Seaworld represented a sort of final oasis in our long and winding road trip. As we tossed our bags into the room and flaked out onto the beds, we were immediately at ease - content to be free of all the driving, maps, connections, and chaos. Not even our beautiful view of a construction site right outside our balcony could dampen our enthusiasm for the limitless possibilities that Seaworld (which included a beer and burger at poolside) seemed to offer. A very "grown up" dinner in one of the fancier dining rooms was a great treat for mom and dad as the boys were extremely well behaved and perhaps a little tired after several hours of swimming and playing in a very cool splash pad.
But, as Alex would say the ``chillaxin`` didn`t last for long as the next morning we were up and at'em early, ready to attack Seaworld for all we were worth. Catching the monorail from right outside the hotel, we were quickly into the park and taking in as many rides as we could before the place filled up. A few tame but fun rides for the kids and then a thrilling warm up on the rocking pirate ship set the stage for dad and Colin to hop aboard the Corkscrew rollercoaster - clearly any lingering hangover from Dreamworld`s Reef Diver was gone. Colin came away breathless and ready to go again while dad traded nausea for a sore neck! The dolphin show was next and really cool -for a dolphin show. Then we were into a 4-D movie, the Viking log ride and something called the Bermuda Triangle that scared Alex so much he was literally shaking with fear as he dug permanent marks into Linton's left arm. A really cool, somewhat creepy ride that even had me wondering at one point if we were going in the right direction!
After that we needed a break for lunch which we followed up with an aquarium, cable car ride and a visit to shark bay - easily the best display of fish and sharks I have ever seen in my life. They had to drag me out of there! We were then into the water park where we all experienced some of the biggest waterslides of our lives. The kids approached them with all of the exuberance of youth, while I continued to temper my enthusiasm with a healthy dose of parental caution. In my mind I had Alex doing everything from being blown off the top of the tower while waiting for his turn to somehow being the first person to slip right over the edge of the slide (despite the successful negotiation of the same edge by at least a few million people before him!) Oh well, at least he will always know his dad's got his back covered! Of course this was all capped off by the three boys climbing up 5 stories of stairs only to plummet headlong down The Plunge - a giant slide in a raft thing - with dad screaming all the way! I love amusement parks, I really do! We capped things off with a somewhat cheesy waterski show and then walked back to the hotel. In true CarterDarling form we were closing the place and feeling good in the knowledge that we had ``done`` Seaworld in a big way. A less than quality seafood buffet followed by some serious drama over a stuffed toy in the games room and then the day, mom and dad, and the holiday were officially done.
Bags still had to be packed and planes had to be caught but as we trundled back to our room I reflected upon all that we had done and seen over the past two weeks. 2300kms from Cairns to Byron Bay and many points in between had opened our eyes to the vastness and beauty of this country. In many ways so similar to Canada but so often, so surprisingly different. As always, it won`t necessarily be the big things we remember but more often, or more probably, it will be those glorious, small moments - a walk, a snorkel, a sunset or a slide that will remain etched in our memories forever.
But, as Alex would say the ``chillaxin`` didn`t last for long as the next morning we were up and at'em early, ready to attack Seaworld for all we were worth. Catching the monorail from right outside the hotel, we were quickly into the park and taking in as many rides as we could before the place filled up. A few tame but fun rides for the kids and then a thrilling warm up on the rocking pirate ship set the stage for dad and Colin to hop aboard the Corkscrew rollercoaster - clearly any lingering hangover from Dreamworld`s Reef Diver was gone. Colin came away breathless and ready to go again while dad traded nausea for a sore neck! The dolphin show was next and really cool -for a dolphin show. Then we were into a 4-D movie, the Viking log ride and something called the Bermuda Triangle that scared Alex so much he was literally shaking with fear as he dug permanent marks into Linton's left arm. A really cool, somewhat creepy ride that even had me wondering at one point if we were going in the right direction!
After that we needed a break for lunch which we followed up with an aquarium, cable car ride and a visit to shark bay - easily the best display of fish and sharks I have ever seen in my life. They had to drag me out of there! We were then into the water park where we all experienced some of the biggest waterslides of our lives. The kids approached them with all of the exuberance of youth, while I continued to temper my enthusiasm with a healthy dose of parental caution. In my mind I had Alex doing everything from being blown off the top of the tower while waiting for his turn to somehow being the first person to slip right over the edge of the slide (despite the successful negotiation of the same edge by at least a few million people before him!) Oh well, at least he will always know his dad's got his back covered! Of course this was all capped off by the three boys climbing up 5 stories of stairs only to plummet headlong down The Plunge - a giant slide in a raft thing - with dad screaming all the way! I love amusement parks, I really do! We capped things off with a somewhat cheesy waterski show and then walked back to the hotel. In true CarterDarling form we were closing the place and feeling good in the knowledge that we had ``done`` Seaworld in a big way. A less than quality seafood buffet followed by some serious drama over a stuffed toy in the games room and then the day, mom and dad, and the holiday were officially done.
Bags still had to be packed and planes had to be caught but as we trundled back to our room I reflected upon all that we had done and seen over the past two weeks. 2300kms from Cairns to Byron Bay and many points in between had opened our eyes to the vastness and beauty of this country. In many ways so similar to Canada but so often, so surprisingly different. As always, it won`t necessarily be the big things we remember but more often, or more probably, it will be those glorious, small moments - a walk, a snorkel, a sunset or a slide that will remain etched in our memories forever.
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