How We Almost Died in Ireland

I'm going to start with a story. Bear with me.  This is all leading somewhere...

Back in 2001 my husband and I took a belated honeymoon to England.  We book a self-catering cottage (the precursor to an AirBnB),  rented a car, and spent two weeks exploring the country.

We had a great time!  We both drove manual cars on the daily so the fact that the rental car was a stick (as most European rentals are) was no problem. My husband had been stationed in England not so long before so driving on the other side of the road wasn't an issue.  Sure, we didn't see everything, but we had a lovely trip.

Fast forward to 2026...

Here we are a quarter of a century later on a family trip to Ireland.  Although we elected to do a Globus tour to ensure that a great time was had by all (and that I did not lose my mind), we decided to venture out during our free time. My daughter, Emily, wanted to explore an ancestral family cemetery about an hour outside of Belfast, where we were spending a day.

No worries! I rented a car and we planned to spend a lovely afternoon in the Irish countryside.

Well...

It's been quite a while since we've driven stick shifts daily and it's been decades since my husband's stint in the UK.  Rather than a peaceful journey through emerald fields, we were white-knuckling it down the highway and trying not to sideswipe people on small, country roads as my husband naturally veered to the right.  While we did find the ancestral family cemetery and we did have a nice afternoon, I realize something.

I am too old to DIY this stuff.

I don't want to drive unfamiliar roads, stay in places where I have to cook my own meals and make my own bed, and try to figure out the best itinerary to see the most I can in the time I have.I want someone else to drive me to a hotel where I arrive to find I am already checked in. I want someone to take me to all the best sights. I want someone to recommend excellent restaurants.

In short, I want someone to take care of me.

I want a Globus tour.

Before you go, "Ew...I don't want to be with 80 people following a guy with a flag," that isn't what a Globus tour. Each tour has a maximum of 40 people (and small group tours with a maximum of 24 people). While Globus does take you from place to place, most often you are turned loose to explore the destination on your own.  Plus, there is plenty of free time baked into the schedule to do things like explore ancestral family cemeteries.

If you want to have adventures without inconvenience...or discomfort...or, really, any kind of stress, then a Globus tour is probably for you. Plus, they are super cost-efficient.

Ping me and let's plan your next adventure!

Meet Christine

christine@moderntravelpros.com

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