Sunday, April 27, 2008

I'm Swingin'

The school holidays end today coinciding with the arrival of summery weather. Yesterday we went to the beach and the boys were happily splashing and swimming about in the sea. Not me though. I'm a class A wimp concerning water. I like it to be 27°C before I go in further than my knees.

Last Wednesday we went to swing about the trees at Oc-Aventures at St Jean de Cuculles. Set in a pine forest, the company has set up a great number and variety of ways to move between the trees. You can swing across Tarzan style, wobble across on logs, climb across on a high-level climbing wall, zoom down on 'tyroliennes' where you hang on to a bar on a wire stretched between two points. Can't remember what it's called in English, and Babelfish is no help!

Anyway, we arrived at 3.30pm but the place was packed and were told we'd have to wait. Looking at the prices, it would cost 47Eur for one adult and two children - a bit steep really. We had gone with pal C and two of her offspring and decided we would negotiate as we had to wait. It turned out that we had to wait until 5.30pm by which time there was no way we were going to pay 47Eur, especially as pal C had to leave at 6pm to fetch her youngest. We offered 20Eur each cash to the young guy who was not in charge. The poor lad, faced with the logic of a short session and cash, agreed but told us not to say anything to the grumpy boss.

The four kids were, by this time, high or far in the trees and having a great time. You are attached at all times, so as long as you follow the safety rules, you cannot do yourself much harm. Even the young boys were sensible about this.

We climbed our way up and wobbled and balanced our way along, crawled through a rather narrow tube, swung like Tarzan and enjoyed some 'emotion fortes'. It was great fun, but so tiring. Pal C had to dash off after one course, but I had had enough too, so spent the rest of the time admiring the antics of the four young'uns. They each did 4 or 5 courses and had a lovely time.

Two days later, my abdos and pecs were throbbing, but apparently the children were fine. I think there might be a message in there...

Oc-Aventures - great fun but pricey unless you arrive late and manage to bargain.

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