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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Another Bath Plug Saga!




Yes Blogging friends it is another bath plug saga.  This time the location, Glendalough, Co. Wicklow. 

I checked into Lynhams Hotel in Laragh ending day one of my Creative Writing Workshop. Feeling mentally and physically exhausted, a relaxing lavender scented bath consumed my thoughts. The first thing I did when I got to the room was inspect the bathroom. A sigh of disappointment, there was a very nice large shower but no bathtub. Feeling slightly cheated I consoled myself with, the room is large, comfortable and clean. I stretched out on the bed and put on the television. There was no sound and the picture looked like a jumbled puzzle. Trying the remote control did nothing and on closer inspection I noticed it had no batteries. I pondered my next move. I am not normally one to complain at hotel desks, but I decided this was the new me, I drove from Dungarvan this morning I am audacious. With remote in hand I went to the reception desk.


To my surprise and delight I was moved to a different room. A bigger room with a bath. Thrilled with myself I took my lavender oil from the wash bag and placed it by the tub. After dinner, I got a glass of wine and brought it back to my room. What a wonderful night, I thought as I placed the glass of wine on the bedside table. The bath plug sat on the side of the bath. I put it in, ran the water and added my lavender. Life was good.

When the bath was over, I couldn’t unplug it. It was another un-pluggable bath plug. My first thought…don’t panic, you have dealt with this sort of thing before, remember Florence!(see here) I searched my wash bag and pulled out the nail scissors. I struggled trying to pry the plug open but to no avail. I cursed the fates that had brought me to this. Perspiration rivulets were forming on my forehead and trickling down my face blurring my eyesight. I had to empty the bath somehow. Otherwise how would I shower in the morning. I spotted the small pedal bin under the sink. I proceeded to empty the bathwater into the sink via the plastic bin insert. Half an hour later the bath was empty. Stressed and sweaty my back ached, I was breathless and there was now raging streams of sweat running down my back and legs. The whole relaxing thing totally defunct now. After splashing my face with cool water, I flung my tense limbs and aching back on the bed and grabbed that glass of wine. To be honest I could have done with a second glass a whole bottle even!


The next night I brought a half bottle of wine back to the room! I was determined to have the relaxing evening that evaded me the night before. I couldn’t find my floss, so I unfurled a hair clip and jammed it under the plug. Ran the water, added my lavender and once more all was well with the world. All expect the loud annoying sound of water gurgling and draining. I placed my heel on top of the plug to deaden the sound but my foot slipped and the hair clip popped out from under the plug. After a litany of unrepeatable words escaped my lips. I grabbed the small plastic bin and started to empty the bath water into the sink. Once the bath was empty the plug removed I took a much needed shower. Thankfully I had the half bottle of wine to soothe my soul.

I was staying in the hotel one more night. I found my floss and with a sigh of relief I believed tomorrow night would be different. Ever the optimist or glutton for punishment, your choice!

I mentioned my bath dilemma to Maria, a fellow workshop attendee who was staying in the same hotel. Through convulsions of laughter she informed me there was a dial on the tub to open the bath plug. I insisted there was no dial in my tub. Maria said she would accompany to my room and show me. She followed me into the bathroom and smiled instructing me to put the plug in. I placed the plug into the bath.

“See that dial, turn it,” she said.

“The overflow,” I asked looking at her in disbelief.

“Just turn it.”

I did as instructed and what do you think happened, that pesky bath plug popped up! I stared at it and felt heat rush to my face in embarrassed astonishment. Maria could barely control her laughter as she attempted to assure me these European bath plugs perplexed many people. I was not feeling very convinced.


Needless to say I had a very relaxing bath on my last night. When the bath was over I just turned the overflow dial and the plug popped up and the bath emptied. As I walked out of the bathroom feeling relaxed I smiled as I gave the pedal bin a quick passing glance.


I purchased two universal bath plugs a few weeks ago at Ikea. One is in my overnight case and the other in my wash bag. What lesson have I learned from all this….
Always travel with a universal bath plug!









23 comments:

Summer Ross said...

LOL, I wouldn't have known that either. I'm used to drain plugs, you just push the medal thing up and it is plugged and push it down to drain. (Though my bath doesn't have a good source for hot water so I run out fast)

Brigid O'Connor said...

Ann, thanks for giving me a laugh over lunch.
I cant believe we have really sophisticated bath plugs in Ireland.
I love the
'I cursed the fates that had brought me to this.'
-emm....a bit dramatic maybe, you sound like me!

I am racing up to Ikea to buy that universal thingy - amazing!!
Great post.

Kittie Howard said...

Ann, thank you! I didn't know there was a universal bath plug. And IKEA isn't far from me. We've had the occasional problem when traveling so will carry one with me.

I was delighted your last evening was as you imagined. You definitely earned that relaxing bath. My hub loves showers, but, quite honestly, if I have to shower and don't have a proper bath, I feel cheated. Really enjoyed your post, Ann.

Joanna St. James said...

oh you poor dear, Always feel free to ask its their job(which they should be happy to do), if you feel you have offended them just don't eat there u'll be fine.

A said...

LOL Ann, I had the same thing happen to me! It's really funny actually!

Anonymous said...

Brilliant; I'd have been embarrassed too!!! But that lavender bath sounds just the ticket.

CJ xx

Talli Roland said...

Ann! You made me laugh with this one, because out bath is exactly the same. You turn the dial thing - I thought it was overflow too for the first six months! The my husband asked me one day why I was digging my nails under the plug to let the water out when all I had to do was turn the dial...:)

Anonymous said...

I laughed at your story and then felt guilty as you had a tense time of it until the plug mystery was solved. Your floss under the plug idea was brilliant - how inventive.

You deserve a bath savvy certificate.

Susannah said...

I loved this Ann - thanks for the laughs. :-)

Amber at The Musings of ALMYBNENR said...

OMG what an ordeal! A funny one though! You might not think it, but you were pretty calm. I would have been a LOT less calm faced with your situation!

Jinksy said...

Can't help feeling glad that there's somebody else in the world to whom strange happenings are no stranger! Pardon me for laughing! LOL :)

Mary said...

Hilarious post Ann ... this will be one creative writing course you will remember!

Words A Day said...

Oh poor you - all for the sake of a lavender bath! Thats the very thing i looked forward to when i went on a writing retreat, felt very sad there was only a shower in my room! Well, you're universally equiped now it'll never happen again!

Catherine said...

I can so identify with this type of incident - I once went back to reception in a hotel to complaint that there was no power in the room and from the pitying scorn on the receptionists face I deduced it was my bogger-ignorance that was to blame - well I didn't know I had to put that new-fangled credit card door key into a slot in the room to activate the power! And I hate those sinks/baths you need a PhD to work. Even those auto ones in washrooms thwart me at times- they start spraying you if you stand in front of them and then the paper towels have to be coaxed out by waving your hands in front of the panel. Grrr! now they tell us hand dryers are the worst for cross infection!
I replied over on my blog to your comment. More photos added now.
All the best, Catherine

Nicole said...

I didi that!!! Cept it wasn't a dial it was a little push lever thingee. Had me totally befuddled ;p Funny!

http://damselinadirtydress.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

You must have felt quite drained after all of that.

Have a nice day, Boonie

Anonymous said...

You must have felt quite drained after all of that.

Have a nice day, Boonie

Old Kitty said...

LOL!!! Oh Ann!! LOL!!!! Did you get that sinking feeling?!?!

OH ok I'll stop (I blame Boonie's comment!). Anyway!!! You know I never even knew there was such a thing as a universal sink plug but now that I know they exist I shall have a stack of them because even as I laugh I know that this is exactly the sort of thing I'd do too! :-)

I am so so so happy your third night was stress-free!!!
Take care
x

Ann said...

I am delighted to see I have a few fellow bath plug users who have had experiences similar to mine! I feel so much better now. Thank you!

Hi Catherine, I know what you mean about the light thing. I had an issue with that a number of years ago. :)

Hi Brigid, My mother liked to tell anyone who would listen, that Drama was in fact my middle name!

Hi Summer, I too until this experience was only familiar with the push down, pull up type of bath plugs. But as they say, travel broadens the mind.

Hi Kittie, Hope you got the universal bath plug. And thank you my last evening was very relaxing.

Hi Joanna, Advertising my ineptitude is not really my style. As a result I deal. I should ask for help....but

Hi Agnes, Oh thank you!

Hi Christine, Floss is useful in so many ways. I never leave home without it.

Hi Susannah, We all need a laugh. Glad I could accommodate!

Hi aLmYbNeNr, Calm is not how I would describe the language I was spitting out or the gnashing of teeth I was doing. Still I survived! :)

Hi Jinksy, Yes my life is just filled with such Keystone Cop sorts of episodes. Are you a fellow Keystoner?

Hi Mary, True! I will always remember Glendalough that is for sure.

Hi Niamh, I can't help but think how differently my four days would have been if I didn't get the room with the bathtub, but hey now I don't ever have to worry again. I have the universal bath plug!

Hi Nicole, Delighted you have company in the befuddled club.

Hi Boonie, and yes I felt drained, very drained! :)

Hi Kitty, Yes I did have a sinking feeling on that very first night! A supply of universal bath plugs will never go astray...unless you forget to bring them with you that is!

Ann said...

Glad you enjoyed it Siobhan.

Theresa Milstein said...

Ann, I have tears in my eyes.

I do remember your Florence debacle.

Through this whole thing, I just wanted you to have the right to relax. If you have to wrestle with your drain plug after a bath, it negates the relaxing benefits.

Universal bath plugs? I'll look for them the next time I go to Ikea.

Anonymous said...

Sorry but just had to smile! Good idea with the universal bath plugs!

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous story! Made me laugh out loud. It's the kind of scenario I can imagine being in myself. Thanks for sharing :O)