I'm currently connected at Coolross. Desperate to verify some townland maps that I had started exploring last night, it was so frustrating to find there was no web access at home this morning. It's worse because I will connect from time to time and then within a few minutes the signal is gone. I had also puzzled through some old information and had some new insights - or rather new guesses. Still no breakthrough. But without internet I felt adrift. The weather looked lovely but despite the sun it was cold outside.
Well having wrestled with connecting the new printer, which simply cannot function wirelessly with my laptop, I knew I had to get a cable and end the problem once and for all. Inquiries led to the conclusion that the best option was Curry's in Carlow. That's 30 minutes away.
My GPS was unable to find the store but when I used my phone to look for a website to get a precise address, when I got connected to the website, Google Navigation seemed to sense my need for assistance. It offered directions (even Google knows of my propensity for getting lost) and given the useless GPS I let Google lead me. Perfect directions, easy to follow - well until I was almost there. It only took an extra loop around a couple of roundabouts and I was at Curry's.
Purchase of the cable was easy and I had a nice chat with the clerk. He was from Portugal. I asked him if there was anything around that was worthwhile visiting. He misunderstood. I was thinking locally and he was thinking nationally. Kerry, Cork and Galway are all hours away - but good suggestions anyway.
Anyway, on leaving the computer shop, I decided to look for the Penney's store which, as it turned out, is in downtown Carlow. Oh dear - that's where I exasperated the GPS several years ago. Do you suppose it remembered and that's why it wouldn't help me with directions? On the other hand, I think it was a borrowed GPS last time anyway.
So, this nasty little machine did concede to give me directions to Carlow shopping centre. It only took a tour of the entire central area before I got to where I wanted to go. When that little voice on the windshield directed me to turn it was always when I was half way through the intersection or roundabout. Well, I got not exactly there, but close enough. I parked the car, took the ticket because parking wasn't free, and then only had to ask two more people how to find Penney's. I'm hopeless.
It was sunny today but deceptive. It was darn chilly. OK cold! Just because I'm from Canada does not mean that I enjoy being chilled to the bone. If only I'd worn another layer. Anyway, I found Penney's and it's quite a neat store. Great prices and quite a few attractive items. I settled for pyjamas, a scarf (mine are decorative but I needed a warm one), a pair of slippers, and a kit of small empty plastic bottles to decant shampoo and conditioner for my trip to England. I'm only taking a carry-on and thus liquids are limited.
I did find my way back to the car without having to ask anyone. Figuring that I would slip a couple of Euro in a slot on the way out, I drove to the exit. HAH! Of course you have to pay in advance. I had not seen any pay stations. [They are INSIDE the part of the shopping centre that I did not visit.] There were only 3 cars behind me that also had to back up. Stupid tourist! I felt badly and imagined what they were muttering about me. Eventually I found out where the pay station was, paid the fee, got the ticket and I was off.
Easy-peasy to get out of town. Not so fast. This was Carlow, my directional nemesis. The route from the parking lot to N80, the road home, is far more direct than the one I took. I had told the GPS where I was headed, the usual one when heading home, and it told me where to go. Repeatedly, and on different streets. There are some quite nice housing areas. Grrrr - I was not looking for a place to live.
Once on the highway it was my great good fortune to find the slowest car in all of Ireland in front of me. Lovely! The road is good, has paved shoulders, is well banked on curves and is really not a problem to drive at or at least near the speed limit of 100 kph. This idiot was motoring along at 67. It took a while but I finally found a nice clear stretch and was able to pass. That's the last I saw of him, and by that time, the long parade behind him.
Returning to Moss Cottage I found that the Internet connection was still down. Then it came back for about 2 minutes. Turns out the fault lies outside of the house - the landlord's house. The provider will attempt a repair within 5 business days. Ah the joys.
So I came to Jim and Mary's at Coolross and am enjoying their wifi - as well as the company. The kids are all studying, both Ricky and Maria have exams coming up.
I'll toddle off shortly and hope that maybe tomorrow the connection will be better at the cottage. The weather doesn't sound too good so touring won't be on the agenda either. There's a pile of books begging to be read. I won't lack for something to do.
Enough drivel for now. Not sure when I'll write the next post.
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