Adventures in Eden

Sweep had had a wonderful time at the Eden Project. There were so many things to see, and it was such a lovely hot, sunny day. He just couldn't imagine having had a better time. And now that he was feeling OK again after that bad pastie (and the special pop), he'd really enjoyed it.

Because it was lunchtime when they arrived, Auntie Angela said they should find a place to eat their picnic. There was a special place just for doing that, with tables and chairs and big umbrellas to shade you from the sun, so they sat there. Sweep loved picnics, and he tucked into this one with relish. Well, he would have if there'd been any relish, but there wasn't, so he had his sandwiches without relish, but he still really enjoyed them. They were ham and cheese, in special buns, with packets of bacon crisps, and cans of pop (not special pop, just the safe kind) and all sorts of goodies. "Yummy!", thought Sweep.

After the picnic, they tidied everything up and put all the rubbish in the different bins for different things, before going to explore the site. Sweep saw some amazing things as they went round.

He saw the biggest bee he'd ever seen!

He saw lots of different plants growing. Auntie Angela and the Cubs wondered what some of them were, but Sweep knew his onions...

He saw a kitchen right in the middle of a restaurant, and watched the chefs making all sorts of lovely things. But he didn't have any, because of the wonderful picnic Auntie Angela had made which he had so enjoyed, and had filled him up and given him such a feeling of well-being, and of being loved, that he could hardly describe it. (She's lovely, Auntie Angela is).

Then, they went into the big bubbly greenhouse that has the rainforest in it. Uncle Bill was talking about Buying Homes again - it was Buy 'Omes this and Buy 'Omes that, Sweep was curious about where these Homes were. But the first thing he saw when he went in wasn't a home, it was a ship! "That's a funny place to park a ship", thought Sweep. "I bet it was a bu.. I mean, really difficult to unload."

Auntie Angela explained that it wasn't a real ship anymore, it was just the front part that had been brought here to show how things people grew in far-away places were brought here for us to enjoy - things like bananas, and mangoes, and plastic toys from China. 

She showed him a special mark on the side of the ship...

She told Sweep it was called a Plimsoll Line. 

Sweep thought she must have made a mistake, because he couldn't see any gym shoes anywhere at all.

As they went further in, Sweep spotted something strange. "Look, Uncle Bill," he said - "I never knew that butterflies played football, but I think I've found the goalie!" Uncle Bill was very impressed with Sweep.

A little bit further on, Sweep saw something else that he was really pleased to see. The sign said something about emergency shelters for Vanuatu, but Sweep knew what this really was...

"Of course!", thought Sweep - "this must be one of the homes you can buy. That's why Uncle Bill was on about 'buy homes' this, and 'buy homes' that."

He saw another one a bit further on.

"This must be the deluxe model", he thought.

Then he came across a sort of campsite one.

"How did they manage to make an exact copy of our campsite?", wondered Sweep.

Sweep saw some other interesting things. He saw how they grow those little wriggly things that you see on the JML adverts in ASDA...

And he saw the special display of the Jaffa Cake, shown in its natural habitat...

He saw a sign which really worried him, because he was thirsty, and West Africa is a long way to go for a drink...

and he saw a big waterfall, right inside the greenhouse!

Then Sweep saw a special wall painting that he liked...

He liked it because it reminded him of the Starbucks logo, and he was gasping for a coffee. But Auntie Angela said there was such a lot more to see in here before it would be time to go for a coffee. Sweep was so pleased to hear that. Uncle Bill just made a funny noise.

Sweep saw something that he decided to call the "Squirty Plant"

And then another butterfly. He decided to call it "Beckham".

They clearly did like their football, these butterflies.

He spotted a strange pod thing on a plant.

Auntie Angela said that was cocoa, but Sweep wasn't fooled. He knew that cocoa comes in little brown boxes from the supermarket.

Then he saw the Jon-Cub investigating something.

"That must be Uncle Bill and Uncle Dave's new tooling-about vehicle!" thought Sweep.

And then, just as they were about to leave that greenhouse, Sweep spotted another interesting thing.

He'd wondered for ages what had become of Barney Rubble's little boy, and now he knew - he was running a dubious sort of place in the middle of a greenhouse. Weird.

And on the way out of the greenhouse, Sweep saw another thing, which he took to be a sign.

That's because it was a sign. But importantly, it was a sign about coffee. And Sweep REALLY wanted a coffee now. So he persuaded Auntie Angela that it was time for a sit down, and they went to the cafe and got...

COFFEE! Hurrah.

It was only three o'clock, and Sweep had done such a lot already, but there was still lots more to see and do. But Sweep knows that by now, you'll be worn out from reading, and in danger of becoming over-tired. So, Sweep will stop there for today, and tell you more about his Eden Adventures next time.

NIght-night, boys and girls! Sleep well - and try not to worry about big creepy-crawlies and flying things when you're in bed in the dark. I'm sure there are none where you are. 

Well, fairly sure. 

Well actually, I can't be sure at all. 

But I bet you're sure. 

Or maybe you're not. 

Perhaps you'd better put the light on and have a look under the bed. 

And don't forget the wardrobe. 

Or the chest of drawers. 

Actually, when he thinks about it, Sweep says perhaps you ought to go to the top of the stairs and scream for your mummy to come because their might be a big flying creepy-crawly thingy under your wardrobe or bed or chest of drawers, and you're worried and can't sleep. 

Yes, perhaps you'd better do that. 

Just to be on the safe side, I mean. After all, Health & Safety, eh?

Anyway, night-night. Sleep well, and we'll see you tomorrow.

If the big flying creepy-crawly monster thingy doesn't get you in the night, that is...