“When does the aqua park open, mum?” Still half asleep I groped around for the alarm clock, but instead hit 4-year-old Nicoline right on the forehead. It was only 5.30am. She couldn’t wait any longer. Her 2-year-old little sister Simone was sitting on the floor struggling with her bathing suit.

We were the first ones to go down the 70m long water slide that morning. It was only once their hands and feet were completely shrivelled that we could talk them into coming out of the water.

We had seen it too, but first we wanted to eat – we had worked up a healthy appetite from all that bathing. But the girls had already started talking to the ponies. It took half an hour to get to the stable – a child-friendly stable with all kinds of little animals: quails, rabbits, guinea pigs, pigs, horses, etc. After the little ones had had a few rounds on horseback in the pen, I could no longer hold back and booked an evening ride for myself in the countryside for experienced riders.

Back at the centre, we were just in time for our eldest child to take part in the Children’s Club. Luckily for us, this secret club was a no-go for adults, so we took a well-earned nap with the little one.

It was still too windy to play tennis, and windsurfing was too much of a challenge with gale force winds, so instead we decided to try out climbing in the sports hall. Nicoline, who had turned into a Red Indian wearing a headband and all the colours of the rainbow on her face, felt in the mood for challenging the climbing wall. But she was too little. Only adults were allowed to do the Spiderman thing in a harness.

We started out with the easiest route up the vertical wall. Clinging to the tiny little hand grips was incredibly exhausting. After a few metres the sports hall faded from my mind and my fantasy took over. I was a wild woman climbing Mont Blanc. It was a matter of life and death – I was dripping with sweat – my heart was pounding – my legs were shaking. Then the instructor interrupted. I had got caught in the rope. A beginner’s mistake. Back to reality. I just loved climbing!

There was just enough time for another trip to the aqua park before I was to go riding. Here, the girls and I got sucked into the water gymnastics, kicking and twitching to disco rhythms. Despite all the physical activity the water gymnasts couldn’t stop chatting. Well, we were having such a good time that we simply had to finish the girly chatting at the pool’s edge.

At my evening horse ride along the beach, the 7 girls and a lone Norwegian cowboy turned out to be 6 girls too many! On top of that, my horse was very hungry and knew exactly which break would be long enough for a munch of grass. Of course, the riding school horses knew every inch of the route. But it was still great to feel the rush of the wind.

The rest of the family were getting worn out too. They had been playing on bouncing cushions, playing catch in the garden and playing on pinball machines.

When I came back “home” my boyfriend was relaxing with a glass of beer and another visitor, while the children were busy making lists of which sweets they wanted from the kiosk. I couldn’t help thinking that it takes a very special talent not to make new contacts during a holiday at a holiday centre. We live close to each other, we share activities, we are on holiday, we relax and we open up. And if you are a bit reserved, the children are great ice breakers. Quicker than lightning they make new “best friends” who pop in to play, who are then picked up by their parents who also pop in and say hello, and ...

We put the children to bed early, shared a bottle of red wine and smiled at the thought that they had fallen asleep completely content. It might have been a little tiring but we had been together – all the family. The little ones had had their way and tried almost everything, so next day the pace would no doubt be much less hectic. Good night!

“When does the aqua park open, mum?” Still half asleep I groped around for the alarm clock, but instead hit 4-year-old Nicoline right on the forehead. It was only 5.30am. She couldn’t wait any longer. Her 2-year-old little sister Simone...

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