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Archiver > CountyCork > 2000-09 > 0967869203


From: Thomas Ronayne <>
Subject: [Cork] Making the Trip
Date: Sat, 02 Sep 2000 00:33:23 -0400
References: <200009012345.e81Njpc29769@lists5.rootsweb.com>


Pat:

Take your ATM, take your Visa, take your Mastercard -- they all work, everywhere. Use 'em, you'll get the "right" exchange rate. Don't worry about the price of gasoline -- it's outrageous, it's
taxes, there's nothing you (or anybody else) can do about it, so go with the, ah, flow. You'll find Texaco, you'll find Shell, you'll find BP; six of one, half dozen of the other. Doesn't matter.

Ireland is really in the 20th century -- they have ATM's (at the airport, while you're waiting for the rental car paper work to get printed, find the ATM, get a couple of hundred Punts).
Don't take traveler's checks in American (Canadian, Whatever) funds -- you'll get royally screwed by the exchange joints. Use your credit cards and ATM cards. If you feel you really, really MUST
have traveler's checks, get 'em in Punts for Ireland, Pounds Sterling for England. Trust me on this.
Places to stay. You're going off season. Wing it -- look for B&B's where you want to go. Remember: Ireland is about the size of Indiana; it's pretty hard to go too far from one place to the
other, and it's pretty easy to find a B&B wherever you do go. Don't be afraid to change if you don't like the one you're at.
I can highly recommend the Old Presbytery, Kinsale (mailto:) and the Suncrest, Slieverue, Waterford (051-32732). Kinsale is not a bad place to "center" in -- good
accommodations, good restaurants, relatively easy to get to and from.
The car rental joints are world-wide; i.e., Avis, Budget, Hertz, and the locals. Get on the phone, make a reservation at the one you like the best. When you get there, check with the other
guys -- you may be able to make a better deal "on the spot." Be nice, cancel the reservation if you get a better deal. Remember that you're not really in a big hurry -- test the waters and see
what's available; you might be pleasantly surprised.
You probably are going to want a car with an automatic transmission. You may be a "manual is all right with me" kind of person, but remember that you're going to be driving on the "wrong"
side of the road, the roads are good (but not what you're accustomed to), and you might just want to do it the easier way so you've got one less thing to worry about.
Don't worry about converting metric to Imperial -- it's not worth the fuss, it's not worth the bother. Here's an observation: the numbers at McDonald's are the same as they are in North
America, but, guess what? The Punt is about $1.40 or so, so £1.99 is a little more (in dollars) than you're accustomed to paying. Again, go with the flow -- there's nothing you can do about it
and bitching about the prices of things will just make you look like a tourist. On the good side, if you buy stuff, you'll be able to get the VAT back either at the point of sale or when you're
ready to leave at the airport. If you don't know about VAT, trust me, you will learn (you will probably be ready to have any politician that suggest a "national sales tax" for the US taken out
and shot too). The last time I was in Ireland, gas was £.65 per litter -- you can figure out the price per gallon from that, but I did not and would not bother. Just remember that it's a lot more
than you'd normally be willing to tolerate.
And, finally, Ireland is one of the warmest and most comfortable places this world has to offer -- people are wonderful, welcoming, and friendly. You will have a great time -- be sure to get
yourself into a few local pubs and don't be afraid to talk to people.


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