"You're never too old to be young..." Snow White

As I embrace my half century I do so with a mixture of reflection, indifference, excitement and a need somehow to both wear the badge of maturity and prove that I am still not too old. Too old for what? I've no idea. 

I have waited for this birthday for a while, preparing with a clear focus denied many of my other 'milestone' birthdays. I have stopped colouring my hair, I seem to have spent many occasions stating - "I'm nearly 50" in a tone clearly explaining that I am too old for this (whatever 'this' may be). I was quite looking forward to being old. As a teen - 50 was very old.
I thought being 50 meant:

a) I am nearer retirement than a new starter (although with the pension situation this may soon not be the case!)

b) I was over half way through my life (I don't intend to live to being over 100)

c) I could be left alone to "wear purple and eat sausages" as the poem  by Jenny Joseph suggests
d) I thought I would be a grown up at last

So, what was the first thing I did when I reached this milestone?? I went to DisneyLand Paris with my sister............... and we had a great time! Without boring you here with all the details I will outline the lessons learned and the advice I readily give in case, like me, you decide to visit.

Lesson learned 1: DisneyLand is very "Disney". Ok, 'what did you expect?' I hear you shout. What I mean is that it is focused on Disney's interpretation of the stories - What I realised very quickly is that I am drawn to the fairy stories and not the disneyfication of them.

Advice 1: Gen up on the modern Disney characters - snatch dvds from any children you come into contact with about 2 months before your visit and get to know them well - the Disney of my youth was there - but not the focus - there were characters I had never even heard of.

Lesson learned 2: DisneyLand is very busy! Yes, I know!!! It confirmed that I do not particularly like large crowds and I certainly object to queueing. However, this was quickly rectified by the fact that my sister has a temporary mobility problem and we therefore qualified for a Special Pass onto the experiences - straight in, straight on - no messing, no queueing.

Advice 2: take my sister with you

Lesson learned 3: Walking (or should I say ambling) around for up to 15 hours a day with little respite is not good for the feet/legs/hips. Of the three pairs of shoes I took with me (that usually serve me very well through a working day and shopping experiences) - none of them were adequate. Ouch, if it wasn't my ankles swelling up to the size of water melons it was my hips refusing to work properly with an ache so far inside the joint I couldn't even massage the pain away.

Advice 3: take sensible shoes that can stand a battering

Lesson learned 4: My sister still has the ability to encourage me beyond the boundaries of acceptable behaviour whilst remaining untouched by the fallout - for example she was the one who encouraged me to walk backwards whilst directing me into the prize winning rose bushes and causing mayhem (I'd be about 8 years old).... I could go on...... but here is not the place for psycho-analysis

Advice 4: Beware someone asking you to carry a knife- liberated from the breakfast table at the hotel for using at lunchtime - with food also liberated from the hotel - and all sitting in the rucksack that you are carrying out of the goodness of your heart because 'someone' has temporary mobility problems!! The reason I mention it is because - to get into the Disney parks- you have to go through airport like security. Hmmmmmm!!!

Lesson learned 5: Buffaloes can act!

Advice 5: Just go see Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show - fantastic!!









Lesson learned 6: I am not ready to be 'too old', I am not ready to be a grown up, and whilst I like to wear purple and eat sausages I shall treat these as a practice for later - much later.........

Advice 6: Take some advice from a few Disney Characters:



"Open different doors - You may find a you there that you never knew was yours" - Mary Poppins


"Reach for the Sky" - Woody from Toy Story


"A dream is a wish your heart makes when you're fast asleep" - Cinderella