UJJWALA MAHARJAN
As a child, Disneyland was my dreamland, with everyone from Cinderella to Bugs Bunny walking around the rainbow town. As I grew older, I outgrew my fascination with the distant dream.[break]
This week, though, I was at a real place that was a lot more fascinating than any Disneyland I had dreamt of.
Six Flags over Texas is all the excitement you can get, and all you need to forever etch on your memories an unforgettable day of crazy fun.
The amusement park at Arlington was a three-hour drive from where we’re staying. I was humming to myself when I noticed a tall structure at a distance. A closer look, and I saw another winding structure beside it, and I knew we were there – Six Flags with its huge rollercoaster rides.
We started the day with a more docile ride that swept us up and down the yellow curves of an open tunnel. We then moved to a proper rollercoaster that had two loops.
I remember getting into this one and screaming on top of my lungs and hearing everyone else scream. No significant visuals registered into my brain from that ride, as I was too scared to open my eyes.
But after a few rides, almost all of us had our adrenaline pumping high. We wanted more – more speed, more bumps, more loops, more tunnels, and more height.
That’s where Superman, Batman, Mr. Freeze, and The Titan come in. These were the highlights at Six Flags.
The 32-and-a-half storied Superman Ride is the tallest of its kind that takes you right to the top in a dizzying speed of 45mph (miles per hour). You can enjoy the views of the entire city and then just when you’re caught in the awe and forget about the height you’re in, it jerks you down.
Then we have the Batman Ride. This rollercoaster at the Gotham City Park section slowly builds up and then thrusts you to a 50mph speed of sudden swerves.
Every time I would be standing in line to board the ride, my whole body would grow stiff and cold with anticipation and I would wonder what the hell had I gotten myself into.
Take Mr Freeze. It was one ride that looked and sounded so scary that I thought no one in her right mind would try this one. But there I was, waiting on the queue.
Then my last ride for the day was The Titan. This thing was huge. It was the “biggest, tallest, fastest” rollercoaster in the park with an elevation of 255 feet and a speed of 80mph.
After the upward climb, it descends and then goes round in loops, in such a speed that at a point I was upside down, hanging in the air and frantically trying to grab onto something solid.
Out of every scary looking ride I had taken that day though, I emerged smiling, my heart overjoyed!
Even during our ride back home, as I closed my eyes for a short nap, the lights turned down and the bus slowly making its way on a quiet highway, I was feeling like I was still on a rollercoaster that would take a sudden drop any unsuspecting second.
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Wishful thinking in dusty Kathmandu
NISTHA RAYAMAJHI
Stepping out on the main streets is not an easy job these days. Thanks to the government that recently demolished the roadside houses, I get to breathe in a lot of dust until I reach my destination.
I have always been fond of leisurely walks but definitely not on the grimy and dusty streets like ours. Long time back, my mother wanted me to accompany her for an evening stroll. But as soon as we passed our lane, all we could see was crammed footpaths, dust, and smoke coming out of vehicles, and overall, just a messy street ahead. It definitely wasn’t a pleasant experience and so the idea of evening walks on the main streets was dropped then and there.
When you think of evening walks, you think of walking on sidewalks with lush greenery and fresh air. But all of that is just a wishful thinking as we all know how polluted our city is.
The recent demolition of the houses on the roadsides has added more to the woes of the city dwellers. In some areas, it’s even worse.
The other day, I literally saw a cloud of dust that was so overpowering that it was blinding the vision of the drivers and the pedestrians who were making their way through that street. I even wonder if we have short lifespan if we calculate the amount of dust and smoke we breathe in on a single day.
When the older generation talks about how less crammed the buildings were and how cleaner the city was, it’s just hard to picture that scenario with how the city looks right now.
Although I do remember, as I grew up, how a lot of houses and buildings started mushrooming on whatever scanty plots were there in various parts of the city. With that, the pollution increased even more, and the city started losing its charms.
Our city could’ve been so much vibrant and aesthetically pleasing if it weren’t for the pollution and utter chaos on the streets. I just wish that that the government would work with the same pace to refurbish the roads as they did while they brought down the roadside houses.
Until then, I guess we just have to find ways to deal with the dust and just wish for the days when the city will be cleaner in its true sense.
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Astrology – what utter rubbish!
CILLA KHATRY
Before I begin, I must thank my wonderful Aama for providing me with materials for this week’s column. Well, she probably didn’t think I would write about it. But she should’ve known better, considering just how many times she’s been my target. There was the one I wrote on marriage – my marriage, the inevitable end of me, as I see it, that poked on her sentiments – and the one about anti-ageing creams where I gave away her age.
So on Wednesday night, as usual, I was struggling with ideas, or rather the lack of them, when she started talking about what a particular astrologer had said about me.
Aama, just so you know, there’s nothing that he told you that I couldn’t have told you myself and it would’ve saved you some serious cash, too. But what’s done is done. No use crying over spilt milk, I guess.
The astrologer told her that I was a spendthrift and had a mind of my own. Well, almost every girl loves to shop and that means spending money, and everyone has a mind of her own these days. No expertise needed to predict that.
He went on to say that I would marry soon. Soon, as within a year or so. Ha! I’ll give him every Rupee in my bank account if I get married within the next three years. He also said I would have only one offspring and it would be a son. I don’t want a son. I want a girl who’s as cute and adorable as me. And I always get what I want. End of that chapter, too.
This awesome and very young colleague of mine who’s far wiser than I was when I was his age once talked about how astrologers are conditioning their clients by throwing a lot of general and random facts their way. Something is bound to happen and when it does, they will link it with what the astrologer had predicted, thus earning him the tag of “expert” or “khatra jyotish.”
The only thing the astrologer was right about – and I hate admitting he was right – is when he told Aama that I wouldn’t look after my “son” and would let my parents take care of him instead. I know beyond a shadow of doubt that this prediction will come true, as this has been my plan all along. If I’m to have a baby, I’ll need someone to look after it. I can’t handle babies. They cry too much and are very needy. And I’m not good at fulfilling anybody’s needs but my own.
Apparently, my “son” will adore his grandparents. This information, however insane I might think predictions are, pleased me to some extent as I want my child to have a very special relationship with his grandparents because it’s something I never had.
Aama is so freakishly happy that I might decide to get married “soon” just to let her remain as happy, if not be happier. I have to admit that I’ve already (sadly!) Googled boys’ names. The predictions might not come true, but what if they do? I want to be prepared. Damn this fascinating astrology bullshit! Believe in it or not, there’s something about it that just adheres to your subconscious.
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My shopping therapy
ASMITA MANANDHAR
Before you come to any conclusions after reading the title, let me put up my disclaimer: I’m not much of a shopper. Not that I hate shopping, but I refrain from scanning every shop on the way. Unlike my cousins and friends, “shop till you drop” was never my motto. After a certain time, shopping would be a pain for me with constant look at the objects and hours of walking or standing. On that note, I wonder, how the saree shopping would be, as they give you stools to sit on and offer you cold drinks!
But lately, I’ve been spending considerable amount of my time and money in shopping malls. Since the last few weeks, I’ve been lingering behind the hangers of clothing shops, along the corridors of department stores, or taking a look at things that I would never own.
I surprised myself when I decided to read the specifications of a facial treatment on the back of a product. After going through three packs, I realized that the stupid reading had to stop, and so I moved on.
On the other hand, spending time with the products wasn’t that bad of an idea unless you don’t spend your money on it. But I guess I realized it too late.
After assimilating objects that looked very handy but have actually been of no use in the last two weeks, I have strictly warned myself against spending any more time or money on unnecessary shopping.
Well, the point was, how did I become a mini-shopaholic? And while pondering on my new routine, I was quick to notice that my shopping has had increased since my parents went abroad. It could’ve been unintentional, but since I was missing them to the core, I concluded that I developed this habit to fill the vacuum of my parents not being around.
I knew that this was a little absurd and not all loner love to shop unwisely. But shopping does distract you, and the way time goes by while shopping is actually amusing. In addition, you can be a great talker when it comes to new products and prices. You can just be happy with all those amazing things nicely stacked up in front of you; and if you’re crazier, assume them all owned by you – for a split second!
I don’t know if I can call this my “missing mom-and-dad” therapy or just going frenzy when they aren’t here to watch over me. But shopping is definitely keeping me a sane company, for sure.
However, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it’s just a phase!
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