Attractions of Blackpool with Duncan, Netty & Lesley

Attractions of Blackpool  

We headed to the heart of Blackpool and marvelled at the infamous Tower. We took our seats in the circus for an amazing performance from acrobats, trapeze artists and jugglers who demonstrated their skill to perfection. Yet it was the dare devil motor bike riders that left us clinging to the edge of our seat with 3 of them riding at great speed in a small metal cage. Mookie the clown and the ring master provided us with some silly banter and jokes.

We got up close and personal with some of our favourite celebrities at Madame Tussauds. We met the comedy duo Ant & Dec and took part in a bush tucker trial. Luckily for us they were pretend bugs! 

It was a 10 from us as we gave our scores on the Strictly Come Dancing panel. 

We took to the stage with some pop legends such as Ed Sheeran, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson for a sing song. 

A drink was enjoyed in the Rovers Return with some of our soap favourites from Coronation Street.  

We lined up for a photo with the Beatles on Abbey Road and many of us enjoyed meeting the Queen, William and Kate. 

A great morning was spent at Blackpool Sealife Centre. We saw and enormous and amazing collection of fish and marine animals. Our first stop was at the rock pool area where some of us dared to touch a starfish and a crab. We saw fish that were large and small, brightly coloured or very plain, some that had stripes or spots and some that moved gracefully or slowly. 

It was thrilling to walk through the glass tunnel whilst rays, sharks and a sea turtle swam above our heads. We learnt that the turtle weighed 21 stone and although it was 30 or so years old, was classified as the equivalent of a teenager in human terms! 

There was excited chatter on the way to Blackpool Zoo about what animals we might see. On arrival, our first animal we spotted was the elephant. We marvelled at their size, how much they weighed and the enormous amount of food they eat daily. Watching them use their trunks to scoop up small amounts of hay from the floor on the other side of their cage was very interesting.

From there we went to see the giraffes gracefully wandering around their enclosure, well fed penguins that looked totally relaxed and didn't pay much attention to us and cute otters all snuggled together under a heat lamp in their house. Down at the Active Oceans enclosure we were treated to a fabulous display of talent from Gina, one of the resident sea lions. With the help of her trainer, she showed us how she could mimic being a seal and a shark, wave to us and balance a ball on her nose. She was adorable and definitely loved performing to receive appreciation from the audience. 

It was game on as we hit the bowling alley for a nail biting game. There were high scores and a few strikes. Well done to everyone for being great sports. 

The sun was shining as we hit the crazy golf course with a gardening theme and a lengthy 18 holes. It was definitely a highlight of the day as there were many smiles, laughs and chat throughout, together with friendly competition. Congratulations to everyone for displaying lots of skill navigating a tricky course of tubes, pipes, corners and unseen holes. 

Farm Experience & Zoo with Jamie, Lisa & Isobel

 Farm Experience & Zoo

What  fabulous start to our holiday as we headed to Boydells Farm to meet some of their friendly animals. We got stuck in feeding and stroking the cute shetland pony before being able to help lead her into the paddock.  

The sheep and goats were adorable and loved us making a fuss of them.  

We were so lucky to be able to cuddle the newborn lambs who were so fluffy. It was an amazing experience to be able to feed them some milk from the bottle. 

A super day was spent at Colchester Zoo which is home to 160 different species. On arrival we could hear the cheeky chimps making so much noise. It was so funny as they mimicked our actions making us laugh out loud! 

    We loved being able to feed the rainbow lorikeets and they didn't hesitate to land on us as they swooped down to eat their food. In the reptile enclosure we were able to hold a giant spiny stick insect and a hissing cockroach. 

The highlight of our day was being so close to these gentle giants, hand feeding the giraffes who towered over us. We couldn't believe how long their tongues were. 

There were so many of our favourite animals at the zoo including tigers, penguins and elephants. It was amazing to be so close to them. 

We explored the vey impressive Colchester Castle that was built between 1076 and 1100. There is a unique mix of fascinating displays and hands-on activities using the latest technology. We managed to complete a mosaic puzzle and design our own stain glass window. One of the highlights was trying on some of the old-fashioned clothing from years gone by. We visited the Gaol which had been used for over 600 years. Three prison cells remain with the original bars  and doors and is where many prisoners of war were confined in appalling conditions.  There were so many artefacts for us to admire. The Roman jewellery was incredibly ornate consisting of precious stones such as opals, diamonds and topaz. It was great fun to be able to try on the Civil War Helmets are we were shocked at how heavy they are.  

The sun was shining for a brilliant day at Jimmy's Farm in Norfolk. Our first stop was collecting our animal food and as soon as we entered the gate the goats and sheep were ready and waiting for us. They devoured the food and loved being stroked and made a fuss of.

We discovered new animals such as the capybara, lowland tapir and the six banded armadillo. 

Inside the butterfly enclosure was like being in a kaleidoscope as there was butterflies of every colour imaginable. A few even landed on us. 

We explored the reptile house which included snakes, crocodiles and lizards of all shapes and sizes. Back outside we met the adorable alpacas and donkey's. 

There was a great Woodland Walk where lots of den's had been built so we just added a few of our own personal touches. The woodland was the perfect place to spot many native plants and even some animals. 

A competitive game of bowling was enjoyed and there were some great shots and a few strikes. 

We headed to the coast for a walk along the pier and took a ride on the giant ferris wheel. Feeling lucky we spent some of our holiday pennies in the arcades winning some cute cuddly toys!