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.
I am back ‘home’ in Portland but, still my soul is floating around the earth. We have returned to our hometown and are putting down roots again….phone contracts, bought a used car, set up utility accounts and kids are now at Montessori but, we aren’t done with this journey or the next steps.
Oslo and they both offered advice, homes, meals and warm welcomes to our travel queries.
My Norwegian friends offered to do a little genealogy research for us and when she presented us with an 80 page document before we arrived of all she found we were blown away.
She had recently opted to not run for reelection to the Norwegian parliament but, gave us intimate access to the Parliament and a tour I am sure you could not ‘book’ anywhere else.
All while high school equivalent students were running around the city in their flight suits and tricked out buses celebrating their transition to adulthood. Its called Russebuss and it is a fascinating tradition.
So, anyway…..family history found us driving (well Kelvin driving, really. We just all cheered him on from the back seat) for what seemed like 100s of miles and hours and hours.
SINGLE TIME!.
You will love it if you go and do get out of Oslo, lovely city yet, there is so much to this enormous by European standards country.
We decided to stay at the Legoland Hotel which has themed rooms with scavenger hunts, Lego characters walking around, life-size Lego mini figures, characters walking around and LEGOS everywhere to play with. Big blocks and little blocks.
It was so sweet to see joy on so many faces. Not just ours but, the plenitude of families from all over. There were families there from India, China, and all over SE Asia. We were definitely the minority as we would nod hello to another ‘Western” family from time to time.
French Pastries with Chinese Congee porridge with dried fish on top? Or a traditionally poured spiced chai, watermelon juice, white coffee or full cream milk?
Asia are constructed to impressive, minute detail. Even the scooter accidents with media and police presence on the street. I could have spent hours here. It was super hot so, we melted as we perused even with the welcome mister machines nearby.
A BALANCE OF TRAVEL AND FAMILY 
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.
amusement park of 
This is out of the ordinary for us but, one turning 10 is a pretty big deal too.
For an eight year old and newly minted ten-year old it was the ‘bees knees’. My words, not theirs. Theirs included ‘This is sick!’ and ‘What the ‘bleep’ (yes, they say actual word bleep).
Which was good as Oakley had a fever the first day and he and I hung out at the house with the dogs for the day while Kelvin and Canyon adventured.
Southern Hemisphere. It was a great way to get some perspective when getting ready to leave an area.
That price tag smarts more for me than the pain of the shots, although, my sons will beg to differ.
The folks there were mostly great but, with each day new people had to be told what we were doing and I was beginning to feel like I was in a Groundhog Day movie.
A saint, the man is a saint.
