On the last Sunday of September (yes, in the past) I managed to combine all four of my least favourite things. Being around lots of screaming people, standing in very long lines, being very high up and having my cash pulled out through my nose by professional money-extractors.
Yes, I went with the lad to Gröna Lund, Stockholm’s tivoli/amusement park place, where people scream with joy as they spin and gyrate and move up and down. Kind of like in my bedroom. Ahem. Anyway. I hadn’t been there for years and that Sunday was the last day of the 2012 season. And as the boy’s now 13 I figured maybe he wouldn’t want to be seen there with his old man in the future, so it could be my last chance to go with him.
And, what can I tell you, it was fun. I love a good roller-coaster, and we went on four different ones, several times on each. They had a wooden roller coaster called Twister with a near-vertical drop that was increbible. The “Blue Train”, basically a ghost-train, was also excellent. There was a few rides I wouldn’t dare to go on, and you wouldn’t get me anywhere near one of those free-fall towers. But thankfully the crowd was smallish and the number of squealing and identical teenagers (seriously, are they clones?) was quite low.
And now I’m on youtube looking at roller coaster point-of-view videos from all over the world. Which is as good as thumb-up as you’ll get.
/ paddy
Ron Pavellas
October 22, 2012 at 8:57 am
The extent of your madness is exceeded only by your iron physical constitution.
paddyK
October 22, 2012 at 7:44 pm
You are too kind, sir.
SK (@SK_00001)
October 22, 2012 at 9:30 am
There are few joys greater than a good roller coaster. Funnily enough I would rate those vertical drop machines as one. And the Grona Lund ones have great views. I still think I am going to get my ankles smashed whenever I am on one mind you.
paddyK
October 22, 2012 at 7:45 pm
The views are indeed excellent. In the POV videos I’ve seen from American roller coasters, all you can see are car parks.
RBH
October 22, 2012 at 11:03 pm
“Kind of like in my bedroom. Ahem.”
You do lead a rich fantasy life! :)
paddyK
October 23, 2012 at 1:05 pm
But it’s true! And my friend Snuffleupagus can vouch for it!
blinkpack
October 24, 2012 at 4:00 am
Josh here from the BlinkPack blog. Thanks for the fantastic post. After nearly a decade hiatus, I recently went for a roller coaster road trip with a few friends. Let’s just say I am not as young as I once was — read: I was heaving over a porcelain bowl on day two. I wish you all the best with your blogging. Cheers!
Martin R
December 9, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Where’s the book announcement?!
paddyK
December 10, 2012 at 8:31 pm
There it is!