3 min read

Tree Top Challenge

A Hot Afternoon In The Tree Tops

While we were enjoying an amazing holiday in Fréjus in the south of France we we took the girls to an adventure centre called Oxygene Evasion, a short drive from where we were staying. The girls wanted to have a go at their tree top challenge – otherwise known as “Acro-branches” – so their wish was our command!

They had six different levels on their courses, all grouped by height and increasing in difficulty, meaning only Asri, Alice, Shelli and I could go on the very top levels if we wanted to.

After the “training” by the instructors we were left on our own to make our way round at our own pace. And when I say we were left on our own I really mean it. There was nobody keeping an eye on what was going on, either walking the courses or being stationed at various points!

We skipped the really low/easy route and started on the next level up. All of the girls – especially Eleni – were doing brilliantly but we hit a problem when Asri and Alice decided to take the slightly harder route which meant they had to go on a skateboard! Yes, you read that right, a skateboard which was strapped to the wires. You had to get yourself on it – not the easiest of things to do – and then pull yourself along.

Unfortunately, both Asri and Alice got pretty spooked by this and ended up crying bless them. After that it was a little harder than it should have been as they were still a little unsteady after the scare on the skateboard. They carried on going though which was great to see.

Remember what I said about nobody keeping an eye on what was going on? This became a problem when some of the girls got stuck on the death slide. They ether weren’t heavy enough or didn’t get a good enough push-off to make it to the final platform so they were left hanging.

Okay, we were shown what to do if this happened, turning around and pulling ourselves up to the platform, but Elisa bless her just didn’t have the strength to do it. She almost made it, getting her toes on the platform but it was just too much for here.

It was left to me and my not so quiet voice to shout to the guys running the show, eventually getting their attention so that they could help her to the platform – hurrah!

Everyone made it to the end of that course without too many problems, save for some tears here and there after the skateboard incident, and after a quick go on the easiest course and a drink break we mulled over the idea of going on to the next level up.

Asri, Eleni, Shelli and I were up for it but after the scare Alice didn’t want any of it. Neither did Elisa but that wasn’t really a surprise as she really didn’t have the strength in her arms and it would have been a serious struggle to get her round.

The four of us started the course while Elisa had another go on the smaller course and Alice took herself off onto the first course we did, avoiding the route with the skateboard though this time.

The course we were on certainly upped the difficulty level, no more so than getting onto a bike this time! It was mental and I had to hold it steady for each of them so that they could actually get on it to then zip down the wire on it!

Once they were all done I then had to try and hold it still while I got on it. It was tough and I have no idea how the girls would have managed to do it had I not been there!

We all made it round though and everyone had a huge sense of achievement by the end of our time there, which by the time we got back in the car was a good 4 hours climbing through the trees! Mental considering how hot it was!

Great fun though and definitely something different to being in the pool all day.

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