Ever since the New York Times covered the idea in April 2006, I was wondering how long it would take Michael O'Leary to use it for creating a media storm: Standing room for airline passengers. After all, you can stand on a bus, can't you? And deceleration in a crash is not much higher ... or is it?

Now O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair, has hogged the headlines with his sudden brainwave to introduce "standing room only" tickets, squeezing another six or so seats out of his beloved Boeing 737. It makes me wonder, however, that the Chinese beat our man Michael to it - no-frills carrier Spring Air already contemplated the same idea in public earlier this year.

Madness?

I don't think so. Retention systems for standing passengers may actually be safer for the passenger than the old "belt and backrest" approach to crash damage limitation. After all, would you rather experience a few g strapped onto a plank or held by a belt around your waist? And stretching your legs wouldn't be such a problem either. As long as they supply some sort of misericord to rest during flight, I wouldn't mind a standing room ticket.

But then again I have to say ... I don't really see it happening any time soon. Because the aviation regulatory bodies will have to agree. And that can be a time-consuming process.

In a rather cunning plan, tourism think-tanks have now recommended to reinvent Ireland as a travel destination for cyclists. With an eye on Ireland's late railways - late as in "gone and lamented", not as in reference to timekeeping.

When the optimistic second half of the 20th century came to be, many countries scrapped railway lines left, right and center. The future was the car. And words like "emissions" and "greenhouse effect" were the stuff of dystopian novels. Now that roads are clogged and you can hardly breathe within shouting distance of them we know how clever this was. Thanks very much!

Anyway ... the old embankments and cuttings scan still be found in the landscape, often overgrown, but always forming an old, straight track that connected towns in remote areas. Now Irish planners want to follow Continental examples where such tracks were reused as cycle tracks, instant attractions without the danger of speeding juggernauts. A viable plan?

When an old railway track near my (German) home town was reactivated in such a way during the late 1970s, it was said to be a folly. Today it is an attraction, especially for local families wanting a good and safe day out cycling. So go ahead, I say ...

The venerable prison of Armagh, owned by the city council, 230 years old and at the moment disused, is to open again. As a hotel. The redevelopment will be similar to that of Oxford Prison - reinvented as the Malmaison Hotel.

Reusing old prisons is a tough theme in Northern Ireland. Many want to keep the prisons as reminders of (real or perceived) injustices, others would rather erase them from the landscape altogether, freeing up prime real estate in many instances. And as the former prisons in Kilmainham and Wicklow Town prove, they can be a tourism attraction too.

In a comment on the Armagh redevelopment, former inmate was quoted as follows: "I just hope the food is better now!"

"Spending your holidays in the republic won't save you money — there's better value to be found overseas." This is the rather gloomy verdict of Sunday Times writer Gabrielle Monaghan on spending a vacation in Ireland. You can read the whole article online here.

Michael O'Leary, outspoken CEO of Ryanair, has been thinking out aloud again. About Ryanair's luggage policy. And he hinted at unlimited carry-on luggage. Which, unless there was still room in the cabin area, would be stowed in the luggage hold. In turn, check-in luggage would be abolished. Makes sense?

Actually it does. What this pipe dream seems to hint at is a total abolishment of the whole luggage check-in process, which is costly and often time-consuming (and nerve-racking, if somebody thought that luggage marked DUB should go to Dubrovnik). The simple solution: Whatever bags you arrive with at the airport, you are responsible for getting them to the plane. As O'Leary long ago vowed that Ryanair would make flying similar to taking the bus, this is a logical step towards that end. But will it work?

Obviously the whole security process will have to be re-thought. While today you may load your check-in baggage with John Locke's knife collection, this would not be possible under the current rules if Ryanair were to introduce the CIY (carry it yourself) approach. Meaning that carry-on rules would apply to all luggage and that all luggage would have to be screened.

On the other hand - provided there are still luggage trolleys and assistance for disabled travelers is available, why not? Heck - I have moaned loud and often that I could have brought tons of additional stuff on a recent flight. But the excess luggage premium was steep. If I really would have unlimited carry-on luggage, I'll gladly carry my stuff to the plane. Then again "unlimited" has, in my experience, always been limited by some terms and conditions. So let's just wait and see what Ryanair will actually propose.

With the current news headlining air crashes repeatedly, fear of flying has become an issue again. Not that it would be necessary: Unless you board one of the blacklisted airlines you are quite safe in taking the plane. Statistically it is more likely that you will come to harm on your way to the airport than after take-off.

But trust me ... these are not comforting thoughts if you are in a speeding coach with obvious brake problems and a driver using his mobile phone while gesticulating with Mediterranean fervour. As it recently happened to me.

While an enquiry with the company is under way I'd like to take the opportunity to ask readers about their experience with airport transfers in Ireland, be they by bus, coach or taxi. If you have any remarkable stories to share, why not share them in the comment section? Feel-good stories, great service ... or the driver from hell.

Ooops, I did it again ... flying on Ryanair that is. And I can't help but wonder why you have a set of regulations if nobody gives a damn. As it happened I was banging my head against every available surface regarding Ryanair's hand luggage rules and their enforcement. Even though the rules were bent to my advantage. And the flight was very much in time, as the Scottish guy announced over the dreaded fanfare.

Let me explain: Ryanair states explicitly that all (as in ALL) your carry-on luggage must fit in one (as in 1) bag and not exceed ten kilograms (as in 10 KG). Easy, eh? Not so, as it turns out - every single person involved in the process of checking this seems to have his or her own interpretation of "all", "one" and "ten". Which in effect means that you spend seventeen hours packing your bags to Ryanair's well-publicised rules and regulations only to find out while boarding you were the only idiot adhering to them.

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Just a quick note for those readers who were tempted to visit Glasnevin Cemetery after my blog post a few days ago - the popular guided tours of the cemetery will run again on a daily basis from July 1st. Please refer to the Glasnevin Cemetery Tourist Services website, which will also give you the opportunity to seek for remarkable burial places on their map.

Why do people climb mountains? Because they are there. And because Croagh Patrick was not only there but also very visible, it has been used for worshipping for at least five thousand years. Today thousands of pilgrims attempt the ascent side by side with mere tourists - the one looking for penitence and resulting salvation, the other for a fine view. No one would describe scrambling up the slopes as fun though.

You might in any case doubt the wisdom of attempting this climb barefooted. Occasional drops of blood on the scree are par for the course here, even though the Catholic Church discourages this particular expression of devotion.

Photo © 2009 Bernd Biege licensed to About.com, Inc.

Lake Isle Retreats is a revelation – situated on Inis Rath, also nicknamed (and signposted as) Hare Krishna Island, it is based in an old hunting lodge on a small island in Lough Erne. Where once rich landowners and their guests enjoyed shooting, these days pursuits are much more peaceful. A wide variety of activities are on offer, all non-denominational.

Participants in the retreats will enjoy vegetarian meals of a very high quality – about the same fare you would get in the excellent Govinda's in Dublin.

Apart from the self-guided retreat to just hang out, you are welcome to visit Inis Rath and enjoy nature – there are woodland walks around the island and wide swathes of sensibly landscaped gardens. A ferry runs on Sundays.

Photo © 2009 Bernd Biege licensed to About.com, Inc.