Sunday, July 21, 2013

Conquering Fears at Imagica

Last Wednesday, we hired a bus and set off for Imagica at Khopoli, just off the Pune-Mumbai Expressway, for a team outing. 33 of us.

The weather was wonderful - a light drizzle, a cool breeze - when we left from Pune. But by the time we had settled in at Imagica, the heavens opened up in a way it only does in the Konkan! Not the perfect weather for an outing, but at Imagica, it didn't really matter too much. The giant umbrellas provided by the park management every where meant moving between the rides wasn't too bad - although on some of the external rides, you had no option but to get soaking wet!

For me, it was the second time - and in addition to a couple of newly opened rides, I also had the opportunity to conquer my fears - on the roller coasters.

The Golden Rush is amazing - it's the medium sized coaster (the largest one is yet to open...), and has some amazing horizontal loops, and one deep dive straight into the earth and back out through a tiny tunnel - truly spectacular!

Once you conquer that, try Deep Space. You get into a "launch vehicle" seating 12 that slowly moves into the launch tube - a dark tunnel with pulsating lights, and then suddenly accelerates, pushing you back into your seats with tremendous force, and then zooms off into "dark outer space", and in the few seconds that follow, hurtles you into 360 degree vertical loops and twists and turns before spitting you out safely back onto Earth... Oh wow!

The Curse of Salimgarh is a horror ride... but it's the beginning and the very end that's truly enjoyable. Do go for it!

As always, the Rajasaurus was also thrilling, the jump out of the cave into open space and water always spectacular... and being a weekday, we were able to go back for repeats. And as always, the park attendants are awesome - they truly seem to enjoy seeing you enjoy!

Another experience I had missed last time was I for India, where you get strapped into a seat that rises up in front of a huge screen that gives you a bird's eye view of some of India's most amazing places... from the glaciers of Uttarakhand to the sunny beaches of Goa, from the pulsating beats of Ganapati visarjan in Mumbai to the solemn prayers at the Jama Masjid in Delhi. So beautiful to fly over the Valley of Flowers, and caress the Ta Mahal from the skies...

Overall, Imagica continues to enthrall - and is a must-do for Puneties and Mumbaities, or anyone lucky to be in the vicinity of these beautiful twin cities!

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