WILLIAM
I took Early Retirement in December 2010 and never looked back. I have been a full time sojourner taking 6 week trips in the US from December 2010 thru the present using my truck and camper and alternating with budget hotels. I have taken several trips while on vacations around the US and to Europe while I was working but now can travel full time if I wish. Texas in my home base and between trips I enjoy my time there visiting family and enjoying the many great locations Texas has. But unfortunately Texas is just too darn hot and humid most of the year. So I am looking for a new home base for summer. Sojourner1208
I have been visiting or revisiting many of my favorite locations in the US up till now and intend to revisit many of my favorite locations in Europe at a more leisurely pace now. When I post a blog I try and provide some practical and useful information on the location I visit in the blog. I am at present taking a 6 week trip in Ireland starting May 9, 2012 returning June 20.
Travel Blog Posts
May 25th 2012
Thursday May 24 Back to Galway - Today I went back to Galway again. The weather was perfect and even warmed up so much I had to take off my coat and shirt and wore my black T-shirt. I finished up visiting the exhibits at the Galway City Museum and walked up to Salmon Weir and back then back to Eyre Square to relax a bit. Another nice day.... read more
May 25th 2012
Wednesday May 23 Ballinasloe to Galway and return - I took the #20 bus from Ballinasloe. It was scheduled for 10:10 but got there at 10:40. It was a beautiful day and I had really enjoyed the Spring like weather. The bus and train station in Galway is the same building. It is right off of Eyre Square. The bus takes a roundabout route which takes it through some other towns it picks up in. The ride takes about an hour. Eyre Square is a great place to relax and people watch. And the weather was so nice and cool. Really excellent and the air was so fresh and the grass so green. After enjoying Erye Square a good while I did a little homework on some of the hostels available near Eyre Square and then ... read more
May 21st 2012
Monday May 21 - Today we went to Clonmacnoise. While we were leaving Brian was taking out the fixings for Irish stew for supper. The weather was beautiful and we went to Clonmacnoise first. I have been there before but this was the first time I had such good weather. It’s hard to imagine that the monastery had been sacked so many times and still was rebuilt until the English garrison at Athlone totally demolished it. They even took the windows. I suppose they would have taken the hole as well if they could…… After visiting Clonmacnoise we drove over to Birr and visited Birr Castle and Demesne. It was exceptionally beautiful and we greatly enjoyed visiting the grounds. Afterwards we drove back to Ballinasloe to enjoy a large dish of Irish Stew.... read more
May 21st 2012
Sunday May 20 - Today took a good exploratory walk around Ballinasloe and then walked to the Tesco and bought a scanner. Since I had a scanner and some other stuff, I had to have Noel pick me up at the Tesco and give me a ride home instead of walking. I invested most of the rest of the day in setting up the scanner and scanning family pictures Christy gave me to scan. I had been planning on catching the #20 bus on Dunlo street to Athlone and have a look around tomorrow (Monday), and get lined up on a tour from there to Clonmacnoise for Tuesday. However my cousin Noel came by and said we could all go to Clonmacnoise with him in his car tomorrow. So that sounds like a good deal. I ... read more
From Donegal back to Ballinasloe
Published: May 20th 2012Europe » Ireland » County Galway » Ballinasloe
May 20th 2012
Saturday May 19 - Today pretty much just drove back to Ballinasloe taking a roundabout route via Enniskillen because on the map the road showed to be hugging a lake but in reality it wasn’t and most of the trip all you could see was hedges and some fields. Picturesque enough but not a lake views as we had hoped. When we got back to Ballinasloe I invested most of the evening in trying to get caught up on my blogs and doing my wash.... read more
Donegal to Killybegs and return via the Blue Stack Mountains
Published: May 20th 2012Europe » Ireland » County Donegal
May 20th 2012
Friday May 18 - Donegal to Killybegs via the Blue Stack Mountains, and return. Today Noel, Christy, and I headed North west out of Donegal and explored the Blue Stack Mountains and went to Killybegs. The drive was very nice but also very tiring.... read more
May 19th 2012
Thursday May 17 – Ballinasloe to Donegal - Today Christy, Noel, and I drove up to Donegal . It was quite a long drive and we went through some really beautiful countryside on the way. We stopped at Dunnes Department store in Roscommon for me to buy some T shirts as I was on my last clean one and had not had time to wash any. Dunnes is kind of the SuperWalmart of Ireland and has a grocery store as well as department store. A good place for one stop shopping. The day was very nice although cool and we checked out a few things on the way, among them the Glencar Lough and waterfall. We spent the night at one of my cousins daughters beautiful house in Donegal.... read more
May 17th 2012
Wednesday May 16 - Today my Irish cousins Christy, Noel, and I went to the Aaron Islands and Dun Aengus. It was very impressive and frankly I have been to the Cliffs of Moher 3 times and I think the Aaron Islands and Dun Aengus has them beaten by far. Much more interesting. My cousin Noel drove us to Rossaveal which is west of Galway and we caught the ferry to Inish Mor. There is absolutely nowhere to get anything to eat or drink at the ferry dock so if you want something get it before going there. The first parking lot is a very long walk to the ferry so go by it and there is another parking lot across from where the ferry leaves next to the Handicap Parking lot. Both lots charge 5 ... read more
May 16th 2012
Tuesday eve - After visiting a bit and eating twice I went and took an exploratory walk around Ballinasloe. I took some pictures of the house my mother grew up in and of the church she attended. Their house was right next to the church and I remember her telling me about the bell ringing in the morning and evening. Behind the house was a stable and a garden. They used to get free tickets to the circus each year since the circus animals used their back yard for access to the River Suck to water their animals. There had been beautiful weather at first when I arrived in Ballinasloe, then it rained, then it got beautiful again but colder. My cousin has a nice cozy home and we visited in the kitchen while drinking tea ... read more
May 15th 2012
Tuesday May 15, 2012 - I took the #20 bus from Dublin to Ballinasloe today. It was a lovely spring day and the bus ride was pleasant. My cousin Noel came to the bus stop to pick me up and took me to my other cousins Christy and Brian’s house. Christy immediately gave me a huge plate of Ham, turnip, and potatoes with tea. I ate as much as I could and visited with them for a few hours while showing them some pictures on my computer. Noel’s wife Maggie came over and we all visited a bit while drinking tea. Noel has generously volunteered to take me to several places over the next few days.... read more
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