Today was going to be a tough day. I’m not a fan of a roller coasters whereas Chris is a MASSIVE fan and Our Sidekick is a fan to a certain point. I’d been prepared that it would be a Chris kind of day, so I took my iPad with me to keep reading my book while the boys did their bits. I decided that I’d go on one roller coaster just to make sure I still didn’t like them. I’d already decided that I wasn’t doing The Big One especially given the stress it had caused me the night before.
We arrived at the park and there as a massive queue to get in, thankfully the staff were well aware of the fact and had it in hand, they had like 10 tills open with two people redirecting people to the tills that were vacant. We were seen quite quickly although it was so busy. We got our passes and headed through the gate towards our first ride. On the way through the gate there was a bag search, one lady was really strict but the guy we got was really relaxed and let us through. The guy in fronts of us, had been to the strict lady and had to leave a bunch of his stuff at the gate (kind of eat it or lose it I think). Chris had already said that if they did take his gluten free stuff off him, he was going to argue that as they couldn’t confirm that they serve gluten free food on site then he’d have to take his food with him, but as we went to the guy instead we had no problems. The boys decided it was my choice first given that it would be something really tame…..and it was lol.
I chose the Flying Machines which was along the lines of a chair swing but you seat about 8 people to a on aeroplane shaped car that swings round a centre point.
Following my choice it was time for the boys first choice, given the layout of the park this was Valhalla. I’d already decided that given how wet people we expected to get, I would sit out that one and hold onto everyone’s stuff. I found a bench near the ride and while the boys were in the queue, I ate my lunch and read my book on my iPad (still reading Naked Heat (Nikki Heat Book 2) by Richard Castle). Our Sidekick and Chris came off the ride, Chris was quite excited about the whole thing and telling me all about the ride. Our Sidekick on the other hand was soaked through and was very cold and a little upset.
Our Sidekick changed into his spare clothes that he’d brought with him. We then queued up for the next ride we were going on. I was pretty sure that going on the ride was going to upset me but I figured that I’d prove the point and do it anyway. The boys went in the seat in front of me which made it all that bit worse as I had to tell myself that it would be okay while the other part of me was seriously freaking out, I was doing okay until we shot down the first drop as I slammed back into the seat and caught my ribs on the lap bar and think I got a bit winded which upset me more. Our Sidekick turned round to check on me and I think I saw him poke Chris to tell him that I wasn’t doing okay. We got off and I walked as fast as I could to get out of the ride and find somewhere to sit. I felt so silly bawling my eyes out but at the same time I had told both the boys that I didn’t like roller coasters and I really didn’t want to do go on some of the rides. I’m glad I did it because it means I can cross off another goal on my bucket list but I’m still a little wobbly about going to Alton Towers in the Autumn.
Following the ride, we went to get the boys some food, we also watched the dancing fountains. The fountains bit was good but the music was a bit of a dodgy edit. It was music from Chicago but the edit would cut in the middle of a phrase which was slightly annoying.
I went to find a table to sit at while the boys got their food. While I was sat waiting for them to come back, a lady in front of me turned round and had a go at a couple sat at the table in front of me. I caught a chunk of the conversation but really didn’t know what to do, I’m pretty sure that the lady made some racist comments and generally had a to at the couple, how then got up and walked away. The lady and her family and friends then spread across two tables. She also took a chair from the table at I was sat at, she asked if the chair was free but didn’t wait for a reply before removing the chair.
Following lunch we headed for the Wallace and Gromit ride. There was quite a queue for it but the good thing about it was that there were the actual animations and behind the scene bits being shown on TVs in the queuing area. The cars on the ride are like giant slippers. There’s a bit of a roller coaster but I was so busy focusing on which scene was recreated next on the ride that I didn’t really think about where the car was going. My favourite bit was the mice from A Grand Day Out, I really wanted to get one of the hoodies from the shop but they were a little on the expensive side but given that I’m pretty sure that they only sell them at the park I was willing to pay a little more.
We then headed to Nickelodeon Land, the boys went onto Streak but it took ages to get on there as one of the carriage’s was taken off the roller coaster and wasn’t in use. I found somewhere to sit and then stayed there and read. I moved once so that I was right in front of the track to try and snap some pictures, I do wish that I’d brought my DSLR with me but sometimes my phone does just as well as a camera and can just be chucked in my pocket and taken with me. (I am finding though that the battery is dying while we’re still out. I’m tempted to buy a spare battery but don’t know whether I should be going a different route).
We got a drink as Chris was getting a headache, then headed back into the main park. The boys went on Avalanche, it looked really cool but I knew that I wouldn’t be able to hack it so found a seat on the floor near the start of the ride and got writing on a blog post then read for a bit. The roller coaster is pretty cool as it climbs and then somehow releases off the track and the rolls itself the rest of the way along a “tunnel” like on a luge.
Chris decided at that point he was going to go on The Pepsi Max Big One and then we were going to call it a day. It took quite a while for him to queue and get on the ride. I had his phone as my phone battery and iPad battery died by the time he finally got to the front of the queue! I attempted to take the picture but I missed the button and then when he got to the bit that goes right above the path/bridge it finally did take the picture but the lens cover thing on Chris’s case flicked back across the lens as the picture took! Seriously are you kidding me! He got off and said that if he didn’t have the headache he would go on again but he really couldn’t hack it.
We left the park and on the way to the tram stop I power walked to a local shop to get Chris some painkillers and another drink for his headache. Chris normally fights his way through it or just crashes for a nap if he has a headache but given he’d asked for painkillers I knew he wasn’t feeling right. So……. I power walked off and then returned. We got back to the tram stop and Chris virtually downed his bottle of water with his painkillers. I could tell he was feeling better because we got on the tram and he was like “Shall we go to the end of the line and see what happens there?” So we did it I screwed up because I couldn’t find the tram ticket when we got to the other end to come back again. Eventually I did find it, I was wound up and stressing out as I was tired and needed some food. (The problem with virtually living on food out away from the hotel means I’m really struggling to make sure I’m eating enough and a balanced meal).
I drove us home, there was a massive queue on the M6 which was frustrating me, I had Chris telling me one thing, Our Sidekick commenting about other things, motorised cutting in front of me or getting irritated at me, in the end I kept lane hopping which I hate doing. The thing that didn’t really make sense to me is that the two left hand lanes were closed (at least the gantries said that) and we were down to two lanes but people kept using all four lanes…….I tried to stick in Lane 3 so I could get out the way as soon as the lanes reopened again but at one point I ended up between two lorries and really had to move out of the way.
As the restaurant we were headed to stopped serving food at 9:30 we ended up at Frankie and Benny’s instead. I was probably miles off plan but I needed food, I attempted to go for healthy things but I have no idea how bad I was. I had BBQ Pulled Pork Potato Skins and Veggie Gnocchi Bake (without chilli).
