S has been in Tennessee for two days and her accent has already wandered into being a Southern drawl. When she says 'hotel', she says 'ho-tayul' and has started to say 'oh my!' at the drop of a hat. She's also dropped 'mummy' and 'daddy' and has moved on to 'mom' and 'dad'. I don't mind it but E hates it and I am beginning to see the first major battle lines being drawn in our little family.
Today we all slept late. We're absolutely nailing this holiday thing, but it means we're all shattered and will need another holiday to recover. So we woke up a little later than planned and pulled ourselves together quickly to make sure we got to Dollywood in good time to enjoy it all. We did. It is joyous, loud, colourful, a little trashy, massive, in short everything you would want a theme park to be. And America does this sort of thing so well. We get straight in and get S measured at this place that then gives her a colour coded wristband which lets us know which rides she'll be suitable for. Pretty clever huh. Then we head for the area with the most suitable rides.
The whole place is remarkable and the weather so beautiful that I get photo paralysis. I want to take pictures of everything around me, but instead I keep taking selfies of me looking like Chewbacca in front of a backdrop of brightly coloured buildings and a brighter sun. I need a shave. And possibly a haircut.
The kids' rides are awesome and vary from the sedate to the little bit white knuckle. S's mind is blown by riding a zebra on a carousel. But then we ride a tiny roller coaster which goes really fast! In between screams of joy, she says, 'Don't worry daddy,' a lot and I have to wonder if maybe I'm screaming too much.
On calmer rides that she can go on without her parents, there always seems to be one kid bawling, bumming all the other kids out. On the bumblebees and the ducks, both of which go round and round at a walking pace, S sits in the carriage looking dead eyed and bored. It's only when we get her on the 80 foot ferris wheel and the oddly spinning super fast things that look like they're going to collide that she seems truly, truly happy. So we err on the side of risk and get our little thrill seeker on as many of those rides as we can. She has a wonderful time. Until we go on one of those water rapids rides in the round boat thing with the bumper. It's E's idea and I'm up for it so we drag S along, ignoring the warnings that this ride will get us wet. The ride drenches all of us, proper, soaked through, which is unfortunate because S hates getting wet unless she's in the tub. Here's a photo of us, our clothes cold, wet and clingy, but we're happy.
We approach Nashville as the sun is setting. I have no idea what it's like as a city; I only have my outrageously positive preconceptions. But like Boston, the skyline is immediately arresting. Against the blue pink orange sky there's something intriguing about it. I can't wait to get in the thick of it tomorrow and check it out.
We drive back to Nashville to find our accommodation for the next four nights. It's out first foray into the world of Air BnB and I have no idea what to expect. Communication with our hosts Sarah and Steve has been good and very friendly and they have a little girl around S's age so we're hopeful. We find the house and Sarah's sitting out front playing with Adeline, their daughter, while Steve is fixing his motorcycle. We get out, make introductions and it's like meeting up with old friends. These people are so nice and so friendly, I feel woefully inadequate like I'm offensive and boorish and horribly uncool. Feel free to tell me I'm none of those things when you see me.
And then I see the apartment we're staying in which is in the basement of their house and I feel woefully inadequate again. I was expecting, well, a basement. But it's a huge, open plan place, with everything you'd need to live there forever...which is an option I'm tempted by. There's good music already playing (Led Zeppelin, Creedence, CSR, The Grateful Dead) and a Taylor guitar stood by the TV waiting to be played. I haven't played guitar since I left home a couple of weeks ago. It felt great and it's a quality guitar. I have a horrible HORRIBLE feeling, the spirits of Nashville are going to pressure me into buying a guitar while I'm here.
Late now. Off to bed. 'Night y'all,' as S says.
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