Somewhere over the Rainbow ...

Today The Pig, Fashionista, Agent Smelly and I attended a day out at Rainbows End theme park, that was organised by one Auckland homeschooling family on behalf of the homeschooling community. Over 300 homeschoolers attended, so it was well supported on the day.

The girls and I hadn't ever been to Rainbows End and The Pig hadn't been in over 20 years he thinks, so we were all looking forward to the event with great anticipation.  We did do a couple of the QLD theme parks a couple of years back where we determined that Agent Smelly is a thrill seeker just like her Papa. She was really quite pleased when she realised that now she was over 120cm she could go on rides that she had been dying to try. I was suprised that The Fashionista, a little apprehensive in QLD, was now up for the thrills too. In fact, I am sure she enjoyed them more than her little sister this time round. She took care of her little sister on many of the rides they went on together.

My 3 crazy amigo's on the Fear Fall which they lined up for as soon as we got in the gates!.

At 18 storeys high, the ride takes two cars of four seated riders each on a controlled ascent to the top of the tower, pauses for a few seconds and then drops them .... reaching speeds of 80km/h before a patented magnetic braking system brings them gently to the ground. Mummy's heart could have been beating even faster than 80km/h just watching them. They all liked this so much (the Fashionista's favourite ride now) that they did it again later in the day.

Here they are on The Invader.

Seated on a huge disk facing over the edge, they were spun around in a circle whilst being transported along an 80 metre track which reached heights of 15metres! Apparently there are strong G Force sensations on this ride because as it travels really fast along the track it spins madly around and around. It looked really exciting from where I stood and if the shreaks from the group on it, where anything to go by, it really must have been a great scary ride. I did manage to get it on video too, as a picture just does not do this amazing ride justice.

The Corkscrew Coaster, yes they had to do this too. I chickened out ... again ...

Over we go ... the girls managed to get the front row seat, with Daddy behind them.

We worked it out that as The Pig had to leave for work at 3.30pm, he would take the girls on the thrill seeker rides. I could manage to take them on the "less terrifying" ones without him ... bring on the carousel! 

Here's The Pig (far left of pic) and the girls 2nd row right from the middle (with caps and arms in the air) on the Pirate Ship for the first time. I say first because they managed to go on it another 2 times, without us, throughout the day.

The girls are right behind the boy closest to the front of the pic.

The bumper boats were a firm fave, (Agent Smelly's favourite ride) and so they had to try this again later in the afternoon too. The Pig and I joined them for the first go and sadly The Mama had a rather wet tushy for an hour or so afterwards which was not so pleasant!

Agent Smelly going under the bridge I was standing on, to take pics.

The Fashionista looking not so fashionable after getting a rather wet tushy on her last go on the bumper boats. She probably deserved it considering how intent she was on bumping everyone else and getting them as wet as she could. Great laughs all round, especially by the parents who really seemed to enjoy bumping their own kids and getting them as wet as they could. Payback time maybe?

Always a crowd pleaser, the carousel!

Girls and The Mama on the less scary Gold Rush roller coaster. I decided after seeing 2 and 3 year olds on this that it couldn't be too bad.

Seeyah Mama.

Going down the log flume ... apologies for the blurry image.

Yes! says Agent Smelly, whilst The Fashionista brings them home safely.

We also went on the dodgems which were a laugh, especially with The Pig and Fashionista, each in their own cars, deliberating trying to take out Agent Smelly and I. We had to double up as Agent Smelly's legs were a little too short to comfortably hit the accelarator. She did the steering though, so the Mama's neck took a few jolts now and then. Reminder to self; send The Pig out with the girls when they are old enough to learn to drive ... and especially not in my car!

The Motion Master, an interactive virtual theatre experience was pretty cool. You go into a small theatre with two rows of 12 seats and watch a large screen with 3D-enabled glasses whilst the hydraulically controlled chairs move in time to the on-screen action, which was Brendan Frasers, I think, Journey to the Centre of the Earth.  Agent Smelly told us afterwards that she had kept her eyes closed the whole time, so missed the show. Whist she loves the exciting rides, we note that she doesn't patricularly enjoy the rides that go through dark tunnels, etc. and gets a little scared.

We spent around seven hours at the theme park and had a simply marvelous time and so will end this blog with a picture of Agent Smelly on the ride home.

For more information on Rainbows End in Auckland, check out www.rainbowsend.co.nz