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Metro
18 minutes ago
- Metro
American tourist's £660 ‘extreme day trip' to Ireland raises a lot of questions
Have you ever flown for more than six hours, only to eat a snack and look over a cliff before heading home again? No, we've never done that either. However, a man called Kevin Droniak did just that. The American travel influencer went on a day trip to Ireland from New York, and filmed it all for Instagram. In a video breaking down the cost of his trip, Kevin revealed he paid close to $900 to spend a few hours on the Emerald Isle — with time for just one activity. After taking a direct flight to Shannon Airport in Ireland's west ($457 return), Kevin rented a car for $48 and drove to the Cliffs of Moher, one of the country's most iconic attractions. While he was there, he had a few minutes to scoff down a sandwich and a cappuccino. Having spent an undisclosed amount of time at the cliffs, he ran into trouble with a flat tire. He paid a mechanic to change the wheel, but incurred a $275 fee from the rental company because he hadn't paid for insurance. After that headache, Kevin said he headed straight back to the airport. The average flight time between New York and Shannon is around six and a half hours, which means he spent around 13 hours of the day in the air. We contacted Kevin to clarify his exact flying time and learn more about the trip, but didn't hear back. Including buying an Irish polo shirt (presumably from the airport), Kevin said he ended up spending $898 for his few hours in Ireland, which even he admits might not have been worth it. For most people, the idea of a holiday abroad involves packing a suitcase and being away for at least a weekend, if not a week or more. But for some, like Kevin, a single day is enough to fly to another country, explore, and be home in time for bed. It's part of a growing trend known as 'extreme day tripping'. Yet despite the popularity, 'EDTs' have drawn criticism over their environmental impact and lack of engagement with local economies. What is Extreme Day Tripping? While we don't have an Oxford definition of the phrase, Extreme Day Tripping generally involves travelling an extraordinary distance to a destination, only to spend no more than a day there before flying home. In practice, you wake up stupidly early, get to the airport, catch a red-eye flight (hopefully in time to get there at a reasonable time in the morning), and then pack as much into your trip as you can before catching a very late flight back again the same day. In theory, it allows you to get a very brief flavour of another country, without the cost of accommodation or taking chunks out of your annual leave. Do Extreme Day Trips benefit the host country? We asked Irish economist Jim Power about the benefits of having holidaymakers visit Ireland, even if only for a short time. 'Having visitors come to Ireland on any pretext is generally good for Ireland,' he told Metro. 'A visitor will spend a significant amount of money on food, transport, fuel, souvenirs, and so on, so it represents a significant financial investment into the important tourism sector.' However, Jim acknowledged that the economic benefits of extreme day trippers could be small. 'Over just one day, there is a limit to how much the accommodation and food services sector will benefit, and it is also the case that a visitor will not get any real idea about what Ireland or any other country is like. 'In addition, the environmental implications of flying into a country for just one day are not positive.' Jim concluded: 'Despite these reservations, the more one-day trippers that come to Ireland, the better for the valuable tourism sector. ' What about the environmental impact? A common criticism of extreme day trips is the impact they have on the environment. According to climate research, flying is now responsible for 2.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 8% of the UK's emissions, specifically. Campaigners have called for limits on flights taking off to address environmental concerns. Speaking to the BBC, Extreme Day Trip enthusiast and travel blogger Monica Stott acknowledged the impact the practice might be having. 'I think if it means people are taking way more flights, and airlines are putting on more flights, then I do see that as a negative impact,' she said. However, Monica went on to say: 'But a lot of people doing extreme day trips are doing it because they either can't afford to take a longer holiday or don't have time. 'I don't think it's fair to say one person's holiday is more important than another person's holiday, because they're going for longer.' What else could you do on a day trip to Ireland? Metro's Travel Editor, Alice Murphy, who was born in Dublin, had this to say about Kevin's day trip to her homeland. 'It's great to see people with large followings shouting about Ireland, but Kevin spent so little time there that he missed out on things that, in my opinion, take a visit to the Cliffs from great to exceptional. 'If he asked me to plan a trip, I'd tell him to start with coffee and a pastry at Hugo's in Lahinch, then head to the Cliffs to do the hike from Doolin to O'Brown's Tower (around 12km all in). 'Alternatively, he could do the Burren hiking trail (white is easiest). After that, I'd direct him to Clahane shore, where you can swim in the rock pools at high tide, followed by a short drive to refuel with lunch at Homestead Cottage and explore the gorgeous village of Doolin. 'If he still has room after that, cocktails and a seafood dinner at Russells is always a good choice.' Do you have a story to share?
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots tourist could be jailed for stealing from historic European site
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SCOTS tourist has been reported for theft after he was caught with artefacts from the ancient city of Pompeii. The man, 51, was stopped by Italian Carabinieri police after a guide saw him put fragments from a brick and five stones lifted from the UNESCO World Heritage Site in his backpack. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The holidaymaker, 51, was reported to police after lifting artefacts from the ruins of Pompeii in Italy Credit: getty 3 The city's ruins are well-preserved after they were covered in tonnes of volcanic ash Credit: getty 3 Archaeologists have used plaster and resin to recreate human figures who were trapped under the debris when Mount Vesuvius erupted Credit: CARLO HERMANN/AFP via Getty Images He could face trial and a fine of up to £1,300 and six years in prison if convicted. Locals say those who take treasures from the site are hexed after tourists who helped themselves to ancient items suffered a series of misfortunes. A police spokesman said: "This week we caught a Scotsman before he could get away but we may have saved him from the curse. "He said he had no idea it was forbidden to remove artefacts from Pompeii. "He was trying to get out of trouble but it did not work." Officials say the man was stopped near a train station after lifting pieces of the ancient ruins during a night-time tour on Thursday. Pompeii near Naples was home to up to 20,000 people until volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted sending scorching 250°C ash clouds across the city in 79AD. The mountains of debris helped preserve the site, which is visited by 2.5million tourists each year. Tonnes of volcanic ash protected the settlement's buildings until archaeologists could unearth its basilica and temples. The Tragic History of Pompeii Voids left by human bodies which were trapped underneath have been filled with plaster and resin to recreate figures trapped by the disaster. Up to 20,000 visitors each day come to see them. An American woman who took two stones from Pompeii in 2011 says she got stage 3 breast cancer and her marriage collapsed prompting her to return the items. In 2020, a Canadian posted mosaic tiles and ceramics she had taken to a travel agent in the city claiming she suffered from bad luck, including two bouts of serious illness and financial problems. And in 2015, an English tourist returned a fragment of an art work her parents lifted decades earlier claiming it had brought years of misfortune. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director general of the archaeological park in Pompeii, said: 'Congratulations and thanks to the attentive tour guide, to our excellent custodians and security staff, and to the Carabinieri for this collaborative effort to protect our heritage. 'Controls will be reinforced in the coming days due to the high influx of visitors during the summer.'
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside ‘secret' plans to turn iconic Glasgow building into ‘one of Europe's finest hotels'
It's one of Glasgow's biggest American-Classical-style commercial buildings UNDER WRAPS Inside 'secret' plans to turn iconic Glasgow building into 'one of Europe's finest hotels' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) PLANS are in progress to transform an iconic Glasgow building into one of Europe's "finest" hotels. The B-listed 95 Bothwell Street building in the city centre is understood to be mostly empty. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Plans have been lodged with Glasgow City Council to transform 95 Bothwell Street Credit: Google Maps It's one of Glasgow's biggest American Classical-style commercial buildings. Proposals to turn it into a 235-room hotel have been submitted to the council. But details about the hotel company eyeing to take over the building have been kept under wraps. A statement about the proposed design read: 'The proposed confidential hotel operator is particularly excited about the potential provided by the building to create a best-in-class hotel of distinction, which they anticipate will be one of the finest in their operator's European portfolio. 'The listed building is soon to become entirely unoccupied. The commercial office use for which the building was built and designed is no longer viable. "The building has early indications of corrosion of the structural steel frame, which needs to be addressed to prevent damage to the significant external masonry façade. 'The proposed development is conservation-led and will integrate and repurpose the significant parts of the listed building into the new hotel use, whilst retaining its external appearance and presence within the street.' HFD Property Group Limited has lodged a planning permission request to alter the use of the building from 'offices at upper floors and restaurant/cafe and retail on ground floor to hotel". The proposals also include constructing a two-storey roof extension. Glasgow City Council is considering the application.
