Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Next stop...Center Parcs

Center Parcs is a wonderful place to "holiday" in the UK!
We discovered it when Jenelle was a wee thing and we went to three of their locations during the time we lived overseas.
The Elveden Forest location was our favorite, so when we knew we were traveling to England, we booked a weekend.

You rent a cabin that's set in the forest and go into the little Center Parc village every day for different activities.
Ours was #245 Pine...home sweet away from home.

The main activity is swimming.  
We did lots of it because its included in the booking...and because it was fun!
Good times!

Outside of swimming, there are other activities you can do.
One of the things we chose to do was something called Ariel Adventure.
It's an obstacle course set in the trees.
You are harnessed for safety and then you progress higher and higher into the trees through a series of rope obstacles...ending in either a straight drop to the ground or a zip wire.
Sounds simple enough...until you do it!
Hannah and I went first...

This picture is deceiving...my legs were shaking so much that the bottom rope was moving back and forth...A...LOT!

Can I just say that space looked three times bigger when I was standing before it!!

Next was Ivan, Jenelle and Donald.
When I started the course, I became instantly unsure as to whether this was something that Jenelle would be physically capable of completing.
And since she had the time to watch Hannah and I creep higher and higher into the trees, I was also unsure as to whether she would even WANT to do it.
Thankfully, she was being harnessed up before I reached the ground and expressed my concern.
I wasn't wrong in my assessment though.
She was nervous!!!

Donald was in front of her, but a super guy named Howard that worked this activity went up with her and stayed behind her to help her make the connections from section to section.

Yea!
Safely across!

We see you Howard!
     

And down the zip wire!!
Good job Jenelle...you made it!

Jenelle (or Pinky as Howard called her) and her new best friend!

Ivan had gone first out of the three of them and he had no fear!
He moved so quickly through the trees and with a big smile on his face the entire time!

Notice how he always managed to find the camera!

This gives a better idea of how high up we actually got!
And he's still not to the top yet!

Sweet relief at the end!

Although Howard was awfully helpful...paving the way for Pinky was her dad!!

He even looks good climbing in the trees!

Not one to take the easy way out, instead of zip lining down, Donald decided to do the straight drop!
You can see him just below the top of the tree!

So much fun!!!


2 comments:

  1. WOW!!! That looks so FUN!!! What a great place to escape to - I love the quaint cabin. And I love the zip line action shots - you are all so adventurous. What wonderful childhood memories you are creating!

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  2. Granny wishes she was younger. What fun

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