If you’ve never been to Centreparcs, you need bikes to get around. They operate a car-free policy whereby you can drop off your things in a designated window, but you must then leave your car in the car park until your check out slot. They are grouped so there are times where the only vehicles on the road are service vehicles and the train/bus. This is great as a parent, as you feel your kids can run freely and you can take a break from constantly instilling fear into them about the dangers of the road. It is important to teach this, but I often feel I don't balance it out, so it was a nice change.
As I mentioned earlier, it was our first holiday in while and my packing was definitely indicitive of someone who had not been holiday for a while. The things I packed as essentials were.
Fish oil
Hair clippers
Moisturiser
Watch
Aftershave.
I didn’t bring my waterproof, jacket or hat, many jumpers, many shoes......I didn’t really know what the hell to pack as I was a novice holiday maker again. I also didn’t really know what I would do for fun with the family. When you are with your child, you tend to operate in survival mode, which is a state of “what do they need? When did they last eat? How much sleep have they had? When was the last poo they did?” Nowhere in this thought process do you ever think about options for yourself for 5 days away from home. So I was a little underprepared to cycle for 5 days in the pouring rain. On our way to the pool, I had a bulging holdall bag with my swimming stuff in. We got our bikes and they were a little on the small side. I had to put my bag over one shoulder and hold the handlebars with one hand. Considering I was the only black guy in the village, the look I was fashioning looked like I should have been selling watches on beach in Cyrpus, or down Croydon highstreet.
So where we (see the last blog)? Oh yes we were waiting to go down the slide. The light was on red. the jets of water were rushing past us. I was assured that this was the gentle slide. We had a green light and we were cleared for take off. We started to move and then we got stuck! I hadn’t allowed for the extra weight in my hips as Isaac was sat on my lap. I had to lie down, then sit up and lie down again to try to get momentum. The CCTV must have been hilarious yet I felt I wasn’t the only dad who had done this. I couldn’t believe I was ruining this for Isaac. He started to look uncomfortable with my technique to propel him down the green tube. Eventually we got going. He seemed to enjoy the gentle slide. That was until we started to gather speed. I knew the end of the slide was coming but I didn’t really know what to expect as Isaac does not do underwater. As we hit the water, I thrust him up to avoid immiment drowing, but as I tried to see where he was, my thrashing pulled him under. When I got back to the surface, he seemed perfectly fine. All those painful swimming lessons seemed to have finally paid off as when I asked him if he wanted to do it again, he said, “more daddy.”
