Travel Note 3rd June 2018 In June 2018, groups from major coaster clubs travelled to Japan, Scandinavia, and the United States. Other enthusiasts travelled to China, Korea, and Taiwan. Megan and I boarded a flight to Azerbaijan, where we met up with our friends Bruno and Anita for a week of slightly crazy adventures in the Caucasus region.

Narimanov Park 3rd June 2018 Narimanov Park is one of a number of public parks in the centre of Baku. Those who would prefer not to deal with the somewhat flexible local driving standard can take the metro to the adjacent Nariman Narimanov station for the bargain price of 0.20 manat (~€0.10); there is also plenty of on-street parking available. Most of the attractions within are geared at children, though all ages are welcome; today we saw around two dozen elderly men playing board games and dominos at picnic tables in the south-eastern corner of the park. Children Roller Coaster (#2430) is a standard layout Big Apple that probably didn't originate from a western manufacturer. The lead car features a creature of indeterminate species that I'd have called a snake were it not for the fact that it has feet; it features a blue cape, horizontal teardrop nostrils, and a pursed lips expression that bears more than a little resemblance to the one Megan adopts after I've repeated a particularly bad joke. The car I climbed into wobbled alarmingly as I took my seat, but this had no effect on the ride quality which was absolutely fine. There was a nice bonus, too; a lack of functional brakes in the station resulted in a dramatic moment of airtime on laps two and three. Tickets cost one manat (~€0.50). The park has an antique Giant Wheel with a boxy car design I've not seen elsewhere. Each contained two benches upholstered with red leather, as well as a small table on one side. There was no air conditioning, but four ceiling fans pushed through air from the outside to keep the inside cool. The only real catch was the presence of trees on all sides stretching to around three quarters of the total height, meaning that there was very little to see from on board.

Koala Park 3rd June 2018 Koala Park is walking distance from Ganclik metro station, though we decided it was easier to get there by car. We were lucky with parking in that we managed to snag a space next to the entrance; were I planning the same journey again I'd probably take a cab. The recommended method of booking as of this writing is the Taxify phone app, which has a set fare for time and distance that is charged automatically to a credit card, obviating any need for cash or negotiation with drivers. The total cost is very cheap by western standards, making it an affordable option even for the solo traveller. Local SIM cards are available at the airport for those without affordable data roaming. Readers should be aware that everything in the park (including the restaurant) has to be paid using a special smart card, which has a minimum top up value of 20 manat (~€10). This covers ten cycles on the Family Coaster (#2431), rather more than the average enthusiast is likely to want, but perfectly adequate for our group of four as we each got two rides. As with our first stop there was no braking in the station, though the friction between the wheels and track was evidently higher as the airtime moments were considerably less striking. The back seat had a slight edge over the front for me, as in that location there was a there was a brief moment of weightlessness on the main drop. The park is home to a number of sculpted models of varying quality. The best by some margin is the park mascot, a four foot high smiling koala with dungarees and a multicoloured striped shirt that catches the eye without being overdone. At the other end of the scale are a number of characters licensed from The Simpsons that look like they were put together by primary school children. They are recognisable for what they are supposed to be, though their haphazard presentation is not something likely to impress Matt Groening.