Africa Alive (Safari Park)

We went to this place last year so we knew exactly what we were in for. It’s an excellent day out, but we had already agreed that if it was raining we would stay away as there is not enough to do indoors and the animals prefer to play in the sunshine (that’ll be the African heritage I suppose).

I’m not keen on keeping animals in captivity so I stay away from most zoos and circuses where animals are used.

I’m much less concerned about safari parks as I’m sure the animals don’t have too rough a time. What they lose in freedom they make up in not having to hunt. Contrary to what I used to think as a child I have seen enough BBC-type documentaries where lions with thorns in their paws and who can’t hunt starve to death alone in the savannah. So I reckon their lives aren’t too bad. Mind you I’m sure if they could talk they would have something to say about the weather here.

Africa Alive is well laid out, with plenty of animals in quite large enclosures. And the paths are fine for buggies too (always important). Zebras, rhinoceros aplenty (don’t know the plural), ostriches and giraffes all share a large expanse of land together and they seem to leave each other alone. Feeding time at the giraffes is well-attended and is worth a look.

There are also several exhibitions to see, repeated throughout the day. We saw a “birds of prey” show which was good fun and also a show given by a troupe of Zulus which included Zulu singing and dancing. Monty was in a difficult mood when we went, but I remember last year he loved the Zulu show.

We were going to watch the feeding of the lions but were passing the enclosure early so decided we’d go and have a quick look first. In addition to a large-ish patch of land, there is also a lion house with thick glass windows on one side so you can see the room where the lions go when they want shelter. We were lucky that as we were looking through the window I was trying to explain to Monty that this is where the lions would be sometimes. What amazed me was that in a very short time the room was filled with 4 lions, including a huge male. Monty had his face pressed up close to the window and didn’t budge an inch when the male came walking right up to the window and gave him a good stare. I was a bit nervous knowing that there was less than a foot between my son and a lion’s mouth. Thankfully there was also at least an inch of lion-proof glass in between too.

The park also has play areas for kids with assault course type obstacles, slides and swings. The main attraction for Monty was a “train ride” with a string of carriages following an engine which circumnavigates the park. It’s a great ride and Monty loved it.

So this is an attraction I would definitely recommend for a day’s outing.

Full details on the Africa Alive website

Share This

Ipswich Transport Museum

This is a good one for a rainy afternoon, which is lucky because it was chucking it down when we went.

Basically the entire “attraction” is contained within a warehouse. There are countless bus, tram and fire engine relics of the past, all maintained by a crew of volunteers. Sadly I realised that some of the so-called antiques were vehicles I remember being in service in the early ’70’s. It’s such a cliché, but I’m really beginning to feel my age (42).

Anyhow, the buses were superb for Monty who has a typical boy fascination with buses, trains, fire engines and tractors. Visitors are allowed to board several of the buses to have a good look around and I was amazed at how Monty wanted to go on every bus and go upstairs on all of the double-deckers - he never seemed to get bored. So this was an excellent way to spend an hour or two.

Apparently there is a weekend in September or October when they take all the buses which still have MOT’s and give visitors rides all over Ipswich.

NB the museum isn’t open in the mornings very often so check the Ipswich Transport Museum website if you’d like to visit to make sure it’ll be open.

Remember this is Ipswich, not London, so keep your expectations in context. having said that, I can’t over-emphasise how much fun Monty had there climbing on the buses and exploring.

Share This

The “hormones” continue to play havoc with my dear wife’s mind

Well, this weekend I got a reminder of how much easier us men have it over women with this whole baby-making business.

Charlotte, Monty and I were driving up to Richmond Park where we go often on Sundays, Charlotte to walk and read, and me to run whilst pushing Monty up ridiculous hills in a buggy.

As we were driving up the A3, the car in the next lane signalled something to Charlotte. I didn’t see it but she calmly told me she’d left her keys on the roof while leaving the house. She was quite matter of fact about it as if she does this kind of thing every day (in fact she’s already done the keys on the roof trick once so far).

I tried hard to be equally matter of fact about pulling over, stopping the car and letting Charlotte retrieve the abandoned keys.

And, you know, considering she was always soooooooooo organised before the pregnancy, it’s such a relief to see that she can occasionally step down from Goddess status and act like a mortal. I don’t know, maybe she just does it to make me feel better about myself.

Share This

Pleasurewood Hills, Lowestoft

We’ve spent this week in Suffolk so instead of my usual blogs I’m writing a couple of reviews of East Anglia attractions that we’ve visited. We don’t have twins yet; we have to wait until November for that next slice of fun. But we do have a two year old incredibly wilful Monty. However, I recognise that this gives us a two-to-one parent/child advantage and by next year we will be outnumbered three-to-two. Nevertheless, I am writing these reviews to give an idea of what’s available and what’s fun or not fun.

Weatherwise, this week we’ve had a mixture of wind, rain, sunshine and cloudy days. All in all, a typical English summer holiday then.

First up we went to Pleasurewood Hills, a theme park a la Alton Towers near Lowestoft. I’d never heard of the place and, having never visited a UK theme park I was a little worried that we were all set for a real disappointment. I’m glad to say I was in for a surprise.

It’s a decent size park with rides for kids of all ages, or heights even, as most of the rides are categorised not by age but by height. For several rides children had to be greater than a metre and for some slightly more. Although there were plenty of roller-coaster type rides, there were also some which were ideal for Monty.

There were also several other regular features that can be done, for example the sea-lions doing clever acrobatic things and balancing balls etc. I’m really not a fan of these kinds of “entertainment” but that’s just me.

In the afternoon we were able to attend a circus, 50 minutes of magic, acrobatics, trapeze-flying and gymnastics. The circus was 15-20 minutes late in starting which really frustrated us. You can’t keep families with young children waiting that long and expect them to stay. I wasn’t surprised when I saw at least one family walk out, bored of waiting. In the end we were glad we had waited as some of the acts from the 5-person troupe were truly excellent, notably the “clown” who had been amusing the kids no end throughout the programme. His was the last act; with help from two of the others ripping off his clothes he instantly morphed into a gymnast of seriously phenomenal ability. Most of his act was done on his hands balancing up in the air and doing one arm hops across the stage and other incredible feats. The only other places I have ever seen people with such incredible ability is at Cirque du Soleil or in the men’s gymnastics finals.

No wonder his act was left until last. I noticed that by the end, practically every other daddy in the audience was equally impressed by his talent; no doubt we all realised that even when we were young and fit we could NEVER have done anything like what this guy was doing.

The only real let-down of the day was a thirty plus minutes wait to be served at one of the restaurants. It’s completely unnecessary to keep people hanging around that long when, if you managed it right, you could make the meals and restaurants one of the best features of a day like this. If the weather hadn’t been so good no doubt the queues would have been a lot longer.

So if you’re thinking of visiting Pleasurewood Hills, take a picnic. Apart from that, expect to have a great day. we were genuinely surprised by the place and will go again next year, no doubt.

For details of location, opening times, costs etc, check out the Pleasurewood Hills website.

Share This

A book I’m currently reading…

I’ve been scanning the above book since someone gave it to my wife recently on her birthday. Written by an associate director of Paediatrics at the university of Nebraska Medical Centre and another writer, the books main USP is that it’s written as if a baby is a gadget. Toddlers are referred to interchangeably as units, models or toddlers I reckon this probably appeals to blokes’ humour more than women’s - that said, it’s an ok read so far. This isn’t a complete book review - that’ll have to wait until I’ve finished it.

The back cover is as good an example of what you can expect from within the pages:

“At last! A Beginner’s Guide to Toddler technology

Just when you’ve mastered your infant’s maintenance routine, he begins to malfunction, refusing fuel, crying inexplicably, and resisting your attempts to clothe him. Your infant has upgraded to a toddler! But how can you master your toddler’s changing technology?”

At first I thought this would be an entertaining read, but I was surprised by how fast I got bored of the technical jargon-speak. Nevertheless there was some useful info for parents about generally getting through this transitional time.

There’s also a chapter on discipline which includes advice on when and how to spank your toddler unit. Regulars here will know I’ve already decided to eliminate spanking from my list of options, so I wasn’t too excited about this section of the book. I make no judgement about anyone else who does use spanking as an option - it’s just not for me.

Other topics covered by the book include Updates for home and transportation, general care and handling and feeding: understanding the toddler’s power supply. There are others too, but these are the ones I’ve read so far. As far as I can see, the info is basic common sense, but I’d rather read it than not, so in that sense it’s helpful. If anything, it just confirms that we’re on the right track.

I have a lot of reading to do about parenting. Much through books I’m reading, but also, as I’ve recently discovered, there are excellent forums where parents can post questions and read what threads other parents have created. The two I’m looking at right now are the ones at Tamba (you need to be a subscribing member of Tamba to post threads or messages but you can read them) and the other one is Twinsclub. The latter one elicited more responses to a post I created about what car or MPV to buy so I guess this one is the more frequented of the two.

Anyhow, that’s a bit of a tangent. I’ll let you know when I finish this book and give it a final rating.

Share This

CBeebies
We’ve only been on holiday for a week and already I’m becoming familiar with the closing stages of CBeebies each day. You’ve probably been forced to endure the painful experience known as the Night Garden. Today’s was particularly dire. Lots of jangling unnecessary music and the Tombleys and some of the others making a real racket.

What I know to be a good thing is the amount of repetition of segments on a daily basis. Children apparently like repetition and it helps them to learn so while it may be a little boring for me I have to accept that it’s good for Monty. What seems odd to me is that in such a short space of time I have learned all the characters’ names (more through osmosis than by desire). Monty and I both shout out the names of the characters when we see them whether it be the Ponty-Pines, MakkaPakka, OopsaDaisy, the HooHas or Iggle Piggle.

One thing that makes me laugh is that the whole programme is narrated by Derek Jacobi; once famous for his part in I, Claudius, one of the most controversial dramas of its day.

It seems that I’m destined to become familiar with this kind of programme. If you could take me back ten years and show me the kinds of programmes I would be watching I would never have believed it!

Anyway, enough from me - the time has come to say goodnight, tomorrow’s just a dream away tra la la

Share This

Ten things I’m nervous about parenting twins…

1 Not being able to manage without sleep for several years

2 Charlotte and I being outnumbered by all of our children

3 Me not being able to change enough nappies fast enough

4 Not being able to go out just with Charlotte… ever again

5 How Monty will respond to having younger twin siblings invading “his” home

6 Being able to go out with the family and prevent them running wild

7 Being able to pay for things like nursery fees, school fees, clothes, food, heating etc. Basically I’m worried I won’t be able to afford them. I really don’t want to Ebay any of them, but…

8 What if they all decide to rebel at the same time?

9 Having to do more to help around the house (there, that’s honesty for you)

10 Being able to give them each enough attention - I know we’ve been spoilt having Monty all to ourselves for the last two and a bit years

That’s just ten - doubtless there are many other things I ought to be nervous about…

Share This

When I first qualified as a HypnoBirthing® practitioner I immediately phoned all my friends to find an expectant couple to practice on. The first was Annabel and her husband. Unfortunately they declined without giving me a reason. Later I discovered that Annabel had been worried that she would not be aware of her baby’s birth under hypnosis and I didn’t get an opportunity to explain that this was not the case; she would if anything, be ‘hyperaware’ of the birth in her altered state of consciousness.

So my first couple was Catherine and Abe. They knew nothing about HypnoBirthing® but were up for some free education. They quickly recognized the value of the material they were being taught and embraced its tenets. Catherine diligently listened to the CD and they practiced the relaxation techniques. And let’s face it, deep relaxation exercises cannot be considered onerous in any way.

Catherine and Abe attended all four lessons they learnt about the history of childbirth and why it has come to be so painful over the centuries. How this has not been helped by the rise of medical intervention in birth in the twentieth century. They learned all about hypnosis, what it is and how it helps and, most importantly, how to do it. They also learnt practical facts about pregnancy and birth. Abe learnt his role in the birthing room.

Annabel had planned a waterbirth at home. Unfortunately things did not go well, she was taken to hospital by ambulance and after a fourteen hour labour was given an epidural and the baby was delivered by ventouse (where they help the baby out with a special suction cap). Annabel was deeply disappointed in her birthing experience, had been very frightened, and felt completely out of control of what was happening to her body.

Catherine planned to have the baby in hospital. The baby’s hand was trapped under his head and after fourteen hours an epidural was administered and the baby was delivered by ventouse. So on the face of it Annabel and Catherine had similar labours but their experiences were vastly different. Catherine was delighted with her experience and felt calm, in control and totally supported by the hospital staff throughout.

She writes:
“Even though I did not have birth without medical intervention I and my baby benefited from the HypnoBirthing techniques we practiced. I also knew that it was my decision to opt for the medical assistance that was offered me and had not been goaded into anything. I still felt positive at the end of my labour and was overjoyed when I saw my baby boy he was very alert at birth and is a very relaxed child.” The baby boy is the beautiful Dylan in the picture and he is a very calm baby indeed.

So while HypnoBirthing® can claim dramatically fast and easy childbirth experiences for some women; it also encompasses those births which may need extra help. The key is empowerment; couples feel knowledgeable, relaxed and in control, having strategies they can rely on.

For more information about HypnoBirthing, contact Teresa McCrone at The Apex Practice of Clinical Hypnotherapy 020 7467 8526 or 07941 058 737.

Share This

Tamba

One of the advantages of being a father expecting twins is that I am entitled to join all sorts of clubs like TAMBA. Maybe other people are allowed to join too; after all the organisation is a charity. Nevertheless I feel as if I have a right to belong there.

So I joined a couple of weeks ago and have been really impressed with what I’ve found so far.

This includes all kinds of fact sheets on various aspects of bringing up twins. I just read one called “Dealing with Differences in Multiples”. What is useful for me is that in my state of total ignorance I can learn some rudimentary facts about twins very easily. I was recently diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, so finding useful information in short documents like fact sheets is perfect for me. Also I don’t have time to study anything in more depth at the moment.
v
Other benefits of the Charity include the forum. I can see this will become a major source of help for me in the months and years to come. No doubt there will be many times when I will be pulling my hair out trying to find out how to deal with some aspect of family life and can go to the forum to get answers from fellow parents.

One of the things which is already causing me some concern, for example, is not knowing what car I need to get in order to transport the new “team” in when they arrive. I’ve already had several responses to a post I put up, with some really useful comments and things I need to consider.

Another great service the charity offers is a helpline called Twinline where you can get help and advice over the phone from other parents of multiples. I expect there will be times when I’ll need to call them too…

So if, like me, you’re new to this twins thing, have a look at Tamba and see if it might be helpful for you.

Share This

Is there such a thing as common courtesy any more?

Two weeks ago Charlotte and I went to see Prince (formerly known as Squiggle or whatever) performing at the O2 (formerly known as the Millennium Dome).

It was a great evening made better by the courtesy we encountered from most people, whether on the Underground or elsewhere. When people noticed Charlotte, who now has a 6-month pronounced bump on the front, they were quick to give up seats or generally be helpful. Most of the staff at O2 were very good too, although the week before, when we saw the Scissor Sisters at the same place, an overly officious jobs-worthy had turned Charlotte away when she asked to use a gangway belonging to people seated in a different block to us. The toilets for that block were a lot closer than ours so it was a bit surprising she met with such resistance.

But the good service and courtesy far outweighed the bad. When we arrived I went to the box office to ask if we could swap our tickets, which had been in the standing section, for ones in the seated section. The girl at the box office looked at Charlotte, smiled, and said yes, she thought these probably were extenuating circumstances. We got new seats without any fuss whatsoever. By the way, don’t think it was me who’d booked these seats in the standing area… Charlotte booked them way back at the end of last year before she was pregnant.

We don’t go out much at the moment as you can imagine. So this
two-in-a-row concert experience was unusual for us. But it was a good opportunity for me to see how people react to her in public and how helpful they will or won’t be. Generally I sigh with relief when I see that most people act with some kind of common sense and courtesy.

Share This