Butterflies and Scary Slides

This morning we woke up for the last time in our little cabin. I want one of my own, I'm not going to pretend I don't! They are the most gorgeous, relaxing and luxurious places to stay when self-catering. Check-out was 10am so we rushed around madly packing up. I tried to be efficient and dropped the plug for baby monitor on my big toe. I screamed, I cried, I sobbed, I wailed. There was blood, tears and swear words. Hubby tried to help by giving me an ice-pack: an 8×4 inch ice-block for my big toe. He got sworn at and returned with a cold, wet, flexible compress instead.

After we waved goodbye to the stunning Forest of Dean we headed to Butterfly World at Symonds Yat. I'd been there as an 11/12 year old and remembered it vividly. I wanted The Boy to experience it. We were the only people there and it wasn't that hot in the tropical house, so the butterflies were quite sleepy at the time. Turns out this is a good thing as it appears this is where my phobia of moths/flying things might have stemmed from. I assumed my memory of it was a happy one; apparently not. After the first butterfly flew within two feet of me, I fled back out and returned with a net and hat over my bonce. The Boy was initially disturbed as he wondered who this monster was and what she'd done with his mother. I'd post a photo but I look stupid so instead admire the prettiness of a newly hatched (1o minutes old) butterfly.

After I'd recovered from a near heart-attack (I managed 30 minutes in there, but then I had to flee whilst trying to pretend to the owners that I'd had a lovely time!), we drove back to Cardiff and stopped off in a soft-play centre that I'd wanted to go to for a while.

Jump is a fabulous play-centre and I now understand the peak prices. However, we went mid-week, mid-term so adults were free and 1yr olds (how convenient?) were only £3! A complete and utter bargain because we could easily have spent a whole afternoon there. There was the most amazing dedicated under 5s area I've ever seen in one of these places: a sensory room; a puzzle, dressing up and construction room; climbing equipment; a trampoline; a ball-pit; and ride-ons. In the main play area, there was three different climbing 'frames' with huge ceiling-floor helter-skelters (I rediscovered my 12 year old self who wasn't frightened of flying objects), bouncy castles, ball pits, bowling alleys, trampolines and air-hockey! We had a really good quality lunch served by helpful and friendly staff.

All in all a good end to our mini-holiday!