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Are you ready for still more Japan? Hamanako Pal Pal had changed a little since 2008, but this coaster was still surprisingly decent. I'll open with a pair of Crouses. Dan seems a bit confused by Lagunasia. Aqua Wind hasn't changed a bit. I took a Catbus back to Tokyo. Thunder Dolphin is still satisfying the Big O at laQua. "You want a piece of me, punk?" Best room number ever. Fuji Q has made some steady improvement. I liked Dodonpa's new loop (even though I missed the crazy air time of the old high hat). This new area of the park was quite nice. And Takabisha was still kicking butt all over the place (just a bit more roughly). I think two people may have died on Benyland's Cyclone. I think these poor souls haunt the park to this very day. Experience culture at Lina World! You can also experience having your brains beaten in on this coaster. OK, do I really have to say this park's name? I gained a new appreciation for how beautiful Lost River Delta really is. Right, Senor Mouse? Still the best Magic Kingdom park. The world's happiest janitor. They really improved on the original Disneyland and Florida's Magic Kingdom here. I love this view. I bid you greetings! Twilight at the Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo. Aquatopia takes on a whole new aura after dark. How to make a great dark ride even better. Night in Fantasyland. I can now say that I have seen the Enchanted Tiki Room with Stitch. I can, indeed. This park just gets better and better at night. Shiriki strikes! And that's a wrap from the Tokyo Disney Resort.

^That currywurst was amazing--best I've ever had! On to more amazing stuff in . . . Japan 2018 What? Japan, again? Yes, indeed. We met in Tokyo, but took a train to Osaka the next morning. Past TPR trips found us weathering typhoons and very hot, steamy weather in Japan. This time we had an earthquake, on the first "official" day of the trip, in Osaka. We were all waiting in the train station when it felt like Godzilla was kicking the platform in the side. For my part, I clung bravely, resolutely to a handy vending machine. (What else was I going to do? We weren't too far from the epicenter.) The trains shut down, which was hardly a shock. Even so, we were able to carry on that day, only a bit later than we'd planned. All in all, a memorable start. Yes, not even an earthquake could deter us from riding the only Wild Mouse ever built by Hopkins at Misaki Park! It was . . . interesting. This happened too. Perhaps the quake affected them more than I thought. Some of us pushed on to Adventure Park, while Elissa took some of the group back to Osaka (train schedules were still a bit dicey). But yay for coasters themed to pandas and bugs! Universal's only remaining Jaws boat ride was closed for refurb, which made Bruce the Shark very angry! Hogwarts looms ominously over Jaws. Flying Dinosaurs was closed the day we were to visit, but we were able to ride it later. It was very good. Sigh! Even the sign for Jaws makes me miss the one in Florida. This was the best part of the park's parade. These raptors would "escape" their cage and run around the street. Washuzan Highland was themed to Brazil--and stairs. Remember that viral video a few years back of that scary cycle monorail? Here it is. You can ride this crazy looping coaster backward part of the day. It's fun, but made me feel a bit queasy. New Reoma World's Vivace was a pretty good mine train. What's nice about the park's dark ride is that you can feel stoned without ingesting any illegal substances. Bing Crosby Galdalf was only five miles from the quake's epicenter at Hirakata. Have you ever wanted a walking tour of someone's fridge? Hirakata has you covered. If you like SeaWorld Orlando's Manta, you'll like Spaland's Acrobat. After all, they are the same ride. Arashi was fun, but still a "one and done" for me. Hmm--I wonder whatever became of this project? This sums up the Arashi experience. It was rainy at Parque Espana, but this guy was available to shoot the bull for a bit. I'd forgotten about this shooting dark ride where you confront renegade water heaters. The rain stopped, and the park was able to give us ERT on Pyrenees! I took nearly the same photo back in 2007. The donkey was no more amused this time. I had to break up a fight between Godzilla and King Kong at Legoland. The park's Miniland was amazing. That is one happy fish. This is the best Lego Miniland I've ever seen. The JR Museum was pretty cool, too. More to come.

Only if it's painted in camouflage so that no unwary person can find it.

Here's a few off the top of my head. Wild Mouse--Santa Cruz Beach & Boardwalk (a genuinely scary, old-school wooden mouse) Wild Mouse--Blackpool Pleasure Beach (ditto) Wacky Soap Box Racers/Motorcycle Chase--Knott's (probably the one I miss the most) Corkscrew--Knott's (now at Silverwood) Boomerang--Knott's (probably the one I miss the least) Windjammer--Knott's (also not missed) Volcano: The Blast Coaster--Kings Dominion Drachen Fire--Busch Gardens Williamsburg Big Bad Wolf--Busch Gardens Williamsburg Laser--Dorney Son of Beast--Kings Island (hmm--come to think of it, I'd probably rather ride Knott's old Boomerang than this one again) Python--Busch Gardens Tampa Gwazi--Busch Gardens Tampa Tidal Wave--Marriott's Great America Willard's Whizzer--Marriott's Great America

I say "amen" to this. Get RMC to redo Bandit, and the park will be worth visiting. I think the the Star Trek coaster was a step in the right direction, too.

Oktoberfest 2017 Back to Europe, but with a few differences: 1. Go in September, not the summer. 2. Fly to Munich. 3. See castles and other cultural stuff, in addition to visiting parks and riding coasters. We were in Munich for some little local celebration you may have heard of. Something called "Oktoberfest." This event is renowned for something, but my memory of is a bit fuzzy. Hmm . . . what could it be? It's right on the tip of my tongue . . . oh, let's get to the photos. I'm sure it'll come to me. I do vaguely remember riding this at Oktoberfest, but that wasn't the only thing about the celebration. Oh, well . . . spot the guy with the brass balls! Win a kewpie doll! I recall that we had to run to see this fountain go off or we'd miss it. It was rather impressive. And they say Disneyland's castle is tiny. Why, I could crush this dollhouse with one blow! There was a ride with FIRE at Oktoberfest, but that wasn't the main attraction, either. Bayern was a very pretty little German park, but this launched coaster was a wee bit rough. This weird water slide was fun . . . . . . but this odd powered coaster at Skyline Park, not so much. Dueling Nautic Jets! This Devil's Wheel thing at Oktoberfest made people feel giddy. Perhaps it's a clue . . . Meanwhile back at Holiday Park, they still have the best themed Premiere Sky Rocket 2 . . . . . . and the amazing GeForce. So pretty at sunset. It was a bit rainy at Phantasialand, so I had trouble getting decent photos of Taron. Spectacular theming, and a very good, not quite great, ride. Yay! Hollywood Tour still exists! As the sun sets on the Hotel Ling Bao, I wonder , , , , , , is Oktoberfest about more than big sausages--and puerile imagery on signs? Well, there was the great joy Joey had on this slide. Surely there was more. Europa Park taught us about the threat posed by ANGRY CORN! It's fall at Europa, so we may as well take in the, er, relaxing autumnal sights. We weren't at Europa at the right time to experience their "haunt," but they gave us a great backstage tour. Yes, I had poffertjes with ice cream. Don't judge. But what was the point? I mean, this spinning coaster with the crazy light show was fun, but what was it about Oktoberfest? Maybe a ride on Gold Rush at Slagharen will jog my memory. Nope--not ringing any bells, but this was a great ride. Movie Park has its problem, but it does have a good ride in Star Trek: Operation Enterprise. Set course for fun--engage! But getting back to what was really important at Oktoberfest . . . dang, what could it be? Help me out here, guys. Oh yeah--that's it. And that's all for now.

If you know Disney, you know they are not lying when they say that this has been in the works since last year. There's no way they would have done all of this in the last two weeks after an online petition. I'm sure that the current positive movement in America to fix our racism helped push this timeline, but it's good to know Disney was already working on the retheme. That was my thinking, too. They just pushed up the announcement because the time was right.

^I'm glad to have performed such a valuable service for you, Andy. I rode Insane a few times back in 2009, but in 2016 once was enough (it's still fun, but so intense).

I think 5,000 is reasonable, too. The state might grant an exception. Who knows?

Gov. Northam is also a doctor, so he's been cautious about "re-opening" the state too quickly. Testing rates in Virginia have increased, while the percentage of positive tests has been dropping. I think he's doing something right. Would I like BGW to open? Sure, but I don't want Virginia to become a new "hot spot," either.

It wasn't for lack of trying on the park's part. Not sure when I'll get back to Myrtle Beach, but you have convinced me to give Swamp fox another try if I do.

I haven't been to Family Kingdom since that one season Hard Rock Park was open, so I can't speak to what Swamp Fox is like today; to me back then, it wasn't a bad ride, but just nothing special.

Aw, I'm sorry. I understand your feelings, as I wish I was at Europa, too.

I thought Swamp Fox was a decent coaster, but Pistolero Roundup was the real star at Family Kingdom.

Europe 2016 Most of the group started in Paris Disneyland (or just in Paris), but I couldn't meet them until they hit Amsterdam. And that's where they found me--at the hotel, struggling against jet lag until the TPR bus arrived. I'm not sure how many times I dropped off, but I think the book I was reading hit the floor a few times that morning. But it was all worth it. Elissa arranged a great tour of some art museums, as well as the city, that day. Yes, there was a fair amount of culture among the Van Goghs and Rembrandts, with a touch of the Red Light District (well, it does have historical value, being in the oldest part of the city and all). That night, Derek took Dan, John, and I on a cultural tour of another sort, in which a number of fermented hoppy beverages were swigged down. Yes, it was a great first day and night in Amsterdam, followed by plenty of parks from the Netherlands to Sweden. Yes, Amsterdam is a beautiful city teeming with culture . . . . . . and floating in beer. (This joint under the windmill was particularly good.) Off to Walibi Holland for what has to be the most underrated coaster in Europe: Lost Gravity. Local enthusiasts have been downplaying this coaster, even though it's a great ride. I think the folks in this car share my opinion. Goliath is anything but underrated, however. Hmm--KT seems to be having some issues with the Nautic Jets at Potts Park. I think I'll just ride the bunnies. Heide Park has changed a lot since I last visited with TPR in '08. Krake was a nicely themed Dive Coaster in which you're swallowed then expelled rather rudely from a kraken. Flug der Damonen was a nicely themed Wingrider. I like the demonic trains. Back to Hansa Park, which boasts a great, truly scary coaster called Karnan. Derek was so frightened by Karnan that he had to be tied up for his own protection. Just get a load of how insane that ride looks! There's crazy airtime everywhere, too. Van Helsing was the best ride at Movie Park. Unfortunately, they still have Bandit--one of the worst things ever built. This is probably the only decent picture I've ever taken of Phantasialand's best coaster--Winjas. But the dang thing is just so speedy and spinny! Chiapas is my favorite flume ride behind Timber Mountain at Knott's and Disney's Splash Mountains. Hmm--I don't recall Glinda the Good being a creepy hipster dude the last time I rode Hollywood Tour. Premiere launched rides contiued to be all the rage! Seriously, how many of these rides have been built? Sky Scream has the added bonus of making the queue into a "haunt" maze. I'm pleased to report that Expedition GeForce is an amazing as ever--especially when you get extra, extra ERT! The Bell Rock is yet another great resort at Europa Park. Blue Fire's loop is fun, but this Mack coaster saves its big thrill for the end. Watch out for that last inversion! On the plus side, Wodan is a beautiful looking structure with a very nice "Valhalla" theme--and fire. On the other hand, it's not one of GCI's better coasters. Arthur was a very cool dark ride. The ride system is essentially an inverted powered coaster. I think Disney or Universal could do some cool stuff with it, too. "Ye set me heart aflame, ye brazen wench!" (What--too soon? I'm looking forward to riding the rebuilt Pirates of Batavia someday.) I'd forgotten about this odd version of the "Jungle Cruise." This is the first time I've ever see Europa after dark. Yes, this park has been afforded more photos than the others. But, hey, it's Europa! Welcome to Grona Lund in Stockholm! I like to say we flew in on this balloon, but that would be a lie. Jetline continues to kick butt, as you can tell by these happy riders. Insane still lives up to its name. This woman really likes Grona Lund. The walk-through tour of Bla Taget was very interesting. Aw, who wants to adopt this poor kitty? Yep--Grona Lund is a classic park that just keeps getting better. Zoos in the U.S. will feature a kiddie coaster, if you're lucky. Kolmarden has Wildfire! I think the hair of the girl in the sixth row sums up this ride pretty well. The Sky Safari is great, too. How often do you get to look down on giraffes? Hurry up! You don't what to be late for the bus! Looks like the tiger ordered in today. Let's end with a bear playing ball. Be more like the bear, folks. That's all for now.

It's good to see the "classic" TPR video make a comeback--you get a better sense of the day than someone walking around with a phone at arm's length.

^General Patton has some advice for your "triumphant return."

On to DCA and SWSD! This was my first look at the "new" Disney California Adventure. Radiator Springs Racers was a great ride, and the whole area was impressive. Time to hop back to DL for a little Big Thunder. By then the park was very busy and full of goons! We've hopped again. Try not to be confused. (I do like just being able to walk between the two parks at the DL Resort.) As some of you probably know, I'm not a "flat-ride guy." But I like this one. OK, the sun is setting on Radiator Springs. Who needs lube? Good night DCA. You're lookin' good. I can't remember the last time I rode the original Haunted Mansion. Seems that I'm always there at the wrong time of the year for it, but I do love the Nightmare Before Christmas version. I hear he's a gamblin' boogie man who don't play fair. We arrived in California in the midst of drought; so, of course, it poured rain during our dive to SeaWorld San Diego. After the torrential rain slacked off and stopped, we had a "private ERT" session on Manta, thanks to the tiny crowd that day. This little launched coaster is great--well themed and lots of fun. Nice work, Mack and SeaWorld! So, Brad didn't wish to ride Journey to Atlantis with us, eh? He made his hidden agenda clear soon enough! I prefer the walk-through SeaWorld aquariums to the shows. Despite the rain, it was a successful visit to SeaWorld, . . . . . . but a less-than-successful visit to Belmont Park. Looks like I'll have to ride the Giant Dipper some other day. But the rain can't stop Pizza Port . . . . . . and beer! That's all for now.

West Coast Bash 2015 I had signed up for Japan (yes, again) in 2015, but my Dad's health was very iffy, so I decided to hold off from any big vacations. Long story short, Dad rallied, and I ended up taking a long weekend for West Coast Bash as my "TPR Trip" that year. I guess this is technically cheating, but it's my thread, after all. Who's up for a bit of Six Flags Magic Mountain and Knott's Berry Farm, with a steaming portion of Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and SeaWorld San Diego on the side? You do meet the most interesting people at these events. Right, Erik? West Coast Bash was fun, and I always enjoy the Knott's day, in particular. There's fried chicken, Boysenberry pie, and a sneak peek at Knott's Scary Farm. Let's check in and get our swag. Launched Premier coasters were all the rage that year, and SFMM was no exception. Say it! Say it! You know you want to . . . YOLO! I rather like Goliath, but I've never grayed out in its HELIX OF DEATH (I305 is another story). But the real stars here are, of course, Elissa, KT, . . . . . . and Twisted Colossus. It's very good when it doesn't duel and great when it does. Here I am with two of the park's best staff members. Good night, sweet YOLO COASTER! I think this ride at Knott's Berry Farm was underrated by locals. How can you not enjoy seeing a "crab as big as a cow"? This is the maintenance bay under the Sierra Sidewinder station. It's a clever use of space. "As the riders loped on by him he heard one call his name. If you want to save your soul from hell a-riding on our range, Then cowboy change your ways today or with us you will ride, Trying to catch the devil's herd, across these endless skies." The new version of the Calico Mine Train shore was purty. I've loved this ride (and the log ride) at Knott's since I was a kid. Personally, I eat my pie with a fork, but you know what enthusiasts can be like. It ain't no West Coast Bash till somebody gets shot. We took a backstage tour of Blood on the Bayou, a Scary Farm maze. Just call me Papa Shango. It's always nice to relax for a bit in the Sky Cabin . . . . . . before Xcelerator tries to kill you! WCB is over, so it's time for the Disneyland Resort! Our first stop was Walt Disney's original Magic Kingdom, a place of dreams, fantasy, . . . . . . and, it would seem, deadly toxins. That's my brother Ward hanging on for dear life on the bottom. He joined us for a day at Disney. Canadians love having Pixie Dust blown on them. One does not simply go to Disneyland and not ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. "I find those who fail to ride Mr. Toad's Wild Ride disturbing." More to come.

Our march to NYC continues! If you can't have a good time at Knoebels, may God save yer heathen soul! The Flyers and the Flying Turns in one shot! I am on fire! You can either have what's behind the curtain, or this delicious assortment of fried goodies on Dan's tray. "There's no earthly way of knowing . . . which direction we are going . . ." Knoebels has one of the best train rides anywhere, even if it lacks dinosaurs. Arr! I be ready fer Glow ERT on Phoenix, sez I. Do 'em the dirty, me hearties! Dorney Park is a generic Cedar Fair operation, but I do like Talon. And, hey, I had the pleasure of riding the train with Crouses, . . . . . . and Robb won a bunch of candy. So, a good day at Dorney. "Welcome to Six Flags Great Adventure's Safari, humans. Why, I'm so happy to see you, I just might spit." (Fortunately, he didn't, and the Safari tour was great.) I swear I could see my house from Zoomanjaro. We couldn't quite escape Kentucky Kingdom, as this ride (Green Lantern) was once Chang at KK. Who's ready for nighttime ERT on El Toro? Toss a ring on the Empire State Building and win a kewpie doll! Our quest is at an end . . . . . . God be praised! (I understand that about three-fourths of Cylcone had been retracked. That would explain the problems with the remaining fourth. Even with that, it was a good ERT session with a fun-loving ride crew.) Thunderbolt was, well, er, not good. I think the chintzy trains were the big problem. This is the Tickler. KT looks anything but tickled. "You made me ride the Tickler! For that effrontery, shields will be splintered and blood will be shed!" I liked Spook-o-Rama a lot--a great, cheesy dark ride. Speaking of scary, here's Deno's Wonder Wheel, a true Coney Island classic ride. I think they brought this old coaster train up from the Titanic. Hmm--ten bucks for the Ghost Hole? Er, no thanks. "Are you ready for Scott's Pizza Tour little girl? Heh, heh, heh!" This was a great way to end the East Coast Trip. Eveeybody needs to take Scott's Pizza Tour. That's all for now.

Mini New Hotness and East Coast 2014 After another great trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, it was back to the USA in 2014 to experience some "new hotness" in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio and some good East Coast times (with pizza) in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Yes, Australia has the vast Outback, Japan the futuristic skyline of Tokyo, and China the Great Wall and the mountainous islands of Hong Kong. But only in America can you enjoy this view. Yeah, suck it Paris! USA! USA! So, what did I take away from my travels with TPR in 2014? 1. Banshee shows that when B&M is called on to make a huge, intense ride, they can still do it. 2. The best rides of any type at Holiday World are Wildebeest and Mammoth in Splashin' Safari. Those water coasters rule! 3. More parks need to build more rides like Kentucky Kingdom's Lightning Run. 4. Anyone who visits New York City needs to take Scott's Pizza Tour. 5. Any day at Knoebel's is a good day. 6. Beware of Satan's Lodge in Santa Claus, Indiana! Onward! Our fitst stop was Coney "Not in New York" Island outside Cincinnati. Hmm--I wonder if could get a "dollar-a-year" VP gig with Disneyland? (Well, it was $.79 after taxes, I guess.) Why, that would be roughly $9.53 today! We next stopped at Stricker's Grove, a park that, like the mythical Scottish village of Brigadoon, only appears once every 100 years! My thanks to Robb and Elissa for setting this up. Stricker's reminded me a bit of Micke's Grove outside Lodi, California when I was a kid. Kings Island made a good trade when they replaced Son of Beast with Banshee. No wonder TPR held "Banshee Bash" that day. Snoopy agrees with me on this point. Our backstage tour of Beast was fun. Diamondback is more like the typical crop of big B&M coasters, but I think it's a lot better than Intimidator at Carowinds. You gotta hand it to Cedar Fair--they do a good job with their signs. Kentucky Kingdom was a park that seemed doomed the year before. But they bounced back, and built Chance's answer to the Intamin Mega Lite: Lightning Run! This little coaster had more air time than the last five years of B&M hypers. New hotness, indeed! Thunder Run wasn't bad, either. We had a great ERT session on Kentucky Rumbler at Beech Bend, despite a thuunderstorm rolling in. This is one of GCI's best creations. Can you endure the terror that awaits within this 1950s era suburban tract house? Oh, crap, we got werewolves again! Better call Orkin. Holiday World's Mammoth delivers serious air time for a water ride. Nighttime ERT on Raven was fun, too. For Dan, Indiana Beach was all about the tacos. They were pretty dang good. There's still Fascination for all you klassy people, . . . . . . along with some pretty good wooden coasters. More new hotness at Six Flags Great America. Say hello to Goliath . . . . . . and X-Flight. Yay for nighttime ERT on Fahrenheit at Herssheypark! I wasn't crazy about this ride the year before, but it grew on me that night. Wildcat was rough as hell, but the Angus McNasty overlay made it more entertaining. Skyrush is a great coaster, which I found legitimately terrifying. Remember, at Hershey, it's all about the milk chocolate . . . . . . and the beer at Troegs. More to come.

The Log Chute has always been the best ride at Nick Universe/Camp Snoopy.

As I stated earlier, "more to come." It has arrived. Our last stop on Hokkaido was Rusutsu Resort, which is a ski resort in the winter and an amusement park in the summer. This is northern Japan's version of Mt. Fuji. Adding a dive loop to an Ultra Twister was a stroke of genius. "What just happened?" Of course, adding an SLC wasn't quite as clever. This shuttle loop was like those scary ones in China, only much more enjoyable. KT was reluctant to ride it at first, but I think she went on it numerous times. "The power of Christ compels you! The power of Christ compels you!" (Another good, creepy, gory haunt.) Jenn and Travis are settling down to a nice dinner--at the MURDER LODGE! Tired of walking? No problem at Rusutsu. Back to Tokyo! We had some time to kill before checking in at the Hilton Tokyo Bay. May as well hang out at the Tokyo Decks. Joypolis had since upgraded the painful Spin Bullet into Veil of Dark, a fun shooting dark ride/coaster combo. Thanks for that, Sonic! Great views from the back of the Decks. Condomania was still in business. The Toyota City Showcase had this fun electric go-kart course. Night descends on Tokyo. Look! I can see Space Mountain from my room! But first things first. Thanks to Robb and Elissa's efforts, this was a pretty good visit to Fuji-Q. I enjoyed Takabisha--best of the Eurofighters. KT tried to kill Dan. I finally checked out the Haunted Hospital. You know, it had some good creepy atmosphere, but it wasn't all that scary. Nothing really happens until you reach the end. Do-Dodonpa still had its crazy high hat. We also caught a glimpse of Mt. Fuji. Tokyo Disneyland! Our quest is at an end. God be praised! KT finally succeeded in killing Dan. "Whoa! That safe totally crushed that guy! Too bad he's not a cartoon character. He could just walk it off." The castle was all dolled up for the resort's 30th anniversary. Yes, I think this is the best of the Magic Kingdoms. Good night TDL! Good morning TDS! This is the view when you enter the park 'Nuff said. OH MY GOD! Yes, much popcorn was consumed. Yep--it's tough to beat the Mysterious Island of Captain Nemo . . . . . . or Journey to the Center of the Earth. I never get tired of this ride. God, this park! Great views everywhere you look! NO PHOTOS! Time for a nice, civilized adult beverage at the Teddy Roosevelt Lounge on the USS Columbia. Sigh! I miss DisneySea. This park has yet to be topped. That's all for now.

Japan 2013 And we're back. Back in Japan seven years ago. Jazz Impressions of Japan, by the Dave Brubeck Quartet, is playing in the background as I write this, as such memories as this are best contemplated in tranquility. Yes, one appreciates the quiet when enjoying fried gyoza and frozen Kirin. As in any return trip, you can expect something old and something new. We headed north to the visit Sapporo on Hokkaido, as well as the usual cities, such as Tokyo and Osaka. What did I take away from TPR's 2013 Japan Trip? 1. The foam in a frozen Kirin blows Butterbeer away. 2. One must climb many, many steps to achieve true enlightenment at the Ikari Temple (and the vending machines get more expensive the higher you go). 3. Although I'm not a huge fan of Japanese beer, the fresh brew out of the taps at the Sapporo Brewery is pretty dang good. 4. Tokyo DisneySea remains the best theme park in the world. Speaking of DisneySea . . . Oh my goodness! A bunch of us have arrived a day early. Where ever shall we go? I had to buy a one-day ticket at the TDS booth, and the CM asked me my age. I said "53," and she sold me a ticket for a surprisingly low price. I joined the group after I'd paid, and realized that she'd sold me a "senior ticket." I guess she thought I said "63"? Chandu doesn't think I look that old. Our first "official" stop was Tobu Zoo, the home of Kawasemi--yet another great Intamin Mega Lite. But what can top the sheer thrill of the Hello Kitty Unicorn ride? Off to Osaka, where we had a great backstage tour of Universal Japan's Spider-man. I took this photo of Backdraft's preshow with my little Panasonic Lumix. A CM gave me the old "crossed wrist" signal and said, "No photos." Meanwhile, Dan was standing next to me with his big professional-type camera, with a lens the size of a bazooka, snapping away. Not a word was said to him. I guess size does matter. Mickey truly leads the life of a swingin' bachelor. He even made the cover of "Brutus.' which I guess is the equivalent of Playboy for giant, sentient mice. Hirakata is a fun family park with the customary Jet Coaster and giant green monster who tries to strangle you. It's also the home of ELF (or "Episode of Little Fairies," believe it or not). It's a very good Intamin family wooden coaster. The Ikari Temple is a lio of steps and a lot of orange arches. I was glad to see it, but it was a very tiring climb up. Cosmoworld is the home of the appropriately named Vanish. Ooo, look--it's gone! Just in case you missed Vanish the first time. The infamous screaming log ride, where you're encouraged to howl "We Are on a Log Flume" at the top of your lungs. Once upon a time, you could rent a little electric boat and cruise around Sea Paradise's dolphin lagoon. Sigh! I miss Blue Fall. Remember, folks: The family that boozes it up together, stays together. Steel Dragon 2000 was showing off its shiny new B&M trains at Nagashima Spaland. And the old Schwarzkopf shuttle loop was still good. I think the puppet is her supervisor. Welcome to Sapporo. Enjoy yourself at Vegas Vegas! (This was one of the more "western" cities I've visited in Japan.) Hokkaido Greenland was a very nice "traditional" park, if you can get past this horde of giant insects. While there, be sure to "Go On" the jet coaster. (Yes, that's the name--Go On.) Dragon King is not an Arrow loop screw, but an amazing simulation. I don't remember much about this coaster, which might be for the best. "OK, I SCARE YOU GOOD!" The walk-through haunt was fun, . . . . . . but this was scarier! Hmm--I wonder where we could find some beer and food in Sapporo? Perhaps this establishment. So much beer you might drown in it! The Sapporo Bier Garten (aka, the "All You Can Eat and Drink in 90 Minutes Restaurant") was great. "Mine's bigger." More to come.

Drievliet is a very enjoyable little park, and Formule X is a great little launched coaster. It did my heart good to know that the bizarre "singing barn" show still existed.