Travel Tips

(A series of posts leading up to/including The Nocturnes Photo Tour in the West of Ireland, July 15-25, 2013; with a personal Genealogical Research Extension, in and around Ballina, July 25-29)

Wow! In three weeks time, we'll be in Ireland! Lots of planning has went into the trip - lots of excitement, too! - soon, all we (as a group of like-minded travellers) have to do is just land in Shannon and just BE . . . in Ireland!

Here are a few more tips on what to pack, what to expect, etc., some of which you may already know - if so, let's review:

What time is it?
Ireland is 8 hours ahead of us (Greenwich Mean Time + 1 for summer time) - so, when it's 7pm on the west coast of U.S., it is 3am in the morning in Ireland.

What about the "coin of the realm?"
The euro is the currency of the Republic of Ireland. 
One euro consists of 100 cent. 
Notes are €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200 and €500. 
Coins are 1c, 2c, 5c, 10c, 20c, 50c, €1 and €2.

As of this writing 1.00 EUR = 1.31060 USD
Credit and Debit cards with Visa/MC/AmEx logo are widely accepted. Don't pack Travelers Checks or $100 dollar bills - they won't be accepted.

How do we power up?
Ireland's power supply is 230v 50hz and uses different plugs and sockets (like those used in the UK). If the equipment you need to plug in is dual voltage AND dual frequency it will be marked as such - "120/240v, 50/60Hz" near the UL listing - and all you need is an adaptor like the one shown.

There are some at Hillcrest, but it might not be a bad idea to have your own (don't forget the "cheater plug") - as well - especially if you're staying on after the tour, as we are.

What about weather?
July is the warmest of the year in Ireland - up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, on warmest days.  Temperature readings in Ireland are noted as Degree Celsius. There's an elaborate formula to convert that figure to degrees Fahrenheit; an any number of smart phones apps to convert it automatically; but all you really need to know is that 10° Celsius is about 50° Fahrenheit; 15° Celsius is approx. 60° Fahrenheit; and 20° Celsius is very close to 70° Fahrenheit. And, that should do it!

From The [not so] Daily Nocturne