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Living again with dinosaurs

22nd May 202522nd May 2025 funtime65

They came, they saw, they brontosaurus then up and left… but now they’re back and we’re living again with dinosaurs.

It doesn’t take the release of Walking With Dinosaurs on Sunday, May 25 (BBC, 6.25pm) to release our inner Ross Geller… but it helps.

Ross, of course, plies his palaeontology out of the world-renowned American Museum of Natural History.

And devouring everything prehistoric (but not Ross’s sandwich) should be on your itinerary in New York.

Particularly when you need to occupy your overactive kids on a rainy (or sweltering) day in the Big Apple.

When you don’t even have to go overland, just hop out at the Subway Station and the doors are wide open for you.

A day and night at the museum

The Museum of Natural History (yes, that one out of Night At The Museum) is pay-what-you-want and you’ll want to big.

Now America’s rich prehistoric past is a counter to Yankaphobes who love falsely to point to the continent’s lack of history.

Despite dinosaur fans being able to walk in their footsteps coast to coast and everywhere in between.

Yale to Universal

We got a behind-the-scenes look at the free Yale Peabody Museum in New Haven, Connecticut.

Which dinosaur fans know was where the velociraptor from Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park was born.

And where they are brought back to life through the wizardry of Universal in Orlando and Hollywood.

And you can get up close and personal to Dino.

A Dino’s graveyard

Feeding time: Universal Studios Hollywood

Of course, here on this British island of ours we pride ourselves on our BBC being free too, apart from the £174.50 licence fee.

And while you’re waiting to get out to Dinoworld you can travel to the four corners of the earth while not leaving your sofa.

Such as Pipestone Creek in Alberta, Canada, featured on the prog.

Nicknamed the ‘River of Death’, Pipestone Creek is home to a mass grave.

Thousands of Pachyrhinosaurus, each the size of an elephant, were buried here, killed in one day.

The Calgary is here

See the discoveries first hand at Philip J Currie Dinosaur Museum in Grande Prairie, where the bones are cleaned and analysed.

Tickets for adults (18+) cost from $15 CAD / £8.

Return flights (London to Calgary) cost from £570 pp with Delta.

Canadian Affair offers tailor-made trips to Grande Prairie and the rest of Alberta.
Alberta.

And a Dublin Zoorasic Party

While nearer to home our pals at Dublin Zoo are planning a Zoorasic Party takeover.

Hosted by Jurassic Park science advisor Dino Don Lessem.

The exclusive Zoorasic Trail Takeover ticketed events runs from June 26-29, on sale from tomorrow, May 23.

America, Countries

Ogre mayhem and trollblazers in Orlando

29th February 202429th February 2024 funtime65

There’s ogre mayhem and trollblazers in Orlando this summer and we’re as excited as Donkey about it.

This summer, Universal Orlando Resort will debut DreamWorks Land.

It’s a vibrant new themed environment inspired by DreamWorks Animation’s beloved characters Shrek, Trolls and Kung Fu Panda.

Shrek will always come first in any discussion with me on animated films.

And I couldn’t leave Orlando on my last visit without visiting the Shrek 4D cinema and getting sprayed.

In fact as well as the memories I took away I ensured I’d have a constant reminder, and airport tag of Shrek and Donkey.

Captioned… ‘Are we there yet?’

Like ogres and onions, guests can peel back layers of fun in Shrek’s oasis to discover “ogre-the-top” adventures at every turn.

Ogre and out

Shrek’s Swamp Meet: Guests can visit Shrek’s Swamp Meet, outside his 35ft tall cottage and meet your big pals.

And get this, Donkey is only too eager to joke around and converse with guests.

Shrek’s Swamp for Little Ogres: This ogre-sized play area features four fun slides, wet play areas and a playground.

Where guests can climb, bounce and splash around as well as venture into Shrek’s outhouse.

Mama Luna Feline Fiesta: And a nod to Puss in Boots 2: The Last Wish is this new interactive experience that takes place in Mama Luna’s retirement home for cats.

Here, guests get to play with Mama Luna’s many cats on vivid interactive screens activated by buttons, bells, maracas and levers and meet Puss in Boots.

King Harold’s Swamp Symphony: Guests can create their own melodious masterpiece.

As they trigger a choir of ever-changing frog ribbits by continually stomping on an array of interactive lily pads.

Swamp Snacks: Families can feast on Shrekzel, Far Far A Waffle, Frozen Ogre and more.

Now family life as we know has softened Shrek and proof here too.

With our favourite ogre happy to share DreamWorks Land with the Trolls and Kung Fu Panda.

Rock’n’Troll

A fountain featuring Poppy and Branch sits at the centre of the Trolls Village and this being Orlando there’s a rollercoaster, or trollercoaster (gerrit?).

And whisper it we’ve seen the real thing in Norway.

Trolls Trollercoaster: After strolling through a marquee starring Poppy, Viva, Tiny Diamond, Satin and Chenille, guests of all ages can take a ride on the Caterbus.

Escaping evil spiders as they speed along a bright orange and yellow track aboard this family-friendly rollercoaster.

Poppy’s Playground: Nestled under a giant, the 20-foot mushroom is Poppy’s Playground.

A shaded play area featuring colourful flowers and bugs with a bountiful array of fun bouncing and climbing structures.

Trolls Treats: Poppy’s boombox from Trolls Band Together has been transformed into a kiosk with Trolls ice cream treats.

Like the pink lemonade-flavoured Poppy-licious Pink and huckleberry-flavoured BroZone Berry.

Pandamonium

And Kung Fu Panda is kickin’.

Po’s Kung Fu Training Camp: Within both wet and dry play areas, guests can help the pandas wash and dry their laundry with water cannons, dump buckets, giant fans and more.

There’s also an interactive gong, giggling baby pandas, and oversized merry-go-round noodle bowls from Mr. Ping’s Noodle Shop.

Po Live!: This digital, interactive meet and greet experience gives guests the opportunity to interact with the Dragon Warrior himself.

He’ll teach you cool Kung Fu moves, cook delicious stir fry and babysit his little cousin, Ling Ling…all at the same time.

And retail therapy

High Five Hideaway: Cloud Guy has the latest merchandise including apparel, plush and accessories from Shrek, Trolls, Kung Fu Panda, Gabby’s Dollhouse and more.

You’ll be glad that you have a memento of your ogre mayhem and trollblazers in Orlando.

Countries, Europe

Planes, trains and autobahns

15th April 202315th April 2023 funtime65

Das gut… I’m here in Essen, Germany by planes, trains and autobahns and guess what, they work.

The German end that is.

It wasn’t an auspicious start when my half-hour trip from North Berwick into Edinburgh stalled twice doubling the journey.

Which, of course, could be a problem if you have a bus to catch to take you to the airport.

A little local knowledge is handy and that is that British trains will always break down so leave plenty of time.

The excuse this time was that a train from London into Waverley Station was causing the problem.

And who in the rail network would have planned for that eventuality?

We have Luft-off

Behind a queue of young girl golfers returning to Germany after a trip to the Home of Golf (Scotland).

And so two hours after leaving the house I found myself in the Lufthansa line to check in my luggage.

We’ll catch up with them later.

An hour and a half on the German state airline carrier (quicker than my trip from NB to Edinburgh Airport) and I was there.

And a word on the in-flight care with friendly, efficient cabin crew.

Who brought complimentary water and chocolate.

With the airline not feeling the need to pedal its wares every ten minutes.

And sound a klaxon because it arrived when it said it would.

So we’ve arrived the mini-town that is Frankfurt Airport.

You know the type where it’s a ten-minute terminal coach ride to the actual interior.

Sign of the times

Still, the airport was spotless and bilingually well-signed.

Our frauleins from the Edinburgh queue were ahead of us naturally at the passport check by dint of being EU citizens.

While the Brits (and I’m a very reluctant one) are put in a holding pen line.

Now anybody who tells you that queueing is a British pastime has obviously never spent time with Britons in an airport queue.

Especially abroad where the mumbles and moans went up at the time it was taking to get through.

Maybe if said passengers hadn’t voted to stick two fingers at their European neighbours and voted to leave the EU?!

Ja belter

The passport line negotiated though and another box ticked the next arduous task was ready to be negotiated.

But the carousel of hell proved anything but.

A signboard indicated when it would start rolling and, lo and behold, a miracle.

My black suitcase with its Shrek and Donkey ‘Are We There Yet’ luggage tag from Universal Studios Orlando was first up.

The rail deal

All of which gave me a jump start for my German train, €50 anywhere in Germany and all booked ahead online.

The train duly arrived when the ticket said it would and we were on our way from Franfurt to Essen.

This being me though something was bound to go wrong.

I had, of course, in my haste jumped on the wrong train, via Dortmund to Essen.

When I was booked for a two-stop through Koln to Essen.

Time to act the bemused tourist (not hard in my case) and the ever-helpful train guard stamped my ticket through.

The rabbit in the lights look is one I perfected back in Munich Airport when I turned up late to my gate.

And the clerk at the desk kindly put me on the next flight to Athens… after a telling-off.

And so another tale of trains, planes and autobahns for the annals.

But for now auf Wiedersehen.

And I’ll keep you posted with my misadventures at the German Travel Mart here over the next few days.

America, Countries

Escape to Universal Orlando

2nd December 2022 funtime65

Yes, the dark nights and chilly weather has us all dreaming of getting away and for us it’s the great escape to Universal Orlando.

Well, the snowbirds fly south to Florida in the winter, don’t they?

There is, of course, no bad time to go to our favourite set of theme parks Universal Orlando and there is alway something new to lure us there.

This time around it’s one of those escape rooms that are so much in vogue.

Where you have to work out a number of riddles and clues to enter through a number of rooms before reaching your destination.

For me that can be an airport!

The Irish question

Having a ball: Aer Lingus escape room fun

Riddles and clues have never been my speciality, life is hard enough to figure out.

And I found that to my cost when I whiled away an afternoon taking part in an escape room competition in Dublin put on by my friends at Aer Lingus.

I would, in truth, still be there if it weren’t for my keen-eyed colleagues.

Time travel

Universal Orlando has put on two time travel movie classics for us to wend our way through… Jurassic Park and Back to the Future.

Guests can now book epic escape adventures inspired by Jurassic World and Back to the Futurefilms by purchasing tickets for Universal’s Great M ovie Escape – comprised of two next-level escape room experiences, opening on December 9 at Universal CityWalk.

Universal tells us that each adventure boasts eight incredibly detailed environments featuring state-of-the-art activities that are:

randomised – so the solution can vary with each visit
customisable depending on party size – ensuring everyone gets to participate
designed to adjust based on skill level and complexity – so there’s always something to solve

And as soon as guests enter the art deco-style, theatre-inspired venue, they’ll immediately be swept into one of the following adventures:

Out of this world

Ya dancer: If you get through the escape room

Jurassic World: Escape: Guests are new geneticists at a secret lab on Isla Nublar where they are undergoing training that includes the completion of various day-to-day tasks.

They range from feeding ferocious dinosaurs to splicing dinosaur DNA to create new genetic codes…

Until they learn an apex predator has broken free and now they must work together to avoid becoming its prey.

The future’s bright

Just what the Doc ordered: Back to the Future

Back to the Future: OUTATIME: Guests are transported to a museum in 1993, where they learn Back to the Future’s antagonist, Biff, is up to his antics.

They have and has stolen Doc Brown’s newest time travel device to sabotage the space-time continuum.

Guests must work together to uncover Doc Brown’s clues as they travel through time to track down Biff and save the past and future before they run “outatime.”

Just the ticket

Tickets for Universal’s Great Movie Escape are on sale now and start at $49.99pp, plus tax for access to either Jurassic World:

Escape or Back to the Future: OUTATIME (experience includes up to six guests per group and may include multiple parties). Pricing varies depending on date and time of visit.

Guests may also book a private experience exclusive for their party starting at $300 per group, plus tax (up to eight people).

So join us on the great escape to Universal Orlando.

America, Countries

Seven Dwarfs go Florida

7th June 20226th June 2022 funtime65

And as we look forward to next year’s remake of the Disney classic Snow White, what about Seven Dwarfs go Florida?

Suppose it makes sense with the Sunshine State being home to Mickey, The Donald and all our Disney faves.

Of course, hi-ho, hi-hard-working miners need a break too.

And where do they go?

Well, Gamble Place, Port Orange, an hour north of New Smyrna Beach and Orlando.

And which is as you all know is where I should be now.

Worth a Gamble

House about that: The Seven Dwarfs Cottage

Gamble is, of course, that Gamble, of Gamble & Procter fame.

Included in the National Register of Historic Places, Gamble Place was once a rural retreat owned by James N. Gamble.

Guests can step back in time to experience the same pristine environment he found so inviting during the late 1800s.

The 175-acre nature reserve features a “Florida cracker-style” house named “Egwanulti” (a Native American word meaning “by the water”).

And the Citrus Packing House, the only one currently in existence in its original location in Florida.

A mine of information

But I digress, you want to know about the replica of the Seven Dwarfs Cottage.

And a Witch’s Hut and Dwarfs’ Mine Shaft too.

Now the Snow White remake has illicited a bit of a Woke reaction, fronted by one of the world’s most vertically-challenged actors.

Peter Dinklage (Elf, Game of Thrones, Cyrano) called the producers ‘f****** backwards’ for including dwarfs in the remake.

I guess he would object too at them being forced too work well into their Nineties.

Not to mention the damage mining does to the climate.

And this from someone who built his career on his dwarf character in GoT.

Warwick’s world

I take my lead more from the likes of Warwick Davies who as a dwarf sent up the challenges of dwarfism in Ricky Gervais’s Life’s Too Short.

And who is a fixture around Universal Orlando.

And who the Orlandans remember fondly from when he and the supersized Robbie Coltrane visited at the construction of Harry Potter World.

Now that brings us all full circle back to Orlando and the American Travel Fair, IPW.

We’ll gloss over the fact that they went ahead with it at all when they knew I couldn’t make it.

Our American friends

Still, we’ll all be together again next year, God willing, in San Antonio, Texas.

And some of us before then at the US Soiree in Dublin next month.

For now though, hi-ho, it’s off to work we all go, me at my desk, while The Seven Dwarfs go Florida.

America, Countries

American winners

21st September 202121st September 2021 funtime65

And we’re all American winners with the US borders reopening in November for UK and EU visitors.

But indulge me a minute to give a shout-out to my old pal Fionn Davenport, Editor in Chief of the Ireland’s Travel Trade Network.

Prize guy

Fionn has only gone and won the major international Travel award at IPW, the American Travel Fair.

The only downside is that I wasn’t there in Las Vegas to see him receive it and share the celebrations.

With the British and Irish contingent who did make it out to the US on the International Exemption Order.

An exemption I was granted but which non-Travel writers or special sectors aren’t given.

Go Joe

Only from November there will be no need after Joe Biden at last gave us all the news we’ve been waiting so long to hear.

The word on the street is that we could all be over there by Thanksgiving (November 25) which is around the time of someone’s birthday (hint)!.

While we, the travellers, are licking our lips my thoughts never veer far from our dream-makers, our Travel providers.

So imagine the excitement at Universal (Orlando and Hollywood), Disney (World and Anaheim), American Holidays, Tour America, Attraction Tickets, TUI, Hays.

And here in Scotland Barrhead Travel.

Digging out my new ESTA I already have my five-year visa, but belts and braces, I’m imagining those pancakes at a US diner.

Next stop Orlando

The 2022 renewal of the American Travel Fair is slated for Orlando in May.

But I’m free between now and then (hint!)

A postscript here and a return to Fionn’s award, for his article on California from the Travel Fair in Anaheim which I also attended.

Fionn is a popular name in Ireland but unheard of on the other side of the Irish Sea.

Pronounced Fee-on, it means ‘fair-haired’.

None of which, of course, the editor who drew the pages for an article from Fionn.

And he immediately assumed that it was a mistake and changed his byline to Fiona.

Now we all make mistakes and I’ve made most of them and being that soldier myself I felt for the editor.

Only one Fionn Davenport

They must have trawled back through the article to see if ladyfying Fionn might have inadvertently changed his orientations.

Thankfully though nothing to alarm the lovely Laura here.

And Lauren too

And in further breaking news, big hurrah to too another fave of our Travel Pack, international woman of mystery, Lauren Jarvis.

All of which brings me back to American winners, Fionn Davenport, Lauren Jarvis, us Travel writers and editors and our Travel providers.

MEET YOU ON THE ROAD

America, Countries, Culture

A flight of fancy on Superman’s Day

30th June 20211st July 2021 funtime65

And doesn’t he still look good for 87… it’s a flight of fancy on Superman’s Day.

This day in 1934 The Man of Steel burst into public consciousness in DC Comics’ Action Comics Series issue #1.

As we all know Kryptonite Kal-El exploded into the Mid-American wheat fields if Smallsville.

Only it wasn’t Kansas in the Oo Es of Eh but Beynon, near Calgary in Alberta in Canada.

A man can fly

The Beynon Canyon is pivotal in the Clark Kent story.

It is here that Martha and Clark bury his adopted father Jonathan and the young Kent decides to leave for Metropolis.

Another better-known canyon, the Grand Canyon, hoves into view when Superman saves the day.

And Daily Planet photographer Jimmie Olsen from the crumbling Hoover Dam. And trust me a good Press photographer is hard to find.

On the right track

We all know too that Superman flew through the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

While Metropolis we all automatically associate with New York.

How could we not when Clark and Lois go for a night-time spin around the Statue of Liberty?

And we would be right to see NY as Supes’ town… in parts.

Dam impressive

The Hoover Dan set up. http://www.superman1978.com

The Daily Planet where Clark works can be found at the art deco News Building, 220 East 42nd Street.

Moved, though, from the Los Angeles City Hall, 200 North Spring Street. Yes, La La Land.

Lex Luthor’s lair we are led to believe is below the Grand Central Station although whisper it it is Pinewood Studios, Berkshire in England.

Superman’s origins may lie somewhere entirely different, the Eiger in Switzerland and Friedrich Neitzsche’s imagination.

Man of Letters

Is it a Bird? No, it’s Bandanaman in Orlando

Of course we have all channeled our own Superman on the Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man ride at Universal Orlando.

Before back to work as the pictures show.

And as then as now… of course Superman is a man of letters too, a journalist.

So I’ll continue to be inspired by The Man of Steel and enjoy a flight of fancy on Superman’s Day.

America, Countries, Culture, Europe

Meet the World – all turned out wellness in the end

13th April 202113th April 2021 funtime65

Travel is, of course, good for your health… and health is good for your Travel.

That is the recurring theme coming out of the Meet the Media international Travel fair.

That our industry’s health depends on acknowledging that holidaymakers will now put our wellbeing front and centre of every trip from hereon in.

And so every destination will need to show that they are safe.

And that social distances are observed, and discreet, so that we all feel we are actually on holiday.

As ever, our American Travel friends are leading the way with their innovative organisation.

And so in our usual scattergun way let’s see how the world is opening up again.

Ride on

We’re waiting for you: Universal Hollywood

Universal: And our friends at Universal, and that includes you Veloci and your VelociCoaster, are waiting for us in Orlando.

Even better than that, if that’s possible, is the reopening of Universal Studios Hollywood on Friday.

To Californians at first (drat!) but to us later (yeah!).

Hello Pet

Knight Rider at Universal Hollywood Studios

And a chance too to try out the all-new Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash and Jurassic World – The Ride.

As well as the famous Studio Tour.

Get your ticket to ride!

We’ll do a sweep of the States from Utah to Michigan to New York State as we go.

The morning after

But as is the way… the morning after the Meet the Media international Travel fair always comes with a monster hangover.

And this year’s digital get-together was no different.

All of which has me looking for some medical intervention!

Medical Czech

Ever since sipping from the magic sippy cup in the Czech Republic’s Spa Triangle I have been enlivened by this magical land.

You too can be born again by drinking from the magic waters from the ubiquitous fountains.

And the magic beer in Hoptown, Zatec,

Why not put the two together in the beer spas which are a thing around Central Europa.

Long Covid cure

Look at the head on that: Zatec, Czech Republuc

All of which shouldn’t come as a surprise because Beethoven among other luminaries of the day would come a-visiting.

You’ll not be surprised to see that the cutting-edge Czechs are leading the way too in pandemic treatment.

Such is their place as pioneers in medical tourism.

We’ll bring you more on how they’re addressing Long Covid and attracting inquiries from abroad from those of us who want a cure and the best beer.

MEET YOU ON THE ROAD

America, Asia, Countries, Culture

Holidos and don’ts suitcases

11th April 20211st November 2022 funtime65

And I am indebted to my friend and Travel mover and shaker, French-based Irishman, Michael Collins for sparking me to revisit an old series, Holidos and don’ts.

Michael flagged up that at his local supermarché the aisles selling suitcases and headrests are interdit, or blocked.

Mad hatters: And when I used to take a full suitcase to America

Which beggars the question: how essential are suitcases?

And who doesn’t have one anyway?

As all Travel professionals do I like to take advice from seasoned pros, like doyen and Americanophile JP Thomson, erstwhile of the Sunday World.

JP always packs a half-full suitcase to leave space for what you take home.

Half full

Irish Travel professionals, nay all Irish people, love few things better than hitting the shops after they get off the plane.

Possibly the afternoon after they hit the bars.

And so when our Irelando party hit Aaawlando, and they set aside a couple of hours at a shopping mall, it was like the Olympics 100m final.

Needless to say they all returned with half the mall in their bags, while I bought a tee-shirt.

New suitcase

The fact is though that shopping in America is great value.

So why not take the opportunity to update your wardrobe and send the outdated clothes you’re standing up in to the charity shop.

The same applies, of course, if you go on a sun holiday.

Pack light

So that the members of my party who took full suitcases to the Maldives found they only needed their swimwear and summer clothes.

Some of us, of course, found that all you need on dry land is a sarong and flip-flops.

While we’ll not talk about those women who took heels.

And make it snazzy

And in the last instance why not just go out with hand luggage, or better still a rucksack that doubles as a wheelie?

And buy a suitcase when you’re out in a country where, Zut Alors!, they don’t stop you buying suitcases from their supermarchés.

And for more Holidos and don’ts advice here’s a reminder of how we roll from where we last rocked up… Bergamo.

America, Countries, Culture

Twenty years of Shrek

10th April 202110th April 2021 funtime65

Of course Happy Ever After can yield another and another and another in the movie fairytale world, particularly when it yields as many dollars as Shrek.

Shrek exploded onto our screens 20 years ago next month and it’s fair enough to say nothing was ever the same again.

More Shrek

And although we thought the release of Shrek Forever After, also called Shrek: The Final Chapter in 2010 would tie up the franchise why give up on the gift that keeps on giving?

They’re part of the audience. https://www.attractiontickets.com/en?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIu7Ol7bLz7wIVlIXVCh1NIgigEAAYASAAEgKsefD_BwE

And so we’ve had the spin-off Puss In Boots.

While Shrekkies were given a real treat when it was announced that there would be a Fifth Shrek film next year.

So where does Shrek live?

Shrek’s home

Well, when he’s not in his swamp, Universal Resort Orlando is where you’ll find him hanging out.

There are other action heroes who will leave you sickly green at Universal with their stomach-churning rides.

I’m talking you Hulk, my first corkscrew ride in Orlando with Attraction Tickets

Which makes you regret that omelette and stack of pancakes you took at breakfast.

No, Shrek 4-D is a tamer, more family fun interactive experience, but no less fun for all that.

Shrek’s ride

When we last left the layered one in Shrek Forever After he was grappling with fame in a Shrek lite theme park.

Before Rumpelstiltskin tricks him into giving it all up for just one day of his old life.

Spoiler alert here.

But our favourite author extricates himself from his sticky moment and we caught up again in Universal Studios Hollywood on our superheroes’ get-together.

And both being of the Scottish variety, and both sharing some nasty habits we both got on like a swamp on fire.

He’s invited me back so, of course, with a new film coming and Universal Resorts cranking up again for visitors.

With something new all the rime… I’m talking about you VelociCoaster me.

Shrek around the world

And because Shrek is beloved around the world and is big in Japan, our friends over there are enjoying him too.

Now for 2021 I’m thinking because it’s the Fifth Shrek we can have 5-D!

I’m on my way from misery to happiness ptoday, uhu-uhu-uhu-uhu!