Ireland - Day 2 or is it 1.5

It's morning in Dublin, a little cloudy but it looks to be an ok day.

Friends will know that I always travel with a lot of electronics, well BMI has seem fit to relieve me of the one bag that contained all my chargers and maps, I fear we are doomed!  I'm watching now as everything that requires a charge is slowly draining away.  No iPhone, no MacBook, no Nav system, no camera battery, no tour books, no maps.  I'm afraid for the future!  So today we hit the streets of Dublin with one tourist map and an adventurous spirit.

Power almost gone, will update later!

-Doug

Ireland Day 1

Well today it's planes, trains and automobiles.  We leave our home in Salem, drive to Eugene, fly to San Francisco, connect to London, and then on to Dublin for our first 3 nights.

We chose to fly out of Eugene rather than Portland because it is a small airport, much easier to park and check-in and parking costs are about 40% less.  On a 12 day trip, that can really add up, and in a matter of 5 minutes you can be at the gate, if everything goes as planned.

Tip - Think of smaller airports when flying.  Often the time savings of not having to deal with a large airport can be significant.  Some smaller airlines use these airports and you can find really good fares.

For this trip we used our American Express reward points for the SFO-LHR and LHR-DUB and United miles for EUG-SFO.  We have to fly on 3 airlines and make a couple of transfers, but having to pay only for taxes and fees makes this a really great deal.

Tip - Sign up for your preferred airline's frequent flyer program and do the same for your charge cards.  Try to concentrate all your points and miles in one program, or programs that compliment each other.  Most airlines have partnerships with other airlines that let you credit and redeem miles in each others programs.

Time to sign off, we are in the Virgin Clubhouse having a complimentary lunch in San Francisco and it is very nice!

Sheraton Celebrates $6 Billion Global Revamp with Free Stay

 

To celebrate the completion of a $6 billion global revitalization effort, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts is giving away thousands of free rooms for one night only at 86 hotels throughout North America. Consumers can visit www.sheraton.com/freenight from Oct. 6 to 9 to register for a chance to book a free room on Oct. 23 at new and newly renovated flagship hotels, including the Sheraton Waikiki, Sheraton Boston, Sheraton Kauai, Sheraton Dallas and Sheraton Phoenix Downtown.

Coming up: Tour of Ireland

Clark and I will be leaving on our tour of Ireland this Saturday, October 3.  I plan to Blog live from this trip, sharing pictures and stories about our trip.  So please check back often!

 We will be starting in Dublin, staying at the Four Seasons Dublin for 3 nights.

Then heading south to Killarney, staying at the Killarney Park Hotel for 3 nights.

And then off to Ashford Castle for our last 3 nights.

This will also be our first trip on Virgin Atlantic and BMI, so I plan to review their service as well.

Museum Day 2009

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Enjoy free general admission for you and a guest to hundreds of museums and cultural venues nationwide.

How?
 

Present the Museum Day admission card to receive free general admission at participating Museum Day locations. The admission card is downloadable via the Smithsonian site.

Smithsonian Website

Participating Museums

Allison Inn Debuts in Oregon Wine Country

Exciting news for Oregon wine country!

The Allison Inn & Spa has opened in Newberg, Ore. The first full-service, luxury hotel in the Willamette Valley wine country, the Allison features a signature restaurant, a 12-treatment-room spa and fitness studio, an indoor pool and 12,000 square feet of meeting space. The Inn is the first and only Preferred Boutique Hotel in Oregon, located 25 miles southwest of Portland. Each of the 85 guestrooms and suites features a bay window seat, a fireplace and a terrace or balcony. The rooms range in size from nearly 500 to more than 1,500 square feet. Each has a spa-like bathroom with a soaking tub and a double sink, as well as linen robes, specialty bath and grooming products, a wet bar and mini-refrigerator, a Bose sound system and other technology.

The Living Room features a wall of windows, a fireplace, original Oregon art and art glass, hand-crafted rugs, and a terrace. The spa and fitness studio offers men’s, women’s and co-ed lounges with outdoor areas; a private spa suite for small gatherings; a sauna; and a spa pool. Featuring Oregon wine country cuisine is the inn’s restaurant, Jory, is named for a soil type that produces Oregon’s Pinot Noirs. Features include two private dining rooms for 10 and 18 guests, outdoor dining terraces, a private chef’s table and an open kitchen.

The Allison is going for LEED Gold Certification with solar-heated water and photo-voltaic cells that generate 7 percent of the hotel’s electric needs. No plastic bottles or containers are used in the gym, spa, restaurant, public rooms or guestrooms. The guest wing roof is covered with a slate-like recycled material; and a sedum plant-covered “eco-roof” tops the meeting space. Settling ponds will help control run-off.

Please contact me for more details.

Four Seasons Resort Maui, special Virtuoso pricing available

Discover Aloha Enchantment

Located on the sunny southwest shore of Maui, this
award-winning resort is a gracious blend of Hawaiian
elegance and tranquility. Luxurious accommodations,
oceanside dining and a wide range of activities
combine to provide the perfect escape.

Offer Includes:
• Room upgrade upon arrival, if available
• Buffet breakfast for two

Virtuoso rates from $395 per night
Offer available through December 17, 2009

NEW this summer! Experience the infinity-edge
saline Serenity Pool open only to adults.

Please contact me for more information.