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Daily picture archive 24 June – 6 July

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Hello, Spaceman

Today I’ve discovered a new sort of bondage: being locked into the cradle of a roller-coaster, the sort that hangs you horisontally beneath a railing and sends you spinning in loops, like a human stunt plane.

The reason I went on it today was Richard Branson’s unveiling of Virgin Galactic and its program for space tourism. I don’t think I’m going to space any time soon, as much as I’d like to… but the roller-coaster was the nearest thing. I honestly didn’t think of its bondage potential to start with.

However, when a strapping young man gave me a hand up into the cradle, maneuvered my neck into a leather brace, shifted my feet into the correct position, locked the thick metal bars behind me – why, I could think of nothing else but being completely in his power. Well, his, and the great machine’s that he was about to launch.

All that was missing was a good flogging, once I was so conveniently immobilised. I was sentenced to several minutes of being thrown around in the air, instead. I wonder how many people who go on this ride imagine they’ve been sent there for punishment?

EDITED: The picture, as requested. No, I don’t look like I’m about to get punished. On the other hand, it could be the grimace of pain.

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