Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
The Lost Paradise of Dilmun Water Park is making a splash this Eid as the two latest additions to the facility’s roster of slides launch, quite literally, patrons off into aquatic heaven.
GulfWeekly, and more specifically ‘yours truly’, was invited for a behind-the-scenes look at the new rocket slide and pirate ship attractions. I have to admit, I had a blast!
It was with some initial trepidation that I arrived at LPOD with Editor Stan’s warnings ringing in my ears. Apparently, a long time ago before this exalted publication was a mere twinkle in my youthful eye, the newspaper had done a similar feature for the grand opening of the park.
Back then, our intrepid reporter Shilpa volunteered herself to do the story … but ‘forgot’ to mention that she actually couldn’t swim. One incident involving a near-drowning, a buff Australian lifeguard and a lost pair of new spectacles later, and we’ve struggled to find a better office folk tale since.
Luckily, I’m a keen swimmer and Pamela Anderson is more plastic now than woman, so almost dying and being rescued by a blonde bombshell was not on my agenda.
My first port of call (swish!) was the pirate ship, although this is more meant for children of smaller stature than the big kids like me who parade around in adult bodies.
Featuring a detailed deck, rigging and hull, the variety of water features and moveable parts is sure to ‘hook’ the young ones, even before any of the five different coloured slides hanging over one side reel them in.
My attention span soon walked the plank though, as I wanted desperately to try the rocket slide. After a brief wait for the maintenance man to put the water on, I climbed the ten thousand steps (it wasn’t that drastic, but after a month back home in England lazing about, it felt like it) to try it out.
I’m a massive adrenaline junkie … but even the steep angle of the slide phased me a little! Essentially, you stand in a rocket capsule and wait for the lifeguard (this time, a friendly chap named Yasir) to push the ‘launch’ button, which initiates a countdown. When it’s over, the floor opens up and you let gravity do its work and fly down the slide.
I climbed into the capsule giddy with excitement and closed the door behind me. The grate underneath had some give in it, which wasn’t completely reassuring, but I was told it was meant to be like that so it could fall away easily. Yasir pressed the button and counted down with his fingers. Right on cue, the floor dropped out from under me and this giant black hole engulfed me in a wash of wind and water. The spray covered my face, but luckily it cleared enough for me to see the rest of the journey through this tunnel of multi-coloured panels that made me feel like I was gushing through a fourth-dimension disco pipe.
Finally, shooting out of the other end, I felt exhausted and drained! That didn’t stop me from jumping up and going for a second try though, and this time I went even faster!
For my third and final go, I asked Yasir not to count down so as to be surprised when the rocket floor opened. This ended up being the best ride of the lot, as the extra shock of the grate opening beneath me unexpectedly gave me an extra jolt.
It’s great that LPOD has invested money in new rides, as revealed exclusively in GulfWeekly by yours truly. Although I really enjoy the park every time I visit, it was feeling a little stale going on the same rides every time that I had for years.
With fresh temptations that thrill and spill, there should be prosperous times ahead for one of Bahrain’s main tourism attractions.
Two thumbs up!
