Jul24

lost in translation.

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reminiscing about my visit

to beautiful ireland

 six years back, in july

how we found our way around the country

oh, we did a few turn-arounds here and there

as you can see above

but somehow we always ended up where we were going

eventually.

even with directions asked and kind answers given

regional accents, local advice, and lore

 thrown in for good measure

it could be a challenge at best

‘”oh, just go over the hill for a bit, turn at the old barn, you’ll see a huge green field with hills, and some sheep, and then a pub, they don’t have the best sandwiches but stop in for a pint, say hi to seamus for me if you see him, he’s a good lad, he just had that one thing that wasn’t really his fault, and all is forgiven, and oh, don’t turn by the church, go past it, there’s no sign, but you’ll see a big rock where john’s shed used to be before it burnt down in that fire in ’79 when everything was so dry, and take a sharp turn there….”  – and so on.

whether bumping along on a sheep path, sharing a two-way road with one lane, or driving half in a hedgerow

we found all the places we wanted to be

and discovered so many surprising and magical places along the way.

“going in the wrong direction, but making really good time.”

-cheri huber

82 responses »

  5. I could so relate to the way directions were given. We don’t use street names or numbers here in Lebanon, even though every street has a name and a number. We just tend to use landmarks, shops, big posters on the streets as reference points 😁

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  7. Were you with me on my trips????? 🙂 Stunning country full of incredible people. If ever we were lost my husband would say, ‘just stop and wait, someone will stop to help us’. Without fail, that is what would happen.

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  11. I love these types of directions and getting lost. So many wonderful things can be (usually) discovered. Of course, if your spouse is not quite as open and willing as you are, there might be strife! Mick hated being lost. 🙄

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  12. Even visiting Ireland from England feels ‘foreign’. Shame the weather is usually so awful there though. I have only been twice. Once to Belfast in the North (still part of Britain) and once to Limerick in the South. (The Republic) Americans are popular there, English people less so.
    For obvious reasons. 🙂
    Best wishes, Pete.

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  20. We have plenty of roads like that around here….. a bit hair raising at moments, but far better than super freeways in my humble opinion! 😉
    Getting ‘lost’ in a strange place has tended to be my way of learning the territory.

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  21. This is the point I get back to the car with my head spinning and my wife says, “Did you find out where we are?” 🤣 GPS, while imperfect, is usually pretty reliable.

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  25. “Oncoming traffic in middle of road.” That sounds like when someone gets on the interstates going the wrong way. Not ideal. Love that picture of the winding road that goes into a bit of a valley, continuing on and on. And indeed, sometimes getting lost takes you places you are glad you found.

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  26. I’ve learned to love getting lost at least once a day while traveling. A little scary but so educational. People are mostly just wonderful as your directions from a local show. I would love to get to Ireland. That has to be so much fun in so many ways. I think the Germans are more succinct. 🙂

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    • I’m lost at least once a day as well, in the normal course of things. I’ve learned to adapt and most people are quite willing to help when asked. you would love Ireland for so many reasons and the people are a huge part of it. I’m guessing the germans may be more on point.

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