More relaxed now

They say that time heals all wounds. 11 hours in Ireland have helped me get over the stress of this morning. What a great time we had in Norway, but what a stressful last few minutes! We've debriefed it several times since then, and while acknowledging our foibles, are sticking with our initial impression that someone else could have foreseen the problem.

Anyway, there have been various stress reliefs, and I want here to particularly draw attention to:








This is NOT the Rock of Cashel, but rather the ruined abbey at the foot of the hill. The Rock itself is a fully walled castle, which I hope to attend to tomorrow morning. The Abbey was just a bonus, in a cow paddock on the other side of the road. I was primarily wanting to come to Ireland (or Scotland - notice how you never see them photographed together?) to get access to some of the types of ruins we just don't have in Australia, and already that is coming to fruition nicely. A few more of these, and I will be happy to rate the whole thing as a success.

Hotel is good, downstairs bar excellent, and the food and drink better again. The chips here are beyond description - crispy on the outside (I am pretty sure that that requires what can only be described as 'a healthy amount of oil', and I for one am a continuous proponent of health foods), and actual identifiable potato inside. Radical.

I've wound up here in the reading room sipping on an Irish Whiskey and reading the 19th edition (1916) of Squires Companion to British Pharmacology. No really I am. Seriously. I totally deny all rumours relating to Kenya, space travel and the rift valley. Here is a photo to prove it.





Well, just as I wrap this up I got a text from Mum. Evidently Aidan has just turned up in her room, and she wants to know if Justine knows that. I am pretty confident that she doesn't, so I guess it is time to go up and resolve that one, and then get some sleep. The Rock beckons.

Location:Cashel, Republic of Ireland