Quite a while ago, Bea and I were having a conversation about how to respond to online nastiness. I gave her an imaginary scenario and asked how she would respond...
"I'd just stick in a picture of a llama."
"Why?"
"No one can argue with a llama."
This statement of fact and the ensuing affection for llamas brought us here...
Here being The Jungle.
Why?
Well, here's a clue.
Yes, for Bea's 10th birthday we went Llama Trecking.
This consists of putting a llama on a couple of leads and taking it for a walk.
This is easier said than done.
The llamas provided much hilarity.
Poor Andy got roped in, LITERALLY.
To compensate, Leah, Molly and Erin's llama was very well behaved.
Unlike Bea and Evie's who was determined to trim the verge at every opportunity.
(and if the opportunity didn't present itself, he was happy enough to create it.)
And so we set off, walking with our llamas along gravel paths...
..up through the forest until we got a little lost...
Then back onto the gravel paths again.
There was of course much nibbling enroute.
It's not often that you get the opportunity to take a llama selfie.
To be fair, Josie and Phoebe's llama was called "Meanie" and was the best behaved of the bunch.
However, that's not saying much!
This llama was the naughtiest, and all the others were somewhere in between.
To be honest, the llama trecking was made much more entertaining by the stubborn and mischievous personalities of the llama (much like the girls).
We did manage to prove Bea wrong however. You can argue with a llama. Although, you'd be foolish to do so, because you won't win.
See!
We only just managed to get naughty Mo to pause for a picture.
Then it was off to a picnic table for some snacks...
... and a few games of Birthday Bingo.
Each girl has a bingo card filled with Bea's favourite things. They were delighted when they happened to be called out, even if they didn't have themselves on their card.
Then it was back up the hill, llamaless this time.
To the shed, to be harnessed up.
It was a little strange when the harness was tightened with a spanner.
Then suited up, we went further up the hill and into the woods.
To face the Tree Top ropes course.
... and while the adults ropes course was higher, this one was definitely high enough!
Wouldn't you agree Josie?
Jessica quickly discovered that rather than waste all that effort and adrenaline traversing the obstacles, it was much more fun just to grab the rope and propel yourself across.
This quickly caught on.
Not always entirely successfully.
This is little Molly who, to say she was terrified at the beginning of the course, would be understating things a little. By the final obstacle though, she had faced her fears and conquered them to the extent that when she carefully descended the final steps, I expected her to take a breath and celebrate her achievement. Not so. Without missing a beat, she marched to the start of the course, clipped herself on and began again.
The bigger girls* split their time between the training course and the high ropes. Their sense of achievement and pride was evident as they ran across the final rope bridge.
And by "bigger girls" I also mean a certain 6 year old, who very quietly just followed in the footsteps of the girl in front with absolutely no fear at all.
The faces were just filled with concentration, fear and a healthy dose of hilarity. Especially on the swings.
Phoebe started off with great confidence and mastered the first two challenges without a worry. Then, the fear set in. I'll be honest (and only because her mum will probably just look at the pictures and not read this) about half way round, there were tears. I suspect her Dad would have felled the trees to rescue her - but being closer to the end than the beginning, she unleashed every ounce of bravery she possessed and finished. As soon as she stepped onto solid ground, the tears dried and the pride kicked in. She thought she was awesome (and so she was)...
To the extent, that she then started shouting directions at the others!
It's a good thing that Jessica had spent the previous week doing gymnastics, as on occasion, when she couldn't just rapel herself across, splits were required.
(Pause for a Pose)
If you look carefully, you'll see little Erin holding her own with the big girls.
And if that was not evidence enough....
The first time Leah went through this net she shouted down to me "This place is terrible! I'm so scared." This is her on her third go round running and giggling through the same net.
... and they discovered, the more people you had on an obstacle the more it swung... so filling it with four made it all the more fun.
Beth and Evie were also keen to make things as difficult as possible for themselves.
Then all too soon, that was it. Time to unclip and unharness and have a rest on a giant's chair.
Unless of course, you're a dancer, in which case you throw a few shapes.
The girls didn't get into a giant zorb to descend, they just raced.
Then it was back home to open birthday presents, of which there were several themes which correspond perfectly with Bea's passions....earrings, Harry Potter and of course llamas.
Then it was time for tea.
...and birthday cake.
Bea had requested a chocolate smash cake...
You can probably see why...
It wasn't difficult to find llama themed party plates...
... and our cactus made funny (if prickly) little take home gifts.
I'd asked Melissa to make some cupcakes. I was expecting an explosion of sweeties as toppers. Nope, she totally embraced the theme and made llamas (although I think he is a bit more of an alpaca)...
... and little cactus gardens to house the llamas...
How cute are these?!
We also had lots of fun finding llamas to fill the party bags, with some lip gloss, a compact and a bracelet.
Then it was time for bed.
And yes, they are llamas on the duvet and pillow but it's not a llama that is being snuggled.
It's an alpaca.
