lol, my 'U' button doesn't work sometimes so where it say wold is supposed to be WOULD***

Why not do a multi-city and fly home from Paris, saving a day of flying, the night in Dublin, etc.? It will cost a bit more, but probably not any more than the extra flight, taxi/bus from/to the airport in Dublin, etc. You will be less tired and can enjoy another whole day and night in Paris. If you want the extra day in Dublin, put it at the beginning rather than breaking it up and back tracking.

Day three: Depending on train or bus times, isn't getting from Dublin to Giants Causeway going to take at least half a day?

How long will it take to get from Giants Causeway to Belfast? It doesn't seem to be much time for Belfast, but maybe you just want a quick look.

Day 10 & 11: The towns are so close. Why not stay in one place and day trip to the other, unless, of course, you are back packing. Then I guess it is OK.

Day 5: Unless you love ferries and buses, do you want to spend a whole day of your trip that way? Would it not be easier to Fly? However, I didn't look, so perhaps connections are not good.

The ticket to fly in to dublin and out was 686.00 usd through aer lingus, but you have a good point i'll check on it. thanks.

ok yea so I looked into flying out of paris to home, but doing it that way was $227 more, so flying to dublin and then back home is a lot cheaper, even though it sucks.

ok and your right I switched into flying into edinburgh instead of ferry. thanks!

would be arriving in Edinburgh around 10 am now

OK, so flying into Dublin and out of Paris is $227 more - more than $686 or more than the total cost once you added in the cost of airfare from Paris to Dublin and the extra bus/taxi from airport in Dublin? I wouldn't add in cost to airport in Paris because you would have that anyway, but there is also the loss of a half day of sightseeing time, which in a sense is also money spent if you average the cost of your trip over days you have in Europe.

Of course, your budget may be down to the dollar, so take this with a grain of salt.

Kind of convoluted, I know, but: Cost of a ten-days on-the-ground trip (airfare and everything) is say, $3,000 = $300 per day. That half day of travel time from Paris to Dublin just cost you $150 plus cost of tickets, etc. Yes, it would have cost you anyway, but at least in Paris you could be seeing something for your money and that is , I think, why you go to europe in the first place. Your half day of sight seeing in Dublin in effect cost you $300 plus the air fare, etc. - pretty expensive afternoon and extra aggravation.

ya, were college students on a budget, I travel often and am used to getting around. of course now one of my friends want to change scotland for london instead.

Day 1- land in Dublin @ 5am
Day 2-Dublin
Day 3- Newgrange and Giants Causeway
Day 4-Belfast
Day 5- Flight to london arrive 10:15am
Day 6- london
Day 7-day tour (http://www.sightseeingtourslondon.com/windsor-stonehenge-bath-tour-p-38.html)
Day 8- flight to Amsterdam arriving around 9:30am
Day 9- ??
Day 10- Bruges, Belgium
Day 11-Gent,Belgium
Day 12- early train to Paris
Day 13- Rouen
Day 14-Paris
Day 15- flight back to Dublin
Day 16- Flight home.





Round trip flight $686.00
Car rental $77.00 (divided up)
flight 2 london $50.00
flight 2 Amster $65.00
Train 2 Brussels $38.73
Train 2 ghent/bruge $26.00
Train 2 Paris $79.00
Train 2 Rouen $52.00
Flight 2 Dub $52.00


*** this new itenarary frees us up a day, i'm not sure where to spend it though.

I think if you are going to do a full day tour on Day 7, I would add the extra day to London. There is so much to see there. I would also vote for spending the extra money to fly out of Paris instead of backtracking to Dublin. It will be easier in the end.

This is what we are thinking now.

may6-tpa
may7-dub
may8-dub
may9-nrthrn ire
may10-belfast
may11-belfast-edinburgh 10am
may12-edingbrgh
may13-scotland
may14-scotland
may15-london arrive 11am
may16-london (day tour)
may17-london
may18-amsterdam arrive 9:30am
may19-bruges arrive 10:55am
may20-belgium
may21-paris 10am
may22-paris
may23-paris/dub
may24-home

Round trip flight $707.00
Car rental $77.00
flight 2 Edinb $50.00
flight to london $55.00
flight 2 amster $52.00
Train 2 Bruges $39.00
Train 2 paris $79.00
flight paris-dub $52.00

Day trip to bath/stonehege $111.00