We're in Dublin for our last night in Ireland until August. The kids and I dropped Chris off at Shannon Airport, and then dropped the campervan off in Limerick. We’re going to miss Chris! I don’t know that we’re going to miss the campervan. We’re in a hostel near the Busarus (central bus station) in Dublin, and the boys commented that this room is huge! It’s not really big at all, just large compared with the campervan.

We’ve been in sporadic contact with friends and family during this month, but once we’re in Oxford we’re hoping that we can keep in touch daily—let’s hope that our housing has wi-fi! We sure appreciate all the comments from our families and friends! We don’t feel so far away from home when we are able to log on and see what you have to say .

I asked the boys to tell me their favorite things in Ireland. Andy replied, "I think pretty much Dublin. I like all the buildings, I liked the huge spire erected on O’Connell St. in 2003. There are lots of people here. Liam’s answer: “I like Skellig Michael and the staircase and the monastery because that was the first monastery I ever saw. I couldn’t believe they piled stones up on top of each other to make the monastery and piling all the stones to make the staircase.   But I like more stuff; I liked that castle (Dun Guaire in Kinvara, Co. Clare) because you got to see how the king and queen lived.   We got to see inside.

I liked the Blarney Castle because the Blarney Stone was there, and because it was really tall, and because we had to climb really high stairs. Also I liked Giant’s Causeway because you could walk on it and because Finn MacCool made it (not really).

The boys agreed that they both like EVERYTHING in Ireland!

Andy added: “I’m really looking forward to the ferry, because it’s probably the biggest boat I’ll ever be on.

We’re departing first thing tomorrow morning on the world’s largest car ferry (the Ulysses) from Dublin Ferry Port to Holyhead, Wales. We’ll drive across Wales, stopping at castle ruins, before driving through the Cotswolds and arriving in Oxford. We’ll be out of touch for the weekend, but we’ll have a three-room home for the rest of the summer! I’m really looking forward to some space and to NOT putting everything away before beginning our drive for the day.