It's been hard to focus on writing a post in the last week as I have been thinking about getting work done before I leave on my three week trip to the UK and Ireland.  Well, that and I haven't had anything profound to say.  I have had a few moments and thought - "wow, that would be something great to blog about".  But then a day or so passes and I don't think it is all that interesting anymore.  Does that happen to anyone else?  Should I just go ahead and spill the beans on those things?  Who knows...sigh...

Anyway, this will be my last post before I leave tomorrow and since my trip is the only thing that I have on my brain lately, I figured I would tell you a little bit about that.  We leave tomorrow and head through Copenhagen to London.  I've been through Heathrow once, but wasn't there long enough to say that I have has an "experience".  I hear it is a massively busy place and am actually excited to get a chance to see what that is like.  I am also pretty excited about taking the tube to our hotel.  Okay - pretty nerdy I know but I heard that the infrastructure is amazing and I can't wait to use public transportation again!

We're staying in Kensington close to Notting Hill and the Royal Parks.  I think it is a fairly nice/quiet area.  We're there for a couple of days and some of the top things on my list to do are: Big Ben, Parliament, Tower of London, The British Museum, National Gallery, boat ride down the Thames, double decker bus, The London Eye, Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, The Globe Theater, fish and chips and of course...beer and pubs!  Evan's uncle hooked us up with one of his tour guide friends in London and we'll meet up with her on Saturday.  I was told that it is a fairly big deal to become a tour guide in London.  She just passed one of her major tests (or her certification??) and she will be practicing on us.  In exchange, we get a free tour of some of the best of London for free.  Very neat!

After London we take the train up to York for an overnight and then further North to Edinburgh for a couple days.  I really, really wanted to go to Scotland while we were over there so I sacrificed Bath and the Cotswolds.  I figured I would hit those the next time around :)  I like things that are a little spooky and the guidebooks I have been reading have talked about a great "ghost tour" in Edinburgh.  I am DEFINITELY signed up for that. 

Mr. zoë's relatives live in Birmingham so we'll head back down there for a bit of some down time.  We are going to catch Macbeth in Stratford (I think).  Evan really wanted to go to the Cadbury Factory the last time he was there, but his parents wouldn't let him.  I promised him we could go this time and secretly I'm looking forward to it.  Apparently, you get to ride around the factory in these little coco bean cars - almost like Willy Wonka.  How cool is that??  I also was told that Birmingham is a great place to try out some authentic Indian food.  Evan says no way he is eating Indian food based on his last experience, but I'll get his aunt and uncle to take me.  His response to that - "hope you get the same 'experience' I did and then you won't always be hounding me for Indian food".  I seriously hope not...

From Birmingham we fly out to Dublin.  We decided not to stay in Dublin for the first few days we are in Ireland, but take a southern route down through Waterford, Cork, Killarney and then up to Dingle.  We hope to just meander down around the coastal cities and catch whatever sites, sounds and tastes of the country that we can.  Evan really would like to hang out in as many pubs as possible and hear some of the local music.  Me, I personally want to check out the country side and am particularly looking forward to a little town called Kinsale.  I hear is a great place with wonderful people and I think it should make for a good time.

We then head back to Dublin where we plan to bum around the city and take in the normal sites; Temple Bar, Trinity College, etc. before we head home.  The Ireland part of our trip is completely unscripted.  This is going to be a bit of challenge for Evan and I since we are so used to plans and schedules for everything.  It could either be a freeing experience or completely miserable.  We are also driving the entire time we are in Ireland.  Should make for an interesting story when I get back.  I mean, driving on the left side of the road is most likely going to blow my mind.  I'm willing to give it a try though :)

Thanks to everyone that sent in your suggestions of sites to see and places to be.  It really helped to shape our initial thoughts on our trip.  Also (and this is cheesy, but heartfelt) - thanks to Gretchen and my other teammates for picking up some of my work while I am gone.  It makes a big difference to know that you've got great people backing you up while you're gone!

Take care everyone and I'll post more about my trip when I get back on October 25th!

zoë