7 Lessons I Share with Every Client Traveling to the UK and Ireland

So, you've booked your first international trip — not a Caribbean cruise where you're off the ship for a few hours and everyone takes American dollars. I'm talking about the kind of trip where you land in a different country and realize your phone charger doesn't fit a single outlet. I've been there. And I learned a lot the hard way so you don't have to.

My first genuine overseas adventure took me through Ireland and England with my family. It was the trip that eventually led me to become a travel agent, and looking back, nearly every lesson I now share with my clients traces back to something that went sideways or completely shattered my expectations on that journey.

If you're planning a first trip to Ireland or the UK, these are the lessons I wish someone had handed me before I boarded that plane.

Lesson 1: Don't Be a Hero on Day One

When we arrived in Dublin after an overnight flight, we dropped our luggage at the hotel and headed out to explore the city. I had planned on touring the Guinness factory, but I assumed I could just walk up and buy tickets on site. Turns out, you can't — they sell out in advance. So instead, we walked. And walked. And walked. Probably 20,000 steps to see everything else Dublin had to offer.

By the time we were heading back to the hotel, my family was ready to mutiny. Jet lag plus an overnight flight plus 20K steps on day one? Recipe for disaster.

Fast forward to my next trip — London this time. I'd learned my lesson. I planned a hop-on hop-off bus tour for our first day. It was perfect. We hopped off in a few spots — lunch in Chinatown, a boat ride down the Thames, a walk past Big Ben and Buckingham Palace — but otherwise we were happy to ride around and let the narrator do the heavy lifting.

The takeaway? Your first day abroad is not the day to prove you can do it all. Ease in. Your body and your travel companions will thank you.

Lesson 2: Ireland's Food Culture Was Nothing Like I Expected

I'll admit it: I boarded that plane fully expecting two weeks of fish and chips and Guinness pie. That was my image of dining in Ireland — hearty, heavy, and repetitive. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Ireland's food scene blew me away. Fresh seafood curry, incredible seafood chowder, and some of the most memorable meals I've ever had — fish pulled straight from the ocean that very day. The fish and chips I did eat? I had them once, at Reel Dingle Fish in Dingle. And they were hands-down the best I've ever tasted.

Here's the scene: you walk in and there's a blackboard above the counter listing the types of fish they caught that day. The ones they'd already run through had a line drawn through them. No freezers on site. Everything cooked same day. The portions were enormous — I was sitting outside at a picnic table and couldn't finish my chips. A group of local teens at a nearby table were more than happy to polish them off for me, grinning the whole time.

That moment — the blackboard, the fresh catch, the kids sharing food with a stranger — that's the Ireland nobody tells you about. England was similarly surprising, with a culinary scene as diverse as any world-class city, from Michelin-starred to street carts. If you go in expecting bland pub grub, you're going to be very pleasantly surprised.

Lesson 3: Hire a Driver for Ireland and the UK — Seriously.

I was fortunate enough to get some advance warning on this one. My brother and his wife had gone to Ireland years earlier and rented a car. Their takeaway? The driver never got to experience the sights because they were too busy white-knuckling it on the wrong side of the road, on narrow lanes with sheep randomly wandering into traffic.

We opted for a driver to take us around the country, and it was one of the best decisions we made. The Wild Atlantic Way is something everyone should see in their lifetime, and I got to actually see it instead of gripping a steering wheel.

But even from the passenger seat, those roads were something else. One-lane roads where you have to constantly look ahead and pull into a turnout if you see a car coming your way. And the roundabouts — it was fascinating to watch the subtle signals drivers gave each other to signal who should go. Like watching another language in action.

If you're considering a self-drive tour of rural Ireland, the English countryside, or the Scottish Highlands, I'd ask you to consider whether you really want that level of stress woven into your vacation memories. A good travel advisor can arrange a private driver or transfers in a heartbeat — so everyone gets to actually enjoy the journey.

Lesson 4: Pub Hotels in the UK and Ireland Have More Charm Than You'd Expect

I'll be honest — the thought of staying above a pub seemed a little sketchy. In the US, you'd imagine that's where someone ends up after celebrating a bit too much to make it home. But in Ireland, pub hotels are the heart of the village, and the experience was nothing like what I'd pictured.

The innkeepers were incredibly welcoming. The accommodations were clean, and while some were quite old, that added to the charm. The buildings themselves seemed to have evolved over time — hallways were twisty, and you'd encounter a random step or two where sections had been joined together and didn't line up perfectly. The keys were old-fashioned on comically large keychains, so you'd leave them at the front desk when you went out.

In one place, we were assigned Room 1A — conveniently located between Rooms 8 and 9. Turns out it was where the owners had lived before they moved to lodging offsite, so they just slapped a random room number on it. I loved it.

And in the morning? A full Irish breakfast served to everyone who'd stayed overnight. I felt so taken care of, like I was part of the family. You just don't find that with hotel chains. I always tell my clients: mix in at least one pub hotel stay alongside your luxury accommodations. Honestly, it's one of the most immersive experiences you can have.

A quick practical note while we're here: Ireland and the UK run on different currencies — euros in Ireland, pounds in the UK — and while cards are widely accepted, it's worth having a little local cash on hand for pubs, market stalls, and the occasional tip. I'd also recommend a card with no foreign transaction fees so you're not nickel-and-dimed on every swipe. The coins especially take some getting used to — I handed over what I thought was correct change more than once and got a patient smile from the person behind the counter.

Lesson 5: Talk to Someone for Fifteen Minutes

We happened to be in Dingle during one of Ireland's national holidays, so the town was buzzing with Irish visitors there for a long weekend. I went out to a local pub that had live music — think fiddles, tin whistles, and flutes. Everyone gathered around tables wherever they could find a spot.

Within fifteen minutes, no one was a stranger. We swapped stories, heard about their hometowns — just good fun. That warmth ran through every interaction on the trip — the teens finishing my chips, the innkeepers treating us like family, the train station agent who went out of her way to help when she didn't have to.

That last one deserves its own story.

Lesson 6: Don't Be Afraid to Ask for Help

I'd purchased train tickets from London to Bristol before the trip, but you couldn't access them until you were actually in the country. We were rushing to the station, and I still couldn't pull up the tickets on my phone. We asked an agent at the counter, but because I'd bought them online, she couldn't access them on her end.

Meanwhile, my cell phone battery was at two percent. I had no idea how fast a phone battery drains while roaming internationally — that's a lesson no guidebook teaches you.

The agent let me use her charger while we tried to figure it out, but we were running out of time. At the last moment, I realized I'd turned on my VPN for safety while roaming, not realizing it made my phone appear to still be in the US. Once I turned that off, the tickets loaded. I quickly emailed them to my son before my phone died.

That VPN detail? I now tell every single client. And while the agent couldn't solve the bigger problem, her kindness in a stressful moment was everything. She didn't have to lend me her charger or stay calm while I was panicking — but she did. That's the human thread that wove through every stop on this trip.

Lesson 7: Watch Out for Sheep Roommates

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the sheep. We were staying at a quaint hotel in Gougane Barra, Ireland, after a long day of hiking. Like many places in the country, there was no air conditioning, so we opened the window to enjoy the fresh air. Outside was a gorgeous field of sheep. Lovely, right?

We didn't think anything of it — until a sheep stuck its head right through the screenless window. At that point, we decided not to risk a woolly roommate joining us in bed and shut the window for the night. Some things you just can't prepare for.

This Trip Changed Everything

That first trip abroad didn't just give me stories and lessons. It sparked an entirely new career. After these adventures, I became a travel agent with LuxRally Travel, where the training is extensive and never really stops. They taught me not just the answers, but also where to find the right information when I need it. Now it's not just my hard-won lessons working for you — it's the collective knowledge of an entire network of agents who've navigated the roundabouts, tasted the chowder, and yes, figured out the VPN settings — so you can skip the panic and go straight to the magic.

If your first real trip abroad is on the horizon (or even if it's your tenth), I offer complimentary travel advising to help you navigate it. With industry connections, the best technology available, and access to private rates and benefits, I can tailor each itinerary to exactly what you're envisioning, at no extra cost. In fact, most of my clients save money by booking with me, whether through perks and benefits, better rates, or both.

Don't let the fear of mistakes stop you from seeing the world. I survived and came out better for it.

Connect with me below and I'll support you the whole way.