Ireland, California and Home - Kincumber

We had such a great time with the Shaws and they were superb hosts too with interesting places to visit each day. Thursday we went up to the Bridia Valley for lunch and a short walk. The people running the restaurant have some accommodation as well. Alan and Vera have known them for some time.
The Shaws first started to go to this area many years ago when their accommodation had no facilities such as power and running water! They did many family walks in this beautiful area. The snow covered mountains surround these valleys, making it really amazing to see. 
On Friday morning, the Shaws drove us up to Killarney so we could catch an early train, hoping to go to Trinity College in the afternoon. The drive to Killarney was via another very scenic route. It was different once more from other places we'd seen before. We enjoyed the train trip to Dublin, despite being a bit cold waiting for the train at Mallow. However, by the time we arrived at the airport hotel after 2pm, Ken wasn't feeling very well. He'd been coughing lots overnight and on the train.We decided not to go into Trinity College so missed seeing the Book of Kells and the Long Hall at Trinity College - hopefully we'll go back another time to see that, and to visit the Shaws again. 
The flights to USA were OK as flights go - short flight to Munich and then over 12hrs to San Francisco. That was interesting as we came via the polar route - Alaska, northern Canada and Alaska and we had daylight for most of the flight. We had a horrendous wait coming through immigration however after we arrived at the ariport - one and half hours!!! Unfortunately Ken was still coughing lots and so on Saturday night, Ken Kissane found a doctor my Ken could see the following morning. The prescribed antibiotics were good for the bronchitis and KB started to improve.  I then caught the cough and cold, but no bronchitis, fortunately.

Ginnie and Ken Kissane live at San Jose, an hour south of SF, in the midst of Silicon Valley. Their village, part of a large community development, is on the outskirts and there's a farm at the back fence. The 2 horses on the farm often come up for Ginnie to feed them carrots so we helped her, of course. The first few days I went walking around the local area with Ginnie but then we had rain, so I didn't go out then as I wanted my cold to go away. KB just rested and his health improved. Both Ken's enjoyed watching the Rugby triple Crown matches together!  I gather England, Ireland & Scotland were the teams playing. Weather was still cool but much warmer than Ireland and Austria had been while we were there.
Each evening Ken took us out for dinner, to some great restaurants and we saw some lovely country as we travelled back and forth. Daylight saving started the night we arrived so it was still light as we drove out for dinner. We'd  been to San Jose and San Francisco several times before so didn't need to go sightseeing this time, just wanted to see them both, especially Ginnie as we started out as pen-friends at eleven years old!! We've been fortunate enough to have visited each other a number of times. Last time they came out and had time with us on Alu in October 2008 and we then drove back through Queensland and NSW for KB's 70th in Forster.

Late Saturday afternoon, we drove up to their son's place, halfway to the airport, to have dinner before catching our flight home. We enjoyed that time, especially as we watched Jon and three of his children have fun playing a card game similar to "Snap". His wife Karen had taken the chance to go and have her hair cut. His other son was away skiing with the Scouts.
Ken K loaded all our gear into Jon's Prius to take us to the airport so could leave after the delicious Thai meal. We were at the airport by 8.30pm so checked and quite quickly so were able to relax while waiting to board. The 12hr 45min flight was on a United airlines Dream liner and was reasonably comfortable but it's still a long way and it's a long time to sit on a plane! I felt awful as I kept coughing but Ken was a little better. Anyway, we had a quick trip though immigration, baggage collection and customs to catch a train about an hour after arrival. Then it was on to the connecting train to Gosford, again with only a short wait. We arrived back here in Kincumber in a taxi only 24hrs after leaving San Jose late Saturday afternoon. Now we're unpacking, washing and trying to sort things to put away etc. The house looks chaotic now - was good when we arrived home! It's nice and warm here now, about 26C, but apparently was 39C last Sunday. My garden has grown lots while we've been away because a wonderful neighbour has been watering it through the very hot weather we've had here. There are even some tomatoes on the plants!
So this is the end of my Blog - Round the World in 2018.
Hope you have enjoyed reading it. I'll add more photos in a day or so, so you might want to log in again?
Margot B
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