Ireland/Scotland 2008?

First, Opening Day is now just a week away! My 15 year old son Colin is planning on making the 5 hour bus trip to join me – to continue our “tradition” of sharing Opening Days together.  I’m very excited – still have to decide where we’re going to head out to.  Much will depend on how long he can skip school for and stay, too.

Due to some other interests and events, I’m also planning a trip to Belfast and hopefully Dundee/Fife in 2008.  Unfortunately, there are time constraints and I don’t think I’ll be able to be away for more than two weeks.  This puts me at a disadvantage in planning for any possible fly fishing opportunities – two weeks is hardly enough time to be able to see the “rellies” and friends.  If I happen to miss one or two, I won’t hear the end of it for as long as I live.

There are several motivations for heading over:

1. My uncle is in his 80’s – I’d like to see him before there are no opportunities to see him again.

2. I’ve been doing some genealogy research, and it looks like a trip to some parishes in Fife (specifically, Burntisland, St. Monance, and Dysart) as well as Dundee are necessary to assist in solving some old family mysteries.

3. I’d like to take my “wee fellow,” David – who will be 5 years old in August, to see the land I was born and that has had great influence on my life.

Will there be time along with hoisting a few pints here and there, for some hours on a river or three?  I’d like to think so! We’ll see how it goes, and if I can convince the “wee man’s” mom that 2 weeks is just not long enough!