Customer Feedback

Dear Rob,

My daughter Becka and I took the (July 9-21) 12 Day Adventure. Thanks again for a wonderful experience. We were blessed to have found your company and to travel with such a wonderful small group of folk. Both Paddy and Mark were informative and fun, each in his own way and I want to commend your hiring of them.

Peace,

Kate Schieber, USA, 12 day Tour, July 2012

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We have just returned to the US from an absolutely wonderful 12-day tour with Vagabond Tours. Paddy was an amazing and very accommodating guide and we would like to add that we would highly recommend Vagabond Tours to anyone who wants to visit Ireland. We had a fantastic time and loved having the opportunity to explore Ireland in this very unique way. The site seeing, the hiking, the hotel accommodations, the food, and, again, Paddy’s excellent guidance, was absolutely amazing. Your country is beautiful and the people of Ireland are the friendliest we have ever encountered. Thank you for giving us a wonderful vacation!

Kindest regards, Eileen Neal, Cathy Lash & Lynn Danielson, 12 day Giant Irish Adventure, October 2012.

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“Russ gave us a real adventure tour. Excellent guide-driver-nanny-friend. we loved our tour and will recommend this tour to our friends”

Gerry Brockman. 12 day Giant Irish Adventure, July 2012

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I just wanted to drop a note to thank you for the great tour you provided. Bill and I took the 12 day tour all around Ireland and it was perfect, aside from a little Irish drizzle. Ireland is beautiful and the tour really captures most aspects of it. Mark and Russ were our tour guides and we were happy to have both. Mark is well versed in Irish lore, literature and history, which was perfect for the northern part of the tour. Russ was absolutely wonderful as our guide for the last 7 days. He was extremely caring of our needs and could answer almost everything we could come up with. His knowledge of the foliage, landscape and nightly entertainment was perfect for the rugged western part of the country. We will highly recommend this tour to anyone looking to see Ireland in a more adventurous way than taking a big coach tour.

Anyways, thanks for accommodating our needs and having the best of the best people show us around your wonderful country.

Bill and Joni Sequira, 12 Day Giant Irish Adventure, June 2012.

I am writing to tell you how much my daughter Lindy and I enjoyed our tour. We feel like we experienced Ireland (at least the south) in all its glory with fairies, celtic culture, trad music etc. You are very fortunate to have talented guides who share the wonders of Ireland with such style; Dee and Wendy. Thanks so much for your wonderful tour….it is a trip we will always remember (the Craic) and isn’t that what travelling is all about.

Roxanne Delmage, Ottawa Canada , 8 Day ‘Wild Irish Rover’ July 2012.

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I had a great time in your beautiful country. Russ and Dee were both great group leaders and special in their own ways, I really enjoyed both of them. You have a great tour company, we definitely got a lot of attention and questions along the way and I know everyone always gave good feedback. One of these days I’ll get back and do the 5 day northern route with Vag. Greg and Suzanne on our 8 day said they really enjoyed that, having just done it prior to this one.

Now its back to real life!

Thanks again, Janice Cox. 8 day Wild Irish Rover Tour, September 2012

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“We just got off the Vagatron after Eight days of Wild Irish Roving adventure! Russell did a great job of warming us up for Dee who has convinced me of the existence of fairies. It met and exceeded expectations for group interaction, variety of experiences, flexible creativity. It is truly Dee’s passion and love of Ireland through her songs and stories that gave us a love of Ireland that we’ll take home with us. When are you going to Scotland?

Ginger and Janice, USA”. 8 day Wild Irish Rover, September 2012.

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Rob – I thought I would drop you a quick email to let you know how great the Vagabond tour was. I think I mentioned I have done other tours of Ireland and this was by far the best! The accommodations were great, the roads we traveled were exremely scenic, and Dee was an absolutley amazing guide. I would like to put a review on your website… This was by far the the BEST way to see and experience Ireland. Thank you so much for being flexible and allowing my nephew and I to stay on the extra day…. Branden truly enjoyed the trip as well and it far exceeded his expectations…. That is exactly what I was shooting for…. I will defintely be recommending Vagabond and Driftwood to all my friends…

Thanks again

Sincerely

Katie Flanigan, 8 day Wild Irish Rover Tour, July 2012

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I just wanted to tell you that your Vagabond Tour was the greatest trip ever! And Mark was the greatest tour guide in Europe! And Dee was awesome too!! I would like to get her email address if at all possible so I can stay in touch with her.

I thought I would share some pictures with you. I would appreciate it if you could pass them on to Mark and Dee.

Sarah Birch, 8 Day Wild Irish Rover Tour, June 2012

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We had a great time on the tour. Wendy, Paddy and Mia were excellent drivers and guides, and very professional. The Skellig was beyond expectations..so fortunate to have experienced it.

Accommodations were excellent and the organization of planned activities went without a hitch(at least to us). It was obvious that there was constant communication. Was delighted that the tour avoided urban centres.

We thoroughly enjoyed the history lessons and the Irish music(come to Newfoundland sometime …it will feel like home!)

Thanks again. Will recommend to friends.

Jane and Doug Bryce, 8 day Wild Irish Rover, June 2012.

“Just finished the 7 day southern tour with Wendy and Russ. Had a fantastic time! I highly, highly recommend if you are considering a trip to Ireland. Great time, beautiful country!”

Melinda Wasenger – 7 day World Tour of Ireland, September 2012.

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“To Rob, Wendy and Russ, (ok, a shout out to John as well), thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the best trip around your island I could have hoped for. It met and exceeded any expectations I had, and I made some wonderful friends along the way.

Anyone who is even thinking of signing up for any tour of Ireland should look no further than Vagabond. Next year, the North!!!

You deserve a standing ovation, t’was great craic!!!

Slainte,

Karen Schulman 7 day World Tour of Ireland, Sept 2012

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Just returned home yesterday and thought I would touch base to tell you what a wonderful time I had! I was a little nervous about this vacation since I’m not used to travelling solo, but as it turned out, we had a terrific group that I felt comfortable with almost immediately. I have also never done an adventure-based tour, but did I ever have fun!

I would like to add an extra comment about D, she is a keeper! She has such a warm, fun way about her, and our group just loved her. I got quite emotional when we stopped to look at St. Brigid’s Well, and D was so kind and thoughtful that I didn’t feel embarrassed or awkward – just such a sweetheart. Our group even talked about reuniting for another tour and requesting D as our guide! Admittedly, that likely won’t happen, but it says a lot about how everybody was feeling about the tour in general and D specifically.

Thanks for everything, Rob. I hope that Vagabond continues to enjoy great success, and perhaps I will be back someday to tour the north!

Alyson , 7 day World Tour of Ireland, May 2012

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Hi Rob.

I just returned from the 7 day World Tour of Ireland, and had to tell you how impressed I am with Vagabond. From my initial contact with Gillian and subsequent correspondence with you, I was so pleased with the level of responsiveness and professionalism. This carried through the rest of my vacation. Our guides, Wendy and D, were energetic, funny, spontaneous, plus calm and collected at all times (considering some of the places they had to drive, I really admired this!). Also, the depth of knowledge they had about Ireland made me think I should learn more about my own country! The tour was a perfect mix of seeing the spectacular countryside (wow!), activities, “roughing it” a bit during the day but then enjoying downtime in the lovely accommodations that all exceeded my expectations. The food was fantastic as well, literally not a bad meal the entire trip. Your team clearly does the research required to pick high-quality, interesting places to see, stay and dine. I had been wanting to visit Ireland for a few years, and I am so glad I chose to travel with Vagabond. I was able to see and do things that I would not have been able to do with other tour operators. I will be singing your praises to all of my friends and coworkers and I know you will have some repeat visitors from our group (we joked about having reunions and weddings on the Vagatron!). You and your team can feel very proud of what you have going here – keep it up!

Alyson Rudkins, Toronto, Canada, July 2012

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It is hard to believe our tour is behind us – but the pictures and videos certainly show we were there! I can’t say enough about Dee and Paddy as our guides. Both brought their experiences and perceptions and of course their accents into the tour. To have local, enthusiastic, very competent younger people as the tour guides was wonderful. They reached out to all on the tour and took note of anyone needing a little more attention. They always layed out the next day of what to expect and time frames, which I think is huge working with a group of people!

I was very glad I took note of my brothers suggestion to bring a day pack and rain gear – - I know you also emailed or had instructions on this, but I would stress this to be sure the person is comfortable. Loved all the hiking/walking and glad I was in shape for it!

We would all highly recommend this kind of tour! You have left us, wanting to see more of Ireland! So until next time,

Regards

Connie Moreau, 7 day World tour of Ireland, June 2012.

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I wanted to thank you for an incredible vacation. I didn’t expect the detailed and comfort we received. I am also not the most fit person and yet the guide(Wendy) accounted for my challenges. I may have been the last one always but the hiking made it all worth while. I would suggest this tour to ANYONE who likes to go off the beaten path. Thanks,

Brian de Souza.”

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“I’ve always wanted to go to Ireland and I am so glad we decided on Vagabond! What a BLAST we had touring around in the Vagatron and listening to Wendy’s wonderful stories of Irelands colorful history. Thanks Wendy and Russ for being awesome guides.”

Pam De Souza, 7 day World Tour of Ireland, September 2012

Rob, I had an AMAZING time. I am so thrilled and blessed to have found the tour company I was also very blessed to get a good group of people on my tour. I also cannot say enough about how GREAT and AWESOME our guide Paddy was. He knew how to keep us on track, yet let us explore. He also had a great sense of humor and a good personality, especially for our group, which had some strong personalities in it (including me). He really helped make my experience memorable and something to actually “write home about”.

THANKS SO MUCH! And hopefully I will be back!

Silissa Uriarte Smith, 7 day North by North West Tour, August 2012

We just wanted to thank you, Dee and Patty for an incredible adventure with Vagabond. We loved South West Ireland – the clouds, the ocean, the green fields, the vistas. It was great to have such nice weather throughout the trip. We enjoyed all the hikes, the thrilling boat ride to the Skelligs, the kayaking with Fungi in Dingle tonight, the visits to the sheep farm and the bog, and of course the wonderful music. We can’t wait to tell our friends about this trip and show them the photos. On the one below – Julie, Laura, Maria and Dave board the boat to the Skelligs on a clear morning in Portmagee. P.s. We now wish we had booked the longer trip, but hope to come back.

Maria and Dave, 6 day To The Edge of The World tour, June 2012

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We had an absolute blast on the trip and will be happy to advocate for you and spread the word! Both Russell and Wendy were awesome, and my kids are still walking around saying Russell’s signature line, “happy days”.

Mike Finegan, 6 day Tour ‘To The Edge of the World’, July 2012

Just wanted to thank you for the great tour. In particular, thanks to Mark as our tour leader. Mark is very knowledgeable about many subjects and touring Ireland with him was much more enjoyable due to his sharing of that knowledge with us. Also, he makes every effort to see that each person gets to do/see what they would like. I could go on and on about his professionalism. We enjoyed the trip and would enthusiastically endorse a trip led by your company and endorse Mark as a leader as well. Best Regards,

Charles E. Brown. 5 day NI tour, August 2012

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The scenery was stunning, the history fascinating, the towns charming….but it was the dynamic people in our group that made this trip so memorable. Special thanks to Russ (the best guide EVER!), he was professional, knowledgeable, fun and engaging. He wasn’t just our guide, he was part of our traveling family.” –

Mary Therese Grob. 5 Day NI tour, July 2012

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“I think that you need to give that wee lad Russ a raise. He’s absolutely wonderful! I’ve never had so much fun in my life. I loved my group and all the things that we did. Best tour ever!”

Taylor Maine, 5 Day NI tour, July 2012

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RUSS is the best tour guide ever! (and I’m sure our group would agree!) But really, it was an incredible trip and he made it a fantastic adventure for us all! Vagabond, thanks for letting us experience a snippet of your wonderful country and giving us memories that will last a lifetime Will def visit again. Truly awesome 5 days, would do it all again in a heartbeat! ♥ ”

Alexis Angel Guevara, 5 Day NI tour, July 2012

I just wanted to drop you a quick note of thanks to Vagabond Tours and in particular Wendy Jack. We had a fantastic trip. Saw more of Ireland than most Irish people see in a lifetime. You have a beautiful country with fantastic people. Wendy was great. I’m not sure what she thought of eight crazy Canadians but she was always very accommodating. Her insight to her country’s history and landscape, and the great stories she told were amazing. We had a lot of fun and a lot of great memories.

Thank you, Rob Parkhill, Private Tour, May 2012

Hi Rob! We’re back to the real world.

I can’t begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our tour with Vagabond! It was so incredibly meaningful in our lives!! You have developed an amazing way to visit Ireland. For those people who don’t want to be in the masses of tourism and who enjoy getting out in the outdoors, this was perfect! Everything that was planned for our days was perfect!

But that is not to say that it might have been interesting for someone else!!!! Our days were filled with amazing hikes, visual beauty, wonderful food, fun pubs, fabulous music, lovely picnics, and most especially the wonderful history lessons from Steve and Paula. What amazing people they are!!! They made sure to let us know what we were doing ahead of time, and why. They were both so knowledgeable in the history and physical layout/beauty of the country they so obviously love.

We were totally exhausted at the end of every day!! In addition to the activities, they also made us feel like family. It felt as though they were on vacation with us and that it was not just a job for them. They made sure to pack our days fully with a variety of activities! I cannot imagine seeing Ireland any other way. I am so glad that I just happened to come across your website when I was researching coming to Ireland. I already have 2 sets of friends that are seriously considering using Vagabond now!!

We mentioned to Steve that we would do another Vagabond tour in other countries if you should decide to expand!!! Also, I would do this same adventure in Ireland again!! We’ll see how my life goes as old age approaches. I was the oldest on the tour, but I felt as though I was able to keep up!! Just a little slower that the rest!

Thank you Rob!! What an amazing adventure you are providing!!

Sharon, Katie and Matthew Ziglar, California 
August 2011

It’s taken me a little while to write to you about our great trip, but better late than never, I hope!

Thank you! The End of the World trip of Ireland was amazing. I could not have asked for a better time! Besides the scenery being absolutely stunning, the daily hikes and the kayaking, the off road detours were great fun and lovely! The accommodation was very nice and accomodating! Needless to say, I had a great time in the pubs listening to the music and enjoying the very welcoming people of Ireland. 

 I don’t know how you did it, but what a great group of people to tour with! Everyone was so nice and so much fun! Mia, our driver, was wonderful. She was well informed of the history and landmarks. She was fun and a great leader of all of us North Americans (Can’t leave out our Canadian friend, Jill). Mia took good care of Jill and me, after having too much fun in Dingle. She was very patient and led us back to the hotel , which I’m sure was no easy task. But, I am very grateful.

Again, thank you!

Ember Crippen, US 
August 2011

I wanted to contact you to express my sincere thanks for the best vacation my wife Sandy and I ever had. We just completed the 11 Day Irish Adventure (Aug 22-Sep 1). We had been discussing this vacation(and belated honeymoon) for the past 15 years and finally decided to stop talking and actually do something. We spent quite a bit of time on line looking for the right kind of tour. We knew we were not interested in the standard large coach type of tour with all the usual tourist locations. Vagabond was recommended to us by Sandy’s knee doctor of all people. One visit to the web site and we had found our company.

During the weeks leading up to our departure we became worried that we were getting our hopes too high. After all, this had been our dream trip for so long and was going to be a once in a lifetime experience. I am happy to say that from the first moment of the tour all aspects met and exceeded our expectations. The small B&B locations were fantastic and the accommodations were all outstanding. Sandy and I agreed that this is the only way to see Ireland.

Our guides Steve and Paula (for the first 5 days) were exceptional. They worked incredibly hard to ensure each individual on the tour was completely satisfied. They were both knowledgeable and well spoken. Their love for and pride in their country was obvious. You should be very proud of the high quality of these employees. They made the trip much more enjoyable. I recently retired after 25 years in law enforcement and have been told I am a harsh judge of character. I therefore have a small group of people I call friends. I now have two new additions to that group. Indeed, I have invited Steve into my home whenever he decides to visit the U.S. This invitation applies to Paula as well.

We have returned home with memories to last a lifetime. However, we have already decided that they won’t have to. We are already planning our return and are actively recruiting family members to join us. We are describing our trip as magical and do NOT consider it an exaggeration. Thank you again and slainte mo chairde!

A.J. McCauley, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, USA
11 Day Irish Adventure, August/September 2011

I had the pleasure of travelling with you and Sam on a 7 day trip in Sept last year. I was on a 12 month trip of the world but am now back home in Australia and making up photobooks of my fabulous year. I am currently doing one of Ireland so going through the pics and the diary and re-living it all, especially a couple of lovely walks we did through the countryside – off the beaten path. Perfect. Which has prompted me to send a very belated Thank You!

Ive been travelling for about 30 years in about 95 countries. Ive been on zillions of tours. Until 2010 a chap in Mexico had my personal award as Best Tour Guide Ever – but Im pleased to announce – youve pushed him off first place! Congratulations.

You have the rare combination of the people skills plus the historical knowledge. Many guides are very good at one but fail on the other. You managed to give us great snatches of history that was interesting AND fun to listen to. You told us about the history as if it was a personal experience – not just something youd read in a book. That alone is priceless but your sense of humour and the way youd always include everyone and keep us all up -beat and alert on longish drives was fabulous. The right mix of talking and quiet patches.

The tour itself was also fab. I loved the accommodation and variety of stuff we did and the flexibility you could run with according to the weather. Going for those walks where a local told me that hardly anyone but Vagabonders go was a real highlight for me. My good decision in choosing Vagabond was enforced for me when we drove through some little village with a gaggle of tour buses all crammed in the main street and then we ducked off down some gravel road with no-one else in sight. Although obviously I am a tourist – I dont like to feel like one and your trip really worked for me. (No “C and F” tours for me!! – Do you remember that expression??)

Credit to Sam too as he was also a fab guide.

Thanks again.

Julie Christensen
7 day tour, Sept 2010

My sister and I had booked this tour mid-summer of 2010 through Katherine Hirtzel of Carlson Wagonlit Travel in London, Ontario. We were so excited to finally set out on our adventure with Vagabond Tours. It was well worth the wait!
Mark was our driver he was the perfect gentleman, an excellent guide and driver. He entertained and educated us, he somewhat spoiled us with his singing abilities . Mark surpassed all my expectations on how knowledgeable he was in many areas of the history of Ireland . Very easy to talk too and very comfortable to be around. He always invited you to join him for dinner and walks. Truly a remarkable man.

Anne Floyd & Karen Perry – Ottawa, Canada
 June 2011

Just a quick note but thank you, thank you, thank you! We had a wonderful time on the tour. Wendy was brilliant – she was so knowledgeable about the geology, geography and history of Ireland, so much fun and pleasant, so patient and considerate – a really, really wonderful guide. My only regret was that we did not have enough time; I would have loved to stay at each stop for two or three nights. I definately want to come back to Ireland, and to go on another Vagabond tour. I’ve been going through my calendar and trying to figure out when I can get back. It’s not looking good for this year – my daughter is expecting a baby in the fall – but I am definately hoping to get back in 2012.
You can be sure that I will be telling everyone to travel with Vagabond.

Colleen Schiefen
April 2011

Just a quick note regarding our fabulous tour last week to Northern Ireland, Donnegal and Sligo.
Jim and I had a fantastic time. Wendy is a gem…so much fun, so knowledgeable and very in tune with the needs of her group. The inns and B&Bs were wonderful. My husband surfed and horse rode and we both enjoyed the various tours and walks etc.
I will post to FB and share some photos when I get over the jet lag issues.
I will not hesitate to recommend Vagabond. I am so happy I found out about your company.
Thanks again

Michelle and Jim Dignan, Chicago
 June 2011

Linda Ponder 
May 2011

We are having the best time ever!!!
Kevin is awesome!!! Unbelievable the knowledge that man has in his head!!!
We cannot tell you how lucky we are to have found your company.
It is exactly what we wanted to do..
Thank you so much

Linda Dokken McFarland, WI USA 
7 day tour, 2011

My husband Larry and I (along with our daughter and her husband) just completed your 7 day “world tour” with Sam and Steve. We wanted to let you know that we had a wonderful time! It was truly a first-class adventure that definitely exceeded our expectations. The beautiful countryside, the ruins, the food, the accommodations and especially Sam and Steve (You guys are the greatest!) were enjoyed by all. The spectacular weather (which we didn’t expect!) was an added bonus, as well. We will definitely recommend your company to anyone planning a trip to Ireland. Thanks for the memories!

 

Rob, I wanted to express my gratitude for the tour provided by Vagabond. I simply see no possible way this could have been better than it was. The tour was fantastic, with many varied activities. We saw much of what Ireland had to offer with incredible commentary to support it. And – no praise would be too high for Kevin. He’s incredible! The man has boundless energy, enthusiasm, patience, and knowledge of his country and its people.
Thank you again for a fantastic tour.

The McMillins, St. Peters, MO March 2011

I am back in France after 11 days with Wendy and Sam.
I have really enjoyed my trip, your country is beautiful, and mixing sports, tourism and adventure is a succes.
The organisation was very good, perfect.
Inspite of my non native english spoken and of my many mistakes in your language,
Wendy and Sam were very patient, speak clearly and slowly, thanks a lot also for their happyness.
And I have had my first lessons of gaelic with Sam !
I am waiting for my next travel in Ireland !
”Je suis tombée sous le charme de votre pays, mais pas que …”

Kristell Valognes, France
11 day tour, June 2010

I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful adventure tour my sister Christine and I had with Vagabond last week! It exceeded our expectations and we were so sad to have the experience come to an end when Sam dropped the gang off at the train station. Eight people on the tour was the perfect size and we bonded effortlessly, irrespective of the language barrier. All of our everyday cares and worries dropped away once we entered the Vagatron and left Dublin that rainy and cold Sunday morning. Smiles and a lot of laughter filled our days (along with plenty of sunshine) and not once did I think about my work and the stress I left behind (and will have to face again tomorrow… huge bummer) in order to go on my Vagabond vacation. 

Sam kept us entertained the entire time and he even taught the group a few words, one of which we used down at the pub… Langored! He is a true Renaissance man… telling captivating stories; singing & playing the flute; stoking the fire at a little pub; steering the boat for Captain Dave as we left the Skelligs while Captain Dave handed out ponchos; and mapping out the driving route to take and sights to see for our German tour mates as they explore Northern Ireland after the Vagabond adventure. Everyone was so impressed with Sam’s talents, at one point someone asked, “What’s next Sam? Are you going to birth a calf?” We all laughed as he responded, “We have to find one first.” Sam made the tour all the more memorable.

You have an awesome company and I want to sincerely thank you for providing my sister and me with this opportunity to truly see beautiful Ireland! We would love to come back to Ireland one day to explore the northern part with Vagabond! 

Everyone I know will hear about my amazing Vagabond adventure!!

We took so many photos to remind ourselves of this incredible experience that I wanted to share a few with you.

Best Regards (and yes, my Irish eyes are still smiling brightly)

Linda Glodek, USA
 5 day tour, May
My sister, niece and I just arrived home. We had a fantastic time in Ireland. Sam was an extraordinary guide! Warm, personable, smart and funny and above all a great story teller. We thank him and you for sharing the spirit of your magnificent country through the Vagabond experience. Everything was just perfect. And the food! Consistently outstanding.

I cannot recommend your wonderful itinerary highly enough. I have had the good fortune to travel fairly extensively and was truly overwhelmed by your country’s beauty and the warmth and grace of the Irish people. We were blessed with beautiful sunny weather the entire week. Ironically, it is raining like mad here in Philadelphia.

Please pass along our heartfelt thanks to Sam!

Robin Austin, Michelle Blosenski and Krista Higgins, USA
 5 day tour, March 2010

 

Dear Vagabond, Fred and I had an awesome 5 day tour to Southwest Ireland on August 8-12th! We just wanted to say thanks for a wonderful holiday and thanks again to Steve, our guide! He was an excellent historian, showed us amazing views and was great fun to be with. It was relaxing and will be in our memory for years to come.
We will definitely want to use Vagabond again and highly recommend it to our friends and family.
Thanks again!

Fred and Beth Pahmeier, USA 5 day tour, August 2010

It’s hard to believe that my Irish Adventure is over, although I must say that it won’t be the last time that I visit your beautiful country. I can only imagine how much work you have put into crafting these experiences for us, and I therefore think it’s only fair for me to write a thorough note of appreciation about what the last two and a half weeks have meant to me.

I am not a world traveler by any means. I knew what I wanted – a small group, guided by a knowledgeable guide, with activities to keep us busy and active. I certainly found all of those requisites with Vagabond.

The activities that you have chosen for us were outstanding. I can honestly say that there wasn’t one thing on that itinerary that I didn’t enjoy. It is hard to choose highlights, but the activities that have made lasting memories for me were: the Giants Causeway, the walking tour of Derry city, caving on the Mahares Beach, the Slieve League Cliffs boating ride (exquisite sights that left me speechless), the Hunger walk on Laugh Doo, the entire Dingle experience, the drive along Slea Head, the Skellig Islands, the views near the copper mines of Allihes, and the Rock of Cashel. As I said, everything else we saw was spectacular, but these sights and experiences left me emotionally stirred. I think that we were able to witness the spirit of the Irish people in these magical places; the land is integral to their identity and we were able to see the reasons behind that passion because of the places you chose on our behalf.

I cannot express how happy I was to have Kevin Clancy as our driver and guide. That man has amassed knowledge about so many different aspects of life – history, culture, agriculture, sports, music, politics, geography, literature, etc. I realize that it is in his job description to be well versed in these subjects, but his awareness and recall of information went way above and beyond the call of duty. If he did not know the answer to a question, he found it swiftly. He fostered a deeper understanding for his country by playing meaningful music at certain points in our journey that corresponded with the sights on our itinerary. His passion for Ireland was infectious and we appreciated his desire for us to experience the best the country had to offer. Everywhere we went, owners of pubs or hotels or organizers of walking or boating tours spoke very highly of Kevin, proving that his good nature and efficiency is not only reserved for clients. I think that he has a hard job, trying to accommodate people of different ages, different activity abilities, different backgrounds and different personalities. He was always professional and demonstrated an excellent sense of humour. Please feel free to share these comments with him, as he should know how much we appreciated his time and efforts.

Thank you so much.

Adrienne McQuay, Canada11 day tour, July 2010

Hope all is well! I’m back on home soil and trying to get back into the swing of things here.
But wanted to write a note to say just how fabulous the tours were. Still getting my head around what a wonderful place Ireland is and just how I can get back there!
I am telling anyone who will listen to get on the Vagabond and get there butts to Ireland quick smart, because you guys certainly know the place. 
So thanks again, and if you know of anyone looking for an Aussie let me know, I’m seriously trying to work out how to get back there. 
Please pass on my thanks to Jean & Wendy again
Thanks again for a wonderful experience, and showing me an exceptional part of the world.

Monica Boyd, Australia
11 day tour, July 2010

Just to let you know Peter and myself had a great time on the 11 day Irish Adventure which we completed in May with Kevin our fabulous tour guide. The trip was everything we had hoped for and would most certainly recommend to like minded people

Please pass on our thanks to Kevin and ask him if he requires further botanical help!

Elizabeth Doyle, Australia11 day Tour, May 2010

I’m repatriated to Canada and have made it back to my home Town after a grand tour of Ireland. I’m bragging to family and friends that I had put together an exceptional trip and emphasizing how smart I was to have signed on for the Vagabond 5 day NI tour and the 7 day World Tour of Ireland.

An outstanding feature of the tours for me was the leaders. Kevin led the tours I was on for nine and a half of the days and freely shared with us the people, history, legends, anecdotes, customs, language, music and more. Jean led the group for the final two and a half days. Isn’t she a darlin’? Her charm and enthusiasm in sharing her information with the group is a memorable component of the tours.

The tours were a full and active two weeks. By my count I was in 23 or 24 of the 32 Counties in both the south and north. Even before leaving Ireland I was rethinking my travel agenda over the next year or two and plan on a revisit next spring to spend two or three weeks in Counties Kerry, Clare and Galway, particularly Killarney National Park, the Dingle Peninsula and The Burren.

May you have continued success with Vagabond Tours. Best wishes and good health to you, Jean and Kevin.

Larry Connelly of Parry Sound, Canada
5 and 7 day tour, May 2010

Let us begin by saying “Thank you!”. Our week of travelling with Vagabond around South West Ireland was wonderful. Our guides – Mark and Jean (both of whom have obviously kissed the Blarney stone too many times!) – were really fun to be with. They imparted loads of information, sang on demand and were very accommodating with our requests. Our group was a great mix of people that allowed us to share and enjoy the experiences together.
You are also to be complimented on the exceptional job you did with the weather!
I now have hours of work ahead of me in editing the 5500 pictures that I photographed around your beautiful country. I’ll send you a link when the album is complete….
Thanks again

Dov & Ricky Yarden, Israel
5 day tour, May 2010

We enjoyed our Vagabond tour immensely. Jean Gormley was a terrific guide and host. Already looking forward to our Northern tour.
I have recommended you to one of our marketing people, who is planning a family trip there later this year. Her name is Amy Garrison and I expect she will contact you soon. But whether she does or not, we wanted to express our thanks; it was great fun.

John Marvin, USA
5 day tour, March 2010

 

Well, we have to say that we were very much satisfied with both Tours and we enjoyed a lot all what we passed throughout as well as the accommodation, places, sites, vehicles, and of course our tour’s Guide (all 3 of them). Finally, the core of your idea to create such kind of sight-seeing Ireland is really remarkable and we should, no doubt, recommend it to any of our friends who might be a good potential to explore it as we done. 

Thanks a lot for making us an opportunity to see your country in a very unique way. It is wonderful !Branka & Zoran Pavlovic, Serbia
7 and 5 day tours, August 2010It was so much pleasure meeting all of you and I had the most brilliant time with you! THANKS again!!! I’ll never forget this tour!Sabrina Scholz, Germany
5 day tour, August 2009I’ve recently returned home from my overseas travels, which of course included Vagabond’s 11 day ‘Giant Irish Adventure’, and I just wanted to tell you what a fantastic time I had in Ireland. The tour was absolutely brilliant, made special by my fellow travellers and by Sam our guide – you’ve a real asset in him. As a recreational photographer, I found Ireland to be such an inspiration for me that if you’re ever in need of photos for your website, I’ve taken literally hundreds! Also, if you’re ever thinking of expanding Vagabond’s tours to include Scotland (or anywhere else for that matter), then I’ll be first to put my name down to join!
Once again, thanks heaps for what was, without a word of a lie, the best tour I think I’ve ever done – and I’ve done a few! Thanks too for your patience (given I had to defer my trip for a year) and friendly, helpful advice. Vagabond is a great company and you have every reason to be proud of it .Catherine Alsford, New Zealand
11 day Tour, August 2009I can’t thank you enough for a truly wonderful vacation. Kevin was a great tour guide! His knowledge and love of Ireland was so evident in all we did. Right from very start in Westport to our sad goodbye in Limerick, we had a fabulous time. My ‘trip of a lifetime’ and ‘heritage tour’ for our family of 5 was so perfect right from the start with our Vagabond Tour. We continued to capture the moment in Dublin – alone and with relatives and then on to Paris for ‘the other side’ of our family. I’m back now and have shared so many wonderful stories about our adventure with Vagabond both in Ireland and here in the states.Deirdre St Jacques, USA 
3 day Tour, September 2009The trip was fantastic. The attention to detail was suburb We loved every stop. Our 3 mile hike was a blast. Even though we were encased in mud. Steve’s travel knowledge was fascinating to hear. The accommodations were just what we wanted. Thanks for arranging a great trip quickly and with such ease. I will be happy to recommend Vagabond Tours to anyone! Can’t wait to start arranging the Pushkin Family trip for kids and families with Vagabond. Remember anytime you visit NYC I will be happy to be your inside tour guide!Stacey Winnick Pushkin, USA
3 day tour, August 2009Steve – I want to thank you for making our trip that much more enjoyable. As I told you, I had planned this trip for years and it was very important to me to take Erin to see Ireland. I had plenty of time to have a lot of images in my head of what I expected it to be like. You helped make that dream come true, with your friendliness, easy-going attitude and knowledge of the country and it’s history.Mary Spray, USA. 
7 day ‘World Tour of Ireland, June 2009 Just wanted to say what a great time we had this past week. Jean was a fabulous guide. We really loved Northern Ireland, some of the hikes were beautiful. 
Now that we’re back in hot, rainy Florida, I really treasure the time we had in Ireland. 
Any suggestions for an encore, this was our third trip and they have all been great. 
If you ever get around to putting a trip together in Scotland, the Kennedys will gladly be your guinea pigs. 
Say hi to Jean and everyone else (I think we met all your guides sometime on this trip ) and thanks again, the trip was great….Ed, Lauren and Caitlin Kennedy (USA), 
7 day ‘West by Northern West’ tour, June 2009We had a spectacular time and loved all of it. We could not have picked a better way to see our Ireland. I had chills crossing the Shannon to the first of my family’s counties-Clare- and in reaching Mayo, my second. All the accommodations were wonderful and just what we were looking for. Food was excellent everywhere and the Irish people most accommodating and fun. Our group represented 5 decades in age and we got along very well and found each other interesting and enjoyable, often sharing meals and other things even when it was optional. I am sure I will be in contact with several for a long while. I will always remember Nancy dancing for everyone in the pubs in Dingle and Doolin, for example. 
We hope to be back someday and maybe bring along some Queen of Tarts (Dublin) scones for the first day of another tour with Vagabond! Thank you for all that Vagabond, its people, and its tour contacts did to make our trip one of our most memorable and breathtaking.You even got the weather to cooperate!

Gail and Chris Johnson, 
7 day ‘World Tour of Ireland’ 24th May 2009

Aside from the weather, it was an awesome trip! I loved Paula & Steve & Jean, and the places we went were terrific & the hotels very posh! Couldn’t have been happier with just 3 of us on the tour…thought I’d send you a photo of our group….
I’ll be back soon, maybe catch a tour up north with you guys…LOVED going to the South Pole Inn…
thanks SO MUCH for such a terrific tour…

Marsha Kendall, Austin, Texas, USA 
(5 day southern tour, 31st May 2009)

We write to say a big THANK YOU to you and Kevin for the tour of Ireland that we were privaledged to be on! We were very impressed with Kevin’s knowledge and the interesting way he led the tour, also for his help with photographs (especially seagulls!) Many thanks again for making our holiday special.

Rosie and John Parsons, UK. 
7 day world Tour of Ireland, May 2009

We wanted to thank you for the fantastic tour of Ireland that you and your company provided. It was memorable for the countryside, walks, accommodations and really knowledgeable and entertaining guides. But most memorable was the day our son, Neil, proposed to Julie. Your tour provided the perfect setting for this event and we will always remember and be thankful.

Chris and Pat White, USA, 11 day Tour, July 2008

Thanks again for the great time I’ve had on the 7 day World Tour of Ireland. The tour was wonderful and amazing. Again, I’ve seen and visit a few more things and places I haven’t been before. The landscape and the scenery amazing, especially the sunset in Killadoon.
Kajak with the seals was a great expierence and we’ve had also a lot of fun during our surfing lessons. The last time I’ve been in South West Ireland (on the 5 Day To the Edge of the Word Tour two years ago) it was raining and mostly foggy during the tour and so we couldn’t see the spectacular coastline on the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. But this time we’ve had the best weather I’ve ever had on my former 8 Ireland trips – 10 days sunshine and only ca. 3 hours of rain. I don’t know why but it always rains in Galway when I’m there 
A big Thank you and kind regards to Sam and Mark as well. They are both great guides and drivers and we’ve had a lot of fun. He is a fantastic storyteller too and he has also a big knowledge about the history, legends and myths of Ireland. Once again, thanks for everything. Take care and best wishes.

Kerstin, Germany.

7 day ‘World Tour of Ireland’ June 2008 (her fourth Vagabond tour, so far) was great. I have been to Ireland many times but I think this holiday was one of the best. My friends had never been to Ireland and I was not too sure what they would make of this type of holiday but I am glad to say they to enjoyed themselves. Sam the man has the patience of a saint. He helped to make our holiday a great success.

Maureen, USA. 7 day ‘World Tour of Ireland’, June 2008

It was a very beautiful “7 Day World Tour of Ireland” I had the pleasure of participating in.
Kerstin had told me so much about your tours and shown me many fotos, so that I was very interested to join her on her trip to Ireland this year. It was all and more of what I expected.
You and your tour guides have shown areas a bus tour could never take us to. You, Sam and Mark have made this tour a special experience for me. We had a lot of fun and got Sam and Mark to sing the traditional Irish Songs. Also, Sam is a very good “Seanachais”. Given enough time, I could listen to him for hours telling myths and legends, the history of Ireland, his passion.
In a short time, we’ve got the feel of Ireland, your guides explained origins and traditions of specific areas – I believe in Gaelic it means Duachais.
Would I participate another time in a tour with your company and would I recomment it to friends? Yes to both. I will keep myself informed by visiting your website and see what my future brings…
…in going over my e-mail from yesterday, I like to add another comment. It may not mean a lot to you or some of the others in our group, but I was very impressed and awed by the driving skills of you and your team. Being used to open and wide roads, I would never attempt to drive in Europe and that includes Ireland.
But I think this was also the charm of this tour – to observe and view the scenery, while at the same time being educated, entertained and charmed by you and your team. Many thanks to you,

Sam and Mark for this experience.
Eva, USA. 7 day World Tour of Ireland, June 2008

Brenda and I survived the balance of our 3 weeks on your island. Th rest of our adventure paled in comparison to the places we went and things we did with you and Mark.Also Irish trains and buses run on time and are quite comfortable. I can’t say that is true of US public transport. I will certainly recommend Vagabond to our friends in Houston.
Fred and Brenda, Texas. 7 day ‘World Tour of Ireland, May 2008.

Just a quick note to let you know how very much we enjoyed the five day ‘To the Edge of the World’ Tour! We have had such fun reliving the experience through our photos and recalling the many great stories, jokes, and history shared. We know the exceptional planning and attention to detail that went into making this such a wonderful trip, and truly couldn’t have asked for a better experience! Wishing you the best for a successful season.

Beth, Mark, and Kate, USA. 5 day ‘To The Edge of The World’ Tour, May 2008

Hi, I was just on your northen ireland 5 day tour with Sam & Paula. To start with thank you for such a great and memrobile holiday. It was absolutly fantastic. Sam & Paula really made the trip what it was though, I’m sure there are other ways to get to all the places that we saw but Sam & Paula were great full of useful info. They are great story tellers and great fun to be around. Thanks again for providing such a great tour. Well worth the money. 10 out of 10.

Gary and Vanessa, Australia. 5 day Northern Island Tour, June 2008

We recently did your 5 day SW tour of Ireland – 18th May – and thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wanted to let you know that the tour was great – Mark was the perfect guide. He was always positive and worked his butt off keeping us all happy with things to do and presented a nice clean van each day. I think he deserves a raise!!!!!
I was wondering if the 7 day tour (continuation) of our tour managed to get you singing. Mark told us all that you loved singing but needed a lot of encouragement to start you off. After you left he admitted that the one thing you didnt like to do, was sing. Must be the Irish sense of humour, I am sure you will get him back sometime.
Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks for providing us with a great tour and a great guide who is also a great bloke.

Dee and Lindsay, Australia. 5 day ‘World tour of Ireland’ May 18th 2008

We are home again, trying to fit back into our normal routines. This is not easy to do with thoughts of the wonderful tours we took with Vagabond constantly surfacing. We are so glad we “succumbed” . The trip was everything you promised and everything we wanted. We love Ireland, its people, its beauty, and also have come to respect its bogs and sheep!
We particularly want to commend Mark, our intrepid guide, for his boundless energy and never failing good humor. He was able to individualize everyone’s needs and did his best to insure everyone’s comfort. And besides, he’s cute and funny too!

Kate, Marilyn, Ronnie and Susann, USA, 7 day South and 5 day North tour, May 2008

My wife Laura and I were on your Sept. 16 thru 22nd tour, we were in Ireland for 2 1/2 weeks but this 7 day tour made the entire trip for us as memorable as possible.It was just a wonderful tour made especially so by the professionalism and knowledge and tremendous personality of Dave. We were also quite impressed with the quality of lodging selected, but mostly just the Vagabond theme of off-the beaten track fit precisely what we had in mind when booking. Congratulations and thanks for filling a niche in the touring market. We wish you continued success and if we could do anything to provide a testimonial to our great time we would be most happy to do so.

Best regards—Joe and Laura Shull, USA, 7 day tour.

Thanks again for the trip in December. I had a blast! It’s was breathtaking. Beautiful! Amazing! Words somehow seem inappropriate. I was blown away with the entire trip, level of service, type of accommodation and of course… Ireland!

Dominique, Australia. 7 day tour, December 2007

Dear Rob and Vagabond team,
A belated message to say what a great time I had on my holiday. The scenery and the weather were absolutely stunning but being with Vagabond made it more special. It was restful having all the accommodation, which was all delightful, taken care of and being driven door to door The idea of having enough flexibility in the itinerary to take account of the group’s wishes and the weather made it a unique tour, as did the route and the by ways we were able to take. It was an added thrill to see the seals so close and dolphins and a minke (whale).
I’m sure you know what a gem you have in Dave, with his perception about the whims and nature of a group who have come together at random, so as to speak. As well as keeping us all happy and safe, he gave us so much information about history, geography, culture etc, making it sound as fresh as if it was his first tour; the legends were a particular favourite of mine, ( having fancied myself as a bit of a story teller myself, I’ll have to up my game now). I hope to be able to send 2 or 3 tracks to add to the music library, which was also so entertaining. I really hope I will be able to be a Vagabond again 1 day.

Flora McCallum, UK, Sept 2007

Just a little note to say thank you. I spent such a great and wonderful vacation with Vagabond tours 1 1/2 weeks ago – which is unforgettable!!! I enjoyed it so much and would not have missed it; it could not have been better!!! We’ve seen so much from Ireland’s beautiful landscape, stunning scenery, great mountains and coastlines. We did great walking, very interesting adventures and heard a lot of the Irish history, the lovely tales and legends. Special thanks go to Stephen our tour guide. Never had I such a very dedicated, excellent and likeable tour guide. His only concern all the time was to ensure that we all are happy and have a great time in Ireland. Honestly, it was the best vacation I ever had.

Claudia Meyer, Germany (7 day Tour), September 2007

We joined the Edge to the World Tour two weeks ago (23-27 July 2007). It was excellent. If anybody in Germany wants more information feel free to give them my telephone number. We were in good luck because Keith was our driver and guide. Never had such a talented guy with us! We are very sure to do another tour with Vagabond. Hopefully next year! And of course we always had very nice hotels at each stop. All our expectations were exceeded.

Olaf Waskow, Germany

I simply have to let you know how much i enjoyed last weeks’ tour with our fun group and fantastic Dave as our guide! It certainly was my best holiday ever so far and I am driving everybody nuts talking about it! I cannot remember ever laughing so much in one week and the scenery and company made it perfect. Dave is a gem, hope you pay him enough!!!His endless knowledge of history, songs, poetry and baloney made the trip unforgettable. Thank you, keep up the good work and I hope to see you next year!

Andrea Liehmann-Robinson from Munich, July 2007

I would just like to thank you, Vagabond team and especially Keith our guide for a great holiday. The adventure far surpassed our expectations and we had a blast. I would also like you to thank Keith on our behalf, he was a brilliant guide and made the holiday that much more enjoyable,
Now that we have seen Northern Ireland we need to make plans to see the South, so see ya next year.

Gareth, Juls, Paul, Lynda, Caz, South Africa. July 2007

I just wanted to say that the tour I was on to the west and south of Ireland April 30 to May 4 was superlative in every way. I was on the tour with Christie and Stephanie from Halifax, Nova Scotia (you may remember us as the quiet tour, we’re Canandians after all). We had two tour guides, yourself for the first bit, then Wendy. Both you and Wendy did an excellent job.This is the only tour I’ve ever taken, and I think I was very lucky to have found you. I have to admit that the experience of being on a tour of any kind, an outsider being ferried about and looked after at every turn, is a little disconcerting, perhaps even alienating, just because of the situation itself. However, that’s just the nature of the thing, and you and Wendy did everything possible to make the trip full, enjoyable and memorable. I do hope your company thrives, it certainly deserves to, you offer a really first class experience.

Liz Mckeen, Canada, April 2007

The reason for this email is just to say we all had such a fantastic time – really enjoyed it. The scenery was so spectacular, the rugged coastlines were amazing, and I think you have the route of the tour just right. 
The places Dave took us to were all so spectacular – he had lots of walks sorted out for us. And did you know he has a piece of music or song for every place we visit? He plays it just as we are arriving ! He is such a fantastic guide – his knowledge of Ireland, its history and myths and legends is so amazing – he really made the tour very special for us. So hope you are well, and Vagabond is still going strong and I will look forward to the next tour – maybe with yourself next time. Kind regards and many thanks for organising such a great holiday. Please pass on many thanks to Dave as well.

Carol Fosh, UK (5 Day Northern Tour, 2nd October 2006, her 3rd tour with Vagabond)

I’ve recently come back from an amazing 5 day ‘Edge of the World’ trip. Emma is a ‘lovely, lovely’ girl – very open, friendly and capable and always wears a smile – and Dave – what can I say? He is very funny, knowledgeable, open, friendly – and cute! I’m sure his cheeky, charming Irish ways are always a big hit with the ladies – they certainly worked for me!My Vagabond experience was all that I hoped it would be – and more. Plenty or fresh air and stunning scenery, with the magic and mystery of the mountains, the wild rugged coastline, picture perfect fishing villages, beautiful Loughs/lakes, ancient stone circles and standing stones, stories of pagan worship and rituals, Celtic culture, legends and music. With the ‘Vagatron’ taking us truly off the beaten track and the most amazing and varied accommodation to look forward to every night I couldn’t have asked for more. Whilst it was disappointing not being able to go kayaking or horse riding or to the Skellig Islands because of the weather, Dave and Emma always found great alternatives for us. Being in a small group also worked well – I travelled with some lovely and interesting people. We all really enjoyed our night in the Admirals House on Bere Island – such a unique place to stay that would not have been possible on any other tour with a bigger group size (and no Vagatron!)
I already knew I liked Ireland – but now I love it. I WILL be back! Thanks a lot.

Anna Barrs, UK. (5 day s/w tour, 17th September 2006)

I wanted to let you know that I had an amazing time on the Northern Ireland trip with Dave. Dave’s thorough knowledge of Irish history was a huge boon especially for this trip where it is impossible to ignore the history that comes up and smacks you in the face. Thank you so much for doing your best to get in touch with me after my very last minute attempt to get on board. I will most certainly pass along your group’s name to my friends of mine, and let them know about the best way to travel in Ireland.

Paraag Maddiwar, USA/India. (5 day Northern Tour, 11th September 2006)

Many thanks to Vagabond Tours for an exceptional Irish experience. Special thanks for choosing such great travelling companions – an eclectic group – and for arranging just about perfect weather (in 9 days in Ireland, I experienced a total of less than 40 minutes of rain). Your stories of Irish history and folklore were a real plus! Emma, I had dinner Saturday night at the Town Pub & Grill on Kildare St. – grilled sardines for starter and roast lamb (finally) for main course – perfect ending to my Ireland visit.

Doug Christman, USA. (7 day tour, 10th September 2006)

First of all I want to thank – again! – to Rob and Emma for the wonderful trip they took us for. Ofra and I enjoyed it to the top and we are already recommending VAGABOND to whomever we talk about Ireland. True, my back is still aching, but it’s a price I don’t regret having paid. 
We enjoyed a lot the company – and this is not an empty phrase. Being together for a week, all day except sleeping, can be exhausting if the company is not good.

Ofra and Louis, Israel. (7 day tour, 10th September 2006)

First of all, Rob, we’ve included you because even though you weren’t on our adventure, you are responsible. Thank you so much creating Vagabond, and especially having the wisdom to hire the ‘brilliant’ Emma! Ireland is not only beautiful, but I had no worries or things to plan for, Emma took care of everything, and that made it a real vacation/holiday. She mentioned you are originally from Scotland, so the question must be asked, ‘Have you considered such a tour of Scotland?’ If you do, let us know, if you don’t, we may email you some questions.

Michelle Van Der Hoeven, USA (7 day tour, 3rd September 2006)

Just wanted to say thank you Rob for a fantastic holiday. Emma was brilliant! All the “activities” were in really nice places and the hotels were superb.

Linda Bermingham, UK. (5 day s/w tour, 28th August 2006)

Dave and Rob,
What a great week we had with the “Gang of 7″ and the spares!!! People asked how my week was in Ireland and I sound like an advertisement for you! The week went WAY too fast. You know how to treat the gang. Thanks for taking care of me at Skellig. Should you need test tourists for an adventure, please let us know. We could put together a Vagabond-Midwest for you. We miss you and just had one BLAST of a vacation!

Barb Breese, USA. (7 day tour, 27th August 2006)

My family and I want to thank you and especially thank Dave for a wonderful 7 day tour of Ireland. We so enjoyed the hikes, sea kayaking, canoeing and the history of Ireland. We enjoyed the Bed and Breakfast accommodations and, although we do not drink, we loved the pubs and the atmosphere. We fell in love with the people and the country. We took a one day bus tour before we left Dublin after our tour with you and we sooo missed Dave and the Land Rover. Thank you again for the wonderful 7 days and, as we say in Utah, “Oh my heck” we certainly plan on joining you once again for the Northern Tour.

Gary, Shirley, Kenneth, Bernice, Carissa, Zachary, Joshua, Sarah. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (7 day tour 20th August 2006)

Rob, I thought I’d drop you a note to say how much my son and I enjoyed last week’s SW tour. I will definitely recommend it to my friends. And I hope Wendy is a keeper!!!. If there was ever a contest for tour drivers on single lane coastal roads ( Ireland and Italy both have their fair share), then my money is on Wendy – she’s a great driver and a pretty decent raconteur as well. So now….I just have to figure out how to get the time off to fit in a NW tour….Regards,

Gloria Kristorian, USA. (5 day s/w tour, 14th August 2006)

Just wanted to drop you a quick note. First, we had a GREAT time on our tour last week with Emma and Stewart. They were both very nice, professional, knowledgeable and friendly… and we appreciated their efforts to help us get where we needed to be to get our rental car for our drive north to our friend’s wedding. We enjoyed seeing the “real” Ireland and were very glad we weren’t on one of the big tour busses! Thank you again for all of your help, and we will definitely pass along Vagabond to any friends we know that are heading your way.

Geoff & Julie Newman, USA. (7 day tour 2nd July 2006)

As Jane and I continue to look at our pictures of our holiday in Ireland, we can’t stop; thinking about the wonderful time we had. Our great holiday was because of your company and the outstanding guides Dave and Emma. Jane and I are retired teachers and we could see the very careful planning on your part to build a wonderful company and give 10 star service. Everything from where we travelled, ate, and slept was the result of extremely great planning. Thank you. 
 Now that we are home we continue to think about what a total holiday experience we had with Dave and Emma. Thank you for helping us to have a great Irish holiday. Dave and Emma were outstanding with their presentations concerning geography, history, general information, etc. about everything Irish. Dave helped me understand the politics and history of Northern Ireland, and Emma did as well with the Republic.
Jane and I thought all of the hotels were excellent. Dave said that if you got your feet wet while in Ireland, it meant that you would have to come back. Well while kayaking with Emma I got more than my feet wet so I know it is a must that I do return. There is a possibility that my daughter might want to take the Northern trip in June of 2007.If she does I will come back and do it with her. We hope that Dave will be doing the Northern trip again. Have you made any plans for your company that far in advance. Since school would be out any date in June would be good. Jane and I were in Dublin for a total of 8 nights and Dave and Emma told us about many things to see and do and we did almost all before time ran out. A member of the Northern tour from Florida sent me a web site for an Irish radio station and I am listening to it now as I write. Jane and I enjoyed travelling with your company very much. You, Dave, and Emma made our trip so much more than we expected. Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!~with warm regards, Henry C. Spengler

Henry and Jane Spengler, USA. (5 day s/w tour and 5 day NI tour, June 2006)

Finally made it back to the states. I had a fabulous 5 day tour with you. You have a beautiful country and I was amazed by all of the history. My highlights were kayaking with the seals, horseback riding on the beach, and most of all the Irish dancing and Gaelic football on the beach. But I truly enjoyed all of it, great pubs, the music and the people. Thanks so much, Hope to see you again!

Gloria Costello, USA. (5 day s/w tour, 19th June 2006)

Awesome experience. thanks for everything. Jen and I had the greatest time. Wendy and Emma were wonderful—good tour guides and lots of fun. that said, Dave was totally amazing. He is full of knowledge of history and folklore both and is a magnificent storyteller. He also has a way of pulling a group together and getting everyone involved and interacting. Wish we could come back again. Hated to see the tour end, but all good things must end at some point.

Anita Robertson, USA. (7 day tour, 28th May 2006)

I write to you, Dear Sir, concerning Dave O Connor – Patron Saint of Patience and Craic – Vagatour 21 May -28 May 2006. 
Dave was at all times professional, had us quickly summed up and then took us on a helluva joyride. Special mention must be made of the fact that my sister had a medical condition which required a visit to a local GP for a script. Dave handled the whole episode with aplomb. He had the other Vagatourers sorted out in no time, looking forward to their walk. My sister duly dropped off at the Doctor’s rooms, no fuss, no hassle. He was also extremely considerate of my Brother in Law’s need to water the Irish flora, more often than not. 
Dave was extremely informative, it took some doing on our part trying to figure out what was fact and what was fiction. With him showing us the true beauty of Ireland and all the History, fairy lore etc thrown in, we came away from Ireland knowing a great deal about more about Ireland and its people. My highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the trip to the Skelligs. What were those Monk’s thinking??( a trip to the Arran’s would have been wonderful, too.) We found Ireland, generally, to be quite expensive, so the Vagabond tour was extremely good value for money. Not once could we find fault with the arrangements. The accommodation was excellent, each establishment with it’s own charming setting but I daresay that I don’t think I could look another Full Irish breakfast in the eye for a while. We will most certainly be recommending Vagabond as the ONLY way to see Ireland. 
I wish you further success with Vagabond, and I vote “Give Dave an increase”.

Kathy de Wet, South Africa (7 day tour 21st may 2006)

This is just a short note to thank you and Dave for the outstanding job you did during our tour last week. There are many ways to do the work, but yours was fantastic. In addition good weather was also with us. We enjoyed that very much and we will highly recommend our friends.

Asun and Jordi, Spain. (7 day tour 23rd April 2006)

Hi… we are back home to the real world, but I wanted to thank you for the wonderful time that we had. You were so accommodating and helpful to make our visit to Ireland GREAT!. We loved every minute of it and the guide, Dave, was great, also. He was so organized, you actually weren’t aware of what all goes into each day. That certainly made the trip enjoyable. Because of his good planning and organization, you never felt like you were rushed or needed to hurry to get somewhere. His sharing of the history also made Ireland come to life. We absolutely loved our time there and hopefully will get to visit again. Thanks for everything.

Don and Magy Martin, USA. July 2005

As we enter Dublin it makes me wish I were still back on the sand dunes, along the sea or high on the hillsides. The was a very beautiful (absooolutely) way to see the country. I feel sorry for the people in the coaches. I had a great time.

Beverley Schermerhorn, USA. June 2005

I have just cleaned the last of the bog from between my toes, my liver function has returned to baseline, and my tan is fading. Though no one at work believes that I got my tan in Ireland. Now comes the time for the required effusive missive.
We had a wonderful time. I appreciated the fact that the trip was organized but not regimented, the flexibility, the way Mark and David complimented each others strengths or insulted each other as the case may be. The way they dealt with the group dynamics and seemed to read the us so well. I was amazed at the beauty and solitude of some of the walks-or that could have just been oxygen deprivation due to my hyperventilation trying to keep up! I thought would come to Ireland, do my tour, take some pictures and move on-but I find I would like to come back.
Anyway my thanks to you- Dave and Mark for making the trip such a wonderful experience. I hope to hear about any other areas you go to- that is if you don’t run screaming at the thought of dealing with me again!

Dauryne Shaffer, USA. June 2005

We have been racking our heads for a creative tribute toyou- and alas, continue to come up empty. I didn’t want another week to pass without telling you that our time with you was truly the view of Ireland we hoped for, and all else paled in comparison The camaraderie you offered, the fun times, and now the great memories is more than I could have hoped for my family.
We’ll be back next year to do the southern loop with you!

Cheryl McGarrity, USA. June 2005

Just wanted to tell you that the trip WAS MAD CRAIC!!!! I can’t tell you how much fun we had. I wanted to let you know that Dave was a first-class guide. We learned so much of the history and the mythology of your country. Of course, he could have been making stories up as he went along, and we wouldn’t have known the difference, but he was so likeable and sincere (and mad) that we believed ALMOST everything he said. We enjoyed his company thoroughly.

Linda Collins, Boston USA. June 2005

Just wanted to let you know what a great time we had on our vagabond tour. Dave was the best guide! He was informative and entertaining. Because we had such a good time a friend of mine is booking a trip with you this week! Thanks again.
Jennifer & James Ryan, USA. June 2005

Brilliant! Fantastic time away. Couldn’t think of a better way to see Ireland. Its been great.

Kara Lowe, New Zealand. April 2005

It was a great trip, lots of really good memories – everyone should go on a Vagabond trip.

Andrew Cliffe, England. April 2005

A great trip – the most exercise I have had in years – wonderful scenery and accommodations and very nice company. I’d recommend to everyone.

Geraldine Gahan, USA. April 2005

Thanks for an awesome week away, loving all the little towns and off the beaten track attractions.

Laura Schmerl, Australia. April 2005

I had a wonderful trip! Thanks for the great history lessons, great foggy views or the most amazing spots in Ireland, great local characters, great live music and quiz nights at the pub and an all over entertaining holiday.

Stephanie Kassoy, USA. March 2005

I look at my pictures everyday and I miss it so much. Thank you again for one of the most amazing and memorable experiences of my life.

Karen Becker, USA. March 2004

The last five days have been fantastic. The sights have been amazing at the ‘Edge of the World’ and it has been great to get off the beaten track and experience the more remote areas of the Emerald Isle.

Joanne, Australia

Of the last 8 months I’ve been in Ireland, the last 5 days have been amazing. Having a great guide to show you so much more than most tourists will ever see, and I’d say a lot of locals as well. A real off-the-beaten track tour, highlights galore. Awesome time, thanks.

Jon, NZ

Its been action packed and loads of fun. Getting off the coach bus tourist trail is highly recommended. The renditions of Irish history are fabulously entertaining and really informative.