Girlie trip to Nottingham!

So what is the best accessory for a holiday? Something you need to have with you? Maybe you will pick straighteners, or make up, to make sure you look the part during dinner in a posh hotel. Or maybe you won’t leave home without your phone, or camera to capture the adventures you get up to in a new place. Well, until recently I would have agreed with all of the above. But after my weekend away in Nottingham I would say that the best thing I can take on holiday is my best mate Faye! Not just because of the fact that girlie holidays are fab, but also because she keeps me safe, and once again saved my life!

What can go wrong on a three day break to Nottingham you ask? Well, when one of the people on the holiday is me anything can happen! Including getting lost inside our hotel, almost electrocuting myself, and injuring myself in a swimming pool. All in a days work for me!

The first catastrophe of the weekend happened on the Friday we were due to go. I was merrily flicking through my photos on my phone at Faye’s while waiting for her to finish in the bathroom. Smiling I came across a picture of my ticket for Peter Andre, who I was due to see on January 26. However peering closer at the ticket I realised it said Jan 12th! The very next day when we would be in Nottingham! Cue a very upset phone call to my sister (who was coming with me) to confess that I had been an idiot and written down the wrong date! We didn’t make it to the show, and a text from Jodie read ‘tee hee! you prat!’ She wasn't too upset (I had slightly twisted her arm into seeing him in the first place) but I was devastated!

Heading to Nottingham I quickly forgot about it, as Faye and I started on our ‘eat as much nice food as we can before Faye starts her shakes diet’ plan. Stopping at a garage to buy screen wash (those who know me know I go through a lot of this) I walked into a window trying to get in. In my defence it was not obvious where the door was! I then needed Faye to open my bonnet for me so I could pour it in. Apparently all the time I have spent at the gym recently has not increased my strength!

Arriving in the location of the hotel we were directed off the road by the sat nav through a forest. All very pretty, but no sign of the hotel. Emerging 15 minutes later, having driven through acres of woodland imagine our amusement as we spotted the hotel directly opposite the entrance we had taken into the woods. Good job we had not stopped someone for directions, it would have been very embarrassing to be directed across the road to the hotel that was in clear view!

The hotel was beautiful! It had lovely views across the forest, and inside was warm and welcoming. Just what we needed during this cold spell! Dumping our bags we headed off to the spa for our manicures. As I type I am sporting lovely metallic blue nails which so far (touch wood) I have not chipped much. Once our nails were dry we went into the pool, and it was here that I acquired the lovely cut and bruise on my ankle. I mean, who puts hidden steps in a pool!? Yes, ok, maybe they were not too hidden, as Faye managed to see it and avoid it. But in my eagerness to escape the water (which was pretty cold) I kicked out with my legs and struck the step, causing the damage. Ouch!

The rest of the evening passed quite uneventfully, apart from us getting lost in the rabbit warren of corridors of the hotel. From the outside it didn’t look that big, but inside was a different story!

On the Saturday we headed into Nottingham, on the trail of Robin Hood and his Merry Men! Our first stop was Nottingham Castle, which was fantastic! It was also the scene of my near electrocution! Seriously whose bright idea was it to put two doors next to each other in the toilet, one to the exit and one to the cupboard with the electric mains in!? Having washed my hands and not drying them properly I missed the exit sign over the first door and ‘danger of death’ sign over the second door, and walked into the cupboard. Faye shouting ‘no no no no!’ behind me was the first indication of my mistake! The second was the mound of wires my wet hands were very close to! All was ok in the end - thanks to my life saver friend!

The rest of the holiday flew by, with no big accidents or mishaps. Faye once again failed to see the Criminal and Justice museum, as we were 10 minutes late. The first time she had tried to get in was about 10 years ago, and they were closed. We had lots of lovely food and were stuffed by the time we got home. We had a snowball fight in the middle of a forest. Note to anyone reading this - don’t start a snowball fight with Faye. She gets you back 10 times worse and you end up with snow down your neck!




So, a lovely weekend was had by both of us! I hope to return to Nottingham again, and will be taking my best holiday accessory with me - Faye!