My Hen was arranged for the weekend of 20-21st April but it all started a couple of weeks before to be honest. This blog may take another couple of weeks to explain it all, so apologies in advance for the length and waffleyness(yes new word. Leave it).
Hen #1
My OH decided that he was going to conjure up a surprise for me and my best mate. The only thing she knew was when this surprise would occur. As it needed to be when she had booked time off work.
I wasn't aware of anything, was it a day, a week, 2 days, a night, a spa, a meal, a concert, no idea.
So he made a private group on Facebook. Included me and Claire. Every few days he would upload mini videos he had put together or random pictures.
All involving scary kids, eerie music, clowns, the type of thing you would find in a horror film! It got us thinking.
Are we spending the night in an eerie haunted house, witnessing Most Haunted live, things like that.
If that was the surprise then he did not know me at all!
At one point he even uploaded a picture of a massive spider. My phone abruptly ended up in the middle of the living room floor.
Then out of the blue he uploaded a picture of a shark and a dolphin. Then some lions.
Is he sending us on a safari?
Then he uploaded some creepy gothic style images, completely baffling.
The videos were even worse, had scary children sitting at tables, eerie winding roads, darkness, you name it, it was there.
There was one video that got me thinking, it was a station of some sort. I recognised it but could not put my finger on it, it was on the tip of my tongue. Claire also recognised it. But we couldn't be 100% sure.
The following video I was told I needed earphones & full volume. It was going to be a lot more 'helpful' so Chris said. It started off quite nicely, a nice country lane, car driving down, this could be quite interesting I thought. Then out of nowhere, a screaming lady. My phone flew across the room, I screamed out, my heart racing, I turned and Chris was just laughing at me. Comedy gold I was apparently.
No more helpful than the previous videos. It was more helpful to him as he got to see my horror face. Thanks very much MATE.
Then Sunday evening, Chris was working on the next and final video. He was umming and ahhing over when to post it. That night, Monday or Tuesday. He wanted us to know the surprise by Tuesday. No idea why. But it may have also been because Claire's week off work began Saturday night. He had added an 'event' to the group that started Saturday night at 7pm. We were unsure as to whether this was the surprise or just acknowledgement of the start of her week off.
We finally sweet talked him into sharing with us Sunday.
The video included panning over this hotel I know quite well, and then the station again and then had a few slides where he had written a load of mush about me & Claire... it did bring tears I have to admit! Then a song started playing that Chris & I both know very well.
He was sending me and Claire off to Disneyland Paris on Sunday through to Thursday for a mini hen break, just the two of us!
The music was the parade song we had fallen in love with the year before!
The 'event' was us going to London and staying in the hotel near St Pancras the night before for the Eurostar Sunday morning.
Amazing.
The 'hotel' was the Dream Castle, the one Chris & I tend to stay at when we go and where Claire & I would be staying for the duration!
Claire guessed sooner than I did, but she did have a heads up, a bit more information than me! I was completely in the dark. She picked up on it when he said she needed to go to a hotel the night before so to finish work in good time. She realised that we tend to do this when we go to Disney and then clicked thats obviously what he was planning on but maybe only for a day or two. Not 5 whole days!
All the pictures of creepiness stemmed from the haunted mansion & tower of terror - two 'scary' rides at the parks.
The sharks/dolphins/lions were all linked to Disney films.
There were odd images thrown in to 'throw us off course'.
Even her mom got involved, Chris wouldn't tell her what he was planning but she got us little gifts to take with us on our 'journey'. Minnie ears, wine, chocolates, magazines, Minnie Mouse PJs. Claire also got us a little something too.
Boi oh Boi did I miss Chris, like I couldn't imagine but I had such a laugh with Claire. She is the best friend & sis anybody could ever ask for, and loved every second with her!
As for Chris, I don't know what I've done to deserve such an amazing partner, soul mate, and best friend and I cannot wait to spend my life with him, and spending those years showing him just how much he means to me and how much I love him!
Mush over.
Hen #2
We got back late Thursday from Disney, Friday was spent unpacking, finding an outfit for Saturday night & repacking.
I went out for dinner with Chris, as it was our only time spent together in a week!
Then early to bed.
Saturday morning meet the girls and off we go up to Leeds.
There was a bit of mishmash over when certain things were going to happen once we were there but it all got sorted out.
We arrived around 1pm, checked into our rooms and got ourselves freshened up.
We all made our way over to the bar where we had buffet platters and cocktails waiting for us. Lovely time to chill and for everyone to chat and get to know each other (for those who didn't know each other). Oh and sample a few shots & drinks along the way.
Then was back to the hotel to get ready for the evening, full of cocktails!
We had a cocktail making session. It was hilarious. No idea how many we got to sample, shots included, we all got a chance to go behind the bar and try our hand at cocktail making.
The point where you went from stone cold sober to slightly tipsy... yeh, no point. It just happened. You don't know when, or how, it just did. But fun all the same! Plenty of giggles!! I would definitely recommend to anyone!
We even got complimented, considering the age range was 20 - 27, he didn't believe us and didn't believe it was a Hen party! This was before the alcohol thank you very much!
Then off we went to Pizza Express for a lovely 'sober up' 3 course meal. We all had Diet Cokes :D how cool are we.
I didn't even finish my chocolate fudge cake, I cannot believe it :-(
Then back out we went back to Revolutions for few more drinks. Well some of us made a detour back to the hotel to change our footwear!
To be honest, after rushing around all day due to unforeseen circumstances we ended up calling it a night quite early on in the evening, well I say early... it was around midnight. But we went back to the hotel and chilled in our jimjams, but think we were all safely tucked away in our beds by 1.30am!
Up in the morning for breakfast & away we went.
The hotel and bar were full of so many hen parties, all dressed up to the nines in fancydress/bits/sashs/headbands/willies, you name it, all the stuff I am glad I do not like!
It was a very busy and fun filled week, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I have some lovely friends and had a very enjoyable time, love them all to bits!
No idea why but my best mate has one last 'night of freedom' planned for the weekend before the big day, so time to let the liver recover and see what she has in store for Hen #3. Hopefully no more creepy surprises or drives up the motorway. Maybe a sash or two would be ok, plus plenty of Strawberry Daiquiris & Woo Woos would go down well :D
Whatever it will be, it will be full of plenty of wonderful friends, wine, fun, laughter and frolics.
