Me and the chocolate factory

While living in England in the recent past, we visited loads of famous places. One day my mother asked me how I'd like to visit a factory. I took it as a joke, but she looked quite serious. So I thought it was a place of her interest and we all agreed to go.

We took a train to Birmingham from Warwick where my father was Visiting Fellow at the Warwick University. When I got out of the train, and saw the building from a distance I thought it was a ceramic factory. After sometime I could see that the building was of purple colour and thought it was a fashion house or something. I somewhat lost my interest. But then I saw a sign saying "Bournville" in purple colour. Something seemed familiar but I couldn't exactly understand what it was. As I walked, I saw signs saying "Cadbury World-This way..." I still couldn't understand where we were going. But when we came near the purple building, even before we entered the factory, I could smell the mouth-watering smell of Cadbury. Suddenly everything started to turn purple and it suddenly popped into my head we were visiting Cadbury World!

As my parents were buying tickets, my brother and I were busy looking at all the posters about all the things that were inside. It was a chocolate paradise, perfect for indulging all of your senses. There were thousands of visitors. There was also an entertainer who was juggling on a unicycle. We couldn't wait to see what was next. When our parents came back with the tickets we entered the first room, Cadbury Essence, where we were taken back through time to let us know how Cadbury Dairy Milk was created. It was a pretty long laser show where they showed the two inventors, thinking how they'd make chocolate out of the cocoa that they had with them. When a lady brings them two glasses of milk, one of them drinks half of his, the other one too frustrated to have it. Then suddenly they pour the one and half glass of milk into the cocoa and amazingly the famous Cadbury Dairy Milk was born. That's why, even now, on the cover of Dairy Milk they show one and a half glasses of milk being poured on melted cocoa.

After that, we took a ride through the Aztec Forest where they show how the Spanish people went to invade Brazil and bring back cocoa beans to Europe. But it was not just a history lesson. We even got the chance to create our own Cadbury magic, using our own ingredients like popcorn, gummy bears and biscuit pieces and of course, it was put into liquid milk chocolate. As we walked further, we came to a theatre-like room where we saw how they create the chocolate. That was one of my favourite parts and it was very exciting.

Next we visited a shop, but it was not just any shop. It was the world's largest Cadbury shop. There we saw all sorts of Cadburys including some unusual ones like Buttons, and confectionary related souvenirs from the mouth-watering chocolate itself to Cadbury teddy bears! There was even a statue of Sir Elton John, made, of course, of chocolate, near the shop.

Just outside the factory, there was a huge playground with a Jungle Jim in the middle. My brother and I played there for a while. We then entered into the Demonstration Area where we wrote our names on a big white sheet with fresh liquid chocolate! Inside the main factory, we saw workers creating chocolate in various weird shapes like teddy bears and shoes.

Before leaving, we went to a room where you had to stand in front of a television and in seconds you saw yourself in chocolate form on the screen!

Though neither I nor my brother wanted to leave, it was time to go. I walked out of the factory with a huge bag full of different types of Cadburys in my hand! We were there the whole day but still could not see the entire factory. I felt like freezing the time so that I could see the rest of the factory! This is one story which I never get tired of telling whoever would care to listen.

By Sanjana Rahman

My monster and I

When one thinks about an ogre, the thought usually involves a humongous, mean and scary mythical creature, raging at its enemy with a club. This well-known animated movie character is obviously uncharacteristic. Well, he's big alright. And fat. The size maybe intimidating, but no matter how much he tries, he will always be the depressing luminous green, best friends with a donkey named Donkey and sadly not at all scary. His presence brings a smile to faces all around the globe and today I have him at my house, in fact right in front of me. As a toy model. And when someone pulls his big, slippery hands he throws out insults like “Your breath smells like onions” and “Gingy has more muscles than you” at the surprised puller. Annoying, yes. But entertaining as well.

My toy model of Shrek plays a very important part in my toy model collection, which consists of other models of characters from different cartoons, movies, animes etc. Last year when my father went to USA, I asked him to bring any model of a character and he bought this shouting Shrek. I was simply expecting little toys framed in a fighting or smiling position, but this was definitely different. It was ordinarily smiling alright. But the speakers in its back made it extraordinary. And loud.

I love my father. He and I spend quality time together but when he doesn't have time, he makes up for it by buying me presents from spread. It feels a little awkward when he goes a little overboard like he did with the iPod (long story…now I don't have time!). But this Shrek toy was just perfect. It's one of my favourite characters; it's funny, silly and annoying at the same time without even being animated. Just pulling. Very cool. I love that green fatty.

“This thing is for children. You don't play with toys like this. What is it for? Decoration?” was what my mother commented when she saw the insulting ogre.

“No way. Thanks Baba I love it. Plus it speaks. See?” I protested, pulling Shrek's legs and it banged our ears with “So you want to play. You and what army?”

Shrek is the largest toy in my collection. I really don't play with my toys or make them “speak” but have them lined up on my bookshelf. But Shrek, because of its big mouth, gets other privileges. I pull his limbs when I'm bored. I've pulled so much that his arms and legs are now showing signs of tearing out. I need to be more casreful, but I still love his hilarious insults. My personal favourite is “Why don't you practice on a rubber band?” I love to scare my friends and other people with the sudden noise. And it is also a great source of entertainment for kids who come to my room and want something to play with.

In all ways, inside and out, my model toy of Shrek is great. No. It's AWESOME!

By Padya Paramita

The birthday present

It has four equal sides and is a 3D object. It looks like the a cover of a book only with four sides. It's made out of plastic and has really sharp corners. You can say it's the height of an ashtray and is as wide as my palm. It is maroon colour all around, but a darker reddish colour on the back.

It was given to me by my aunt on my birthday. I felt happy but also embarrassed at the same time, because she handed it to me and kissed me on the cheeks, leaving a lipstick print on it.
"Oh I'm sorry here ill rub it off!"
"Its okay really, I'll rub it off myself!"

But she wouldn't listen and insisted on rubbing it off herself. While all this was happening my friends were laughing at the top of their voices! I'm pretty sure that my present was laughing too, under its breath. Then my aunt hugged me like I was some sort of a little beaver gasping for air. But I guess she did that out of love!

I remember exactly what she had said when she gave it to me. Her words were "Hope you like it Mehvishu, and don't hurt yourself with it! How could I possibly hurt myself with an object that is the size of an ashtray? Bang myself with it? She still thought I was five and I'm guessing she always will!

All in all I have fun and weird memories with the box, which I'll NEVER EVER forget! There were happy times and embarrassing times. But mostly I had fun. I guess what I'm trying to say to say is I have a lot of memories with my box and keep secret things in it. I love my box very much and will never forget it.

By Mehvish Ali

I didn't know

The sound rain tiptoed down
the feeble walls
I held your hand and you
put it down at once
Daunting sensations subdued my heart
As I looked into your eyes and questioned,
Why are we worlds apart?
The rain drops kept trickling down; cold and ruthless
Invigorating thoughts kept rushing through; I remained careless
While you lingered numb; your face turned aside
I realized you had nothing more to say;
Like the translucent rain, cold and ruthless
you simply walked away.

By Adnan M. S. Fakir & Grown-up Baby

Like they say

I want to fly.
Fly like a bird in the sky.
But, like they say,
Only birds can fly.

I want to be a famous actor.
So famous that I will shine.
But as they say,
You might forget the line.
I want to write poems.
With beautiful words.
And like they say,
Start right away.

A wild imagination

I have these scenes,
In my head,
Like nothing beyond your dreams.
I think it's called imagination,
So I'll tell about it to you with ease.
There was a tiger in the water,
And an elephant stuck in a lightsqueeze!

People flying, cars flying,
And the trees walking in grass!
With the bugs on the swings;
Robots in my class,
And ice-cream for lunch every day!
But that'll never happen,
Even on vacation,
'Cause that's my wild imagination!

By Ryesa Mansoor