Would you love to come with me to Europe?
Before you answer, I want you to imagine what I'm talking about. Imagine a small group of 7-15 people staying in a vacation rental house together. During the day time, we explore the region. In the evening, we relax with good food and music.
Welcome to Celtic Invasion Vacations, a better way to see Europe!
How It All Began
I love to travel. When my mom moved to Italy in 1985, I made yearly trips to visit her. Together, we saw Italy, France, Germany, and Switzerland. On each trip, we really got to know the areas we visited.
For all of my European travel, I never made it to Ireland and Scotland. I wanted to fix that. In 2007, I came up with Brobdingnagian Bards Tour of Ireland. We worked with a a typical “10 cities in 10 days”-tour company.
The great thing about that trip was that it was pretty inexpensive. Tickets were $1800 and included air travel. We saw most of Ireland with stops in Dublin, Dingle, Galway, Shannon, the Cliffs of Moher, and who knows what else.
Quite honestly, when it was all over, I didn't remember a whole lot. I was exhausted. We stayed up late to listen to music in the pubs. We got up WAY too early to go to our next destination. It was not the best way to travel and experience Ireland. My trips with my mom expanded my mind. I was energized. My trip to Ireland just left me worn out.
A Better Way to Travel
So, in 2009, I decided to start Celtic Invasion Vacations and offer something a bit more personal and special. Pulling from my experiences, the fundamental idea was that we would stay in one area. We would explore our temporary homeland through its culture, history and legends. When it was all over, we would be more relaxed, a bit more rested, and a LOT happier.
We started off by going to San Gimignano in Tuscany in the spring. In the fall, we traveled to Dingle, Ireland. Since then, we've visited Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, and Brittany. Most of our invasions are part of the seven Celtic nations. But not all.
You see, Celtic Invasion Vacations is not about a specific location. It's about a different way to travel. It's about building a community of like-minded people, folks who love Celtic music, as well as geek music. It's a willingness to take a set itinerary and then fly by the seat of our pants when a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself.
Kaylee: “How come you don't care where you're going?”
Shepherd Book: “‘Cause how you get there is the worthier part.”
From the episode “Serenity” of the TV Show Firefly.
We are pilgrims in a foreign land. We respect and celebrate the land and its people and follow Mark Twain's sage advice:
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”
I have traveled for over thirty years. It opened my mind to the beauty of other people and other cultures. My goal with Celtic Invasion Vacations is to open your mind to the majesty of Celtic culture with a relaxing adventure of a lifetime.
If you would like to find out how you can join me on an incredible adventure, visit Celtic Invasion Vacations website.
Then read the blogs.
Listen to the podcasts.
Watch the videos.
If it sounds right for you, join me on my next magical adventure.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
From The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien