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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   1499 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for June 28, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

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I mean maybe sticking to the UK is the point but as an American with a distorted sense of scale the idea of not nipping over to Ireland or France or Netherlands or something in a two week period seems odd to me, it’s not like those are that far

That would be doable, but it would involve applying for a Schengen visa. Downside of having a meh passport. I've been too caught up to do that, and it's even more of a headache for my brother with the little notice that he has. Something for the future.

There's still more than enough to do in the UK to eat up a fortnight. It's small but dense with history and architecture.

You don't need a Schengen visa for Ireland - despite being an EU member it remains part of the Common Travel Area with the UK. Indians are one of the nationalities that can visit Ireland on a UK visa and vice versa.

That said, I think two weeks to do Scotland and England doesn't leave enough time to make crossing over to Ireland worth it.

Huh. That's very good to know, I'll look into seeing if we can just about squeeze it into our schedule. Thanks!

You could nip over to Northern Ireland, do Giant's Causeway and the North Coast and so on. Either a car ferry from Cairnryan or a 30 minute flight. Also you could take your brother shooting if you liked. Handguns are legal in Northern Ireland, so at somewhere like https://www.nitargetsports.com/ you can pay for range time and fire pistols, shotguns and rimfire .22 "mini-rifles" on an AR frame most likely. Might give your practice for scaling up if you ever go to the US.

I think you have to sign up as a member but should be doable.

Edit: Could also do tasting at Bushmills distillery which is excellent. If so hit up Tartine for Sunday dinner. They do amazing lamb.

These are excellent recommendations. You're right that trying to fit in a tour of NI in that time frame would be difficult, but I'll see what we can manage. Thanks a lot!

No problem, if you do decide to go, you can always ping me if you want advice or anything else to do.

Adding to the above, my fiancée was underwhelmed by the Causeway but substantially more impressed terrified by the rope bridge. I've also been meaning to return to the puffin sanctuary on Rathlin Island for years, and was far more impressed by Belfast's Titanic museum than I expected to be.

The rope bridge is great, as is the Titanic museum.

I bought my wife a Titanic t-shirt with a bit of Northern Irish dark humor (Sure it was fine when it left here!) and the first time she wore it home in America she got told off for making fun of a disaster.

Too soon still apparently.

Yanks gonna Yank.

Something for the future.

If you do come to Dublin, I'll show you around.

Very kind of you to offer, and I'll let you know if I ever head that way. Always wanted to see what was up with the [REDACTED] Car Bombs.

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