RICHARDS BLOG

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Richards Blog 20.06.09 – Chapter 1 – erm…..!

I have finally taken the decision to write the full story of Barratt Tours, people have often said to me that I should write a book and do you know, I think I will! Our story is a fairly unique and I think a very entertaining one but I have to be honest in that I don’t have a clue where to start, I think I will start writing prompts that I can weave into the story as it takes shape, we fortunately documented quite a lot of our early days and Chris has been secretly writing notes for a few years so maybe something might come to fruition, I have written a very concise history in my blogs last year but I think it is time for a warts and all account, you honestly wouldn’t believe what we have had to contend with behind the scenes over the last 12 years – it will be a good read!

Let me know what you think about the idea, I think it might be quite fun but please get back to me, I don’t get much feedback and especially get in touch if you know a “tame” publisher that likes a challenge and could give me a few tips!

It has been another mixed week for numbers and whilst our Cliffs tours have been OK loadings have been disappointing for Galway and Killarney, I think it’s a pity as they are both really nice tours and I do look forward to driving either of those, highlights for me are the magnificent walks at Muckross House and Galway City but I must admit my greatest pleasure is the cruise on the Corrib Princess. On a fine day I love to hide away outside at the bow and listen to some suitably chilled music on my I pod while the scenery goes by – this job is often not too bad at all! So why not join us for a really relaxing day and try one of our other tours!

We had a good night out on Thursday and saw a great band called Aftershock at Smyths, I had been getting a bit bored of some of the bands there lately – no fault of there own but a lot of the covers are the same week after week. Aftershock were a bit different and did some quite clever and more contemporary stuff probably my favorite track was “Where’s me jumper?” by The Sultans of Ping F.C – obscure stuff but regulars will know my strange tastes!  

Richards Blog 16.06.09 – A little piece of Liberty!

It has been quite a mixed week business wise this week, we seem to be really busy one day then really quiet the next but overall we are keeping our heads above water, I have been busy in the garage as well replacing a seemingly unbreakable suspension component which smashed on Saturday, thanks to our wonderful (or woeful!) road network, I had to drive to Portlaoise in the car yesterday for parts then spent the afternoon fitting them to my coach, also I had to prepare the small coach for test tomorrow so I’am quite happy to be working today, it really is a break to be touring today!

Our life is pretty hectic at the moment with behind the scenes plans coming to fruition for our new product and a new micro website that is coming together nicely now, it is all taking far longer than we anticipated but then that is a familiar story! I don’t know if we are doing more now or (perish the thought!) we are getting older but this season is really taking it out of us, at the moment I’am as tired as I normally am in August but I think our disrupted winter and getting the new coach ready is to blame, normally we find a routine by this time but it is taking a little bit of doing this year! I heard a great saying the other day which I think applies to us at the moment:

“I try to take life one day at a time but lately several have ganged up on me at once”

Now talk of one of my only recreations at the moment – music, I downloaded the new Madness album the other week “The Liberty of Norton Folgate” and whilst I have always loved the unique blend of ska and reggae that Madness create I honestly believe this to be one of their finest works, it really is a concept album which seems a mad idea for the “nutty boys’ but it really does work on all levels, it tells the story of an area of London which I never knew existed called Norton Folgate and up until the early 1900 s was outside the laws of the land and was a magnet for artists, poets and mad people – sounds great! I really must have a look round that area next time we hit “the big smoke” I have always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with London, I used to work there regularly after I left school and never really liked the place but since the death of Chris’ brother who lived in there just over a year ago we have become friends with some of his friends and I have mellowed a little in my attitude – our last visit was great so I’am now looking forward to our next visit and I will find my own little piece of liberty!

Richards Blog 01.06.09 – Summer madness!

We are having a crazy weekend, fairly busy with it being a public holiday in terms of passengers but for once the summer has arrived at the same time as the holidays and the result is chaos, I have never seen The Burren as busy as this weekend and we are having to change our return route as Lahinch is totally gridlocked, all comments last week about driving have been bourne out today, my skin is now thicker than ever! Chris is helping me today as we have a few overloads so she has Celtic Princess, she is doing a good job of clearing the way for me though – we make a great team!

The weather is absolutely amazing with temperatures in the mid twenties and my new air con working overtime, so at least my head is cool! I really hope this is the start of a decent settled spell – a bit of sun is doing my soul good.

Our new micro website is coming together nicely and I hope it is going to emphasize the personal nature of our business, sometimes it seems as though we are swimming against the tide of domination by the larger companies, we don’t want to fall into the trap of insulting our customers intelligence with images of Lepreachans and sheep – there are plenty doing that already, what we want to do is project our true personalities more, we are both very different in many ways but we hope that is part of the fun and adds to the richness of your experience with us! Many companies try to tell you that they live and breathe their business but believe me when it comes to Barratt Tours this truly is the case, we very rarely switch off and I think if just one of us was involved in the business we honestly would be divorced by now!

I haven’t mentioned music for a while so I have just bought the new Madness album which has received rave reviews so I shall report next week.

Richards Blog 27.05.09 – Is it me, or does everyone hate me?

Don’t worry, I haven’t gone totally mad (just yet!!) but I really do notice how things are changing here at the moment, as you know I spend an awful lot of time on the road and I never cease to be amazed at other drivers attitudes, I have become immune to the total lack of regard motorists show to a larger vehicle and have learnt to accept that if I meet a small car on a narrow road it will always be me that has to give way and do all the braking and steering whilst the car driver sits and watches! But I have recently noticed a new phenomenon and this is mainly from local drivers, I can be doing nothing wrong other than trying to get my way through as best I can but I often find myself on the receiving end of all kinds of threats and abuse or at least and interesting array of gestures! Chris had a situation the other day where somebody pulled out in front of her far too close and then didn’t accelerate so she overtook in a perfectly safe place, she stopped at traffic lights further up the road only for the motorist to shout that he was going to report her for being a dangerous driver! Another good one was just the other day when I was in Doolin, I met a young girl in a car in the very tight spot just ouside O’Connors, I again managed to squeeze through only to glance down at her to see her cursing and waving at me with a rage that had to be seen to believed! I honestly still don’t know what I had done – I would really like to know though! You really do need a thick skin in this job!

Now I certainly don’t want to put you off visiting our beautiful country it seems most of this behavior is in cars, I had a group of flight crew from a well known US airline on my tour the other day and they told me that they had noticed everyone was much more short tempered lately so it seems this is not unique to Ireland, I think an explanation could be that people have been well off (or at least they thought they were!) for a few years and now things are slowing down it seems to be driving the masses into the foulest of humour!

I don’t think my mood has changed too much, to be honest I’am just pleased to be making a living of sorts doing a job I enjoy, we have never been ones for new cars and flash houses etc, our pleasures are simple and cheap – maybe that is why we can laugh at the others!

We are still planning a major new product and it is getting ever closer so watch this space for the most unbelievable offer in our history!

Richards Blog 21.05.09 – This is the winter of our discount tents!

I couldn’t resist that title it come from an add for a camping shop that I saw years ago! The weather has been absolutely crazy even by Irish standards this week, it has overall been very cold and wet but suddenly we will get an unexpected good day like yesterday when it was beautiful around the coast and a t the Cliffs, I had a private tour and took the group up to Galway so a long day but quite a nice one with the weather co operating for once!

We have again had a tough week with unpredictable numbers, I have quite a large group today but yesterdays good weather seems to have helped! I believe the weather has a huge effect on our business and coupled with all the recession doom and gloom here it would depress even the most optimistic person!

The recession isn’t all bad in that we are now getting deals on travel and accommodation that would have been unheard of 2 years ago, as usual we are trying to diversify further and will be announcing some products soon that will offer truly remarkable value – watch this space! For us the Celtic Tiger is dead – long live the Celtic Tiger!

If you haven’t heard of The Celtic Tiger it was a phrase used to describe the outrageously overheated economy in Ireland during the early part of the millennium, all concerned were certain that it would go on for ever (including the banks it seems!) but you wouldn’t have to be too gifted an analyst to realise that an economy based on 80% property and construction might be ever so slightly delicate! I can honestly say that I don’t believe that the Celtic Tiger had much effect in our sector and some would argue it had negative effects in that it took the countries ‘eye off the ball” with regard to tourism and in many ways I would subscribe to that view - we needed to come back to earth but maybe not with such a severe bump! 

We had a great night out to beat the doom and gloom on Thursday and saw a band from Mayo and Roscommon called Gorilla Radio they could really rock and did a great diverse set with everything from Lady Gaga to Metallica – personally I preferred the Metallica though!

I finally got out on my bike on Wednesday and went into town to run some errands in bright sunshine only to get caught in a monsoon on the return journey! I was quite literally soaked to the skin! I have a new waterproof overall but guess where it was? In the cupboard at home of course!

You can now see my past blogs at my very own page at blogger.com - click here

 



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