Show me your cell phones

I have learned a lot on each and every tour. But one of the biggest lessons was the second day out of Galway. We were on a private coach and I had already learned that to get everyone on the coach on time, you gotta tell them to be there 15 minutes ahead of time.

We had spend the previous day seeing working sheepdogs and visiting the wool center in Lenanne, where they take you through wool from the sheep to makig a sweater. And we’d stayed in a cute guest house in Leenane.

Everyone got on the bus on time, we headed out for a 40 minute ride to Joyce’s Country Crafts, a huge craft store known as the gateway to Connemara. We were about a half hour into this trip when traveler Barbara announced she’d left her cell phone in her hotel room. Not wanting to delay the group, we travelled on and I sent my assistants, Jan and Paula, in to keep everyone busy shopping while I dashed back for the cell phone.

Our driver said, “Hang on. I can’t go fast with a group in this coach but if it’s just you..we can make good time.” And we made what would have been an hour and twenty minute drive (40 minutes each way) in less than an hour! I felt like I was on Mr. Toad’s wild ride as we swung around twisty turns in the road and flew over the hills. And when we got back, the rest of the group was ready to go.

Cell phone retrieved, I took 5 minutes to myself to get some sparkling water and a dramamine before I could face getting back on the bus.

Another lesson learned: Have a checklist for your group before you ever leave anywhere. Glasses, coats, passports? And I wanna see those cell phones, hold em up!

###