Welcome to DIY Abroad

Ever want to plan a trip on a budget but don’t know where to start?  Ever try to use a travel agent or coordinator without really knowing what you’re actually paying for? Ever wonder why some destination norms are so different from what you are used to, but were unaware prior to your trip? The…

Home Share

Speaking of home shares, this is the best way to mesh with the local culture and live like a local.  It’s always a great way to meet people from all over the world and get an idea of what their lives are like and how we share so many similarities.  Airbnb and Homeaway are two…

Hotels

Today there are so many options when trying to choose a hotel that it can get downright overwhelming.  The best sites to use to compare prices and availabilities are Trip Advisor and Trivago.  You have the ability to create a search criteria with filters since we all have different priorities when booking a room.  It’s…

Road Warrior

If you love the open road and want to drive cross country, it quite convenient when driving your own car.  If this is not an option, just remember a few tips when renting a car; research and learn the traffic laws (driving on the correct side of the road), master a round-a-bout, and learn to…

Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, Ireland

By Land A trip to Ireland wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Cliffs of Moher.  The Cliffs are located at the southwestern region of The Burren on the west coast of Ireland in County Clare.  The cliffs are 14 kilometers (8.6 miles) in length and range in height from 120 meters (390 ft) in…

Training Yourself

After getting off a plane and wanting to be ground-level for a while, taking a train is a worry-free choice.  There are many different types of train services that include high-speed, continent-wide, local, trams and subway/metro.  The choice of rail line to use all depends on the destination.  Going cross-country, and wanting to see some…

Rock of Cashel and Cahir Castle, Co. Tipperary, Ireland

County Tipperary If you’re looking for a scenic drive from Dublin down to Cork, take your time and go through County Tipperary.  The county is in the Munster province, southwest of Dublin, east of Limerick and northeast of Cork.  There are many Celtic and medieval ruins that surround the vast landscape of mountains, rivers, lakes…

The Burren, Co. Clare and Co. Galway, Ireland

There’s nothing like driving through the Burren from Doolin on your way to Galway.  The Burren consists of a glaciated karst region in southwestern Ireland that stretches through County Clare and County Galway.  The Burren measures between 250 and 560 square kilometers.  One of the coolest landscapes is seeing the rock formations dip right into…

Bray, Co. Wicklow, Ireland

There’s no better way to see Ireland’s coast than to rent a car and drive along its coastal highways.  We did just that and wound up in a quaint town called Bray.  Bray is south of Dublin city center on Ireland’s east coast and is one of many coastal towns that we visited.  It reminded…

Fight or Flight

If traveling across the pond, you will need to book a flight (unless you have all the time and money in the world to cruise up to 25 days to another continent).  Start doing some legwork before booking your flight overseas.  If you are a business traveler or travel on a leisurely basis a few…

Pack Rats Beware

When most people travel they want to bring everything but the kitchen sink.  For a domestic road trip, that may work if your car is big enough.  However, when traveling overseas, packing too much stuff is inconvenient and cumbersome.  In the US, everything is big; cars, houses, hotel rooms, bathrooms/WCs.  Everywhere else, not so much….