A Few Small Notes

Firstly, I have added another gadget to my blog!
All of the websites I have mentioned (along with a few extra) are now located at the right of the blog under the archives in click-able links. Take a look o_o ~~~>

Okay, I'm a few days late! There are a few things to say...

A) I found a packing list online (http://www.travellerspoint.com/packing-list.cfm). It seems pretty thorough. I'll be posting my own personal list next week. I stopped by Wal-Mart on Tuesday and got a few travel items: Q-Tips, a small travel first aide kit by Band Aide, a bottle to put lotion in, and a couple little packs of tissues. Today I picked out all of my outfits and put them into the space-saver bags I bought so I'm not tempted to wear them before I leave. I'll add my jeans later. I bought a small make-up bag last Saturday when I was at the mall with Lindsay, and I got a travel shower bag from Wal-Mart. I have to find out US Airways policy on laptops in a carry on...

B) I don't think I've mentioned the international drivers license! Maybe I have and don't remember... anyways... the best travel book everrrr said it's not required, but it's a good idea. It also tells you were you can get one. So, to AAA I went. $15 dollars later I had a little paper packet with my picture glued to it. It's good for a year, which is nice. She made mine effective beginning April 1st. You have to keep it with a valid license from your own country too. In any case, if I do get into any traffic relative problems then this should make things a little easier. (The picture below is obviously not mine, but just so you get the idea.)





C) I'm still in the process of google-ing all the directions I'll need. My Blackberry has them too, but better to be safe than sorry (or lost)! I'm sure people will be friendly enough to help me out if I need it though. I'm starting to get a little freaked out honestly...

D) Going back to the outlet converters for a second... I was looking at the one I got that does convert voltage and it doesn't have 3 prongs. My first thought was 'great, now how am I supposed to plug in my laptop?!' but!! in looking at the little box on the cord it can handle 100-240v. It needs no converting! Lovely. (The thought of plugging it in still scares me though... there's a lot to lose on this computer. I'll try to survive on mere battery as long as I can.) I started looking at the rest of my electronics and all of them can handle up to 240v so far. I haven't checked everything yet, like the hair dryer, but hooray! And the stupid cell phone came with all the plugs, so I don't need a outlet or voltage converter for that. One more point for the piece of poo phone... speaking of the phone... I need to go get the SIMS card for that after work sometime this week and check the rates in Ireland...

Thanks for reading - until next week!

Test

Test

(seeing if i can post on this w my blackberry - it worked - at least it can do SOMETHING right >_> )

To Claim Or Not To Claim, That Is The Question

Well, the question should be what do I NEED to claim when returning to the US. I'm actually very confused about the whole thing... I emailed US Airways and got a response of "keep a list of what you buy and the price."

As helpful as that was..........

I guess anything I buy I have to declare. I'll just write down what I spend in what store and generalize what it was.

I found this on a government website:

What You Must Declare

* Items you purchased and are carrying with you upon return to the United States.
* Items you received as gifts, such as wedding or birthday presents.
* Items you inherited.
* Items you bought in duty-free shops, on the ship, or on the plane.
* Repairs or alterations to any items you took abroad and then brought back, even if the repairs/alterations were performed free of charge.
* Items you brought home for someone else.
* Items you intend to sell or use in your business.

Also, if you acquired items in the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, or in a Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act country (see section on $800 exemption for a list of these countries) and asked the merchant to send them to you, you must still declare them when you go through customs. This differs from the usual procedure for mailed items, which is discussed in the section on Sending Goods to the United States.

You must state on the CBP declaration, in U.S. currency, what you actually paid for each item. The price must include all taxes. If you don’t know for sure, estimate. If you did not buy the item yourself—for example, if it is a gift—estimate its fair retail value in the country where you received it.

Remember: Even if you used the item you bought on your trip, it’s still dutiable. You must declare the item at the price you paid or, if it was a gift, at its fair market value"


Hmmm... well... I don't think I'll be spending $800 on stuff lol

Nothing is what it seems.

Well, I got my phone!

It's cool because I can check my email and everything right there... the keyboard will take some getting used to.

But, on a bad note, it's way too confusing. Nothing is under the same category as a normal phone. It took an act of congress for it to let me change my ringtone. Oh, and to receive picture messages I have to sign into some weird website. O_o Just let me see the picture....

Speaking of pictures... this phone has no camera. What the **** kind of phone in 2009 doesn't have a camera??? Well, apparently the Blackberry 8830 World Edition. >:-|

Oh yea, and people are having a hard time understanding me.

Mmmhm... I miss my beloved orange EnV already :'(

UPDATE: This phone has turn by turn directions for anywhere in the world!! (Even has a map) I put in my Longford hotel to my Dublin hotel to see if it would work and it did! YAY! A redeeming quality!

Life is a festival only to the wise.

Well, not that I'm going to make it to any of these, but I'm running out of plans to tell you guys! (Suggestions are always good, so comment if you have some lol) I'm going to talk about the festivals Ireland has during the year. I'd actually like to go to a couple... maybe if I make another trip...

Spring

March:
The obvious one - St. Patrick's Day! There are parades in Downpatrick, Armagh, Dublin, Cork, Limerick and a bunch of other places.
Jameson International Dublin Film Festival
Horse Ploughing Match & Heavy Horse Show

April:
Feis Ceiol (a classical music festival)
Pan Celtic Festival
Cork Choral Festival

May:
Fleadh Nua (4 days of traditional Irish music, songs, and dance)

Summer

June:
Laytown Beach Races (horse races)
County Wicklow Garden Festival
National County Fair
Music in Great Irish Houses
Castle Ward Opera
County Wexford Strawberry Fair


July:
Battle of the Boyne Day
Galway Arts Festival
Lughnasa Fair (medieval fair)

August:
Stradbally Steam-engine Rally
Dublin Horse Show
Puck Fair (a wild goat is crowned king for 2 days lol)
Rose of the Tralee Festival
Blessing of the Sea

Fall

September:
Heritage Week
All-Ireland Hurling Final
Galway Oyster Festival
All-Ireland Football Festival

October:
Octoberfest (all month ; dance/poetry/film/comedy/theater/music)
Cork Film Festival
Ballinasloe Fair (one of Europe's oldest horse fairs)
Dublin Theater Festival
Cork Jazz Festival

November:
Sligo International Choral Festival
Eigse Sliabh Rua (local history & music)

Winter

December:
St. Stephen's Day
Leopardstown Races

January:
Salmon and Sea Trout Season

February:
Dublin Film Festival
Six Nations Rugby Tournament


Photo from Ballinasloe Fair:





Also! Here are the public holidays (2009):
New Years Day - 1/1
St. Patricks Day - 3/17
Good Friday
Easter Monday
May Day (1st Monday in May)
June Bank Holiday (1st Monday in June)
August Bank Holiday (1st Monday in August)
October Bank Holiday (last Monday in October)
Christmas Day 12/25
St. Stephen's Day - 12/26

I like all the bank holidays!! Too bad I don't work in the Dublin offices! lol

Until next week........