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I have traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Pacific, both personally and professionally, and I can truthfully say that the Irish people are the most pleasant and friendly people I have ever met. Invariably cheerful, they will bend over backward to help you in any way they can. The scenery is indescribable although, if you were to draw a line down the center of the country, I personally prefer the areas to the west to those on the east. While Dublin is a "don’t miss" with its unique sights and attractions, I prefer rural towns and villages to cities. If you are visiting some of Ireland’s major tourist attractions, I recommend arriving as early as possible before the endless onslaught of tour buses begins to make the afternoon lines (queues) rather lengthy. English is spoken throughout the nation but there are many regions, especially in the west, where Irish is spoken as the primary language (Gaeltacht regions) and many of the signs reflect that preference.

Don't believe the stories that the food in Ireland is bad. People who say that either went years ago or they chose the wrong places to eat, because I have never had a bad meal. The breads and soups are especially delicious - I could travel throughout the country subsisting on nothing but the vast variety of breads and soups. However, the Irish do use very little salt, if any, in their cooking. Instead, they use a variety of sauces with herbs and seasonings and a delectable combination of herbs with their vegetables. Most B&Bs only serve breakfast but you can pretty much have whatever you’d like. There is usually a common buffet table of cereals, juices, fresh fruits, breads, and jams/marmalades. This is complemented either by individual orders or by the popular traditional Irish breakfast consisting of eggs (any style), Irish bacon (rashers), sausages, grilled tomatoes and "puddings." I like the white pudding most of the time (it varies from area to area but generally tastes like scrapple if you've ever had that) but could never acquire a taste for the black pudding. Don't order pancakes if you expect them to be like the ones in America. They are more like crepes than the pancakes we are used to in the States. If you choose not to eat at your B&B, breakfast is generally available at pubs/restaurants until around noon and there are some that serve breakfast all day. Lunch is normally served from noon until 3 PM and at least one good pub or restaurant can be found in every town. You can choose by sight or ask the locals for recommendations. Some serve "pub food" (soups and sandwiches or stews) and others serve full meals. The better ones will have the menus posted near the door. When in doubt, fish and chips are always a pleasant safe bet. The Irish eat dinner later than we are used to – with the prime hours being between 8 and 10 PM. Early seatings are plentiful, but reservations are recommended during the prime hours especially for the more popular dining spots. Dress is casual although a few of the fancier places require a coat and tie but those are usually the restaurants at the castles and 5-star hotels.

Unless you feel more comfortable with them, traveler’s checks aren't necessary if you have an ATM card. Almost every town has a bank with an ATM machine that will accept most of the normal US cards and almost every shop, restaurant, pub, or attraction will accept the standard US credit cards. The Euro (€) is the currency standard in the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland) and the ATM limit for most machines is €600. It seems that Ireland simply changed prices from the the old Irish pound or punt (£) to Euro dollars which has made everything more expensive than it was a few years ago. In fact many printed signs at tourist attractions may still say £ but they mean €. If you venture into Northern Ireland, the currency switches to the British Pound Sterling (£) and the exchange rates are totally different. However, recently they have gone to a dual currency system in the North where they now accept the euro dollar.

The transition to driving on the "wrong" side of the road was not nearly as difficult as I had been led to believe – maybe because I’m left-handed and, as I’ve frequently been told, I think the wrong way anyway. I found the Irish roads to be pretty well marked albeit poorly surfaced except for some of the national highways. Somewhat disconcerting is the fact that the distances marked on the signs jump between miles and kilometers. Newer signs use the former and older signs use the latter. Even so, I was able to find my way around fairly effortlessly. Admittedly, I got lost a few times but, in every case, those brief "detours" always led to a discovery of something I enjoyed finding. In Gaeltacht regions, it's a bit more difficult as the map is in English while the signs are in Irish. The conditions range from divided motorways (expressways) to extremely narrow country roads – often on the same road!! As of January 2005, the speed limits in the Republic have changed. The speed limit on motorways is now 120 km/h or approximately 75 mph. On National roads (N routes) it is 100 km/h (approx 62 mph). Once you get off the main roads the speed limit becomes (50 mph) 80 km/h on regional and local roads though, on the winding country roads, you’ll be lucky to exceed 40 mph. In the towns and cities it is generally 50 km/h (30 mph) with lower limits imposed in designated areas near schools and other cautionary areas. Although becoming more plentiful in the US, roundabouts and mini-roundabouts are used extensively throughout Ireland. The roads and streets are narrow - even the national roads - and there is not much room for two-way traffic. Often, the roads are unmarked and, as you will frequently find, the travelers must decide who has the right of way on occasions when only one car can pass. The presence of a bridge or a steep cliff raises the pucker factor especially if there are bicyclists or motorcyclists in the equations too. In many places there are areas that one car can pull off (called lay-bys) to let the other pass though one of you may have to back up. Double parking is the norm and triple parking is not uncommon. This doesn't leave much room for you. So, be careful. You will often find an oncoming car in your lane. Luckily, they will be driving slowly so it isn't all that unsafe - just a bit unsettling the first couple of times. On the narrower streets, people park on the sidewalks. On those winding roads, you never know what’s around the next bend – a wide truck, a tour bus, a tractor, or an entire herd of livestock. I encountered cattle herds three times!! The Irish use international symbols for their roads signs that can be rather entertaining at times. They also have some quaint terms such as traffic calming (whatever that means?) and no naked lights. And, for those of us who are not the brightest bulb in the lamp, many streets are marked to tell pedestrians which way to look for traffic.

The climate in Ireland is unique and is a perennial subject of conversation. There is an old saying, "You don't go to Ireland for the weather". However, the weather in Ireland can be quite pleasant. The temperature remains relatively moderate throughout the year, never getting too hot to or too cold. Temperatures typically range between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to10 Celsius) in the winter months and 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (16 to 21 Celsius) in the summer months. It rains a lot, and seldom snows. Accumulations are greatest in the West and least in the East and occur most frequently in the summer months. Storms can blow in from the Atlantic without notice. It can be sunny one minute and raining the next. It can be sunny, quickly shower, and once again become sunny. A few moments later, you would never know it rained at all. Often the rain does not last long and comes as soft showers or a fine mist. They often produce absolutely spectacular rainbows. Since the weather is often unpredictable, I recommend you dress in layers that can be adjusted as the weather conditions change. Night temperatures are cool (even cold) and the days can be quite warm. Since Ireland is so far north, in the summer months it doesn’t really get dark until close to 11 PM so you have a full day to use.

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