Making a Splash

When we decided to book a work outing to the Wet 'n Wild water centre in Alphen aan de Rijn I didn't really think through the implications of being towed at high speed around a lake on the end of a bit of wire. It wasn't until we arrived and saw the previous group trying it out that I began to grow a little nervous. Wasn't that a little fast for beginners?!

The evening was pretty chilly and I didn't exactly relish the experience of climbing into an already-soggy wetsuit much. By the time we were lined up on the jetty I wasn't sure whether it was the cold or the nerves that was causing me to shiver, but I managed to pluck up the courage to pull on a pair of waterskis and crouch ready for take off.

Before I knew it I was up on my feet and (much to my amazement) I was waterskiing, just like that! Okay, I got dunked as soon as I reached the first corner, buy heh, it wasn't bad for a first attempt. On subsequent rounds I managed to learn to anticipate the changes in direction and on one final victorious circuit made it right the way round and back with a cheesy grin on my face.

Two days afterwards I felt like I'd been wrestling with a gorilla, but I'm definitely hooked.

Raining on Everyone's Parade

Bbrrrrrr.... August? What August?
Luckily the persistent rain and October-style temperatures that have hit Amsterdam recently didn't stop the annual Gay Pride canal parade taking place yesterday. We arrived early and reserved ourselves a canal-side view on the Prinsengracht, but by the time the parade started to float by our fingers and toes were numb and we'd been soaked twice. The guys on the float didn't seem to mind though, and our patience was rewarded with the usual dose of toned torsos, waxed and tanned in preparation for the party.