Hersheypark!

The girls have been talking about this part of our trip for months now, and for the most part our visit to Hersheypark didn't disappoint. We started off easy with a few runs on the bumper cars (my favorite) but there was an island in the middle of the floor so that you could only drive in one direction. Really? I mean, what's the fun of bumper cars without the risk of spinal injury from head-on collisions? After that, I was hoping that we might up the ante gradually by trying out a kiddie ride or a tame roller coaster. Instead, Rachelle and the girls proceeded to something called the Storm Chaser. This "ride" began with an air compressor-assisted catapult launch akin to those used by navy fighter jets taking off from aircraft carriers. After the multi-G-pulling launch maneuver, the car went straight up and over an inverted hairpin turn followed by several loops with a full twist. I sat this one out (I like to have some control over my own torture, thank you). Keiko (the one with the upset stomach) and Rachelle (the one with the bad back) enjoyed it so much that they did it AGAIN. Oh my God! What happened to the little girls who used to get a thrill out of bounce houses? Amaya said that was glad that she had gone on the ride, but didn't have any interest in a repeat performance. How they all managed to keep from hurling is beyond me. 

The Storm Rider: Sane people prohibited

Keiko indulged me with a ride on the Whip, but she teased me the whole time. Basically, the rest of the family was ruined for thrill rides for the rest of the day. 

Hersheypark ride name: The Whip; Keiko's ride name: The Lame

I joined the family on a more modest roller coaster called the Thunder/Lightning Racer. They thought it was pretty tame, but all I could think about was that were it not for the restraint bar we all would have been thrown to our deaths. Fun. I almost purchased the photograph that they took of us on the ride because of the way it captured my horror, but $15 was more than I was willing to pay. Instead, we took our own photo in the gift shop. What the picture doesn't show is that my fight-or-flight response is completely maxed out: Adrenergic Overdrive

Cinco de Tardo

The park was pretty crowded, but more so in the waterpark section. We waited in line at least 45 minutes to float on the Lazy River. Sunscreen on my shoulders might have been a wise addition to the plan.

Hey! You got your _____ in my ______

We ate a nice dinner at a family-friendly restaurant in the park before heading out. I should have done a happiness check before we left, but I'm pretty sure—despite a few choice moments—that everyone finished out at an "exhausted 10."

When children misbehave...