Solo in Ireland

I read Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley close to twenty years ago. The story starts where Gone With the Wind ends. Scarlett and Rhett appear to be over for good. Tara is no longer the safe haven of her childhood, but rather a place full of memories and heartache. Scarlett is alone, no longer wealthy, and in need of healing and a fresh start. She decides to go to Ireland where her roots are. She wants to make peace with her past.

For me the story was secondary to the imagery. The lush green landscape and foggy skies combined with the cliffs and tumultuous sea sound like pure heaven!

Reality might be a dreary, damp cold, but the romance of a faraway place with winding roads and rolling hills warms me through and through. Let's not leave out the charm of an Irish brogue tickling my ears either! Maybe it's all fantasy, but I'm ok with that. It is the catalyst to planning a dream vacation.

With all of that said, I have painted Ireland into a magical place that has called to me for close to a quarter of a century. Life and bills got in the way and the thought of Ireland was left to the recesses of my mind until this past January. I found myself living alone, vacation days available and the means to take a trip within my grasp.

I did my research and made my plans. The only thing left was to buy the tickets and wait for August to arrive. With time off work and a fairytale trip to begin, I was excited and figuring out where to stay, what city to fly into and what each day would look like. Then COVID-19 shut everything down. The disappointment was palpable but short-lived. I realized this wasn't an abandoned idea. This was a chance for more planning and dreaming.

The vacation fund has another year to grow!

The Long Room at Trinity College was one of the first places that caught my eye. It would be easy to get lost among all the stories of those who have come before.

Another day will be spent exploring castles!

Pubs, pints, maybe even a rugby match! There is time to see it all and fall in love with the land as well as the people. Flying from Denver to Shannon, my trip will begin. A few days in each county, meandering at my own pace, meeting people, kissing the Blarney Stone, learning to drive on the "wrong" side of the road. These are just a few of the highlights I look forward to.

This will be my first big vacation by myself. The thought of answering to no one and choosing every detail to please only me is dizzying and a little bit scary. It is a reminder that I am on my own. It is also a lesson about the difference between being alone and being lonely. This is the solitude I'm choosing, a path for self reflection and growth. Maybe I'm following Scarlett's path and my Rhett will find me. Or maybe I will find me.

It is exciting to do this on my own, my own timeline, my own path, my own choices, but most of all having the time to get to know myself. I'll get to discover what it is that I truly enjoy. I'll get to face fears of being alone. I'll have two weeks of pure discovery and self indulgence. Memories that will last a lifetime.

I may not have every detail worked out, but I know when I land in Shannon I will put everything else aside and take in all that Ireland had to give.

My wanderlust will never be cured, but anticipation and planning and finally going will appease it until the next time some foreign land calls.