Amusement rides and I are not too amusing. In fact, we're not even very good friends. I'm not a thrillseeker (in any sense of the word) when it comes to gyrating, twisting rides that turn you every which way but hopefully not loose. I am definitely not the date to take along to a place such as Six Flags, Marine World or any of those other places that are home to contraptions designed to spin you around in a circle, only to end up with an upset stomach as a souvenir. My speed is more geared to the ferris wheel or large, beautifully appointed carousel. Ho hum.
On one of our two trips to Florida we went to DisneyWorld, of course. Before I had time to open my mouth to protest, I was in line to go on Space Mountain. I didn't want to go on Space Mountain. I am extremely suspicious of any ride I can't see before I climb aboard. I want to know what it does, how people react to it; how they look when they get on and when they disembark when the ride is over. Eventually, I recall being seated in some little craft with strong bars along the side on which to grab ahold. I took ahold alright, more like a deathgrip. As the ride started up, I closed my eyes and held on as tightly as I could. As our "car" was being hurtled this way and that, my husband kept piping up with words of encouragement and helpful suggestions such as, "You should see this. This is great! Honey! Open your eyes, you don't know what you're missing".
I didn't want to see. I wanted to miss it. I didn't want to be there in the first place! It wasn't great (for me) and I never opened my eyes throughout the duration of the entire ride which seemed to go on for at least a week. To this day I don't know what the actual time frame of this ride actually is. Let's think. A ride at Disneyworld. What's the standard equation? Wait in line 30 minutes for a three-minute ride. Funny how time crawls when you're trapped into something you didn't want to do in the first place. Obviously I survived Space Mountain. Everyone in my group was so thrilled with this ride that they proceeded to get back to the end of the line for another go-around. I sat on a bench in the hot Florida sun, waiting for them to emerge, hopefully satiated with the Mountain of Space. As I waited patiently, I contemplated the eight gashes I had inflicted upon myself unknowingly from dug-in fingernails-of-fear on the palm of my hands that mysteriously appeared when I alighted from the ride. These were my souvenirs.
My Space Mountain experience dates back to over 23 years ago. Since then, I've come to appreciate flume rides-- but only if the dramatic, final drop doesn't give me a royal case of whiplash for the next week or so. Oh yes, I've come a long way, baby. Now, where is that beautifully painted horse, all saddled up and ready for me to ride?
1 comment:
I like roller coasters...even the ones that make you go upside down. But I am EXTREMELY prone to motion sickness...so round and round rides are not my cup of tea. We went to Disneyland several years back, and I got the absolute sickest I have EVER been on a ride, when we went on some contraption that was supposed to simulate a space shuttle or something. I was absolutely green mere seconds into the thing, and I was so nauseous I couldn't believe I had retained my breakfast by the time the ride was over...but I was damned if I was going to embarrass myself by screaming for them to stop and let me off! I was so ill that we had to just walk around the park for the next two hours until I got my "land legs" back under me. NOT what you want to do for the kind of money you have to pay to get IN to Disneyland... Lisa :-] http://journals.aol.com/mlraminiak/ComingtotermswithMiddleAge/
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