Ireland

[Prawn_86]

Ireland is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain. Politically, the state Ireland (described as the Republic of Ireland in cases of ambiguity) covers five-sixths of the island, with Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, covering the remainder in the north-east.

[stacey]

I leave in 44 days (29th of April to be exact).
This will be my first ever overseas trip! :D

My best friend & I 'met' online & have been exchanging letters, cards, gifts for the past 8 years, so I thought it was about time I'd go over & pay her a visit.

It'll be a 2 week adventure. I'm flying into Cork on the 30th of April from Gatwick airport. Stay one night in Cork, then pick up a hire car on the 1st of May & head towards Co. Kerry (where my friend is from). After a few nights in Castlemaine, CO Kerry we're heading to Limerick for bit of a sightsee, then up to the Cliffs of Moher & Galway, where we'll be dropping off the hire car.

From Galway we're catching a bus up to Donegal (a place I've always wanted to go!) & returning the next day. One other night in Galway & then we'll be catching a train over to Dublin...where we're spending 2 days (includes a trip up to the Giant's Causeway). In Dublin on Day 11, we'll be picking up another hire car & driving down the East Coast of Ireland, stopping in Wexford (via Wicklow), then onto Kilkenny for a night & finally back in Cork on the 12th of May, before flying to London on the 13th, where I...on my own...will get to spend a day & a half sightseeing (& visiting Stonehenge!)

It's so exciting!! Can't wait!

Anything I should know in advance.....or tips/advice would be greatly appreciated!!