A few last notes......

Can’t believe we leave on Saturday for London and we’ll see all of you lovely people the following Saturday in Shannon, Ireland.

A few last things to pass along - There are tipping guidelines in the Ireland and Britain Go-To Guide that came with our backpacks if you want to take a look.

Driver Tip – CIE Tours suggested gratuity for our driver is 8 Euros per person per day (7 days). That is 56 Euro ($66.00 US) total per person for our trip. The good news is that the tour price we charged you included gratuity for the driver. So, you are covered. At the end of the trip, Mic will provide the driver with the gratuity for the entire group. We are all about making this trip easy and fun! Oh, and EPIC, too!

Hotels – We requested that all rooms have two twin beds. Our reasoning was that two twin beds actually give you two more inches in width than a King bed. The CIE tours website says “rooms are Twin (2 separate single beds) or Double (usually a queen size but subject to each hotel’s discretion and availability).” We are in very nice hotels and I anticipate excellent accommodations. I just wanted to give you a heads-up on that.

Arrivals – We have two couples arriving a little later. Kate & Andrew at 11:20am and Brian & Nicole at 10:10am. All others are scheduled to arrive around 9am. Our driver will be at the airport at 9:15am. Bob and I will already be in Shannon so look for us in Airport Arrivals after you go through Immigration and Customs. Those staying at airport hotels, please meet us at Airport Arrivals at 9:15am. The plan is to load up and go out to breakfast. For the two couples arriving a little later, we have requested a Breakfast Box and coffee to go. After breakfast, we will swing back by the airport to get our last two couples. I promise we won’t leave you behind! If flights get delayed, we will adjust as needed.

I think that is all for now. If you haven’t already, please download WhatsApp on your cell phones. If you already have it and I haven’t added you to the group, double check to make sure you are signed in.

Cheerio!

Caren & Mic

Only 18 more days until our Ireland journey begins!!!

More ideas to share:

ATM - You will almost always get the best exchange rate when buying foreign currency with an ATM. Many travelers hit the ATM at the airport when they land. I know I do. Kos suggested checking with you bank to see if there is a daily withdraw limit when traveling abroad. I did not have that problem with Wells Fargo but good to check. Remember to let your bank and any credit cards you plan to use know when and where you are traveling. You can do this on their website or by calling.

You may also want to check with your cell phone carrier and ask about your coverage in Ireland. I’m T-Mobile Global Network. When I called they said my data and texts were free but calls were 25 cents per minute. Now I know.

WhatsApp – Nine of us are in the group already. It looks like all you need to do is download the app (it’s free) from your Play Store on your phone. I will be able to see you then and add you to the group. Remember to go to SETTINGS and turn off notifications unless you want it to ding every time someone gives a thumbs-up or responds. I know I don’t.

If I am forgetting anything or you have some travel tips to share, let me know and I’ll include them in next week’s email. It may be the last official one as Bob and I leave for England on Sept. 1. Of course, I can communicate from the road but I’m hoping to get all the information to you before we leave. The beauty of WhatsApp is that once we are all on there we will have instant communication for the group. See you all soon!

Caren

34 Days Until We Take Off for Ireland!!!

I encourage everyone to pack very light. Comfortable, casual clothes are all you will need for the Begley Ireland Trip. Oh, and a lightweight jacket, too. We like to carry on our luggage. It’s ideal if you can. I traveled to Italy for 17 days (see pic below) with only a small carryon bag and a backpack. I also packed a foldable backpack to bring a few treasures home with me. Hotels should have hairdryers, no need to pack one. FYI my hair is a lot longer now ;-) !

WEATHER – Historical Averages for September per AccuWeather

SUN 9/2 68° /55° A morning shower in spots Hist. Avg. 65°/51°	MON 9/3 65° /55° An afternoon shower in spots Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	TUE 9/4 66° /54° A morning shower in places Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	WED 9/5 67° /54° Mostly cloudy, a shower Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	THU 9/6 63° /51° Rather cloudy, a few showers Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	FRI 9/7 63° /53° Mostly cloudy Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	SAT 9/8 62° /51° A little morning rain; cloudy Hist. Avg. 64°/51°
SUN 9/9 65° /51° Mostly cloudy Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	MON 9/10 65° /53° Mostly sunny Hist. Avg. 64°/51°	TUE 9/11 67° /53° Mostly sunny Hist. Avg. 63°/51°	WED 9/12 67° /52° Mainly cloudy, a shower Hist. Avg. 63°/50°	THU 9/13 64° /49° Couple of thunderstorms Hist. Avg. 63°/50°	FRI 9/14 65° /52° A thunderstorm in the area Hist. Avg. 63°/50°	SAT 9/15 66° /50° Sunny Hist. Avg. 63°/50°

You’ve Got MAIL – In the next few weeks CIE Tours will be sending you a package with:

• 1 Luggage Strap
• 1 Backpack
• 1 Rain Poncho w/ Pouch
• 1 Document Wallet
• 2 Luggage Tags
• 1 International Travel Adapter
• 1 Name Tag
• 1 “Go-To Guide”- This booklet will include:
• 2 Group insurance information –for those who purchased the CIE Tours’ Group Insurance Plan
• Day-by-day Itinerary & Hotel Information
• Know Before You Go Information - Please encourage everyone in your group to read before departure.

I think that is about it for now. Ireland awaits us!

Smiles,

Caren & Mic