other folks waiting in line watching us try to pack ourselves into that thing had a good chuckle.  We are trying to trade it in for a 9-passenger version, but haven't been successful, yet.  Once we got settled at our awesome Hawthorne Lodge digs in Kenmare yesterday, Dad and I drove back to Killarney to see about getting a bigger car, but they didn't have anything available.  I at least I got more left-side driving experience in - including a few misses, like killing it in the middle of a roundabout during rush hour, parking awkwardly at a gas station and having to wiggle our way out  to get back onto the road - the Irish folks are very helpful and forgiving.  And missing a key turn on the way back and hanging a big U on the highway to get back to the right road.  Adventure!  Maybe today (Saturday, May 24) will bring us some of the Irish' luck and we can get a bigger ride. 

Driving on the left side of the road isn't as hard a transition as I anticipated. Watching the YouTubes beforehand certainly helped, especially in the roundabouts, which are everywhere. Bill was an excellent navigator (until he got carsick from reading the map on the curvy passes through Killarney National Park - refer to post from 2012 in Sequoia National Park, where you can see why Bill had a sense of déjà vu).  It took a while for him to shed the green look he had about him. Rough first day for him. :(

Killarney National Park is gorgeous. Beautiful lakes and forests, steep mountains, rocky outcroppings, very rugged looking. Rhododendron in bloom all over. And SHEEP!!  Sheep on the rocky mountainside, sheep on the side of the road, sheep ON THE ROAD!  Awesome.