I'm sorry it has taken me a few days to put a new post up. I have been bombarded with different sickies for a month now and am hoping this is the last of it! With that being said, let's talk about something fun and exciting!
Bear and I will be celebrating 10 AMAZING and WONDERFUL years of marriage this spring and we would like to go on a real vacation that is for more than just a long weekend! When we married, we eloped. Our elopement was due in part to the fact that the war was in full swing (2005) and Bear was serving and didn't know how long he would be home and also in part to the fact that my parents simply could not afford to pay for a wedding for us and neither could his. With that came no honeymoon because we were living on military pay, one income, no savings at the time, and no wedding money to boot. So, we want to have at least a small honeymoon like getaway to celebrate! In the future, we would ideally like to have a big vow renewal with a big honeymoon, but until then, we are trying to plan an affordable week long getaway.
Our thoughts right now are: Ireland, a Caribbean cruise, Belize, or a trip to Napa. We also considered Sandals but we were unsure of the expense. We have ruled out the idea of Carnival Cruises because we have heard too many horror stories. We have looked in Virgin Vacations to Ireland and some other guided tours there. We have looked into several cruise lines and we are trying to avoid ones packed with singles or young children, and we have checked out the other options but it really just comes down to biggest bang for our buck. We really do not know what to do or where to go.
Our ideal time would be time to just enjoy each other's company while seeing new things and lots of down time to just relax. Great food is a MUST but I have to be able to find ample gluten free options for my dining enjoyment! We do love love love the beach, but we also love our Irish roots and promised when we got married that we would eventually take a trip to Ireland. Our fear with Ireland is the language barrier, driving, food, and the weather during early spring.
I do have an issue with motion sickness, so cruises do slightly freak me out, but I love going boating and the water! I have been told that cruises provide the biggest bang for your buck. I would love to hear any opinions that you may have! Please leave a comment below with any advice you may have on any of the options we listed or even ideas we haven't listed! We would love to hear them! If you have a travel agent that you love as well, please share!
May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need most ~Irish Blessing
The Mrs.
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Hey! I found your blog through Mil-Blogging Buddies. I'm originally from Ireland, and my husband (military) and I had our wedding there. A group of our friends from the US came over and had a blast. I DEFINITELY don't recommend doing a guided tour. They'll overcharge you, take you to a few touristy places, skip the fun cities, and to top it all off, you'll spend most of your time with old people. Driving is only for the very brave. However, I do recommend flying into Dublin and traveling by train--you can travel almost anywhere in the country by train within a couple of hours. Train travel from city to city is very nice, comfortable, and inexpensive. Once you arrive in each city (I recommend Dublin, Galway, Cork, and Belfast), then take day trips by bus to the sites (I'm happy to make suggestions!!). When you're in the cities, lodging is inexpensive in the off-season (it sounds like you'll be traveling in the spring). You can stay in Ikea-style lodging, or you can also stay in hostels if you're really on a budget. Our friends all stayed in hostels; they're safe to stay in and a great way to meet people. Nice hotels vary in price seasonally--we've stayed in really fabulous hotels for around $100/ night in the off-season.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to language, everyone speaks English except in the very remote parts of the country.
With regard to food, the pubs are an excellent place for tasty lunches with healthy, hearty soups, stews, and sandwiches. The menus are contemporary and cosmopolitan as of the last decade, so you'll find some excellent cuisine easily. The cafes have great pastries and coffees, too. All of our American friends really enjoyed the food. The seafood is second-to-none. Make sure to have salmon--it's a specialty. The lamb is much sweeter and more tender there, too. I'm happy to answer any questions!
I have ALWAYS wanted to go to Ireland. I'm not a big travelling person (I've never really been anywhere and that doesn't bother me) but for some reason, that one seems amazing!
ReplyDeleteI actually did go on a cruise as a teen and I would say that I didn't notice the boat moving at all, and I was trying. It's so big, you feel nothing, so I don't think sickness would be a huge concern.
Hope you find an amazing getaway!
Happy early Anniversary! I'd check with your ITT office and see if they have any travel deals. We booked our Hawaii trip through them.
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