Days 214-216, 12-14 Jan '15, Dublin Farewell (12th Jan) & Rest. Joan's flight departed the evening of the 12th and we couldn't have her come all the way to Ireland and just show her castles and countryside... So we fed the zoo, loaded up the luggage first thing and headed off for a Dublin day trip. Despite driving rain, freezing winds and mud in our neighbourhood, the roads dried out and we had blue sky and sunshine all day - fabulous stuff. We navigated in...

Day 200, 29 December 2014, Enniscorthy to Dublin & back - by road. Road Trip!!! Before we get started here is one of the funniest slogans on Christmas tops that we saw over the season... "Santa saw your Facebook photos and you're getting clothes and a Bible for Christmas!" Loved it. Moving right along. As mentioned previously, the world's biggest secret was finally revealed to James on Christmas Day (though I'm pretty sure I'd told just about everyone else)...

Days 191-195, 20-24 December 2014, Dublin (& Howth!), Ireland Today? Christmas Eve and we'll be heading off to Enniscorthy to start our new housesit this afternoon. Last few days? We've been pottering about enjoying the Christmas lights and the buzz and the atmosphere generally. We had a credit voucher with Sandeman's New Europe tours for 20 euros so decided to get out of the big smoke and go to the fishing village of Howth on the peninsula for a day trip l...

Days 188-190, 17-19 December 2014, Dublin, Ireland. What can I say... after two years of anticipation and completely by accident we got to see Tom and Jerry (pictured). We have been enjoying our vacation time after six months apart (vacation vs. when we start our next housesit on 24 Dec!) We have been strolling the fairy-lit streets of Dublin, enjoying the Christmas displays and the cheeriness of festive Dubliners. The buskers on Grafton street usually keep us...

Days 186-187, 15-16 December 2014, Dublin, Ireland. What can I say, Monday was Travel Day. Literally Planes, Trains and Automobiles (and a Bus). Early start compounded by the fact that I never sleep well prior to Travel Day anyway. We left St Lo at 6 am and Lee drove us to the station for the local train to Caen (45 minutes), then straight onto the big train to Paris (almost three hours). Due to a taxi drivers strike in Paris there were very few on the road an...