On a roller-coaster beyond oblivion

For those seeking excitement in life, one option is to travel around a track at speed.

It's never been my first choice but, then, I am a coward when it comes to things of an upside-down, shake-itallaround nature.

So, with two new rides premiering this month at Alton Towers and Thorpe Park, it was time I rose to the challenge.

'You just have to go with it,' said roller-coaster designer John Wardley, his eyes twinkling. 'It will take you where your body wants to go.'

We were admiring AIR, Alton Towers' £12million, state-of-the-art suspended roller-coaster, said to offer the closest experience to flying.

Following ground-breaking cult rides such as Nemesis and Oblivion, it has a lot to live up to. With words like 'G-force' being casually bandied around, I felt there was every chance of AIR doing at least that. However, in the interests of quality control, seasoned riders in the form of middle school pupils were joining in for perspective.

A unique feature of AIR is the harness system that whooshes you securely into the horizontal riding position and, indeed, I felt as snug as you can - 7ft in the air with your nose pointing at the ground.

I ascended in a Superman position. I still wasn't convinced that this was where my body really wanted to go - then we were soaring. Dips, swoops, ground rushing up and away, banking around corners, free-rolling in the air at 55mph - all as smooth as an oyster. It's a roller-coaster ballet, and rarely have 60 tiny seconds left me with such exhilaration.

The experts concurred. 'Better than Oblivion,' said 12-year-old Jon Sellers. 'The best ride I've ever been on,' added 13-year-old Lisa Plant. And, as John Wardley had suggested, my body did go where it wanted to - right back on the ride.

I was flush with adrenaline yet there were bigger challenges ahead on Thorpe Park's Colossus, the world's first ten-loop ride.

If life really is a roller-coaster, I obviously need to get out more. Colossus - also designed by John - is an awesome construction and merely looking at it gets the blood pumping. As the wisdom goes, you've just gotta ride it, and so I began my ascent to greatness.

Take speeds of 65 to 70mph, throw in some G-force 4, zero gravity on the camelback and ten inversions - vertical loop, two cobra rolls, two giant corkscrews, four clockwise heartline twists and a sneaky, anti-clockwise heartline twist finale - and you have a pretty convincing rush.

But it's the psychology that really pushes the buttons, with masterful moments of anticipation as you hurtle relentlessly around the architecture.

It's a smooth, intense experience in which your first sentence afterwardsis an incoherent 'Woahhahhoo-haaah.' If you lack courage, you can stand at the centre and admire the water features of the Lost City theme or the riders' gurning faces - whichever experience provides more fun. My repeat rider status was hampered by a lack of nerve. However, I felt every twist as I watched people waving from the vertical loop.

The boast that 'it stays with you' isn't an idle one and I relived the entire 52 seconds over and over that night.

Ten loops, wind in my hair - I'm a born-again coaster boaster and ready to ride again.

Getting there

Admission to Alton Towers (www.altontowers.com) starts from £18.50 for adults, £15.50 for children (four to 11) and £62 for a family ticket. Rides on AIR can be booked in advance on 08705 20 40 60 or 0870 444 44 55. Tickets at Thorpe Park (www.thorpepark. com) start at £17 for adults and £14.50 for children (four to 11). A Family Discovery ticket starts from £52. Special Early Rider tickets for Colossus (enabling you to get in 30 minutes early, plus breakfast, a picture of your ride and entrance to other attractions) are available on selected dates for £30. Call 0870 444 44 66.