Busch Gardens: The Mighty ShiekRa!

 
Enter a seemingly mundane theme park, complete with the typical scene; long lines of excited adolescents, a festive environment, smiling staff and some of them popular characters. But how would you feel, if you saw this towering collection of twisted metal bars, chains, nuts and bolts? Would you care to inch closer towards the rolling sound of thunder, followed by screams and shrieks of fun and fear mixed all over? Behold the mighty SheiKra!

The SheiKra is one(if not) of the coolest attractions found in Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida.
A floor-less car slowly trudges from the ground up to around 200 feet, allowing premier views of the whole theme park. This, however, allows to build the excitement exponentially as it also gives you a clear idea on how far up are you from the ground. Suddenly, this floor-less contraption halts to a complete stop with enough hang time to hold your breath; you are now literally suspended, facing the ground in a 90-degree fashion.
 It's time to face the music, baby!

Without any idea of when the exact moment to take the plunge, the locks suddenly cuts lose.You rushing face-down with speeds in excess of 70mph(112kph). See it all happening in front of your very eyes, scary fun, yeah! The ride then takes you even below ground level, as the metal railings were curiously embedded further down in preparation for a big loop and then some. Oh no, a second vertical drop! This one's a bit lower though, and it goes straight to an underground tunnel, but it comes with a bit of a twist. The surprise comes for the people below, the observers of the mighty SheiKra; stand on the right spot, and you'll get an instant shower. Don't forget to check your voice on the gate, you may have lost it in the mayhem. This crazy ride is pure fun, and a lot of you coaster fanatics will sure have a great time.

Looking and falling straight-down isn't too bad at all

These folks will forget the words "hot and dry" in another second or so

There's still a lot of them great rides and roller coasters in Busch Gardens, Tampa FL, but the SheiKra is arguably one of the most unique and exciting extreme coaster rides of the whole world. A steady 200-foot climb, two true-90-degree vertical drops, giant loops and a free audience shower in a hot and humid day is a perfect fix for that adrenaline rush and extreme fun you may have been craving for.


*** Credits to Busch Gardens  website for the technical specifications of the SheikRa ride ***

Disney Series: Let the Memories Begin!

Mickey Mouse, Magic Kingdom Parade

When was the last time that you felt like a kid ? When was the last time that the memories of castles, pirate ships, talking cars and space creatures have dominated your consciousness? I'll bet Mickey Mouse and his buddies at Disney World can help you remember. Why would you wanna come here? This is a place where dreams come true, where all the fairy tales come to life, and where kids and adults alike are continually mesmerized. Here is a primer of the magical adventure in Disney World. Let the memories begin!

Disney World (almost in) Orlando, Florida is home to four main theme parks It also showcases water parks and resorts for guests who opt to have the ultimate Disney experience(of course, these are pricier options). Scattered over the vast land area occupied by Disney World, long stretches of highways separate each of these attractions. And there's even a lake between these parks!

Disney Monorail

The lake was used to the parks' advantage. A steam boat shuttles guests from resorts/parking lot to the parks and vice versa. It's breezy, it's cool and it actually offers a good level of excitement as a precursor to what's ahead of you. If you don't fancy a scenic tour just yet, don't despair; a fast monorail system can move you around in a jiffy. And still, Disney buses move in and out of these parks. They are oh so reliable.If you got a private vehicle (a car, perhaps), the parking lot awaits you. You would have to park your car, line up for the tram, and off you go to your destination.

Here is an overview for the four main Disney parks.

Cinderella Castle, Magic Kingdom

1) Magic Kingdom - this park houses the famous Cinderella Castle, an authentic Disney trademark. Kids love this park the most, as majority of the attractions here are geared for them. Look out for them Disney characters and princesses, they are everywhere in this 107-acre park.

2) Hollywood Studios - this place takes you behind the scenes of Disney shows (Indiana Jones! and more, of course). The rides here take your breath away and somehow takes you out of your ordinary roller coaster routine. You may wanna stay here till the night comes or maybe find time to go back around 9PM; you don't want to miss the one-of-a-kind light show that is called "Fantasmic".

Africa Section, Disney Animal Kingdom

 3) Animal Kingdom -  yes, it is an animal-themed park, and it offers an outdoor experience too. Take a safari ride and catch a glimpse of wild animals as close as you can. Take a walk to the Asian and African inspired towns, savor the great food and bask under the sun. Surely you will love the rides here too (I didn't, I have vertigo :S). Bring some extra clothes to, you don't know when you'll get wet with sweat or wet with the fun water rides here!

Spaceship Earth, Epcot

4)Epcot - this place is massive; twice the size of Magic Kingdom! Well, the park certainly needs all the space it could get; they tried to fit the whole world in there, really. A large part of this park is dedicated to eight countries that embody unique cultures, cuisines and attractions. The other half goes to a futuristic arena, filled with thrills and trivia that inspires technological advancements

So let the memories begin, in any way you want to. I might throw in a little survival list to help you out next time. Stick around and read some more!