I was in Clifden for the first time this weekend for Tracy's hen. After a very Wuthering Heights (except with the Twelve Bens instead of the moors) approach what with the ominous grey skies and eerie landscape we set into a bit of grub. Not that we hadn't spent the whole journey stuffing our faces with crips. But sure thats no dinner. The staff were very amusing - the girl on reception was probably actually nice, but she was very stern with us, it didn't really suit the hospitality sector in which she found herself working. She always seems incredibly busy and efficient where really she was neither. However, one thing about hotel staff - when you're in a hotel, you always seem to see the same people throughout the weekend or however long. What kind of hours are they working at all. I know i'd be grumpy. Thats why I don't interact with the public for a living! Amusing staff member number 2 was the kindly man who told me as i was settling a bill to watch out for another party of diners later on if we were going out - he said they were a vulgar bunch. Bless! Warnings heeded (and long journeys travelled) it was mostly early nights all round that night.
Saturday morning we spotted a large spherical bright object in the sky. Those that have been to Oz identified it as a 'sun'. It made me very happy. After a comedy breakfast where we had to forage for cups and the waitress brought one item at a time to the table whether it was a coffee pot or a spoon, we went for a wander. It was on this wander that we bought massive granny pants. I thought it only right to document the occasion. The only other available knickers in Clifden seem to be pheremone-enhanced disposable thongs. I think someone needs to call Dunnes and let them know there's a captive audience out here.
Then it was time for horseriding. Unfortunately for us ladies, horseriding means relinquishing handbags and all other accoutrements (and style) so there's no photos of us on the beach. But i don't really mind as I have de memories. It was breathtakingly idyllic and lovely, even if from the outside we looked like a load of hags on a load of nags. Which we probably didn't. 2 of the ladies showed us all up with their cantering - Fiona & Ann. Fiona's horse also did a bit of a bolt back in the stables, luckily she was able for it and escaped with just a leg bang. I would probably be in a full body cast by now if that happened, however my Rocky was unlikely to do anything so energetic. In fact he wanted to put his head down a lot and the instructors saw fit to furnish me with a whip. I gave him a load of pats too to make up for having to hit him a bit. Before anyone asks, the whip was returned at the end.
There's only one photo. Some of the girls had nice peaked velvet hats with wee ribbons on the back. I had something more akin to the hairmet (from scrubs)
There was a big load of sparkly boozes had back in Tracy & Fiona's bedroom to prepare us for the night ahead. We waited til we got to the restaurant til there was henniness. But seeing as we were such a classy hen, it only stretched to this lovely rig-out. Which didn't last that long anyway! Many drinks were had in the local, and back in the residents bar.
8 slices of toast and a gallon of tea later (that was just me) we went for a bit of a walk to blow out the bad before we headed off. There's a monument above Clifden which looks really far away but is only about a 20 minute walk. Good thing, there were pretty skirts & flip flops and the lot doing the trip. We like style on our sojourns so we do. Diane tried to climb the monument and failed, it had obviously been Diane-proofed. After that last bout of activity, we went on our merry way (our car load anyway). Rachael did impressive driving that got us back to Dublin in 4 hours (that was 4 hours of eating for me and babs in the back), the poor dear spent another hour doing dropping homes (ta love!).
Now, I'm henned out till next weekend!
