We’ve just come back from a day out at Stockholm’s amusement park, Gröna Lund. Our friends Alex and Johanna, with their children Chloe and Sebbe, also came along to the pre-season special, and it was really quite tiring. Not at all because we had kids to look after, but because of the amount of people and constant noise.

It makes me appreciate Disneyland Paris a lot more. I do not wish to cavil, but at least Uncle Mickey has the sense (or, perhaps, space) to shield off each of the different themed areas with trees and the like, so noise interference is kept to a minimum, which retains the suspension of disbelief. In Gröna Lund, you can almost never get away from the constant roaring of roller-coasters or the thumping of euro-techno trying to persuade people to try a ride.

Coupled with this was the overcrowded pedestrian areas, with seemingly no attention given to diverting the queues away from the main walkway. This, naturally, led to disarray, and an undoubted plethora of annoyed people trying to access different attractions, as well as those trying to queue.

Overall, though, a thoroughly enjoyable day, and Freya even got to help Bob the Builder.