New Years Eve Gala Ball

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope you all had a lovely New Year and spent it with your nearest and dearest. We normally just have a night in with family but this year my sister and me decided to go all out and book some tickets for a Gala Ball in a local hotel in our town. We have never done anything like it before and with it only be the two of us we were worried about who we would be seated with, what they would be like and if it would be the table from hell!!!

We decided to go the whole hog and stay in the hotel after the ball and treated each other for Christmas (with a little help from our brother), so off we went to the hair dressers and then checked into our hotel. We had the loveliest afternoon relaxing in the lobby, having a wee bit of lunch and glass of vino, and really just taking time and people watching. The fact that we lived 10 minutes from the hotel made it feel even more of a luxurious treat. We got ready in our room in a cloud of fake tan, eye lashes, perfume and thanks to my friend Hilary, a lovely chilled bottle of champagne.

After another wee glass of champagne welcome drink, we got into the ball room. It was looking gorgeous, with fairy lights and white Christmas Trees, it really looked the part.

We need not have worried about our fellow diners. We had great craic with them and to be honest, sitting with them and chatting about different things, different stories and experiences, it really helped make our night.

Any time I have gone on a cruise it has been with a few family members so we have always sat with each other. I would nearly sweat having to sit with a random couple  at dinner – but this experience has actually changed my mind. It was really nice to relax with other people, listen to their stories (with their other halves rolling their eye behind their backs making it clear this was not the first time they heard the story). I even enjoyed the awkward, slightly (dare I say it) rude people!! It gave me and my sister so much to gossip and giggle about that I can’t imagine we could have had much more fun sitting by ourselves. I am now a convert to dining at large tables, and will be telling all my customer’s not to be stressing about it – enjoy the diversity it brings and go with it, you never know the fun you could be missing out on!!!