‘Are we there yet?’
‘No.’
‘Are we there yet?’
‘No.’
‘Are we there yet?’
‘Dad, you’re the one who’s driving!’ I finally snap, driven mad by his latest lame attempt to make me laugh. ‘I don’t even know where we’re going.’
As the window wipers swish, I slump down in my car seat, unable to believe that I ever agreed to this trip in the first place. Mum said this weekend away would give me and Dad the perfect chance to reconnect, but when I tried to find out where we were going she told me it was a big surprise.
‘Don’t worry,’ Mum said when she saw the worried look on my face. ‘You’re going to love it, Jake.’
So when we set off in the car this morning I kept my eyes fixed on the road signs to try and pick up some clues about our final destination. Maybe Dad was taking me to the theme park at the Pleasure Beach or perhaps he’d got us tickets for the big match. But when we turned off the main road to drive down this bumpy track through the trees, I started to get a bad feeling about this whole trip.
THUMP!
‘Sorry,’ Dad says, gripping the steering wheel tightly as the car bounces forward again. ‘You used to think that joke was funny, Jake. But we are nearly there. Look!’
Up ahead, there’s a brown sign pointing left with a picture of a tree and a tent.
THE GETAWAY EXPERIENCE
MIDDLEWICH FOREST
ACRES OF SPACE TO EXPLORE
‘This is it!’ Dad says as he swings the car left. ‘What do you think?’
Parking up, Dad jumps out of the car and I have to follow him, shaking my head in horror at what I can see.
Surrounded by trees, I can see a massive field. But it’s what’s in this field that fills me with dread. I can see tents – tents of all shapes and sizes. Dome tents, cone-shaped tents, safari tents and tepees. There’s even a huge tent that looks a flying saucer, slap bang in the middle of the field, its green canvas roof festooned with fairy lights.
‘It’s a campsite,’ I say.
And I hate camping.
‘No,’ Dad says as my gaze roams across the field, looking for a way out. ‘This isn’t a campsite – this is a luxurious escape from the stresses of modern-day life. A place to build dens, climb trees and cook on a campfire under the stars. And from abseiling to zorbing, there’s an A to Z of adventure to be found at the Getaway Experience.’
I glance across at him suspiciously. ‘Are you reading this off a leaflet?’
‘No,’ Dad says, quickly tucking his hands behind his back.
Raising an eyebrow, I hold my hand out. ‘Let me see.’
Reluctantly, like he’s been caught cheating, Dad pulls a leaflet out from behind his back.
‘OK, maybe I was a little,’ he admits. ‘But take a look, Jake. This place sounds amazing.’
Located in the beautiful woodland of Middlewich Forest, the Getaway Experience puts the ‘glam’ into camping! Our stylish tents and lodges provide a cosy home from home with luxurious beds, log burners, en-suite bathrooms and free Wi-Fi.
I glance up from the leaflet, now seeing the tents in a new light as the sun finally comes out. Maybe Dad’s right. If it’s got free Wi-Fi, this place might be OK after all.
‘So which is our tent then?’ I ask as Dad lifts the car boot open. ‘I hope I get my own room.’
‘Erm, not exactly,’ Dad replies as he rummages around in the boot. ‘I’m afraid all the on-site tents and caravans were fully booked, but I’ve pulled a few strings and managed to find a place we can stay.’
He pulls a black canvas bag out of the boot. It’s flat and round and I can see the words POP-UP TENT written on the side. Dad grins as he tosses this to me.
‘This is going to be so much more fun.’