Monday 26 March 2012

(not so) expert guide to punting

 If you don't know what punting is you should come and visit us. If you have never punted you should come and visit us. 


We went punting with Sam and Amy (Sarah's brother and sister in law) while they were in the UK and with Amy (Sarah's sister) and Caroline (our very brilliant at punting friend). 

So here we are in the punt  - so our first tip - avoid the hugely expensive guided tours where you are gently taken down the river by an experienced punter and punt yourselves in a slightly more funky zig-zaggy fashion. Second tip avoid the trees overhanging the water...
 ...then avoid the walls....unless you really want a close up look for some reason....
 ...watch out for the other punts going up and down....be prepared for lots of tourists laughing at you as you crash their punt because it doesn't want to go the direction you are trying to make it...
 ...watch your head as you go under the bridges...they are very pretty and all different but you do have to duck under most of them...
 ...if you finally have a minute when you are not stuck in a tree, hitting the wall, heading straight for another punt or a low bridge then you get to see some spectacular scenery as you travel down the River Cam past the backs of some of the colleges...
 ...you may also wish to avoid groups of school children standing on bridges ready to laugh at you, especially if there happens to be a million other punts all nearby at the time....
 ...then you can enjoy a nice leisurely punt back...and if you are lucky get Tommy with the little paddle to try and help you make it back in the right direction...
 ...had to include this one...not quite sure what he is up to...think it was something about helping it keep moving rather than holding the bridge up which is what it looks like...
...and then you thank God that you made it back again after some moments when you wondered whether that was ever going to happen....and make a plan that next time you are all in the country at the same time that you will return and have the same fun all over again....so who wants to come punting???

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