Self catering holiday (From The Northern Echo)

Self catering holiday

3:03pm Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Reader Blogs By Lynn Briggs

After over twelve hours sleep, I still feel like doggy doo. You see, we went on a famous "self catering" holiday for a few days.

Let me explain this concept to you. Apparently, one has to takes one's own towels, toilet paper, soap, coffee, tea, sugar, milk, and whatever else one needs. (Note: the owner would have provided towels for roughly $16 and I could go to Walmart in PA and BUY a set for that...) One is also paying MORE for this privilege that one pays in the USA for a hotel room, with all the ammenities included. Oh and they joyfully and proudly advertize here that this camping experience includes your OWN bathroom!

Wow, stop me before I burst with joy. I said "camping experience", because to me...that's basically what it is. (I don't DO camping people..I'm way too high maintenance) So anyway, the room we were in had a shower with one of the famous "handheld shower thingies" which is all you can get in this country. I've only seen fixed showerheads in 5 star hotels in London. I decided to wash my hair because it felt like stuck together gum.

Turn on the shower and all I get is ice water. Send out for the resident expert in all things British, and even he can't get it off "icy".

At this point, I'm approaching livid, but I'm too tired to bother screaming. I fill up the tiny sink with hot and cold water and proceed to wash my hair and rinse it using a water glass dunked into the water.

During this process, which left me with soapy hair and no way to really get it out, I also managed to "wash" the walls and entire floor of the bathroom. Keep in mind that the bathroom was smaller than most closets...All my makeup stuff and hair stuff, and anything else that happened to be on the floor (because there was nowhere else to put it) was soaked.

I know I upset the Brits here when I tell the truth BUT..when I go to Cleveland in eleven days but who's counting, I will have a hotel room for a night, that's considered "downmarket" by posh people. (it's a Best Western FFS) I will, however, have a bathroom that would fit me and about three other people, a fixed shower head and plenty of hot water, a coffee maker, a hairdryer, electrical outlets in the bathroom so I don't have to go into another room to dry my hairdo, a large room with TV, free breakfast in the morning, and a king sized bed.

I think this about says it all.