Mark9

Just a round up of the story:--Authorities are struggling to control the situation at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, where the situation in reactors No 3 and No 4 remains fast-moving and perilous.All 6 reactors at the nuclear power plant currently have cooling issues. Three have already exploded, one has had amajor fire and the remaining two have rising heat levels. Radiation levels have been spiking although it's important to point out that they haven't been stupidly high. Cornwall has higher radiation being emitted then what is currently being emitted.• The country faces an increasingly desperate humanitarian crisis caused by the direct effects of Friday's huge earthquake and resultant tsunami, one made worse by freezing weather.The official death toll has now hit 4,255 deaths, with 8,194 people registered as unaccounted for. Survivors, many of them homeless, are struggling with a wave of cold weather forecast to last well into this week, with night time temperatures dipping to -5C in some places.Considering how many older people die in this country from cold temperatures, the death toll resulting from this Earthquake could catapault massively.• Japan's emperor, Akihito, has made a rare TV appearance to express his condolences to his people and his worry at the nuclear situation.• Following its precipitous plunge yesterday, Tokyo's stock market bounced back nearly 6%. Japan's central bank has injected a further $40bn into the financial markets.The Japan emperor rarely makes a TV experience. The Japanese need some kind of hope in this time and the Emporer has hopefully given hope to people. It needs to be pointed out though that everyday the bank is injecting billions into an economy that been slowly dwindling over the last two decades. The longer this crisis continues, the more likely it will be that Japan will be in financial peril.

We thought Ap day would be quiet, we are completely the wrong people to ask Hell with it, even the park can't predict numbers correctly.THERE IS NO HOPE!

Oh yes.. it's the Japan mind set in practice.

You know, Japan is amazing..If any country will survive this earthquake (structurally) quickly then its Japan.

I thought that was Rich..Ah well..

I thought that, millions of children milling around. I haven't posted a trip report but I will now. wahey After saying all closed season I wouldn't go, my own control gave in and went to Thorpe with Marc, Neilfever, Michaela and Ian.I actually had a really good day and was nice to see Tommy, Dan H, Dan A, Ryan, Kabzy, Adam and anyone else I may have missed. Park was clearly very packed out from the word go. We first went to Stealth and I will always hate their stupid opening loading procedures.. feels so tedious. Went on front row, was the usual horrible sensation that keeps bringing me back.Next was off to Inferno which broke down whilst we were in the queue and broke down shortly after we had ridden. We got a front row seat and the ride is so unenjoyable in the rain. Next we did a few laps off the park because I don't think we could be bothered to go on anything to be honest. All queues were longish, even Rocky Express and Flying Fish. Eventually met with Ian and Michalea and dared to ride the new tube sensation Storm Surge. We moved quite a lot at first, probably because so many people joined and then gave up five minutes later. We queues 2 hours and 20 minutes which is a first for me. We got word that food units in the park were starting to run out of food; as we walked round it became obvious that places which were open were hopelessly packed, at least half an hour queue for things like hot dogs. We decided to give up, leaving Marc in his holy spot and the rest of us went for a pub lunch at the Twynersh. Food in less then ten minutes.Despite only getting on three rides it was a good day and it was almost in spite of the theme park. Management were clearly unprepared, some of the rides had nowhere near the amount of staff they should have had and the rides themselves looked in pretty poor state. But it doesn't matter because this is the pro spin Thorpe Park Mania!

Haha. Looks like I'll have someone to laugh at each Merlin park this year, I feel like Peter stole all my fastrack laugh energy last year.

I'm going this year now just to watch you get attacked by people with fastrack.

I'll get gaga on the phone and get her on the case of ride prejudice...

I thought I'd post an obligatory Storm Surge post. To be honest it was as bad as expected. The ride itself isn't awful but the fact its completely hidden No Way out, has support structure all over the place and the queue was astronomical left me with a sour taste in the mouth.As we got to the front of the queue the operator decided to announce that the queue was an hour. This prompted the majority of the front of the queue to shout "we've queued for 2 and a half hours you C words, and there was some F##k off shouted to.. well that was crowd opinion. At the front they decided to tip all the boats over on the loading platform to remove the water from the bottom of the boat. I can see this process being an utter pain throughout the season because unlike hoovering Loggers or Dragon Falls boats, it means the ride completey stacks up as two ride hosts awkwardly roll a boat around on the conveyor. Fastrack was being sold which probably didn't do the park any favours.The ride itself, well I love the lift hill. You could have a nice cup of coffee as you go up and the view of better rides such as Tidal Wave and Rush is rather splendid. Rather reminded me of Eclipse.. except Eclipse was faster. Eventually you reach the top and as IanNem described it, it's rather like going down a plug hole. I was intrigued that the spinning is basically forced by bits of velcro along the bottom of the trough and it does spin rather nicely. You reach the bottom and without any sensation you hit the bottom, sending water everywhere but the boat and thats your lot. Luckily for you Thorpe remembered this was supposed to be a water ride and added lots of jets for the queueline to soak you. For a few minures you amble back to the loading area, depending on how many boats have been de-waterfied, you may be sitting there for a good ten minutes, before re-emerging.It's a waste of a good opportunity and like Sonic Spinball, is totally in the wrong place in the park. Unless you get to the park early and get on Storm Surge first, avoid like the plague. As for the hillbillies, well instead of standing at the ride exit having a chat, how about you entertain the poor sods who have been queueing for 2 hours. Would be nice.3/10

Double post whatever. I've been following the events of the nuclear plants out there. The cooling system on reactor 3 has failed and a chance of a possible meltdown. The other thing is the strength of the earthquake has been revised to 9.0 on the richter scale, the 5th most extreme earthquake ever recorded.

Stop smoking?

It truely is horrific, it's one of those things that will be with me for the rest of my life like September 11th. Seeing that wave rush through Japan, seeing houses, cars, boats, trains just being pushed aside and knowing people are being wiped out instantly, It's awful and I think people should do whatever they can to help the Japanese.

This is an attrocious day to be honest. There's reports of over 200 bodies washed up on a Japanese beach and at this point in time an entire train is completely missing. A ship with over 100 people on board is also missing.That body count is just going to rise and rise to.

Can people who can't walk ride things like Colossus and Saw? If you can't walk or are blind then thats the only situation where you'd need two carers. I wouldn't have thought rides staff would be allowed to manhandle people as they aren't even allowed to lift people into ride cars or seats.

A volcano in Indonesia has also begun to erupt following the earthquake.http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2011/03/11/general-as-indonesia-volcano_8350822.html

Triple post whammy!How's everyones Pokemon games going so far? I've just finished the league and to celebrate getting the national dex I caught Kangaskhan. Whoo!Current Team:-

Some extremely scary things are happening right now with any countries with a Pacific coastline currently on Tsunami alert after an earthquake just off the coast of Japan. If you go onto BBC's news website you can see videos of the wave that hit Japan, devastating, like a wall of destruction slamming through the countryside.Japan's biggest earthquake and the 5th biggest earthquake in the world since 1900.

This. The cars were just as part of the experience as the music, the theme, the area.

Thank you for sharing that Benin. I don't know why I justify my fondness for the park really. All I'd have to show is that video and say no more.Wonderful wonderful place

I'd hate to be a Thorpe Park/Chessington ride host this year. One helper on rides, fastrack on baby rides.*puts bread in oven.Now thats a career

Thats my main memory of the old Vampire, more so then riding it.Seeing the old Bats swoop over MCDonalds and off round the tower. That's what theme parks are about.

Someone once called me a Chessington fanboy. That made me mad because I'm not. If they do something crap I'll say it. For instance adding fastrack to jumbos, toadies and truckers. I called that the worst decision Chessington could possibly make. A fanboy, surely would spout rubbish like "they are a business, they're allowed to do what they want, who cares about a few annoyed people."