BALBY - There's No Place Like Home

Up in the North of England in South Yorkshire is a large town called Doncaster. Doncaster will probably be unknown to a lot of you, especially Southerners as half of you don't seem to know anything much about up North beyond the point of Manchester, but it is a very large town consisting of dozens of areas and villages. I live in a village called Balby which is just on the outskirts of Doncaster town centre. Balby itself is also huge although it's taken me nearly 27 years to realise just how huge and how much of a great place it is to live. It's always the case that when you're a child you would rather live anywhere in the world other than where you actually do live and to fully appreciate your birthplace I think you have to distance yourself from it. I first moved away from Balby a good few years ago and lived in various places for quite a while. I thought i'd never go back to Balby, after all what does Balby have to offer? But when it came to putting down roots for myself, buying a house and starting a family where did I go? Yes, I went back to Balby. So what makes this place so great? What does it have to offer? Why did it pull me back after I thought I loathed it for so many years? Let me take you on a journey with me, I'll warn you right now this is a very long review so if you fall asleep i'll understand.

I want to write about Balby for one specific reason. I'm writing this for me. I don't know whether we'll be living in Balby permanently although I very much doubt it so I want to write this review as a reminder of my birthplace. Also it would be great to tell you about a place you've probably never heard of before and may not have ever heard of without this review. Anyone thinking about moving up North will hopefully find a bit of useful information in here somewhere......

Balby has changed greatly over the years. At one point you even struggled to find it on maps, it barely seemed to exist. These days more and more houses have been built for a start. When I see all the new houses and estates I get flashbacks of all the empty and disused wasteland of my childhood years. Some people might not like the increase of housing but for Balby it has done us the world of good. More businesses have opened up as a result, more amenities are now available, both of these things create more job opportunities which in turn leads to a better environment to live in.

More houses of course means more schools but there's always been an abundant supply of them in Balby anyway. The schools of my childhood years are all still there barr one. Balby Middle School was knocked down some years ago as it was so old but the rest of them are still there. One in particular has been expanded beyond belief and now has a great reputation and is quite widely known. Balby Carr was my final school and it was OK but some things about it were not up to sctratch. Bullying was rife, drugs were smoked under the stairs daily, some of the rooms looked very worn, but overall the teachers were great. Once (and possibly more) it even had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Yorkshire and Yorkshire is Britains biggest county. These days the school has been totally transformed and goes by the name of Balby Carr Community Sports College. This is a quote taken from the school website (http://www.balbycarr.doncaster.sch.uk/) "the school has seen the awarding of Sports College status and the building of a City Learning Centre within the school grounds, both of which have had a positive impact on the school and its pupils" My my how it has changed. I've got to say that this school now looks very impressive. We can't go forgetting the music department either. I was a member of the music department between the years 1990 - 1994 and it was the best thing about the school in my opinion. I was in the choir even though I can't sing for toffee. Yeah I know being a choir member isn't the most exciting thing in the world but we got to do some really fantastic things. For example we were asked to sing to the traffic jams on Balby Road (busy main rd leading to Doncaster) at 8 in the morning. That sound crap? Well we were asked to do it by the Big Breakfast, remember that show? We had Mark Lamaar standing with us (he was chainsmoking tut tut) at the Swan Inn and he was stopping cars because for some reason on that particular day there were no traffic jams. Typical! Anyway that's getting a bit off topic, the music department also travel abroad and perform concerts throughout Europe. I went to Prague for a week and i've never forgotten that trip. I still see pictures in the newspaper of the concerts they do, or the occasional charity drive like singing or playing concerts at Asda. This must surely be a school worth considering moving to Balby for.

Balby Carr may be the best school in terms of what it is but it's not my favourite school. The one place i'll always have a soft spot for is the one my Mum and three brothers also went to. Woodfield First School was my first school and I absolutely loved my time there. The school is still there just like it was when I was a kid and when my Mum was a kid. Nothing has changed except a bit of inside modernisation and they've replaced First School with Primary School. It looks exactly as I remember it at 5 years old. I really wanted my Son to go to this school but where I live is closer to another school, Waverley, so it's just easier to take him there. But there are other first/infant/primary schools in Balby too. Not forgetting there's also a private school just at the top of the small hill where I used to live. Then there's the special needs school. I could go on and on and on. Basically all you need to know is Balby is a great place when it comes to schooling and whichever part of Balby you live in you'll have a school just down the road. Families with children are the main residents of Balby.

The Alverley Estate is a young families idea of housing heaven and is situated towards the back end of Balby close to the villages of Loversall and Wadworth. I always ALWAYS wanted to live there as a kid because all my mates lived there. I've never come across a place so child friendly and family orientated. Back when I remember the Alverley all the neighbours knew each other, there were water fights in the cul de sacs in summer, a youthclub on the field in school holidays (Christian orientated) It was the place to be and I loved being friends with people who lived there as it made me feel a part of it. I'd have prefered to live there though.....I can't comment on the atmosphere of the estate these days as it's been a while since I played in the streets with my mates but I take a drive around there once in a while and although I don't see as many kids playing in the street it still looks how I remember it. Even the houses don't seem to have aged. Back then they were new builds whereas today they're probably going on for 30 years old, perhaps even more. I wouldn't want to live there today though. I think because i've such fond memories of it as a child it wouldn't live up to my adult expectations. You can never enjoy things like you did as a child when you are an adult. A very nice place to live, just a shame I didn't live there as a child.

While we're on the subject of The Alverley i've got to mention the pub. The Alverley Inn is right next to the estate and is definitely the best pub in Balby, no question. The first time I went there was probably about 8 years ago and i'd been dying to see the inside of it for so long. When I was a kid one of my classmates parents owned it but I never managed to weedle my way in so you can imagine my excitement when at 18/19 I went through that door for the first time. There was so much to it. It's not just an ordinary pub, it's a pub for absolutely everyone. You want child friendly? You go here. You want smoke free? You go here. You want a quiet drink? You go here. You wanna go out with your mates? You go here. Hell even local teenagers go here. The pub discriminates no-one and i've never seen a bit of trouble (although trouble is bound to happen at some point when alcohol is involved) There are seperate bars depending on what kinda thing you're looking for. It's pretty much reminiscent of a holiday camp entertainment area actually and looks nothing like a pub from the outside. There is a family lounge area which is the pubs biggest plus point. This area is where smoking is totally banned. It's well ventilated and even has a little bar/shop for the kiddies complete with sweets, chocolate and I think I even saw lucky dip bags for sale the last time I went. You can't even buy alcohol in this area although you can buy it in another bar and fetch it back with you. Not to mention the soft play area tucked away in the corner, which is much better than any Wacky Warehouse as this one never gets over busy. This pub has won multiple awards and I can see why. If we ever leave Balby I will miss this place. It's very rare you come across family orientated pubs these days and this one's been a godsend to us. I'm sure my Son Jake will miss the outdoor park and indoor play area too. We've had some great days out here. I wish they did food then it'd be the most perfect place ever (They still have highchairs though so full credit to them. Half the time even food places don't have decent highchairs)

Up at the other end of Balby around 1 mile from Doncaster town centre is my old gymnastics club which is still alive and kicking today. Rainbow Gymnastics Club can be found in an area of Balby called Cross Bank which is near Bridon Ropes and all the other industrial workplaces (see lots of job opportunities there) I wouldn't say it's a huge club, or indeed a successful club. In fact as I remember it the two head coaches were horrible most of the time. Just my luck that these two coaches were also teachers at one of my schools. I've since heard the Son of one of these coaches is now running it. Although it may sound as though I hated this club I did in fact love it. I was a member here for about 8 years and would love to go back and do it all over again. Gymnastic was my sport of choice until I became too tall, my Mother had ideas on the swimming front for me. Thank God Balby doesn't have its own swimming pool otherwise i'd have ended up living there. Incidentally Rainbow started its life based in the sports hall of Balby Carr School until they could afford their own building. The club grew and the rest is history. It's still going strong and i'd recommend it to anyone searching for a childrens gymnastic club in this area.

So who wants a bit of culture then? There's a few churches here too. One is called St Johns and is on Balby Rd (straight rd leading to town centre) This church has an impressive and quite rare Lyche Gate and the only reason I know such a trivial fact is because my Grandad helped to make this gate and there's an old black and white photograph somewhere as proof. Churches are definitely not my kinda thing but it's nice to know there are historical places of interest just down the road and I appreciate the fact that it's there. Strangely the chapel next to St Johns church is now a pharmacy. It looks very cool.

Of course you get the rough areas of every place and Balby is no exception. I didn't like walking through or past the rough council estates on my way home from school as that was where all the trouble seemed to be. The council estates are still there but some of the houses have been pulled down and rebuilt which has transformed the atmosphere in those areas and they're now non recognisable as a council estates. I don't like the new idea that Doncaster Council has come up with though. They're turning an old retirement home into a drug rehabilitation centre. I know these centres have to exist somewhere but when it's at the bottom of your road it can feel a bit close for comfort

Then there's also a large hospital, doctors, library, many childrens parks (complete with the standard dog poop), dentists, fitness clubs, McDonalds, giant Tesco store.....You name it we got it. The guy who sings St Elmos Fire (John Parr) used to live in Balby on Shepherds Road and the Open All Hours shop was one of those down the Carr Hill area. Now those are the kinda landmarks I prefer over churches any day. Want another trivial fact? Jeremy Clarkson crashed a very expensive car on a very quiet road in Loversall, just up the road from The Alverley. How the hell did he manage that one?

Summing up time..... Balby has improved beyond belief and really wasn't that bad to start with. Estate agents are opening up down the street from us, this is definitely an up and coming area. Just 5 years ago you could pick up a terraced house for £15,000 whereas now you're lucky to get the same one for less than £70,000. Have a look on this page towards the middle http://www.britishsurvey.org/Doncaster/Balby/#houseprices ... it all seems good to me (also good for the bank balance as we bought our property when they were at rock bottom prices) And what with Doncaster International Airport opening in just a few short days it is sure to attract more people and companies to invest around here. I can't see house prices dropping for quite some time. They're still way below the national average so as far as I can see the only way is up. Buying a house here right now is definitely a good investment in my eyes but you best be quick if you want that bargain.

There is also a direct link to Doncaster Train Station which is just over a mile away. You can walk there in 15 - 30 minutes. It must be a commuters dream. Not to mention how easy it is to just hop on a bus or how close we are to the A1 which sits nicely on our doorstep. We've got it easy here. Everything is within easy reach without the massive over congestion and crowds of big cities. It's about time Balby was noticed and put firmly on the map. This aint no small poxy village, it's a bloody great place to live and i'm glad I see it differently now.

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BALBY - There's No Place Like Home

Up in the North of England in South Yorkshire is a large town called Doncaster. Doncaster will probably be unknown to a lot of you, especially Southerners as half of you don't seem to know anything much about up North beyond the point of Manchester, but it is a very large town consisting of dozens of areas and villages. I live in a village called Balby which is just on the outskirts of Doncaster town centre. Balby itself is also huge although it's taken me nearly 27 years to realise just how huge and how much of a great place it is to live. It's always the case that when you're a child you would rather live anywhere in the world other than where you actually do live and to fully appreciate your birthplace I think you have to distance yourself from it. I first moved away from Balby a good few years ago and lived in various places for quite a while. I thought i'd never go back to Balby, after all what does Balby have to offer? But when it came to putting down roots for myself, buying a house and starting a family where did I go? Yes, I went back to Balby. So what makes this place so great? What does it have to offer? Why did it pull me back after I thought I loathed it for so many years? Let me take you on a journey with me, I'll warn you right now this is a very long review so if you fall asleep i'll understand.

I want to write about Balby for one specific reason. I'm writing this for me. I don't know whether we'll be living in Balby permanently although I very much doubt it so I want to write this review as a reminder of my birthplace. Also it would be great to tell you about a place you've probably never heard of before and may not have ever heard of without this review. Anyone thinking about moving up North will hopefully find a bit of useful information in here somewhere......

Balby has changed greatly over the years. At one point you even struggled to find it on maps, it barely seemed to exist. These days more and more houses have been built for a start. When I see all the new houses and estates I get flashbacks of all the empty and disused wasteland of my childhood years. Some people might not like the increase of housing but for Balby it has done us the world of good. More businesses have opened up as a result, more amenities are now available, both of these things create more job opportunities which in turn leads to a better environment to live in.

More houses of course means more schools but there's always been an abundant supply of them in Balby anyway. The schools of my childhood years are all still there barr one. Balby Middle School was knocked down some years ago as it was so old but the rest of them are still there. One in particular has been expanded beyond belief and now has a great reputation and is quite widely known. Balby Carr was my final school and it was OK but some things about it were not up to sctratch. Bullying was rife, drugs were smoked under the stairs daily, some of the rooms looked very worn, but overall the teachers were great. Once (and possibly more) it even had one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Yorkshire and Yorkshire is Britains biggest county. These days the school has been totally transformed and goes by the name of Balby Carr Community Sports College. This is a quote taken from the school website (http://www.balbycarr.doncaster.sch.uk/) "the school has seen the awarding of Sports College status and the building of a City Learning Centre within the school grounds, both of which have had a positive impact on the school and its pupils" My my how it has changed. I've got to say that this school now looks very impressive. We can't go forgetting the music department either. I was a member of the music department between the years 1990 - 1994 and it was the best thing about the school in my opinion. I was in the choir even though I can't sing for toffee. Yeah I know being a choir member isn't the most exciting thing in the world but we got to do some really fantastic things. For example we were asked to sing to the traffic jams on Balby Road (busy main rd leading to Doncaster) at 8 in the morning. That sound crap? Well we were asked to do it by the Big Breakfast, remember that show? We had Mark Lamaar standing with us (he was chainsmoking tut tut) at the Swan Inn and he was stopping cars because for some reason on that particular day there were no traffic jams. Typical! Anyway that's getting a bit off topic, the music department also travel abroad and perform concerts throughout Europe. I went to Prague for a week and i've never forgotten that trip. I still see pictures in the newspaper of the concerts they do, or the occasional charity drive like singing or playing concerts at Asda. This must surely be a school worth considering moving to Balby for.

Balby Carr may be the best school in terms of what it is but it's not my favourite school. The one place i'll always have a soft spot for is the one my Mum and three brothers also went to. Woodfield First School was my first school and I absolutely loved my time there. The school is still there just like it was when I was a kid and when my Mum was a kid. Nothing has changed except a bit of inside modernisation and they've replaced First School with Primary School. It looks exactly as I remember it at 5 years old. I really wanted my Son to go to this school but where I live is closer to another school, Waverley, so it's just easier to take him there. But there are other first/infant/primary schools in Balby too. Not forgetting there's also a private school just at the top of the small hill where I used to live. Then there's the special needs school. I could go on and on and on. Basically all you need to know is Balby is a great place when it comes to schooling and whichever part of Balby you live in you'll have a school just down the road. Families with children are the main residents of Balby.

The Alverley Estate is a young families idea of housing heaven and is situated towards the back end of Balby close to the villages of Loversall and Wadworth. I always ALWAYS wanted to live there as a kid because all my mates lived there. I've never come across a place so child friendly and family orientated. Back when I remember the Alverley all the neighbours knew each other, there were water fights in the cul de sacs in summer, a youthclub on the field in school holidays (Christian orientated) It was the place to be and I loved being friends with people who lived there as it made me feel a part of it. I'd have prefered to live there though.....I can't comment on the atmosphere of the estate these days as it's been a while since I played in the streets with my mates but I take a drive around there once in a while and although I don't see as many kids playing in the street it still looks how I remember it. Even the houses don't seem to have aged. Back then they were new builds whereas today they're probably going on for 30 years old, perhaps even more. I wouldn't want to live there today though. I think because i've such fond memories of it as a child it wouldn't live up to my adult expectations. You can never enjoy things like you did as a child when you are an adult. A very nice place to live, just a shame I didn't live there as a child.

While we're on the subject of The Alverley i've got to mention the pub. The Alverley Inn is right next to the estate and is definitely the best pub in Balby, no question. The first time I went there was probably about 8 years ago and i'd been dying to see the inside of it for so long. When I was a kid one of my classmates parents owned it but I never managed to weedle my way in so you can imagine my excitement when at 18/19 I went through that door for the first time. There was so much to it. It's not just an ordinary pub, it's a pub for absolutely everyone. You want child friendly? You go here. You want smoke free? You go here. You want a quiet drink? You go here. You wanna go out with your mates? You go here. Hell even local teenagers go here. The pub discriminates no-one and i've never seen a bit of trouble (although trouble is bound to happen at some point when alcohol is involved) There are seperate bars depending on what kinda thing you're looking for. It's pretty much reminiscent of a holiday camp entertainment area actually and looks nothing like a pub from the outside. There is a family lounge area which is the pubs biggest plus point. This area is where smoking is totally banned. It's well ventilated and even has a little bar/shop for the kiddies complete with sweets, chocolate and I think I even saw lucky dip bags for sale the last time I went. You can't even buy alcohol in this area although you can buy it in another bar and fetch it back with you. Not to mention the soft play area tucked away in the corner, which is much better than any Wacky Warehouse as this one never gets over busy. This pub has won multiple awards and I can see why. If we ever leave Balby I will miss this place. It's very rare you come across family orientated pubs these days and this one's been a godsend to us. I'm sure my Son Jake will miss the outdoor park and indoor play area too. We've had some great days out here. I wish they did food then it'd be the most perfect place ever (They still have highchairs though so full credit to them. Half the time even food places don't have decent highchairs)

Up at the other end of Balby around 1 mile from Doncaster town centre is my old gymnastics club which is still alive and kicking today. Rainbow Gymnastics Club can be found in an area of Balby called Cross Bank which is near Bridon Ropes and all the other industrial workplaces (see lots of job opportunities there) I wouldn't say it's a huge club, or indeed a successful club. In fact as I remember it the two head coaches were horrible most of the time. Just my luck that these two coaches were also teachers at one of my schools. I've since heard the Son of one of these coaches is now running it. Although it may sound as though I hated this club I did in fact love it. I was a member here for about 8 years and would love to go back and do it all over again. Gymnastic was my sport of choice until I became too tall, my Mother had ideas on the swimming front for me. Thank God Balby doesn't have its own swimming pool otherwise i'd have ended up living there. Incidentally Rainbow started its life based in the sports hall of Balby Carr School until they could afford their own building. The club grew and the rest is history. It's still going strong and i'd recommend it to anyone searching for a childrens gymnastic club in this area.

So who wants a bit of culture then? There's a few churches here too. One is called St Johns and is on Balby Rd (straight rd leading to town centre) This church has an impressive and quite rare Lyche Gate and the only reason I know such a trivial fact is because my Grandad helped to make this gate and there's an old black and white photograph somewhere as proof. Churches are definitely not my kinda thing but it's nice to know there are historical places of interest just down the road and I appreciate the fact that it's there. Strangely the chapel next to St Johns church is now a pharmacy. It looks very cool.

Of course you get the rough areas of every place and Balby is no exception. I didn't like walking through or past the rough council estates on my way home from school as that was where all the trouble seemed to be. The council estates are still there but some of the houses have been pulled down and rebuilt which has transformed the atmosphere in those areas and they're now non recognisable as a council estates. I don't like the new idea that Doncaster Council has come up with though. They're turning an old retirement home into a drug rehabilitation centre. I know these centres have to exist somewhere but when it's at the bottom of your road it can feel a bit close for comfort

Then there's also a large hospital, doctors, library, many childrens parks (complete with the standard dog poop), dentists, fitness clubs, McDonalds, giant Tesco store.....You name it we got it. The guy who sings St Elmos Fire (John Parr) used to live in Balby on Shepherds Road and the Open All Hours shop was one of those down the Carr Hill area. Now those are the kinda landmarks I prefer over churches any day. Want another trivial fact? Jeremy Clarkson crashed a very expensive car on a very quiet road in Loversall, just up the road from The Alverley. How the hell did he manage that one?

Summing up time..... Balby has improved beyond belief and really wasn't that bad to start with. Estate agents are opening up down the street from us, this is definitely an up and coming area. Just 5 years ago you could pick up a terraced house for £15,000 whereas now you're lucky to get the same one for less than £70,000. Have a look on this page towards the middle http://www.britishsurvey.org/Doncaster/Balby/#houseprices ... it all seems good to me (also good for the bank balance as we bought our property when they were at rock bottom prices) And what with Doncaster International Airport opening in just a few short days it is sure to attract more people and companies to invest around here. I can't see house prices dropping for quite some time. They're still way below the national average so as far as I can see the only way is up. Buying a house here right now is definitely a good investment in my eyes but you best be quick if you want that bargain.

There is also a direct link to Doncaster Train Station which is just over a mile away. You can walk there in 15 - 30 minutes. It must be a commuters dream. Not to mention how easy it is to just hop on a bus or how close we are to the A1 which sits nicely on our doorstep. We've got it easy here. Everything is within easy reach without the massive over congestion and crowds of big cities. It's about time Balby was noticed and put firmly on the map. This aint no small poxy village, it's a bloody great place to live and i'm glad I see it differently now.

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Lush Ocean Salt Review

Although I do purchase Lush products i've only so far found two products which I love. Well two products and this Ocean Salt that is. I'm a big fan of their Big shampoo and Retread conditioner. The Big shampoo works a treat on my hair which is normally greasy and limp. I figured one of the ingredients within Big (the chunks of sea salt) was mainly to thank for this grease zapping miracle so I wondered if the Ocean Salt facial scrub would have the same effect on my manky greasy skin.

I picked up a 120g tub of Lush Ocean Salt from eBay for the fair price of £3.60 + £1.50 p&p though it can be far more expensive if there's a few bidders fighting it out. The usual price from Lush is £4.95 but there's no Lush shop where I live so it's either eBay or extortionate p&p by ordering for the Lush site for me.

Upon opening the small black tub of Ocean Salt the smell you are greeted with is one of lime which is one of the main ingredients. It's a very pleasant smell and one which is not overpowering. The cream is a lovely thick consistency and visibly contains lots of sea salt, both fine and coarse granules.

Usage is straightforward. Scoop out however much Ocean Salt you want (only a little is required) and gently rub onto your face. Once scrubbed just wash it off. Washing off is harder unless you want the vile taste of salt running into your mouth, bleurgh. What I do is use this in the bath then tilt my head forwards until it's submerged in the water and quickly wash it off whilst hoping nothing goes near my mouth. I've tried using this at the sink but the taste of the water running down my lips made me gag.

The good news is even if the taste is horrible the product really works on my skin. I use it nearly every day and barely get any greasy spots since i've bought it. My skin feels softer, smoother and cleaner for much longer. Other products have been known to give me dry patches around my nose but this one hasn't. Hopefully it'll keep me looking young too due to the skin rehydration and exfoliating action from the salt, the toning and refreshing action of the lime and grapefruit, and the polishing and smoothing effect of the coconut and avocado. Sounds good enough to eat, doesn't it? Well DON'T!

Lush recommend if you've got dry skin you should only use it once a week and sensitive skinned people should stay away completely due to the lime being too harsh for sensitive types. For oily skin, like mine, you can use it every day if you wish.

I do love this product and will continue to look for another cheap pot on eBay. I love the little black tub it comes in. I love the smell. I love the ease of use. I love the great and long lasting effect. The only thing I hate is the taste but barring this one thing I can't think of a single negative.

The pot is available in two sizes though you only really need the small 120g pot as it lasts for ages. If you'd like more info take a look on the Lush site http://www.lush.co.uk

Lush Ocean Salt Review

Although I do purchase Lush products i've only so far found two products which I love. Well two products and this Ocean Salt that is. I'm a big fan of their Big shampoo and Retread conditioner. The Big shampoo works a treat on my hair which is normally greasy and limp. I figured one of the ingredients within Big (the chunks of sea salt) was mainly to thank for this grease zapping miracle so I wondered if the Ocean Salt facial scrub would have the same effect on my manky greasy skin.

I picked up a 120g tub of Lush Ocean Salt from eBay for the fair price of £3.60 + £1.50 p&p though it can be far more expensive if there's a few bidders fighting it out. The usual price from Lush is £4.95 but there's no Lush shop where I live so it's either eBay or extortionate p&p by ordering for the Lush site for me.

Upon opening the small black tub of Ocean Salt the smell you are greeted with is one of lime which is one of the main ingredients. It's a very pleasant smell and one which is not overpowering. The cream is a lovely thick consistency and visibly contains lots of sea salt, both fine and coarse granules.

Usage is straightforward. Scoop out however much Ocean Salt you want (only a little is required) and gently rub onto your face. Once scrubbed just wash it off. Washing off is harder unless you want the vile taste of salt running into your mouth, bleurgh. What I do is use this in the bath then tilt my head forwards until it's submerged in the water and quickly wash it off whilst hoping nothing goes near my mouth. I've tried using this at the sink but the taste of the water running down my lips made me gag.

The good news is even if the taste is horrible the product really works on my skin. I use it nearly every day and barely get any greasy spots since i've bought it. My skin feels softer, smoother and cleaner for much longer. Other products have been known to give me dry patches around my nose but this one hasn't. Hopefully it'll keep me looking young too due to the skin rehydration and exfoliating action from the salt, the toning and refreshing action of the lime and grapefruit, and the polishing and smoothing effect of the coconut and avocado. Sounds good enough to eat, doesn't it? Well DON'T!

Lush recommend if you've got dry skin you should only use it once a week and sensitive skinned people should stay away completely due to the lime being too harsh for sensitive types. For oily skin, like mine, you can use it every day if you wish.

I do love this product and will continue to look for another cheap pot on eBay. I love the little black tub it comes in. I love the smell. I love the ease of use. I love the great and long lasting effect. The only thing I hate is the taste but barring this one thing I can't think of a single negative.

The pot is available in two sizes though you only really need the small 120g pot as it lasts for ages. If you'd like more info take a look on the Lush site http://www.lush.co.uk

Lush Big Shampoo Review

Before I joined review sites i'd never heard of Lush in my life but with the sheer volume of Lush reviews on review sites it's very hard to ignore them. After reading a fair few dozen I swore i'd never become a Lush addict myself as their products seemed waaay too expensive for my tight-arse taste. Well I did manage to stay away from these products for quite a while helped by the fact that Doncaster hasn't got a Lush shop but unfortunately I was gradually drawn towards them and recently spent my entire birthday money at their website and ordered a whole bunch of expensive products. This is very rare for me as I don't tend to splash out on myself. I get more enjoyment from splashing out on Hubby and Son than I could ever get out of buying stuff for me.

BUT I have to admit I was curious about Lush from the start. Not because everyone seems to love them. More like the fact their products have such fantastically original names it kinda made me want to try them out. So amongst a few other purchases I bought the Lush Big Shampoo. The Lush Big Shampoo was the most expensive product I purchased at a cost of £6.95 which is the most expensive shampoo i've ever bought in my life.

My hair is what you'd call dull and limp. It's shoulder length, layered, blonde, and has a tendancy to get very greasy very quickly. If I wash my hair in the morning by the nightime it'll be looking greasy on top and then I either have to wash it again the next day or slap it back in a ponytail. This Big Shampoo claims to be a life affirming shampoo for more shine than you thought possible and turns dull, limp hair into shiny, silky hair with added volume. I was very sceptical I have to say but seem as it was my birthday and I was treating myself I thought i'd give it a go. After all, it couldn't possibly make my hair look any worse.

Firstly the shampoo doesn't come in a bottle like you'd have thought. It comes in a tub approximately 15cm in height and looks fairly posh. I don't claim to be a Lush expert but from what i've read i've gathered they handmake their products, they're all made from natural ingredients, and they are against animal testing.

The tub is at first quite hard to open. If you squeeze it slightly as you turn the lid it makes it much easier. After the first time it's fairly easy to open. Inside the shampoo looks more like frog spawn. It's a creamy white colour and the consistency is like watery jelly. The shampoo contains lots of raw sea salt which you can easily see, it feels lovely as you're rubbing it on your hair. Other ingredients are seaweed and lime juice. I can't say I can smell each of these ingredients seperately. In fact it's very hard to describe the smell but it's very nice, not overpowering, fresh, and long lasting.

The first time I used this shampoo I was a little disappointed that it didn't lather up as I was expecting. I rinsed the first lot out and put another small amount on (small amount is all you need each time) Well imagine my suprise when the second time it lathered up beautifully. It's the same everytime I use it. First wash no lather, second wash lots of lather. I have no idea why this happens but I usually wash my hair twice anyway so it's no big deal.

Unfortunately my hair goes very fly away if I don't use conditioner so at the same time as buying this I bought the Lush Retread Conditioner. I applied this after washing it twice and once dried my hair looked beautiful even if I do say so myself. Where my hair is usually limper than limp this time it actually looked like it had a bit of volume. OK so the volume wasn't huge but it definitely had more volume than normal. At the crown of my head the results were much more noticable. Instead of it lying flat and lifeless it was looking fresh, shiny and healthy.

I spent all day running my fingers through my hair and basking in the softness of it. My hair probably hadn't been this nice since I was a child. This shampoo was amazing. I loved it. But what would my hair look like after a night of sleeping on it?

Well the next morning imagine my shock when I looked in the mirror to find non-greasy hair. This was the first time in years i'd been able to wake up in the morning and not worry about the state of my hair. The volume was still there. The shine was still there. It still looked and smelt as good as if i'd just washed it. I was able to wear my hair down without the need to slap it back in a ponytail or wash it.

I've now used this shampoo about 8 times and every single time the results are fantastic. Although the tub is only a 330g one it does seem to last longer than I would've thought. I'm not even a quarter of the way down yet and i've used 16 lots of it (twice each wash) You only need to wash once with the shampoo but I would recommend you use a tiny amount first and wash it out, then apply a second slightly larger amount and wash. Like I mentioned previously the second lot seems to lather up and if you're a fan of lather like me then give it a try.

Yes it is expensive but I would say it's definitely worth it and i'm not looking forward to running out. As for hair suitability i'd say it's probably suitable for almost every type of hair out there although I would avoid it if you've already got thick hair. Ratings wise i'd have to give this a 5 star as I love it so much. I haven't the heart to dock a star for price and lack of lather for the first wash as they're only minor grumbles and ones I can easily live with. The shampoo does exactly what it says it should do and leaves your hair looking and feeling youthful again.

If you are interested in this or any other Lush products then have a look on their website which features hundreds upon hundreds of items. You'll also find a list of shops so you can check if there's one near you.


http://www.lushdns.co.uk/system/index.html

Lush Big Shampoo Review

Before I joined review sites i'd never heard of Lush in my life but with the sheer volume of Lush reviews on review sites it's very hard to ignore them. After reading a fair few dozen I swore i'd never become a Lush addict myself as their products seemed waaay too expensive for my tight-arse taste. Well I did manage to stay away from these products for quite a while helped by the fact that Doncaster hasn't got a Lush shop but unfortunately I was gradually drawn towards them and recently spent my entire birthday money at their website and ordered a whole bunch of expensive products. This is very rare for me as I don't tend to splash out on myself. I get more enjoyment from splashing out on Hubby and Son than I could ever get out of buying stuff for me.

BUT I have to admit I was curious about Lush from the start. Not because everyone seems to love them. More like the fact their products have such fantastically original names it kinda made me want to try them out. So amongst a few other purchases I bought the Lush Big Shampoo. The Lush Big Shampoo was the most expensive product I purchased at a cost of £6.95 which is the most expensive shampoo i've ever bought in my life.

My hair is what you'd call dull and limp. It's shoulder length, layered, blonde, and has a tendancy to get very greasy very quickly. If I wash my hair in the morning by the nightime it'll be looking greasy on top and then I either have to wash it again the next day or slap it back in a ponytail. This Big Shampoo claims to be a life affirming shampoo for more shine than you thought possible and turns dull, limp hair into shiny, silky hair with added volume. I was very sceptical I have to say but seem as it was my birthday and I was treating myself I thought i'd give it a go. After all, it couldn't possibly make my hair look any worse.

Firstly the shampoo doesn't come in a bottle like you'd have thought. It comes in a tub approximately 15cm in height and looks fairly posh. I don't claim to be a Lush expert but from what i've read i've gathered they handmake their products, they're all made from natural ingredients, and they are against animal testing.

The tub is at first quite hard to open. If you squeeze it slightly as you turn the lid it makes it much easier. After the first time it's fairly easy to open. Inside the shampoo looks more like frog spawn. It's a creamy white colour and the consistency is like watery jelly. The shampoo contains lots of raw sea salt which you can easily see, it feels lovely as you're rubbing it on your hair. Other ingredients are seaweed and lime juice. I can't say I can smell each of these ingredients seperately. In fact it's very hard to describe the smell but it's very nice, not overpowering, fresh, and long lasting.

The first time I used this shampoo I was a little disappointed that it didn't lather up as I was expecting. I rinsed the first lot out and put another small amount on (small amount is all you need each time) Well imagine my suprise when the second time it lathered up beautifully. It's the same everytime I use it. First wash no lather, second wash lots of lather. I have no idea why this happens but I usually wash my hair twice anyway so it's no big deal.

Unfortunately my hair goes very fly away if I don't use conditioner so at the same time as buying this I bought the Lush Retread Conditioner. I applied this after washing it twice and once dried my hair looked beautiful even if I do say so myself. Where my hair is usually limper than limp this time it actually looked like it had a bit of volume. OK so the volume wasn't huge but it definitely had more volume than normal. At the crown of my head the results were much more noticable. Instead of it lying flat and lifeless it was looking fresh, shiny and healthy.

I spent all day running my fingers through my hair and basking in the softness of it. My hair probably hadn't been this nice since I was a child. This shampoo was amazing. I loved it. But what would my hair look like after a night of sleeping on it?

Well the next morning imagine my shock when I looked in the mirror to find non-greasy hair. This was the first time in years i'd been able to wake up in the morning and not worry about the state of my hair. The volume was still there. The shine was still there. It still looked and smelt as good as if i'd just washed it. I was able to wear my hair down without the need to slap it back in a ponytail or wash it.

I've now used this shampoo about 8 times and every single time the results are fantastic. Although the tub is only a 330g one it does seem to last longer than I would've thought. I'm not even a quarter of the way down yet and i've used 16 lots of it (twice each wash) You only need to wash once with the shampoo but I would recommend you use a tiny amount first and wash it out, then apply a second slightly larger amount and wash. Like I mentioned previously the second lot seems to lather up and if you're a fan of lather like me then give it a try.

Yes it is expensive but I would say it's definitely worth it and i'm not looking forward to running out. As for hair suitability i'd say it's probably suitable for almost every type of hair out there although I would avoid it if you've already got thick hair. Ratings wise i'd have to give this a 5 star as I love it so much. I haven't the heart to dock a star for price and lack of lather for the first wash as they're only minor grumbles and ones I can easily live with. The shampoo does exactly what it says it should do and leaves your hair looking and feeling youthful again.

If you are interested in this or any other Lush products then have a look on their website which features hundreds upon hundreds of items. You'll also find a list of shops so you can check if there's one near you.


http://www.lushdns.co.uk/system/index.html

Alton Towers Review

THE DAY BEFORE


I wanted to start this review slightly differently you see I haven't actually been to Alton Towers as of yet. No, but i'm off tomorrow and I can't wait. So I thought i'd give a little introduction and see whether the actual experience matches up to the expectation.

I have always wanted to go to Alton Towers, ever since I was a kid. But as I come from a large family it was out of the question because the ticket prices are astronomical in price and we just couldn't afford it. So my Husband suggested that we go tomorrow seen as our son is on holiday with his Grandparents. There is no way we would take a two year old there, it would be ridiculous spending all that money to get in and not be able to go on the rides.

We have scraped the ticket money together, just, and are fully expecting a whole day filled with thrills and such. I feel like a big kid. I've always wanted to go on the Nemesis and will definately head for that first. I'm sure everyone has heard that Alton Towers has the best rides, well I hope so. I LOVE rides.

One aspect I am fully aware of, and quite worried about to be honest, is the amount of queueing we may have to do. Now I don't mind waiting half an hour or so, but if we have to queue up 2 hours for each ride I will be rather disappointed. After all I want to get our moneys worth out of it, that's my poor Husbands hard earned wage.

So will Alton Towers live up to it's reputation?

Only time will tell!......................

Read on......................



THE DAY AFTER


Phew, I am so happy to be back at home. My body is aching and my feet are killing me, I have never walked so much in my life. I'm glad I went to Alton Towers, but was it worth it? Well lets just say that it wasn't what I expected. There were some aspects that were fabulous and some that were down right annoying. So read on to hear a full review about my day.



GETTING THERE


We set off at 8 in the morning to make sure we arrived for when the park opened at 9.30. As sods law would have it we got stuck in a major traffic jam on the M1 for over an hour, therefore we didn't arrive until nearly 11. We are useless at directions but found that Alton Towers was very easy to find as it was signposted very early on in the journey. Some of the roads closer to the park are fairly old and narrow so be careful if you drive yourself as otherwise you'll find yourself in a ditch.



CAR PARKING


There are two car parks once you arrive. One of those is situated right next to the park and it costs a whopping 6 quid to park there. The other is a little further out and costs 3 quid. I was astounded at this. How dare they charge customers to park there car when they are going to spend loads of money in the park anyway. At least the car park was well organised and set out, with parking attendants directing you on where to go.



GETTING INTO THE PARK


As we chose the cheaper car park to park in we were wondering how to actually get to the entrance of the park itself. I didn't fancy walking a mile. But we were very nicely directed to a Monorail which takes you directly to the entrance. This was the first queue we encountered. It took 15 minutes to wait for our turn and another 5 minutes to travel. I know it's only 20 minutes in total but thats 20 minutes of ride time gone.



PAYING


Once arriving at the payment booths we chose the smallest queue to stand in. I knew this was a bad idea cos everytime I stand in small queues they take the longest time to go down. Sure enough it took another 20 minutes to pay our entrance fees and get in. It only cost us 18 quid each to get in as a very nice la dy gave us a couple of discount vouchers as we were stood talking to her. There are lots of other different pricing options to choose from, too many to go into, but the normal price for a single adult is 26.50. There are family tickets available for just over 70 pounds and if you have a child under 4 it is free.



NAVIGATING THE PARK


Even Christopher Columbus would have difficulty navigating himself around this one. We did try to follow the map but the area that the park covers is just too vast. So we came to the conclusion that it would be best if we just went with our gut instinct and see where it took us.

We were none the wiser at the end of the day as to where each of the rides etc were. It is a very difficult park to get your bearings in when everything is surrounded by trees. Even trying to find the start of a queue for a ride was a chore and a half.



RIDES


Everyone has seen the adverts and heard the hype about Alton Towers having the best rides of all the theme parks. If you want the latest roller coaster or are an adrenalin junkie this is the place to be. So what do I think? Did the Nemesis hit all the right buttons? Is there something for everyone?

There is definitely something for everyone I can say that with assurance. The vast area this theme park covers means that they have been able to cram in much more choice than anywhere I have been before. Whether you are a little kid or a big kid there is bound to be something to satisfy you. The park includes the following:-

Nemesis - Ever since I can remember I have been dying to go on this ride. Everyone I knew had told me how brilliant it was and that you wouldn't experience anything like it anywhere else. All I can say to that is Bull S**t. This was the first ride I went on and I came off it feeling absolutely nauseous to the pit of my stomach. It was just too fast and jerky. I was left fe eling that i'd been tossed around in a tumble dryer and spat out at the end. The ride just went tooooo fast to enjoy it. By the time you realised it had started, it was all over. Very, very much over-rated. A 30 second ride is not my idea of fun!

Oblivion - This is the one that takes you up high into the air and then drops you into a black hole. Again this was a very short ride. It really was just a drop and nothing else. I have to admit that the adrenalin it gave me was excellent, but then it was over. What happened to proper rides that lasted a good couple of minutes?

Air - I had not heard of this one but I was assured it was supposed to be great. Air follows the same principal as Nemesis, but instead of hanging underneath the track and facing forwards, you are tilted so you are lying underneath and facing the ground. I was wary of this after Nemesis but I gave it a go anyway. I was glad I did because it was the best ride I have ever had, if maybe a little short. I felt really safe in the harness as it was made of a flexible rubber material that almost hugs you rather than restraining. Your feet and legs are also secured which really makes you feel totally safe. The track was really smooth and it gave you the impression you were flying. Absolutely fantastic. A must for everyone. I went on it twice.

Duel - This is a haunted house with a difference. Its a bit like a ghost ride crossed with laser quest. As you travel through the haunted house you are met by skulls, zombies and ghosts which you have to shoot with a laser gun. The score for each person is totted up as you go through and at the end you see who has the most points. The laser gun itself is slightly heavy and stiff to use but this is immensely enjoyable. I went on this 3 times I loved it so much. Another plus side is that there was no queues at all for this and it lasted about 2 minutes.

Spinball Whizzer - This is a cross between a bod standard roller coaster and wa ltzers. The cart which takes you round the track actually spins at the same time. I didn't feel totally safe on here I have to say. The only support was a crossbar which wasn't sufficient as it was a very jerky ride. It felt like you were about to fly out of the cart.

Runaway Mine Train - I think everyone has been on a Runaway Train ride at some point. It's not a great ride, but is ok for the smaller kids or Grannies. Pretty bod standard roller coaster really.

Other rides which are also featured include:-

Congo River Rapids
Corkscrew
The Flume
Submission
Enterprise
Skyride
Monorail
The Blade
Ripsaw

Small childrens rides and entertainments are situated throughout the park. The Tweenies are featuring at various times which their little fans will love. Rides for the young include:-

Tea Cup Ride
Gallopers Carousel
Old Macdonalds Tractor Ride
UG Swinger
UG Bugs

One big problem I do have with most of the rides I went on is that as you come out of the exit you go straight into a shop. You literally cannot leave a ride without walking right the way through each shop. Isn't it enough that they charge an extortionate fee for the rides, do they have to make you spend money in shops aswell. Oh and another thing, why do they charge 4.99 per photo after you get off the rides? Why do they take photos of you on EVERY ride? What? How much? Do they think we're all rich or something?



QUEUES


I was expecting the queueing times to be horrendous but they weren't at all bad considering that most schools had broke up for the Easter holidays. The longest we had to queue for any ride was 40 minutes for Air.

I don't know whether we are just thick but my Husband and I did have a little difficulty in finding some of the queues for the rides. You could see the queues alright but it was hard to find out how to join the queue a s the entrances to the rides were not neccessarily next to the rides.



AMUSEMENT ARCADES AND STALLS


Amusement arcades seem to be a common practice in theme parks these days and Alton Towers certainly has it's fair share. There are also many different funfair type stalls where you can win big fluffy toys etc. I'm more sensible than to pay all this money for the entrance fee and then spend loads more on seperate entertainment inside. Sod that!



FOOD AND DRINK


There were various food and drink outlets throughout the park including McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut. Unfortunately the price of the meals at these three places was very much inflated from the norm. I know this is because Alton Towers charges these companies massive ground rents so I can't blame it on them, but I can blame it on Alton Towers. Alton Towers seems out to grab any money it can from any source it can and we consumers suffer from it. Surely they make enough money from other ventures to be able to charge normal rent to KFC and the rest.



DISABLED ACCESS


People who are disabled but would still like to go on the rides are able to. There is a seperate entrance at the start of the rides for them to take. Staff then help them onto the rides if help is required.

Although I did see quite a number of people in wheelchairs here i really wouldn't advice it. This is because of the number of hills you have to climb on your travels. Alton Towers isn't the most wheelchair friendly place as it cannot be described as anything near flat. I felt really sorry for the ones that had to push the wheelchairs of the disabled people because they looked knackered.



TOILETS


Some parks I have been to really scrimp on the toilet facilities and you find yourself nearly wetting your pants looking for them. But at Alton To wers there are toilet blocks dotted all over the place and I never had to queue once. They were all fairly clean and (miracle of miracles) had loo roll in the ladies bogs.



SHOPS


As I said previously a lot of the shops are located at the exit of the rides so you have to walk through them so you can't fail to at least take a look at what they have to offer, even if you don't buy anything. They sell everything from clothes, toys, sweets, nik naks etc. The prices vary quite a lot and somethings are quite good value. If you like souvenior shopping my advice would be to look around a few of the shops as some of them have real bargains, whilst others just rip you off.



UPKEEP OF THE PARK


Considering the vast expanse of land it covers the park is very well kept. I didn't see much litter lying about on the paths. The grass was well kept and the toilets were cleaned regularly. I think they must employ quite a few handicapped people to do these kind of chores as I saw a couple whilst I was there. This is a really good idea.

You won't be searching for a bin to dispose of your litter because you will literally fall over one. They pop up all over the place. I counted 5 placed right in the middle of the queues to Air. There's nothing quite like saying 'don't drop litter' by putting bins right in your path.



EXITING THE PARK


I was gearing myself up for a long queue to get out of the car park. I know what these places can be like. But no, the car park seemed to empty really quickly and was very organised. Hey so maybe paying for this car park thing isn't so bad after all! What did grate on me was the queue for the monorail which had to take us back to the car park. The last thing you want at the end of a busy day is to wait for 15 minutes in another queue just to get back to your car.



MY CONCLUSION


Overall I did have a good day even if it does not sound like it. I wouldn't say that Alton Towers has lived up to my expectations and I think a lot of people exagerate the greatness of it. I don't look at it through rose tinted glasses like some people. Yes, some of the rides were good but the only ride that I thought was truly any better than other cheaper theme parks was Air. It is certainly not worth paying the extra money Alton Towers costs for one good ride.

I really wasn't expecting a ten mile hike to get from A to B and I found that this dampened my excitement for the rides somewhat. Knackering yourself out to get to the ride, to wait half an hour in a queue, for the ride to be over in 30 seconds, it doesn't really add up in my book.

I really do believe less is more when it comes to rides. An enjoyable ride that lasts 2 minutes is much better value for money than a 'extreme' ride that lasts 30 seconds.

ALTON TOWERS TAKE NOTE!!!