From Pittsburgh to Ireland via Aer Lingus. The flight attendants were kind and mostly cognizant of my disability. The coach seats were cramped, to be expected. I call them butt buckets. One day I would love to be bumped to business class just for the experience of not needing to raise my arm rest and stand like it is part of my physical fitness routine.

 

Myla and I curled up against each other and got a nap in after the meal service.

 

Dublin airport was busy and the disability assistance person and wheelchair were waiting for us in the jetway. Once we got our bags, it took a few minutes to find our driver, then we were off to the Gresham on O’Connell Street.

We did not get early check-in, our travel agent did not mention this to us, and we didn’t think of it, either. We dropped into two  comfortable leather armchairs in the bar lounge and passed the time. We tried not to fall asleep in the five hours we waited, talking, ordering drinks and lunch. We got into our room at three p.m.  it was a large room made for people with disabilities, with comfortable beds.

 

The rest of the hotel, while posh and roomy, wasn’t designed for people with disabilities, with only one eating area in the bar lounge free of steps. The entrance also included three steps.  The room numbers were flat, no tactile numbers or Braille anywhere but the elevator panels. One elevator did announce the floor numbers, but the rest were silent. Ah, the world needs to catch up to universal design, I suppose.

 

I was impressed by the key card slot inside each room requiring  guests to insert it to turn the lights on and off. This prevents guests from leaving on the lights  when exiting the room, conserving energy costs, and strain on overusing utilities.

 

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r first meal outside the hotel? Fish and chips, of course. Amazing! Fresh, hot, and fried so light and tender, I could not believe I did not taste the frying oil at all. I would rate it in the top three meals during the trip.