Chapter 33 – 3 April 2017 – From Cursed Ruins to Explorer's Zone
The exit doors of Elysion Expedition: Cursed Ruins swung open, spilling Ben back into the daylight. He blinked once, letting his eyes adjust, the humid air of the Jungle Zone rushing in to replace the musty scent of aged stone and flickering torches he'd just left behind. His hair still clung damply to his forehead—not from sweat, but from the lingering soak of Jungle Splash Adventure earlier that morning.
He swung the camera up to his shoulder again, turning for one last shot of the façade. The temple loomed over the plaza with weathered steps, broken statues, and creeping vines that reached for the sky. "Man… that was a good one," he said into the lens, his voice still slightly charged with adrenaline. "Not the scariest thing in the world, but the atmosphere? Top notch. And some of those triggered effects… yeah, those got me."
The path ahead ran alongside the outer wall of the temple, its stones etched with faded expedition markings. As he walked, the thump of distant drums began to fade, replaced by the softer, more melodic score of the Explorer's Path. The shift in sound was subtle but noticeable—a cue that the zone was changing.
The walkway here widened into a gentle curve, bordered on both sides by low stone planters bursting with ornamental palms, bright marigolds, and sculpted topiary shaped into stylised compasses. Lantern posts stood at regular intervals, their ironwork spirals matching the style of the entrance plaza. Beneath each one, a bronze plaque told a short "explorer's tale"—miniature legends of fictional adventurers who had supposedly travelled between these lands.
Ben slowed the camera to capture the detail. "See, this is what makes a park feel… whole," he said, panning slowly across one of the plaques before tilting up to catch the curve of the path ahead. "You're not just walking from one ride to another—you're moving through a story. Everything is connected."
Halfway along, a small stone arch framed the path like a ceremonial gateway. Carved globes and astrolabes decorated the keystone, while fluttering fabric banners—dyed in deep ochres and cobalt blues—hung on either side. Beyond, the planting shifted gradually; the dense greens and tangled vines of the Jungle Zone gave way to more open beds of flowering shrubs, sand-coloured paving, and neatly trimmed hedges. The soundtrack changed again—now a soft blend of string instruments and distant market sounds.
Ben stepped through, smiling into the lens. "Alright… welcome to the Explorer's Zone."
The skyline here was lower, more open. Stucco façades painted in warm earth tones lined the main street, their balconies draped with colourful cloths. Ahead, he could already see the twisting track of a wild mouse coaster—its zig-zag profile poking up behind a row of decorative rooftops. To the right, a small crowd clustered around a kiosk selling poffertjes, the sweet scent of butter and caramelised sugar drifting into the spring air.
"Okay, I'm definitely stopping there before I leave this zone," Ben said, zooming briefly on the sizzling griddle before swinging the lens back toward the rides. "But first—let's see what else they've got."
He adjusted his strap, took a few steps deeper into the plaza, and the shot faded to black as he queued his next segment.
Chapter 33 – Part 3
3 April 2017 – Elysion Park, Explorer's Zone
Ben wiped his hands on a napkin, the sweet aftertaste of poffertjes still lingering. "Okay," he said into the camera, swinging it around to capture the plaza. "Food's done—time to hit a few more rides before I wrap this section of the park."
The first stop loomed just ahead: Max Around the World, the park's Gerstlauer Wild Mouse. The faded mural along the side showed a cartoon mouse posing in front of world landmarks, and the queue zigzagged under a string of international flags.
He leaned on the railing, filming the switchbacks. "Classic wild mouse setup—tight corners, small drops. Not the kind of thing you come to a park for just this, but they're always fun if you like that 'oh God, are we going to fall off?' feeling."
A short wait later, Ben reached the boarding platform. The ride operator noticed his camera rig and shook their head. "Sorry—no filming without a harness."
Ben gave a quick thumbs-up. "No worries." He slipped the camera into his bag, climbed into the car, and pulled down the lap bar.
The ride delivered exactly what he expected—sharp laterals, sudden dips, and that signature stop-start pacing of a Wild Mouse. Once he stepped back onto the exit ramp, he grabbed the camera again.
"Alright—no POV, but you guys can probably imagine it. Those hairpin turns? Still as vicious as I remember from other parks. Short, snappy, and kind of brutal for something that looks so small."
Next up was the Sky Discovery, towering above the nearby path with its massive arm slowly rotating against the sky. Filming was prohibited here too, so Ben tucked the camera safely into his backpack before boarding.
When he returned to the exit platform a few minutes later, hair windblown and grinning, he was already pulling it back out.
"Alright… that's a rush. Big pendulum swings, loads of airtime at the top—if you're into that stomach-floating feeling, this one's worth the trip over here. Also, bonus points for the view—you can see all the way over to Serpent's Run construction from the peak."
The last ride in the zone was the balloon race attraction, its pastel gondolas rising and spinning in the afternoon sun. Not exactly extreme, but Ben still gave it a shot. The ride operator closed the small door on his basket, and soon he was gently soaring above the plaza, turning the wheel in the center to add an extra spin.
"This one's definitely for the families," he admitted as the ride slowed. "But you know what? It's got charm. You get this nice, slow view over the trees and the rooftops—it's like the calm after all the chaos."
With Explorer's Zone done, Ben panned the camera back toward the Explorer's Path, the themed walkway leading to the entrance area. "Alright—heading back to wrap things up in Explorer's Landing. But man… this park has layers. Even the smaller rides have their own little touches
The transition from the leafy, adventure-heavy Explorer's Zone into Explorer's Path was almost seamless now. Ben's lens panned slowly along the cobblestone walkway, tracing the way the stonework shifted in hue and texture to echo the warm, earth-toned entrance plaza. Decorative arches framed the route, each inlaid with brass plaques embossed with compass roses and stylised maps. Overhead, strings of lanterns swayed gently in the afternoon breeze, casting shifting shadows across the paving.
"You can tell they've gone the extra mile here," Ben said, turning the camera on himself for a moment. "This isn't just a shortcut back to the front — it's got the same level of detail as the main areas. You could film a travel documentary in here."
He paused briefly to film a carved stone fountain tucked into a recess in the wall. A sculpted globe rotated slowly in the basin, water spilling over its continents into a shallow pool surrounded by bright potted flowers.
As the path widened again, the familiar façade of Explorer's Landing came into view. The central plaza hummed with late-afternoon energy — families lingering at café tables, children running across the open space, the rich scent of roasted coffee and sweet pastries drifting from the Globe & Griddle terrace.
Front and centre, the Global Explorer's Delight carousel spun lazily, its ornate canopy striped in cream and deep blue. Brass trim caught the sunlight, and the ride's outer panels depicted whimsical illustrations of explorers riding exotic animals through stylised landscapes — a snow leopard over mountain peaks, a giraffe striding through savannah grass, a dolphin leaping in turquoise waters.
Ben stepped closer, framing a shot of the carousel horses. "Alright… I don't always go for carousels, but when they're themed like this? I'm in." He joined the short queue, filming over the heads of the guests in front as the ride slowed to a stop.
When it was his turn, he stepped onto the polished wooden deck, picking a deep-chestnut horse with a weathered leather saddle and golden bridle. The camera shifted to a chest-mounted view as the platform began to turn, the organ music spilling cheerfully from the canopy's centre.
From his vantage point, the park opened up in a panoramic sweep — the entrance arch on one side, the curve of the plaza on the other, and glimpses of the Jungle Zone skyline peeking above the treetops in the distance. "Okay… I'll admit it," he said over the music. "There's something about ending the day like this. Slower ride, great views, and it ties the whole theme together. You really get a sense of how cohesive this place feels now."
When the carousel slowed, he stepped off, giving the brass pole a quick pat before heading toward the main gate. He filmed one last slow pan of the entrance plaza — the banners rippling, the hum of the crowd, the glow of late sunlight over the Explorer's Landing arch.
Facing the camera, Ben gave a final grin. "That's it for my first-ever visit to Elysion Park. Secrets of the Silk Road — absolutely stunning. Jungle Splash Adventure — way more intense than I expected. And everywhere you look, the theming's top-notch. The new coaster's still under construction, but you can bet I'll be back the second it opens. Until then… you know the drill — keep the thrills alive."
The screen faded to black as the outro music began to play.