Good friends. Good Drink. Good company.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Those three things are what I look for in life. Our first day is over, and it is shear perfection.

Our plane arrived late this morning. But John Wilmott of Celtic Ways and most of the tour group were waiting for us. Thirty minutes later we were on the road. It was a slow trip getting out of Dublin and a long bus ride to Gougane Barra. But so worth it.

I played some music. We sang around the bus. I finally got my Guinness, and we had a delightful lunch. We chatted, relaxed. I stretched.

Then Andrew picked up his mandolin and recorder at lunch and we played some more. The country passed by like a postcard. The weather is cool with spots of rain. The air is fresh. My heart is blissful.

We arrived at 7pm in Gougane Barra. Wow! It's in the middle of valley. There's a lake there with a church on a peninsula. Dinner was amazing with a pear and blue cheese salad, lamb, and apple cobbler. I drank Murphy's Draught for the first time in Ireland. Haven't had that here. Then we went for a walk as the sun set. I am filled with joy and peace. And this is day one.