So we had a few days holiday…

We built it around a military history event which we’ve been to for many a year now (before the time which will not be mentioned), and were looking forward to catching up with some re-enactor friends there. We booked the remaining days of our long weekend away with various other activities before setting off. During Thursday’s visit to the Morgan sports car factory, we heard a report on the factory radio that the Queen was ailing. As the visit went on, we heard the growing build-up, until the sad news was finally confirmed that evening in our hotel.

Overnight, we got alerts – one after another – that the things we’d booked were being cancelled as a mark of respect. Understandable certainly, but what a time for deciding on non-flexible hotel booking. Of course we made alternative plans, yet it felt a weird time to be away. In some places, black armbands were much in evidence and strangers sought to talk to one another – in others, life appeared to be going on as normal.

With a dodgy back and knee, I’d made a couple of requests of Himself when booking the hotel, asking for either a ground floor room or a hotel with a lift. In order to achieve the first in the lack of the second, we ended up with an “accessible” room. Apart from the bed and a single chair, there was literally no other furniture in the room. As Himself set to unpacking, he found a button and, curious to discover what it did, he pushed it. Yes, it was the disabled “I’ve fallen” alarm….

Our accessible room also had a wet room – except it was so wet, it made the edge of the bedroom carpet damp the sole time I used it, because the slope was pointing the wrong way. And did I mention the bed was so low it was virtually on the floor? It seemed too low even for a wheelchair user, let alone any able bodied companion. On departure, both our backs were struggling from the constant fight to get out of the bed – mine even more so, as Himself bagged the sole chair 😉 For some reason, the room made us hysterical and we giggled at the least thing for days – which was a good thing as nothing went to plan….

Deciding to do a bit of street photography so I could use my new compact camera, we drove to Chester to visit a highly rated indoor market – only to discover it was almost 75% derelict. No idea who took those oh-so flattering photos and wrote those week-old 5-star reviews. The small zoo we tried to visit closed unexpectedly because planned building work had scared the animals back into their cages 😀 Another small venue we tried to find turned out to have been sold, and was now a brand new housing development 😉 Yes, it was that sort of holiday….

Our favourite Chinese restaurant was closed – being very small, it probably didn’t survive Covid. We were sad to see it go, as the front-of-house was a terrifically bossy old woman, who took to Himself as he’d actually travelled in China, and would indicate which dishes were good to order by the merest flicker of her face. Fortunately, we did find somewhere to have a fabulous curry. In the UK, Indian restaurants are actually owned and staffed by Bangladeshis, so I was delighted to see that this one flew it’s flag proudly – calling itself ‘Bangla Pride’. In the unlikely event you find yourself in Telford, I can highly recommend it! 😀

So, we’re back home, and oh so happy to have our comfy bed back! 😀

Any holiday or hotel hell stories to share – be they funny, horrid or plain weird?

© Debra Carey, 2022