Oh this is so Ireland.  Colourful houses, bookshops. poets corner, bakeries, water views, bakeries and silly hats!

Timoleague

One of the most wonderful things of travelling in a campervan is those stolen moments.  We stopped to find the way  - should we go to Courtmacsherry or... so we stopped and found this delightful walk along the river with gorgeous tiles showing the birds ... loved it

Stories of Freedom fighters, cows and sisters

Roger went off on a three hour tour of Irish freedom fighter Michael Collins - complete with renactment of his final ambush while I sat watching cows and writing a Sisters story.   Trying to get an anthology together of twenty stories with a theme of Sisters.... getting there!

And so we are off in the camper... it may be raining.. but hey the grass is green ... the doors my height and hey adventure awaits.

First day exploring with Nick

The first of many visits to Abbeys and gardens on this trip.   This time Nick took us to Jerpoint Abbey.  12 Century but impressive windows added in 15th Century... Loved the many carvings of individuals.   Great to see Nick.

 

Saw Nick's tattoo for the first time... felt so sad that he had lost his boys Charlie and Nathan.

And so to Woodstock Gardens.. gloriously restored.  Incredible to see derelict buildings lett by the Black and Tans.  Terrific to see the restoration work.  Loved the fiesty robins that came to steal our crumbs.

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And so to dinner at McLeary's restaurant where Roger got to taste his first Irish Guiness!

A walk around Waterford and then we watched the eclipse of the moon before going gratefully to our beds.

EIRE.. Ireland ... The land of the leprachaun and much more

We arrive at 3.00 ready to pick up our 2 person camper... At 7.00pm we left with a humungous camper... sleeps four and is 3.5 metres high.  Something that was going to cause us headaches later in the evening!

We cruise down the motorway - no problems.  Nicky my nephew sending messages the whole way.  Finally reached junction 11...phew!  Felt bad that we were so late and Nicky and Lynda had cooked dinner for us, but thankfully the sat nav told us we would be there in 10 minutes.

Then for some reason the sat nav started to go crazy...navigating from Oz... from 10 Birkley Rd Manly. in fact   It was having all sorts of problems finding an unnamed road in Ireland.  Tired after singing at the RAH the night before and then flying to Dublin we tried to navigate our way!  Finally when we reached a low bridge we gave up....We could not fit through.  10 minutes to destination said the sat nav cheerfully.

We gave up and called Nick.  Where are you he asked?   MMM I think we are at Milinavat.  We sent him a photo.  Can you drop a pin he said.... well actually our sat nav thinks we are in manly and is having difficulties!

Finally he worked out where we were and said.  "Hang on there we will come and bring you"  While we were waiting 2 cars pulled up.  "Are ye all right in there?"  they asked.  When we explained they said. "Well don't you be stuck now" and gave us directions to where they lived in case we needed to stay.

Nick and Lynda arrived and soon we were sitting in their gorgeous house eating a beautiful meal... Thanks Nick and Lynda!

Carmina Burana, Brian Kay & The Royal Albert Hall

It is always so exciting to arrive at the Albert Hall and to see the Memorial once more.  We are hot to rehearse.  Really happy this year as Brian Kay is a fabulous conductor and Carmina Burana is a fabulous piece of music.  The percussionists were fantastic even if during rehearsals they had their iPhone on  to watch the cricket...You know the match - the one the English sort of won but celebrated anyway.. (oooh!)

We quickly get back into our stride... rehearsing, dinner at the Spanish Tapas Bar and then into the performance finishing with drinks at Beit Hall!   Good stuff.

Great to have Vicky with us.. a tenor in our midst.  Also we got star billing as the "Noteworthies" 

from NSW!

Roger took himself off down the Thames while we slaved away perfecting our art!





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