Geraldine takes off on a Grand Tour

Scariff woman, Geraldine Moloney is to make her television debut this Sunday night as one of 16 people chosen to take part in the new RTE television series, Francis Brennan’s Grand Tour.
The programme, which airs on Sunday on RTÉ One at 7.30pm, sees Francis Brennan bravely embarking on his biggest challenge to date, where he takes on the role of tour guide for 16 paying tourists who are taking the trip of a lifetime.
In this new six part series Francis Brennan will bring Geraldine and 15 other Irish tourists around six major European destinations, from Barcelona to Rome, over 12 days.
With his five star hotel experience there’s a lot of pressure on Francis to get it right, but he’s never been a tour guide and, even armed with local knowledge and a rather impressive tour banner, he’s way outside his comfort zone. There are 16 demanding tourists to keep in check, soaring temperatures, an Italian coach driver, fistfuls of facts and figures and a jam-packed 24/7 schedule that leaves no room for error.
The group will be featured on the programme at various stages of the holiday beginning with Barcelona on Sunday night, the series then continues for five further weeks featuring destinations in France and Italy.
Geraldine heard about the programme while surfing the internet and decided to apply “on a whim”. She found out a matter of weeks before the group set off on their journey that she would be joining the holiday contingent.
“I was delighted. The gift of it is that my husband has no interest in travelling and I love to travel. Our family is grown up now and they are doing their own thing and I always thought I’d love to do this but I hadn’t the guts to do it on my own,” she said.
Having holidayed primarily in Ireland most of her life except for a trip to Lanzarote and New York, Geraldine said she was delighted to be given the opportunity to pack in a number of destinations in the one trip.
“The one thing about the experience is that it has given me the confidence to do this again. I’ve learned there are a lot of advantages to travelling on your own, you can look at things at your own pace. The other thing I thought would be a problem for me is that I’m a celiac but I found that Italy was wonderful for me and they were able to cater for me, while in France it was more difficult,” she said.
Being a stranger to the camera prior to this experience, Geraldine says it will be a bit daunting watching her trip back on television but is looking on the positive.
“I’m delighted with the experience and I’ve said at least this is one mad thing to do before I die,” she quipped.
Her favourite spot on the trip was Lake Maggiore in Italy and she believed that Francis did a great job as tour guide.
In Sunday’s programme the tour kicks off and Francis and his tour group nervously fly from Dublin to Barcelona where they meet their feisty Italian coach driver. It’s Francis’s first time as a tour guide and the pressure is on to give his tourists the holiday of a lifetime.
The tour begins with a visit the iconic sights of the city; including the masterpieces of local boy and architectural genius, Antoni Gaudi, the giant basilica, Sagrada Familia, the weird and wonderful architecture of Guell Park and Casa Mila with its amazing rooftop statues.
While in Barcelona they also fit in a visit to Barcelona’s most famous street, Las Ramblas, which runs through the heart of the city, the world-renowned food market, La Boqueria and Tibidabo, the amusement fair that sits high above the city. One person celebrates his 50th birthday, a lady conquers her fear of heights and Francis tries to set up two from the group on a tapas date.
The series continues on Sunday November 20 at 7.30pm with the group embarking on their next destination, Carcasonne, while further destinations to be featured include Cannes, the Italian Lakes, Tuscany and Rome.