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Exploring SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth

You know it’s going to be a good day when you drive past a herd of horses. Magnificent wild horses in flat fields strewn with yellow flowers. Norfolk is a wonderful part of the country.

We were there to visit SEA LIFE which promised a world of strange, beautiful and amazing creatures. Situated on the Great Yarmouth seafront, there are close-up views of everything from jellyfish and penguins to crocodiles and sharks. Some 50 displays including a 250,000 litre tropical ocean exhibit and tunnel where you can gaze at SEA LIFE’s largest inhabitants.

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Having not visited an aquarium the size of SEA LIFE before, POD squealed with delight when we arrived. Submerged in darkness, she was thrilled to be transported into an underwater wonderland. There was much pointing and cries of “look Bubba look” as POD pointed excitedly at the giant tanks in front of her. Bubba is one of her grandparents and lives with ‘Gaggam’ (as POD dubbed him) in nearby Suffolk.

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There’s a wonderful atmosphere in the shipwreck area. We saw large fish called Giltheads plus conger eels and spiny starfish. POD even did a celebratory dance at one point – sadly I missed that one on camera!

Jellyfish are interesting creatures. In the open sea even the harmless ones terrify me but behind glass they’re fascinating to watch. These Compass Jellyfish were amazing. For the most part their tentacles trailed gracefully beneath them but they also had the ability to suck them under their bell.

These Upside Down Jellyfish were exactly as you imagined them to be and again captivating to watch. We also saw Moon Jellyfish Polyps and Moon Jellyfish as well as Edible Jellyfish.

Next stop if you’re following the route is the Humboldt Penguin pool. They were more than happy to be photographed! There’s also a baby penguin at SEA LIFE and although we didn’t get to see it. I’m sure Mum Moozles and Dad Woody are keeping it safe in their enclosure.

In the Great Yarmouth Harbour section we saw Pacu which are related to Piranhas but vegetarian. POD enjoyed feeding them although as you’d expect it was a fairly speedy affair.

Nearby was the most fabulous display of rays. We’ve swum with rays on holiday before and they’re intriguing creatures. Little did we know they peep above the water as if they’re attempting to say hello. You could almost see their faces smiling at you.

Heading towards the SEA LIFE Nursery we saw another Catfish and a fabulous collection of anemones. They reveled in a bathroom style tank complete with a bubble generating toilet – much to POD’s amusement!

SEA LIFE is the World’s biggest Seahorse breeding network. They’ve also had behind the scenes breeding successes with various species of shark, tropical fish, jellyfish, octopus and corals.

Not the greatest of photographs but we absolutely loved this baby ray!

POD’s never seen a rockpool before so it’s no wonder she didn’t want to touch the starfish. A stark contrast to our usually fearless three year old! Although she missed out on the medal at the native rockpool, she was fascinated by the hermit crab, sea urchins and anemones. There were also tropical rock pool cleaner shrimps which offer a manicure.

Around the corner we came face-to-face with two African dwarf crocodiles (named Ntombi and Masozi) sunbathing.

We were most excited to see the sharks. Dragons Den provided a great introduction to the lost city of Atlantis display where we could see them swimming around.

The Ocean Tunnel was awesome. We saw Noah the sea turtle first, initially resting to the side of us and within minutes gliding above our heads.

There are several species of shark at SEA LIFE including the nurse and zebra sharks. The Ocean Tunnel provided an ideal means of watching them especially when they glided above us. POD has never seen sharks before so it was an amazing experience for her.

POD always enjoys the film Finding Nemo so she was thrilled to discover Nemo’s Cave! You can absolutely see the joy in her face here although it does look like she’s about to eat Nemo! Clownfish are all born males but once they grow older the biggest and strongest ones become females. Who knew.

There’s a new section at SEA LIFE called Sea Stars which enables you to get up close to starfish. POD loved the Sea Star tunnel but there are also peek-a-boo holes with starfish of various shapes, sizes and colours. You can also feel the different types of starfish and see the Sunflower starfish which is the Ocean’s largest.

We had the best time discovering this fabulous underwater world. To top it off our meal deal in the restaurant meant POD ate for free. Although we skipped the pirate themed soft play, Buba kindly bought her her own Nemo for the bath! SEA LIFE has recently launched a parent and toddler ticket which is great value at only £10. POD is already asking when she can go to the ‘qarium again!

Linking up with #whatsthestory here on PODcast.

Disclaimer: We received complimentary tickets to SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth for the purposes of this review. All opinions are our own.

What’s The Story? | 30th June 2014

Hello everyone, welcome to What’s The Story? for w/c 30th June 2014. I hope those of you that were at BritMums have managed to catch up!

If you’re new to What’s The Story? it’s a photography based Linky which enables you to share the stories behind your photographs. To join in all you have to do is share a photograph and the story behind it. You can write as little or much as you like and your photo/s can be from any time. You can link up a old post if it’s relevant.

Feel free to use the What’s The Story? badge or include a link to PODcast in your post – I’m happy to share it in return. Please do take the time to comment on some of your fellow bloggers posts when you can. It’s always worthwhile checking back later in the week too. What’s The Story? is open every Monday through to the following Sunday.

There’s a #whatsthestory community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. You can find me at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Have a lovely week #whatsthestory.

Silent Sunday

Project 365: Week #26

We discovered Frensham Little Pond in Surrey this week. It was the perfect place to chill after BritMums. We got to have a paddle and feel the sand in-between our toes, Daddy and POD even went for a dip! Aside from that it’s been another busy week with three days spent working in London.

Welcome to Project 365: Week #26.

Day 174

This is POD holding Monkey and dressed in a ballerina skirt – perfect attire for a visit to the local shop. She looked like a little fairy!

Day 175

It was the first day back at home after BritMums so we escaped to Frensham Little Pond. An idyllic spot located in Surrey, it’s a site of special scientific interest, a special protection area and a special area of conservation. Having walked through the woodland we got to feel the sand between our toes and paddle in the water. POD and Daddy even had a dip!

Thankfully they were out of the water when this little fella swum past! Such a rarity too, it’s not every day you see a grass snake in Surrey.

Day 176

Not much time today but I did manage to capture these new blooms in the garden.

Day 177

First day of a new contract in London today. I thought this would be the week where I learnt how to take photos with my iPhone but the ones I took this day didn’t prove successful! This is the back-up taken on my SLR when I got home.

Day 178

I’ve taken a lot of underground photos this week especially here.

Day 179

Another day in London. This photo was taken after I grabbed a sandwich and lost my sense of direction!

On Friday evening the sky was blue, the clouds dramatic and sun bright. This is the view from the train having left a much busier than usual Waterloo.

Day 180

POD enjoyed a spot of painting outdoors before the heavens opened today. Orange was the preferred choice.

Having popped out for a bite to eat, we returned home just before a storm.

Alphabet Project | G is for grotto

Thank you to everyone that joined the Alphabet Photography Project for letter F last week.

This week I bring you part of the grotto at Painshill Park in Surrey. Following an extensive restoration, it is said to be the finest stalactite grotto in Europe. Hundreds of thousands of crystals including calcite, gypsum, quartz and fluorite were used to re-create what really is an extraordinary folly set in an 18th century landscape garden.

How to join in

The Alphabet Photography Project runs every Wednesday. A Linky is open that day until the following Tuesday if you’d like to share a short post or a link up an image. If you include a link back to PODcast I’ll happily share your post for you.

You can share your photo in the Pinterest or Facebook groups, Google+ community or on Instagram (PODcast is here) too. The hashtag to use is #alphabetphoto.

Ideas for letter G

The #alphabetphoto theme can be interpreted in any way you choose. The letter G might be a photograph of a gate for example, an object that resembles the letter G or a photograph of the letter G using props. It could also be an adjective. Have a look at the letter hints in last week’s post. If you get really stuck, have a browse in the dictionary!

Inspiration for letter H

Here are a few ideas to get us thinking about letter H:

Horses, happy, hairstyles, heather, heart-shaped things, hats, houses, hands, harvest, hidden, history, holiday, horizon, handsome, helpful, helpless, handwritten, homeworker, hare, hairy, hot blooded, header, health, hammock, hazel, hawk.

There are also lots of inspirational photographs on the #alphabetphoto Pinterest board:

Follow PODcast grappling with a box of frogs’s board Photography: The Alphabet Photography Project on Pinterest.

Project 365: Week #25

Wowsers what a week! We visited friends in Sussex, family in Suffolk, SEA LIFE in Norfolk and that was before two days in London for BritMums Live. Welcome to Project 365: Week #25.

Day 166

We enjoyed a BBQ with friends in Sussex today. POD played with the dogs, chatted to the goats and made a wish at the fountain – for a unicorn! She also got to play peeky-boo six foot up

and explore the beautiful walled garden we were sat in.

Day 167

Back in Surrey we enjoyed time in the garden and a rather fabulous roast.

Day 168

POD had gymnastics first thing. She’s doing brilliantly on the bars, the beam and the rings – less so with the listening afterwards! It was a busy day from then on although I did spot this little fella in the garden.

Day 169

We drove to Suffolk to see POD’s grandparents at lunchtime. POD ran a pirate ship and a hospital before enjoying a spot of golf outside. This is her “no I haven’t had a crisp already” face.

Day 170

On Wednesday we traveled to SEA LIFE in Norfolk. En route we saw wild horses roaming in nearby fields. It would have made the most wonderful capture had we been able to park nearby. SEA LIFE was excellent, we saw all kinds of wonderful creatures – from jellyfish and rays to penguins and crocodiles.

The giant turtles and sharks that swam above our heads made for an incredible experience. We returned to Surrey later that day stopping for a much needed lolly on the way.

Day 171

A huge amount to do today but I couldn’t resist snapping these pink blooms against the blue sky. Just glorious.

Day 172

A group of us met in the pub for food and a natter before BritMums Live. It provided a great opportunity to chat to bloggers I’d not met previously – and of course catch up with those I know already. Thank you to Sam from The 40 Year Old Domestic Goddess for providing me with an unforgettable and highly entertaining first photograph!

BritMums Live kicked off with a keynote by broadcaster Emma Freud. A session on Women’s Voices and the Media followed which focused on how important it is to make your voice heard. The remainder of the day included sessions like How I Did It and Design Tips to Make Your Blog Look Gorgeous before Katy Hill presented the Brilliance in Blogging Awards. About 30 of us enjoyed a great meal together although a few of us hit the pillow slightly later than intended!

Day 173

The second day was a much more relaxed affair than last year which was all about learning. After a great keynote by Benjamin Brooks-Dutton, I spent time talking to other people before attending sessions on Photography, Google + and New Ways To Monetize.

The Bloggers’ Keynotes were inspirational and heartbreaking at times – read by brave women who had written about their experiences. A special appearance by the hilarious Good Enough Mums Club made for a superb finale. Although a short catch-up online was inevitable (we’re bloggers after all!) it was time for some good old fashioned fun!

I didn’t take the photograph below but I thought I’d include it as it captures the evening perfectly. Thank you to the stranger in All Bar One who took it on Sara from Mum Turned Mom’s phone.

From L to R – Sara from Mum Turned Mom, me (snorting with laughter), Tammy from Me And The Tiny Three, Vicky from Verily Victoria Vocalises, Cathie from Wicked World of Lucas and Jaime from The Oliver’s Madhouse.

What’s The Story? | 23rd June 2014

Hello everyone, welcome to What’s The Story? for w/c 23rd June 2014. I hope those of you that were at BritMums had a brilliant time, was great to catch up with everyone.

There’s a #whatsthestory community on Google Plus so do pop over if you haven’t already. You can find me at Charly Dove or PODcast.

Have a lovely week #whatsthestory.

Poppies & roses at RHS Wisley

Last week saw me escape to somewhere I visit often – RHS Wisley. This Surrey gem features regularly on the blog and with good reason too. The ever changing landscape is always a delight regardless of the time of year. What continually amazes me is how quickly it varies from one visit to the next.

We mostly visit as a family although it’s a great place to potter around with a camera too. The upside to living such a short distance away from the RHS flagship garden.

This last visit saw me pass The Rocks then head left – in the opposite direction to The Glasshouse. Having had a quick nose around the orchard, I got distracted by these beauties and the Fruit Demonstration Garden before arriving at the Hillside.

There I stumbled on an incredible sight that almost took my breath away – a commemorative poppy field to mark the centenary of the First World War. You will find more photographs in this Poppy Magic post.

Having lingered a little too long with the poppies, I explored the nearby area

before finding myself in this fabulous herb garden complete with rose covered benches.

I’m not sure where I headed from there but I ended up in the magical Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden which truly is a sight to behold. It mixes roses with perennials in an original yet fantastic way. There was beauty everywhere you looked.

This part of Wisley was designed by landscape architect Robert Myers who is an RHS Chelsea Flower Show Gold Medalist. He has captured the colour and texture perfectly with roses grouped together and colour co-ordinated.

There are a series of shallow steps from the Pavilion at the top with the colours displayed including yellows, whites, creams, pinks and dark reds. We had grand prix red roses at our wedding so these are always rather special.

The beds reach out to ornamental trees and curve round circular lawns with yew pillars and other trees creating height.

As you reach the bottom of this garden, you’re enticed into the AGM Borders Garden by the sound of trickling water.

This garden is inspired by the range of Award of Garden Merit (AGM). The borders continually evolve to reflect the seasons and include shrubs, perennials, bulbs and annual bedding plants.

Everywhere you looked was beautiful.

At Battleston Hill there is a unique woodland garden containing usual trees and plants from all over the world. There are two trails to be discovered here too.

This glorious day made the views at Battleston Hill no doubt even more amazing.

Given how regularly I visit, I’m still amazed I found gardens I’d not previously seen. Not only does RHS Wisley have the ability to excite and amaze on every visit – there is plenty to explore.

Linking up with Mammasaurus for #HDYGG.

Butlin’s Ocean Hotel – a checklist

We don’t exactly have a checklist for our choice of hotel on holiday. We’re not that organised, or anal depending on your outlook. However were we to sit down and think about it (which frankly is what we’ve done for the purposes of this post) this is what it would look like.

Unsurprisingly as parents our top priority for all we do these days is how it will impact on our toddler. Gone are the days of roughing it in the jungles of South America or sleeping under the stars in elephant camps in the hills of Northern Thailand. These days we require accommodation that provides at the very least sanitary and user friendly bathroom facilities and mosquito and giant frog-free sleeping arrangements.

Family Friendly

Anyone wishing to enjoy a relaxed and hassle free holiday will look to stay in a hotel that’s geared up to cater for their offspring. With notable adult only exceptions, most hotels will probably find a way to accommodate you at a push. However if you’d rather avoid the disapproving looks over breakfast as your youngster redecorates the table or decides to throw a wobbler in the hotel foyer, it’s best to seek out hotels that are inherently family friendly. Then you can look smug when someone else’s child plays up.

The Ocean Hotel, Butlin’s Bognor Regis

Butlin’s is positioned as a provider of quality family holiday experiences so you’d expect their hotels to deliver. The Ocean at Butlin’s Bognor Regis doesn’t disappoint. The moment we checked in POD was welcomed and we felt relaxed that she was expected to be seen and heard. She’s not shy at coming forward and will introduce herself to anyone hoping for an answer back.

This began with the Butlin’s Butler who was happy to have a conversation with her about Peppa Pig. (There was a leaflet in the foyer for Peppa Pig world which prompted debate.) He also made her a heart-shaped balloon which she carried around with pride.

This approach continued throughout our three day stay notably before breakfast and dinner at Kaleidoscope the hotel restaurant, where she was greeted by the staff and offered a colouring sheet and pencils to keep her occupied.

In fact all the staff we dealt with in the hotel were happy to interact with POD, from those manning the front desk when we borrowed a Donald Duck DVD to the maid who came to clean our room.

Clean and Comfortable

On the rare occasions we’ve pushed the boat out and paid top whack for a hotel room we’ve enjoyed the luxury. However the majority of the time we’re happy with a hotel room without the knobs and whistles but also minus any unwanted hair in the bathroom, stains on the sheets or uninvited guests lurking in the corners.

The PODFather once stayed in a hotel in Damascus that outdid itself in providing all three. In addition to the bucket sized hole in the floor of the bathroom that served as the toilet. Luckily he and the friend who’d joined him on the trip were able to fall asleep with the help of a soothing bedtime drink. (Bottle of gin.)

The Ocean Hotel, Butlin’s Bognor

Our home for our three days at the end of April at The Ocean Hotel was a Neptune Room which sleeps two to four, has a King size bed in the main room, twin beds in the children’s den and a balcony with a sea view.

First impressions were very good. The beds looked comfortable, the sheets clean and we even had a towel Swan to greet us. . There was plenty of hanging and drawer space, fluffy towels in the bathroom

along with free toiletries, tea and coffee making facilities and a TV in both rooms, so we could catch up on current affairs while POD conducted further research for her thesis on Ben and Holly’s Little Kingdom.

Lack of sleep is the enemy of most parents with small children so as inviting as our King size bed looked the proof was to be in the sleeping. Happily we dozed like the proverbial logs before being rudely awakened by the Hello Kitty pyjamed banshee who usually appears around 0700.

Having left the previously cosy calm of the bed to complete my morning ablutions the bathroom delivered a hot shower with good water pressure (if you’ve ever tried to wash long hair under a dripping shower head you’ll appreciate this.) A cup of coffee usually kick starts my day and as there was the opportunity to make one immediately I indulged. Nice clean cups and an equally clean teaspoon.

During our stay the weather was decidedly changeable, we arrived in torrential rain and got sunburned the next day. As a result of this on our first night the pre-set air conditioning was a little bit cold for us and as we were unable to adjust it in the room we asked at reception about upping the temperature. This was done without question or fuss and with a quick and useful explanation that it was indeed pre-set on each floor. From then on we were snug as bugs.

Location

For a short break or even a week away we prefer to have all our destination has to offer within close proximity. In times past this meant choosing a hotel that was ideally located for the Wobbly boot on the homeward leg in the evening. . There are times however when you can be too close to the action as our holiday to La Santa Sports Resort in Lanzarote one Christmas demonstrated. Ever wonder how many Christmas songs there are? You’d know the answer if you’d heard the same festive CD for 6 nights on the trot.

These days our very active but impatient toddler is best served by having activities available almost immediately,

but equally needs to be able to get a good night’s sleep.

The Ocean Hotel, Butlin’s Bognor

The Butlin’s experience is designed to offer accessibility to all activities. The Ocean Hotel is ideally located to allow for swift access to the outdoor fun including the Helter Skelter,

Carousel, Trampolines, and Go Karting

with the restaurants and Skyline Pavilion just behind.

Indeed everything is within a 10 minute walk. However should you wish to chill out on your balcony or have a siesta this is eminently possible without distraction. And if you do wish to venture a little farther you have the added bonus of Bognor’s beach less than a 20 minute walk away.

Disclaimer: As a brand ambassador to Butlin’s, we received a complementary 3 night stay at their Bognor Regis resort. Opinions are our own. For further information about Butlin’s, please visit their website. You can also read the ‘What families can expect from today’s Butlin’s’ post here on PODcast.

Three Little Dinosaurs Egg Rescue!

We reviewed Wonderful Wildlife 123 by Charles Fuge last year. It’s a great book that teaches children to count in a fun way with the help of a few mischievous animals!

The latest publication from Parragon by the same award-winning author and illustrator is Three Little Dinosaurs Egg Rescue! POD absolutely loves it – so much so we’ve read it twice most evenings!

The story centres around a tyrannosaurus rex called Scratch who is excitedly waiting for his sibling to arrive. His mother asks Scratch and his friends look after the unhatched egg while she takes a shower.

Although she’d warned them about mischievous mammals, the precious egg is snatched. Along with his friends, Lofty the brachiosaurus and Sniff the monoclonius, they set off in pursuit of the egg.

But disaster strikes when they capture the mammal as the egg flies through the air and lands with a plop in the river. POD finds this page highly entertaining as she’s able to say ‘P-L-O-P’ really loudly. It’s always followed by a raucous giggle!

With the mammal making fun of them, the unperturbed trio hit the water in a quest to rescue the egg.

Using a log as a makeshift raft they paddle after the egg in an attempt to catch it.

Having realised there was a waterfall ahead of them, a brave Scratch grabs the egg before they fall down and down.

They land with a bump on his Mummy who is enjoying shower. The friends explain what happened

but were dismayed to discover the egg had a crack in it. But it wasn’t a crack, the egg was hatching – Scratch’s new playmate arrived shortly afterwards.

Charles Fuge has created a fabulous story that’s great to read (in all manner of voices if the mood takes us!) and it’s beautifully illustrated throughout. It’s definitely one of POD’s favourite books at the moment. You can purchase Three Little Dinosaurs Egg Rescue from Amazon (RRP £5.99).

Disclaimer: As Parragon Book Buddies we received a copy of Three Little Dinosaurs Egg Rescue for the purposes of this review. Opinions are our own.

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