Increasingly we are looking for ways to entertain our bodies and brains in stressful but safe situations, See, then the rise of the escape room a new phenomenon that’s sweeping the nation. The basic idea is that you and a group of friends are locked in a room. However, there is the chance to escape if you can decipher the codes and clues that are in the room. Everything is set up for you to discover if your clever enough. Sometimes there are more than one room! The one I went was very tastefully and themed decorated. On the ceiling of every room we went into were Antique crystal chandeliers. I wonder whether they got them from http://roccoborghese.com/crystal-chandeliers/borghesina-classica/ ? I love looking at their designs on the internet.
Some have the extra spice of a Zombie in the other room (an actor, of course) that is released after a certain time if you don’t get out. You are not allowed to decapitate the Zombie at any point to solve the problem. The one we went to was much more sedate and we just had to solve a series of clues to get us out of the room and into the next one. We saw a few families in there and it seems like a pretty good way for kids to be involved as they can tailor the problems to suit all ages and abilities so that no one is left on the side bored. They whole thing last and hour and for and it’s not like you can sit there all passive and just watching. It’s quite infectious the way everyone joins in. It’s a much better experience as a group and you do need at another person to do it you can’t go in on your own.
They told me that they get lots of corporate groups in looking for team building exercises that can increase team moral and communicating together. Remind me not to work for the firm I saw though the manager was having a right go at them, shouting “go team” and insisting on high five each other the second the thought they’d made some progress. Not sure that particular firm got its moneys worth but hey ho, I’m sure they all learned a valuable lesson etc.
What I did see were a lot of students in there. It seems that the intellectual challenge of studying is not enough and they need to unwind with a bit of complex problem solving. Very useful skill I thought as it certainly stretched my lateral thinking muscles a few times. I think that I learned a valuable lesson and that I ‘ll try and take a more logical approach to problems but leave some room of for the weird and whacky too. Certainly recommended.
