Tornado

Bit of a lazy start to today, which was good.
But we felt we should really do something with the boy as it was a nice day.
So, his choice was to go to M&D's, aka Scotland's Theme Park.

Now, having been to a few theme parks in my time, I like to think I know a thing or two about modern-day coasters. But going there today took me back about 40 years. It was just like going to 'the shows' when I was a kid.

For those not from the West of Scotland, 'the shows' was a travelling fairground for want of a better description. The trucks would turn up in a big field one day and, 24 hours later a bunch of guys would have constructed all sorts of rides, like a Big Wheel, Dodgems, Speedway, Waltzers, various competitive booths and usually an amusement arcade. When you went along, of an evening, the loud music and flashing lights would invariably be accompanied with the smells of candy-floss, toffee apples and chips.

Today had all that. And while the rides today were bigger and better than all those years ago, they felt just as rickety. I knew we were in a different world from Alton Towers and Busch Gardens while we were queuing for the first coaster. I watched while the guy running the ride climbed over and had to push the carriages into the platform before the chain picked them up. And there was a strong smell of WD40 in the air.

The Tornado (pictured) was particularly violent. Two vertical loops, some tight, fast circles and a couple of dead stops coming into the station. Having experienced this on another ride earlier, I was prepared and so am not suffering from whiplash now.

All good fun tho!
The boy loved it.