This post was written by Amie, aged 16, the 3rd place entry in our Children’s Writing Competition.
I had heard of the Eden Project before I visited it but, being the naive teenager i was, I had dismissed it as a ‘boring plant museum’ and something that ‘wouldn’t interest me’
I couldn’t have been more wrong!
As I walked through the sliding doors and out on to the wooden terrace, I was struck by the dazzling array of colour and the towering biomes standing proudly before me. This was no boring museum, this was an adventure! I chose the winding route down to the Rainforest Biome and paused to pose for photographs next to six foot sunflowers, neon pink petals and metre long leaves.
I entered the Rainforest biome as my heart raced with excitement. The heat hit me and the sound of a rushing waterfall filled my ears – it was as if I had been transported to the Amazon! Eager not to miss anything, I adventured through the biome and climbed to the top viewing area – my fear of heights had vanished with the excitement! My favourite was the Baobab tree, as I learnt of the amazing health properties of the Baobab powder made from the fruit and how the tree is adapted to survive the climate.
All the exhilaration and adventure had made me hungry, so I asked a member of the Eden Project staff to recommend their favourite option from the vast variety of delicious food. She recommended quinoa burritos with a side of guacamole and nachos from the Eden Cantina… I have never savoured a meal more! It was oozing with flavour but not too spicy and the nachos were a perfect addition.
With fuel for my next adventure, I decided to brave the zipwire called ‘hang loose’. Here I would be flying 90 metres above the ground and reaching up to 60 mph! As i climbed the stairs my knees were knocking and my palms were soaked in sweat. Could I do it? I reached the top of the steps and was greeted by two instructors, their enthusiastic smiles reassured me. “It will be the best experience of your life!” one of them said, strapping me in to a harness. With a small count down, I was away. My inner superman was unleashed as i soared high above the biomes and i felt a freedom i had never felt before. My smile became as infectious as the instructor’s and I realised he was right, it was the best experience of my life!
Safely back on the ground and still hyped by adrenaline, i quickly sent photographs to all my friends and family to tell them of my adventure. Unfortunately, that was where my adventure at the Eden Project ended as it was time for me to head home. I will never forget my experience at the Eden project and i highly recommend it for all ages. I can’t believe that i had previously dismissed it as a ‘boring museum’… how foolish I was! I can’t wait to go back there with the rest of my family so that they can, too, have the best experience of their lives!