Driving on the "wrong" side of the road and lost agenda

Okay let's get this straight, in general Steven and I travel very well together, but today would not have been a fine example of that. We are step synch with each other, if the other one does not think about it...the other one will. So today we landed, to be exact 1.5 hours earlier than scheduled. Steven met a nice man that insisted on talking to him the entire time we were getting our multiple bags of luggage. Of course, when he proceeded to ask Steven "so what is a nice man like you doing in Nashville," it was very evident that he would wink at Steven as we walk away. I can't take him anywhere. Okay okay back to the trip.

The entire time I am getting the car rental, my mother and Steven are insisting we get a GPS device. HOLD UP, what happen to the good ole days when you go on an adventure and use the trusted map - a decision I would all to soon regret.

So important facts to know about driving in Ireland. It actually takes a co-pilot (two to be precise). The primary co-pilot sits besides the pilot and shifts the gears when the pilot pushes the clutch to ensure that all the pilot has to do is stay focused on the road and the second co-pilot ensures that we stay on the "wrong" side of the road. So take the above and apply it to our travels. Ken, me, serving as the pilot (of which having two co-pilots is not easy), my stepdad sitting beside me shifting the gears and performing that task nicely, then Steven sitting in the back saying "wrong" side of the road which really meant the right side of the road (with my mother's help) as we make our way to Center City Dublin. End result of navigating the car with this proven technique - only ONE wrong turn down the "right" way into oncoming traffic, hitting four curbs, and being honked at three times. Overall a great success I would say. I encourage anyone to try it sometime. Oh did I mention we did all of this on the very day there was a football match in the city - and the Irish love their football, seems not a one of them stayed at home.

One problem, in putting all our things in the shuttle at the airport....the trusted notebook (more of a bible) that has all the details of our trip, including reservations....left in the airport buggy. We had to have it, so back to the airport we go. By the time we reached the airport, the notebook, which is very well put together I should say, was in the hands of security and was being admired in their break room. Steven walked in the break room and everyone looked at him in utter awe and stated "you do not have kids do you."

Back on the road to Center City- remember with out a GPS. Total hours to find the Hilton (the correct one) in Dublin - FOUR. I say correct, because we walked into two Hiltons asking for help to get us to our Hilton. I am sure by the time we arrived at the correct Hilton the front desk was thinking "ahhh so here are the Americans." I mean there are no roads marked. We about ended up with a nice police escort (they did escort us down two roads).

So here I sit in the dark typing this blog, Steven is sleeping (as I am sure he is worn out) and I am excited for what the next day holds. I am not sure mom and Dave will come out of their hotel room and meet us tomorrow. Mom did walk in the hotel and said "I am not leaving."

Oh by the way - did you know it takes three toothbrushes for a two week trip. That is exactly what Steven packed. So now take that and multiply it by clothes. If we would have wrecked, there would have been clothes all over the streets of Dublin.