Hello,
I am back with another travel mistake to avoid. This time it is to think you can do the same kids activities that 9 year olds can do.
When we were in Benitses, we spent many days looking out across the sea towards Albania. The place was idyllic, except if you were on the main beach area and you could see this inflatable assault course.
We had laughed about going on it and how fun it would be. After a couple of days of relaxation and a lovely day sightseeing in Corfu town, my boyfriend asked if we could go on it. So I agreed, thinking it would be amazing fun and really easy (BIG mistake)!
Price
It was 10 euros for an hour, which we thought was okay seeing as it was going to be our only major expense for excursions and fun!
In hindsight, we should have asked for 1 hour between us!
We were given a wristband each, with a number on it and the lady noted down the number and our time to return to the jetty. Then we declined the floatation jackets especially as we had been snorkelling for half an hour earlier so were both comfortable swimming. (We bought snorkels last summer and they have been great on holidays!)
The inflatable assault course
We swam up to it and it was fairly busy. There were lots of kids on it, which was fine… but later made us feel a bit silly as we had an audience!
The first obstacle was a trapeze style swing. It had been set up for children who were about a foot shorter than me, so when I swung my legs went underwater and slowed me down. At least this part had steps to get back up!
We then had to walk across a narrow slippy inflatable part. There was also a trampoline in the middle and we had to cross the monkey bars to get there.
Even as a child I couldn’t do the monkey bars so I just slipped into the water and up the other side.
Jumping off
We went around the different obstacles to climb over and then reached the smaller climbing wall. I thought this would be easy. I was very wrong.
Since dislocating my shoulder in Tanzania, I haven’t been rock climbing so my upper body strength is poor when climbing and the handles were very difficult to grasp. I eventually pulled myself up to the point where my boyfriend could pull me over the edge!
We were at the top and you could either jump off a cliff style edge, which didn’t look high up until you were on top of it! Or go down the slide. So I opted for the slide, slid down and fell off the side back flopping into the water and swallowing lots of water. After a brief coughing session. I climbed back on and did some of the total wipeout activities.
After 30 minutes I was physically exhausted. I actually just lay on one of the middle part until the supervisor came over to check I was okay.
The kids
A lot of the kids could stand on the inflatable bits and they wouldn’t sink into the sea like it did with us. The trampoline also made a weird bouncing noise when we jumped on it.
So many of them made it look super easy that we assumed it was. Then went flying off the side and into the sea! I lost count how many times we climbed up the steps and back onto the inflatable.
We even tried to do the jumping launch bit, but I couldn’t get over the hurdle very well as my arms were so tired.
The sun
After the few cloudy days in Corfu, I put on suncream while on the inflatable. My suncream wasn’t waterproof.
It all came off and being in the middle of the sea meant I got very very burnt.
After a while my boyfriend got tired too and we swam back to the jetty. The lady told us we had been out for over an hour, but it was fine!
This was one of the best things to do in Benitses and I think it would be great with kids.
It is just not good if you think you’re a kid and try to out do them. We failed miserably and nothing was funnier than watching my boyfriend clinging to an inflatable tube trying to get his legs up onto the mountain.
It was great fun, but for 20 minutes. Afterwards I felt very old and realised I wasn’t a child anymore.
I hope you had a great laugh at my expense.
Until next time,
The Great Ambini
X x X
If this made you laugh, pin it for later!
Following! We travel with kids too and I’ve often looked at the kids having so much fun on these floatable thingies. Your post reminded me why I should never try it!!
It is good fun. Just not for very long haha
Recently my wife and I were hiking in Interlaken, Switerland, when in one high-altitude spot, we came across an unusual playground full of ropes, beams, straps, and other shakey things to walk across. I too learned there the hard way that I can’t do what 9-year olds can do, especially after standing on a shaking beam (designed to shake) for a minute unable to take one step.
Hahaha I love releasing my inner child on those playgrounds. I am glad it’s not just me who realised I’m not 9 anymore!
Ha ha, well good on you for getting out there and giving it a go. I saw one of these in the harbour in Darwin and thought it looked like fun but a bit slippy too!! I might have to have a go!
It was super slippy… We literally fell off the sides all the time!
Oh my god that looks amazing! Count me in! I’d love to do an inflatable course on water!
We’re never too old to bring out our inner child 😉 This would be SO much fun, for my whole family actually. Thanks for sharing your awesome experience!
Once in a while it feels good to be childlike, let your one’s guard and just have innocent fun. But you’re right…there are different things which attract us at different phases of life. My agenda for Corfu would be quite varied.
Oh dear! How do the kids make it look so easy? We’ve done this with adventure play parks as well. It’s fun to be the big kid though so always worth giving it a go although I’m a terrible swimmer so I might give this one a miss haha.
It sounds like more fun than the gym! We’ve been on some of the mini-assault courses with our godkids, and it’s really hard work. My stomach muscles were tightening in anticipation looking at the slopes on some of those inflatables!
Oh to be a kid again,! I give you props for your adventurous spirit in trying it and laughing about it later. You’re never too old to be a kid again!
Age-awareness can certainly sneak up on you. And it can happen anywhere. We are budget travelers in our mid 40’s and we are reminded often how the scene is geared toward those much younger. We would never attempt a bouncy castle obstacle course floating in the ocean, however! Beside, one of us cannot really swim!
That looks like great fun, but I’m with you – I’d be done in about 10 minutes with it. ?