Back To My Adventures

After coming home from Spain, since we did so much, I felt I needed to rest, any fellow Cerebral Palsy and RSD/CRPS (in fact anyone with a long term condition) folks know it doesn’t take much to completely exhaust us. There’s this funny attitude that if we do something fun we must be alright – doesn’t work like that - pain doesn’t stop for the sunshine or a party – in my case I pop I few more (prescribed!!) pills and suffer the consequences, and by consequences I mean more pain, for the next day/week/month.

Anyway whilst I’m not bed bound I’m not resting for long in between my adventures, so three days after landing in Luton from Spain I headed to Suffolk and the Centre Parc’s at Elvenden Forest for my friend Clare’s Hen weekend!

I drove up with my pal Helen and we met with Clare, her Mum Bev, her sister Gemma and her future sister-in-law Sophie.

This was not my first hen night and I doubt it’ll be my last for a long time yet and I’ve come to realise much like and actor or comedian you must know your audience on a hen do, too much filth – you’re a pervert, not enough – you’re a prude! F.Y.I I’m neither!

On this occasion I had only met Mummy Bev once at a kid’s party, Gemma half a dozen times and I had never even met future sister in law Sophie before. So whilst putting together games I had to tread carefully – funny not filthy, amusing not alarming... I was going to have to spend not only three day’s for this hen weekend, with these people, but two day’s for the wedding too. I didn’t want them avoiding me as the smut monster!

Turns out I had nothing to be worried by and there was in fact a little disappointment I hadn’t included the odd naughty question in my Mr and Mrs Quiz (I e-mailed the Husband to be; Matt questions beforehand to answer - questions Clare had to get right - or face... well.. more booze) although Sophie being Matt’s sister was probably grateful!

I love the Elevenden Centre Parc’s it’s accessible, the apartments are clean, spacious and well maintained plus there’s so much to do on site. Although I visited the centre in March 2011, this time - I discovered there is tiny, weeny cute little nightclub called the Forum where the DJ was very fond of auto-mix and every song jumbled into one giant collaboration – and no it wasn’t me just being drunk – the others noticed it too.... okay that’s not a good example either, but at one point LadyGaga was mixed into Jon Bon Jovi which morphed into Kung Fu Fighting!

Clockwise Starting from: Me, Helen, Sophie, Bev, Gem and Clare

Saturday was spent in the huge pool and slides, followed by a leisurely float in a pedalo, a delicious Mexican feast cooked by Sophie and then a four hour trip to the heavenly spa.

The Spa were great about the wheelchair – I’m always worried about tire marks and scuffs in places like this but after falling over and managing to kick the spa wall resulting a week of agony on my last visit, I was taking my chair everywhere!

I have to say there was a point where I was laying outside on a water bed, in my bikini, at 8pm on a warm evening and thought - how very lucky I really am!

L x

Suffolk Blog 2

Days 3 and 4 where absolutely freezing in Suffolk! Thankfully I spent most of Wednesday in the onsite pool! A lovely, heated and clean pool at that! I invested in an underwater camera to take photos of my friends kids learning to swim and see my friend Danyka get her butt stuck more than once on the rapids. I’m currently patiently waiting for the GoGo to charge so that I can go pick up the photo’s that I put in within an hour of getting home to Southend.

Wednesday evening Danyka and I went to the parks spa, luckily they have a mobility service to take customers to events and activities outside of scooter and wheelchair range. We paid £26 for a taster evening where you can try out all the different steam and meditation rooms. My favourite was the Aqua medication and Japanese steam rooms. It was fairly busy so you sometimes had to go back on yourself to try rooms when they were less crowded. We just kept an eye on how many robes were hung outside, although at one point ours were pinched lol!

Team GoGo Danyka and I

Feeling all Zen and relaxed about 2hours in our 3 hour session, I decided to try out an Experience Shower, which basically means that it’ll soak you from various directions, I tried a few of the settings without a hitch but then I pressed the Rain button and it was bloody freezing, I jumped to the side and slid. Before I knew it I was on the floor! I had let go of Dan’s hand and my walking stick to have a few moments of freedom only to end up with a swollen foot and hand plus a bruised butt not to mention a deflated ego! Zen – gone!

I hobbled around for the following 20 minutes before giving in going back to the cabin, by which time we were laughing about the sight of me with my legs akimbo!

Thursday I woke up so sore and swollen, there would be no pool for me! The Mummies and their kids went to a soft play date in the main complex and the rest of us met with them after for a drink (or two) in the Sports Cafe.

Thursday evening was our last there so we decided to go out to dinner to the American Bar and grill called Husks. I opted for a farewell Long Island Iced tea, my only drink that evening since my meds had been bumped up after the accident. Anyone who knows me is well aware I am a foodie, it’s an Ellard thing! I wanted a starter, main and pudding, but I was happy to see that if you wanted to half your main size (and price) they would do you a smaller potion so that you could enjoy more courses. I had artichoke and spinach dip to start and an American beef main both were gorgeous and thankfully for my bank account and waist size I was too full for pudding!

Again the mummies went off to take the kids to an under 8’s disco with Dan’s so Elaine and baby Tyler and I went back to the cabin for a film and a gossip, a lovely chilled way to end my time in (not so) sunny Suffolk!

Our cabin in a rare sunny moment!

L x

Suffolk days 1 & 2

Let your friends know about my competition posted below!!

So it turns out, I have internet at Center Parcs! I didn’t think it would work amongst the trees. I’m in Suffolk with some friends and ironically the person with the iphone is the only one without signal, now logically I know that’s her network not so much the phone, but it still carries on my dislike of Apple Products lol!

Anyway, I’m here for 5 days and on day two I’m impressed! We got here Monday afternoon, after loving the park but hating the old accommodation my friends booked Center Parcs new build cabins. From the outside they look plain and uninteresting but inside there is a large living area with a big brown and orange sofa and furnishings (not in a 70’s brown and orange fashion) large flat screen television, dining table for 8 people and a contemporary kitchen, stocked with all the essentials to stay in and cook.

We have a party of 5 adults, two toddlers and a new baby, so luckily there’s 4 bedrooms here (two doubles and two single rooms with two beds in each) and a full bathroom with bath and shower, another shower room plus another loo! I am lucky/cheeky enough to have my own room; so on one bed is all my crap, and I sleep on the other – when it’s not being attacked by the two year olds!

The two year old attack!

Yesterday night we ventured into the communal entertainment and shopping complex. Complex is exactly what it is, there is so much to do here, and I believe just about everyone is catered for. There are numerous kids clubs, entertainment and play areas from 3 months old and upwards – adorably named the Bumblebee’s, Crickets and Dragonflies.

One of many kids clubs

There is a full spa with 15 experience rooms ranging from an ice fountain, a Japanese Salt Steam bath and a Turkish Hammam. Tomorrow evening I’ll be visiting the spa for a taster evening within these rooms, although there are many treatments available to refresh, revitalise and renew. Had I had the funds (I lost them all in OZ) I would have opted for a Elemis Modern Skin Facial, a Skin and body detox finished off with a Swedish Body massage – something for next time I feel!

There’s an onsite supermarket and various other clothing, souvenir and sporting shops although I would highly recommend bringing all the food and equipment you can, it’s so expensive that even the three aisled sweet shop prices made me wince!

As it is famed for, Center Parcs has tons of sporting activities and entertainment, there’s huge pool with designated children’s areas with slides, water shutes, and a wave pool. We spent today’s afternoon in the pool, which the kids loved, and fell asleep soon after. Even now as I type; 5 hours later I have yet to recover – agony!

Wicked pool!

Also on offer are dancing lessons, aerobics, zip wires, quad biking, paintballing, woodland tours, cycling, archery, windsurfing, kayaking, fishing, tennis courts just to name a few of many!

Once you’ve worked up your appetite and you’re too tired to even bother to cook there are loads of restaurants that serve at various times a day, there’s a gastro pub, an Indian, an Italian, a pancake house and even a Starbucks amongst others, so you won’t starve or find lack of choice a problem.

Referring back to the park catering for all there’s wheelchair and Scooter hire service (I bought my GoGo) babysitting, hair dressers, gym, a medical centre and onsite security so you literally do not have to leave the place until your home time!

Tomorrow I don’t plan on doing much more than floating in the pool and visiting the steam rooms, I am too spoilt sometimes I know! My luck will surely run out very soon, I promise to get back to the real world next week!

L x