Had a fun day on our rented bikes from Killarney Bike Rental exploring Killarney National Park.

Family of four with bike helmets posing with orange rental bikes near a road in Killarney Ireland on a cloudy day.Four cyclists wearing helmets riding rented bikes along a tree-lined path in Killarney National Park, smiling at the camera.

I do a lot of writing on my blog and the Weekly Thing. I hope that through writing regularly I can become a better writer. When we go on trips Mazie often keeps a travel journal. The old way — on paper with a pencil. Sometimes I get to read her writing and it blows me away how well she writes. 👏

When we travel in Europe I’m always pleasantly surprised to see all the various privacy notices that websites are required to provide. I smile and press the appropriate button to reject all tracking. So easy.

Cookie consent dialog with Accept all, Reject all, and Manage preferences buttons on a white background

Today marks the 20th anniversary of thingelstad.com! Twenty years ago I posted about the difficulty in redeeming a hot air balloon gift certificate. Now 8,676 posts later my blog is something I treasure and is growing and improving all the time, with many more years ahead!

Ireland 2024 Log - Day 2

Weather: Sunny. High of 67 °F. Pretty cool after sunset.

  • Jamie gets some sleep on flight, everyone else not so much.
  • DL114 arrives in Dublin slightly early at 10:39 AM local time. 🛬
  • Clear passports and get luggage.
  • Pick up SEAT Leon from NewWay rental. Make sure we have all insurance options. Figure out how to fit all of our luggage. Just barely fits.
  • Drive to Killarney. Soundtrack was U2, Foo Fighters, The High Kings. Stop at Barrack Obama Plaza to get Jamie coffee and a Coke. Kids slept the whole time.
  • First experience on narrow Irish roads — wow there is not much room for two way traffic.
  • Stop at Killarney Brewing & Distilling for a beer and a snack.
  • Check into AirBnb in Killarney and get settled.
  • Walk around Killarney and explore shops.
  • Dinner at Hilliard’s.
  • Walk back to rental to rest and get some sleep.
Google Maps route from Dublin Airport to Killarney Ireland showing two driving options of 317 km and 334 km taking 3 to 5 hours

Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.

Drove three hours to Killarney today after landing in Dublin. Had to learn how to do everything opposite with right-hand drive, shifting with my left hand, driving on the left side of the road, and oh so many roundabouts. Did pretty good!

Middle-aged man in a patterned shirt giving a thumbs up while driving a right-hand drive SEAT car on an Irish motorway

Our Airbnb for our stay in Killarney, Ireland.

Stone terraced cottage in Killarney Ireland with blue front door white gate and red brick trim

Ireland 2024 Log - Day 1

Weather: Warm and Sunny in Minneapolis.

  • Packing, packing, repacking, confused, not sure bringing the right things, packing. 🧳
  • Prepare camera, computer, and related equipment. 📷
  • Visit Edina Art Fair.
  • Lyft to airport.
  • Suitcase statistics in pounds: Tammy 48, Jamie 42, Mazie 35, Tyler 31.
  • Met couple from Seattle waiting for Dublin flight who were rerouted through Minneapolis after their Boston flight was late. They had eight kids from 18 to 4 years old who were at home on their own. Their final destination was Madrid, Spain.
  • Take off DL114 MSP → DUB. 🛫

Jump to day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 or see Ireland 2024 Collection.

DL114 ready to take us to Dublin!

Delta Air Lines aircraft parked at gate F10 on the tarmac with jet bridge connected and ground support equipment nearby

Edina Art Fair

We made a quick visit to the Edina Art Fair after we finished packing for our trip to Ireland and heading to the airport. It was fun to get to see the art even if it was a bit hurried. Artists that caught our eye included:

Tammy liked this sculpture “Willie Fly” and decided it should find a home with us. Very cool.

Auto-generated description: A wooden figurine of a man with raised arms is displayed on a window seat in front of a window with wooden framing.