Joanne

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LIFERYDER – FANTASTIC ALL TERRAIN SCOOTER REVIEW

Ad- This is a collaborative post with LIFERYDER however, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Both my girls have had scooters since the moment they were old enough and safe enough to have one…

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Our beautiful, low maintenance artificial grass from Easi grass

Disclosure- I paid for our Easi grass service. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My personal preference when it comes to having real grass or artificial grass will always be artificial grass. My reasoning behind this has come from living in two new build houses where there has been fresh turf laid down for us to maintain and both times we have failed to do so leaving the grass patchy, uneven and dead which was not aesthetically pleasing or safe for Leo.

In our old house, David laid the artificial grass to save some money, it didn’t look that bad and had only taken him a day to complete. The garden was a lot smaller than the garden we have now, It was not perfect bur certainly looked a lot better than what it did. It wasn’t long before weeds started to sprout up through the sharp sand and membrane and poke out of top of the grass and in the summer the grass would get very hot to the point we could not stand on it bare foot, let alone let the kids on it to play.

When we moved to the house we are in now the grass looked beautiful. It had just been laid and all we needed to do was to stay off it and keep it watered which in the grand scheme of things sounds easy enough, right? Wrong. Yes, we could have tried harder with it but we were busy looking after the kids and with David being at work and me being at home looking after two girls under two, the last thing I wanted to do was to set up the hose in the kitchen and run it through to the garden everyday to water the grass.

Over the years, we welcomed our two beautiful dogs and began to transform the garden. The grass came up to our French doors and I was getting frustrated by mud getting traipsed into our house, my hay fever getting aggravated every time David mowed the lawn and not having a solid, flat surface for BBQ’s and garden furniture. We hired somebody to come and extend our patio and construct a 3ft picket fence with a gate so that we can stop the dogs from pooping and weeing on the grass. By this point the grass was already destroyed with giant pot holes from the dogs making it unsafe for all three of my children especially, Leo who struggles to walk on uneven surfaces. It was at this point I told David that I wanted artificial grass again.

I received a number of individual quotes before deciding to go with a company called Easigrass Cambridgeshire & East Anglia. We had to wait a few weeks for our consultation because of how busy they were but it was worth it. Nick came round, measured up and brought some samples for me to look at. I decided that I wanted to for the luxury premium brand ‘Mayfair’ purely because it was ‘luxury’ and felt the nicest on my feet but looked the most realistic. Nick sent me the quote within 24 hours which included everything. The grass, the labour, the skip, the machines. Everything.

I paid the £100 deposit to secure my date and Nick sent me through lots of information and pages upon pages of customer reviews to read through. Just by talking with Nick I got a good feeling and trusted he would give me a beautiful garden. I was right.

Our Easi grass installation date was in August 2021. A few days prior I had received a message to say that two workmen would arrive at 7.30am, which they did and got straight to work. It was a really hot day so I had made sure I had brought plenty of drinks for them. The grass was completed by 3pm.

This is what our garden looked like before.

You can see how uneven and unsafe it was and we really struggled to get Leo’s mobility trike out of the summer house. Our house is built on old sewage works so the men really had to work hard and dig deep through tough clay to get the depth they needed.

I can’t remember exactly what they did but what I do know is when David did ours previously he only did one layer of sharp sand and one layer of membrane where as Easi grass do this multiple times and use a machine to tightly compress and level the surface between each layer.

There was only one problem we experienced regarding our installation and this was because of the size of our garden we could either pay a bit extra and have a complete piece OR have a join which would take the grass up to the white arch to the left of these photo’s. I decided to have the join but one of the men who installed the grass had not realised and it wasn’t until they had left I noticed that it didn’t look quite right. Once I had worked out why it didn’t look right, I immediately contacted Nick and sent him photo’s and he came out to see it.

It turned out that the piece of grass that was missing to take the edge up to the arch was in the van all along but hadn’t been installed due to a misunderstanding, so he organised for his guys to come back the very next day to rectify it. True to his word, they arrived on time and sorted it out.

The grass needs to be left to settle for 24-48 hours before they come back to finish bonding the edges.

Nearly a year on…

In a few months it would be a year since having our Easi grass and it still looks as good as the day we had it done. I also wanted to mention that we have an 8ft trampoline on our grass that is used everyday by my kids and their friends and the base remains the same with no changes. I tend to move the trampoline slightly every other day so that the trampoline is not constantly putting pressure in the same spot. The grass pops back up within 10-15 minutes without me having to do anything.

10 year warranty on the Easi Grass and 5 years on the bases.

All in all, we had a really pleasant experience with Easi grass and would recommend them to anyone who is looking for artificial grass. If you are in the Peterborough, Cambridgeshire area please contact Nick on 07850 327218 and tell him I sent you.

Visit Great Yarmouth – Sea Life centre

Disclosure– We received gifted tickets in return for a review however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Another attraction we visited whilst we were on our mini holiday at Great Yarmouth was the Sea Life centre which is also located along the sea front not far up from the Merrivale model village.

Whilst visiting Great Yarmouth with my family, my main focus was on accessibility as my son has limited mobility and is a wheelchair user. I think taking some time to properly plan your trip reduces a substantial amount of stress and worry when there is an adult or young person in your party who has mobility issues. There is nothing worse than getting to an attraction and finding out that there not accessible.

Like many attractions, Sea Life offers a free carer policy which allows admission for a carer to go free with a full paying ticket upon proof. This could be a PIP or DLA award letter, blue badge, letter from a professional body or a letter from a certified NHS professional dated within the last two years.

Our experience

It has been many, many years since visiting an aquarium and the last time we came the children were all very small and even though they enjoyed seeing all the different sea life they were disinterested by the fact screens. It was really nice to go back with them being much older and now more interested in learning more about the the different sea life as well as seeing them.

Visiting a Sea Life centre as an adult with older kids too is an all round different experience as we now also had the time to read the information screens with them and learn without having to hurry off to the next tank.

I think the green screen photo is a thing now with attractions as the Sea Life had one upon entering. I wore a green dress that day so I blended in beautifully in every background. It didn’t stop us spending £10 on a fridge magnet, thanks Lyds!

At reception the kids were given little activity packs that consisted of a:

  • Pencil
  • Magnifying glass
  • Creature identification guide
  • Peppa Pig- Activity trail
  • Fish for facts quiz

Lydia really enjoyed going through the facts quiz, especially as you can receive a prize at the end when you have handed it in at the gift shop. It really helped to keep the kids engaged by making them read the screens to get the answers and they loved going through it.

We spent around two hours taking our time looking around the different zones of the aquarium. My personal favourite would have to be the jelly fish. Emily was fascinated with the sea turtle, it was humungous despite only being a teenager, I never realised just how big they can get.

The rock pool was a big hit although Emily was a bit unsure about touching a starfish until I had touched it first. The water was freezing and it didn’t feel like I thought it would. I thought it would feel smooth and bit spongey but it was hard, bumpy and rough, I also don’t like cold water and couldn’t tolerate my hand being in there for more than a few seconds so It was a quick in/out for me. You are required to wash your hands before and after touching the starfish. I also noticed sinks in some of the areas for you to wash your hands as your going round to reduce bacteria spread.

One thing I did enjoy, was watching the children playing in the tunnels and being able to look at the fish more intimately through the ‘submarine’ windows and the big overhead fish tank that you walk through where sharks are swimming above your head and you can see everything.

The fact screens were great and going around we learned how to do sign the name of the fish using British sign language. There are interactive boards, and flip boards to play with and underwater telescopes so that the kids can look as if they are in the water at the fish.

Overall we had a lovely morning and learnt so much.

Read more of my Great Yarmouth attraction reviews here.

Accessibility

I found the attraction to be very accessible for wheelchair users with the walkways being wide, level and flat. The only part that was not accessible is the penguin platform where there is a few steps to go up and see an overview of the penguins within their enclosure. You can still see the enclosure from below but you do get an overall better view if you go up top, it also depends on what the penguins are doing at the time.

Toilets

This attraction does have toilets which are located next to the café and gift shop.

The Café and the toilets

Parking

Whilst we were at Great Yarmouth we parked in St Nicholas car park which is opposite the sea front attractions. It is a long stay carpark as we were visiting the sea front pretty much all day so that it why we decided to park here.

£6.00 for up to 4 hours
£9.30 for over 4 hours

Try find another working pay machine if one is not working, It will suggest you pay using there app but this adds an additional charge of 20p (It’s not much but it’s a bit cheeky if you have to do this because of there faulty machine).

We parked in the disabled bay however, we did discover on the second day that blue badge holders can park on the sea front for free for however long they needed.

Visit Great Yarmouth – Pleasure Beach

Disclosure– We received gifted tickets in return for a review however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I have been collating a variety of different attractions in Great Yarmouth in which we have visited and can personally recommend to you, our readers. This post will tell you all about our recent trip to Pleasure beach.

On the coast of Great Yarmouth is Pleasure Beach, an amusement park with various rides, stalls, games, and activities. The kids were super excited when we arrived and keen to jump on the rides as soon as possible. Once you have your pass and access to the amusement park, you can have unlimited rides.

There were only two rides that Emily was unable to get on due to her height, so plenty of choice for all kids, as well as enough danger and safety to account for the more daring and more cautious visitors. We went on all of the rides bar one, and that was simply because we had run out of time.

Lydia, who is now big enough to go on all of the rides, challenged herself to do everything and boy did she. She even went on the Pendulum – a swinging ride that does a full 360° rotation – despite my fears for her going on it. Leo unfortunately made himself feel quite sick on the spinning teacups so was less inclined to do any further spinning rides.

We ended the day with the 4D cinema which was really good. Lasting around 12 minutes, the movie was very good and the effects were amazing causing the kids to gasp and jump in equal measures. For those who don’t know, a 4D cinema is a 3D movie where the chairs move, wind blows, water sprays, etc., so you get a real immersive experience.

We had taken our own lunch and eaten before we went in, so did not purchase any food whilst there, other than an ice-cream at the end of the day. From what we saw, the prices were as expected in any amusement park, but we cannot comment on the quality. However, the children’s cone, charged at £1.30 at the time we went, was a really good size and come in a teddy bear cone, which the kids loved.

Overall the kids (and us adults) had a fantastic time. The park closes at 4pm and we arrived shortly after 1pm and that gave us just about enough time, so you could easily spend the good proportion of the day there with lots to keep you entertained. Access was really good and we had no problems getting around with the wheelchair.

Read more Great Yarmouth attraction reviews here.

Accessibility

Access to the Pleasure Beach is straight off the strip and apart from Gate A, all other gates could be accessed via a wheelchair. We entered at Gate D, which was the furthest entry point right at the far end of the park. Whilst this was a walk away from the carpark, the entrance meant that we could move across the park, accessing all of the rides, finishing at the exit nearest the carpark – something to consider for anyone going.

The entire venue is wheelchair accessible, although some rides did have steps, the vast majority had either ramp or floor level access. Staff are available to help where needed as well. The design of the park means that it is really easy to move in one direction and access all of the rides, and there is a good mix of rides to accommodate the older and younger child.

Toilets

Accessible toilets can be found at the following locations:

  • Pleasure Beach Inn
  • Behind the Haunted Hotel ride
  • At the entrance to the Log Flume ride

A radar key is needed for entry and can be borrowed with a £5 deposit from the Food Court (for the Haunted Hotel), from the Pleasure Beach Inn (for the Pleasure Beach Inn toilets) or from the Log Flume photo booth (for the Log Flume toilets).

Alternatively, a radar key can be borrowed with a £5 deposit from Gate A for the Pleasure Beach Inn toilets and for the Log Flume toilets.

Parking

Whilst we were at Great Yarmouth we parked in St Nicholas car park which is opposite the sea front attractions. It is a long stay carpark as we were visiting the sea front pretty much all day so that it why we decided to park here.

£6.00 for up to 4 hours
£9.30 for over 4 hours

Try find another working pay machine if one is not working, It will suggest you pay using there app but this adds an additional charge of 20p (It’s not much but it’s a bit cheeky if you have to do this because of there faulty machine).

We parked in the disabled bay however, we did discover on the second day that Blue badge holders can park on the sea front for Free for however long they needed.

Visit Great Yarmouth- Windmill Adventure Golf

Disclosure– We received gifted tickets in return for a review however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Windmill Adventure golf, is along the same road as the St Nicholas car park. It is about a ten minute walk from the car park to the attraction.

As a kid, David loved crazy / miniature golf, but he always complained that most miniature golf courses we had been to were too simple, without enough craziness. Enter Windmill Adventure Golf, a Hollywood themed golf course which has been converted from the historical Windmill Theatre in Great Yarmouth.

At Windmill adventure golf, each hole has a different theme with some amazing props and gimmicks to entertain you whilst you walk round the venue, taking multiple shots (certainly in my case) to get the ball in the hole. There are 13 holes in total. A warm up hole, which is just a simple ramp to get you into the swing of things, 9 holes within the venue, a ‘gambling hole’ – which is basically a large roulette wheel where whichever number your ball lands on you have to add it to your score – and finally a pinball hole, which if you are skilled enough could earn you a free game.

There were lots of shortcuts and little tricks that you could use to improve your score, provided you looked close enough, and the props were amazing. We loved the second hole (tomb raider), which has you walking into a Jurassic Park themed area with an amazing velociraptor greeting you as you come into the room. Dracula’s lair had a scary warlock in a cage that shook and spoke as you got near to it – and even made Emily move her ball back away from the hole so she didn’t have to go close to it!

Posters of famous stars and interesting pictures are all over the place to recognise the history of Hollywood and even a really cool mirror with a challenge to curl your tongue… you will have to go to see why that is funny.

All of us had an amazing time and the kids loved it. We all got really competitive and even though Leo and I are really bad at golf, we had such a laugh (and a cry at times) playing through. The Las Vegas roulette wheel was a lovely touch and can help to balance the playing field if you are lucky enough to land low – unfortunately David did, so he managed to keep his smug face and win!! – but it helped Emily come second, which she was really chuffed about.

There are tonnes of photo opportunities, really clever (and complex) holes, and amazing props to keep you entertained throughout, with good access for any wheelchair users. We thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely go again.

You can read more of my Great Yarmouth reviews here.

Accessibility

The building is wheelchair accessible and there is an elevator on the side of the building to allow access for those who cannot leave their chair. There are two holes that cannot be accessed by wheelchair, unfortunately, but that should not deter anyone interested in going as the rest of the venue does make up for this.

Toilets

This attraction does not have public on-site toilets however, there is a safe crossing just outside of the building and the toilets are across the road along the sea front. They are free to use and were kept in good, clean condition on our visit. I would make sure you visit the toilets before you start playing as it would be quite disruptive if you had to pause the game.

Parking

Whilst we were at Great Yarmouth we parked in St Nicholas car park which is opposite the sea front attractions. It is a long stay carpark as we were visiting the sea front pretty much all day so that it why we decided to park here.

£6.00 for up to 4 hours
£9.30 for over 4 hours

Try find another working pay machine if one is not working, It will suggest you pay using there app but this adds an additional charge of 20p (It’s not much but it’s a bit cheeky if you have to do this because of there faulty machine).

We parked in the disabled bay however, we did discover on the second day that Blue badge holders can park on the sea front for Free for however long they needed.