So the wife and I were looking at our Marriott Rewards points that we have been squirreling away for a once in a lifetime (or at least once in ten years) vacation opportunity.  My wife wants to go to Ireland.  On the other hand, I want to go back to Italy and see all of the marvelous historical sites that I missed when I went to Genoa in 1998.  Essentially, all I saw was the Riviera and Christopher Columbus’ birth place.  I thoroughly enjoyed it but being there a month, I should have capitalized on the opportunity and seen way more of the historically relevant sites.  Oh wait, I was working during the week so you can cut me some slack.

Interestingly enough, I thought she would have wanted to go to France and see all of the beautiful art and eat in a cafe, etc.  Being the good Irish girl that she is (or is descended from) she wanted to see her homeland.  Being part Irish and part Scottish and part Native American, I feel no real affinity to any particular homeland other than Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at the University of Florida or the Deep South.  I enjoy saying that I am part Irish, mainly in March but through my genealogy I am correct in my boasting.

This vacation getaway would cover a week in the respective country, paid for by our points.  We would just need to get there and feed ourselves.  Therein lies the rub.  I looked up flights to the various locations and a flight to Italy must be covered in gold because it will take a small fortune to get there.  Yikes.  In 1998 it was a mere $2400 for first class travel.  Now it is much more than that just for coach.

If you could go somewhere for a once in a lifetime trip where would you go?  Where would you send me?  Here is the bigger question, what is there to do in Ireland?  I thought we could compromise and go to London, say around the time of SQL BITS conference.  But then I would miss all of the sight-seeing as I get to meet all of my twitter friends from the UK.  It looks like you can take a ferry from Ireland to the UK.  What is that like?  Maybe five days in Ireland and a couple in the UK.  What do you think?

Besides I wanna be Clark Griswold going around the circle saying look kids Big Ben, Parliament House.  Enjoy!

P.S.  If you are interested in joining Marriott Rewards, send me your e-mail address and I will send you a referral whereby I can receive some points to use on this vacation, if you feel so generous.  The Rewards program is free but I will receive some points for referring you.  This is not a pyramid scheme.