I love going to the EX – Tito and I have gone every year since we met – even the year I broke my hand and discovered that rides+broken bones=stupid amounts of pain ;)

It’s a million times better than Canada’s Wonderland; no waits for the rides, way cheaper and with a chaotic, old fashioned carnival atmosphere.

The rides have got that ‘folded out of a truck’ feeling to them, with the extra thrill of not being able to quite trust the straps.

Everything smells good. Deep fried twinkies, deep fried butter, deep fried coca cola (how do they do that?) Tiny Tom’s doughnuts, funnel cakes and cotton candy. Of this delectable list I could only bring myself to go as far as cotton candy ;)

We played lots of silly games that we weren’t terribly good at, with the result that my ferret now has all kinds of new small stuffed animals to hide on me, so that’s alright.

Even on a Monday night the EX is vibrant, packed and exciting. The ferris wheel afforded a fantastic view of the fairway.

All of these things make the EX something I look forward to every year. But I have the heart of a photographer – so the very best part of the EX is taking long exposure photos of the rides and the craziness.

When the blue hour was done and I was ready to put the camera away this was the ride we opened with. Stumbling home with sore tummies was worth it :)

Bad food, great rides, silly games and magical photography = a perfect night.