Sharing My Travel Adventure Ideas

Ever since I can remember, travel has been my main passion. I have visited every state in the USA multiple times and traveled extensively around the world while working as a flight attendant for Pan American Airways, Inc.

I’m often asked, “What is your favorite place in the world?” This question is always difficult to answer because each location has a unique cultural significance. My enjoyment at every destination comes from being with friends or family, exploring new places, learning about different cultures, and, best of all, eating.

During the past two years, I have spent time at the hospital daily with my ill 84-year-old father, the man who ignited my love for travel. This reflection led me to reminisce about all the wonderful experiences we’ve shared and the lifetime of travel adventure ideas that have provided plenty of great stories. Often, my family will ask, “Tell the one about….” With all these cherished memories in mind, I am excited to begin my blogging journey and provide travel tips for beginners, starting by sharing the thoughts I included in my last yearly Christmas letter:

“Old King Dennis was a Merry Old Soul, and a Merry Old Soul was He, He called for his pipe, and he called for his bowl, and he called for his Lemons Three.”

I made a lot of lemonade while caring for my two elderly parents.

January began with terrible rainstorms that devastated San Diego, and a cold, dark winter lay ahead. My dad was admitted to the hospital with a severe case of MRSA, where, during a test, he aspirated and had only a 20% chance of survival. Being Gaelic, a redhead, and very stubborn helped my dad fight hard to stay with us. His first major surgery was on his neck, which was the primary source of the MRSA infection. The operation took place on my parents’ 57th wedding anniversary—what a coincidence.

During his recovery from two surgeries, he requested lemons daily from our tree, claiming they provided him extra Vitamin C and boosted his immune system. This request also had the added effect of annoying me as he repeatedly called for his “lemons three.” Fortunately, his chance of survival improved to an 80% recovery of bodily functions. After months of daily intravenous antibiotics administered by his granddaughter, my dad received a clean bill of health and was able to return home. I finally took a moment to stop and enjoy a big glass of lemonade.

The months of watching her husband struggle with MRSA took a significant toll on my mother’s health, leading to her gradual decline into AFib and a weakened heart. I became weary of repeatedly calling ambulances to our home.

One of her specialists decided it was time to remove a 12-inch polyp from Mom’s colon. After she underwent surgery, I faced yet another setback: Mom developed AFib again, this time accompanied by pneumonia, during her rehabilitation stay. However, being Irish and having a strong-willed temperament, my mother made an impressive recovery and returned home by the end of the year.

At that time, I was ready for the year to be over. My mom had been my travel companion for many years, instilling in me a love of learning and, as an excellent cook during my childhood, introduced me to many culinary delights. That’s why one of my favorite aspects of my travel adventure ideas when planning an itinerary was seeking out wonderful places to eat.

Lemon is an essential ingredient in almost any recipe, so when life gives you a bowl of lemons, sit back, relax, enjoy the journey, and make some lemonade. Sipping a glass now reminds me of my many travels to Ireland as a flight attendant and with my family.

Ireland is one of my favorite places to visit and one of my popular travel tips for beginners. The McGinley name comes from Northern Ireland, while the Collins name originates from Southern Ireland. Dublin is the best city to explore and learn about your family heritage. A few years ago, my great-uncle passed away. He made many attempts to teach me Gaelic, which is a challenging language to learn. I remember some words, including ‘lemonade,’ which is spelled ‘Llíomanáid’ in Gaelic.

If you want personalized travel adventure ideas, contact me today, and let’s turn your dreams into reality. I offer the best travel tips for beginners and families looking to escape to beautiful, breathtaking landscapes in the United States or worldwide.

Flying into Dublin usually is the first choice for so many travelers choosing to start their journey in this majestic old-world city. My preference is to travel to Shannon Airport instead of Dublin. It is smaller & more easily managed. It takes a little longer in travel time from California but puts me in the right area of the country to start my journeys. Upon arrival in Shannon, it is very easy to rent a car, which really is the best way to see the countryside and also be able to stop at will at any of the numerous pubs along the way. 

Driving on the left side does require some getting used to, but with enough practice around the car port, driving becomes more natural. Just try not to veer to the right side as going up over the curb is frowned upon. One of my favorite places to stay is right outside of Shannon Airport called the Park Inn Radisson Shannon Airport. It is super convenient, and the rooms are economical. You just walk across the car port to the Inn. I enjoy their morning breakfast selection & they make a great Irish Coffee. Warms you up after a long day at airports & long wait times at customs. In the light of day, I walk back over to the airport, go to the pre rented car station & usually pick up an automatic vehicle as driving a stick shift requires more of my attention which I prefer to apply to driving on the left. Now that everyone is well rested the adventure begins. 

Starting out with the rental car can be frustrating until you get the knack of the engine going quiet when you come to a stop. The first time it happened I drove back & wanted to trade in the car. I was informed that in idle the car seems to be off but once you press the gas, the engine starts up again. It is a fuel-saving feature that comes in handy as I don’t have to buy as much petrol for our long journeys. Now with a new driving mindset, we start off on the expressway headed for Limerick. It is a quick and easy drive & getting around downtown Limerick is a lot less crowded than our California roadways. Walking is really the best way to get the feel of the town. We stay at the Limerick Strand Hotel usually as it is central for both coming and going & touring the town. The best way to see the sites is either on foot or to rent a bicycle. 

My last trip there was a reunion with Pan Am flight crews of yesteryear. It was focused on the Foynes Flying boat & Maritime Museum outside of Limerick city in the county of Limerick. The pioneering waterway that saw the launch of Pan Am’s Boeing’s 314 flying boat airplane. It was very informative about aviation history & the restaurant had delicious food especially their pastries, as well as their famous Irish Coffee of which my mom & I had two cups. We were entertained by local dancers and many a story was told before the afternoon ended. I would highly recommend a trip to this museum. It will take half your day to get through all the exhibits. Unfortunately, the museum sustained flooding damage a few years ago but I understand it plans to reopen in May of 2023! 

The local drug dealer Angel took me under his supervision & gave me a lot of life lessons. A tale for another time. However, one of the first things he told me was to stay on the outward edge of the sidewalk. If you veer inwards to the apartments, then you can be easily pushed down & robbed. One night I was walking home alone along 49th street in Manhattan around 10pm when 3 men were walking toward me. Two were on the opposite side of the street & the third was coming straight towards me. I had remembered Angels words & stepped off the sidewalk walking into the street. As we passed each other, the third man crossed over after passing me to the other side of the street to rejoin his friends. Suddenly, I heard someone shouting at me. I turned around while still walking & one of the men asked me “who taught you how to do that?” I replied: “Angel.” Another travelling tip he gave me, being so naïve at only 23 years old with little life experience, was when your lost don’t stand around looking lost. Go into a building until you can figure out your next move. A piece of advice that helped me out many times when travelling around the world. 

Travelling with a small coin purse that I can tuck away in my pants pocket helps me feel safer when out & about. Jeans are my preferred clothing option when touring a city. They have plenty of pockets and old-world dust can ruin nice clothes. Most hotels will have a safe to store valuables right in your room. All you have to do is select a code and then remember it. I will try out my chosen code opening and closing the safe before putting anything of value in it. Remember to write it down just in case you forget it later. Usually, I prefer to take a backpack with me instead of a purse for long travels. Choose a backpack with inside hidden pockets that is not too big or heavy. Usually I prefer to take a backpack with me instead of a purse for long travels.

On some occasions we stay outside of Limerick at the Bunratty Castle Hotel.