Six Flags

(No pictures -- too hard to take them when we were all riding...)

The last day, Friday the 28th, was Six Flags, and because they have an enormous water park I was pumped to do half a day of water play. We got all lathered up in sun block, packed our suits, and upon arrival realized it was only open on weekends. So instead we spent the day wandering around in the sun, watching others go on huge roller coaster rides.

We eventually made it to Wiggle World (where apparently Anya thinks the Wiggles are from) and rode a few kiddie rides, but Anya was pretty wary even of those. We all rode the airplane ride, which spins and when you push a button it rises into the air. Ian and I went all the way up, but Anya and Erin never did. Erin explained that Anya forbade her from pushing the button, so they just spun around on the ground. She did enjoy watching the bumper cars crashing into one another, which made her cackle hysterically, but she cried when she found out she was an inch too short to ride it. We persuaded her to ride the Wiggles roller coaster, which was actually much more fun than the Shamu equivalent, but she didn’t enjoy it (although Ian did).

We then went to get ice cream (we had told Anya that she could have ice cream if she went on the log ride with us, but she had been a good sport about other rides so we went to get shakes and ice cream which we ate indoors in front of the giant screening of Bugs Bunny cartoons). I took Ian to the bathroom for a change and discovered that the handicap stall wouldn’t latch or stay shut, and the floor had just been mopped so it was wet. I still laid him on the floor and changed him, but as soon as we were outside again Erin discovered he needed another change, so back in we went to do the same thing.

Afterward we rode the tandem cars and a few other rides, and although I couldn’t persuade her (Anya) to go on the log ride, she did eventually concede (twice, though we only went once) to do the Gully Washer, which consists of a fake canyon with rapids and waterfalls that you ride down seated on a giant inner tube. We waited in line for 25 minutes in a line that was going nowhere...it was really not moving at all and the tubes were passing empty...so we gave up. We returned later in the afternoon and, after 40 minutes in a line that was inching along, we finally succeeded in climbing aboard. She was a little shocked from the first splash she received from the rapids, but then laughed and the rest of the ride was a blast—she cackled the whole way down, even when we were squirted by kids from above and ran under fountains and the waterfall. We were all soaked when it ended, and Ian didn’t really like getting wet, but Anya loved the ride (and Erin and I as well).

Before leaving the park I wanted to ride one of the thrill rides, and the Scream had a short line, so I tried it. For this ride one sits on a platform with one’s legs dangling, with shoulders strapped to the back. It then suddenly launches you twenty vertical stories (which is accomplished in about five seconds), leaves you weightless, then descends just as quickly. Then it rises to the top, leaves you suspended for half a minute, then plummets back to the ground. It was not gentle, and I got a bit of whiplash not to mention nausea. But it was fun.

Upon arriving back at the hotel Anya wanted to go back to the pool and was heartbroken when she was told it was too late, so I told her I’d take her up for a short swim, which was fun for both of us and she was very big about leaving when it was time (after looking in vain for Cassie). For dinner the kids got pizza and after they were asleep Erin and I did Chinese delivery and watched the final episode of Lost.