When we first got to Seaworld, that's what we all were thinking.
What.on.earth.are.we.doing.
It was pouring. Not a light little patter, but pouring. And just to add a little excitement, it was windy as well so the rain came in sideways.
Now just so you don't all ask why did we go in the first place, the weather at home wasn't too bad. Overcast but not actually raining. Once we were past the point of turning back on the drive down though, it made up for that fact by starting to BUCKET down rain. At one point, Steve and I looked at each other sideways and just started to laugh. At that point I think we realised we were truly insane. Here we were, driving loaded to the hilt with kids screaming "Seaworld Seaworld yay Seaworld", the pram and birthday gear and it was looking like cyclone Tracey outside. As we turned off the highway, I briefly considered saying to Steve, "Okay have a good day, just drop me off at Sheye's and I'll see you this arvo," but I didn't think that would have gone down too well at that point!
We got there and paid $3 each for crappy Seaworld-lets-rip-off-parents-that-couldn't-bear-to-tell-their-kids-they-weren't-going rain ponchos. It was funny enough before then, but once we put on size 200 ponchos and desperately tried to tie them so they fit, it got even better.
The kids of course didn't care less, they just wanted to go on the rides. So we walked around in the pouring rain and wind for two hours while the kids had a ball and we stood in huddled groups talking to other similary insane parents about why we were doing this. Funnily enough, we were the only semi-local people that had actually chosen to do this for the day - everyone else I spoke with were up from down south on holidays and were locked into one of those Seaworld, Movieworld and Wet n Wild passes. Hmmm.....
One particular moment that stuck in my memory was when we were lined up to go into the 4d movie. Emma, try to be optimistic for her quickly losing the plot sister, said, "oh look, I think it's brightening up". As soon as she said that, a huge plop of water came out of no-where and landed with a splash on her head. We nearly collapsed laughing at that point.
After the movie and struggling along with the pram (Cassidy spent most of the morning huddled in the pram wrapped in towels and a poncho like lady muck) we decided lunch under cover would be a good idea. As we were eating, a miracle occurred - IT STOPPED RAINING.
So we survived the day afterall - it was still overcast but cool and pleasant. I've decided puddles and wet seats are fine as long as you don't have to struggle with one of those ridiculous ponchos.
Needless to say, there were not a lot of opportunities to get my camera out so Lyall has most of the days pics on his camera...so more to come when I can get my hands on it :-)
This pic though really sums up our morning...pure madness. But on the other hand, what's a birthday without torrential rain, three hyped up on theme park adrenaline kids and birthday cake eaten out of the boot of the car? Boring I say!!
