THE LAST STOP
 

By the time I reached Knightsbrook, I was ready to slow down.
 

I had driven from Westport along the back roads, taking my time on the way to my final hotel. I had chosen Knightsbrook for two simple reasons: I could use my Avios, and it was close enough to Dublin Airport that I wouldn't have to spend my last night in the city.
 

I had also discovered Trim while researching my trip. The castle ruins had caught my attention, and the town looked like a lovely place to spend my final afternoon.
 

When I finally drove into Knightsbrook, I knew immediately that this was a very different kind of hotel. It was enormous, set around a golf course, with a huge parking area and a grand entrance. Inside, a massive chandelier drew my eyes straight upward. There were beautiful tile floors, glass, wood, elegant seating areas, dining rooms, and a pub that made the whole place feel a little like a grand country clubhouse.
 

And then I went upstairs to my room and found something much quieter. I had a corner room with a large window wrapping around two sides, giving me a wide view over the fields. The room itself was comfortable and understated with a soft bed, desk, chairs, wardrobe, and a large bathroom with a beautiful glass walk-in shower. I loved the purple-and-cream tartan on the bed, and I could adjust the air conditioning exactly the way I wanted it.
 

That afternoon, I sat in one of the chairs by the window, ate some chips, talked to my family on the phone, and watched the landscape outside. Later, I went into Trim for a little while, saw the castle ruins, and wandered around before coming back to the hotel.
 

That evening, I had fish and chips in the pub, and they were fantastic. After that, I went upstairs, read, and wrote in my journal. I had an early morning ahead of me, and for once I didn't feel like I needed to squeeze one more experience out of the trip.

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Knightsbrook felt like a golf club, a country retreat, and a comfortable place to land all at once. Downstairs, it was grand and elegant. Upstairs, it was quiet and cozy. It was exactly what I needed for my last night in Ireland.
 

By the time I left the next morning, I felt refreshed. I had driven through Ireland, flown over to the islands, wandered roads I had never seen before, found wool, met people, crocheted, journaled, and filled my camera with more memories than I could possibly have planned.
 

Now I was ready to go home and make something from all of it.