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Went to Alton Towers the other weekend and went on that Oblivion thing.

Cacked em' big time.

Never heard of it, Mech...please explain.

What the felgerkarb is Alton Towers?

Its a GREAT theme park. Only for people for who like white-knuckle rides. On the last count I've been there about 7 times!

And lived to tell about it, I see.

Hhmmm i despise theme parks! But I have been on oblivion yes and it was one of the most horrible experiences of my life. i promised myself I wouldn't scream but as soon as I looked over that edge I just couldnt stop myself. I deafened my whole row and only stopped screaming when I ran out of air! That, of course was in the days before Drayton Manor sucked the theme park enthusiam out of me.

I'll remember to bring ear-plugs if it is ever relevant.

I don't know..I really like amusement parks...

I like them too, although there is this weird thing about amusement parks but I won't bore Dimmy with that again.

That's the problem with living too close to a theme park Edna, you get totally bored with them. I went to DM the day they were burying Princess Di and there was about 5 people in the whole place. I rode the shockwave about 5 times, one after another, and I swear I could have slept on it. Front seat on the Nemesis had me screaming like a girl though!

True. I live about 45 minutes from HersheyPark and haven't been there in about six years.

Great timing there, mech. A bit bizarre, but great timing.

Mech you've been to my theme park? Well now i am surprised! Shame I didn't work there then. I would have only been 14. But you remember where you bought your wristbands? Yes I am one of those bored little people in the blue uniforms!

You're little? And blue? Are you..... a smurf?

No but we do have Gophers. The poor sods who have to go around picking up rubbish all day! Such an important job! They don't even get a proper uniform. just wear spares!

Gophers????? Is that how you started?

Aint smurfs Belgians queeq?. So that would make you neighbour to smurfs

Theme Parks? White Knuckle Rides. I'm there!

I haven't been to Alton Towers in a long time. I wanna go to Buschgardens next year, in my obligitory annual trip to Florida.

Probably gonna go to Disneyland Paris in the autumn to check out their take on the Dark Coaster ride that is Rockin Roller Coaster at the new Disney Studios Paris.

Also planning trips to Disneyland in CA and Disneyland Tokyo this year and next respectively, hopefully.

Been there nuff times Edna, I'm only in B'ham so its 1/2 hour in the car. The most annoying thing about DM is the food is sheee-ite and expensive, but at Alton Towers there's McD's everywhere you turn.

Yeah well DMP is cheap I'm afraid. The only food outlets they have are ones where they get to keep all the profits! It sucks! But the curly fries are rather yummy though!

The food at Hersheypark is quite good. And of course there's chocolate everywhere.

BTW, great pick up on smurfs, there, queeq dear.

Well Papa Smurph currently resides on my bed. He's looking a little tattered now but he has lasteda good 18 years! Not looking too bad if I do say so myself!

I've got a Pooh bear.........and a whole bunch of rabbits. But not on the bed. When Tommy goes to bed, all he wants to do is pull the covers back and climb in. Sometimes you just have to compromise.

Yes the joys of having a double bed all to yourself!

That would be nice again.....

Nah, you soon miss the snuggles.

But what about the occasional snoring and the fan in the window and I'm freezing and tripping over the fan cord when I get up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and blah, blah, blah, *****, *****, *****......

Hey I get snuggles! That's what Marmalade and Papa Smurph are there for! And piece and quiet at night and a whole double bed to roll around in. Bliss! I wouldn't swap it for anything or anyone! Well maybe I would but not right now!

Oooh, Marmalade gets a mention on the board eh, Edna? I hoped you asked him first.

Oh Marmalade loves being talked about. He just craves attention! **Says she as they fasten the straight jacket tighter!**

Maybe he's the real one and you are the cuddly toy, eh?

Interesting hypothesis. I will have to contemplate that one! **Decides it may be ush who requires the straight jacket!**

Ok, see if you can take it off and give it to me...

Hey! I'm not a contortionist you know!

Oh well. Guess I am sane then.

Me? A Gopher? I think not! Quite frankly I would rather be a Smurph! Atleast they are cute and cuddly! Well mine is anyway!

Hmm thats what YOU think!

Well, I am hardly likely to take the opinion of someone in a jacket like that, am I?

Yes...Alton Towers is a very nice place....and Edna AND Ush are both nuts!

Damn, he's worked it out.

Wall or Hazel?

How far do we have to go papa smurph!!!!

Oooh... tricky choice...

I'm with the squirrels on this one.

Any thoughts, Edna?

Got a couple of smurf LP's in the house somewhere from when I was a nipper. I was always concerned about Father Abraham knocking about with the smurfs though. He was a lil' bit old for "beer beer, smurfing beer" dontcha think?

Well i don't know about you but I've always felt like a bit of a Brazil nut myself!

Nice try at restoring Order there, Raz.

More like "Out of Order"

Yes...I remember my last visit to Alton Towers...the sun was shining...the birds were singing...and...

then it rained?

How'd you guess? It happened exactly when were on the log flume...after the 45 minute queue!

I remeber those albums only the one I remember where translated into Norwegian. A huge success in Norway in 1978, me I listen to Deep Purple.

45 minutes in line? Where is the bar

As I said, there's this weird thing about amusement parks.

The only wierd thing about them in my opinion are the clowns. If there are clowns.

Actually, it's the entire set up. When you go to an amusement park, on an average day, you spend most of the day in cues. The rides themselves only take a few minutes tops. So all in all, you may only have a 45 minutes of actual fun, and the rest of the day you've been waiting. It's quite masochistic if you think about it.

Depends on a number of factors really.
The quality and setip of the queuing area.The quality of the company you're queuing with.Is the theme of the ride something you enjoy.Obviously I will primarily base my experiences on the Florida parks of Disney and Universal. IN both these parks, especially Universal, most of the big queue rides have great themed queue areas with pre-ride videos and loads of interesting stuff like that.

It's still waiting in a cue.

Why, you playing snooker?

No, pool. And sorry, I meant queue of course.

Last time I went to Alton Towers the only amusement you have in the queues is talking...

Like being online.

Sounds great to me! I'd just stay in the queues!

I think I covered that with my "quality of company" option.

Ah yes. Sounds like you have much choice.

Well, the trick to to always ensure you travel with impecable company.

are we impeccable enough?

Dunno, be in Anaheim on 24th August and I'll tell ya!!!

What's happening on August 24th?

I'm gonna have a vacation.

What will I be doing on the 24th of August? Hmm probably spending another day in the Drayton Manor Hell hole!

I'll think of you when I get to Disneyland.

Hmmm! I'm sure you will! *** **** you!

Hey! Just call me Mr. Sincerity...

Will you think of me too, RC?

Nah, but I'm sure I can find away to send you abuse from CA.

Oh good. Why CA and not Florida this time, RC?

California? they're having power problems. may you not be at the top of some fantasy land ride when the power goes ka-puttt.

sorry; double posty.

Better bring your cell phone.

queeqer, now why would RC need his cell phone in sunny California? for the potential earthquakes?

Yeah, must remember that one.

*rumble, rumble, quake, and tumble*

Well, if you're stuck in a ride, you can at least call you're late for dinner.

Hmmmm, Well I have enough blubber to live off of.

Maybe I'll do Tokyo instead....

ah, yes, RC, you'll look great in a kimono and those community baths.

But then the do have Godzilla...

oh, yes, RC, your buddy, Godzilla, awaits your arrival.

To answer queeqs earlier question, I already went to Florida this year.

so what's with the west coast, RC. Disney is Disney, isn't it?

Oh no, not by any stretch. Two very different parks.

What about Disney Paris?

Going there in October.

We'll be in Cape Hatteras on Aug 24th, RC. Get ready. I'm gonna splash you from 3000 miles away !!!

North Carolina.

I'll wave out the window as we fly over.

I'll be that little speck on the beach.

RC, what about Disney Tokyo? You seem to be hitting all the Disney parks this year.

Well that was my plan for next year, but that will probably change now, visit Florida again and go to Busch Gardens instead.

But..err...not to butt in or anything, RC, but aren't you going to have a two or three months old baby around then?

His WIFE is having the baby, silly !

Anytime now infact. And I'm NOT getting into the details of the hows and whys of that situation here.

Anyone is THAT interested, send me a PM.

Where's that?

RC, you'll hafta answer 15 PMs then, just tell us here one time, so there's no speculation or gossipping; straight from you.

Yep, I'll do that right after queeq fills out his entire profile with accurate information and posts a picture of him, his wife and his kids.....

Get the idea.

I once ate a whole container of cool whip at one time while I watched ESB.

Nice! I bet your hips loved you for that!!!!

Well, it was "lite" cool whip. Besides, once you open the container, all the calories fly out, silly.

Really? Excellent!

*Heads downstairs to refrigerator.*

Does that work on cheese too?

Okay...closing this because I THINK it's off topic..I think..