Disney World

Visit the land where all your dreams can come true-Disney World.  Not just for kids, this magical land will bring joy to the most cynical of people.  Jennifer Robson goes in search of fairy dust and man-sized mice.

Florida, home to NASA, the Everglades, Ernest Hemingway and, of course, the most culturally enriching of all-Walt Disney World. Welcome to a land of magical wonder, fantastic fun and best of all, mad hair-raising rides. Unless you’re an exceptionally grumpy old git Disney World is guaranteed to fire up the inner child lurking beneath inducing you to complete and utter fun.

Arriving at Orlando with a numb bum after the seven-hour flight, I hit instant holiday mode.  I felt all the he stresses and tensions of everyday life draining away as the hot sun beat down on my back coupled with the sight of tropical palm trees lining the roads.

After a couple of days chilling and exploring the surrounding areas, including the local shops where it’s all to easy to spend a fortune of cheap designer clobber, we were ready to visit the great resort named after the legendary Walt Disney.

Taking the advice of all the tour guides we had scoured, my partner and I arrived early to beat the queues.  Unfortunately everyone in Orlando must have read the same book, and we ended hanging around for a good half-hour. There are two ways to reach Magic Kingdom which is set apart from reality.  Either take the ferry, or hop on the monorail. Both are fab for the scenery and great fun, but the monorail is faster.

As soon as we entered Magic Kingdom we found ourselves on Main Street USA, a perfect vision of Ye Olde America. The storybook fantasy certainly meets reality here.

Filled with shops, and not much else, the street takes to straight to Cinderella’s castle. The sweet smells of cotton candy (candy floss to me and you) popcorn, roasting pecan nuts and pretzels fill the air. Balloons and flags wave and I honestly expected to see fairy dust sparkling in the breeze.

Eventually we reached Cinderella’s castle where live shows of all the Disney characters frequently featured outside.  I was rather disappointed to discover that the castle’s only attraction is a small, and very expensive, gift shop.  It boasts T-shirts, soft toys and other memorabilia. Apparently there is a function room of some kind nestled in the depths of the castle which is often used for wedding parties.  We toyed with the idea of tying the knot but the call of Tomorrow Land was just too great.

The castle stands central to Magic Kingdom and it’s from this point that the Kingdom divides into different lands.  Tomorrow, Fantasy, Adventure and Frontier Land. Additionally there is Mickey’s Toon Town and Liberty Square. Our first port of call is Tomorrow Land and is just as the name suggests. The fantastic Space Mountain is situated here. A speedy hair-raising roller coaster set in space.

Opposite, is The Extra Terrestrial Alien Encounter masterminded by George Lucas.  It’s a terrifying experience where an experiment goes dangerously wrong when an alien is teleported into the room.  Great stuff and it’s scarily easy to think it’s real!

Another host of rides later we carry on to Fantasy Land, by-passing Toon Town ‘till later.

The Mad Hatter’s Teacups provide a real hoot. Like the Waltzers, they spin you round at dizzying speeds. Fantasy Land is ideal for kids.  It’s brimming with rides bearing names like Peter Pan, Lion King and It’s a Small World. Moving swiftly on, the thrill factor kicks in, and we want something a bit scarier.  We find ourselves in Liberty Square which has just the thing, a haunted house.  Full of spooks and ghouls the hair-raising ride treats us to deceased Disney ancestors and graveyard delights.  More than your average ghost train.

We leave the house weary and hungry. Thankfully Magic Kingdom, and Epcot, boasts a host of eateries awaiting delectation. From fine restaurants to fast food, you can even dine with the Disney characters themselves.  We opted for cheap fast food and were suitably entertained by a foot tapping, all singing, android pianist who bore an uncanny resemblance to Frankie Howard.

Re-fuelled we carry onto Frontier Land where we discovered thrilling rides including Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain Rail Road.  Splash Mountain was possibly the best ride in the whole kingdom.  It features a 50-foot drop at 60mph into ice cold water.  WOW!

After this excitement we were eager to discover what lay in store at Adventure Land.  This section is packed with water rides including a jungle ride that has loads of surprises in store.

Eventually we strolled back to Toon Town where I at last caught up with Mickey and the gang.  Toon Town is where they all live and you can visit their adorable little homes.

To get the most out of this magical land you need a good few days.  The place is vast and the rides are all absorbing.

Epcot and MGM Studios are the other main attractions Disney World has to offer, but there are also water and animal parks that come with extra cash.
Epcot is a close second to Magic Kingdom.  It splits into two parts, Future World and World Showcase.

The infamous geosphere is resident in Future World.  Inside is an amazing ride taking you on a journey from the past, to the present and on into the future.  It’s well worth a visit.

Other top attractions include a three-D version of Honey I Shrunk the Kids and a fabulous Test-Track.  This gives you the chance to buckle up and zoom round the track at speeds up to 60mph at 50 degree banked curves.  An utterly teeth grinding experience!

The remainder of Epcot is the cultural celebration of the 11 nations of the world-the World Showcase.  It can take hours strolling around the world and each nation is carefully constructed to create a real feel of the place. At least I thought so until I came across my home country, the UK.  It looks like a typical Hollywood depiction of 1960s Britain complete with red telephone box and Beatles music blaring in the pub.

Probably the best nation was Norway.  It boasts a scary water ride with evil little trolls rearing their ugly heads.

MGM is fantastic for film buffs.  It’s the ultimate American cinematic experience with tours behind the sets of famous shows and movies such as the Golden Girls, Ellen and Indiana Jones.  My ultimate high point was seeing the genuine ruby slippers as worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz.  Sigh.

The Studios feature some fab rides also.  The best of the bunch was the Tower of Terror.  Based on the Twilight Zone, the ride subjected us to a terrifying 13-story drop.  What made it worse was that it was all caught on camera.  Yikes!

Our trip came to an end all too quickly and we soon found ourselves heading down the highway to Miami to catch the flight home.
Visiting NASA en route (I’m ashamed to admit) paled in comparison to the magical world of Walt Disney World.  I can still see the fairy dust floating in the breeze!

Formula One Here I come…

Fancy an adrenaline rush? See yourself as the next Nigel Mansell?  Well look no further fellow thrill seekers and kick start your life in the fast lane with a spot of go karting.

Arriving at Top Gear Indoor Karting in Durham I was filled with uncertainty. What was I letting myself in for?

I had toyed with the idea of taking a bomb disposal lesson, maneuvering an armored tank or partaking in an Anneka Rice style Treasure Hunt– just some of the impressive activities and events on offer here.  However I was keen to try my hand at karting.

Determined to prove my excellent driving skills (well I passed my test third time!), I became quite excited as Tom, the manager, gave us the lowdown, explaining all the rigorous safety tests and features the sport demands.

Feeling like a stuntwoman sporting a flame retardant racing suit and donning a massive helmet, I found myself being led to a kart.

After getting in the car, which is no easy task I’ll have you know, it sits only centimeters off the deck, the instructor kicked the engine into life.  This is situated directly behind the seat and I recommend this sport for the sweet vibrations alone!

I was determined to make a good impression under the watchful gaze of the professional instructors, so I assumed an air of self-confidence and set off onto the circuit.

Teeth chattering, I timidly tapped the accelerator making my way down the first straight at a steady five miles per hour. As I hit the first bend, my natural instinct told me to slow down, as I hadn’t yet discovered that one of the joys of karting is ant-roll.  This means bends can be zipped round at high speed.

Also, unbeknown to me (a novice to all cars, except Ford Fiestas), the kart wasn’t equipped with power steering.

It suddenly dawned on me that my biceps would be bulging by the end of the session. After 12 out of 25 laps my confidence grew and my competitive streak reared its ugly head. I began to make up lost ground on my racing partner who was already three laps ahead of me.

Putting pedal to the metal I threw myself into the corners and hurled down the straights with pure adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Battling with the urge to ram into the back of my partner’s kart, with the manager’s advice that it’s a non-contact sport ringing in my ears, I suppressed the feeling.

Instead, I made a mental note to practice my kickboxing on him when we finish.

Just as I was becoming one with the kart and my adrenaline was reaching critical levels, the last lapboard materialized and sadly the session ended.
Clambering out the kart, I felt exhilarated, elated and determined for a re-match.

My competitive streak had certainly been awoken and I am the first to admit I’m a sore loser.  But, I admit it, I think I’m hooked. Formula One, here I come!

From Russia with Love…

Moscow, the capital of Russia, a cosmopolitan city reveling in its newfound freedom.  Home of beautiful architecture and the once fearsome Kremlin, Jennifer Robson soaks in the cultural extremes and, of course, the vodka.

Visiting Moscow it was difficult to imagine what lay in store for me in this city that has long lain behind the curtain of communism.  I can hardly believe that I’m going to see first hand all the sights and scenes that, not so long ago, were only available on the news or in bad spy movies.

We arrive at the airport frazzled and dazed after the bumpy four-hour flight over stark scenery and blazing forest fires.

The airport, quite frankly, can only be described as small, brown and damn scary.  After being subjected to the hostile and scrutinizing glares of immigration and queues rumored to be up to five hours long I at last find a taxi and negotiate a price.  An hour later I find myself in the heart of Moscow and at the drivers’ mercy.  The traffic here is life threatening. No lane discipline, no sense of direction and definitely no speed restrictions.  Wacky races galore.  Peering out of my eyelashes I squeakily tell the driver to set me afoot as soon as possible.  With a pounding heart and shaking limbs I take a few minutes to recover from my ordeal and gather my senses.  Phew!

With the intense heat from the sun on my back I take a pew to study my map.  It’s often thought Russia is cold, and it does reach sub-zero temperatures in winter, but the summers are long, dry and very, very hot.

The collapse of communism a decade ago has slowly changed this once isolated and feared city into a hive of new restaurants, up-market clubs and pubs, supermarkets and shopping complexes.  Moscow, however, isn’t the ideal city to have a mad shopping spree as prices are high, the stocks are so last season and the quality is often poor.

The sights on the other hand are definitely something to shout about.  Quite spectacular and breathtakingly stunning, behind every monument, statue and building lies fascinating stories and legends.

Taking a stroll through Red Square I catch my first glimpse of St Basil’s Cathedral.  It’s unbelievably surreal to look at first hand.  Built in the 16th century for Ivan the Terrible, no description can give this amazing building justice.  Legend has it that Ivan blinded its creator to ensure the poor guy wouldn’t be able to build anything as beautiful again.

To the West of St Basil’s is Lenin Mausoleum where the revered man himself lies in state underground.  To visit is free but cameras or recording material aren’t permitted.  The police usher you round Lenin’s corpse, which is encapsulated in a glass coffin, at alarming speed, brandishing their truncheons if you pause for thought or make a noise.

The once great leader looks startlingly like a madam Tussaud’s waxwork and I desperately stifled the over whelming urge to giggle.  Luckily, before any further ado, I found myself outside being guided through a garden of remembrance to other great and powerful wizards, erm sorry leaders, including the likes of Stalin.

Glad to be back in the warm sunshine after the chilling tomb visit, I pay a visit to the famous GUM shopping center which takes up almost the entire Eastern side of Red Square.  Once for only the very rich and powerful Muscovites, the complex boasts familiar names such as Estee Lauder, Calvin Klein, Gucci and Armani.

The legendary Kremlin is West of Red Square. Saturated with history, it’s the symbol of Russia’s power and mystery.  Synonymous with the Soviet government it has long heralded fear into the hearts of Westerners.  Behind its high walls and foreboding towers adorned with glittering red stars, lie beautiful cathedrals topped with dazzling gold onion domes, large imposing palaces and government offices.  Wandering round the Kremlin is quite an experience and it’s best to keep your wits about you.  Stepping out of designated areas results with uniformed police blowing their whistles at you and waving madly.  So, please stay on the path!  Negotiating yourself around the place is an unattainable feat without the help of a guide unless you’re an expert in Cyrillic.  All signs are written in the native tongue and very few locals are multi-lingual.

The best way to travel in Moscow is either by walking, to take in the sights and sounds of this marvelous city but beware of the intimidating traffic, or by the fantastic metro system.  Very cheap (it costs about two pence per ride) and beautiful to boot.  Each station is unique and exquisitely painted with fantastic sculptures and statues.

Available in abundance, particularly at night, are taxis- with a twist.  Every car in Moscow is a potential taxi.  Simply hail a cab in the normal way and any number of cars will stop, their drivers hoping to make a fast buck. Negotiate your price and hop in! Scary to us Westerners, unheard of in Britain, it’s the norm in Moscow and perfectly legal.

A trip to the Lenin Hills, now known by the slightly less glam name, Sparrow Hills, treats me to a fantastic view of the city while strolling through the hill top market selling typical goodies like the Russian Matryoshka dolls and other souvenirs.   Bargaining with the sellers is difficult and they are astonishingly honest in admitting that they charge twice as much to foreigners than to the natives.

This is also the site of the Moscow State University which houses thirty thousand residents, a fine mix of students and staff.
The stately, imposing building is just one of seven.  Known as the Seven Sisters, they were created by Stalin to affirm the faith of Communism.  Apparently at least one of the seven is in view at all times wherever you are in the city.

Moscow nightlife caters for almost anything…from the sedate, the cultural or a good night of boozing and dancing.

There are over 300 places scattered throughout the city and the sex and drug industries are big business.  Strippers are the norm in most establishments, including up-market hotels and restaurants and the celebrity owned Planet Hollywood. Prostitution here, like most cities, is a thriving business.

Beware girls, you may have more problems than necessary if you venture out for a night on the town without a male.  Doormen gave me a hard time.  Twice in one evening they attempted to make a quick buck by trying to charge me extra on entry.  Shouting “English, English!” usually works!

Another shock lay in store for me when I visited the ladies.  Wooden slatted saloon doors were in place of normal respectable cubicle doors and to make matters worse, the toilet rolls were located on the outside of the cubicle.  What’s all that about then? So, prepare to in advance and lose your shy streak!

Vodka, of course, is available in abundance, but purchase it in reputable stores.  Word is that many bottles are filled with methylated spirits and other toxic fluids.

The Russians prefer to savor their sacred tipple neat and like you to do the same out of respect for their culture.  I received frowns and hostile glares when I asked for it with orange juice.  Try the Russian champagne if you get the chance, it really is a treat to the taste buds.  The Siberian beer is also worth sampling.

The hassle of organizing a letter of invitation and visa was well worth the effort and I was rewarded big time by visiting this beautiful, cosmopolitan yet quirky city.  It’s been hidden from western eyes for so long now and the people of Moscow sure are reveling in their newly founded freedom.