Having the ride of our lives

The Bahrain International Circuit’s off-track entertainment took visitors to new heights with a collection of towering spinning structures and funfair-style games. Visitors lined up to board a giant Ferris wheel, Star Flyer and the Venetian Carousel. GulfWeekly’s intrepid scribes Stan Szecowka, Kristian Harrison and Mai Al-Khatib-Camille couldn’t wait to put them to the test.

 The best way to view the action on track over the Formula One weekend was not in the main grandstand, in the paddock or even on TV, but instead by taking a ride on the giant Ferris Wheel which was making its debut in Bahrain.

The wheel stood at an impressive 42m high and boasted 27 gondolas which offered scenic views of the track and the surrounding area.

Perhaps even more remarkable than the views was the structure itself. It really was a sight to behold.

I chose to take a spin on the attraction early on Saturday afternoon when there was little-to-no queue … having seen how popular it was on the Friday night when the crowds piled in before the concert!

The friendly team welcomed me on the ride, which was much faster than I anticipated. I’ve been on the London Eye before, and while you’re in it, it doesn’t seem like you’re even moving, and it’s only when you reach the top you realise how far you’ve travelled.

Not so with this wheel, and not only did it move upwards, but the individual gondolas also spun too almost like a teacup ride. This was controllable with a silver tray in the middle, which I had great fun wrenching from side-to-side.

As I passed through the bottom of the ride after my first go, the attendant spun the cage himself to send it into a wild dizzy whirl, although at least it got the adrenaline going! However, the best bit was getting to watch the Formula 2 feature race in action, with cars like ants sprinting around the entire track. Hopefully, this wonderful piece of machinery comes back next year!

- Kristian Harrison

 Being a thrill-seeker who has been strapped to an airplane’s wing, the Star Flyer was definitely right up my alley. However, it wasn’t working at the time I arrived and something-else then caught my eye … a pretty double-decker Venetian Carousel.

The Venetian Carousel, based on the classic attractions which originated in the city of Venice during the Victorian period, featured beautifully-decorated and coloured horses, circus animals and carriages with golden poles and other flowery embellishments and lights.

It reminded me of a magical contraption that my husband Sam and I rode on with a group of friends in Italy during a wedding trip.

Some adults may feel foolish standing in line for a ride that attracts the little ones… but not me. Their energy was contagious and I found myself bouncing into a golden carriage just like Cinderella all ‘bippity boppity boo’ like.

As the music began to play and then we started off on our merry-go-round ride, I felt like I was in the Mary Poppins carousel scene and waited for the horses to gallop out of the ride. Children, which were accompanied by their parents, were laughing and singing along.

My carriage started rocking back and forth and that’s when the real adventure began. I started getting dizzy and couldn’t help but laugh at how silly I was for getting woozy on a children’s ride when I’ve been on much worse. Nonetheless, I felt like a big child carried away by the fun carnival-like atmosphere and, if that was the point, then they nailed it!

- Mai Al Khatib-Camille

 I honestly believe the older you get the more of a wimp you become.

Just days away from my 60th birthday I climbed on board the Star Flyer and just moments after taking off quickly realised what an awful mistake I had made … it was terrifying.

As the sunshine bounced off my balding head, I sat next to a British visitor called Glen in a two-seat contraption.

It quickly sailed high into the sky and I would like to go on record and publically apologise for screaming like a hysterical teenage girl at a Jonas Brothers reunion concert in Glen’s ear and holding tightly on to his hand.

I can’t believe my tummy made such strange noises as I squeezed my eye-lids closed. Remember, this is the same journalist who in his younger years once fearlessly carried out a charity parachute jump and happily plunged 3,000ft from a stunt plane all for a good cause … and walked away in one piece.

It didn’t get any better after the Star Flyer decided to return to the ground from its 60m-high flight as it seemed to suddenly tip my gondola forward. Sorry again, Glen, for piercing the skin on your left hand with my sharp nails.

Definitely not a ride for wimps but if you’re anything like our photographer Honey Sharma, and the thousands of other thrill-seekers, it was out of this world.

I think I’m better off with my feet firmly planted on terra firma holding on to high-flying Honey’s bag full of camera equipment.

- Stan Szecowka