Great Expectations
There is a freedom in opening your mind to adventure. I've said before that I have a knack for making fortuitous discoveries by accident. And I've learned that sometimes finding the magic in life is just a matter of being open to whatever comes your way.
So, I'm ready. The papers are in order and the tickets are booked. My father's ashes have made the trip this far and soon they'll be in Galway Bay and in the town of his grandparents; Sligo. Of course I've done a bit of reading up on it. And I had to look on the internet to see juts what a three-doored car looks like. The bed and breakfasts came as part of a deal and I've decided not to look them up ahead of time. I think the surprise of driving up and wondering if it's the right place will be part of it all.
I can tell you that the town of Sligo is located on the Atlantic Coast and the Garavogue River, a good four-hour drive through diary land from Dublin. I'm expecting it to rain. But that's why Ireland is so green. And I've appreciated all the traveling tips I've gotten.
I've got pointers on what to look for and what to avoid. A waitress I met this past weekend is actually getting a masters degree in Irish History at UNR and wrote out a list of important travel tips for me on a receipt. And a very dear friend gave me a book of maps of Dublin. I hear the roundabouts are crazy and when you take into consideration that you drive on the left and turn to the left I see it may be a challenge.
Challenge and change are important elements in life that we all seem to shy away from, yet sooner or later we all have to face. So I'll be doin' that whilst listening to the lilting brogue of the Emerald Isle and perhaps having a pint in bars of old.
See, an adventure is best left open-ended. When I took my kids to Hawaii, which is seriously the last big adventure I can recall, it wasn't what went right that we retell stories of. It was how we broke the snorkels, how we lost the zip-in windows to the rental car, how I broke my toe and how my daughter met the Hawaiian paramedics. So I know from experience that sometimes how you deal with what comes your way, can be the best part of an adventure.
So bring on the three-doored car, bring on the narrow roads and the Bed and Breakfasts in the hinterlands. I seriously can't wait for whatever Ireland has to offer.
As for here, my expectations are simple. I'm just hoping that when I get back, my house is still standing, there's some milk in the fridge and the cats are still alive. With my three kids watching after this place, I will consider it a win.