We would get into the car that we’d packed with enough clothes and stuff for 10 - 14 days traveling. We always knew our first stop-off would be a guesthouse close to Enniskillen in County Fermanagh, so we could be close to the west of Ireland, then decide what direction to go on— Donegal, Sligo, Galway...

The next morning we would go in that direction and drive stopping off in villages, parks and towns to look around. To find our next guesthouse, we had a set of guidelines... we had to find one before 4pm so we could settle in and be close to a village or town so we could get something to eat. We would judge a guesthouse by how it and its gardens looked from the outside. If it suited us, we'd stay for a few days.

Would you believe what I remember most was the worry! Where were we going? What kind of place would we pick? Would the beds be comfortable? The breakfast tasty and get a warm welcome? I definitely could say I needn't have worried. Nearly every one was 100%, there was a number that were more than what either of us could have imagined.

But there was one place that stands out from them all. It was in Achill Island. The guesthouse was outside the main town but it had amazing views and there was a quiet beach nearby.

We called at the house and an elderly lady greeted us. The house was pristine. We let her know what we were doing and that we'd been on the go for nearly a week, but we would stay for a few nights. She recommended a place for us to eat and as we left for dinner, she asked if she could do a clothes wash for us. That evening, when we got back she had board games out and ready to play. She even let her little dog (normally hidden away) into the living room as we played. Much to my daughter's amusement. The lady was so accommodating.

The next day we left to explore the island and go for a swim in the nearby beach. When we got back, our clothes had been washed and ironed and left in our bedroom.

The lady is probably long gone now but how she made us feel... important, safe, special... will last for as long as we're alive.

May, whatever we do, as best we can, leave others feeling the same way.