Killarney plus a few whinges

A few whinges, due to some events that have not gone well today.

We are in a campsite in Fossa, which is a ten minute drive from Killarney.  A very busy campsite, due to the policy of charging a fixed price of €20 per per night per unit, be it a caravan or motorhome.  The price is also the same if there are more than two people in a caravan or motorhome,   They also give further reductions if you belong to ACSI, so that means the cost for us was €17 per night.    Consequently there are plenty of Dutch, German, French and Belguim vehicles here as they usually belong to the Dutch camping organisation, ACSI.   This all makes such a change from the overinflated camping charges we have paid so far, and will continue to do so, where €26 to €30 is normal and there is still a charge for showers on top of this.  

We are very pleased with this campsite, even though we are all squashed in together.

 We actually arrived yesterday, and in our haste to drive to Tralee did not level the caravan properly.  During the evening we noticed that the fridge was not working, which we thought was due to the caravan sloping down at the front. So in the dark we raised the steadies, removed the water pump and waste water attachment, detached the power cord at both ends, and put the caravan mover on.  We moved the caravan onto levelling blocks, and made sure the level of the caravan was perfect.  We then reattached all the bits.

But the fridge still did not work.  Walter read the manuals and I completed a Google search.  We went to bed at midnight, without any answers.  But we knew that the planned day trip around the Ring of Kerry the next day would not happen.

The fridge started to work at 3 am. But it stopped again at 8 am.  We then learnt there were no caravan repair places in Killarney.

So we bought the last 12 volt car fridge from Argos.  We already have one at home, but I unwisely said not to bring it, as it was unnecessary clutter.  Very poor judgement.

The little car fridge is now happily purring away in the caravan.  Luckily we have a 12v point in the caravan.  The caravan fridge has been off and on all day.  We think the fault is in the switch.  But at least we can now keep the food cool.

 I had a cold shower in the caravan.  Just to make me feel that bit more miserable.  The hot water system, which has been playing up for the past few months, decided that it would not work this morning.

I wonder if mice have been nesting in the electrical wiring during winter, or perhaps the spiders have been spinning their webs throughout the caravan.  That was the answer provided by the caravan repair man.  He tried to vacuum the webs out of the hot water system.

The sun came out this afternoon and we drove back into Killarney, for a bit of retail therapy.

Killarney is a touristy town, with a very bubbly, friendly atmosphere.  And not just from Murphy's bar either.   We really enjoyed walking around the streets, and looking in the shops.

The Aran Sweater shop.  A huge place full of knitted garments.

 Walter found a bargain, amongst the huge pile of seconds at the back of the shop.   He paid €20 for a jumper.  A very happy man.  He looks very good in it too.  Very suave.

More shops,

and even more shops.

St Mary's Church of Ireland.  Anglian of course.  There was a Franciscan Friary too, but it was not an impressive building.  Or at least not from the street level.

Killarney taxis, namely horse and buggies, about twenty of them lining up, and waiting for customers.

We also visited the Outlet Centre and I bought a cow patterned suitcase for €53, greatly reduced.  I will not lose this suitcase when I next travel to Australia.  Perhaps I should have bought a matching handbag.  I certainly would not leave a cow patterned handbag in the taxi.  But I have some pride.

We went for a walk when we returned and managed to see the edge of Killarney National Park.

On the way I took photographs of two very smart houses.

This house also had a beautiful garden in front of it.

A view of the lake and mountains, using the telescopic lenses on my camera.  Some of the peaks on the peninsula of Kerry are quite high, being over 1000 metres.

A view across the golf course.  No golfers though.  A bit too exclusive, I think.

Tonight, just to finish the day off, I spilt red wine over my clothes and Walter knocked his beer over, which soaked books and brochures.

Tomorrow will be better.