A Living of Tourists

What is the collective noun for a number of tourists? Do go large for inspiration.

I need to complete my caption so let's have your best suggestions. Back home now but chasing my tail somewhat catching up with all the stuff that's happened at work while I've been away. Thanks so much everyone for all the support during my trip. I'm sure you understand that I was trying to spend the minimum amount of time possible on-line!

Tuesday was mostly about getting back home safely from deepest Kerry. The temptation to detour to see some more archaeology was resisted in favour of a more or less direct route back to Killarney, across the very stark middle of the Iveragh Peninsular, stopping off en route at Cronin's Yard to climb to the butressed flanks of Carauntoohil, reaching the twin Loughs Gouragh and Callee. The heavy clag cleared as we were climbing to give us a view of the snow and ice-encrusted summit top (I really couldn't better TJ's blip here), looking very close but actually belonging to a whole different world. It was cold and windy at one thousand feet. It would be freezing and blowing a gale on the three thousand foot plus summit. I still felt a deep-rooted, almost primitive urge to climb to the top but it wasn't difficult to let it go.

Not taking any chances today TJ dropped me off in Killarney a full half hour before my train, leaving plenty of time to assault a local with my camera to get a portrait. But I could find nobody but visitors. Killarney is one of Ireland's honey traps, drawing people from all over the world to its dramatic setting, the focal point for tours of the Ring of Kerry. I love challenges so I thought I'd see just how many tourists I could gather up to shoot together in the little time I had. It was a bit like herding cats but as the group grew it became easier to add more. It's amazing how people will bend to your will with a smile and an edge of authority in your voice!

From Killarney to my front door was an eight hour journey: train to Mallow, another train to Dublin Heuston, tram to Connolly Street, bus to the airport, plane to Leeds, bus to Guiseley, and finally a train to Ilkley. The weather wasn't terribly kind but we certainly made the most of the good bits in between the showers. It has been a wonderfully restorative few days for the both of us.