My Big Day Out

Being home alone for a week definitely has it's advantages, you know, being able to do what you want, when you want, sounds like an exciting time. Except it never is that good, or anywhere near that, all it ever turns out to be is days of sitting around doing absolutely nothing. Now i like to think that my inability to actually do anything was down to having to look after 3 dogs at the same time, thereby, in my mind, incapacitating me. I think, however, that the actually reason that i found myself sitting staring blankly at a wall which the paint had long since dried, was just pure lack of motivation, but i don't think this is just applicable to me, i think that many people when told they can do anything will just stand there because it's the easiest thing to do.

However this time was different, as if finally found the motivation to actually do something, and just anything but go to Alton Towers. Well when i say i found, it was really the fact that my friend had some 2 for 1 vouchers, but nevertheless i was going to Alton Towers, something i haven't done for at least 2 years, despite being one of my favourite places.

Of course it wasn't ever going to be that simple, for starters we only had 5 people who wanted to go, and we needed six, then the night before one of my friends got back from holiday and said he would come, problem solved. But wait, then we discovered that only 2 out of our 3 vouchers were applicable and so now we didn't have enough vouchers, but (and rather weirdly) i found another voucher on my desk (how on earth it got there i have no idea, and as my desk goes i will probably never know).

So two problems found, two problems sorted, off to Alton Towers we go. of course i wanted to set off at 9 to get there for opening and i needed to get a bit of house cleaning done since my parents were back that day, but didn't see the need to set an alarm or anything, since the before mentioned 3 dogs had woken me up at 7 on all the previous days, despite my desperation for a proper lie-in (something that has eluded me for a while now). You can probably see where this going now, and if you can't then continue reading . Of course on this day when i wanted to be woken up at way too early hours of the morning, they didn't and at half eight i drowsily awoke from my slumbers, looked at my clock and bolted straight out of bed.

Anyway i did get to go to Alton Towers, albeit later than i wanted to, and the great thing was that it was relatively empty for Alton Towers, leading to a day packed full with every major attraction which can be found there (well apart from the one necessary broken down one). Which puts me in a very good position to be a critic (although i doubt a very good one, since my world views seem to be different from others), but anyway here it goes:

One thing i can positively say is that the new ride 13 is good, even with the twist known (which i won't tell you about), whether this was due to the negative reviews that i have read bringing down my expectations or it actually being good i won't know, however i do know that it's still not as good as corkscrew, the ride it replaced, which had previously been my favourite ride. As for the other rides, i had already been on them before and having taken in views from my friends they all have different positives, such as Air giving a unique and wonderful feeling, which i would definitely agree with. However my new the ride that takes over as my favourite has to be Sonic Spinball, just because like Corkscrew it just throws you about, which until now i didn't know that that was what i liked from a rollercoaster.

But after all this trouble and cost in going to Alton Towers, i have drawn one reasonably surprising conclusion, that despite all the money they spend on designing these rollercoasters and thrill rides, they don't actually scare me anymore since i trust the engineers and designers, thereby trusting that i won't come to any harm, which does take away from the experience. Unlike for example the situation i found myself in yesterday, stood on top of a 5m high fold-able tower, which for whatever reason (probably because i had put it up) wobbled when i moved.

Now that gave me the feeling that is missing from Alton Towers, and a feeling that Blackpool Pleasure Beach has got due to all their rides having a tendency to sway in the wind and wobble due to the coasters movement. So here's my advice for Alton Towers, don't bother with making the coasters stable, let them sway in the wind, and not only will people have a more thrilling experience, you'll also save a few quid at the same time.

View from the wobbly tower