Simply amazing day!

As so often happens, my itinerary has to be adjusted on the fly. Today, I decided to head down to Avoca, Nebraska. I really wanted to get there to see the town and see what it was like and bring gifts from Avoca, Nebraska. I got up early and got to the station for the 7:30 train. From there it took around 1 1/2 hrs to get to Arklow. I found out there...no bus to Avoca within the near future, so I hoofed it....10 km. Arrived around 11:40 and when I asked who I should talk to, a few people said "Tony" who owns the local pub. He was excited to meet me and said he was planning a "festival" for the Avoca's of the world in 2011. He gladly accepted my T-shirt from the Avoca duck races and gave me a shirt in return. Then he sent me off with Liam and Darragh. These two guys took me around the area of Avoca, showing me the town church, the cloth mill, an incredible view of the valley (it reminded me of both Switzerland and Boulder, CO), the place where Thomas More wrote "The Vale of Avoca," (that's close), copper mines, etc. Then we headed back to the pub where I had some Irish stew which was great! They shared so many other things about the town, etc. that I can't recall them all right now. I did right many of them down while sitting at the station in Rathdrum, where Darragh gave me a ride to so I could catch the train to Dublin. I couldn't believe what a great (lucky) decision I had made to go to Avoca. It will make me adjust some things over the next few days but worth it. I really felt like I was getting a flavor of local Ireland instead of just the big city, touristy places. Just got back to the hostel tonight around 9:00 pm so it's been a long day. Tomorrow, it's off west to Galway and hopefully to see the Cliffs of Moher. It's a 7:10 train so I'll need to again get up early. I hope everyone is doing well.

God Bless,
Scott
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I have arrived!!!

I have arrived in Ireland and have made my first night's lodging here. The flight from Omaha to Newark was smooth. I sat in the anchor seat with the engine right out my window. It was also right by the bathroom and I tried charging people 50 cents to use it but nobody was going for it...at least I tried. The turbulence wasn't too bad. Kind of like riding in the old, red pickup on a country road....I thought it was kind of fun. Tried to sleep on both flights but never could sleep in the air. I even tried acting like I was a student in one of my classes (ie. Kirby, Rebecca) but even that didn't help me get any sleep. I did visit with a couple of gals that were backpacking for the first time and offered some advice. One gal graduated from Palmer a few years ago and we knew people in common. The other was a teacher in Des Moines. Visited with another person who was on his way to rural Russia to work in an orphanage for the summer. Managed to navigate both airports alright also. Airline food stinks by the way....it's just terrible. My backpack arrived in good shape as well. I was planning on getting out of Dublin quickly and heading west but it's pouring ran right now and I got pretty wet finding this place to stay. Just felt it was better that I get a bed quick so I can be assured of turning in early. Oh, I watched "Mall Cop" and a couple of episodes of "Ice Road Truckers" on the flight from Newark to Dublin. Typing on this keyboard is slow by the way as a bunch of the symbols are in different places. Right now, I'm just hanging out here at the hostel as I can't actually get into a room until 11:00 a.m. (it's 8:15 a.m.) here right now. I'll warm up here, get settled in, and then head out on the town this afternoon. Some of the locals said it's supposed to clear up by this afternoon. Thought that it would be a good thing to write while waiting for my room to open up....2 Euros for an hour (that's about $3.00). If things go according to plan, it'll be a while before I write again...possibly 3 nights or so. That probably depends on how much it's raining and just how well the trains/buses will allow me to get through my schedule.
God Bless,
SNorris
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Night before

It's the night before I leave and I've been trying to cut down on how much my pack weighs. Originally, it was around 40 pounds without the tent. Now it weighs somewhere around 28 pounds but with all other stuff will be around 32 I'm guessing which is much better. I think I've got all of my bases covered and whatever else happens I'll have to just adjust on the fly. Mom and Dad will take me up to Eppley tomorrow morning. We'll get to the airport around 2 hrs before takeoff which is at 11:45 a.m. I'm not looking forward to going through security. Hopefully the flight will go well and I can get some sleep. I'll keep my fingers crossed that I don't get stuck sitting next to someone like the kids I teach (ZING!!)....HAHA!! Don't know if I'll be in a place the first few nights where I can update things or not. We'll have to see. Oh, I fly to Newark, New Jersey where I'll have about a 3 hour wait before boarding my plane to Dublin, Ireland then. Talk to you all later!!

Tentative Itinerary

2009 Europe:

June 17th-Dublin, Ireland. June 18th-Doolin, Ireland. June 19th-Killarney, Ireland. June 20th-Cork, Ireland. June 21st-Kilkenny, Ireland. June 22nd-Rossalare, Ireland ship to Cherbourg, France. June 23rd-Carentan, France. June 24th-Carentan, France. June 25th-Paris. June 26th-Paris. June 27th-Paris. June 28th-Luxembourg. June 29th-Bastogne, Belgium/Luxembourg. June 30th-Bacharach, Germany. July 1st-Munich, Germany. July 2nd-Berchtesgaden, Germany. July 3rd-Hallstadtt, Austria. July 4th-Salzburg, Austria. July 5th-Vienna, Austria. July 6th-Vienna, Austria. July 7th-Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic. July 8th-Prague. July 9th-Prague. July 10th-Potsdam/Berlin, Germany. July 11th-Potsdam/Berlin, Germany. July 12th-Arras, France. July 13th-Arras, France. July 14th-Take ship from Calais, France to Dover, England. London. July 15th-London. July 16th-Fly to Belfast, N. Ireland. July 17th-Belfast. Travel to Glasgow, Scotland. July 18th-Turnberry, Scotland. July 19th-Glasgow, Scotland. July 20th-Travel to Belfast. July 21st-Travel To Dublin, Ireland. July 22nd-Fly to Omaha.

Back in Broken Bow

Just got back from a hike that took about 2 hr 15 min...about 8.3 miles. My training needs to intensify these last two weeks which includes the hiking and lifting. I've done quite a bit of shopping here lately both in Broken Bow and back in eastern Nebraska. I'm real close to getting everything I need (I hope anyway). Still working a little on my "French" and spent alot of time yesterday doing more research and hashing out the fine details of things. That's probably what the rest of the day will be also, along with some lifting and possibly an afternoon hike also. That's it for today!