Blogs from Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland, Europe

19 juillet 2012 Je suis a Killarney, petite ville effroyablement touristique ou les gros bus s'alignent les uns apres les autres sur la "Ring of Kerry", route panoramique reputee en Irlande. C'est presqu'un pelerinage pour les irlandais a la retraite de venir ici. En ete, la population double a Killarney a cause du tourisme... et bien sur, les prix augmentent alors. Je suis exactement dedans. Je suis profondement dans la "high season". Comme je ne peux aucunement etre ici et passer a cote de la "Ring of Kerry" (Couronne de Kerry), je me book un tour derniere minute de la fameuse cote a bord d'un mini bus a touristes. Il y a presqu'uniquement des backpackers avec moi, et le bus est a moitie vide (ou a moitie plein). Bien. Je ne suis heureusement pas entasse comme ... read more

Tuesday June 5 – Cork to Killarney - I got up early and quietly got dressed so as not to wake up my two female roommates. Then I went downstairs and did a little rat killing while I drank my tea and ate my banana. It’s 54 degrees and raining outside. It’s cold (for a Texan) inside the hostel and I am wearing my coat. I came downstairs so my roomies could sleep and after 9 I will go back up and gather up my stuff and prepare to head to the airport around 10. It is supposed to be raining for the rest of the week in Killarney so guess I will just have to let it rain. No wonder the grass is so green here. I’ve had the manager call me a cab for ... read more

Monday June 4 Cork – Preparing to depart – Today I focused on taking care of the details for the next phase of my trip and perhaps the most dangerous one. I have rented a car and am driving to Killarney tomorrow where I have rented a bed there in the Killarney Railway Hostel for June 5 through 8th for starters. I may stay longer as after studying the map at length and the Lonely Planet guidebook I have determined that if I rent a car I can use Killarney as a home base and make day trips to The Ring Of Kerry, the Dingle peninsula, Mizen Head, Killarney National Park and the Gap of Dunloe, and whatever else I come across or find out about. The main thing I have to watch out for is ... read more

Off on a another 7 day bus tour to try and maximise how much of Ireland I could fit into a small amount of time. Shamrocker all Ireland rocker started with meeting Candra when I had got back to the hostel late the previous evening. I accidently woke her when I got into the room so we had a chat and discovered we were on the same tour in the morning. Bus buddy organised before I had even started! We discovered when we all boarded that the 5 and 7 day tour travel together til Galway before they head back to Dublin and the rest of us continue to Northern Ireland also it was yet another tour with all Aussie's except for Candra who is from New Zealand. Our first stop was the county of Lavish ... read more

Killarney National Park is yet another gem of County Kerry. Although the town of Killarney is a bustling tourist trap, it is surrounded by pristine lakes, mountains, gardens, waterfalls, streams, forests, and a treasure trove of other spectacular natural wonders.... read more

Has a lazy morning yesterday, as I opted out of the optional excursion (as did about half of the group.) I think we all needed some time off, while this is truly a comfortable tour pace, always being on the go does get a wee bit tiring. We left the hotel at 11 yesterday to begin our anti-clockwise excursion of the famous and picturesque Ring of Kerry. Just prior to leaving it was raining (go figure) and I was concerned our day would be ruined, but by some stroke of luck the clouds parted and the blue colours we are so familar with from home and even the sun came out. I tell you when the sun does come out the landscape is truly remarkable! I have never seen so many shades and textures of green, ... read more