The Wonderla Trip

So far, I have made two short trips in Bangalore. Yes, two. In what feels like a lifetime of engineering lectures and mediocre hostel food, I actually managed to escape.

The first was with my classmates on 12th May, when we visited three legendary temples in Belur, Halebeedu, and Shravanabelagola, about 222 km from Bangalore. These were impressive historical temples—the kind that make you feel deeply spiritual for about five minutes before you start wondering where to buy snacks (for more info, click here: http://saachad9.blogspot.in/2012/05/trip.html). Also, 222 km is a suspiciously round number. I don't trust it.

The second trip was on 23rd August with some Bhutanese students to Wonderla. Wonderla is no wonderland for those who are physically crippled or handicapped—let's just get that out of the way. But we were not, so we bravely decided to test our luck and our stomach lining. We paid just ₹590 as entry fees, and once inside, all the games are free! Well, "free" after you've paid. But who's counting? (I am. Always.)

There are nearly 60 different types of nerve-racking attractions that are worth trying—provided you don't have a heart condition, a fear of heights, a fear of water, a fear of screaming strangers, or a recently eaten meal you'd like to keep down. It is truly an amusement park with lots of entertainment, ranging from land attractions to sky attractions. In other words, you can get terrified on solid ground or while suspended in mid-air. The choice is yours, and either way, you will scream like a small child.

To name a few: there are dungeon rides (great for pretending you're in a horror movie), Wonder Splash (great for getting wet whether you wanted to or not), Insanity (aptly named—whoever came up with it clearly hated humanity), a carousel (for the faint-hearted and the romantically inclined), a wave pool (where you can experience the ocean's fury without the risk of sharks), and a lazy river for "active people"—which is a hilarious contradiction, because if you're active, why are you floating lazily? The lazy river is for people who want to feel productive while doing absolutely nothing. I respect that.

I am posting some photos with some flippant descriptions. You have been warned. Look at our faces in each shot: before the ride (confident and foolish), during the ride (pure existential terror), and after the ride (triumphant, dizzy, and slightly nauseous). You're welcome.

Caution: If you want to use the images, please ask, don’t steal.

Journey to Wonderlaaa… a snapped from the car. Country road, take me home, to the place, where I …???

So it was the beginning… near the wonderla’s entrance. We took our first group photograph. That guy in a black shirt is looking for a cat. Ouch! And where is meee...? An old fox…at the extreme corner. Who is that man, he is up to necking in my three beloved!!!

Aahhaa…a singing lady pig!

Can you see a hanging monkey? Don’t hang around like the monkey, it’s just water. Water pendulum.

One of the high thrill rides. It is called Y-scream. It shakes you and mixes you like a blender. Do you know why it is called Y-scream? Because the clock is almost ticking to 12 below the sky wheel. It is the coming of the letter Z , the end!

Kwality or quality ice cream??? Foods in moving stalls. They say, they sell in MRP, but MRP has double once it has reached from the outside market. Cheee…aateeerrrrrsssss.

Coaster ride train tracks. This was the only game I liked the most; slow ride uphill and fast downhill ride- splashing. The journey of life is such; uphill and downhill. And this is the lesson I learned from there, uh, so early .

So this is the wonder splash--wooden train/boat.  Spot me...holding on tight. We used to make this type of boats-by chopping woods during cattle herding days. But I never thought it would come to life like this.



Two and two make-s…uhah…three?... Four? …No. Let me count from the very beginning. But I don't wanna see those boys' bums!



Azzai woy! The house of ghosts. Termite coaster and train inside, but there isn’t a single live termite inside. Then what type of termite is this? Just a human termite like me and the cement termite. Can you see that stomach piles coming out from the disfigured house? The piles were taken out from the Bhutanese girls. The fact is seen of a girl's bum slashing scathingly.

Look…look…LOOK…Here are monkeys. Who cares to look at these funky monkeys?

Crazy Wagon ready to chuff. See the barrels of vintage. All drivers would drink from the huge barrel and drive. No drink drive please!!!

Digestive systems like - water plus slides are called banded kraits. Looks like it’s made of balloons. But it's not.

Swisssshh…swisssshh. Fun racers and boomerang; it’s treacherous and double-edged. I didn’t play here. Everything fast doesn’t suit me at least. I’m a slow, steady…wins the race!!!



Do you know? In Bhutan, every year more than five people die from eating mushrooms? And these mushrooms would kill hundreds.

Wave pool where I spent most of the time here. You just need no energy; the waves lift you up and throw you here and there.

A bird’s eye view of wonderla. Suck wonderla, it’s the place for foxy foxes and mentally loose screws!

Come on boys. Let’s fight a cockfight? The show has end.  No, says Sonam. Let's see girls...

And girls... Beautiful ladies in wonderland. I envy them. I almost had a crush on a lady. If they know that I have a crush on them, I would be crushed into pieces. Because I was never a lady's man, I am dumbfounded dummy in front of them and they would mistake me as dazed and daft, who would go on staring and staring to the wrong place, hehe…

And it ends with the song, a very traditional old Bhutanese song. Aeeayaa Gasalamya Singyee Choe… and the mike, you know, see the hands, f**k you!

Cautionary note again: If you want to use the images, please ask, don’t steal.