点评:If you are lucky enough to have Triona of Butler Bus as your guide for a small group tour in Ireland, prepare for the trip of a lifetime. From the moment we set off, she felt less like a formal guide and more like an old friend welcoming us to her homeland. Traveling in a small group allowed us to navigate narrow country lanes with effortless skill, accessing hidden viewpoints and intimate experiences that massive tour buses could never dream of reaching. Triona was our guide over an 8-day period driving us from Galway all the way back to Dublin.
What sets Triona apart is her rare gift for storytelling and her flawless orchestration of an incredible itinerary. In Galway, her local insider recommendations brought the vibrant, musical streets to life. As we moved into the rugged wilderness of Connemara, her deep knowledge made the majestic Kylemore Abbey feel entirely magical. Triona then handled the logistics of getting us to the ferry to the Aran Islands, where we had the best day ever! We took the ferry to the Island called Inis Mór, where we had scheduled the Aran Off Road Experience with Pádraig. I cannot emphasize enough the benefit of his personal experience of being an eighth generation native of the Island.
Our next stop was breathtaking, jaw-dropping Cliffs of Moher as we traveled to Dingle. We visited a Dingle Sheepdog Demonstration, but before that, Triona found us a petting/feeding farm, which was a requested added bonus. In Dingle, she knew exactly which pubs had the best traditional music sessions and always offered suggestions on places to eat. Onward to Killarney, she saved the day when one of our group “lost” her phone, which Triona so graciously located on the bus and then delivered to us at our hotel. She absolutely went over and above in her duties.
Triona's passion for authentic Irish culture shone through every single day, and her insights gave incredible depth to our stops at Killarney, Ross Castle, and the colorful harbor town of Kinsale. Knowing we were from New York, had first responders in our group and also first-hand experience with the September 11 tragedy, she took us to see the Kinsale Garden of Remembrance 9/11 Memorial, a moving experience that we never would have known about if not for Triona. Her dedication to history was especially moving in Cobh, where she walked us through the Queenstown Story and Ireland's emigration past. We wrapped up our journey in medieval Kilkenny, visiting Kilkenny Castle while on the way to our final destination, our hotel near Dublin airport.
Important to note also, the bus appeared relatively new, was quite comfortable, and always clean at the start of each day. Triona was endlessly patient, incredibly attentive to detail, and wonderfully flexible. Her kindness, humor, and enthusiasm turned a beautiful vacation into pure unforgettable magic. By the time our trip was over, she felt more like family. Five stars isn't enough!
翻译:如果你有幸请到巴特勒巴士公司的特里奥娜担任你在爱尔兰小团游的导游,那可要准备好开启一生难忘的旅程了。从出发那一刻起,她给人的感觉就不像是个刻板拘谨的导游,而更像是一位热情好客的老朋友,欢迎我们来到她的故乡。由于是小团出行,我们能够轻松驾驭那些狭窄的乡间小路,抵达大型旅游巴士根本无法到达的隐秘观景点和独特体验之地。在为期8天的旅途中,特里奥娜担任我们的导游,驾车带我们从戈尔韦一路返回都柏林。
特里奥娜的与众不同之处在于她出色的讲故事能力,以及对整个行程安排的完美掌控。在戈尔韦,她以本地人的独特视角为我们推荐了许多去处,让这座充满活力与音乐气息的城市变得鲜活起来。当我们进入康尼马拉的荒野地带时,她渊博的知识又让雄伟的凯尔莫尔修道院显得格外神奇迷人。接着,Triona负责安排我们乘坐渡轮前往阿兰群岛的事宜,我们在那里度过了最愉快的一天!我们乘渡轮抵达了名为伊尼斯莫尔的岛屿,并在那里预定了由Pádraig带领的“阿兰群岛越野体验”。他作为该岛第八代原住民所积累的丰富经验,所带来的帮助实在不可小觑。
我们的下一站便是令人叹为观止、美得令人窒息的莫赫悬崖;随后我们前往丁格尔。我们在那里观看了丁格尔牧羊犬表演,不过在此之前……Triona为我们找到了一家可以抚摸和喂食动物的农场,这真是意料之外的惊喜。在丁格尔,她清楚哪家酒吧有最地道的传统音乐表演,还总是向我们推荐不错的用餐地点。当我们一行人中有人“弄丢”手机时,她又在基尔拉尼帮了大忙——她热心地在公交车上找到了手机,随后将其送到了我们的酒店。她确实完全超出了职责范围,尽心尽力地为我们服务。
Triona对纯正爱尔兰文化的热爱每一天都体现得淋漓尽致。她的见解为我们在基拉尼、罗斯城堡以及色彩缤纷的港口小镇金塞尔的游览增添了无穷深度。得知我们来自纽约,且团队中既有急救人员,又有亲历过9·11悲剧的人,她便带我们去参观了金塞尔的“9·11纪念园”。这一经历令人动容不已;若非特里奥娜,我们根本不会知道有这个地方的存在。在科夫,她对历史的执着同样深深打动了我们。她向我们详细介绍了皇后镇的历史以及爱尔兰的移民往事。我们的旅程以中世纪的基尔肯尼作为终点,在前往最终目的地——都柏林机场附近的酒店途中,我们还参观了基尔肯尼城堡。
另外需要一提的是,那辆巴士看起来相当新,乘坐起来也很舒适,而且每天出发前都干干净净。特里奥娜有着无尽的耐心,对细节极为留意,处事也极为灵活。她善良又风趣。那份热情与用心把一次美好的度假经历变成了永生难忘的奇妙体验。旅行结束时,她在我们心中早已如同家人一般。五颗星根本不够!