Thorpe Park outing

Went to Thorpe Park today (theme park) as I said in a previous entry - tacky landscaping, you can tell it was done in the 70s; but they've got a couple of great rides they never had before. I last went at least 10yrs ago - probably more than that, and was still a teenager (I'm 27 now, 28 v.soon) so was more excitable by it all.

If you ever go, you have to go on Nemesis: Inferno. Best rollercoaster I've ever been on. I'm not an expert or even particularly experienced by any means, but it's awesome. Go on the front row - there's a separate queue but it's sooo worth it. Sitting (ok, hanging) from the middle rows is tame in comparison. Although the far back row with the extra whip effect you get comes close.

Collosus is fairly good too, and some bits I have to say are better than Nemesis; but overall Nemesis kicks arse. Well, throws the arse all around and upside down and around again. Then around some more, and hopefully the rest of you goes with it and in the right order. No promises.

Not trying to worry you, just that I rather liked it and am getting all evocative about it. First time I've been on an upside-downy ride for... welll....

Nemesis is one of those where you're not in a 'car', you're hanging down (still in seats of course) from the rail and go around the outside of corners so there's nothing below when you look down (or up, if you're upside down at the time). Coooool! Corkscrews,..

I'm thinking there is a good chance that there are better ones of the same style around the country/world, but it's the 1st time I've been on one of that style purely because I haven't been to a theme park since they invented them. Yeah. I did say I wasn't very experienced with 'coasters.

They still had the "Loggers Leap" log flume ride that gets you wet and (all those years ago) was the 2nd highest in Europe. They've got another wet ride too that's good fun, you get a decent bit of time coming down the slope to enjoy it too before you get soaked/soak everyone else. Including those watching you from one of the walkway bridges over the stream. Ho ho...

I have some digi-cam photos if you're interested (full size versions available on request).

The Samurai

Colossus

Nemesis: Inferno

Someone had got some £10 vouchers from a newspaper so it was only £17 to get in, and the food wasn't cheap but it also wasn't as exorbitant as I'd expected so not as expensive a day as I'd thought it might be all in all.

Woah. Longest blog entry ever? Longest in ages anyway. Gotta go to bed though. Early start.

Mad, mad dude...

Being interested in the news item today about NASA finally getting a proper test with their in-research Scramjet technology, I did a bit of web searching and found this site. The dude's a total nutter - check out some of the mpeg downloads...

Pulsejet engine projects

I mean, I think I value my life too much to go messing around with home-built jet engines running off LPG/propane.

Summer Films

Ooh, so many to look forward to:

1. Spiderman 2
2. Kill Bill 2
3. Shaun of the Dead - a RomZomCom with some of the Spaced and Black Books cast + others - I'm very curious
4. Shrek 2 - with John Cleese, in a voiceover that sounds perfectly cast
5. Troy (well, maybe worth a watch - not sure)

Thorpe Park

I'll be going to Thorpe Park this Sunday, that's a theme park down south. I've been there at least twice before, but not since considering myself a fully grown adult. Or to any other theme park. Must have been about 15yrs old when I last went to any theme park. That's a long time ago.

I'm going with work people and hoping the weather will be nice - I've heard 12degrees, so should be warm; handy for the water rides. They have (had, at least) the 2nd highest log flume ride in europe - fun.

So it is weird going to a theme park all grown up?

Most attractive hair colour

Walk up to a bloke, any bloke. Ask him what kind of hair he prefers on his girls. (on their head, for those with a crude bent ;-). I suspect most people would say long hair, and colourwise, a definite leaning towards blonde.

But I prefer dark. At least for most people. There are occasions when lighter blonde hair looks absolutely gorgeous - mainly on models when they're gorgeous anyway (case in point: Dannii Minogue in the "All I Wanna Do" era, Pamela Anderson sometimes); but brunettes definitely get my vote. Dark blonde works too, or rather not "peroxide" blonde.

But look at the other side (just as examples you'll know (most) of): Kelly Brook, Courteney Cox, Emily Booth, Jayne Middlemiss, Dannii in current form or early 90s "Love and Kisses" (gorgeous), Katie Holmes, Teri Hatcher (earlier superman series before it went short), CZJ). Then there's the fraction-second snatches of Britney (Spears) in the "Toxic" video with long v.dark hair... (ok ok, enough)

Point proved.

Thorpe Park

I may well be going on a Sunday in the not too distant future - haven't been to a theme park for bloody years.. Could be great fun. Hoping I can afford it - got the money due to come in once I've done my bit of freelance/contract software development work, but until then things are a bit stretched.

I've actually been there twice before, so it will be interesting to see how much the rides have changed. I'm guessing it won't be that warm yet, so the water rides might not be as much fun as they are when you really could do with cooling off (even if that's asking miracles of British weather), but as far as I remember there are some other good ones too.

That might be the park with the (top/2nd??) highest log flume ride in Europe. Or it was, anyway.

I'm not a big fan of rides that take you upside down, but almost anything else I like.

The Dentist

Finally got my 2 fillings done today - due to post-house-move(last year)-non-address-updating, I never heard about my dentist (a nice down to earth easy-going chap from what I've experienced) going on hols. So I couldnt rebook the apt. until a few days before, when I rang up to check times. The last check-up was early January, so it's been a while. Not the sort of thing you want hanging over you, waiting to happen. Local anaesthetic and all so my mouth has been numb up until about 8pm this evening (Wednesday).

The bonus was that it cost less than I expected - more like a normal check-up, and his lovely female assistant who I didn't learn the name of but almost asked out before I left. Damn... It's not like a shop either where you can just go back with a lame excuse, 'cos my next checkup is another 6 months away. Even if I go back to change the time of it (as I might need to, depends if it clashes with my brother's wedding) I'll only see the receptionists.

There's one Q I didn't ask: do I need to take special care brushing my teeth (how long is it still hardening for?) - that would be something I could speak to them about. Although, the assistant won't be there tomorrow, she's got a day off and mentioned that without prompting... Am I crap at taking hints, or am I reading too much in to it? He said something about a particular pub just up the road while I was there...

Or I could go back and pretend I thought I left something there. That's a good excuse to be able to go see them.

What a Week

I'm writing this wrapped up warm in bed, using my palmtop (organiser), cos I'm a bit knackered and it's gone midnight.

I've been out every day:

1. Mon/Tuesday-normal (bellringing)
2. Wednesday-an interview for some freelance work (which I got — big hurrah)
3. Thursday-ate out & saw Big Fish (an ok-to-good film, surprising for Tim Burton (ignore Planet of Apes)). I have to watch Nightmare before Christmas sometime.
4. Friday-out with Adam
5. Saturday-Liz's bday
6. Sunday- possibly getting Liz pissed again

Pinhole Photography

Just a link I thought half-worth posting - pinhole photographs by a Mr. Justin Quinnell, including a whole series taken as though from inside a guys mouth (ie. all framed by teeth and gums).

Pinhole Photography