Photo TR: Bill's Amazing TPR UK-Euro Tour (2010)

[Nrthwnd]

So - nothing to do in (some) off-seasons with nothing new to read?

 

Well, I have one more tour here that I have put off posting. Till now.

This was a couple of weeks touring first through the UK, then flying

from England to Italy, and continuing this TPR tour from there.

 

There was excitement, heat, a couple of tempers frayed, the WOW factor,

Olympic Looping Coaster!, Blackpool, new credits, old favourites (UK).

It was another awesome totally unique coaster-parks-countries tour

by Elissa and Robb. So once again, and never too much, THANK YOU.

 

And I got my #400 on this one, woo hoo! Guess which one? Soon...

 

In the meantime, and while I put together the system to scan all of these

old-style film photos , please be patient. Yes, this was still the time when

I was not enamored by digital and all that. A few years have changed that,

but for now, this will be a "retro tour," LOL.

Me and Miles, bonding on Infusion, an SLC transplant to Blackpool from another park.

And yeah - it was an owie.

Edited January 1, 2014 by Nrthwnd

[simon8899]

One sees all the fun a SLC makes...

[thrillerman1]

I hated that I missed this trip, but I'll be looking forward to retro vicariously living it through your photos, Bill.

 

As for Infusion, Miles' expression seems to express my exact sentiments about SLC's!

[Philrad71]

Those expressions are hilarious!

 

Looking forward to this TR, Bill.

[gisco]

 

Loved that trip with my Daughter. Was only on the Europe half!

[Nrthwnd]

So - here we go.

 

But first, a < Medical Alert Spoiler > And this has to be explained or no one will really know (especially those who were on the tour with me) what "baggage" I had to bring along with me, on this tour....and would rather have left at home.

 

Three months before the tour began, I had a medical emergency, which put me in the hospital and an operating room, over a period of five days, four nights. Not trying to gross anybody here but (SPOLILER?) - somehow, a tube called the "urterer" from my right kidney to my bladder, got infected and blocked up. And when I came out, i had what's called a 'stint' installed in me. The was put in, to strengthen the tube itself and keep everything moving from kidney to bladder. And as well, a small protrusion out my back, where the stint was installed, had to be cleaned and freshly bandaged up with tape and such.

 

Still with me? I hope so. So with this, I then found out this cleaning had to be done by somebody else, as I couldn't possibly reach around, etc. And this was to be done weekly. And the stint would stay in me for six months.

 

 

Needless to say, my stress levels hit the ceiling after I came out of the hospital. But I actually calmed down by my surgeon, who knew about the tour coming up, and told me there'd no problems at all with this, as long as it was regularly cleaned....and that "I wasn't knocked around too much on any of the coasters."

 

Hmmm. And my levels went up again.

 

Well, long story finally short, I packed 1/3 of my suitcase with fresh pads and tapes and blah blah, took my chances and did the tour - which actually turned out pretty good. The discomfort was there most of the time, and I still had my doubts about a coaster here and there along the way. And ERT was really a bummer for me, as I took one ride, and I was good. Didn't want to overdo... but I still wanted those damned credits, Flying Squirrel and all!

 

And so - I did enjoy myself AND I do owe a good portion of that enjoyment to a friend on the tour who helped me "clean up," twice it turned out - once in Splash Landings Hotel, the other in Gardaland Hotel - and kept me feeling good about being a part of another great TPR Tour. I'll tell the name later but for now...

 

The End.

 

(P.S. I also want to THANK INCREDIBLY the Medical Stations at both Thorpe and Europa Parks, for helping me "keep things taped up" when the heatwave and humidity finally hit us near the end of the UK part of the tour. My first time with those places, too. Awesome help.)

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *

 

Our first day on the tour was one of those Famous TPR Culture Days! For this we made our way through the city till we popped up from a subway station, around near where Parliament and Big Ben overshadowed us. A few of us had lunch in one of the more tourist area pubs nearby. And it was Good food. And the beer was wonderful. Although I have no memory of what I drank, lol! A lot of walking was done to see London from different angles. We even were on a drawbridge that had to open up for a tall ship passing through. It was great to watch.

 

The majority of the group headed to The London Dungeons (the Dungeons Franchise has five or six of these set-up around Europe. usually with some kind of boat ride or lately, a drop ride installed as part of the themeing and environment.), while a small group of us opted out, and headed towards where our next meetup would be - the London Eye. Elissa had bought us group tix for a trip up and over this thing, which was astoundingly HUGE when you got up close to it. But that was for a bit later.

 

We went through one of a franchise put together by Merlin I believe (?), involving sea life and bringing the oceans to the public and children who may not get the chance to see such stuff. It made my feel guilty that I have my own pretty awesome aquarium at home, and should get to it, once in a while. (I haven't yet - but, patience!) So we used some time touring through the aquarium there, settled in with some refreshments, and eventually we were all back together.

 

The Eye is just amazing. A good touch of my fear of heights hit me, as we were cresting the top of it, and I was tending to stay more in the middle of the 'egg' (benches provided for such things) than pressed against the edge of the glass, like so many others were. But it was a breathtaking 'flight,' the views were excellent all around, and I would certainly want to do it again, if ever I got the chance to.

 

After this, we were heading to our first dinner together. It was to be East Indian and I must say a lot of it turned out very.... red. I also wasn't too sure about what to put together with what relish or chutney etc. But, it all tasted very good, so my lack of Indian cuisine knowledge didn't f me up, heh heh.

 

And then to the hotel - and to bed for the Official Start of The Tour! Sadly, out of that whole day, I took only one - *&%$# - photo. (I will get better as this tour moves along.)

Us and BB! And to the right of Ben... that's either a seagull or something's on the print!

(Ryan, myself, Jes, Ginny and Jon)

Edited December 5, 2013 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

After our London Culture Day...The Official Tour Started!

 

First up was Chessington Park which had one of my all-time fave coasters...Vampire. Along with a really awesome themed entrance queue, I loved how it sweeps through the trees and eventually swoops out and over the public in the little 'village' , before heading back to the station.

 

This trip, we had an extra BONUS perk of touring through Bubbleworks, the park's premier dark/flume ride! It was great walking along the flume with the scenes operating. It all ended in the Finale Shower Room, where many photos were taken. A great ride.

 

Next, we headed into Wales and I re-visited where i picked up my #100 Credit - Clown Coaster in Oakwood ! That was a very exciting day for me, unlike the ride op who was very dubious about letting me on it. This trip, the ops didn't seem to care, and I think everybody got their credit in.

 

This was also where i experienced my very first vertical lift coaster - Speed. I remember riding it nearly 15 times back in 2006 before a real headache set in. I couldn't get more of this type of coaster - and I still enjoy it today, old and new ones. Add to this, my very first - and only one - Mega Shoot-the-Chute, Hydro. Still amazingly insane just before the drop, with gallons of water hitting you in the face. Woo hoo!

 

And then we headed back into England and headed towards Alton Towers...

 

(We also stopped at a beach side carnival - either before or after Oakwood, still fuzzy on this - called Coney Beach. A very ghetto park. It used to have a pinfari type of coaster that was sadly, taken down. But - everybody got their Wacky Worm credit! And we nearly lost Fran to the park, after he got on a flat and it - went - on - for - e -ver. He finally made it to the bus and we were off and running!)

The end of our BUBBLEWORKS Tour at Chessington. So much water. Many bathroom visits happened after this tour.

Speed! At Oakwood. The car's now going into what I affectionately called The Toilet Bowl.

Megafobia makes me all fuzzy in a kind of un-focussed way.

The geeks get ready for action shots of Megafobia, on our 'backstage tour' of it, and Hydro.

And at the bottom of the first drop, here. Like flies to.... honey.

An art sculpture, beside the park's drop tower. And...no comment.

Sexy side loop!

Edited December 5, 2013 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

And from the Still Fuzzy in My Head Dept....

 

Seems I totally forgot the the actual First Park we went to....Adventure Island, which had it's new vertical lift coaster RAGE debuting the year we were there. It was a standard layout for this type of coaster, but I really enjoyed the speed and intensity of the ride cycle. And still - it's wierd that the actual last new coaster I rode on this tour, would be another of these types of coasters, at Durinrell park, outside Amsterdam! Hmmm...

 

We also had a nice lunch at the park, and then had to hurry on, continuing our tour.

[Nrthwnd]

And on we went....

 

Alton Towers - this was a great re-visit to a fave park of mine. I actually toured around some of the garden area, that was in the sunken 'valley' of the park. Mucho walking, whew! And HEX of course, always a great attraction. I still enjoyed AIR, being my very first flyer in coasters. I always get a kick out of our swooping around the parking lot! This visit, I was to ride my 400th Credit, and it was 13, the much over hyped coaster recently opened at AT. I enjoyed it, even though I knew "medical assistance" would not be necessary. It was a kick, and I only wished they had marketed it better than they originally did. And we had (again) a nice lunch buffet, with the windows of where we were eating, looking out to the Towered castle itself.

 

Then it was on to Drayton Manor, home of an infamous stand-up coaster (it hurts just writing this), and one of the better, smaller mad houses, The Haunting. A new coaster was in Thomas Land, so that was a new credit to grab. And I declined riding G-Force. Painful memories of 2006's riding it was a very easy excuse not to, again. Also, one of the cheesiest "Pirates of The..." knockoffs, I have ever seen. All good TPR stuff.

 

After DM we went to Camelotm one of the smaller and more family friendly parks on the tour. Home to a relocated coaster from Japan (KnightMare), although without all the "mountain" scenery around it. I wished they'd rebuilt something like what was in Japan. And there was a gasoline-driven coaster to ride there, too! A bit wierd, but a credit IS a credit, right? It was also a rather oddly laid out park, with a heavily banked walkway to get through other parts of the park. And a sword in a stone. Not many kings among us, unfortunately.

 

Then there was Gullivers, which had the distinction of our tour of having the most wierd walk-through Haunt House in a theme park. (Apart from Japan parks.) And this was in the middle of childrens' rides and play areas. Very odd. And there was Antelope, a truly intense little coaster with a pull-you-outta-your-seat ending to it. I did one cycle, then decided to wait out the rest, going on and on and on it, again. Some times it's fun to watch others react in pain. And this was also one of the parks that had art sculptures around it's grounds. I liked that.

 

We also did a little trip to the (sort of former) Southport Park, which still had it's small steel coaster. And it was operating for us! It was down when we were here in 2006, so this was a credit to get, finally. The guys running the rides also opened up the bumper cars and a flat ride for our enjoyment. A great side trip.

My #400 at Alton Towers! And I enjoyed 13 a lot.

On board one of the former EXPO 86 (in Vancouver) monorail trains, heading back to our hotel.

Great driver, and he gave us some Alton Towers Trivia, which I have totally forgotten by now.

Lunch buffet above the Towers Family Restaurant. Josh looks ready for it.

The bunch, seriously noshing and nom nom nom-ing on a great buffet. Thanks AT!

I did the ERT on Nemesis once, then took photos the rest of the time.

G-Force at Drayton Manor. And the cursive lift "hill".

At this point I thought I was really falling out of the seat. Seriously!

An TPR-takeover of bumper cars! In Camelot.

Ledgy trying to prove he is The King. Nope. Didn't work. At Camelot.

Back to Southport, for the one coaster credit that was missed in 2006! As well, they ran the bumper cars, and this un-named (to me) flat ride to get crazy on. Thanks guys!

Gullivers: Antelope coaster.... with art.

[arby]

Congrats on # 400! I can't wait to make it to Alton Towers. The way it's looking my #400 may be there too.

[Moose]

Bill I was on this trip and had nooooo idea you were going through all of that while we traveled.

 

I also wasn't 100% sure I was on this trip until I saw my thinner, freshly shaven self on the bumper cars in that last set of pics.

[Nrthwnd]

^ Well, from time to time, I can be quiet about something.

 

Robb and Elissa were told ahead of the tour, what had happened, so they knew.

And both of my room mates were filled in, without getting too ucky clinical about it.

And my Florence Nightengale on the tour turned out to be the one and only..... Ginny!

She helped me change bandage pads on my back, with the taping and all. A real angel

she was/is. We did it twice - once at our Alton Towers Hotel, the other at the Gardaland Hotel.

 

But I was still pretty hesitant with a lot of the coasters we toured. And that Sequoia

Adventure (Flying Squirrel) at Gardaland, was looming ahead, I was really nervous

what to do. But I took a chance, rode it, and thanks to the coaster gawds, it was one of

The Most Boring Coasters I had ever ridden, lol!

 

But I nearly lost my Angel, when the restraints and/or belt wasn't totally locked on

Ginny, and it wasn't really fixed, until she was literally at the lift hill! All in constant

motion too. Whew!

 

And you looked good in that tour, Jon.

Actually, you look good in any tour.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Nrthwnd

[Nrthwnd]

Blackpool - Lightwater Valley - Flamingo Land

 

- Blackpool Pleasure Beach has always been a fave amongst those of us who do the TPR tours. So much is packed into the park, you can actually run into stuff you didn't see before! Unfortunately the only new credit for myself was the SLC, moved from Southport to BPB. Renamed Infusion, the name change did not make the ride any less bumpy. But, I got the credit, and don't have to ever ride it again, woo hoo! Of course there were several rides on the park's massive indoor water ride, Valhalla, and instead on an on-ride pic, we got fridge magnets which Ledgy turned into a larger "on ride photo" back at home. Thanks Ledgy!

 

- We had coaster views from our hotel room (Big Blue), but I really didn't see any coasters rushing by, even in testing, as we were at the park really really early, and then most of the day. But that was okay. Still a great view.

 

- Lightwater Valley park is home to this one, bazarrely laid out coaster called The Ultimate. In my current condition, and knowing what was in the second half of the ride does (first half is literally the first and second lift hill with a lot of straight track in between), I declined to ride it this time out. Which was fine. The indoor mouse coaster was renamed and still smelled funny in the entry and exit queues. Food was, as before, somewhat lacking in ....uh.. flavour.

 

- Flamingo Land had two new credits for me to get. The first was a "family mine train" that really tossed everybody around in it's cycle. And then we rode Mumbo Jumbo, my first and only ride on an El Loco-brand coaster. I loved it! Wanted to ride it many more times, but it was near the end of our visit to the park, there was some filming to do with some tour members on it...

 

After that, we were headed to more credits with seaside locations....

I see you Bling, sticking out there, on left side view of out Big Blue hotel window.

Not riding you though. Too - boring.

And the right side window view. Sadly, nothing testing or running at this time

The end of our Grand National ERT. It's a rather rough coaster to me, and I had the credit, so I skipped this one, too. Everybody does seem happy there. Unlike the gp waiting to board...eventually.

Blackpool's version of World of Colour, lol. Probably much better in the evening, with lights and all. And behind the fountains, is where the indoor Tagada used to live. Now (back in 2010) it's a haunt hangout front for ghouls and those who want pix taken with them.

Bye bye, Log Flume Guy. See you on another BPB visit.

The Ultimate's first lift hill at Light Water Valley. Ho hum....

This was the other credit I already had at Flamingo Land. Sadly, not everybody already had the credit. This is the sorry bunch.

Kumali is surprisingly, still a pretty smooth SLC.

So - what are other parks doing wrong with their SLC's?

Mumbo Jumbo gets a very high Thumbs Up from me! I just loved it.

Twisty track in Mumbo Jumbo.

Full view, from the bus. The crane was for the filming of the ride in action. With TPR on board!

Infusion on-ride pic at Blackpool. I believe me and Miles were holding tight onto our 'senses' not wanting to let go of them.

Valhalla on-ride pic. We were a wet happy group.

Edited December 10, 2013 by Nrthwnd

[Philrad71]

Great stuff, Bill....sorry to hear of your ailments during the trip, but you certainly seem like a trooper.

 

I love London and would love to go back. We managed to get to Thorpe Park during our trip to visit friends a few years ago which was cool, but I really wanted to visit Alton and Blackpool.

 

If we would have more time, I think we could have managed it, but our trip was like five days/nights to cram in all of the major sites in London (BB, HoP, Eye, ToL, Abbey Rd & even the Gay Pride parade & some of Live 8 at Hyde Park). And then when we traveled, we wanted to visit all of the other cultural and historic sites so just didn't have enough time to do the cool parks that they have in England.

 

Looking forward to the rest of this retro report!

[WFChris]

I think the only thing that could drag me out to England is a TPR tour. I for some reason or another, just have zero interest in London and the surrounding area. Perhaps I have some inner need to experience a massive language barrier when I travel.

[Nrthwnd]

^ I am sure there are several "language barriers" you could find,

in and around London, Chris lol.

 

I went with TPR in 2006, because it was a first tour for me,

and for them as a public tour. I got to connect back up with a

few friends I hadn't seen since....1980! And I even got to see

a couple of West End musicals - "Mary Poppins" and "Avenue Q"!

 

This 2010 visit was to just get the new credits in, which during that

year were new (to us), like Mumbo Jumbo (El Loco), re visit a few

fave parks like Blackpool and Alton Towers and Chessington, and then

ending up at Thorpe (has my first TPR avatar - Canada Creek sign!)

which is a cool park, too. Although the weather, wasn't. (heat, heat, and more heat)

 

But nowadays I, like you, wouldn't go back unless it was another TPR Tour.

[Nrthwnd]

Congrats on # 400! I can't wait to make it to Alton Towers. The way it's looking my #400 may be there too.

 

Thanks. And good wishes on your future #400, too!

 

And this somehow reminded me - at the Alton Towers Hotel, Robb & Elissa (thanks guys!)

also secured some EWT (Exclusive Waterpark Time?) at the Splash Landings Hotel's

indoor water park! Two hour's worth I believe. And I was so excited to do it with everybody.

Until my medical problem happened - after that, I had to sit it out.

 

But - there were a few others who also declined, so we all sat near the bar, watched

everybody else playing like drenched idiots, including an amazing CONGA LINE up and

around the park's pathway structure! And then it ended.

 

And we had drinks. A lot of cocktails. And we had fun, too.

[gisco]

Loved Blackpool and can't wait to go back to the UK in general. Too many great TPR trips and not enough vacation time! Can't wait to see the rest of the trip Bill.

[Nrthwnd]

"I do love to coast along the seaside..." (or words to that effect)

 

On our way to our next hotel, Robb started talking about having a "bathroom break," or

something like that. For most of us, that was fine. But as we were getting closer to

"the break," several of us noticed a boomerang coaster far, far in the distance.

 

And it was getting closer! Turns out, Robb & Elissa had arranged with the Pleasure Island

management, that we were in the need of "extra credits". So they literally Opened The Park

to us, for the two coasters we rode (the boomerang and a family coaster) and as well, several

minutes on their gi-normous Pendulus, a frisbee. It was intense but total bliss!

Thanks Robb and Elissa and Pleasure Island!

 

After that, and an overnight at our hotel, we headed to two parks by the sea,

like Pleasure Island was.

 

First up was Fantasy Island Skegness, home to Jubilee Odyssey a huge Vekoma SLC.

Unfortunately, and as hard as they tried working on it, the coaster couldn't be opened for us

or the gp. But we made do with the four other coasters in the park. Except - one kiddie coaster

in particular (Jellikins) was NOT going to allow everybody on it. The cars were sooooooo tiny,

I would have had to stand in it, which would have made for an interesting ride, lol. But a

couple of people on the tour managed to fit in and get that credit .

 

And we had an 'interesting' lunch where everybody's order arrived....except my chili order! Grrrr.

Took a fairly long long (too long) time, but I did get it finally, it was good, and that was that.

I also picked up a pair of pants at the park's many many MANY clothes stalls and market area.

 

The other seaside park we visited was Boulton's Pleasure Beach Skegness, which for myself,

resembled a smaller version (in spots) of Blackpool! There were a few rides literally above others,

and there many many stairs to reach all of them. Also, I rode another one of those Evil Waltzters,

with equally evil ride ops spinning us intensely around and around and.... And like Dondopna at

Fuji-Q, I thought my eyeballs were going to be pulled out of their sockets!

 

It also had a rather wild spinning Wild Mouse, and one of the very rare Inverted Kiddie Coasters,

called Queen Bee. It wasn't too intense and was actually an interesting new experience for me.

 

And after this pair of parks visits, we were off to our final hotel of the UK part of the tour, and our

final park - Thorpe.

Boomerang at Pleasure Island. A nice surprise for everybody, thanks to

Robbm Elissa and PI management.

Before the big SPLASH on the flume at Fantasy Island.

One of the coaster we did ride at Fantasy Island - Millenium - I thought it was great coaster,

and actually rode it a few times@

And this is Jellikins Coaster, with ONLY Ginny (back car) and Mike (middle car)

able to ride, from our group..

Lunch is......almost.....served. And the guys at my table were so nice to wait as

long as they could before everything they had got cold. And they were so sweet

to 'reserve' space for my (eventual) chili order. Thanks guys!

Boultons - with a Wacky Worm and that crazy spinning coaster in back, high above the beach.

Couldn't get the shot of anybody in their (evil) Waltzer car.

They were spinning too fast. Way too fast. Cursed ride ops.

Back on the bus - heading back to London. And Thorpe park.

[Moose]

That "bathroom break" was a great surprise. It also goes to show you how far out of their way Robb and Elissa go to make these tours awesome and get everyone on every ride they can.

 

It also provided my favorite quote of the trip, Erik saying "A Vekoma is not a urinal!" Repeatedly.

[cfc]

Only TPR would provide coasters along with a "bathroom break."

[Nrthwnd]

^ It's the best way to have a bathroom break!

 

But I don't any of us used the bathrooms there at the park, LOL!

I could be wrong, but the visit was really a quick one for the

two credits and the extra flat ride.

 

I was kind of hoping their recently opened dark ride (ShrieksVille),

would be available for us too, but it wasn't. Which was okay. We had a great

time with the three rides we got to ride. A Nice 'Bathroom Break' Surprise!

[rollin_n_coastin]

This looked like a really fun tour from all I've heard about it. Glad you were able to enjoy it.

 

It's great seeing pics of summer especially with 15 cm of snow coming down about now.

[Nrthwnd]

It also provided my favorite quote of the trip, Erik saying "A Vekoma is not a urinal!" Repeatedly.

 

 

And Thanks Jason. And the fact I made it through the tour at "about" the same pace as everybody else... Win!

 

Well, sometimes all things must change, and in this case, it was The Weather on our way to Thorpe Park.

A heat wave (to me) started up, with very high temperatures, humidity, and general feelings of 'stickiness.'

This was also the first time, my bandage and tape on my back started peeling off, due to the humidity. But THANKS to the wonderful people who man the Medical Centre for the park, they re-bandaged/taped me up, and even gave me a bit of extra tape, "if things start to dissolve again," heh. And this was myy first encounter ever, with medical services in any park, and I was very impressed with how equipped, staffed and friendly everybody was.

 

Thorpe Park is another fave park of mine in England. It really is a great mix of thrills, flats, family rides and stuff, shows, a water park. And most importantly....BIG SCREEN TV in the Glass House gathering indoor spot. This was where the game of the day was being watched in the summer's WORLD CUP. Needless to say, the place was PACKED with everybody (England was playing another country. Unfortunately, England lost the game ) on the chairs, on the floor...

 

But that gave a bunch of us a big advantage. A few of us actually weren't keeping up with the WC too much (I raise my hand), then we found parts of the park really light in traffic and queues, etc. very nice. And of course, after the game, everybody starting exiting the place, so then we REALLY had some space in the park to stroll around in.

 

The coasters are a really mixed bunch. Stealth (my first ever whatever this is called - 2006); another awesome Nemesis - Inferno; a totally f-ed up WTF coaster (X:/NO WAY OUT...uh?); the ten-looping headache-inducing (for me, honest) thing that is COLOSSUS; New Credit #1 - Family coaster, called Flying Fish (fish can fly AND coast? Awesome.); and New Credit #2 - SAW:The Ride.

 

SAW was really something different for myself. I never saw any of the movies, and frankly, I don't intend too. Nowadays, the blood and gore is just going into overdrive for me, on film AND tv. Anyway... It was a vertical lift coaster, which I enjoyed very much, on most I had been on, before. And this was really great! Especially if you were loaded into the second car (no spoilers from me). I went on it a few times in our early ERT, and our Later ERT after the park closed. I love how a lot of these lift coasters are being enclosed for more themeing, and SAW was no exception. I enjoyed it!

 

There was also a SAW: Walk-Thru, that I didn't go through (hot day - no walk more), but 'heard' from some who did, it was either good, or meh.

 

So, the park gave us ERT on SAW and Inferno Nemesis, which when you look at a park map, are not exactly side by side each other, lol. So that was a good workout for myself, doing a few rounds on one then getting over to the other for a few on that one. Again, i really did very well for that day, considering the heat wave was going to follow us for the second part of the tour.

 

And after the park, we bussed to a final dinner (#1) for this part of the tour. Some weren't doing all of it, like many of us were. So the city of Windsor greeted us with an amazing performance of parking our bus (These were very VERY narrow streets. Thankyou bus driver)...and a Wagamama's for dinner. A trippy chain that truly believes that most everything can taste great, if it's in a bowl. And it was!

 

So - No Goodbyes...See You Laters UK, and Hello Italy, soon enough.

So here's us with our lunch in the Glass House Restaurant. Very chic. And there's soon to be a World Cup game alllll around us.

Yes, there it is, is Colossus. Lawdy, I must ride it at least once.

I'm Home! Sort of. My first TPR avatar, btw. Unfortunately, the great little train ride was literally cut in half.

And the family farm walk-around, closed New coaster coming in, we "heard" at that time. Sw.....att?

Naw, This is Swatt! Actually, it's SLAMMER, another flat that for myself, once was enough.

Very slow loading and unloading. And it wasn't really a thrill to me. More an anooyance. IMhO

Mmmm, just as good as Daddy over at Alton Towers. I really enjhoyed this one too. But guess what? No pix of SAW to show! Even i was surprised when I got my FILM back home. Another reason to go digital, yes?

And no pix of the dinner at Wagamama's in Windsor. )o: But this storefront cught my eye.

Cupcakes and cake ALWAYS catches me eye. (o;

[Nrthwnd]

Time to pick up, pack up, and change countries!

(From London to Milan, and Gardaland, in words...)

 

And this - that was I think, for myself, the most Challenging Day I had ever done, before or since,

that really tested my emotion, patience, strength and stamina.

 

Mostly, it all had to do with the heat wave, that now followed us from London to Milan, and beyond.

We didn't get it this hot or humid in high records, in Vancouver BC. At the time. If you got any shade

(mainly beside the bus, or in another, under tiny food shop overhangs at the Olympic Looping

Coaster's location}, it wasn't much and the heat was still intense. We did okay with it, but still...

at times....darn in was hot!

 

Add to that, getting up very very early in the travelling day (I totally forget, but it was the earliest I

can remember getting up for any flight, even my own), airport, flight from London to Milan, bags

and bus it to our next hotel (The GardaLand Hotel), drop the bags in a room for staff to take to

rooms...and then head out to Gardaland for a full day's visit! And we walked to the park, from the

hotel, which was really another 15 minutes of walking in the hot sun, side of the road.

 

Definitely a true test of my coping with, and getting through really intense conditions. And I did it!

 

But i felt so out of things, and in some discomfort in my back, most of the day at GardaLand is a

blur or sorts. We got all the credits; Mammut was a great mine train ride; finally found and rode the

disney-like Pirates ride (I Corsari), which was wierdly cool when the whole thing went underwater, lol;

the mad house swing ride (Magic House), in the children's area and deep down under this gi-normous

cartoon-like tree in the maddle of this section. We also discovered that the locals just threw their bags

and packs saw this, we all decided to keep clutching our bags, since we wouldn't have seen them for

nearly 15 minutes! Uh uh.

 

Also, the park is shaped horseshoe-like, which really made it slightly difficult to just get from one

side to the other, etc. For myself. Others, I don't know. But by the time we had toured around, and

backtracked a few times, and then done the Magic House, that was it for me. Which was fine. A

good night's sleep was really needed for myself.

 

Sadly, I found out I had not taken any photos of this park!!! Yes, I was shocked, too. But all

day I remember not feeling totally awake, and really 'up' for the park, and hot hot hot, and I guess it

played into my thoughts about ever taking photos. But that's ok. Most of you know all about the

coasters and attractions in this park, including Sequoia Adventure (which I totally aced and was totally

bored by it), and the Aliens Invade Egypt dark ride (Ramses: Il Risveglio) and a thoroughly unique

Wacky Worm layout.

 

So - next posting - Mirabilandia Park with a few photos! (I checked)

But I couldn't just post without at least one photo attached. So here's my

2010 TPR Tour Bag...uh...somewhere in there... eep. And I forgot the colour! (o;