John Deere/Dreamworld

I got up at 6:25AM to get some last minute packing done before the weekend trip. We were off to Brisbane and the Gold Coast. I had some oatmeal and boarded the bus at 7! I fell asleep right when we started driving for about an hour and felt much better---refreshed for a full day now. Unfortunately the weather was not cooperating today ---pouring on and off on the drive. Everyone was pretty tired so the drive was very quiet. We arrived at John Deere Distribution Centre at 9:25AM. We were welcomed in the break room with cookies, coffee, and soft drinks. Then we went to see the newly released machines, including 4 gigantic tractors-with new GPS systems on all of them. These tractors were really neat and so massive. We then went into the training room where we listened to four employees talk about the art of Deere and how they are dedicated to working hard for the land. Also two guys in the graduate programs talked about the program they were in and their experience as a trainee. They were very attractive too!! Then we took a break and had some lunch provided by Deere. Tons of delicious sandwiches and 2 huge fruit platters!! Mmmm delicious! We went back to the training room for some last Q & A's. The Centre was very nice, classy, and I enjoyed being taught about the company.
We then drove and saw the city front by the river and headed to our hotel. The hotel was called Explorers Inn. I went in to check us in and assign rooms--luckily this time I would get my own room and bed! Once we moved all the stuff from the bus to the room, Colin, Casey, and I walked a few streets to waste time before it was time to grab dinner and go to Dreamworld.
We stopped at an outdoor food court with all kinds of options--McDonalds, KFC, Pizza place, fish and chips place, Baskin Robbins. Mmmmm fast food before we get on roller coasters----bad idea!!!
Dreamworld is an amusement park which turns into "Screamworld" tonight. We got our tickets and ran off to the rides. There were only 6 large rides including: The claw---awesome ride---my first and last ride of the evening--it spins and swings. Then we went to Cyclone--poor roller coaster which rattled my head too much, then Wipeout--this one was crazy--very wild and moved in all kinds of directions as well as upside down. I didn't really like this one---just threw me around way too much! Then it was off to Moto-cross which was really fun. This ride took place on motorcycles---being hunched over on the handle bars and shoots out really fast like its racing! We did the Giant Drop next---actually 3x in a row since now one else was in line----after the first time the operator made us walk around and enter again but then after the second time, he just kept us on the ride and shot us back up in the air! My stomach dropped each and every time with the drops---enjoyed this thrill! Then we went to the Tower of Terror II---it was the longest line we waited in, about 45 minutes, and was rather weak---it shot backward and the straight vertical and then dropped us. Rather unimpressive. We ran to the Claw one last time before the park closed and finished watching an awesome light show. Lots of American music was playing, a strobe was going, dancing, and cool lights in many different shapes and forms. Some lights were people, words, shapes---neat show. Luckily the rain had stayed away for the rest of the afternoon until the light show was ending---then got a few sprinkles, but otherwise we were very lucky for the weather today.
We left at 10 when the park closed and were back to the hotel in about 50 minutes. Colin, Casey, and Rory came over to my room and played some Egyptian Ratscrew. We only played two games and then all fell asleep on my bed with the hotel door wide open. Colin was laying on Casey's calves, I was behind Colin on my side and Rory was lying flat right behind me. It was definitely a little weird when we woke up--about 10-15 minutes later. The other students left shortly later and I was out within minutes in my huge bed to myself. I slept very well--what a long first day!