Isle of Wight Day 8 - Ryde and Homebound

For our very last day in the Isle of Wight we decided to spend the day in Ryde which is another lovely seaside location which has the added advantage of being only 10 mins away from Fishbourne for getting the ferry home. We have had such a fab week but the one thing I am looking forward to getting home for is getting back in my own bed. The kids camp beds are all fine and they have slept very well, but mine and Tina's inflatable double bed was on its last legs and the last couple of nights we were pretty much just sleeping on the floor. So much so that we didn't even bother bringing it home with us! So a new double camp bed required before we go on our next camping expedition.

 

Anyway after packing up the tent and all the camp stuff and then somehow squashing it all back in the S-Max and roof box we headed off to Ryde for the day. I didn't remember much about Ryde until we arrived there. It was 2010 that we were last in the Isle of Wight so long before Holly was even born. In this post I have dragged out a couple of pics from 2010 to compare 7 years later. When we arrived the kids were absolutely fascinated with the hovercrafts and we sat and watched a couple come in and go out before having a picnic lunch.

 

After lunch the kids all got wrist bands to play in Peter Pans playground and then once they were bored with that we took a nice walk up the beach to get an ice-cream and to look for some souvenir shops as we had brought none all holiday! Nothing like leaving it until last minute.

 

The ferry home was pretty much bang on time and after stopping off for dinner enroute home I think we finally arrived back at about 10pm. Another holiday over. The car remained packed as everyone was completely knackered and hence we just all headed straight to bed for a well deserved sleep.

 

This is what remained of our inflatable camp bed after 3 camping trips. It was barely holding any air and we were pretty much sleeping on the floor.

The kids loved watching the hovercrafts coming in and out of port at Ryde.

 

You guessed it, one final round of pirate crazy golf before our journey home.

The Ryde crazy golf is a pirate themed course that came as part of the package deal with the kids wrist bands.

Not sure Holly should be standing there with Brandon about to tee off.

Holly and Josh on the pirate ship.

Brandon trying to get his shot under the can and down to where Holly and Tina are.

How on earth are they supposed to putt the ball in the hole when they are all standing around it?

Yet more bumper cars for the boys. Brandon and Josh must have gone on these about half a dozen times.

Josh on the dodgems.

Me and H on the bumper cars. She was only just tall enough to go on these ones.



Beautiful smile from Holly on yet another T-cup ride.

Joshua was desperate to try and win a Minion on the bull ride but failed dismally. You needed to last over 30 seconds but him and Brandon only managed 15 seconds.

Not quite sure this is the correct technique.

The end is near.........

Brandon's turn and showing good technique leaning back with his feet hooked under the bull horns.

It was quite hard for B to jump high enough to get back on for his second attempt.

But he didn't last beyond 15 seconds again.

And off he goes. Apparently only adults have ever lasted more than 30 seconds.

Joshua on the helta skelter.

 

Holly on the helta skelter.



Another beautiful smile from Holly on the carousel. Having such fun.

My little princess enjoying driving a boat.

Holly loved doing donuts and bumping the other boats.

Brandon entering in to the water roller ball.

Josh got very hot and tired quickly after several attempts to try and stand up.

Down he goes again.

Brandon ready to enter the water.

Both boys struggling to stay on their feet.

Even Holly had a turn on the water rollers. She was so funny to watch.

Falling on her bum again. But never giving up.



She made a very good effort to stand up and run in the ball.

The beach at Ryde is pretty vast when the tide is out. Not many people out today!

A final walk along the beach in search for ice-cream and souvenirs.

So this is the 3 kids at the Ryde boat in 2017.

 

And this was me with just Josh and Brandon at the same boat but back in 2010. How things have changed in 7 years.

 

Brandon playing on a digger in the sand park.

I think Joshua is getting a bit big for this, I still managed to get him very dizzy though.

The 3 kids on the sand park pirate ship in 2017.

 

And a similar picture taken back in 2010 of me with a very young Joshua and Brandon.

 

Brandon getting a bit spin dizzy.

Final few moments of play for the kids before heading off for the ferry home.

How grown up are the boys standing there with Costa coffees as we get the Wightlink ferry back to Portsmouth.

We managed to get a view of a Navy ship at the port.

As we arrived in port I took this picture of the Spinnaker Tower and it seems fitting to finish the Isle of Wight holiday blog with this as it is where it all started just over a week ago.