Blog2013 ≫ Center parcs roundup (part one)

We have been at Center parcs, Elveden Forest for the week. Clare has wanted to do this for ages. It is a traditional middle class holiday to do with young kids. This is basically our Glastonbury now. And, this is our last chance to do it before it gets crazy expensive, as these are the final few weeks before Number one son starts school and then we will always have to holiday in the school holidays.

Not a bad drive up here, bit longer than we thought, stopped at some quite nice services on the M11. Bumped into a friend from work which is weird, turns out they are on their way to the same Center parcs for a weeks holiday too. Little bit of a queue to get in, I think everyone has to arrive for their holiday at the same time, they always have to start on a Monday or a Friday. We have a lovely lodge, Maple 602 with two en-suite bedrooms, real fire, three tellies, patio and barbecue area, extra loo, all sorts. All the lodges are probably arranged the same, backing onto the woods and lake. We have had squirrels and ducks and moorhens coming up to the back door looking for food, lovely.

So far (writing this on the first full day) we've just wondered around to get our bearings, and picked up a bike for Clare and Number one son. I have not got a bike yet, we thought we'd maybe share one as I'm not that confident about putting number two son into one of the little bike trailers. There are half a dozen restaurants here, so far we've only been in the sports bar though. Not my ideal type of pub normally, but, they had real ale for me, Wimbledon on the big screens, and soft play area for Number one son. Can't argue with that!

Sat in now while number two son is napping. Waiting for Clare and Number one son to return from their cycle journey to book a restaurant for tonight and a babysitter for tomorrow night! We will be paying someone to sit in so we can go out for a couple of hours. I don't suppose we will relax more or worry less than if we'd just left them alone playing with chainsaws or something but still.

Saving this all up to post after we return, so that no-one sees this while we're away and burgles us. I can see from my networked security camera that either we have not been burgled so far, or if we have they have not stolen the camera, and they got in without walking past the camera. I hope my plants are doing ok, particularly the bay tree in the pot. Wish I'd got my auto watering hack properly working before coming away. I seem to remember thinking that before our last holiday though, and I'm sure I will when we head on our next holiday too...

First full day, we had a lovely meal in Huck's (the restaurant where the big fire started back in the day). This meant our whole evening started and ended quite early, so early to bed.

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Paul Clarke's weblog - I live in Hythe near Folkestone. Wed to Clare and dad to two, I'm a full stack web engineer, + I do js / Node, some ruby, python, php etc. I like pubs, parkrun, eating, home automation + other diy jiggery-pokery, history, genealogy, Television, squirrels, pirates, lego, + TIME TRAVEL.