Queueing (again)

Long time readers of the other blog will maybe remember my feelings about queueing. There's nothing more British than standing in an orderly line, waiting calmly for hours for something you've already paid for. Fantastic fun. Our latest experience of queueing was a visit to Alton Towers last Friday.

It's been a few years since we've gone, and I have to admit I'd forgotten that even though you pay £46.25 for the pleasure of entry, you then have to endure an hour or so queueing with other miserable people in order to enjoy travelling upside down at 30mph for thirty seconds. Great value that.

Of course, the first ride we queued up for broke down after nearly an hour's wait when we were near the front, so we queued up for another two hours to ride their new bone-shaker The Smiler.

Pictures a bit poor I know, but it was actually a good ride. Judging also by my other half's swearing, it had the desired effect on her too in terms of being thrilling etc. After that, and with nearly half the day gone, it did seem like the day would disappear in a series of queues and a few two minute rides. However, the queues disappeared - probably the millions of school kids shipped in for day having to get home. Whatever it was, we managed 5 rides in the remaining 3 hours.

So, any mathematicians may have worked that out to be £7.71 per ride. Add to that the £6 car park fee, the drinks, ice creams etc and you've spent the GDP of a small African country by tea time. And, we got to spend nearly five hours queueing and moaning.

Sarcasm aside though, it was a good day out.