Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi

Summer is Dubai. Truly, it is. However, since we have been in Dubai all these time, we have decided to spend last weekend at Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi! I wasn't part of the 'we' really. It was my friend Dhors who initiated and planned everything. Thankfully, I was invited along with ten others! 

Yas Waterworld is situated in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi - about an hour and a half from Dubai.. quite far for me since I don't usually go for long trips as travelling wears me out easily (~lazy really) but when the invitation came, I decided to go. After all, a little going out of the way would be nice occasionally. In the end, I was (still am) very glad I went!

Basic Info:

Entrance Fee: 225Aed (regular price)

Locker, medium: 55  Aed (can fit approx. 3 normal size bags)

Locker, small: 30~35 Aed

Towel rental: 30-35 Aed

1 bottle of water: 10Aed 

Meal: 45 Aed (Shawarma which comes in 2 wraps, large cola and fries)

Photo from rides: 50 Aed

(We only noticed one drinking fountain in the resort and I'm not sure if there's more)

Note: Photos from dhors, bhengs, mhengs unless noted otherwise.

Special thanks to Ruby and ate Wengs for the ocular inspection. :p 

for without them, this wouldn't be possible!!!!

A company of eleven. One behind the camera!

"Yas Waterworld is a waterpark and amusement park located at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE near Abu Dhabi City. It opened in January 2013. With 43 rides, slides and attractions. Yas Waterworld was officially opened to the public on the 20th of January 2013. The current park which currently sits on an are of 15 hectares is just phase one of the project.General Manager of the Park Mike Oswald said that plans for phase two of the project are said to be developed over an area of two hectares in the coming year.The park is said to fit up to 6,000 people at a time. Yas Waterworld is owned and operated by the same owners and operators of Ferrari World, Aldar Properties and Farah Leisure Parks Management."

Happy to be at Yas Waterworld!

"Yas Waterworld is just one of many entertainment outlets present at Yas Island, but it is said to be the biggest project to yet be executed. It is expected to be very successful and rival the success of Dubai's Atlantis, The Palm, and Wild Wadi water parks."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yas_Waterworld 

So, what's in Yas Waterworld? Water. Rides. Fun.

Here's a photo of the artificial beach with waves they have inside. Nice isn't it? I'd be safer here considering that I can't swim! The water by the way (we think) is salt water. Yes, we've gulped quite a few litres from shouting and found the water salty! ..Don't overthink. :p

Inside Yas Waterpark; Amwaj Wavepool & Beach complete with parasols and lounge chairs and even cabanas. Those yellow and red cabanas on the right are actually for rent. Yeah? What's that ball? The complete name of the theme park's: Yas Waterworld, The Legend of the Lost Pearl. Got it?

Walk inside the park showing the gigantic bucket of water
that overturns when full at Marah Fortress.
Kids and adults alike will surely enjoy the thrill of water gushing out of that bucket.
Simple pleasures really. 

Bandit Bomber's Seat
http://www.blooloop.com/news/vekoma-s-interactive-suspended-coaster-at-yas-wate/3260#.Uh2zwtJgdFg

The epitome of amusement parks - roller coasters!
In Yas Waterworld such ride is called the Bandit Bombers and it's aptly called so as it is equipped with water bombs and guns to spray over people on the ground.
Mind you, that's not unfair.
People on the ground also have access to water sprays from the ground for fighting back!

Below is us from the ride. If you notice, the seat is without the usual lock that securely fastens your upper body. Instead, its seats are so deep - enough to provide the rider's stability with seat belt. Furthermore, the seats remain upright the whole time so there's really no need for the usual locks.
If you ever feel scared, just shout it out! 

That's us on the left.
It's a four-seater ride and four of us were supposed to fill it however,
....one of my friends changed her mind the last minute!
And we never knew until we the ride was over! 
At the end of the ride you'll be shown 3 shots from the ride.
You can, of course, not take the photos.
Photo on the right courtesy of themeparkreview.com

Then here's the Slither Slides.
The yellow tubes are used for the slides.
You can choose to do it alone or by two's. 
It's a nice way to start the fun! We arrived at the park at around 10am and started with it.
There was almost no queue for the slides that time. 
Then we passed by it an hour or two later and found the queue to be long.  

Slither's Slides. Photo courtesy of Yas Waterworld
You start from the top and end up at the snakes' mouths!
It begins with a covered tube then open tube and end in covered tube once again.
It was dark inside though there's this one video in youtube which showed the slides as lighted inside.
We're not quite sure how was that. 

Sebag - race through sliding on those blue mats. It's an individual ride.
What actually scares me is the first part. You stand in front of your respective holes and there's a light on top of each, signalling ready, get set, go! The blinking of the yellow, red and finally green lights definitely adds pressure on the already scared rider.. plus the fact that if you don't dive in, you'd be the only one left standing there. Here's a video of how it happens..

Al Raha River (Lazy River)

After scaring yourselves with the other rides, you may want some time to relax a bit.

Just float around the lazy river! Tubes come in single and for two.

Yas Waterworld Slides: Hamlool's Humps (blue), Jebel Drop (green)
Photo courtesy of Yas Waterworld

Still have enough courage? Then try the long slides!
The Humps is actually similar to that of Wild Wadi's old Jumeirah Sceirah slide.
Only, I think the Humps is wider and longer. 
Which one is more scary? I'd have to say that of Wild Wadi's old slide.
Why? It's because the slide was narrower and when you lie down, the slide's wall is just barely a little over your nose's level so you can clearly see the highway on your right and the waterpark on your left. Furthermore, I think it's a bit steeper that at some point in the slide, you'd lose contact with it - free fall bit.
Perhaps, I was just more afraid of free fall?

You prefer free fall? Then try Yas' Jebel Drop!
Tell me more after as I haven't tried that!
I was willing to try it, only the queue was considerably long.
There's one line for Humps and Drop but 
we were supposed to try only the Humps or atleast the Humps first.

After the slide at Hamlool's Humps Yas Waterworld.
Ecstatic that we tried it!

Liwa Loop
Photo on above from Yas Waterworld Youtube vid.

Never miss Liwa Loop!
It's equally thrilling as the Humps!
Set aside your fears, it's a quick one! I'd like to say again 'just shout it out'.
However, before you even begin to summon your vocal chords to shout, it's already over!
Or, am I just the one who's late to react?!

How does it work?
You stand in a capsule as above then by the count of 3,
the slippery floor opens up allowing you to free fall then slide at a tube that's looped as in the photo below. The water in the tube plus your sun block (yes, it helps) allows you to slide easily through the loop! Preferably, try it with two piece or atleast, board shorts to ensure that you won't be stuck inside!

Yes, there were those who were stuck. No worries though, if you're stuck, you'd be found at the lowest point of the loop where there's an opening so you can be retrieved 
(excuse me for the word but it seems like it's that case!).

Liwa Loop
Photo on the left from thenational.ae;
me on the right at the end of the loop  - from bheng's/mheng's cam.

Then here's us, at the queue for Dawamma and Falcon ride.

Unfortunately, I can't find a picture of us during the ride itself.

Both rides are for a group of 4-6. Falcon was like a big roller coaster on water!

This was the part when we gulped the most water!

There are several rides/attractions which we haven't tried such as surfing 

but we're already very much happy and contented with what we have experienced!

Surely, it's well worth the visit!

Bring along friends whom you are most comfortable with,

that's the icing on the cake! Or the other way around!

To end this post, here's a video:

The Reason - Rachel Tucker & WICKED

Amidst the busy day, a package arrived! ..not that I was surprised. I totally know what was in it! It's a gift I got myself for my coming birthday! Nonetheless, I was more than ecstatic to have received it as I have been waiting for it for two weeks now! (Can you feel my excitement with all the exclamation marks?!!!)

And so, this was it... A signed copy of The Reason album

Rachel Tucker - The Reason Album

I know you can tell I'm such a huge fan of hers. In the first place, that's the reason why I'm posting this now! I've declared my love for music countless times already. However, the kinds of music which I love may be a bit strange or odd to some.. but I love them anyways. I like music from theatrical plays, folk and country and those in Spanish. These are the ones on repeat the whole time!

So, again, who's Tucker? She's a West End Theatre perfomer. And, what's West End?

Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London. 

The West End of London (more commonly referred to as simply the West End) is an area of central London containing many of the city's major tourist attractions, shops, businesses, government buildings, and entertainment venues (including the commercial West End theatres). Use of the term began in the early 19th century to describe fashionable areas to the west of Charing Cross.[1] For strategic planning the area is identified as one of two international centres in the London Plan.[2] 

The West End is the second most expensive location in the world in which to rent office space, after Tokyo.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_of_London

Glinda, Elphaba, Fiyero
http://london.broadway.com/shows/wicked-london/buzz/

Wait, let me ask you first. Have you heard of WICKED? If not, you've missed the magic!! Google it! Better yet, book for the show now!!! If you have, then you probably have felt, laughed and cried for Elphaba, Glinda and Fiyero. 

Rachel's best known for playing Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked in the West End, where she has played the role longer than any other actress in the production's history and has won several awards for it. Wikipedia. As you would have guessed it, she then recorded an album after her contract in Wicked ended and after giving birth to her first son, Benj.

Interested in WICKED? Currently, the show runs regularly in several countries such as UK, US, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia. It also has its production on tour. One of which (Australian cast - who visited Singapore not so long ago) will be gracing Manila's CCP Main Theatre this January 22, 2014.  

Here are some clips (some only audio) from the show (all are West End clips): Give it some time. It's just spell binding!! I hope the show grows into you as much as it has to me :) Enjoy!

Here's No Good Deed. 

I just like how effectively the feelings of 

outrage, misery, desperation, torment 

have been translated into the song.

Thumbs up! Incredible, really.

I promised myself, I'll go and see it one day!!!!!

Run for fun?

Yes! I do exercise! ...sometimes! :)

Tonight, I did the best I could! *ahemmm.

Here's the evidence.

I normally find it difficult to work out. 

And, in most cases, I only rely on the not so brisk walk to and from the office which would take me 7~8mins (500m) under the sun at temperatures as high as 45+F during summer. In addition to that, I do another 15-minute walk from my part time job to home (which is only every other day). That would be approximately 1.3km. Other than that? Nothing.

But the past few days, I've tried walking a bit more. Initially, the goal was actually to "jog". So there.. yeah, I tried to jog.. then walk. Walk. Walk. Walk more. It was quite frustrating that I couldn't jog an entire oval of ~500m! 

And so, one day, I joined a friend in her jog (after having my hair cut by her, what contradicting activities right?). I was scared though a bit excited to test my endurance. Funny how, I was more worried of the jog than of how my hair would turn out! I would constantly ask her to watch me as I (was imagining) might collapse along the way. Thankfully, we managed to complete 2 rounds (bigger oval) mostly jogging - atleast I think it was!

 

Tonight though, I tried to do better and above is the record (and the haircut)! Not bad eh? But still, almost 30mins and I only get to burn 153kcal??! Considering my dinner was adobo, I assume that wouldn't even get a quarter off that! Nonetheless, it felt great to have sweat so much. How about you? Have you tried working out lately?

Analysis Paralysis

I’ll keep it short for now.. Just to get started (with whatever it is).

I know it has been ages since I last tried to bring myself together, focus and put my thoughts in words. The reason? As my friend would have put it – I would be guilty of analysis paralysis and the acknowledgment of such came pretty late. Furthermore, I was convinced that, when I write with this current flow of emotions, I would be putting myself out in the open (you know what follows) and what would come across to you may be anything but positive.

But, I'm writing a fraction anyway hoping that in doing so I would be unloading something.. and little by little lose this feeling of immobility.

Some notes:

Analysis paralysis or paralysis of analysis is the state of over-analyzing (or over-thinking) a situation so that a decision or action is never taken, in effect paralyzing the outcome. A decision can be treated as over-complicated, with too many detailed options, so that a choice is never made, rather than try something and change if a major problem arises. A person might be seeking the optimal or "perfect" solution upfront, and fear making any decision which could lead to erroneous results, when on the way to a better solution.

Casual analysis paralysis can occur during the process of trying to make personal decisions if the decision-maker overanalyzes the circumstance with which they are faced. When this happens, the sheer volume of analysis overwhelms the decision-maker, weighing him or her down so much they feel overwhelmed with the task and is thus unable to come to a rational conclusion.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analysis_paralysis