Aviemore '14

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Looking back over the earlier blogs (the first couple of years of which I have printed in books), I see that while the original aim was to share photos and stories with family and friends, really it's important that I do this as a family journal, for us and the kids to look back on, and it encourages me to work on my photography too! So, back on track, and planning to catch up with the older blogs over the next few weeks.

The summer holidays seemed to fly past, since we were lucky enough to have two holidays planned, first a trip down South and on to France, and later a week in Aviemore. Since we're working in reverse order (and it'll be quicker!) let's start with Aviemore.

J says Aviemore is one of his most favourite places in the world, and I think we'd all agree, it's just such a great place to spend a few days, so much to see and do, beautiful countryside, steam trains, huskies, reindeer, good cafes and only an hour away. (If I keep true to my promise then shortly you'll also get to hear about the week we spent there last October too!)

One of the other great things about Aviemore is that it's an all weather location. Take the waterproofs and wellies and there's still plenty of things you can get up to. Which is good, as it rained most days. All sorts of different rain - short, sharp showers, heavy torrential downpours, and lighter mizzley stuff which hung around for hours. But never mind, we did see the sun a few times. We were offered a week in the Scandinavian Village from friends who have a timeshare there. Very central, with cosy and well equipped little houses, looking onto open fields and woodland.

We deliberately took it easy, J had been a bit off colour at the beginning of the week, and wasn't up to full strength (although he seemed fine clambering about in the soft play), but we did some walking in the woods and took the bikes out for a short distance. G almost always falls asleep in the chariot, so Daddy gallantly offered to stop (outside a lovely real ale pub) with a sleeping G while J and I went on alone for ice cream (which J couldn't finish because he was too cold, poor thing)!

We were very excited to get the canoe out too. We've only managed it once before with all four of us, but we had a lovely paddle across Loch Morlich. J & G each had a go at paddling, and everyone had to say 'Aye, aye Captain!' whenever Daddy told them what to do!

Last time we were in Aviemore we bought a season pass to the wonderful Highland Wildlife Park, always good to kill a few hours, watching the polar bears and tigers, this time we saw the tigers being fed, great carcasses of meat were hung from the trees for the tigers to stretch up and rip down. We were glad there were strong fences!

To while away the rainy evenings Mummy bought a 1,000piece jigsaw from a charity shop, which was pretty stressful ("DON'T TOUCH IT!!"). It was a fish one, loads of plain blue sea, but after a couple of evenings silently piecing it together we got fed up with the blinking thing and gave it back to the shop!

One evening we put the kids into the creche at the hotel (which they loved, and pleaded to go back to) so that Daddy and I could go out for a few drinks and a lovely grown-up dinner. Happy eighth anniversary to us!

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