Into the Wild

Our Secret Hideaway | Center Parcs | The Annual Adventure

I'm writing this on Sunday and today we have 14 days/ 2 weeks until we go away. Ever since we were born we have been going to Center Parcs. Our parents even went with Grandma when they were dating, but technically the first time Kate and I went was many moons ago when Mum was due to have us. 

We have been with them when we were little, cute and blonde. Back then we had to wear orange jackets to help us float/swim in the pool and will have been pulled around by Mum and Dad in the back of there bike, sat in a small tent like seat with blankets and fluffy coats to keep us warm. At this age we would go with our Auntie, Uncle, Grandma, Grandad and Cousins the whole lot of us from Dad's side.

We went when we were older, less cute and not blonde anymore. Definitely older so we could go on the activities with Mum and Dad like tree trekking, climbing through an assault course in the trees, that has now become one of the annual traditions, like night swims and forgetting the goggles. Other activities we could now do well but still not great was pottery painting. As we got older so did the family we used to bring so rather than all of them came just our Grandparents. Later on our Family friends came with us, once we even got a large four bedroom villa for all of us to stay in. The year before that they came to Center Parcs and surprised us for our birthday.

Two years ago we started a new tradition for the holiday. Kate and I made lunch for the four of us. That first year it started with a chicken salad and a french stick/baguette as we call it and some ice-cream in the sun, but despite our best efforts I think they were hoping for a bit more, something better. So the next year we stepped it up a notch with dinner, not too over the top though, a tasty pasta dish with a tomato sauce and mushrooms and for pudding it was pieces of chocolate and vanilla fudge from the Parc Market.

Center Parcs has everything for an outdoorsy holiday: a beach, lake watersports, bike trails, giant outdoor board games like connect four and drifters, the best pool I have ever been to with an even better outdoor pool, rapids and freezing plunge pool. If you go late summer or at the end of the six weeks holiday, beginning of September time then the sun will be shining all day. A perfect way to enjoy the ice-cream they have there, the main brand they sell in the restaurants and just around the parc is movenpick. Its the best ice-cream I have ever had. In the classic vanilla, strawberry and chocolate flavours as well as fancy ones like creme brulee and bubblegum. Mmmmmm.

Swimming and cycling take us the vast majority of our stay because, lets be real, the only time I go swimming or go on a bike ride is at Center Parcs. Come rain or shine we are there either in the pool or cycling to the pool. For the times that we are not swimming we are either swinging across the trees, sipping our way through strawberries and cream frappuccinos at Starbucks,playing air-hockey, laughing, pretending celebrities are here in the pool like Harry Styles and Little Mix when really they are just strangers enjoying their holidays too, rock climbing, not even thinking about what I'm eating because we will swim/cycle/kayak/run/hop/skip/jump it off, eating roast chicken salads with french sticks, playing crazy golf, splashing in the lake after falling out of our kayaks, sleeping, scanning the fancy locks for the villa's and lockers or soaking up the sun.

Center Parcs is the best place to escape to for a week, it flies by and is jam packed full of smiles. If you ever go or have been in the past you know the feeling of the first day knowing you have so much fun ahead. Oh and they journey home is not something that we want coming anytime soon. Although if you don't go home you can't come back.

Not long now because at the beginning September you, Center Parcs will be home to Me. (Kate, Mum and Dad too) As you are reading this we are on our way home from Center Parcs.

Enjoy the rest of your holidays, have you ever been to Center Parcs?

Joyfully Light