Center Parcs 2005
Thursday January 27, 2005 - Permanent link to this post -
It's that time of year again. The annual trip to Center Parcs, deep in the wooded bliss of Sherwood Forest is upon us. Tomorrow morning we will awake (if we've slept at all), throw the bags (and bags and bags) in the car and head on down to the communal breakfast, this year at Ikea who apparently do a real feast for only a pound.
We'll get to Center Parcs in convoy with the Breartons and extended family-to-be, my folks and JC at about 11am, when it will be straight to the bar in the Jardin Des Sports where we'll stay until we're allowed in the villas at about 3pm.
Once sufficiently lubricated we'll drive our brimming cars to our weekend abodes and hurriedly unpack, so as to be able to get a good space in the car park again afterwards.
The crates upon crates of booze will be opened and shared throughout the day as more and more of the 30 something strong party arrive. Babies, tots, kids, teens, twenty-somthings and grown-ups are amongst our number.
Any newcomers, and some slow starters will shriek with marvel and run for their camera at the sight of a duck or squirrel “almost coming in!!!” through the patio doors. They'll spend a pound on a loaf of white bread just to feed them (despite the signs warning otherwise).
We'll be drunk for pretty much most of the weekend, but we'll eat like kings and play sports like heros. Tennis, badminton, football, swimming, squash, climbing, cycling and ping-pong will all be enjoyed.
Saturday night will see a party of great proportions as we celebrate my Mum's <ahem> 40th </ahem> birthday.
On Monday morning nobody will want to leave. Breakfast will incorporate all leftover foodstuffs. The cleaners come at 10am so you've got to be out. To the Dome it is then. How many times can you go navigate the Jungle River before you finally have to go home?
You may have guessed, that in the 18 consecutive years we've visited Center Parcs in the last week of January, it's been the same every year. But every year it's just as much fun. When I started going I was a kid. As I became a teenager, new kids were coming, and new babies from the twenty-somethings and grown-ups. Next year the new baby will be mine and Nicki's, and the adventure will start all over again.
