We wouldn't want Lily's summer to be boring now would we? So we set off on a family adventure to Alton Towers. Has to be said, it was off to a bit of a damp start.
We were rockin' the ponchos.
Figuring we couldn't get much wetter, we headed for The Flume and the Rapids. We were wrong about not getting much wetter, of course.
We also took in a ride on the Runaway Mine Train, and a tour round Willy Wonka's factory, complete with a spin in the Wonkavator.
Then we checked into the hotel, ready for drinks and an evening meal.
Lily was having a fab time.
Naturally, she made a friend within minutes...
...and danced the night away.
Next day, we spent the morning in the new Splash Park, riding the Master Blaster water slide and standing under giant buckets of water. Then we headed back into the theme park.
Lily was desperate to go on a 'fast, scary ride'. So after a bit of umming and ahhing, we all decided to take on the TH13TEEN together. It was like a mix of the old Corkscrew and Black Hole, throwing you around outside, then literally dropping you into darkness and changing direction.
Then Mummy and Lily went on the Giant Toadstool. Frankly, the TH13TEEN was a breeze compared to this rickety thing that swung them about, 20 feet off the ground.
We followed up with a rather more sedate Skyride over the gardens.
Back to the Flume...
...and a stop off at the Pirate Cove.
As we left, there's a whole section of the old Corkscrew, decommissioned in 2008, that serves as a sculpture. We tried explaining to Lily that this was what Mummy and Daddy used to ride on twenty-odd years ago.
We went back to the Splash Park and swam outside on the Flash Flood slides and in the heated pools, then we had another meal and night of dancing.
We had the full experience in two days. Now we're glad to be home and taking things a bit easier. Well, Mummy and Daddy are anyway.
