Team Building can be a Stomach Turning Event

Bangalore 20 August 2010 7:45pm
I decided when I arranged my trip to India today would be a team building day away from the office having fun. Neha prepared a huge list of options but it was decided by vote to go to Wonderla which is an amusement park on the outskirts of Bangalore.

When I read the list of rides I was filled with dread. However I thought it was likely to be the best team building of all the choices ao I voted for it. While the wet rides mostly were within my comfort zone (I passed on the vertical drop) the dry rides consisted of many spinning things that I knew were beyond the capability of my stomach to hold food. The admission of Rs495 (plus about Rs30 tax) covered as many rides as you could manage in the day so I knew I had no excuses other than my fear and nausea.

The day started OK - Wonder La Bamba which is a platform that goes in circles left, up, right, down and the reverse at varying speeds. Until the very fast bit at the end I was perfectly comfortable. Next was the Crazy Wagon which is a very gentle ride - no problems at all. Both these rides had long queues - mostly of school parties. Next we were going to do the ghost train but it rained so we had lunch and then went to the wet rides.

Neha decided to sit these out. They were all fun though I must confess the pendulum had me screaming. You sit on a rubber tube - side on to the slope - and are then sent over a very steep drop which gives you mammoth acceleration which pushes you well up the wall on the other side. You go backwards and forwards 4 or 5 times before coming to a halt in the bottom of the dip. There were several water slides, straight and bendy that you went down on your back or front lying on a rubber pad. Poor Tuhin got stuck in the Twister when the front edge of his pad folded over giving too much friction.

Then there was the wave pool - 15 minutes of 2.2m waves. The only real problem is that this is India and the pool was fairly full so it difficult to enjoy the waves without colliding with someone. I was out in the deep end fairly close to where the waves entered the pool. I had a great time for about 12minutes but then one leg started to cramp so I figured it was time to leave the water. It was nearly as good as swimming at NZ surf beaches with 2 very big differences.

1) The water was 22C so it was very pleasantly warm and getting cold was never going to be a problem. The roofs of many of the indoor attractions have solar panels to generate electricity for the pumps and heaters.

2) The water was fresh and well chlorinated so it was nothing like as pleasant as getting a mouthful of salt water if you git dumped by the wave.

After we got changed it was off to the ghost train, the termite hill ride ( a very tame roller coaster) and then the cinema which has seats on a platform that rise an fall and twist as you ride a disused mine railway. Really fun.

Now came the bit I was dreading. I refused to ride the Y Scream and the other ride whose name I have forgotten that turned you upside town and spun you every which way. While Veera, Tuhin and Neeha rode these I had an ice cream. However I figured I could handle the Pirate Boat Swing if I stayed in the centre. I was wrong. About 2/3 of the way through the attendant realised I was in trouble and a plastic bag was passed to me. The act of been given the bag somehow overcame my last resistance and up came my ice-cream, my lunch, and my breakfast.

I needed to sit down for a while and then the rain started again. When it eased off it was time for the dodgems (or Crazy Cars as they call them at Wonderla) I don't think much has changed in the 20 years since I last rode them in NZ.

Next was the musical fountain and laser show. This is done inside a dark theatre. The muscial fountain has a number of jets producing a large variety of patterns plus coloured lights. It is accompanied by very loud music with a good beat and I thought it was very good. Next smoke (I presume dry ice) filled the theatre and the laser show began. It was the best I have ever seen.

Unfortunately on coming out we discovered the park was now closing (we thought it stayed open for another hour but the car had been ordered for only 30 minutes later. Alas we missed riding on the giant wheel - it must be about 15 storeys high - and the flying fox descent from its tower.

The antibiotics finally knocked the bronchitis that i got after the cold that I got after the diarrhoea by Tuesday night.

Tuesday night I had dinner at Shiro - a Japenese restaurant just next door to the hotel - with Mike Fleming. You usually need to book but we were lucky and got a table provided we left by 9pm. We mainly had appetisers washed down by Ozzy Shiraz followed by a little sushi.

Wednesday night I had dinner with Patrick Moriarty and Don (don't know his last name) from ANZ Singapore at Sunnys. This is a very good Italian Restaurant about 50m from here with an amazing selection of deserts.

Thursday night I ate at Limelighters at the Roayl Orchid Hotel fairly close to Cherry Hills. This was a team dinner at Choudery's request. They had a buffet so I avoided most of the Indian food but I have to confess I ate far too much.

Tomorrow I fly out in the evening. I intend to spend the day walking around Bangalore before returning to the hotel in the afternoon to pack and have a nap before leaving for the airport. Dinner I suspect will be rooms service.