Today was going to be a very good day. It was Movie World time.
I already felt self-assured that I was going to enjoy the rides today. I overcame almost everything Wet ‘n’ Wild had to throw at me. The usual lurching butterflies were replaced with bubbles of excitement. I think travelling might have had a hand in this as I have overcome fears I forgot I had. Having come so far and done so much on my own has given me new found confidence in my capabilities. It means I’m getting to experience things I probably would have cast aside for “safer” options.
Mel and Steff are worthy of a mention at this point too as I definitely wouldn’t have thought to have gone to a theme park whilst in Australia. I’d like to think that their excitable spirits have rubbed off on me and I’ve not become an old fart just yet. Hmm…
We joined a small cluster of cars in the car park and we all smiled at each other with the same thoughts on our minds. Fewer cars mean shorter queues. I am incredibly impatient so queues can sometimes annoy me. In general, I’m not too fussed. A queue at the till point in a supermarket or for the cinema doesn’t faze me but queueing for hours on end for only a one or two minute ride can push me to the brink.
There were queues of course but we whipped around the park in good time. The first ride was The Green Lantern. The ride had two or three sizable carts on rotation so we didn’t have to hang about too long. I wasn’t scared. It was so much fun. We went upside down, twisted around and shot down a vertical drop.
We wanted more so went to the next ride which was a Batman themed tower ride. There were technical difficulties with that one so we moved on. Next was Superman. I knew what I was expecting with The Green Lantern as the bright green tracks could be seen from the car park. I wanted to leave an element of surprise with the Superman ride but I knew it was going to be fast. A 0 to 100km in two seconds fast to be precise!
It was awesome. We sat down and were pressed in securely which is always reassuring. I shudder at the flashback to my first roller coaster experience. It was called The Big One in Blackpool. I was trying to be all grown up and was finally tall enough to go on one of the adult rides. There are only so many times you can go on the hot air balloon ride in Flamingo Land! Man I loved those balloons! My parents kept asking me time and again if I was sure I wanted to go on this ride. I was so blasé as I had no idea what was in store for me. Queueing up was no problem. I sat next to my dad and my uncle and brother were in the seats behind. All I had for security was a seat belt loosely fastened across my lap. Alarm bells didn’t ring in my mind as I had no idea what the ride entailed. Oh dear. It is a rickety ride and took forever and a day to get to the top. Click. Click. Click. It felt like we were moving in inches as the ride cranked us up to the top. I could see heaven it was that high or perhaps I was delirious from all the adrenalin!
We were left there for a few seconds to admire the view and then whoosh. The cart twirled downwards. I was so damn scared. I was only a little girl and that ride flung me about. It turned sideways and I was left hanging out of the cart eyeballing the blurry ground that sped past me below. The feelings I had that day always rush back when I go to theme parks. I’m always the wimp of the group whose arm always has to be twisted to go on the rides. Sometimes it doesn't even get to that point, I just go on to save face!
I did feel slightly nervous but I was excited too. The ride slowly takes you through the underground as though you are on a train and an earthquake or something shakes the surroundings. But never fear, Superman is here! He grabs the back of the ride and shoots us up and around. The ride is so fast I can’t even remember what happens but it was bloody good!
We were all smiling as we moved on to the next ride. We went back to the Batman ride and saw that it was up and running again. I couldn’t stop laughing as an ageing Asian guy was grinning and brandishing the peace sign to his family below. We were all waiting to see what would happen once the ride started and his face as the seats shot upwards was hilarious. Soon it was my turn and I’m sure my face would contort in shock too.
Surprisingly, the ride was pretty tame. It’s not a ride I’d normally go one anyway. I hate that feeling that you get when you drop suddenly. So obviously, a tower ride is out of the question for me. I went on anyway and enjoyed it. It wasn’t that high or fast so my insides were thankful for that.
We went on a very high and fast log flume ride, the children’s Wile E. Coyote/Road Runner ride (getting my money’s worth of course!) and the deceptively good Scooby Doo ride. I thought the latter would be a kid’s ride but it was actually pretty good. Like Wet ‘n’ Wild, there was one ride shut for maintenance. Booo.
I wanted to visit the 3D IMAX ride but Mel and Steff weren’t fussed. In the end we missed the showings and decided to nip across to Wet ‘n’ Wild for the remainder of the afternoon. I was a bit worn out so wasn’t too fussed about going on all the rides.
Mel and I cajoled each other and eventually walked up to the Aqua Loop slide. I was nervous but smiled when I saw the name of one of the lifeguards – Moss (The IT Crowd). Walking to the top was a workout in itself. I was bricking it but held it together so Mel didn’t freak out too much either.
I think we all collectively gulped at the sight of the slide once we reached the top. Steff knew what to expect but Mel and I were not happy. In – two, three – and out – two, three. Nope. I was still papping myself!
We waited until we could all go down side by side. We each got sealed inside a capsule which I hated. It was like a tomb of doom! Thankfully nobody could hear me so I muttered some random expletives that made no sense but distracted me for a brief moment before I had to face my death. A robot woman counted down. I want to get out but it’s too late. Shit. I’m going to die. Three. Why am I doing this? I don’t want to be here. Two. I want to go ho..! One.
Arrrrggggh!! The floor disappeared beneath me and I free-falled for what felt like 30 seconds but was more like a few. I completely forgot that I was supposed to have my legs crossed and my arms criss-crossed on my chest. I was flapping like a goose. I was propelled into the sideways loop, where I regained some form of composure, and I flew out the bottom into a deep mass of water.
I did not like that whatsoever but I did it so there. I’m not sure who or what I was trying to prove but I succeeded. Mel and I decided to go on another slide we previously ducked out of. It was an open top slide with a very high vertical dip.
I got to the top and again regretted walking all that way. The lifeguard reasoned with me and said it’d be quicker going down the slide than walking all the way down the steps. The lazy git in me agreed with the lifeguard so off I went. It wasn’t as bad as the Aqua Loop slide at least!
We chilled out on the sun beds for a bit and played in the wave pool. I didn’t want to face the inevitable departure and looming job hunt in Brisbane. It was hard enough finding a job in Sydney and now I’ll be looking for work in a smaller city, I wasn’t looking forward to this at all.
At times of monetary despair, we always seem to see beautiful cars, specifically Ferraris. I always try to imagine what life the driver leads until it gets too much. I’d like to be able to afford nice things one day without having to check my bank balance. One day…maybe…please?
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