Monday 24 August - the previous day is
here
Oh no – clock ticking, we only have a week left to go now
I hadn’t appreciated how being here just less than two weeks really does make it fly by
And by the end of this week it will feel like we are cramming it all in !
Last night we had agreed to go to Aquatica – Andy is not a big waterpark fan so he will come and see where we are sitting and then go off and do his own thing
So I didn’t think to take the tracfone.
We know we cant take food and drink into Aquatica so no need to do a pack up either
Despite being up early, we are not out the door until 0830.
Andy has a grump on declaring “ I will not be rushed this holiday” – the irony, its him we are waiting for – we are all ready
This becomes phrase of the week and anytime anyone is asked to do anything the response is “ I am not being rushed this holiday” – it gets very wearing !
And we have hardly rushed – but its boiling and getting a decent shady spot in a waterpark is like finding rocking horse poop if you pitch up too late.
Never mind, we get there just after 9 which is fine but Andy sails past the car parking as he is insistent he will drop us off as close as possible
So despite the instruction from the CM as to where to drop us off
He sails straight past and we end up on the exit road
Where we do a U turn in front of a perplexed CM and come back the wrong way
And end up in the taxi rank – where we jump out and as we are now blocking the way for the bus I frantically pull out the bag of towels etc and move out of the way.
I am really flustered and cross by now so after some bickering with Andy – as its my fault I didn’t pack the phone or know where to park blah blah, he goes off one way and I stomp off to the park the other
– how he is going to find us I don’t know and right now I don’t particularly care either
This is called “ listening with closed ears” and is a common holiday affliction in the family
We decided we need to find somewhere relatively obvious to sit so he will see us when he returns and opt for the loungers near the main pool.
Its already filling up but we manage to bag a few under the shade ]
Near the Family from Greater Whingeington
Man those kids could whinge for an Olympic Sport – its only 9.30 for Pete’s sake , how much can there be too whinge about
Well, there’s the sand ( it’s a beach), the loungers covered in sand ( its still a beach), the suncream that the sand sticks too ( yep, definitely still a beach) , the sand-that-gets-in-your-eyes-when –you-kick-your-sibling ( it’s a beach for Jeffs Sake ! )
OMG – where are my headphones – I need them NOW
Good thing I have them
Because that’s about all I bleddy got from the car.
I got the towels
And spare clothes
But not my swimsuit
Not either of them
They are both in the boot of the car
In the other bag.
Unhappy cross face:angry:
Unhappy cross hot -really red- about to cry or do screaming mad woman impression
I’m at the jeffing waterpark and no swimsuit
What is the point ?
Oh I am unspeakably cross
But despatch the boys off to go and do some slides while I search the shops – after all there is bound to be something in there
But there isn’t
There are only garments for the opposite ends of the spectrum:
impossibly small that will get you arrested for obscenity with overspill
Or
infeasibly large that will fill up with so much water due to excess material that the weight will eventually drag you down and kill you
Nothing
Nada
Zip
Despite the constant muttering I am doing to myself in the store no one comes over to help – or maybe its because of the constant muttering that they avoid me
I am totally ticked off by now
So return to the lounger and try to make the best of it while storing up my best tongue lashing for when Boy Wonder returns from his shopping trip
It is really hot and sticky even though I have a sundress on – and that naffing sand, it really does get everywhere.
I hate it
But settle back and get on with my book and my music and after a while, I mellow out a little, its warm, the boys are having fun and I am having some time on my own. There really is no point in having a stropfest on hols.
The dynamic duo are now back as they require food intake
And already, its busy
We set off for the Mango Market place and get a box of cookies
A shocking $12 !
And we have a couple of drinks and sit people watching for a while
I went over to look at the comerson dolphins
And decide I need to frame this sign for Andy
The boys by now have done pretty much all they want to do –
Taumata Racers are their favourite and they have tried the new slide that is like Bomb Bay at Wet and Wild . Jamie goes off for a round on the Rapids and they both have a spell on the lazy river .
Its about 1130 now and we have pretty much had enough and are just debating what to do and whether to go and get showered when himself arrives – having apparently set the satnav for the wrong place and found himself at home .
Ahem
No comment
We decide its an opportune time to go, so all trot off to shower and change – with Connor leaving his new socks , grrrr.
Just before 1pm as we are leaving, they announce that there is a storm in the area so everything is closing – so there is park exodus and we narrowly avoid being mown down in the rush to leave.
They announce things are closing, massed hordes are leaving and they have ONE turnstile open – ONE – absolute carnage for your heels with buggies and scooters ramming into you
My feet take a bashing in my light shoes.
So it would be fair to say we were not the happiest of peeps on exiting the park.
Every visit to Aquatica has been accompanied by either rain or disaster – when will we take the hint ?
To cheer ourselves up we opt for lunch at Applebees at 4759 W Irlo Bronson Highway
Lunch here certainly restored our good humour.
I had potstickers and honey bbq boneless wings from the 2 for $9.99 build your own, with a strawberry lemonade. Both dishes were lovely
Andy went for the triple Hog burger
Jamie had the turkey club sandwich and in the background you can see Connor's choice of 2 lots of the Honey BBQ wings
For dessert I had the small ( $1.99) version of the Salted Caramel Pretzel Bread bites. OMG this is delicious - I repeat THIS IS DELICIOUS. It comes with a pot of hot sweet cream cheese dipping sauce.
Did i mention THIS IS DELICIOUS
A very tasty lunch indeed and everyone enjoyed their choices.
A very reasonable bill too
Along with Longhorn, Applebees was the only other place to put a " hold" on the suggested tip amount on our Fairfx card . We actually paid in cash and had the hold amount released a few days later. This was fine as we knew it might happen but one to consider when you get to the end of the hols ...