Saturday 10th March 2007 - Hen Night in Liverpool
Woke up really early but was slightly tired from late night drinking with my brother the night before and had to force myself out of bed to get packed for my trip to Liverpool. Still needed to decide what to wear and iron all my clothes.
The theme for the weekend was pink and sparkly so for the day I decided to wear jeans and a bright pink t-shirt. It's from DP and says "Rock" on the front, coz I do *lol*.
My mum and dad took me to where the coach was picking us up - in the town where Penny lives which is about 5 miles from where I live. We were going at midday and she had organised a minibus. There was 12 of us altogether and Penny had brought 6 bottles of pink sparkly wine for us to drink on the bus. We got through 4 of them and I must admit to feeling a little tipsy when we got there. Arrived by 1.30pm and checked in to the hotel. I was sharing with Rach from work and we unpacked before heading down to the bar for a drink. The hotel was basic but clean and the bars were nice. We all had a drink in the bar before going for lunch in a local Wetherspoons pub - cheap and cheerful, but lots of room for 12 of us. Everyone was really nice and the sparkly wine was enough for me to relax in the company of a group of fine women. I was nervous because I only knew 2 of them but I was soon chatting to the others like I've known them for years. It's funny watching a group of someone else's friends though. The whole group obviously doesn't go out much as one and it was funny to see the different relationships with someone rolling their eyes at another etc and being independent enough to see it all but not be involved!
After lunch we split into 2 groups, the shoppers and the sports fans. Guess wish one I was? Yep, back to the hotel to one of the bars there called the Dugout - a sports bar, quite appropriately! We sat and had a drink whilst watching the rugby - a group of female welsh rugby fans. My kinda group!
The rest of the group drifted back from the shops and we eventually all headed back to our rooms to get ready to go out for the evening. Rach had been shopping and I had asked her to get me something pink and sparkly. She brought me some fantastic pink cherry earrings and a hen night sash. My outfit was quite understated in the pink department - black trousers and vest top and a pink shrug cardi. With my pink earrings it wasn't too OTT. Went to an Italian restaurant called Casa Italia and 2 of the bridesmaids had been there earlier and put balloons on our table and brought a small gift for all of us. Mine was a pink feather boa and I was chuffed. There was a mixture of feather boas and deely-boppers which we all had to wear. The meal was lovely but I won't talk details. After that we went to a pub and had a drink but it was heaving and we left after one. Penny is not a pubby/clubby type person and we all ended up going back to the hotel to the bar there. TBH I wasn't the only one who was a little disappointed by that because we walked right by the door of Flares and looked longingly in the doors but no go!
The hotel bar was really quiet but the night guy behind the reception took a strop when one of the girls moved a sofa so we could all sit together. Almost fell out with them and thought we would get chucked out but we didn't. Had a great night afterall though. Just drank loads and chatted. Our party slowly dispersed as people headed to bed. Rach was almost chucked out because she had been drinking all night and someone (from our group no less) had told the 2 night staff that she was only 17. I'm not sure what the point was but she was flirting with all the guys and having drinks bought for her. She's 17 and gorgeous but very naive. I think the person who told on her was trying to protect her but it was a bit out of proportion. I was her responsible adult *lol*. But seriously I was keeping an eye on her and would have never let anything happen to her. I was tipsy but that was all. We were in a safe environment (we were locked into a residents bar) and she was with a big group. Anyway it caused a big row between the 2 night staff and I was "debating" with them. The one who had given us trouble over the table earlier wanted her to be chucked out but the other agreed that if she sat quietly in the corner she was ok. They both agreed that she had not caused any trouble at all - she hadn't. Rach realised all the trouble and decided she would go to bed anyway. One of the girls took her up and made sure she was tucked in with her jim jams, a call to her boyfriend and her cuddly eye-ore toy. Bless!
I stayed in the bar and carried on drinking until the other girls started dropping like flies. Finally there was just me and one girl - Katharine left. We ended up chatting with a group of guys who worked in the theatre next door. Their shift finished at 3am and they came in to wind down before going home. I lost track of how many guys cracked on to me but I'm sure working such odd shifts meant they have difficulty meeting women so I wasn't surprised. Even by the end both the 2 night staff who I was "debating" with earlier in the evening were flirting desperately with me! My goodness it was just like the Toon again! But hey I'm not naive enough like Rach to not realise what they are after. But a bit of attention is always appreciated! Finally ended up sitting chatting to a nice guy from Scotland after Katharine was literally carried to bed by a guy (he just carried her to bed and placed her it on it whilst her room mate looked up bleary eyed and confused *lol* before leaving again!).
Was just chatting to this guy so much that I didn't realise it was so late. Only realised when the morning staff came in and started setting up for breakfast. Too late for bed then so I just stayed up all night. Who-hoo - last girl standing!!! Bar the bride's mother and mother in law I was the oldest - the rest are all about 28 so how chuffed am I!!!! Rach phoned me wondering where I was and came down for breakfast in her jim jams. I went and got a paper and got some funny looks because I still had on my boa and deely-boppers. The guy at Smiths just laughed at me!
The other girls all came down for breakfast about 9.30am and they all looked at me amazed. Or maybe it was disgust - remember I don't know them so they probably think what a tart! There was me sitting between 2 scottish guys (Gavin's mate had arrived) still in my clothes from the night before with Rach sitting across from me in her jim jams. Poor Penny - what must her pals think of her staff - a 35 year old party queen and a 17 year old underage drinker. Anyway they are all married with kids and I'm not and neither was Katharine, so there
. I ain't bothered!!!
Went back to my room about 10am and had a shower and chucked everything in my suitcase before meeting back up at 11am to check out. The minibus was waiting so we all piled in and we were a very subdued lot heading home! It was a good weekend and I didn't do anything embarrassing but I'm not sure my reputation is highly regarded *lol*. Oh well, don't have to see them all again until the night of the wedding so they might have forgotten by then!
Better go to sleep now - will write Sunday's tomorrow because I am seriously lacking in sleep and have to go to work tomorrow.
