Ireland…seems appropriate to wander in our minds there especially on such an auspicious holiday such as St. Patrick’s Day. The world over, this holiday is known. Known for beer, for green, whether you are wearing it or looking at 
it and for leprechauns or maybe more distantly for green rolling hills.
I am thinking of the grand, welcoming time we had in Dublin on our trip. After the in-laws winged their way back to the States, our family was back to the budget balance of the four of us on the road again. We moved from a spacious Airbnb town house in the suburbs to a room in a hostel. Likely the smallest living space we were in on our entire trip.
The room had two bunk beds and cages for our belongings like giant, chain link drawers under the bottom bunk. 
The kitchen as a flood of pleasant travelers, school groups and individuals finding their way around the chaos to find a slice of toast and half of a banana. A single jar of Nutella was passed around like a precious gem among around 20 people. We were lucky, as we had a small shower and toilet attached to our room.
So, while our living space shrunk considerably we are now in the middle of the city. Right outside our building, just steps away from vibrant door fronts, bright stores and cobblestones.
We were also treated the sounds of others celebrating the beauties of Ireland late at night or early in the morning as they drunkenly sang praises as they hobbled home. 
In the next days we experienced many wonderful gems. Including, the Long Room at Trinity College Dublin.
I had been before on my 30th birthday and loved it so much I have had a framed picture of it on my walls ever since. The boys noted the familiar view as we emerged at the end of the installations on the Book of Kells. All thoughtfully placed and accentuated by emerging in the great room.
We picnicked on the green grounds with college students and admired the near by sculptures in the warming sun. All while learning more about the momentous vote coming up for Ireland. 
We wandered into a music store and meet Francois (unusual name to encounter in Dublin, assured). He let the boys try any and all instruments in his store.
While I was trying to round in the boys he encouraged them to try more. It was a good lesson for me to learn more about letting kids try things out and learn rather than keep things in order. 
Francois (a Frenchman living in Ireland for several years now) invited us to join his ukulele class. We made a promise to return and went out to another appointment.
Later that evening we returned and there he was all set for us with loaner ukuleles and several other class members.
One a 70+ Dublin woman who’s wonderful lilt had me cocking my head so I could truly understand her. Other folks from Ireland as well as a couple of Malaysian women who were currently living in Ireland.
We had a lovely lesson in this sunny room lit by the setting spring sun. It was delightful. Had we not been short on space (only our backpacks) we might have actually bought a ukulele. 
We also visited Little Museum of Dublin of Dublin . This museum experience notes some of the most important historical events in Dublin and Irish history.
Especially some of the more modern events and folks such as an entire room on U2. The tour is entertainment in itself involving members of the group and with grand personality.
The group was smallish (about 25) which made it more welcome for the shorter members of our group (read – crowd adverse Oakley). We would wholeheartedly recommend going to this museum to have an amazing view of Dublin to color your trip.
Afterward, we wandered in St. Stephen’s Green Park which has soft green places to enjoy as well as many historical markers of Dublin’s history.
This park is, amazingly, over 400 years old, is like an oasis in the middle of the city. It has had many wandering and protecting its green treasures for decades but, many be best known to many as the place for the Easter Rising of 1916 when a ferocious battle happened in the park over four days marking Ireland fighting for independence from British rule. 
Very powerful to walk around and see where people were actually bunkered down and fighting.
We enjoyed our time as the city was warming up with sun and people were very friendly. We did some maintenance work such as Kelvin getting a haircut and a beard trim, all with a complimentary beer.
We came back to our room one evening planning our bags and next day’s plans as we would have to check out of the hostel before our ferry left the following late afternoon. We got a notification that our ferry to Wales was rescheduled due to weather for either the next morning at 8am or the next evening at 8pm. Yikes!
We were not totally prepared for the change. Also, a good friend was going to pick us up on the Wales side and we wanted to give him some notice in his busy life about the changes. 
So, we packed up and prepped to leave in the wee hours of the morning so, we could get there by the time the ferry would sail. That meant finding a ride early on Sunday morning (6am!) to the dock. Bumping in a ride share car in the early hours of Sunday in Dublin was a very quiet and peaceful journey.
Of course, we did it! We made that ferry. Don’t you worry. Those adventures to continue in the next missive.
We currently live near the Portland airport and the Portland Air National Guard is based there. There are many moments throughout the day when you can hear the rumble of planes flying overhead. A deep rumble, almost as if the sky has hunger pains or feeling that there is thunder on the horizon and it’s audible for all.
From ages 19-25 I spent three years overseas. They say your prefrontal cortex, your critical thinking part of your brain, doesn’t fully form until you are 25 so, I suppose I did a lot of my first adult thinking navigating different experiences outside the US. Maybe that is why I still seek it. It is hardwired in my brain.
In any case, I am reliving my adventures here as they soothe my soul and inspire me to plan more and now, with the added intention of exposing my kids to their future adventures.
And so, I write to make sure I do my due diligence in documenting our adventure but, also for me to continue to feel connected to its story which is many people’s story. In our iteration or someone else’s. This is our story. Thank you for reading. It helps me keep it alive.
We had reached day 90 (with a lot of planning and foresight mind you) by landing in Ireland. Ireland, along with the all of the UK does not take part in the Schengen Area. That meant for us, that our travel clock started over by the tracking of Irish and later, British authorities. They generally allow a six month visa.
This doesn’t mean they don’t also ask a lot of questions at the Irish border. We flew in from Oslo with Kelvin’s parents. We shuffled and waited in a library-quiet big hall as they inspected our passports while we gazed at the new signs naming everything in English and ‘the Irish’ which we outsiders might know more as Gaelic.
We rented an Airbnb in Clontarf, a friendly suburb north of Dublin City Center from where we could easily catch the bus into the city. Our time in Dublin was timed with the Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan.
I, being a bit of a romantic royal watcher loved the idea of watching my first royal wedding in the same time zone as it was happening. Having drug myself out of bed in the middle of the night for these royal affairs starting when I was 11 years old in 1981 to watch Diana and Charles marry on a grainy, definitely not a High Definition screen TV back in Idaho.
I told this excitedly to our Irish hosts as they settled us into our place. He responded with a wit and tone that slightly insults and grounds me in a way that various Celtic tones can.
We had two versions of our trip in Dublin. The first half with our in-laws and the second, the Gurr Original Four
It was beautiful fully furnished and delightful to wander around it and had it’s share of ghost stories told by the animated guides a long the way. The northern area outside Dublin is really quite lovely to see and the seaside makes for nice views and wanders along as you see the tide change the view dramatically.
The vote was establishing access to abortion services for citizens for the first time ever. Information showed that tens of thousands would travel to Great Britain every year to be able to make this medical choice.
In the meantime, hello again and get ready for more posts to come that introduce you too some amazing folks who helped shape the last chapters of this round the world trip and let you know this family is not done moving around outside of our comfort zone and see new things and learn more about others and, in turn, about ourselves.
So, thanks again for reading and stay tuned!
Because we are using an English language version. Siri would often just opt out in pronouncing names. So, you would be told to, ‘Turn left on ____ in 200 meters’. Or try a Google Search without using a VPN in an English speaking country.
The elder King was reknown for his kindness and the way he helped people in all corners of the country. He was in power for over 70 years.
Elephants in everyday life including temples at the side of the road
9 – Everyone is on a phone or device. Even dental assistant while working on my son was watching her show while guiding the dental equipment. Also, little tiny kids will also have their parent’s phone in action. People often take their kids to work so, this seems to be the easiest form of distraction. We even had a Grab driver (like Uber) who had her 4 year old daughter in the front seat helping with directions.
During one of visits to a Wat in Northern Thailand our friend PD said she got goosebumps because the Monk that started that Wat was there in person. We also saw some monks that were nearly indistinguishable from the statues next to them as they did not move for the entire time we were there. Many monks will have a likeness them made into a statue after they pass so they are always present.
So, we were at the Brisbane airport Jetstar check in counter (for the first time) and I hurriedly bought four tickets on a ferry to Singapore. I was punching the details of all our passports into my iPhone screen hoping that the credit card I am using would work to buy the tickets. And what’s more, that we will be able to use them.
In Bali, tourism accounts for about a third of the economy so, there is always someone to help you with your questions, desires or plans. That is certainly the case in Ubud.
This academy opened the world of possibilities for us to repackage our trip, ideas and come up with an alternative plan (note: not to be confused with alternative facts).
Changing jobs, leaving schools, packing up, preparing goodbyes and selling belongings. We still have a lot to do but, we have a couple of Homeland style planning boards with tasks that we are following up on.
And an even bigger deal when we try to do it in three days in a country we haven’t driven in together (Kelvin was there on his own in 2001), driving on the ‘other side of the road’ for us Yanks and in a camping vehicle we have yet to rent or even select. The situation gave Kelvin and I some pretty funny conversations as we were trying to rationalize a mammoth drive to get in between locations for a place to stay.
It sounded good but, we were coming from Hawaii and wouldn’t be there for the first two days of her trip. She, again kindly, offered to make her trip work with ours so we can be her support and she ours.
It’s one thing to throw things in a backpack and dig out my passport but, an entirely different kettle of fish to be arranging four flights to another country with visa applications, baggage requirements, thoughts about timing, food accessibility, world schooling plans, accommodations and time changes for all of us.
Baby’s R Us with the crib my in-laws had bought us.
ckets that will transport our family to the other side of the planet.
Now, I don’t mean shirking my responsibilities but, rather saying yes to a time commitment that ever shrinks my sliver of ‘me time’ that have on my calendar. No one is making me do this. I do it. And I need to cut it out. Now.
I find myself surveying the room to find the ‘best’ choice or solution for all involved and meanwhile my voice, and often, my values get muffled.
p, my husband and I will talk about what the minimum expectations are (seriously shooting as low as possible), what is reasonable and achievable and then, the dream scenario.
Simple eye contact is a deeply personal, human experience.