Travel day:

 We woke up ready to continue our journey. Most everything had been packed the night before so we were mostly ready. The main thing was to find breakfast before James was there to pick us up and take us to the ferry. One our way through the lobby we asked the man working the desk this morning...another new man...He suggested that we would be able to find someplace open on Grafton street. I thought I knew which one it was. But when he said that McDonald's was on that street, I knew that I had the right one. We headed over there. Most of the shops and restaurants were not open. We saw that some would be opening at 7:00. But we didn't want to wait. So we did actually end up eating at McDonald's. Hehe.. This of course would not have been my first choice. Though you have to go with what is open. “Toasties” Not sure if we really have these things in America. But I do know for certain we do not have them in McDonalds. Sort of a pita bread used to make a kind of grilled cheese and ham sandwich. It was pretty yummy.

After breakfast we went back to the hotel to do the final pack and went downstairs to wait for the taxi. But he was late for some reason. So the hotel manager called him asking if he was near. I do not know what happened, but it was not James who picked us up. He must have sent someone else our way. And we were really late. In fact we did not make it to the ferry in time. So we had a lovely 5 hour wait for the next ferry. Trust me, there is not much going on in the Irish Ferry terminal. Our biggest worry was that our rental car would not be there when we finally got to the other side. I tried to contact them, but neither the internet (no way to email them) nor the telephone (try calling one foreign from a different foreign country using money and phones that are not your native items). Also the car rental guy informed me later that the number they give you on the receipt would have done no good as it wouldn't have gotten to him anyhow.

On the Ferry:

I imagined a ferry. HA! Now who is to say that any of us are thinking of the same thing. But either way this was not what I was expecting. I was thinking largish flat boat thing that cars and people rode over the water on... Rails, seats outside, sort of thing. No way, it was much more closely related to a cruise ship. This thing was huge, and though it did take cars across the sea, I never saw them. They were loaded underneath, or would you call that below deck? When we walked onto this ship, the deck was fully inside, filled with tables. There were restaurants, a bar, and even a shop. Yes, need a bottle of wine or a Irish t-shirt? Maybe a box of candy or a tourist nik nak? No worries buy it on the ferry. The ride over took about 2 ½ hours. It was comfortable and quiet. Ella did talk me into going on top deck. Wow, it was windy and a bit cold up there.

When we landed it was time to figure out first where our checked bags were, and then if we still had a rental car and where we could pick it up. The luggage was easy. But guess what, we did not have to even show our passports. We expected to get a stamp saying that we had traveled to the UK, but we did not. I found that somewhat strange.

Then we continued to walk, and what do you know, the Eurocar kiosk was right there. We walked straight over and told him who we were. We all had a laugh about missing the ferry and wondering if we had a car or not. This man gave us directions (verbally) of how to get to Welshpool. Actually he gave us a list of town names, I believe 5 of them. Not road or street names, no directions, just the towns we needed to head for. We believed that we would have a GPS so did not worry too much.

We got our stuff in the car. I sat on the wrong side and got ready to drive. Breath, this is going to be scary. I got out of the parking lot. Whew! First round about.. Holy Cow! I have no idea what I am doing. I got off when I wasn't supposed to and I am driving away from my barely remembered verbal directions. No where to turn around. Residential area. Five minutes and we are already lost. Oh, GPS? No sorry it appeared that we did not have one. Yes, we are in Wales and we are going to die in a car accident or at the very least have to sleep in the car.

I do not know what I did. But I accidentally went into a parking lot. Then had to go through another round about. I turned several times. Actually I had wanted to go right once, but decided I couldn't because crossing the stream of traffic and trying to stay on the wrong side of the road was way too scary for me. I wanted to cry. But I just turned left. And sometime after this drove right up to the road with the sign directing me to the first town on my list. Miracle #1 of the night.

Now we are on the freeway, or whatever they call that type of road. I am driving and we are heading in the right direction. But it wasn't until now that I questioned the man's directions. Did we have to turn to get to the next town on the list? Did we drive straight through these towns? Breath, breath again. Just keep going.

Next town. Round abouts. Streets so narrow I wondered if one car should be driving on them let alone the oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the road. Keep breathing, keep driving. More round abouts. Drive. Another town. My stress level is still on maximum. Ten million things that could go wrong and they are all going through my mind. Hills, curves, up and down mountains and all driving on the wrong side of the road, no shoulders, and lots of British people wondering what is wrong with this woman driving. More round abouts. We are finally getting a handle on these things. Or at least we are marking of the towns on the list.

It is getting later, and I want to find the cottage. But it is 8ish and we haven't eaten, and there won't be any food for breakfast. So we have to go into town and find a grocery store before we can go to the cottage. Mostly I want to jump out of the car and hide under the table.

Miracle #2: We get to Welshpool. Try one way streets with round abouts while driving on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car. Miracle #3: We are still alive. We find the grocery store. Good thing I used google maps to explore this town from the comfort of my living room in Worms. I would not have known that Stanbury was a grocery store otherwise. No parking lot. No parking on the street. Tons of people driving around. Drive down and around. Round about, one way, round about. Parallel park with a huge car on the wrong side? No way. Woo. Not beautiful, but I did it.

Even shopping in a different country is hard. Food should be food, but it isn't exactly. Well, I guess any of it would be food. But things are wrong and funny looking. Who can tell which brand you should buy? Shopping achieved. Back in the car. Oh please don't let us die.

Funny thing, Angie presses a button trying to get the AC on, and the Sat Nav turns on. WHAT? We had one the whole time? So we sit there and try to put the cottage information into it. But here is the kicker... The people we are renting the cottage from have already told me that Sat Nav's do not get you to their place. But there neighbors. She also told me it was hard to turn around there. I did not comprehend the meaning of that, not just yet. But she had given us a map so I figured when we got close we would just use her map.

Start driving. Oh, gosh, I just need a glass of wine or something. This whole day has been a killer. But I am nearly finished. We start going. The GPS gives us directions, I follow. Turn? What? This is so not a road. Lol... I had thought the normal roads were narrow. No I am sure two cars cannot meet on this road, even though the lines seem to claim otherwise. Lucky for me not so many cars, maybe one? I can't clearly remember.

After several more turns, (understand we curving and going up and down hills and winding around this whole time, so when I saw turn I mean there is a choice of direction) I turn on a road. It is getting dark, and in the dark I am sure it is a dirt cattle road, similar to minimum maintenance roads. But this is where the GPS wants us to go. And Zeb says the printed map also agrees. I keep driving a couple of forks. I barely think my car fits on this road, no way to meet anyone else, EVER! Then the sat nav says were are there. But there is nothing. No way to turn around, I can only keep going. Zeb tells me where to turn. House.. stop... we have to ask for help. We have no idea where we are.

I get out and walk to the door. I am so done with driving. I knock, a lady comes to the door. She asks, “Are you Lisa?” I nearly cry. We are here? HOW? ! Miracle #4

We pull in the rest of the way and park. She takes us into the cottage and shows us around. No more driving. I will never drive again. That road will … how to meet other cars? No.. I am staying here forever! It is of course late so she doesn't talk long, but says they will come over in the morning with maps and suggestions of things to do.

British stoves – not like ours – our frozen pizza hard to bake. We finally had supper at about 10. I love my kids. Bed. Sleep. Relax.