"This is Isla Nublar." John Hammond says with his own sense of wonder in his voice, even Dad seemed mystified by the island for a few seconds, to me the island itself is just a smallish island, completely ringed by tall mountains, thick clouds that help give it a lush, mysterious feel.
Before it really sinks in that we're here the pilot pulls up over a spot in the clouds and starts to descend, rapidly, to the point everyone grabs into and clutches the nearest thing within reach for Ellie that was my inner thigh and Malcom's knee.
"Hold on tight everyone, bad wind shears, here! We have to drop pretty fast! Hold on, tight this can be a little thrilling!" Hammond says in excitement and repeats himself, as the helicopter drops like a stone. Outside the windows, I can see cliff walls racing by, uncomfortably close.
Like if a strong wind hit us we'd bounce off of them, hell, it feels like we're on a roller coaster right now from hitting up and down drafts, the only one seemingly enjoying this is Hammond…okay that's not true I'm loving it Hammond's right this is thrilling and why else would I choose Jurassic Park other than to be thrilled and feel primal fear for my life as I run from formerly extinct apex predators.
Hammond continues to prattle on, "We're planning an airstrip! On pilings, that extend out into the ocean twelve thousand feet! Like La Guardia, only a lot safer! What do you think?"
"I think this could be a thrilling ride for high rollers all on it's own, of course it'd probably turn many rich snobs away, so marketing is key." I answer John who looks at me with the same sense of wonder he had when spotting the island the others don't answer, they're all just holding on for dear life.
As we near the ground, a luminous white cross appears below us, it's a landing pad that is shining through the Plexiglas bubble in the floor of the chopper.
'That is also cool…how did I not notice that before…oh shit, Dad looks like he's going to puke.' I think he turns greener as the cross that is painted on the landing pad grows rapidly larger.
Suddenly a large updraft catches our copter and we bounce back up in the air, the engine skips, we begin dropping again, even faster than before we land with a hard THUMP, that throws Dad and I up in the air, luckily we both land back into our seats with sour asses.
Ellie lets out a shaky laugh and lets go of Malcom's knee but her hand on my upper inner thigh lingers, something that doesn't go unmissed by me, Dad and Malcom…or probably even Ellie herself.
'It's probably because of everyone in the copter I have the least appeal to her…and she feels safe around me.' I think and shrug it off because it's not really a big deal.
"Let's not dally, everyone, someone will come to collect your belongings!" Hammond says and claps in excitement and gets out of the helicopter, 'He acts…like a kid that wants to show off his favorite toy to whoever will listen.' I think, granted it's not too far off from the truth.
Waiting out front of the cage surrounding the helipad there are two open top Jeeps, Dad and I refuse to leave behind our messenger bags, which Ellie finds amusing, but Malcolm seems to understand.
We split up between the Jeeps. It's me, Ellie, Dad and Malcom riding in one of the open-top jeeps, while Hammond, Gennaro, the co-pilot and the luggage ride in another.
Just as the Jeeps are about to crest the hilltop, there is a loud roar that has Dad, and Ellie jumping in fright while I fidget with a nervous excited energy.
I look behind us though as I hear the helicopter's engine whine in the distance and spot it flying away… 'You know John should have prepared more ways off of the island, like a couple of boats, an additional helicopter…the man must own a yacht…you don't buy islands without owning at least one yacht.'
As we reach the top of the hill, even i gasp at the sight of the long necks grazing on tree leafs while Ellie prattles on about some extinct plant it takes dad and I gently closing her mouth and gently turning her head to truly shut her up about an extinct species of ficus or whatever.
The jeeps come to a stop and everyone gets out of them…like they're going to get a better view except me, I stand up in the back of the Jeep, 'Kinda wish I had a smartphone right now to take a picture with…'
"Oh my God!" I hear Ellie muttering from down on the ground, Dad lets out a long, sharp, HAH, followed by a combination of a laugh and a shout of sheer childish joy.
I smile at that, from my memories seeing dad this happy is a rarity, he's so happy in fact that he is stuck pointing to the gargantuan thing, before finally managing to string together his first words since being greeted by the sight of the creature.
"THAT'S A DINOSAUR!" The shout is filled with such infectious jubilance before the scientist kicks in and this becomes a learning experience, "A…dinosaur, chewing branches…technically, it's a
brachiosaur, of the sauropod family, but we've always called it a
brontosaurus, It crushes the branch in its mouth, which is some
thirty-five feet up off the ground, at the end of its long, arching
neck."
"Dad, shut up, you're ruining seeing a dinosaur for me!" I groan, rest my head against my palm and let out a defeated sigh.
The long necked dinosaur turns towards us, angles its head down and stares down at us with a curious if a bit absent gaze.
Ellie lets out a startled childish giggle while looking up at the "sauropods" in wonder.
'And wait for it…'
"They've pretty light on their feet, a far cry from the sluggish, lumbering brutes we would have expected." Hammond says it like a proud parent showing off the kid.
Ian Malcolm turns to look at Hammond, with an amazed expression that turns into a mixture of admiration and rapprochement.
"You, you did it, You crazy son of a bitch, you did it!" Malcolm shouts and though I can tell he is actually just as taken by the creatures as everyone else he is trying to tamp down on it and get what little professionalism he has back.
Dad and Ellie start walking, towards the dinosaur, getting within fifteen to twenty feet.
"The movement!" Dad murmurs, and Ellie understands him perfectly, 'They really do make a great couple…maybe I can help convince Dad into giving Ellie what she wants…I think they'd both live happier lives that way…'
"The…agility, You're right!" Is Ellie's reply to Dad, "Ellie, we can tear up the rule book on cold-bloodedness…it doesn't apply, they're totally wrong! This is a warm-blooded creature, they're totally wrong!"
"They were wrong, about everything, this thing doesn't live
in a swamp to support its body weight for God's sake!" Ellie continues with Dad's track of words.
As the long neck suddenly rips away, a set of branches for a younger
"sauropod" that was too short to reach for a branch high above their heads, even well it stands effortlessly on its hind legs.
Dad turns to Hammond and asks, "That thing's got a what, twenty-five, twenty-seven foot neck?"
"The brachiosaur? It's neck is thirty." John easily replies to his question without a hint of doubt carried in his reply.
Grant and Ellie continue to walk, closer to the long neck, "...You're going to stand there and try to tell me it's heart can push blood up a thirty-foot neck without a four-chambered heart and get around like that?! Like that!?" Dad asks in complete disbelieving belief.
Dad looks at me and says, "Alec, this is like a knockout punch for m warm-bloodedness."
"Yeah Dad, I always knew you were right." I reply to him and am happy to see the smile that grows even wider to have his son's faith in his theories confirmed, even though his reputation took a big hit a few years ago when he published his papers dictating why.
Hammond puffs up like a proud peacock, "We clocked the T-rex at thirty-two miles an hour…" The sheer amount of glee in the man's voice is probably enough to power new york city for a year.
Ellie goes all ballistic fangirl, "You've got a T-rex!?" She asks in a squeal, before turning to dad, "Alan, Alan, He's got a T-rex! A T-rex! He said he's…" Ellie is practically vibrating in place.
Dad has a dumbfounded expression on his face, "Say again?" He asks in a distant voice.
"Yes, we have a T-rex." Hammond answers Dad, but now he sounds less like an excited little kid but an arrogant one, showing off his toy collection.
Dad suddenly looks like he's going to faint, I start to get out of the Jeep as he sits down on the ground.
I walk over to Dad and Ellie, when within reach Ellie slings an arm around my middle because I'm too tall for her to reach my shoulders, while placing a hand on Dad's shoulder, "Honey, put your head between your knees, and breathe…" Ellie teases softly before looking at me and winking while smiling.
Hammond walks in front of us and turns to look outwards at the park, " Dr. Grant, Dr. Sattler, and my dear young Alec, Welcome to Jurassic
Park." John says and flourishes his arms out like a Vegas showman.
We all turn back to the beautiful vista, reminiscent of an African plain, as a whole herd of dinosaurs crosses the plain, maybe a hundred that we see in a quick glance alone.
'Holy shit the music is playing…does everyone hear it or is it just me?'
"Ellie, they're absolutely...they're moving in herds. They do move in herds!" Dad suddenly expresses, "Oh Alan, you were right!"
Dad doesn't respond to her though as he stands up walks over to John rests his hands on the man's shoulders and turns the older man so that they are face to face.
'I'm surprised Malcom isn't talking up a storm.'
"How did you do it?! How did you do this?!" Dad asks Hammond with an embarrassing amount of desperation in his voice.
Hammond smirks and says, "I'll show you."
Finally, Gennaro makes himself known, 'Damn, dude is like a ninja, he just sort of faded into the background, probably helped by the fact that he's no talking but just staring, a look of absolute rapture on his face, finally he speaks in a hushed but reverent tone.
"We are going to make a fortune with this place." Gennaro mutters in awe, whether by the dinosaurs or the imagined profits I can't tell.
From here on the hill, you can see most of the pens and some cages overgrown with vegetation.
After taking a few more seconds to bask in the awe of long neck dinosaurs, we all get back into our jeeps and resume the ride, it is a mostly uneventful ride until we reach the outer set of gates that read, [Welcome to Jurassic Park]
'Wow, those gates are massive.' I think amazed by their sheer size and majesty, we pass through the iconic gates of the park, our ride is mostly uneventful after that,
We reach the main compound and assemble out in front of it, and John starts explaining the layout of the park.
"The main part of Jurassic Park is a large area with three main structures connected by walkways and surrounded by two impressive fences, the outer fence almost twenty feet high, and outside the fences, the jungle has been encouraged to grow naturally.
Of course the largest building is the visitor's center, it is several stories
tall, as you can see it's still unfinished." Hammond says and shoots an annoyed look at Gennaro.
"The second building over there is a private residence, a…compound
of sorts." John pouts out and it's a large building with smoked windows and its own perimeter fence.
"The third structure isn't really a building at all, I'm sure you all remember the impressive cage we saw earlier, the one overgrown inside with thick jungle foliage? That's where the T-Rex makes its nest.
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