We are going to Ireland for ten days next month and choosing what to see as we travel from town to town. There are lots of piles of rocks, including prehistoric monuments, geological oddities, and ruined abbeys. We like all those types of piles of rocks, but may find we've had enough of them by the end.
We will also see some CS Lewis sites, a couple of museums, and some castles and historical buildings that are not (yet) piles of rocks. I like looking at landscape in general, but as I will be driving on narrow roads on the wrong side I may not get to see as much as I hope. The planning of this was so labor intensive (we are staying in villages instead of cities) that I have to wonder if a tour would have been wiser. I tend to think I won't like going by someone else's priorities and schedule, but at the moment it's looking pretty good.
Is there some sort of check that the driver remembers what side to drive on and what the signs mean? Maybe something as simple as a complicated exit from the rental car lot: if you pick the left hand lane you get out on the road, and if you pick the right you wind up driving in a circle and they take the keys away from you and complain about Americans.
ReplyDeleteThe first few hours are the most white-knuckled as you might be a bit jet-lagged. Our rental location was in Dublin, not the airport. We took a taxi there and then plunged right into urban driving. Head on a swivel.
ReplyDeleteIt really helps to preview your routes the day before, so you can redirect after inadvertently taking the even-more-scenic route. I still prefer old fashioned maps. A good navigator in the passenger seat is invaluable and will allow you to feel safer while also enjoying the countryside. It's like crew resource management in the cockpit. The narrow roads aren't so bad except when dealing with an oncoming double-decker tour bus.
Finally, make sure you specify an automatic or manual when booking the car. I'll confess that I'm inordinately proud of having driven a stick from the wrong side.
You'll have a wonderful trip!