We had our first broomstick flying lesson at Alnwick Castle in the UK. The beautiful castle sits along England’s North East coast and is not only the site used in the Harry Potter films for broomstick flying lessons, it is also the current home to the Duke and Dutchess of Northumberland. We had a tour and the girls and I had our flying lessons here too.
We are ready!
Our instructor distributes the brooms
I simply put out my hand, said “up” and my broom responded.
Sarah can fly!
Melissa can fly!
I never got off the ground. One would have suspected that I would have been a natural at broomstick flying. What do you think? Am I too old to learn to fly, or should I try again?
All photos on this page © Jeff Albom 2012
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Travel with us as we laugh our way around the globe. I am Rhonda Albom, wife, mom, photographer and blogger, sharing the lighter side of our traveling family's life with two teens. 
What a fantastic experience, so glad Sarah annd melissa got to fly!
LisaAuch recently posted..Free Crochet Patterns for Baby Hat and Baby Bootee Shoes set.
My girls are pretty talented,
What fun!
Lynne recently posted..Top Travel Essentials
Love this! I just finished reading Book 3 and I am so excited to keep at it. This looks like tons of fun.
Happy Wordless Wednesday!
Mary recently posted..On Love…
It was. I think this is one of our favorite days so far.
You’ll have to show me how to do that next time we get together.
Joyce recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Final Photo Games
LOL – I will have to get the girls to show you, I can’t get off the ground. And will that be soon?
That is so cool! Love those pictures.
I just showed my boys! They loved them too!
kristi recently posted..Wordless Wednesday Flowers in Bloom #WW
So, are they asking to go to Alnwick?
my daughter and son would do love this place!!!
momto8blog recently posted..Wordless Wednesday
My youngest is a huge Harry Potter fan. This was one of her favorite days.
Broomstick flying lessons look like fun! I don’t think you are too old, go on, give it another try.
Thanks Sharon, maybe next time I will fly
Oh, so neat.
A bit jealous here.
Would love for you to stop by and share.
http://totsandme.blogspot.com/2012/05/wordless-wednesday-may-30-2012-wlinky.html
Thanks, and thanks for the link. Maybe when your kids are older, you can fly too.
Try again! I bet you can you do it
Miss Lemon recently posted..On the way to Sicily
Thanks for the encouragement.
Now how Did You Do That Girls????
It’s magic
As a Harry Potter fan, I envy you and your kids. I wish I can also be there to try broomstick flying.
Thomas recently posted..jamaica travel deals for cheap
Thanks Thomas. Sarah, our 12 year old is a huge Harry Potter fan. We are hitting as many of the UK sites as we can.
I’m so glad that you are seeing more of England than just London.
I’m a native of the NE England myself, so York and Alnwick are home territory to me.
Unfortunately, when I was a kid/teen they didn’t offer broomstick flying lessons at Alnwick, but I remember it as a fabulous place to visit anyway!
Did they tell you about the York massacre? Or was that edited out of the tour?
I was thinking of boycotting your blog after you raved about Oxford (being a Cambridge grad myself!) but you’ve somewhat redeemed yourselves by visiting Yorkshire and Northumberland
LOL – glad you didn’t boycott us. We are spending 6 days in London and then another 3+ weeks in the UK, Scotland and Ireland. After getting out here a bit, we have already decided to shorten the rest of our city time for more country time. I don’t remember anything about a York Massacre in the tour – we learned about the Romans, the Anglo-Saxons, the Normans, the Vikings and the shambles, underground ghosts we walked on the city wall and to all the key sites.
However at Cliffords Tower there is signage all about it the York Massacre.
That looks so fun!
Simply Delicious recently posted..Rt2-WW – Tiramisu
This is one of our most fun days so far
Oh wow! How fun! I’d keep on trying.
Mine’s here.
Maria @ LSS recently posted..RT2/WW – Charlie’s Chicago Dog
Thanks Maria, Maybe next time for me.
Now THAT is cool! So interesting to see a “set” from the movie in real life (well, in internet photos of real life, anyway).
hollow tree ventures recently posted..Your Pants Are Puzzling on a Global Scale
They told us so many filming stories, it was really cool. Our tour guide was 11 when they filmed the first movie and even auditioned to be one of the extras (she didn’t get in, but several of her friends did) So we got an interesting perspective. Although, on the flip side, learning how it’s done takes out a bit of the mystery – but it was fun!
What a cool experience for the kids, and what a cool trip!
I love that look of wonderment and excitement on my kids faces. Thanks Kathy
I wonder if it works.
Have a great WW!
POSH
posh recently posted..HOW to STOCK YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLY KIT
I got it on film
That is so awesome!!
Thanks Gabriella!
Totally cool! I want a broomstick…
I think they only fly at Alnwick.
This is so much fun!
That looks like a whole lot of fun. We only re-watched the first Harry Potter movie a couple of weeks ago.
I spent a week in Northumbria about 20 years ago, it was wonderful. Drove past Alnwick but didn’t get a chance to go in. I highly recommend Bamburgh Castle and Lindisfarne though. Expecting to hear about those next…
Tony Payne recently posted..Annoying Cats Are One Of My Pet Peeves
It was fun! Sorry to disappoint, but neither of those castles are on the list. I think Edinburgh Castle is next followed by Dunrobin in next.
How does that work with the broom. Very cool. Someday I would love to see England. Looks like fun.
sandyspider recently posted..Fallen But Not Forgotten Smoke and Torn Flag Drinking Bottle
It’s magic
England is great. Be sure to have time to get out of London, the countryside is fantastic! We are loving it here.
Wow, amazing! Wish I can fly too:)
Visiting for Wordless Wednesday- hope you can stop by:)
http://www.cassandrasminicorner.com/2012/05/priceless-my-princess.html
A broomstick and a little magic is all you need.
Such a precious experienced..
Visiting for WW- hope you can stop by:)
http://www.loveablecassandra.com/2012/05/peony-flowers.html
Thanks Cassey, and welcome to Laugh Quotes. Precious is such a great word.
That is definitely going on our to do list it looks like a lot of fun.
Louanne recently posted..Welcome Back – Let’s Get Busy!
We did laugh a lot
Scared to show Drew and Kylie…the begging to go there would never end!! Might even top Disneyland on Drew’s list of happiest places on earth. Looks amazing!
Ok, as much as I loved Alnwick, I will have to vote for Disneyland as being the happiest place on earth.