May 27th Issue

E and I......This is from a gig that "E" and I did for Habitat for Humanity. (Sorry, but this shot was taken just before she whipped off that conservative coat revealing the Las Vegas showgirl outfit, climbed on top of the piano and belted out the greatest hits from "Wicked." (Not bad for a Methodist on a Sunday.)

Issue #24…

Final Group Meeting

Etch the date into your calendar… Sunday afternoon, June 29^th, 3 p.m. in the fellowship hall of 1^st Presbyterian in Jacksonville. This will be our final rendezvous before taking off for Ireland and points east. If you are present at this meeting then I’ll give you your plane tickets on the date. If you know you won’t be able to attend, let me know and I’ll mail them to you.

It won’t be a long gathering…just spending enough time to answer any last minute questions and get our final bearings.

Please enter via the north entrance.

Our First Taste of the Emerald Isle

Our very first stop after landing in Limerick will be Adare. The little village tucked into the west side of Ireland, it’s often been the winner of the “Tidiest Town” award. (Cute title!) The Third Earl of Dunraven built a street with thatched cottages and well trimmed hedges at the gates of his early Victorian Manor in the 1820s, and this collection of “outdwellings” has become the present-day Adare. History had already endowed Adare with an exquisite backdrop to further please the eye - an ivied Norman Castle beside the river Maigue and the best collection of ruined medieval friaries in Ireland. These include a 13th century Trinitarian monastery, a 15th century Franciscan Monastery and a 14th century Augustinian Monastery.

Here’s a YouTube link that’ll give you a quick travelogue: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG9Yl7L9nxQ

Something Worth Checking Out…

Although I’ve talked a great deal about packing light, nephew Doug passed along one of the best sites I’ve seen on not only why you should do it, but how to do it.

http://www.onebag.com/

From The Horse’s Mouth…

And instead of plodding through lots of websites to discover what you can and cannot take onto the plane, why not simply go to the Transportation Security Administration’s website? Tsa.org

Show Time!

And any day now the Passports Tour office will be asking me what show we’d like to see in London (included in the price of our tour.) If you’re like me, any of them will be a thrill, but in case you’d like to email me a vote, here’s what’s playing this week (the musicals, anyway):

AvenueQ
BillyElliot
BloodBrothers
Buddy
Cabaret
Chicago
DirtyDancing
Divas
Eurobeat
GonewiththeWind
Grease
Hairspray
HighSchoolMusical
IntoTheHoods
JerseyBoys
Joseph
LesMiserables
MammaMia!
Marguerite
NeverForget
Oliver!
PhantomoftheOpera
SoundOfMusic
Spamalot
Stomp
TheHarderTheCome
TheLionKing
TheLordoftheRings
WeWillRockYou
WestSideStory
Wicked
Zorro

Issue 23, May 21st

Wendy starring in Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats

Issue #23…

Our Financial Scorecard…

We’re getting closer to economic security for Keith as only six folks have yet to pay for the bus fare to St. Louis and six have yet to send him the cash for the foreign currency.

A Bit Of Medical Trivia

Just in case you want to add this to your font of scientific knowledge… If you go in for an MRI, either take your pants off or take the credit cards out of your pocket. Mine are now toast.

Credit Card Warning…

Fellow-journeyer Bill Curry gave me an article from National Geographic magazine stating that some merchants now tack on an additional 1-3% surcharge if you use your credit card. (The darned Australians started it.) The good news: 1) Ireland is one country that’s passed legislation banning the practice, 2) debit cards usually aren’t subject to this charge, and 3) the practice is predicted to be totally banned by the end of 2009.

More Packing Tips from National Geographic…

Geesh..I remember my high school days when I only looked at National Geographic to see the cool non-outfits on the native women…

According to packing expert Susan Foster:

---PARE DOWN is the by-word. Do not plan to wear the same amount of clothing that you’d use for the same amount of days back home.

---Cross-pack. Put one change of your clothing in another travelers luggage in case your luggage ends up in Afghanistan. (Cool idea…and I’ll leave it up to Dude Wildrick to explain why he has a bra in his luggage.)

---Learn how to ROLL your clothing.

---Group toiletries into a freezer bag and put them in the center of your suitcase, bubble-wrapping if necessary.

---And here’s one from me: avoid taking a camera by buddying up with someone. When you get home, get doubles of their shots.

The Final Meeting

Some of you have inquired about a final group meeting before we take off. Yep, I plan to schedule one very close to our departure date. I’d like to have our tickets and times in hand when we meet again. And as before, for those of you unable to make the meeting, we’ll keep in touch.

Movin’ On…

Congrats again to Wendy, Erich, and Hannah on their upcoming graduation from Triopia. And it was good to see so many of you come out to enjoy their production of Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats. In case you’re interested, the text of the production can be found online at triopia.blogspot.com

Baggin’ It…

I came home one day this week to see the UPS had deposited two very large boxes of travel bags on my doorstep. Not needing 42 more pieces of carry-on luggage, I’ll be meting them out to you. (Okay, you actually own them.) They’re a stylish dark blue, can be used as a tote or a backpack, and come with straps to slip them across your back..(depending upon how low you wear and where God placed your back.) Bottom line: use them if you wish, give them away to a deserving nephew, or do what many folks do: fold them flat into your suitcase and take them with you for those days on tour when you just want to take a few things. I’ve passed a few out, Bill picked up a handful to distribute to local folks, and if I don't get yours to you before our final meeting, I’ll deliver it then or mail it to you.

More Later!...

May 15th Issue

Hannah & Erich in their Dueling Banjos face-off as they rehearse for Privies and Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats to be presented this weekend.

Issue #21…Wendy takes the stage as her cast preps for the final show of their high school career.

A Friendly Reminder…

Keith is still 8 people short in paying the $50 for our airport transport. Please speed it along to him as soon as possible. I have a birthday coming up in November and I want to make sure he has the funds to buy me a present.

In Case You Didn’t Know…

We have the world’s #1 most avid, fanatic and dedicated Beatles fan among our group. To avoid her embarrassment I won’t give her name, but she happens to be married to Dude Wildrick. So..in honor of the unnamed lady, I thought I’d pass along the word about a London two stores across the road from each other on Baker Street.. “The Beatles Store” and “It’s Only Rock and Roll.” Here’s the blurb:

“From clothing and bags, to mugs, lunch boxes and magnets, to miniature guitars, drum kits and figurines - be it kitsch or collectible, you will find your Beatles paraphernalia here.

Across the road at ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ the scope broadens to include the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Pink Floyd, plus loads more.

Upstairs at the Baker St location, ‘It’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll’ has a Beatles gallery featuring original Beatles memorabilia, art, film & promo posters, autographs, photography and other rare Beatles items.”

Kay’s Pass-along

Kay Welsh passed along an interesting site in that it seems to narrow down the most popular London attractions. Log onto londonpass.com to view.

The Bucks Have Stopped Here…

I think Keith or I have contacted everyone, but the foreign currency has arrived at Franklin Bank and by now most of you have picked it up for Keith. I picked mine up on the way to play for a church service at Lake Jacksonville. Both Andrew and Travis were also at the service. When I showed the money to Travis, he said, “Oh come on. Where’s the real stuff?”

You can take the boy out of the country, but….

One Fine Guy…

Our sympathy and prayers to fellow traveler Wendy Love and her family. Wendy’s grandfather, Wayne Briggs, was simply one of the finest men I’ve ever known. I know that he and Grandma Judy were very excited when they heard that Wendy would be going to Europe this summer. Another of our group, Virgene Burnham, was also a great friend of Wayne and remains one of Judy’s closest chums.

They Even Have a Name for It

And I wish I could think of it. Psychologists have actually given a name to the strange affliction that attacks many travelers just before departure. Although the exact psychiatric term eludes me at the moment, it’s that insane feeling that you’ve just made a horrible mistake and shouldn’t be going. This was crazy! Why did I ever sign up? What was I thinking?

The good news: it happens to most folks. Just grin and say, “Wow! I’m normal!”

A “Short” Report

Okay, so I finally received my six-pack of “disposable underwear.” How can I describe these things? Think plasti-coated paper towel… think “Depends.” I tried on a pair and among other things found them to be opaque. Remembering how Mom always told us to wear our best underwear in case we were in an auto accident, I tried to figure out my travel schedule for the day.

In BRIEF, I gave one pair to Nick Stephens with a quotation from Huckleberry Finn where Huck says, “You go first, Jim. I’s skeered.” I tossed a second pair to Travis just as he was about to get to sing at church…thought he might get a whole new meaning of sanctification.

Cinco De Mayo Issue

Issue #20…

Irish Dreaming

Just for the fun of it, as you think about the trip, click on this link, close your eyes and dream a bit….

http://www.ziplo.com/irish.htm

Congrats to “Y”

One of our group, Y Nhu Pham, has her first big time job!...as an accountant for (I think I have the name correct) Midwest Cellular. AND.. her new employer is going to give her the traveling days off. Not bad for a new hire! Methinks Y laid on the charm…at least that’s how she handles me.

Your Euro’s Enroute

Keith’s ordered our Euros and pounds and I’m sure that as soon as they come in he’ll be contacting you.

From Keith: I will let each person know by email or telephone the amount they owe
and they can send me the money. After I have
received our payment from our travelers, those near by can pick up the currency at the bank, at my home or what ever arrangements we can make. I will hold the others and give it to them at our next get together.

Bob and Jan Chipman whale watching ..(a good ways north and west of London)

The “Longest Day”….

Just to prepare you a bit, July 3^rd will be one of the longest and strangest days of your life. You’ll rise early, get to the airport…wait… fly to New Jersey..debark…wait…get on a bigger plane to Shannon….sit…fidget…

All the while you’ll be asking yourself…where am I? What time is it? Is that really the Atlantic Ocean down there? Are they going to serve us any food? Is there still a line for the restroom?

In short, you’ll be delightfully discombobulated. The first day of a trip to Europe is sort of a fog of airport gates, seat assignments, and wondering if you left the iron on back home. By the time July 4^th arrives you may regret that General Washington ever won that war. It’d be so much easier if Great Britain were still right next door.

But…that’s the joy of getting there. If it was close and easy then everybody would be there. And, at the risk of repeating myself, here are some tips to get you through the day…

…Bring something to read but make sure it’s not very important that you remember it.

…Drink plenty of fluids. Despite recent efforts by the airlines to pump more moisture into the cabins, the air is still dry and dry air tires you. Don’t worry: not everything you take in at the altitude will need to be let out.

…Get a good night’s sleep on the two days before we depart then do your best to rest wherever you are..on the plane, in the airport, on the bus… Our goal is to be in good shape for Limerick’s tour.

…Think upon the long waits and sits as a good chance to know your fellow travelers. We really are a pretty cool bunch.

…Relax! We’re on vacation!

Two of our Chicago-area travelers as they explored Alaska last year. And no, Dublin won't be that chilly.

Check out the Outhouse

If you know me, you know I’m always promoting a play. This time it’ll be three of our travelers: Erich Nobis, Hannah Stephens, and Wendy Love appearing in Privies & Party Lines, Romance & Rumble Seats, a project of our Lincoln Land Community College Class. Erich, Hannah & Wendy along with five other classmates have logged over 200 hours interviewing “seniors” residents of Central Illinois about their lives and times growing up, falling in love, going to one-room school houses, dating, living through the wars and the Depression, etc. And another of our fellow travelers, Maxine Crawford, was among those interviewed.

It’s a great show and it’s free of charge. In case you’re interested in attending, here’s the schedule:

May 17^th, 7 p.m. Chapin Christian Church

May 18^th, 2 p.m. St. Peter’s Church of Arenzville.

News Bits from the Group….

---I’ve been hearing some interesting packing stories already…and a few choice ones from the spouses and relatives of our travelers .. I won’t share those right now.

---The ailing among us seem to be healing.

---I was politely read the riot act by a lady who called to sign up her grandson for the trip. When I told her that we’d passed the deadline she said, “Yes, but you can fix things like that, can’t you?”

---Maxine Crawford recently returned from her Texas tour.

It was a big day for the Stephens family as well as the rest of us as Hannah and Nick's mother Sheila (in the yellow) was awarded a top teaching award recently. (That's Jeff Stephens crowding into the picture in the foreground.)

A Word About Couriers…

That’s their official name… “courier.” They’re the person who’ll meet us at the airport in Shannon and will accompany us on the entire trip, securing our lodging arrangements, answering our many questions, giving directions, and generally being our guide to the trip. My guess is that he or she will be British. These couriers are an interesting lot…it’s a seasonal job for most of them so they’re often students or teachers.

I look back with much nostalgia at the various couriers we’ve had over the years… a very large German lady who was a pre-med student doing summer work. Built along the lines of a German tank, Elga followed the old European tradition of not shaving her legs. When she put on hose her legs looked like a map of the Ozarks. ..and when she raised her arm to point out a landmark..well… the Ozark was well-foliaged. Elga spent our entire trip through Italy shouting at our Italian bus driver, a hapless old fellow who understood neither English nor Elga’s German. I think he was being paid by the hour and saw no need to rush anything.

Then Champaign Dave, our guide to the Soviet Union. They seemed to know him everywhere we went and we found that his nickname was well-earned.

One of my favorite couriers was a theatre director from London….cool guy. He often diverted us from our scheduled itinerary because he had a better idea. We got a tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company on the Thames that was much better than any guide we could have hired for the day.

Then there was our little Spanish guide to London, Paris, and Madrid. About four feet tall, Gracia could bully her way through any hotel system and wrestle any bus driver.

Linda, an Irish girl who was our tour guide to London…clueless but sweet.

And of course there’s a string of couriers whose names I’ve long forgotten..but our favorite was Richard Taylor, a Brit from Brighton, England. He’s been our courier on two different tours and I’m now the godfather of his middle child, Freja. Needless to say, our relationship has been quite wonderful over the years and he’s been over here to visit us a few times on Thanksgiving. I’d try to get him again but he’s a flight attendant for Virgin Airlines and his wife works for Swiss Air. Richard’s been twice-voted the top blues harmonica player in Great Britain and when he interviewed at Virgin, he played his harmonica. (Virgin Airlines is always looking for something off-the-wall, and that’s Richard.)

On one hand, some of our trip’s success depends upon the skill and personality of our courier…and on the other hand, we’ve never had a bad one. …hairy armpits and all.

They usually “jump companies” during the tour season, switching their “Passports Tours” coat for an “EF” or a “Globus” outfit between tours. Not terribly well-paid and depending a great deal on tops, but they do have what must be an enjoyable job.

Not to worry you..but this is fellow journeyer Erich Nobis being hauled off on a stretcher, a part of his LLCC theatre class's accident reenactment. And you think you have rough days? He had to spend the morning strapped to this thing.

Hey! You getting excited? I am!

April 29, Issue 19

Issue #19…

A greased-up Erich and a bobby-socked Hannah onstage in their recent production of Doo-Wop.

May Day! May Day!

A reminder: Keith will be sending in our orders for currency on May 1st. I think most of you want the cash have responded. Keith says that so far he has money orders from 17 of us.

Da Bus….

Keith has also secured a bus for us for July 3^rd and 15^th. The total cost is $675 each way for a 47-passenger bus (the smallest available that’ll still fit us in…so…lots of room.)

This includes them picking us up at the Hardees parking lot in J’ville then snatching up our Springfield contingent at the Target lot in S’field.

The round-trip cost will be $50 per person. (It actually comes in at $46.75, but this will allow us to tip the driver.) With gas at $3.60 per gallon, parking $8 per day and hotels $100 plus per night, it’s a good deal. They require a deposit which Keith will take care of, and I’m sure he would appreciate the riders then sending him a check….

Keith Bradbury

34 Ivywood

Jacksonville, IL 62650

The Kay Financial Report:

Kay Welch passed along this helpful website. It’s a highly readable overview of British and Scottish money and more tips on ATM machines and such:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g186216-s601/United-Kingdom:Banks.And.Money.html

More “currency” info from Ann:

“I've read that the cheapest way to change currencies without fees is just to use an ATM in the foreign country. The fees vary from bank to bank, but they are lower than changing currency directly. You just have to make sure your bank's card works in other countries.
For credit cards, most have 1-3% fees for using them in foreign countries. Capital One is the only card that doesn't charge any fees. So if you get one of those, you can use it in Europe, and there won't be additional fees tacked on to charges. The charge will just be converted to US$ on your bill at whatever the base exchange rate is on the currency markets.
Here are some links that tell more about it”
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/cc/20050624b1.asp
http://europeforvisitors.com/europe/articles/atm_conversion_fees.htm
http://www.flyerguide.com/wiki/index.php/Credit/Debit/ATM_Cards_and_Foreign_Exchange

A Nick-Link…

“This is a link to an image that I thought you might or the rest of the travelers might be
interested in. It came off of nasa's web gallery which I tend to frequent for the neat aerial images. This is Edinburgh, Scotland from the sky.”
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_1069.html

A Keith-Link…..

Keith passed this along as a user-friendly link to convert our bucks into their pounds and Euros: http://www.ask.com/web?q=number+of+US%20Dollars+in+100+Euro&qsrc=8&o=2811&l=dis

An Off-the-Cuff-Link....A Few More Travel/Packing Notes and Reminders…

---Please write your name and home address and tape it inside your suitcase in case your tag is torn off in transit. And…of course it’s a good idea to also include at least the first address where you’ll be staying in Ireland (once we know.) This way the airline will have a clue on where to deliver a late bag. I tape my entire itinerary inside my suitcase.

----Know where your passport is?

----Got an under-the-clothing carrying case for passport and cash?

---Of course you don’t want to over pack your carry-on, but keep in mind that in case of lost luggage, that carry-on might be a good place to put at least one day’s worth of necessities.

---I hope you’ve given some thought to rain gear. There’s a reason why Ireland is to green and it’s got nothing to do with fertilizer.

Visitors to the Stage…

It’s been good to see some of you as you’ve come to watch Hannah and Erich star in Doo-Wop at Triopia. As you saw, they are indeed two very talented young people and I can assure you that their maturity and kindness matches their talent onstage. And thanks to Janet Long for being in charge of our “hair from the fifties.”

And...three of our intrepid crew of travelers will be appearing in another show in May... Erich, Hannah, and Wendy will be performing "Privies and Party Lines, Romance and Rumble Seats," a collection of memories from our community from over 200 hours of taped interviews with our older residents. The specs: May 17, 7 p.m., Chapin Christian Church, and May 18, 2 p.m. St. Peter's Lutheran of Arenzville. (I know the the director and he's really cute.)

From the Bonnie Lass…

Fellow traveler Bonnie Flynn sends this report from her knee surgery and thanks all for their prayers….

I will have P.T. at home three days a week and the nurses will come in twice a week and draw my blood to see how my blood thinner is working. After six weeks I can discontinue that. Everything went well with my surgery. A couple days ago during one of my P.T. sessions I told the girl that when I did that exercise I felt like I had a nail running through my knee and she said, "you do have a nail running through your knee."

And more…please keep another couple fellow travelers in prayer… Rhonda Downs who’ll be contemplating surgery soon and Joyce Woodside who’s been getting good reports from her recent illness.

A short List…

Of What’s happening in Ireland during the first part of July.

· all Juli: 81st Cobh Summer Carillon Recital Season, St. Colman's Cathedral (Cork)

· all July: An Emigrant's Tale, Dooley's Hotel (Waterford City)

· all July: Ballykeeffe Midsummer Concerts, Kilmanagh (Kilkenny)

· all July: Diversions Festival, Temple Bar (Dublin)

· all July: Flora Birrensis 2008, Birr Castle (Offaly)

· all July: Hugh Lane Centenary Exhibition, Dubl9n City Gallery

· all July: International Circus Season, Temple Bar (Dublin City)

· all July: Jonathan Barry Exhibition, Dublin Writers Museum

· all July: The Writers Entertain, Dublin Writers Museum

· all July: Trad on the Prom, Salthill (Galway)

· all July: Wicklow Gardens Festival, County Wicklow

· all Juli every Wednesday: "The Booley House", St. Michael's Hall (Ballyduff Upper, Co. Waterford)

· all Juli every Tuesday and Thursday: Draiocht Na Faille Deirge, St. Paul's Community Centre (Clogheen, Co. Tipperary)

· -4th: Heritage Among the Drumlins, Cootehill (Cavan)

· -5th: Ireland's Environment & Culture, Gleann Cholm Cille (Donegal)

· 1st-6th: Cavan Summer Festival, Cavan Town

· 1st-6th: Connacht Fleadh, Westport (Mayo)

· -6th: Cairde Summer Festival, Sligo Town

· -6th: Cork Midsummer Festival (Cork)

· -6th: West Cork Chamber Music Festival, Bantry House (Cork)

· -23rd: Laois Walks Festival

· 2nd-6th: Feile Brain Boru, Killaloe (Clare) and Ballina (Tipperary)

· 2nd-6th: Waltons Guitar Festival of Ireland, Dublin

· from 2nd: Seisun 2008, Gurteen (Sligo)

· 3rd-5th: Bellewstown Races (Meath)

· 3rd-6th: Bard Summer School, Clare Island (Mayo)

· 3rd-6th: Castlebar International 4 Days' Walks Festival (Mayo)

· 3rd-6th: Hot Air Balloon Festival, Kilkenny Town

· from 3rd: Trad Beo, Aras Inis Gluaire (Mayo)

· 4-5th: Drogheda Samba Festival

· 4-6th: All-Ireland Open Festival of Dancing Championships, Gort (Galway)

· 4-6th: Blackstairs Opera Festival, Rathnure (Wexford)

· 4-6th: Ennis Street Festival (Clare)

· 4-6th: Feile Peile na nOg (Cavan)

· 4-6th: Killybegs Community Carnival and Maritime Festival (Donegal)

· 4-7th: Roundstone Open Arts Week (Galway)

· 4-13th: Armada International Week of Set Dancing, Spanish Point (Clare)

· 5th: Killusty Pony Show, Fethard (Tipperary)

· 5-6th: Achill Marathon (Mayo)

· 5th -6 th: Bundoran Horse and Pony Racing Festival (Donegal)

· 5-6th: South of Ireland Band Championships, Clonakilty (Cork)

· 5-12th: Dr. Douglas Hyde Summer School of Traditional Irish Music, Ballaghaderreen (Roscommon)

· 5-13th: Clonmel Junction Festival (Tipperary)

Gosh…think we’ll ever find anything to do?

And Lest You Forget Where You Are…

There is still an actual language called “Irish” although most Irish speak English for everyday banter. An example of Irish-speak:

Dia duit (God to you.)

Dia is Muire duit God and Mary to you. (reply)

Go mbeannaí Dia duit May God bless you.

Bail ó Dhia ort I'm doing well. The blessing of God on you.

Slán leat Good Bye (said to the person leaving)

Slán agat Good Bye (said to the one remaining)

Patience…patience…patience…

I got a polite inquiry from one of our group asking why the tour company won’t tell us earlier about flight times. I’ve been dealing with tour companies since ’79 and they all work the same way.

During the winter the tour companies book large numbers of plane tickets with various airlines depending upon the destinations. Groups like Passports literally do not know the flight times until what seems like the last moment because that’s when they get the info from the airlines. So…why do airlines wait so long? Although some flights are on regular schedules, once summer hits, flights are often booked according to the amount of traffic. So…we wait.

Best Not to Mention….

Fuel prices while in England. The price of gas (petrol) last week was 8 bucks a gallon!

A Few Things Scottish…

· A quote from American President Woodrow Wilson, "Every line of strength in American history is a line colored with Scottish blood."

· More than 100 governors of pre- and post- Revolutionary America were of Scottish birth or descent.

· Others from Scotland or of Scots descent in American history:
- 35 U.S. Supreme Court Justices, 25 of them are in the Great Americans Hall of Fame.
- Almost 1/2 of the Secretaries of U.S. Treasury and 1/3 of the Secretaries of State were Scots.
- 9 of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence were from Scots descent.
- 9 of the 13 colony governors made in the new USA were Scots.
- James Pollock, of Scots descent, put the slogan "In God We Trust" on American coins!

· 61% of American Presidents are of Scots or Scots-Irish descent.

· A Scot, James Watt, developed the first efficient steam engine and in so doing started the Industrial Revolution.

· A Scot, John Logie Baird, invented the Television.

· A Scot, John Napier, invented logarithms and the decimal notation.

· A Scot, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, invented the bicycle.

· A Scot, John Paul Jones, founded the American Navy.

· A Scot, Alexander Fleming, discovered Penicillin.

· A Scot, William Paterson, founded the Bank of England.

· A Scot, Alexander Graham Bell, invented the telephone.

· A Scot, John Chalmers, invented the adhesive postage stamp.

(I think it’s a bit hilarious that the Scots, known for their ability to pinch a penny, have contributed half of our U.S. Secretaries of the Treasury.)

The "Baggage" Issue..April 17

Issue #18…

What I’ve been able to learn about the luggage situation…

Many of you immediately emailed me to ask, “What does it mean by a medium-sized bag?”

I don’t blame you. It’s a rather ambiguous term. As our tour consultant, Kathy Bernard, said in her last email to me, the short hop from Dublin to Scotland will be with a British airline and the luggage policy may be more strict. So..(and this is solely from an Internet search)…I’ve found out the following about the two airlines that we’re most likely to use for our hop across the Irish Sea. Sorry, if it’s a lot of words, but I want you to know exactly what they say. I’ve tried my math-challenged best to translate metric into our system of measurement. Feel free to double check this English teacher. I’m quoting most of this from their websites:

RYANAIR

Each passenger is permitted to check in up to 3 bags with a maximum combined weight of 15kgs, subject to the payment of the applicable checked baggage fees. A discounted checked baggage fee is charged for each piece of checked baggage booked at the time of reservation on www.ryanair.com. If checked baggage fees are paid either at the airport or through a Ryanair call centre, the full rate will apply. (Click here for details)

No pooling or sharing of baggage allowances is permitted, even within a party travelling on the same reservation.

Any passenger exceeding their 15kg (33 pounds) personal checked baggage allowance will be charged for the excess at the applicable rate per kilo. (Click here for details)

There is no checked baggage allowance for infants. However, one fully collapsible pushchair per infant may be carried free of charge. Additional infant equipment is charged at separate fee per item. (Click here for details)

Mobility Equipment is carried free of charge.

For health and safety reasons Ryanair does not accept for carriage any individual item exceeding 32 kilos or with combined dimensions of more than 81cms (33 inches) (height), 119cms (46 iches) (width) and 119cms (46 inches) (depth). This weight limit does not apply to mobility equipment.

BRITISH MIDLAND

All passengers traveling to and from the UK are not permitted to check in any bag that weighs in excess of 32kg (70lbs). {GOOD LORD! 70 POUNDS OF UNDERWEAR AND SHOES!?)
The maximum weight limit of 32kg for any individual piece of baggage does not relate to your overall entitlement but is a safety measure to reduce injuries to baggage handling staff. Any item over 32kg (70lbs) should be referred to bmi cargo.
maximum size

Hand baggage must have a maximum length of 55cm (21 inch), width of 40cm (15 inch) and depth of 23cm (9 inch). These dimensions include wheels, handles, side pockets, etc. If your hand baggage exceeds this size, you will be asked to return to check-in and check the bag into the hold.
Checked baggage on flights to the USA and Caribbean should have maximum dimensions (length + width + height) of 158cm (62ins).

OKAY…let’s say we take United Airlines to Ireland…Here are the current United stats:

Maximum linear dimensions of all bags: 62 inches/158cm (length + width + height) each

50 pound limit per bag

Here’s Northwest Airlines:

• Northwest will accept luggage up to a maximum of 50 pounds (23 kg) and a total linear dimension of 62 inches (158 cm) per piece at no charge.
• Additional charges may apply for luggage weighing more than 50 pounds (23 kg) or with a total linear dimension of more than 62 inches (158 cm) per piece.
• For domestic and trans-Atlantic travel, the maximum weight accepted for any piece of checked luggage, including special luggage items, is 70 pounds. For trans-Pacific travel, the maximum weight accepted for any piece of checked luggage is 100 pounds. (YOU CAN TAKE HEAVIER SHOES IF YOU’RE GOING TO JAPAN?)

So…there we have it. The restrictions of Midland and Ryanair are indeed somewhat less lenient, but wholly manageable I think. Thus endeth the short and pithy tale of “What Is A Medium-Sized Bag?”

Hot news flash… You may have met her at our country club get-together. Sheila Stephens, mother of our traveler Hannah, was surprised today by receiving the Golden Apple Award for teaching. Both sets of grandparents and husband Jeff were tipped off to the surprise. So far I’ve not heard from Sheila. (Hannah would have attended but her mean old theatre teacher demanded she attend a rehearsal instead.)

Speaking of which..two of our travelers, Erich Nobis and Hannah Stephens will be appearing in the premiere of Doo-Wop at Triopia High School on April 24-26 at 7 p.m. each evening. Come and cheer them on! (The play’s author is a real doll, too.)

April 12, 2008

Issue #17…

Surprise! We’re 42, not 41!

It was much like the final 30 minutes of an Indiana Jones movie. The clock said 3:45 p.m. Our tour company deemed it to be the last day to sign-up for the tour. The Arenzville post office closed at 4:15. The race was on. Andrew raced from his school at the U of I Springfield, his mother dashed in from Chapin. They met within minutes of an awaiting KB at Triopia who had the forms in his hand. She signed. He signed. KB took off for the post office and slam-dunked the parcel into Uncle Sam’s hands with a scant seven minutes remaining on the clock. The result?

Andrew Hill, age 21, an upperclassman at the U of I Springfield with a major in…I don’t know..accounting or something obtuse like that..the son of Jeffrey and Karol Hill of Chapin. Long, tall, and loves to write music, sing, dance, play basketball, and box.

Welcome aboard, Andrew! If the rest of your trip proves to be as exciting as your entry into this touring group of crazies, you’re in for quite a ride!

Travis and our newest traveler, Andrew Hill, in their performance of "The Knollwood Tales" As usual, Andrew's playing guitar and Travis hasn't shaved.

Some Hot Tips from Anne..

This from a friend of Anne Wildrick after she’d taken a similar trip to ours:

Limerick--We drove through on one trip and our driver showed us where Angela's Ashes story took place but it is now modern housing so there is really nothing to see. Otherwise, nothing spectacular.

Adare - Absolutely beautiful to see. We stopped at Adare Manor and had drinks.

Killarney - One of my favorite Irish towns. We stayed at the Killarney Park Hotel and could walk into the town and shop our brains out in the quaint little shops. Great pubs, too, like the Danny Mann and the Laurels.

The Ring of Kerry is beautiful in the summer with all the purple heather growing on the hillsides and the beautiful lakes. Definitely worth the trip around.

Cork has the great Central Market and good shopping in downtown.

Blarney - You can't go there and not kiss the Blarney Stone once. Make sure you pay the money at the bottom to have them take your picture doing it, then pick it up at the bottom. They do let you use your own camera to take pictures if you prefer. Hope you have time to go to the Blarney Woolen Mills close by because they have every Irish brand imaginable.

Waterford - If you see a piece of Waterford crystal that you like anywhere during your travels in Ireland, just get it because it is the same price no matter where you go in Ireland, even at the Waterford factory. This tour description doesn't mention getting a tour of the factory and actually watching them make crystal pieces, just going to the visitors' center but the tour is pretty good too.

Dublin - The morning tour hits pretty much all the typical sites and the Book of Kells at Trinity College is pretty interesting. But in the afternoon when you are on your own, skip all the museums and go to Grafton Street to shop. It is foot traffic only and during the summer all the shops are open and the street entertainment is unique.

Reminders….

May 1^st is the deadline for contacting banker Keith if you want him to get you some foreign cash.

Please let Keith or I know if you’d like to avail yourself of the transport from the Jacksonville-Springfield area to St. Louis.

If you’ve not signed up for your optional excursions, here’s a friendly reminder to do so.

A “Short” Report from Keith:

“I went to travelsmith.com and got throw away socks and underwear. The underwear comes in 5 packs (the pack is about the size of a good sandwich). I wore them and they are not too bad. Will save lots of room in a suit case and they cost about a dollar apiece.”

Staying in Touch…

Some of you have asked about contacting each other. Here’s our list of email addresses. (Sorry if you didn’t want yours divulged, but they’ve been printed on all my group emailings anyway. This is just a more organized list:

Bradbury, Kenneth	ken@bradbury.cc
Love, Wendy	wlove90@gmail.com
Nobis, Erich	knobis@frontiernet.net
Stephens, Hannah	stephenss4@hotmail.com
Stephens, Nicholas	ncs077@truman.edu

Top of Form

Bradbury, Douglas	doug@bradbury.cc
Bradbury, Jennifer	jlbradbury2002@yahoo.com
Bradbury, Keith	bradbury@franklinbank.net
Bradbury, Nancy	bradbury@franklinbank.net
Burnham, Lola-Virge	601 S. Main, Virginia, IL 62691
Burrus, Adelle	delmart@burrusseed.com
Chipman, Janet	chipman@csj.net
Chipman, Robert	chipman@csj.net
Crawford, Ellen	jonmex@frontiernet.net
Curry Jr, George	gwcurry3@verizon.net
Deaver, Travis	tdeaver@hotmail.com
Downs, Rhonda	downs@irtc.net
Flynn, Bonnie	bonnie325@insightbb.com
Hall, Judith	judy.hall@agimedia.com
Henning, Karla	dickdir@aol.com
Hubner, Billie	hubnerb@cooketech.net
Johnson, Judith	judy@dtnspeed.net
Johnson, Robert	judy@dtnspeed.net
Long, Janet	jlong@family-net.net
Nelson, Claudia	cnelson@coscoindustries.com
Nobis, June	jlon@frontiernet.net
Pham, Y Nhu	ypham83@yahoo.com
Ryder, Margaret	tennismom03@sbcglobal.net
Ryder, William	tomryder@sbcglobal.net
Seiz, Mary Jo	m.seiz@insightbb.com
Seymour, Mary E	meseymour_61@hotmail.com
Toler, Sharon	rtoler1@otn.speed.net
Vicari, Maryann	sjvicari@warpnet.net
Vicari, Sandra	svicari@siumed.edu
Vicari Sr, Stephen	sjvicari@warpnet.net
Vinyard, Rhonda	rsv3@verizon.net
Welsh, Margaret	makayup@irtc.net
Wildrick, Anne	annewild@mchsi.com
Wildrick, Maurice	dudewild@mchsi.com
Winters, Tamra	tamiwntr@verizon.net
Woodside, Joyce	jwoodside210@hotmail.com
Hill, Andrew	drew12for3@yahoo.com

An Irish Saying:

If you want to know what God thinks of money, look who He gives it to.

A Bit More Monetary Info:

Reggie Toler, husband of Sharon, found this and passed it along:

Acceptance of Visa, MasterCard, and Eurocard is almost universal for retailing and most services, including supermarkets, accommodation, railways, restaurants, gas stations, department stores, payment of parking tickets, airport parking charges, etc. American Express and Diners Club cards are also accepted by some service establishments. Very few if any establishments accept The Discover Card.

Note: All EuroCard/MasterCard ATMs also accept Visa, Plus, and Eurocheque cards.

It is inadvisable to rely solely on a plastic card when travelling in any country. The risks include:

• Loss or theft of the card
• Corruption of the magnetic stripe rendering it un-machine readable
• ATM failure*
• Network failures affecting the authorization process

Beware when travelling anywhere that the Visa and MasterCard organizations and their member banks have a poor record in communicating and enforcing standards, and card rejection problems can arise with cards that work perfectly well "back home" - due for example, to manufacturing tolerance variations affecting readability of the magnetic stripe, security features, the use of PINs at point of sale, etc. The ideal is to bring at least two cards, (preferably issued by different banks - with one a Visa or Visa Plus and the other a MasterCard, Cirrus or AmEx), with some travellers cheques and/or cash for emergencies. Credit cards are slightly more reliable than debit cards because they can be used for over the counter (ie offline) cash advances at bank branches, whereas debit cards usually can only be used in ATMs. Over the counter cash advances often require additional identification (eg national ID card or passport) and frequently cost more than ATM withdrawals using the same plastic. Be sure to know your PINs!

*While the Dublin area is reasonably well served with ATMs, the same can't be said for smaller towns and villages where there may be at most one ATM in the locality.

Here’s the website…a good one:

http://www.iol.ie/~discover/fx.htm