The following is a guest post from Alex Papa.
Last year my mum and dad visited us in Ireland. Of course, a driving tour around the countryside was on the agenda. Back then, it was maps and Google print-outs of routes! I think we spent as much time in turn offs shuffling papers to figure out where we were as we did actually looking at the scenery.
How much things change in a year. You don’t even need a laptop anymore. For this summer’s tour of Ireland, I used an iPad and apps.
The trouble for most tourists, and I admit it, the trouble even we natives have – the roads don’t make any sense. Roads in Ireland have a habit of changing names between markers and signs tend to drift a bit, pointing every way but where they should. They seem to be heading the right way and the next thing you know, you are in the middle of a pasture with one tire slowly sinking into a bog. The first time is funny. The sheep and cows give you a puzzled stare and wander over to see if your car is edible. The next few times aren’t so pleasant.
Added to this is the possibility of rain, nightfall, and the wonderful signs we have in the country. The landscape has changed–pun intended. But seriously, with the apps I have on my iPad, I finally look like I actually know my way around. The best, in my opinion, of all the route guides in the UK and Ireland is the RAC Planner App. They keep it updated, which is nice, but even better is the type of directions you get. Most apps give you north, south, turn right and so on… RAC tells you what to look for–much more human-friendly: “…take the Broughshane road, at the Cullybackey roundabout take the first exit, drive four hundred yards, take left turn signposted Aghohill…”
You touch the screen and you can change the display to search by town, street, or Irish guesthouse! We made Ballycastle at noon for a hearty lunch, a sit down and a pint. We looked over the selection from the National Trust App. If you visit Ireland, you must download this–it shows parks, nature reserves and historic places. We ended up at the Carrick-a-rede rope bridge. This is a historic foot bridge that connects the mainland with an island. After that success, I started using other apps just for getting around.
Our tour with iPad apps
We headed out from Ballycastle along the North Antrim Coast where the Irish Sea battles the Atlantic Ocean. We had beautiful weather, even with the cool mists off the rocks. My parents got some great shots between wiping mist off their camera lens.
In Ireland, you plan your day based on the weather. “There’s an app for that.” The Met Office App. A look at the weather to see when (not if!) the rain might hit.
Dinner was at the Bushmills Inn, one of the most famous Irish distilleries in the same town. The inn used to be a mill and they’ve kept the old look – huge beams and antiques everywhere you turn. This is a pub worth the drive if you are anywhere close. The live music and singing add to a great meal. We had a traditional stew, thick enough to stand your spoon upright in.
One app I didn’t use with the parents, but will next time is the Petrol Prices App. While petrol isn’t hard to find in most places, you have no idea where to find a good price unless you drive past every one and check. With this app, you get the current prices in any area. That way, you can decide whether to fill up now or drive on to the next village! The Irish need one of these apps for Guinness on tap at the pubs!
Alex Papa is a business and IT graduate and currently works for Business Opportunities Expo. He sponsors his travel from his blog where he offers the latest Norton 360 coupon code.
