A Mad Dash Through Ireland (and the Left Side of the Road)

There is a very specific flavor of panic that comes with driving a rental car on the "wrong" side of a remarkably tight Irish road. It's an exercise in sheer focus, made only slightly better by my mom sitting in the passenger seat trying her absolute best to gracefully navigate us away from the hedges. (And yes, we were, of course, super calm the entire time).

I had been in Dublin for a work trip, which always means long, intense days. I got my mom a ticket as a Mother's Day gift, and she flew out to join me for the entire trip. We rented a car and made a weekend dash up to Northern Ireland to hit Belfast, the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle, and Newgrange. It wasn't a trip with a massive, profound narrative arc—just a brilliant, fast-paced memory drop and a whole lot of quality time together.

Most Memorable Moments

Sun-Drenched at the Giant's Causeway

I don't know who we bribed to get the weather we did, but we caught a very fortunately sunny day for the Causeway. The natural beauty of this place is staggering. Spending time just walking the basalt columns right up against the ocean with my mom was easily the peak afternoon of the trip.

Evening Pub Debriefs

The mad dash of sightseeing was great, but the real highlight was just getting to hang out in the evenings. After the intensity of the work week, grabbing a pint in a cozy pub and catching up with my mom was exactly what I needed.

Navigating the Irish Roads

Renting a car gave us the freedom to roam, but it was intense. I got to white-knuckle the steering wheel on the left side of the road while my mom took on the high-stakes role of navigator. A fun little panic to keep us on our toes.

Logistics & Practical Information

ACCOMMODATION

The Sandymount Hotel (Dublin): Stayed here for the work portion of the trip. It was fine and had a good restaurant, but the rooms are a bit small and the property feels a little dated. Honestly, none of the hotels in the Ballsbridge area seem incredible, but it got the job done.

AC Marriott (Belfast): A very solid spot for our Northern Ireland hub. Convenient location and a genuinely good restaurant on-site.

TRANSPORTATION

Rental car: Highly recommend it for the flexibility to see the Causeway and castles, but be prepared for tight roads and a learning curve if you aren't used to right-hand drive.

Reflections & Final Thoughts

Packing up to leave Ireland felt different than the end of most trips. This was my first time away from Karthika since we got married last month, and I've been missing her a lot. But the end of this sprint means hopping on a flight to Paris to finally meet up with her—and to meet her parents in person for the first time. It'll also be the first time her parents and my mom are meeting. It's incredibly exciting and heartwarming—my two favorite women in the world, coming together in Paris.