Photo TR: Divv's European Adventure

Thanks for the comments guys!

Chuck, I'd need to ask Lou to be sure, but your futuristic logic sounds about right to me!

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DAYS 10 & 11:

EUROPA PARK

What about Europa Park itself? Stunning. It's huge, every bit of it is themed and it has some really cool rides. It doesn't have a number one coaster but everything that department is pretty good. Well, except Silver Star, which isn't bad by any means but compared to every other B&M hyper I've done it was a real tame letdown. Plus, I'd rode Expedition GeForce the day before which probably showed up Silver Star's flaws even more!

The real highlight of Europa Park is Euro-Mir! Words cannot describe how amazing the Euro-Mir experience is. From getting in the line til the gift shop at the end there really isn't a more bizarre and infectious ride experience out there. I can't get the song out my head now that I'm thinking about it. That's a good thing! I also had the privilege of being one of the lucky people on the "party train" when TPR took the ride over. That's an experience that'll live with me for a long time!

I think we got to try just about every Mack ride under the sun here. Well everything except a Splash battle, which was disappointing because we were under a lot of sun on this visit! At least all the water rides Europa offers cooled us down. We also had Jes to thank for keeping our group extra cool on the log flume! Right Jes?

I could go on and on all day about Europa Park but I'll still not be able do it justice nor would I be able to work out just what Person X is!

I LOVE this place! I NEED to go back to Europa Park. I've some unfinished business there and can't wait to get back!

Okay, last Fudgey jab I swear. But don't you think he'd LOVE this place?!

I think Anth is trying to convey some sort of subliminal message here.

It started raining which only meant we would need to take cover and make fools of ourselves even further!

Stacey's really rocking out in the queue!

Of course when you have extra time in Europa Park there's only one place to go!

Lou can't go anywhere without making new friends.

Is this any use to you Fudgey?

The next morning we had a few extra hours in the park so we went and rode Silver Star again. Still not so great compared to the other B&M hypers out there.

My German isn't great but I'm sure this one said "The plants are my source of energetic lesbian power!"

This lesbian dinosaur was very energetic!

Everyone is fascinated by the German Lesbian Energy!

Basis Lager? Yeah, that seemed to be the basis of the trip for Steve!

OMG, could this be Lesbian Energy Hour in German?!

VERY HOT!

Yup it was HOT today!

Erik only wanted to ride the mad house for the boobs.

Brad doesn't seem impressed by Lamppost: The Ride.

Now for Fudgey's favourite ride EVER!

Did the satellite ever move?

Lou suggested I try Currywurst today. It was amazing! Much better than suggesting I drink a Zombie!

You're doing it wrong!

Hold on, is Fudgey here? Oh wait, that's a tree.

The rapids crew celebrate riding what they expect to be the last rapids of the trip!

By the time we got to the rapids we had been driven completely mad and danced the entire length of the queue.

Yup, skloosh.

It doesn't count as a coaster for me but the cool down was much appreciated on this HOT day!

Hi Scottish Steve!

I still can't believe the soaking that Jes dished out to our boat on the log flume! What were you playing at Jes?

Hey look - it's me!

Russ and Stacey had to hold on to stop themselves from dancing the whole way round.

Euro Mir is approved by all 17 of my chins.

Brad can't help but bust a move to the greatest ride song of all time.

Yeah it looks cool but really its the audio experience that makes Euro Mir!

Speaking of coolest rides ever - it doesn't get much more amazing than this!

Matterhorn Blitz = coolest wild mouse ever.

Fudgey loves Europa Park.

SKLOOSHH!!!

The new watercoaster was really cool! Yet again, the station was immensely themed!

How's this for layered theming?

I'm not sure if this is Steve previewing his dance moves or not.

Time for one of the best parks of the trip - Europa Park!

Europa Park was simply amazing.

I had forgotten about the soaking me and Lou took from standing in that splash zone. But we dried of super quick because it was so hot!

No real words describe the Euro Mir package and the party train experience. I guess orgasmic will have to do - oh multiple of course and that was a first I can tell you

Divv the sign off pic for each update always make me laugh. -A quality signature indeed.

Are we really going to be on another crazy caper like this in a few months?....thank the gods we are. YAY

Steve 'looking forward to more CAPERS with added Salmon' C

Another awesome update Divv. Europa was probably the highlight of all highlights (there were so many!) on the entire trip for me. You captured its essence very well! This place totally rocks!

I'm really glad everyone loved Europa as much as Robb and I do, it is seriously one of the best theme parks on Earth! One of the things that really impressed me was the food. So often at 'theme' parks the theming may be great from land to land, but each land still has burgers and fries. Being able to get fresh Raclette (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette) in the Swiss area was AMAZING! I even introduced it to some other people as well (I know, Elissa teaching OTHERS about food, hilarious right?!!?)

TPR WILL be going back to Europa Park in 2010 for sure! I expect you all to join us!!!!

^

2010???

Hmmmm.

Europa is definitely worth going back to. Easily one of the best of the tour, last summer.

( Edit for Euro Mir Theme add-in. See V )

Enough said

03 Euro Mir Theme.mp3

Another great update Divv! This seriously looks like an awesome park, and that theme from Euro Mir has been stuck in my head all day now!

^^^ Europa in 2010??? now that is tempting...

I NEED to go back to Europa Park. I've some unfinished business there and can't wait to get back!

Divv is going back to Europa--and this time, it's personal!

Europa was the best park on the whole Europe trip last year (put that in your pipe and smoke it, Paris Disney!). It's virtually impossible for anyone to be bored there.

The food at the Asian restaurant next to Pirates of Batavia was great.

Europe was great, I absolutely loved it! I think Phantasialand still *JUST* has the edge for me, but seriously only just, and I was thrilled Europa lived up to my expectations, as I was concerned having heard so many great things from Robb, Elissa, Dave, etc that I would wind up disappointed!

Amazing park, INCREDIBLE hotel, great selection of rides, beautiful theming... I was very amused by all the, erm, "tributes" too.

Keep it up Divv, loving reliving this trip! Living it for the first time in the case of the things I don't remember!

Thanks for the replies people! Europa truly was amazing - 2010 sounds about right!

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DAY 11:

WALYGATOR

This was less of a full on park visit and more of an "extended rest stop" (with coasters!). I think everyone was happy it was worked out this way. We really didn't need long in this park to get the credits and really there wasn't anything worth riding more than once. Especially not Anaconda which is right down there with my worst woodies. Although you couldn't help be amused by the screeches of pain coming from riders!

The real highlight was when we got there, everyone was quite tired and the weather wasn't great. Well, I'd managed to get a hold of a map and I remember pointing out to Steve that the park had a rapids. I can't post his exact words here but I'm still amused by the reaction and I'll just say he wasn't thrilled. But well done to him and the rest of the guys who went ahead and did it to complete the rapids collection for the trip! I hope those of you doing Scandi have similar aspirations!

Anyway, here's some photos...

Sadly the snake did not consume me before riding Anaconda and I was forced to ride too. At least we got out alive and got back on the road to Disney!

Don't Lou and Brad look super excited to ride the best coaster of the trip?

Jeff ended up trying to choke himself by eating paper just to get out of riding Anaconda.

Why couldn't this be overrun by zombies?

Hey lets try this! Oh wait, it's been overrun by zombies and is closed.

After about twelve attempts Lou was successful and now Jon has another Duckie to show for it!

You will not win a season pass by counting these.

Whilst we whored our lives away Lou thought this was a better use of her time!

"I'm sad and pathetic and don't care!"

This is the point where Lou tried not to be sad and pathetic and laughed at us riding the kiddie coaster.

Quite rightly too it seems!

Lou's excited...

You could tell the TPR members by the bright orange dayglo stickers they were wearing. And by the fact that we'd just spent 12 days together!

Ah, a ride that won't beat you to a pulp!

This one gets the TPDave cartoonish thumbs up!

This one wasn't great but at least scores points for having an Irn-Bru colour scheme!

Okay, onto some coasters...

If I hadn't missed out on the Movie Park rapids I'd have forced myself too! I was thankful for the Zombie experience for a brief moment this day!

Eleven out of eleven rapids conquered!

Oh wait, it's closed. They're not that great anyway but still a lot of people were looking forward to trying it out. At least the Scandi people will get on one soon!

Ooh, the Topple Tower! The one ride of note in this park! Lets go ride that!

Erik got to relive his glory marching days by mounting this big brass instrument.

If you see an alligator bursting out a rock face you know you really shouldn't be spending long in this place.

Good stuff Divv, I like the fact that Larry has the complete opposite expression to me. Kind of like "I'm sure as hell not putting this in the index!!"

I remember when we were about to leave I was in the toilet and I head Elissa say "Is everyone here? Let's go!", I moved faster than Tyler being chased by a mayonnaise monster to get on the bus! There was no way I was going to be left there

Dave

^I have on my "I'm pissed and about to kick someone's a$$ face".

Old Man Jeff has the best expression.

Dave really did walk out off that A-Ha video.

Being able to get fresh Raclette (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raclette) in the Swiss area was AMAZING!

Crap! I'm mad I missed out on that now! Do they per chance sell fondue or rosti as well?

Update: I found some link that claimed that they do sell fondue in the Switzerland area of Europa Park. Not sure about the rosti though, which might be the crowning achievement of hearty Swiss cuisine.

Where's the pic of me and Elz I took with your camera while you were all whoring it up?! I'd like to point out also that I didn't win Jon a ducky, Craig did!!

I don't think I did anything at that park! Anaconda shook several of my body parts clean off, the drop tower was quite fun judging from my expression (was this the park where the bus driver's kids line-jumped us in the drop tower line?! We were not having that!!)... Did I do anything else here?!

Really was just a rest-stop on the road to Disney!

I don't think I rode anything apart from the three coasters at Walygator.

Anyway, ask and ye shall receive...

Not riding with the majority somehow makes them not sad and pathetic. =P

That crane machine was brillant, it just kept giving me loads of goes. I think I won 3 bouncy balls and 2 ducks on that thing!

(was this the park where the bus driver's kids line-jumped us in the drop tower line?! We were not having that!!)... Did I do anything else here?!

 

Really was just a rest-stop on the road to Disney!

That was EVERY park! They French Crunched us in many countries...

Walygator did have an awesome, if slow, waffle stand (the guys who ran it were actually quite nice).

As usual another fun update Divv! I skipped this one when I was in France a few years ago and Im glad I spent more time at Disney instead.

Also Lou is sad and pathetic for passing up the kiddie coaster. You know you would have enjoyed it!

THE TOUR BUS!

Just taking a quick break from the parks and resorts to highlight another of the many amazing facets of a TPR trip. The transport. Seriously the bus we had for this trip was all kinds of amazing and it really was a great laugh to enjoy the stress free comfort as you were ferried from park to park.

As if you needed another reason to do a TPR trip!

Seriously, the buses provided on these trips are amazing! Much better riding in these than in a stuffy car trying to work out how to get to the next park.

Just let someone else do that for you and relax!

Even Fran got to sample the delights of the VIP bus!

"How's it going everyone?"

Those seats reclined back really far. Very easy to get a sleep. Well it was in between all the boozing and gambling going on.

Here we have the table where the strippers danced. (Note - stripper not featured in picture)

These were the TPR tour buses in Europe. I'll give you a guided tour of the one I was on - the "VIP bus"!

LOL Divv, was this a public service announcement or a commercial for a TPR trip?! So funny.

You were so tanned! Love the pic of you, Erik and Fran!

Is Disney next? More importantly, IS HURRICANE'S NEXT!??!?!?!

^ Not quite Hurricane's yet! But don't worry - it's not far off!

Here's a mini update from our first night in Disney Village...

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DAYS 11 - 13:

DISNEYLAND PARIS - Part 1

DISNEY VILLAGE

After a bit of a wait to check in at Disney a bunch of us somehow managed to find our way out to Disney Village and drifted towards the bar with their HUGE beer glasses...

And you though the "Divv shot" couldn't get any creepier!!!

Actual park photos coming up next!

We had an awesome first night in Disney Village! I hope that's a plastic glass Steve!!!

If you had trouble figuring out who was who this might help!

Okay, so I went off for a wander at some point and left my camera with Lou. I get my camera back and find these nine photos! So here you go - Lou's "Guess the Crotch 2008"!

What's this like 17 litres of beer?

You think after doing this every night for two weeks it'd get boring. But no!

Holy Batmobile - there I am with the awesome Lou and Rachel (the Awesome Twins). Hell though -I'm sure I was not being as pervy as those strangely elongated arms of mine seem to hint at. What a night, and what a trip....in every sense of the word for sure

Oh and Divv -creepy photo shot? - Karma has a slow burn (as you know) I've held back for now, but I'm watching closely Bwahahahaha

LOL Steve, I think you were being exactly as creepy as the long arms indicate. But we love you anyway.

I have to say, Guess The Crotch may have been my idea, but I seem to remember me coming back from the loos and all my stuff having been STOLEN! I invite Rach along to be my ally and she winds up being everybody's co-conspirator in torturing me!

Divv, do you have video to post of Steve in Hurricane's?!