In the middle of this month I will leave for a trip to Ireland, and I'll spend a few days in London at either end. With every trip there are new things to learn, and this one is no exception.

I am traveling alone because a busy genealogical schedule never mixes well with anyone else's timetable. It is very important to be mobile, so I will get by for three weeks with a small suitcase (20 x 14 x 9) and a small backpack; instead of a purse or tote bag I will wear a vest with several pockets.

Mobility leads into some useful advice. If you are switching airlines and booking internal travel separately from the overseas flight, check airline regulations and plan as if something might go wrong. You do not want to miss a connection. I fly into Heathrow on Thursday and leave for Dublin on Saturday. I have time to put jet lag behind me, deal with a couple of appointments, and perhaps fit in a night at the theatre. I depart from Stansted Airport, north of London, and it is well-served with public transportation, frequent trains from Liverpool Street Station, and frequent National Express buses. You can access details on the service via the Stansted Airport website.

I booked the Stansted-Dublin and Belfast-Stansted flights online, going in one direction with Ryanair and in the other with easyJet. They have more limited baggage restrictions than those of my international flight; I recommend you read the fine print before paying. It turns out my plan to travel light is a good idea because I am limited to one checked bag (15kg on Ryanair and 20kg on easyJet) and a small bag (5-7kg) inside. Prices are cheap and I am interested to see how these airlines compare with discount carriers I have used in Canada and New Zealand.

I like to set up my accommodations in advance. I began my search at the websites of the Ireland and Northern Ireland tourist offices. In some cases I contacted the guesthouses directly, by e-mail or by telephone (making careful reference to the time difference for me of 8 hours), and in others via an e-mail message to the tourist office. There is a broad range of prices, locations, and types of accommodation. When searching in Dublin I learned that the term "townhouses" turns up lists of reasonably priced places. What I failed to consider was rugby; the weekend I reach Dublin coincides with the Ireland/Wales match. The city is going to be lively that weekend.

Within Ireland and Northern Ireland I am getting about on public transportation. The railways and buses have informative websites that have been a great help as I plan my itinerary. Time is limited so I want to visit places that have direct service. I considered purchasing the bus/rail pass online, but after working out the charges for my various journey legs I concluded that it does not save me money.

Some of my research destinations require either advance notice or that I book a seat. I have found this information on the Internet working primarily from GENUKI. It leads me to the websites of archives, libraries, agencies, and research centers. In a few cases I have had to write a letter and post it. By starting my trip planning weeks ahead, I have time to do this.

All that now remains is to make sure my documents are set, that I have access to enough money and have considered carefully how to pack. My overseas flight confirmation came by e-mail, but I must have a proper printed copy obtained from the airline desk or by fax—apparently this can be a requirement of immigration officers when traveling outside the U.S.A. or Canada. My passport is fine; I just renewed it. (Do not travel with a passport that has less than six months to expiration.)

I know which guesthouses want cash and which take a credit card. I will check on locations of bank ATM machines because of convenience and a good exchange rate. Here in Victoria, Canada, it is not difficult to obtain euros and pounds before I leave, just to have some cash on hand.

Packing is more challenging. If I keep my small suitcase with me in the cabin on the overseas flight, I must leave behind my usual nail scissors and tweezers—too sharp and too long. In addition, I need to be sure any vitamins or medications are in their original labeled containers. Finally, I must get packets of detergent and find my inflatable hangers because I will be doing hand laundry regularly.

I am now going through the genealogical papers and figuring out how to keep the paper to a minimum, and my excitement is growing. In an April article I shall let you in on where I went and what I found.

Helpful Links

Ireland Tourist Board

Northern Ireland Tourist Board

Stansted Airport

Ryanair

EasyJet

Rail and bus service Northern Ireland

Bus Eireann


Sherry Irvine, CGRS, FSA (Scot) is an author, teacher, and lecturer specializing in English and Scottish family history. She is the author of Your English Ancestry (2nd ed, 1998) and Your Scottish Ancestry (1997) and she is a regular contributor to several journals including Genealogical Computing. Since 1996, she has been a study tour leader, course coordinator, and instructor for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research at Samford University. She teaches online for the family history program of Vermont College and has lectured at conferences in Canada, the United States, and Australia. She is past president of the Association of Professional Genealogists.

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