For the past several years, we’ve rotated which of the kids gets to pick our summer vacation destination with a host of caveats to ensure we could make it happen. For instance, with three kids in tow the range needed to be drivable to make it affordable. The kids didn’t ever get to choose specific hotels, but they would select a destination around which we could build a plan. They had about an ~11 hour drive radius.

However, that selection rotation petered out last year for a number of reasons that are a completely different story from tonight’s. Bottom line, we have one teen who seriously dislikes travel and a second of the three that is mostly ambivalent towards vacationing.

Given this. . .

I took the reins back and planned a getaway that I wanted to a place I’ve never been even with all the global work travel.  It completely breaks all our past years of rules about distance and planning. It requires flights. It has multiple destinations in a foreign country.

What the heck, sometimes rules need to be rewritten, right?

Following a flight across the atlantic, evening one will find us at a rock concert at a small music venue — “The Underground” — that  looks small enough to enable the bass guitar to dominate the building. We will follow that up with a trip to Slane in County Meath for our Second Concert in Two Days at Boyle’s of Slane.

I am looking forward to seeing this band that has been tied at the top of the favorite bands list for several months for my musician kid. I’ve been turned into fan of The Luka State as well due to the many many long drives over the past few months with the family guitarist controlling the music selection.

Who knows where the kid’s life will land in a few short years. The end of this week will hopefully make music memories for a kid who has completely and totally caught the guitar bug.

We will follow up our two nights on Ireland’s East Coast with a journey to the West Coast and the Connemara Peninsula — including the Cliffs of Insanity (aka the The Cliffs of Moher).

It will be only four of us on this mixed flight and road trip as my kid who hates vacations will get a fabulous staycation with the dogs and dinners provided by adoring grandparents. It’s a win all around.

I will miss us not being all five together, but it will be fun experience for all.

T Minus 2 day and counting until I probably start writing about Ireland!

#OTR50 #TheLukaState
245 Days to go.

© Randi Sumner