Blog
Our second project in lockdown
Project 2 – The second project I had been working on while we were closed during COVID was to collaborate with a chocolate connoisseur . I knew chocolate and clootie dumpling were a scrumptious combo and I want to help develop a handcrafted clootie dumpling chocolate. A piece of Clootie McToot dumpling surrounded in a lovely fondant with a crisp chocolate coating. After lots of chocolate taste testing (the difficult part!) I decided to take a wee trip with my family to meet peter@arranchocolates and his team.
I booked the ferry and decided to support a travel company and asked them to book us a hotel for one night at the Isle of Arran. They completed the booking and sent me the details via email for me to check. My biggest mistake was not to check the booking.
We travelled to the ferry port, had a wonderful lunch then drove the car onto the boat. The crossing was wonderful and then there was an announcement for everyone to go return to their cars for de – boarding. In the car waiting for the cargo doors to open I asked Kyle to get directions on his phone for the hotel. We were all excited and chatting then Kyle politely says, “mum the map shows the hotel is on the mainland where we just came from”. For a split second I thought he was joking then I realised he was not. The cargo doors are now opening and we have to drive off. All was silent which is a first in our family and all I am thinking is what are we going to do!
The ferry was full with people and I knew accommodation was limited on the island I honestly thought we were going to have to sleep in the car as our return ferry was not until the following day at 7:00pm.
We pulled into the first layby and all I wanted to do was cry. I had planned this wonderful trip and I felt as though I had let everyone down.
After a few minutes of bickering with hubby I realised I needed to recover the situation. I managed to persuade the ferry company to squeeze us in for a return crossing later that day. We then drove to Arran chocolates and visited their shop, ate and bought chocolate and met some of their team. A small business with an ethos just like ours.
We returned back to the ferry port later that day and enjoyed the crossing. We then booked into our hotel on the mainland with rooms overlooking the sea to the Isle of Arran.
A lesson learned, always double check a booking. Life is never dull in the Maddox family!.
We hope to have our Clootie McToot / Arran chocolates available to purchase in time for Christmas.
