Here's the thing about traveling: It's so easy NOT to do it. There are so many reasons why now isn't a good time to explore the world … we can't take time off work, it's expensive, we have too many responsibilities at home, etc., etc. I get it. Nathan and I toss around these (legitimate!) excuses all the time. After talking about this trip for years, I wasn't quite sure it was really going to happen. But you know what? All that scrimping and saving and going without was worth it.

As I get older, I realize that having experiences and creating memories is more important to me than stuff. Traveling really opens your eyes to the world and allows you to spend quality time with people you may have been neglecting. I am the first to admit that I can get waaaaay too wrapped up in work, and this trip was just what we needed to reset our focus. Stuff will always be there, but once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the people you love won't.

So if you've been putting off a trip--to Europe or to the next city over--I urge you to DO IT! You won't regret it. I promise!

The next stop in our tour of Ireland was Kinsale (see part 1 here). It's a beautiful little harbor town in the south of Ireland.

The cafes in Kinsale were delicious and so cozy. It was a little chilly on the water, so afternoon tea was really welcomed.

I have to give a shout out to Don of Don & Barry's Historic Kinsale Walking Tour. The whole stroll was so informative (Kinsale has a LOT of history!), and I just loved Don's hat!

Then we headed to the Cliffs of Moher, which was absolutely breaktaking. A must-see if you're ever in Ireland!

It's insane how close you can get to the edge! It is not a tiny drop.

Where we stayed: Golden Gate House (Kinsale), Twin Peaks B&B (Doolin) Where we ate: Poet's Corner, The Shack, Janey Mac, Bruno's (Kinsale), Gus O'Connor's Pub (Doolin) What we did: Explored the Kinsale Harbor Walk, took Don & Barry's Historic Kinsale Walking Tour, walked around Charles Fort (Kinsale), visited the Cliffs of Moher and hiked along the coastal walk (near Doolin)

Last night, Nathan and I had a viewing party of allll the photos from our trip to Ireland and Scotland. It was like reliving every moment. And it was like Christmas morning watching all those film scans being deposited on to my hard drive.

We originally started talking about hopping across the pond a couple years ago. We had about three different dates set but kept having to push it back for various reasons. I'm so grateful that we were able to make it happen … and we really ended up going at the perfect time. 1) The weather in Ireland was beyond perfect. I've been to Ireland before, and I fully expected gray skies and rain, but it was 70 degrees and sunny the whole time! A dream! 2) The Scottish independence vote happened while we were in Scotland. SO cool to witness! Those things, plus a whole bunch of others, made this a trip of a lifetime.

I have so many photos from our trip, I'm breaking it down into a few different parts. Up first is our time in Killarney, Dingle and Blarney.

We got off the plane and promptly started adventuring. We saw Muckross House and Killarney National Park with about four hours of sleep in the last 30 hours. Excitement of being in Ireland is the only thing that carried us through. :)

We were hardcore tourists in Ireland. Thank goodness for Nathan's newfound skill of driving on the left side of the road. We took our little rental car everywhere. And didn't get run off those narrow roads once!

Seeing Dingle Peninsula was one of our favorite things we did on the trip. It was beyond gorgeous, and the perfect weather made it that much more magical.

Then we stopped for tea and scones (and apple pie!) on the edge of a cliff. A cliff! This is my new dream: move to Ireland and open a cute little cafe with a million dollar view.

Traveling with a big camera is kinda interesting, especially when you ask strangers to take a photo of you. We've learned that they either a) get really wide eyed and nervous about touching the thing (let alone taking a picture) … and rightfully so! or b) get really excited to take a photo … or two … or three. A super nice lady took this photo of us, and then a few more that were blurry. How do you nicely stop someone from finishing off your roll of film?!

The Gap of Dunloe was AMAZING! I felt like I was in a Lord of the Rings movie. The light was sparkly! If you're every in Killarney, make sure to go early in the morning.

And then we made the obligatory trip to Blarney Castle. I kissed the stone when I was 17, but it was just as cool 12 years later. :)

Where we stayed: Burke's Mulbur House Where we ate: Cronins Restaurant, Teac Couminole Cafe, Paddy's Restaurant What we did: Visited Muckross House and Killarney National Park, strolled through downtown Killarney, took Slea Head Drive all the way around Dingle Peninsula (made stops at various beaches along the way), drove through the Gap of Dunloe (early in the morning!), visited Blarney Castle and walked the grounds