Time to drag my backpack (Leonard the Girl Elephant)out of the big black bag I store it in, and clean it out, wash the sleep bag again and start to get ready.
Departure date is June 14th, 2017. arriving Cork, Ireland the next day where we all four meet up at the hotel and take in a little tour of the city, kiss the Blarney Stone (for the third time) and buy some hiking boots for me. Cant wait.


An overview of this first half of the trail from Tralee. The trail is 172 kilometers(108 miles) long with a highest point at 2300 meters(7000 feet above sea level), should do this easily in 8 to 9 days.
Going to be a bit more luxury than Im used to as we are staying ,mostly in Bed and Breakfasts that we pre-booked.

weather might be a bit damp and grey as its Ireland, but we also may get very lucky in the Emerald Isle and have sun all the way. What sight am I most looking forward to ?, a glass of REAL Guinness in my hand.

Well, one does not get to come to Ireland without getting to know about Leprechauns,, these are mischievous little Irish Folklore characters,,,,,,or are they?.
I think Ive seen one on a previous visit to Ireland, as I came out of a pub, and after 12 Guinness beers.



 
These little bearded men are seen wearing coats and a hat, originally depicted in Red coats, especially up north, Their sightings these days are seen more in the south, and  wearing green coats , this being after the end of the 19th century.
They partake in lots of mischief and love a good practical joke. Most Leprechauns work as shoe makers and have a pot of gold at the end of each rainbow.
Solitary Leprechauns always wear a red coat, where as the trooping guys wear green mostly. At 3 ft tall, if you catch one, they will give you three wishes to set them free again. Their coats always have 7 buttons, and they live in the Moors mostly, but are also often found in caves, forests, and if your lucky, at the bottom of your garden
The first Leprechauns apparently came from an evil spirit, or a degenerate fairy,  so dont bang your walking stick on the ground if your crossing over on a bridge, you might wake a sleeping Leprechaun up, and they get grumpy if you do.
So, arrived after a long journey and forgot my iPad on the plane at Heathrow,,sob, had to got through customs and immigration, then to the air offices to call the plane, then I had to go back to get the iPad, just grateful for that, then go through security, immigration a second time.
 Went to town and purchased new boots, I'm not sure about them yet but what the heck, then I  was strolling though the English Market in Cork and found the girls by accident.
So happy to see Caroline again, celebrated with my first real Guinness in years,and in case you don't know how that goes, let me show you, it happens like this,

First
         

   

Then

And finally

Going out for dinner ,,then we start walking tomorrow from Tralee after a two hour bus ride.  On on