Alton Towers

Over the recess I spent a few days with the family in Alton Towers (www.altontowers.com). Plummeting down the vertical ride that is Oblivion is the best way that I've found to forget about Westminster.

I'm glad I've got two boys in different age groups because it means I have an excuse to go on the full range of rides from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory through to Nemesis.

The expression on Stephen's (4) face as we tore around on the Run Away Train was the a mixture of joy and extreme fear. It was only when he started to laugh did we realise he wasn't going to cry. Alexander (12) coolly took everything in his stride but Nemesis tested that to the limits.

The waterpark at the hotel was the best I've experienced with huge volumes of water gushing in all directions.
Despite the poor information systems in the park and the painfully slow service in Flambo's Feast restaurant in the Splash Landings Hotel it was a great break.