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actuallyastingray · 1 month

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Rookie of the Year - The "K" word

Life was full of disappointments.

Sometimes it was a flat tire, sometimes it was a cheating spouse, sometimes it was a flooded basement, and sometimes it was sleeping through your alarm.

And sometimes, after a nine-and-a-half-hour bus ride through driving snow and winding mountains, it was disappointing to show up at your hotel only to be told that your reserved rooms were currently flooded.

"Once again sir, I can't express how sorry I am for the inconvenience this has caused you. All this cold weather has been playing havoc with our pipes. Rest assured we will compensate you for the issues."

Coach was no stranger to disappointments in his line of work. A single misplay during a match was enough to unmake weeks of preparation and training. It would take a lot more than burst pipes and flooded rooms to faze him in the slightest. The hotel manager, a tall mustachioed man, was busy combing the room database in order to find proper accommodations for the team. Seeing as they would be camped out all week until the Iron Tank match, Coach at least wanted everyone to be comfortable, and not worrying about overflowing bathtubs during the stay.

After a good half hour of searching, questioning, and phone calls, the new reservations for Supa Strikas were finally close to completion.

"If I would give you some peace of mind sir, would you like me to show you around your rooms? I can have the porters start bringing up the luggage in the meantime."

Coach nodded in approval, "I don't see why not. If nothing else, it would help me in learning my way around the place."

The manager leaned slightly to the side to look over Coach's shoulder.

"And, err, this will be a...solo tour I take it?"

Coach smirked. He didn't need to turn around to see what the manager was glancing at. The Strika bus hadn't exactly been meant for long car rides, and nine hours stuck seated with minimal internet service would drive anyone crazy. He knew from experience that the team could be real drama queens when faced with discomfort. Today however, the boys had been real troopers toughing out the inconvenience with minimal complaints. After a long plane ride and equally long bus ride, the team were sore, tired, and hangry.

Though currently, they were sprawled across some of the lobby couches, either asleep, falling asleep, or in Dancing Rasta's case, feigning sleep.

"A solo tour is fine. Don't worry, I promise they won't be going anywhere or causing too much trouble while I'm away."

Still, as he made his way towards the waiting elevator behind the manager, Coach made sure to knock on the wooden paneling.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shakes wasn't asleep, at least not yet. Realistically, he should have been asleep five hours ago during the road trip. Being a teenager meant he was hardwired to resist the allure of sleep regardless of how exhausted he was. Over the past few hours, he had used various distractions to keep himself awake; texting memes to Spenza, playing the demo for SL5000 XL, practicing Brislovian, and listening to podcasts. Haven long since exhausted all forms of distraction, and thus himself, he was reduced to scrolling through Nadder all while being sandwiched between Blok and the armrest.

Just a little longer. Just...a little...and then I can sleep in a real bed. I can have pillows...and blankets...and be warm...just...a...little...

His eyes drooped lower and lower. A voice inside him kept telling him to stay awake until Coach got back, but after so long without sleep he was shutting down. Somewhere nearby he could hear someone snoring, though he lacked the mental process to wonder who.

Maybe...just a few...and then I can...sleeeeeee.....

"PORTER? PORTER! PORTER!!!!!!"

In the enclosed space of the hotel lobby, the shrieks echoed like a roaring crowd of Super League fans. Shakes was jolted away from the blissful reprieve of sleep, accidentally kicking his shins on the underside of the coffee table. Pain and surprise combined to drag him back to wakefulness. Curled up on the couch, rubbing his shins and fighting back curses, he bore witness to the culprit behind his rude awakening.

Truthfully, he had only heard stories about these mythical beings. Once considered an alien concept to regions outside of North America, videos from Altivo Industries later made knowledge about them widespread. They supposedly had the power to numb others into states of rage and agony with their words alone and could reduce conversations to screaming matches in the blink of an eye. Those who survived an encounter with them were scarred for life and would commonly regale others online with bizarre and incredulous stories of their encounters.

Shakes had never encountered one of these creatures himself. He had only heard stories from Cool Joe, who was far more familiar with their kind. And yet, here it was before him, the Reaper of Retail, the Fiend of Food Service, the Neighborhoods Worst Nightmare.

The American Karen on holiday.

This particular specimen looked exactly like the stories described them: badly bleached blond hair styled in an inverted bob, tiger-striped yoga pants, faux fur coat, expensive handbag, and fake stick-on nails that looked more akin to talons. She stormed up to the booking desk where the scrawny, meek looking receptionist stood.

"EX-CA-UUUUUUSSSE ME! But WHEEEEEREE is everybody tonight? A guest has to walk into the hotel carrying her own luggage? No porter, no bellhop, no concierge, no valet? I was told this was an upscale establishment that would cater to my luxury experience, and yet ALLLLLL I have experienced so far is incompetence."

All this yelling was accompanied by vigorous finger snapping and foot stomping. To Shakes, now wide awake, it was a rather fantastic spectacle. He was used to El Matador acting like a five-year-old on occasion, but never so consciously, and never in public.

The poor receptionist had gone board stiff during the Karen's rant and looked ready to go bolting out the front door in terror. He must have been either well trained or well paid as he swallowed his fear and bravely engaged with the Karen.

"Sa-sa-so Sorry madame. We've, er, we've been having a lot of trouble with all the recent storms, so you see..."

"And HOOOWWWWWW is that my problem?" came the rude interruption.

The receptionist swallowed again, "We'll we...we are a bit short-staffed at the moment, a-and our current staff is busy accommodating our guests right now..."

"Well get them down here," Karen's screeching interruption came again, "I am a guest and I have not been accommodated in the slightest. I will not be treated like this. Get the staff down here and get my bags unloaded. RIGHT! NOW!"

Suffice to say, even exhausted Super Leaguers were incapable of sleeping through a screaming tirade of this magnitude. Grunts and curses resounded as the rest of the team struggled back to wakefulness. Needless to say, no one was pleased to see why they had been so rudely disturbed.

"Ugh, Karen alert." A still half-asleep North Shaw groaned out.

Cool Joe was the only once conscious enough to reply, "Maaaan, are we really doing this right now? This couch was just starting to be comfy too."

Amidst the complaints from Supa Strikas, Karen was still giving it her all up at the booking desk while the receptionist was barely keeping his head up.

"Honestly! WHYYYYYY is this so difficult? It's like you are intentionally trying to be difficult. I sincerely hope not ALLLLL of the staff here are completely incompetent."

"Ma-madame, there is no reason to go about insulting the staff. We are all doing our very...."

"'gasp' ARE YOU CA-UESTIONING ME!? I would very much hope not. I happen to be very good friends with the owner, who by the way promised that I would be absolutely pampered to during my stay here. Your behavior right now will affect how much money I will be spending here."

"I..I...madame I've said it will just be a few minutes while our staff collect themselves..."

"Well, those had better be some very short minutes now, won't they?"

Poor receptionist. He had turned the color of sour milk and looked about to be sick. It must have been his first Karen encounter. All he could do was take a shaky breath and try to compose himself.

"I...will see about getting them down here...as soon as possible. I...er...do you have a reservation, madame?"

Karen, huffing and puffing, turned away and waved a hand dismissively.

"Well of course I do you idiot, but considering how I've been treated so far I will be speaking to someone about getting an upgrade to my accommodations. Or do I need to call the owner?" She shot one last glare over her shoulder at the poor guy, "First you will see to bringing in my luggage, personally if necessary. Then I will be back to discuss my upgrade." The receptionist was left staring down at his desk, seemingly shell shocked by the whole encounter.

Back at the couches, Supa Strikas were shooting venomous glares at the Karen while trying to stay comfortable on the stiff couches. Shakes was still massaging his throbbing shins when his vision turned...orange tiger-striped patterned. His eyes had barely started to drift upwards when the loud retort brought everyone to attention.

"AH-H-HEMM"

It was perhaps the most forced sound anyone had ever made in the history of throat clearing, and had the situation been any different Shakes probably would have burst out laughing. Unfortunately, his sleep deprived brain decided to respond in the worst possible way to a Karen.

"Can I help you?"

The Karen looked positively bug-eyed as she scoffed down at him.

"UGH! Is it not common knowledge that a man has to give up his seat to a LADY? Clearly you have no culture or breeding."

They all eyed her with barely concealed annoyance.

"Uh, last I checked lady, there were about four other seating areas in this lobby." North Shaw jabbed a thumb over his shoulder to another richly decorated set of couches behind him, "Feel like, I dunno, maybe giving one of them a try?"

Karen didn't even have the grace to turn and face him as she answered, "I don't care what couches are over there. I NEEEEED these ones because I'm waiting on a reservation which is far more important than whatever you vagabonds are doing. Now get up and give me my seat."

Shakes, regarding her like a petulant child, sat back and made to make himself comfortable, "No"

"NO! WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?!"

He shrugged, "No means no, and it's a complete sentence. So 'No' I'm not getting up."

"Yeah, and those rules don't apply here, crazy pants," Karen spun around to glare at a smirking El Matador, "You see, he may be a gentleman, but you're no lady."

Amidst the chuckles from Supa Strikas, Karen flushed a shade of red that matches their jackets, "HOW DAAAAAAAARE YOU! I will not stand here and tolerate these insults."

"Then stand somewhere else and we'll just insult you there too. Cause honestly, you're just making it too easy at this point," North Shaw piped up again.

The laughter and jokes at her expense seemed to be frying the Karen's brain. She turned a darker shade of red while glaring at each of the Strikas in turn before turning back towards her initial target. Or at least, whom she assumed was her initial target. Her french frying brain somehow seemed to have mistaken Blok for Shakes.

"Alright you, up and at em'," She barked, foot stomping again in earnest, "Cause judging by your size, lord KNOOOOOWS you could do with standing."

Blok simply crossed his arms and sat back, mirroring Shakes pose, "Grzzl!"

Karen looked like she had been shocked. Still red in the face, she stared bug eyed back at the defender with equal parts confusing and rage.

"W-What?"

Blok crossed his arms tighter, "Grzzl gru grzzl," he repeated more insistently.

Karen turned redder still. "What is wrong with you? Do you speak English? Are you even talking? What is even happening?"

"He's Brislovian lady," Shakes growled at her none too kindly, "He doesn't speak English, but he told you 'No' in case you were wondering. And for the record, we're closer to Brislovia then we are America so you shouldn't be judging people for not speaking English."

"Grggbl grub grzz burzzle grrr," Blok supplied helpfully, now pointing at the irate woman.

Karen, still pomegranate red, raised her voice to a shriek, "Don't you DAAAARE point at me. You are INVAAAAADING my personal space."

Blok smirked, then raising his voice a few octaves, repeated back, "Grzz gr GRAAABLE brzl burb."

He now had Karen's full attention, so she fortunately didn't notice Shakes trying to conceal fits of laughter.

"What are you SAAAAYING? Talk normal!"

Blok once again raised his pitch, now imitating a clear falsetto, "Brzzlr brug GUZZZBLR? Bruglr blurgh gruzz," His speak was complete with exaggerated pantomimes that had the rest of the team in stitches.

Karen's brain was now fully short circuiting. With her wide lower body and beetroot red face, she looked like a volcano ready to erupt, "...this place!....THIS PLAAAAAAACE!!!..."

Her shrieks had finally roused the receptionist, who bravely approached the raging she-devil.

"Ma-madame? Please I-I must insist that you lower your..."

Karen turned her fury upon this convenient new target.

"YOU!! THESE IMBICILES... THROW! THEM! OUT!"

"Wh-wh-WHAT? Madame I cannot possibly do that."

"You can and you will. They have intruded upon my luxury experience, and I have every right to demand them evicted from the premises. Now do as I say and get rid of these...HOBOS!!"

Behind her, an irate El Matador surged to his feet snarling, "Hobos?" and had to be pulled back into his seat by Big Bo

"Easy El Matador, Easy. She didn't mean it."

The poor receptionist was turning pale, either with fear or nerves, which contrasted magnificently with Karen's still tomato red face.

"M-m-madame, I...I cannot do that. You see they are..."

"They are a bunch of useless vagrants" (Big Bo and Dancing Rasta had to restrain El Matador this time) "You will evict them right away or I will be calling my lawyer AND the owner."

"Bu-but...it's Supa..."

"YOU DAAAAAARE TO QUESTION ME? I AM A CUSTOMER AND THE CUSTOMER IS KING!!"

The receptionist looked all the world like a kicked puppy in the rain; utterly defeated. He blinked a few times as if fighting back tears before making one last attempt to salvage the situation.

"Eh-emm, a-a-at least let me contact my superior before doing so."

Karen, her face only now starting to return to a more natural color, threw her hands up in the air.

"Finally, some progress. I have no idea why it takes forever to get anything done in this place. While you're at it we can see to my room upgrade. I expect a jacuzzi, fully stocked snacks and liquor bar, 24-hour room service..."

The duo marched back towards the front desk; Karen once again oblivious to the sneers directed at her back. Twisting Tiger was the first to break the silence.

"Can you believe people like that exist? I'd call her a witch, but I don't want to insult Grimm's fans."

Shakes was still glaring at Karen's retreating form, "Tell me about it. And here I thought Skarra had no class."

"Grubble Grrzzz," Blok chimed in with his own two cents. Then he did something quite unexpected.

Cupping one hand over his mouth, in a shape somewhat like a duck bill, he blew a loud raspberry in Karen's direction.

It was hard to say who had the more entertaining reaction: Karen, who immediately spun around now fully purple in the face, or Shakes, who had to chomp down on his jacket sleeve to stop himself from roaring with laughter.

Other than a few sniggers at Shakes' reaction, most everybody was silent as Karen stormed back over to the couches, looking all the world like a T-Rex bearing down on its prey.

"Who. Did. That?!" She was apparently so mad she briefly forgot to scream.

"Who did what?" Years of practice meant Dancing Rasta could pull off a mean poker face, especially when amused.

"That...NOISE! It was one of you. I know it was!"

"Seems to me ze only one making all ze noise around here is you," Klaus tried to sound sympathetic, which wasn't helped by the cheeky grin he was sporting.

The receptionist, noticing his charge had gone astray, came scurrying back over squeaking, "Madame, your room..." But it was too late.

Karen was now spinning in circles, arms flailing. The poor receptionist had to jump out of the way to avoid getting clobbered.

"I WANT A DISCOUNT! I WANT AN UPGRADE! I WANT THE MANAGEEEEERR!!!"

Her back turned once again, she missed Twisting Tiger lean over to Cool Joe and whisper, "She said the 'thing', pay up."

Nobody in the lobby was taking situation at all seriously anymore. How could they, when faced with a raging, blueberry faced, tiger stripped monstrosity who could only blubber out incomprehensible demands. The Strikas, the hotel staff who had crept out to see what all the fuss was about, even the formerly timid receptionist were laughing uproariously at the spectacle. Unfortunately, it wasn't over till the fat lady sang.

Karen seemed to be unable to handle the scenario she found herself in. Never before had she been faced with so many people blatantly disrespecting her. She kept spinning about, trying to fixate on a single appropriate target. Ultimately, she settled on her original target, the skinny teenager who was still snorting into his jacket sleeve.

Shakes was still blinking tears of mirth out of his eyes, so he was initially unaware of the approaching danger. Too late did he see the she-demon storming towards him, talons out and ready. He wasn't ready, but Blok was. Quicker than even Karen could react, the Brislovian defender was out of his seat and planted himself between the demoness and her quarry.

Dead silence. The team, now on high alert, were all on the edge of their seats in case they needed to react. The receptionist had seen an opening and scooted back to the front desk.

Blok and Karen stood facing each other. He had a good two feet on her, but her shapely thighs and ample waist meant she likely outweighed him. Blok broke the silence first, jabbing a finger at the still purple faced woman.

"Grrrrbl grrr gun grrrrrrrr"

One didn't need to speak Brislovian to hear how angry Blok sounded. He was more growling like an angry bear than speaking.

"DON'T you DAAAAAARE touch me," Karen hissed back. Once again oblivious to going on's behind her back, she failed to notice Dancing Rasta and Big Bo now on their feet.

"I tink it's best ya went off ta bed, madame. Don't be makin' dis worse or else..."

"OR WHAT? What are YOU going to do. I will have my lawyers sue you to pieces and thrown out on the streets. You beasts! YOU CRIMINALS! YOU..."

"WHAT'S GOING ON IN HERE?!!!"

Coach stood framed against the lights of the closing elevator doors, looking all the world like an avenging angel haloed by the sunrise. Slightly behind him, the mustachioed manager was took in the scene with a calm but perplexed expression before scurrying over to the front desk and the still pale receptionist.

This time, it was Karen who broke the silence with a loud, hissing inhalation. At first, Dancing Rasta assumed she was about to attack, or worse start yelling again, until he noticed the look of unholy glee on her face.

"FINALLY! The MANAGER!"

She clomped over to Coach, grinning like Skarra after a successful foul. Coach, unfazed, raised an eyebrow at the approaching threat.

"Is there something I can..."

"YES! You WILL be helping me. I expect no less from the manager."

If Coach could have raised an eyebrow any further, he would have, "And what exactly..."

"First of all, your staff is absolutely atrocious. I have had nothing but problems since I walked in the door. You would be wise to fire them all. Secondly, I was promised nothing but the best from the owner himself. By that, I mean that only the very best accommodations which YOU PERSONALLLLLLY shall check me into. I do not trust any of these other simpletons to handle my requests and quite frankly..."

She rambled on and on, never once pausing for a breath or to see if her demands were being met. Behind her back once again, the real manager looked like he wanted to interject, but was busy trying to talk the poor receptionist off a ledge. The rest of the staff were staring at the display with a mixture of apprehension and wonder. Meanwhile, Supa Strikas were staring with growing looks of horror. Nobody, absolutely nobody, ever got away with talking to Coach in such a way. This woman was so completely oblivious to the fact that she was signing her own death warrant.

"...and finally, I want these...these...ADDICTS thrown out immediately."

Everyone froze. Karen still had her back turned, but the Strikas could see Coach's eyes blazing at her words.

"...Excuse me?"

"Are you DEAF? I. WANT. THEM. THROWN. OUT. like the trash they are. I will not tolerate living on premises with such worthless people. If they weren't homeless trash already I would sue them, but that takes too much money. Just get rid of them any way possible thank you."

Silence.

Any other time the Strikas would have been incensed by her words, but she had made the fatal error of saying those words in front of Coach of all people. Coach hadn't moved a muscle during her rant, and the glint from his glasses kept them from reading his expression. It was highly unusual, very highly unusual for him to remain tolerant in such a situation, and the team were internally bracing for an eruption that would put even Karen to shame.

But it never came. Instead Coach did something that had everyone (expect Karen) even more frightened than before.

He smiled.

A small knowing smile that none of the Strikas had seen before. Then, without pause, looked over Karen's shoulder at the team watching with horrified expressions.

"Boys," His tone was soft and calm, and everyone's danger senses were suddenly going haywire, "Why don't you head up to your rooms on the fourth floor. I'll be up shortly after I... handle things here."

Another pause. The hotel staff didn't move. Basic training had never covered what to do in such a scenario. Then, quite gingerly, the team grabbed their bags and edged their way collectively towards the elevators. Distantly they could hear Karen's renewed screeches, but it was mostly drowned out by a white noise of fear. Coach had bravely turned his back on her to watch them go, and the last they saw of him before the elevator doors closed was that unnerving smile.

Nobody spoke on the ride up. They all just stood in silence while the elevator music provided an awkward replacement for the screaming she-devil in the lobby. When the elevators finally dinged open on the fourth floor, nobody was thinking about unpacking. They gathered in the hallway, staring back at the elevators as if expecting something terrible to come bursting out of them.

"I don't vant to go back down zere. I'm scared of what I might see."

"She's completely loco. Do you think Coach...?"

"I don't hear any police sirens...yet"

The converstaions continued until Dancing Rasta decided to break it all up.

"Alright guy. Let's, well, best we just get settled in for now. Nothin' we can do about it for now."

It was like a switch had been flicked, everyone suddenly remembered how tired they were.

"About time too. I'm ready to sleep until next season at this rate."

"Yeah, me too. Hey Shakes, before I forget, what was that thing Blok did to that psycho that freaked her out so much?"

Shakes paused halfway to his room. Behind him, North Shaw was waiting expecantly for his answer, and his silence now had the rest of the team hanging on as well.

"Oh, er, well, you see it's a Brislovian thing," He replied, cheeks heating up with embarrassment. The looks he and Blok were getting made it clear nobody was buying the answer.

"No duh, so is everything else Blok says, no offense big guy. So what made this so funny. C'mon bro I'm gonna up all night thinking about it at this rate."

Shakes tried to back up, but was still mostly surrounded by his teammates.

"Wellllll....Brislovians don't refer to Karens as, well, Karens. They have a way of...insulting somebody who is crazy belligerent in public like that. I read about it from my Brislovian guide on the bus."

Shakes pulled out the little red booklet from his pocket for emphasis. North Shaw was starting to look more and more amused as the reality sank in.

"Wait, so that thing he did was like giving someone the finger in Brislovian?"

"Err, kind of. Yes and no."

"Well what does it means?"

"I really shouldn't say North. It's...kind of colorful, and err, demeaning, and well....HEY!!!"

Dancing Rasta had come up behind Shakes and plucked the booklet out of his hands, then flipped through it to the page Shakes had bookmarked. His eyes went wide in shock and immediately snapped it shut.

"Oh my! Yes, VERY colorful indeed. Shakes, Blok, I do hope the both of ya aren't using dat sort of language in public?"

Shakes had the good grace to try and look offended.

"Whaaaaat? Noooooo, c'mon captain, you know us. We're way more mature then that."

He gave Dancing Rasta a good impression of puppy dog eyes for emphasis.

"Grouble gruzz gurg"

Blok stuck his lip out in an unmistakable pout as well. Together they made for one of the most unconvincing displays Dancing Rasta had ever seen. But he never had time to try chastising them for it.

*ding*

Everyone froze as the elevator doors slid open behind them. Coach stepped out looking pristine. Not a wrinkle in his jacket nor a crease in his tie. The smile was still present but was now more satisfied than sinister. Dusting himself off, he cooly regarded the collection of shocked expressions starting back at him.

"Settling in okay, boys?"

Klaus broke silence first.

"COACH, YOU'RE ALIVE! I mean, you didn't kill anyvon. I mean, is she still...?"

Coach held up a hand to silence the onslaught.

"Everything has been taken care of boys. Why don't you all get unpacked and I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast."

He walked calmly through the assembled Strikas to his room and swiped in, pausing only for a cheerful, "Goodnight." And then he was gone.

Still in the hallway, Blok whimpered something in Brislovian and held up his travel bag in front of him like a shield. Shakes patted him on the shoulder, looking shell shocked.

"Yeah, big guy. Very scary indeed"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As it turned out, the night one encounter with Karen was the most dynamic thing to happen to Supa Strikas that week. The blizzard raging outside had proven too much for the rest of the Supa League. Rumor had it that the Fortress Stadium was also suffering from frozen pipes and had to be closed down for emergency maintenance. All things considered, being stuck in a rustic hotel for a few days was quite nice.

Of course, the team was still dying to know what transpired between Coach and Karen after they left. Approaching Coach of course was not happening. Nobody was that brave. The hotel staff were being unnaturally quiet about the whole ordeal, out of either fear of awe. Most of them gave up the search after the first few days, though Klaus and El Matador still routinely checked under the lobby couches and tables for bloodstains.

Three days later, a pause in the weather allowed the Strika bus to roll in for emergency evacuation back to Strikaland. Another nine-and-a-half-hour bus ride, followed by another twelve-hour flight back home was not something Shakes was looking forward too. Fortunately, he'd spent the entire day before downloading everything from movies to podcasts to keep him entertained on the ride. As the team filed in, he pulled out one of Spenza's conspiracy playlists (How Technicalli were using cloning technology to win the Supa League) and prepared to bore himself to sleep. That was, until an insistent tapping on his shoulder jerked him out of his stupor.

"Blok? What is it?"

The Brislovian defender was grinning and pointing out the window towards something on the sidewalk. There she was, Karen in all her unholy glory. After a week of listening to Klaus' theories on how Coach could have made her disappear, Shakes was honestly surprised to see her in one piece. Well, mostly one piece. Her hair was a bit of a mess and she clearly had not put any makeup on recently. She was currently turned away from the Strika bus and glaring at the hotel, coffee cup clutched in her claws. Shakes looked back at Blok, the beginnings of a smirk forming.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Blok nodded, and they both took their seats closest to the windows.

A few minutes later, the Strika bus began its departure down the road towards where Karen was standing on the sidewalk. On reflex, she glanced at the large red bus coming her way just in time for two of the occupants to throw open the windows and jointly call at her.

"BYE KAREN!!"

*pbbbbbbbbbbbbt*

The banshee screeches that followed them down the mountain could have been mistaken for a pack of wild Grimm fans. But inside the bus, they were drowned out by the raucous laughter of the men in red.

Hey Supablr. Remember when I said I had no writing schedule? By that I didn't mean I was gonna disappear for three weeks, but between this monstrosity of a short and getting wrapped up in a dozen other drafts, I got overwhelmed. Next one hopefully won't take as long.

Also thinking I might put these on AO3 since this isn't going to be the only long story.

#supa strikas #supablr #rookie of the year

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tokidokitokyo · 1 year

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秋田県

Japanese Prefectures: Tohoku - Akita

都道府県 (とどうふけん) - Prefectures of Japan

Learning the kanji and a little bit about each of Japan’s 47 prefectures!

Kanji・漢字

秋　あき、シュウ　autumn

田　た、デン　rice field

県　ケン　prefecture

東北　とうほく　north-east, Tōhoku (northernmost six prefectures of Honshu)

Prefectural Capital (県庁所在地) : Akita (秋田市)

Akita prefecture is known for the natural beauty of the sea and mountains, hot springs, and the preserved samurai district in the town of Kakunodate. The capital of Akita prefecture is Akita City, and the economy of the prefecture is structured around traditional industries such as fishing and agriculture, particularly rice cultivation, as well as high-quality sake. Akita's numerous seasonal festivals offer insight into traditional culture, especially the New Year's Eve Namahage Festival of Oga, which is unique to the Oga Peninsula area of Akita prefecture. The Namahage are demon-like beings which are portrayed by men dressed as masked ogres (oni) with traditional straw capes (mino), who go door-to-door in pairs or threes and admonish children who are lazy or who have been behaving badly. They are commonly shown on TV news making children cry as they visit homes in the neighbourhood during the New Year celebrations. Other, less traumatizing, festivals include the Yokote Kamakura Festival in February, where igloo-like snow houses (kamakura) are built across the city of Yokote, inside of each of which is a snow altar to the water deity to pray for ample water; or the Tsuchizaki Shinmeisha Shrine Float Festival, where floats with warrior dolls parade around the port area of Akita City. The women of the region are also famous as 秋田美人 (Akita bijin) or "beauties of Akita" and are known for their white skin, rounded faces and high voices.

Recommended Tourist Spot・おすすめ観光スポット

Nyūtō Onsen - 乳頭温泉郷

By Bjckashiwa

Nyūtō Onsen is a traditional hot spring town in the eastern mountains of Akita. The town has six ryokan, or traditional inns, some of which date from the Edo period, and a hotel. The most famous hot springs is Tsurunoyu, which is over 300 years old, and considered to be one of the best establishments in all of Japan for a traditional and authentic onsen ryokan experience in the countryside. The onsen in the town can also be visited with general admission for those not staying in the inns. Most of the ryokan have mixed-gender onsen in addition to the male-only and female-only baths. The Yumeguri Pass can be purchased at the ryokan, allowing access to all seven of the hot springs, and a reservation at the ryokan on a shuttle bus allows for easy access to all of the onsen. Nyūtō Onsen means "nipple hot spring" referring to the shape of Mount Nyūtō nearby. The mountains and the deepest lake in Japan, Tazawako, are only a 30-minute bus ride from Nyūtō Onsen.

Regional Cuisine - 郷土料理

Kiritampo Hot Pot - きりたんぽ鍋

Photo from HIS

Kiritampo are tubes of rice mashed up into a paste, wrapped around a skewer, and grilled on an open flame. These traditional tubes of sticky rice are then placed in a nabe (hot pot) with local meats and vegetables and cooked together, creating a dish perfect for the frigid winter.

Akita Dialect・Akita-ben・秋田弁

泣く子はいねがぁ (naku ko wa ine gaa)

Standard Japanese: 泣く子はいないか (naku ko wa inai ka) English: Is there a crybaby here? Note: A standard line used by Namahage during the Namahage Festival

あい、しかだね (ai, shika dane)

Standard Japanese: ありゃ～、仕方ないなあ (arya, shikata nai naa) English: Oh no, it can't be helped Note: Said when the other person does something by accident (casual)

これをけ (kore o ke)

Standard Japanese: これを食べてください (kore o tabete kudasai) English: Please eat this

どでした (do deshita)

Standard Japanese: びっくりした (bikkuri shita) English: I was surprised

#japanese prefectures #日本語 #japanese #japanese language #japanese langblr #langblr #studyblr #都道府県 #秋田県 #akita

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roammania2023 · 1 year

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Standing on platform 9 at Gara De Nord, I expected a new Danish made high speed electric train to turn up. What turned up was electric but fairly old, it was not capable of high speed but great altitudes. Climbing onto the train and fighting my way past the beggars and book sellers I found my seat. Unfortunately someone was already sitting in it. I turfed them out in the politest way and sat back in 1st class semi luxury. The train was old and tired but it did the job. It wasn’t bad for a £31 return ticket to Braśov in first class.

At 12:24pm the train departed, we zoomed through the countryside making a few stops on the way. The spacious leg room was a real comfort. After an hours ride, we started to ascend into the mountains and it started to snow heavily. We were in Transylvania. Gazing out of the steamy window I observed rivers raging through dense woodlands. The snow continued to beat down as the car traffic on nearby roads drew to a stop. I admired the engineering achievement of breaking through the mountain. After just over two and a half hours we arrived in Braśov.

I stepped off the train into a blizzard. The snow was 2 feet deep and I struggled to pull my suitcase along the platform. Eventually I made my way to the stations exit and entered the full force of the storm.

Making my way through the chaos of taxis, snow and people traffic I attempted to find the bus to the city centre. I found a small booth and bent down by a foot. A pair of eyes appeared which was accompanied by a voice which thankfully spoke English. I purchased a ticket and was told to catch the number 4 bus. Unclear of when my bus would arrive, I boarded various buses and asked if they were heading to the city centre and also stood on various platforms. Eventually after thirty minutes my bus arrived. I squeezed on and felt comfort in the fact that the driver seemed to be following the Centru signs.

The roads were chaotic. The snow had caused major delays and what should have been a short journey seemed to take an eternity. Eventually I arrived in the city centre. Like Captain Scott, I made my way through the blizzard pulling my suitcase along with me. By now my feet were wet and frozen because I was wearing trainers. When I arrived at the South Pole, I mean McDonald’s, I was greeted by my Airbnb host. He explained how to unlock the four gates and doors to get to my Airbnb and left me to relax.

I made my way into Braśov to explore the Old Town. I stopped in the main square and saw the Black Church. It’s a really nice city. It was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until after WW1, when Romania acquired the territory. I explored the city until I came to the realisation that I needed some waterproof shoes, it wasn’t possible to walk sturdy without them. I brought them and they have made the world of difference.

This evening I discovered one of the best restaurants that I have ever been to in terms of decor. It has a Neoclassical style similar to that of the Romanian Athenaeum. It’s brilliant! I need to get an early night because tomorrow I am going to Bran Castle!

#braśov #bucharest #romania #travel europe #travel #solo travel #train travel #europe #eastern europe #explore europe

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katierosefun · 2 years

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Weirdly specific ask game: Idk which ones you've already answered so I'll go with 30 and ask have u (or someone you know) had a (possibly) paranormal experience. (Speaking of paranormal, best of luck with the thesis! I'm sure it's way better than it seems right now, and I hope you get some much deserved rest when it is done!)

thank you for the ask and for the kind words!! :')) it's been . . . a very bizarre night so far (i've just quietly accepted my fate that i'm going to finish this thesis and my papers and my final all in one night). // from these asks

30. ask me anything / paranormal

and ahh . . . okay, so like, i don't consider myself insanely suspicious, and i take most paranormal things with a grain of salt, but there's been enough weird incidents in my life where i kinda have to wonder. for example, when i was younger, i had this dream i was riding a bus, and my grandpa boarded the bus and sat next to me. (mind you, my grandpa passed when i was two years old. i don't remember him that much.) anyways, i off-handedly mentioned this dream to my parents, and my parents both looked up--and my dad asked what my grandpa was wearing, and i was like "oh yeah he had a yellow tie?" and my dad blanched because he for some reason knew the exact outfit i described (grey suit, yellow tie combo . . .) and it freaked us all out because there are no photos of my grandpa wearing that outfit, and my parents don't talk about things like that when they're telling me about my grandpa. it was weird as hell, and i still don't know what was up with that, but i remember my dad felt sad because he always wanted his dad to show up in his dreams, except he never did. but that's a sad one. a happier but also more bizarre kinda paranormal incident was how when i was waiting to hear back from colleges, i had a dream that i was sitting under very cold waters. except i was happy! like, there was snow and ice everywhere, and it was all blue, but i felt totally calm. and then in my dream, my brain flashed over to my brother, and he was sitting at the edge of a desert, looking perfectly at peace. and then my brain switched over again, this time to visit my youngest brother, who was standing outside a mountain, looking equally happy. weirdly enough, later that year, i got accepted into a college in a place that snows a lot, and then my brother in the next year got accepted into a college where there's a lot of desert, and my youngest brother, well . . . he's going to be applying to colleges in the fall, and i have no idea where he might go to school nearby mountains, but wherever it is, i hope he's happy there too! oh, and perhaps the weirdest paranormal-ish activity that kinda makes me wonder if my mom and i just share similar brains or something, because there was this one really, really, really awful night i had--like, it was honestly one of the worst nights i'd ever had. the next morning, my mom randomly calls me--mind you, she doesn't call me often, mostly because she knows how busy i am--but she's frantic on the phone, and she's telling me how she dreamed that i was crying in a very dark place, just crying so much that my mom woke up crying too. so she called and asked if i was okay ("mm, i am"), and she was so insistent that i eventually had to tell her that oh, something terrible actually happened yesterday. it was so creepy for both of us, but it also felt nice that my mom had this weird dream to tell her to call me. honestly, there's a lot more weirdly strange things like that that's happened to me in my life--like the time i had a nightmare that i went down to hell, while my brother (on that same exact night) dreamed that he was walking alongside god (yeah, that was the weirdest night) . . . or like the time my friend and i both thought someone came into our rooms around the same time (3 am . . . our rooms are on the opposite sides of the apartment) and now we're convinced there's a ghost in our apartment . . . or like the time how the day before i got accepted in law school, i thought i heard someone whisper "caroline" behind me in my empty office building . . . so ! ! ! ! tl;dr: i think i've had my fair share of . . .. not necessarily paranormal experiences, but definitely weird, bizarre coincidences that sometimes make me wonder exactly how coincidental they truly are.

#answered #this was fun to answer! i hope that didn't freak anyone out :D

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travelnew · 2 days

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Train, bus & helicopter between home & base camp for Uttarakhand trek

11.04.2024, Thursday.

Three friends met at the station. One of us had actually joined impromptu (on-the-spot) and had managed to get all confirmed reservations (not even RACs)!

The final packing of the bag concluded a few hours before the journey started.

My bag weighed 13 kg.

We alighted at Delhi.

Another train journey took us to the foothills of Uttarakhand - Kathgodam. We met our fellow trekkers in this train for the first time - Paresh Bhai from Ahmedabad and Govind Bhai from Panvel, MH.

12.04.2024, Friday.

22:30 The train reached Kathgodam. Our KMVN's hotel TRH Kumaon Dwar just 5 minutes from Kathgodam railway station and we fell off to sleep in the clean rooms.

13.04.2024, Saturday - day 1 - reporting for the trek.

Our batch of 25 gathered on time and the long journey to Munsiyari starts. It is our base camp.

On the way, we passed by the Neem Karoli Baba Ashram, Kainchi Dham. It is approximately 3 hours from Kathgodam and 8 hours from Munsiyari. We saw it from the top and the road swirls next to it in the valley. I wish we could have stopped for darshan of this powerful place. Neem Karoli Baba was the avataar of Lord Hanuman. Jay Shri Ram.

Pandey Lodge at Munsiyari is our base camp.

The long spacious room accommodated 5 trek mates and it had 2 attached washrooms. The stay was comfortable in the clean room.

14.04.2024, Sunday - acclimatization day.

YHAI Delhi, the organiser of this trek had arranged a hike to the nearby Nanda Devi Mandir.

15.04.2024, Monday - flag off.

Our trek starts by a flag off ceremony and we walk into the jungle.

Our trek route will face the Panch Chouli peaks (5 snow clad peaks). And a detailed description of the trek will be given in the blog posts to follow.

19.04.2024, Friday - group breaks & election day.

Now the plan to RETURN actually started the moment we were seated in the bus from Kathgodam to Munsiyari.

It was election day. And public transport was not easily available. Some of our group members panicked and requested that the acclimatization can be forfeited (dangerous when the trek is an high-altitude one) and thankfully nothing of that sort happened. Members had their flights and trains booked and were apprehensive that they might miss them.

We had booked our return by helicopter and the ride was my life's first. Many of us had traveled in aeroplanes, but helicopter travel is rare. There is weight limit. Anyone above 85 kg and anyone's luggage above 5 kg would be overweight and will pay INR 100/- per kg. My luggage was was 8 kg above the permissible limit and I had to pay Rs. 800/- more. After taxation and luggage, my total fare for the helicopter ride was INR 4475/-.

The same friend who had booked impromptu tickets, got confirmed helicopter tickets for us.

The experience was good. It's choppy. No wonder, it is called a chopper 🚁.

The best part of this aerial journey is bypassing the 12 hour road trip, which dehydrated me completely while coming here.

7 antiperistaltic movements and eyes closed tight. Too much.

The 🚁 ride cuts the travel time to just 45 minutes. The pilot doesn't allow any recording even with a mobile. Flight mode is compulsory. He was shouting some instructions inside the cabin with the rotors on and we couldn't hear anything. We just nodded and actually didn't utter a word in the entire flight and gestured to our neighbours about the land formations seen from the top.

Yet frankly I did feel nauseous, but thankfully not as bad as the road trip.

From the top, Uttarakhand has only mountains, valleys, towns, and rivers. The mountains are lush green. The rivers are running dry.

Nainital is easily identifiable from the top, with the lake after which it is named and also the other lakes of Nainital.

From the chopper 🚁, when all the mountain ranges ended, our ride ended, with landing in the plains at Haldwani. It was hot and jolted us.

We had changed our train's boarding point to Haldwani and INR 20/- per head rickshaw (x 3 passengers = 60/-), dropped us to Haldwani railway station, which was just 15 minutes away.

Friends parted.

We took the Kathgodam - Delhi Junction train.

The train reached Delhi Junction at 3:30 am.

We rested till 6 am in the waiting room.

Delhi has lots of travel options, but we selected to walk the last mile after metro journey to a delicious breakfast at Janpath.

Now the heat awaits us, but my Delhi friend's plan saved us. Check out what Delhi has in store for us and it will be a pleasant surprise. A ride in my friend's Mercedes Benz!

Check out my trek experience with YHAI at Munsiyari Khaliya Top in Uttarakhand.

#Munsiyari #Trek #YHAI #base camp #helicopter #travel #travelogue #travel diary #friends #food #fun #Kathgodam #Haldwani #Delhi #Janpath

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lockyourmytrip · 6 months

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For your romantic escapade, book our honeymoon packages for Manali from Bangalore

What could be a more romantic way to celebrate love for newlyweds than a Manali Bangalore honeymoon in the foothills of the Himalayas? Manali is the pinnacle of romance and peace, set between verdant foliage and snow-capped mountains.

With its wide range of attractions, Manali serves as a monument to the wonders of both human achievement and the natural world. Manali has something special to offer everyone, regardless of their interests—adventure seekers, nature lovers, foodies, or spiritual seekers. This is a place that not only revitalizes the body and soul but also creates enduring memories, making each second spent in this Himalayan wonderland genuinely remarkable.

This post offers carefully designed honeymoon packages for Manali from Bangalore, guaranteeing a wonderful trip full of romance, excitement, and priceless moments.

Day 1: Trip to Manali from Bangalore

Greetings and transfer to an opulent honeymoon room overlooking the mountains from the Kullu Manali Airport.

Chocolates and a glass of sparkling wine as welcome amenities.

Day 2: Go around Manali

Romantic candlelight supper and a scenic viewing excursion that includes the Hadimba Temple, Solang Valley, and Vashisht Hot Springs

Dinner by candlelight at a nearby restaurant

Spend the night in the hotel

Day 3: Excursion and Excitement

Exciting adventures in the Beas River, such as river rafting and paragliding.

Visit the Rohtang Pass, which provides expansive Himalayan vistas.

A comfortable evening by the hotel fireplace.

Day 4: Calm in Isolation

Visit the scenic Solang Valley Recreational pursuits such as equestrian riding and hiking.

A personal picnic in the middle of the fields.

Go back to the Hotel Solang Valley Manali and get a soothing spa treatment.

Day 5: Buying and Taking Notes

Shop for local handicrafts and souvenirs on Mall Road.

An evening of culture with performances of traditional Himachali dance.

Dinner to say goodbye, with a deliciously chosen meal.

The pair exchange personalized presents with each other.

Day 6: Leaving

Exit the hotels in Solang Valley Manali with fond recollections in your heart.

Head to the airport to make the flight back to Bangalore.

Make accommodations

Manali offers a wide range of lodging options, from luxurious hotels and resorts to guesthouses that are affordable. Take your desired experience and your budget into account when selecting your lodging. If you're planning a romantic trip, you might want to pick a hotel or resort featuring restaurants and spas as well as breathtaking views of the Himalayas.

Here are several things to consider if you are thinking of taking a honeymoon from Bangalore to Manali

The summer (April to June) and winter (December to February) seasons are the ideal times to visit Manali from Bangalore. The typical temperature throughout these months is between 10 and 25 degrees Celsius, making for nice weather. When travel demand is at its highest, Manali may get very busy, so it's advisable to plan ahead for your travel and lodging.

There are two ways to go to Manali from Bangalore via plane to Chandigarh or Kullu, and then by bus or cab. It takes around two hours and thirty minutes to fly from Bangalore to Chandigarh and two hours to fly from Bangalore to Kullu. From Chandigarh or Kullu to Manali, a cab or bus trip takes four to five hours.

There are several varieties of Manali honeymoon packages offered from Bangalore. You may select a package that covers travel, lodging, meals, sightseeing, and transportation. Additionally, you have the option to select a package that is customized to your own interests, such as an adventure, luxury, or cultural package.

Here are some more suggestions for organizing the ideal Manali honeymoon

Plan ahead for your travel and lodging, particularly if you will be visiting during the busiest time of year for tourists.

To ensure that you have no worries on your honeymoon, pick a package that covers lodging, transportation, meals, and tourist activities.

Since the weather in Manali is unpredictable, it is advisable to pack for all eventualities.

Since you will be walking a lot, choose comfortable shoes.

Remember to include your camera, as you will want to capture the breathtaking view of many photos.

Enjoy the leisurely pace of life in Manali by taking your time.

Ending lines

In conclusion, spending your honeymoon in Manali is more than simply a vacation—it's a celebration of your love for one another and the prospect of a wonderful future. These painstakingly crafted honeymoon packages for Manali from Bangalore guarantee that couples will experience the ideal balance of romance, adventure, and leisure. So gather your belongings, bid your concerns farewell, and set out on this captivating adventure to make lifelong memories. It’s nice to make hassle-free bookings with Lock Your Trip and avail of our utmost deals at any time. So, book a package tour Manali from Lock Your Trip and embark on a journey of wonder and excitement. You will immerse yourself in the timeless allure of Manali. The captivating grandeur of the Himalayas leaves its mark on every experience one has here.

#Ooty honeymoon packages from mysore

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hellotravel01 · 1 year

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A Detailed Shimla Travel Guide to Explore the Hidden Gems of the Hill Station.

Planning a trip to Shimla? This picturesque and famous hill station in India is a most favored weekend getaway letting you break the monotony of city life and enjoy pleasant summers and snowy winters. The capital of Himachal Pradesh state, Shimla, was originally part of Nepal before becoming India's British Summer Capital.

Many travel websites offer well-designed Shimla Packages, including flights, meals, hotels, pick-up and drop, and many exciting places to see and fun-filled activities to cool off in the queen of hill stations. Being an evergreen beauty of Himachal Pradesh with gorgeous views of the mountains, rolling valleys, breathtaking lakes, and the colonial-era charm, making the hill station a frequent hub for people from nearby towns and cities and tourists from different parts of the country.

Today’s blog is a Shimla Travel Guide containing relevant information about accommodation in Shimla, when to visit & how to reach Shimla, sightseeing points, and things to do in Shimla for a memorable sojourn.

Best Time to Visit Shimla

March-June: Shimla is thronged by tourists throughout the year. During this time of the year, the lush greenery of the hill station enhances its beauty, making it more attractive. Besides, it is the ideal time to try paragliding, trekking, camping, and river rafting.

October-February: These are the perfect months to experience snow from your hotel window and enjoy a hot chai to provide your body with much-needed warmth. This time is also ideal for indulging in skiing and ice skating.

Accommodation in Shimla

Shimla, or 'Shyamalaya,' is situated on the foothills of the Himalayas and has many budget and luxury hotels at the best prices. Shimla hotels have state-of-the-art facilities, like a swimming pool, conference meeting rooms, open spaces, fitness facilities, etc.

How to Reach Shimla?

Shimla is a well-known tourist destination beautifully connected to all major cities of India by road, train, and flight.

By Road: It will take 7-8 hours to reach Shimla. Take NH1 from Delhi until Chandigarh. Further, take a right, and join the Himalayan Expressway to reach Shimla.

Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation & Himachal Road Transport Corporation operate daily bus services from Delhi, Chandigarh, etc., and vice versa.

By Train: Take a train from Delhi or Chandigarh to reach Kalka and board the toy train.

By Flight: Jubbarhatti airport is the closest domestic airport about 23 km from Shimla. Regular flights are available from Chandigarh and Delhi to access the hill station.

Places to Visit in Shimla

Undeniably, Shimla is a tourist paradise. A long list of tourist attractions in Shimla makes Shimla Packages the most desirable. The best places to cover during your trip include the Christ Church, The Ridge, Kali Bari Temple, the Lord Hanuman statue at Jakhu Hill, Shimla State Museum, Viceregal Lodge, and a heritage monument, namely Rothney Castle.

Things to Do in Shimla

Apart from old buildings in Shimla and maintaining their original charm, there is an added advantage to visiting Shimla with your friends and family. Some of the most amazing things to do in Shimla to give weight to your trip include watching the Shimla Summer Festival at the Ridge and buying souvenirs from Mall Road & Lakkar Bazaar, such as local crafts, jewelry, clothes, etc. Continental and various Indian cuisines and the famous sweet dish Sidku will provide a delightful experience.

Nevertheless, the Shimla-Kalka Toy Train ride of 96 km will take you over 864 bridges and 102 tunnels and make you believe you can walk within the clouds.

Final Views: Shimla is much more than magnificent snow-capped Himalayas. It is a place where heritage and reverence exist together. Many travel websites offer Shimla tours at different prices. But you can contact Hello Travel for customized Shimla Packages within your budget, covering inclusions like meals, flights, transfers, excursions, and outdoor activities.

#things to do in Shimla

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asiaforcarpets · 1 year

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Last night we sailed from Athens to a lovely seaside town in Turkey. As you can see in photo below, virtually all the residential buildings in Athens are roughly 6-8 stories tall, concrete, and rather plain. I doubt each apartment is much more than 600 sf. We are very spoiled with the space for accommodation in Can. Snow on the mountains but close to 20 C today. Perfect.

The water is remarkably clean and clear.

Booked a 10:00 am tour to allow for breakfast at a civilized time(B2 in the world of Fred).

Today was a 20 min bus ride to the ancient city of Ephesus. Built around 1000 BC, originally was on inlet to Agean Sea and 3rd largest City in Asia Minor. Over many centuries, the Meander River changed course and despite dredging efforts silting of the inlet caused the City to be abandoned in the 1400s. (Now you know where the word meander came from). Fell into ruin and buried in dust. Today the ruins are 3 km from the sea and they grow peaches in the delta

Once again another impressive amphitheater

City was buried until excavations began in the 1800s. As of today, we were told that only 17% of City had been uncovered.

The following photo shows one side of a perfectly square, trading and market plaza. The columns divide each stall for the vendors.

Once again as in Greece, marble slabs for walkways and roads. A third of the population were slaves quarrying the stone. Tough job in 40 degree heat.

This facade was for a library of 12000 scrolls which trailed only Alexandria and one other in the BC period.

The wealthy homeowners had intricate marble mosaic pathways to impress the neighbours.

Each tile was less than 1 cm

This was a highly engineered community with most of the terra cotta pipes still in place to distribute water from 6 aqueducts originating in the nearby mountains.

A bit depressing for me to see all this exquisite design and construction lasting 3000 years, meanwhile my windows needed replacement after 10 years in Waterloo suburbia. So much of our communities are disposable. One of the reasons I am almost done converting all our bathrooms, laundry and hallways to timeless ceramic tile.

The princess perched over a main thoroughfare

No photos but next was a bazaar to see Turkish carpets being made and how they harvest 1 mile of silk thread from each worm.

Viking guaranteed 15 of the carpet makers in the bazaar with shipments home included. Turkish Lira used to be 5 to the dollar 10 yrs ago, now 18 Lira to the dollar so very affordable.

Back on the ship, princess went for a dip in the indoor pool. Retractable roof likely to be closed for this trip but that’s ok.

We sailed just before dinner and tough to scrape gramma away from CatTV as we await the dinner hour. The suite is quite spacious but more on that another day.

Off to dinner where I couldn’t decide between tiramisu, gelato, shortbread or fruit cup. So I didn’t !!

Off to Crete !

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lagycart · 1 year

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tokyo tohoku trip - day 2.

woke up after a nice sleep to head to the hotel restaurant for breakfast, i really really like japanese hotel breakfast because it’s buffet and there are so many choices to pick from, most of them are locally sourced ingredients too, you get to try so many things in small amount at once.

since aomori is famous for their apples, the hotel serves apple pie, apple sorbet, apple curry, and of course fresh apples. both the japanese and western selection taste so good, i was completely stuffed, just to eat all the food that i like. the variety and taste is simple awesome.

after breakfast, i head out to the nebuta museum warasse ねぶたの家ワ・ラッセ, which is a popular spot for tourists to visit to view the giant nebuta floats. the floats are used during the featival in summer and, after that, stored in the museum for viewing, until next year. each float has a story behind it, and the people or company who sponsored or made it, it was a very interesting visit. all the floats are also beautiful, all handcrafted by talented people, it’s definitely worth the visit to enjoy the beautiful culture.

after that, my friend has arrived from tokyo, so we head to aomori gyosai center 青森魚菜センター for the popular nokkedon のっけ丼. this fish market is quite small but they have an iconic food item which is basically a seafood rice bowl, however, you get to pick and choose what goes into your bowl by visiting the stalls inside the fish market. it’s quite an enjoyable experience to just shop for what you want to eat and get served this way, definitely try it as the seafood is also very fresh, mostly caught nearby and probably on same day as well.

we did have a very enjoyable and satisfying meal, the seafood is just so yummy, and eating them raw and by it owns, you get to enjoy the freshest and most original taste. scallops are very famous in this area, so it’s a must try. also do try the local fishes recommended by the stalls as well, as some of them are really not well known outside of this place.

after filling up our stomach, we head over to another nearby market, auga fresh market アウガ新鮮市場, to browse and check what is available, as we will be purchasing some ingredients to be cooked for dinner tonight. many stalls are closed on sundays though, so the place is rather quiet as well.

as we still have time before taking the shuttle bus to our accommodation tonight, we decided to take a short break at a factory, which is a popular souvenir store just next to the nebuta museum and very close to the station. this place also sells all sorts of food that is popular around aomori. we bought an apple pie to share with coffee. the pie was so good, as the apple is yummy and not overly sweeten or seasoned, original taste is always the best. watching snow while sipping coffee is surely a nice way to pass time.

just before catching our shuttle bus, we went back to the fish market to get some fresh ingredients, and then collected luggage and went to the meet up point. the bus would take us to sukayu onsen, a very popular national onsen resort with many many years of history. this onsen resort in located up the mountains, and we get to see so much snow during the bus ride, the entire place is just white, covered with fluffy snow.

i was really excited with the snow as it’s just so beautiful, and it was also fun to catch it and just play around. after checking in at the hotel, we did played in a snow for a short while, took some photos and just admiring the beautiful snowy scenery.

we then take quick rest, before starting to prepare for dinner tonight. as this onsen is famous for its medical benefits, they are people who stay here long term for healing treatments, hence the resort provides kitchen and utensils for the guests to cook. we had a fun time preparing our meal, my friend did all the cooking and i just helped out from the side, she’s amazing.

she made a whole bunch of food which filled up our table completely - fish miso soup, sashimi, grilled shellfish, pickles, grilled fish, and white rice. it was such a yummy and heartwarming meal, never expect to get this experience in an onsen resort as a tourist, it’s truly unique.

after the meal, we rested for a while before heading to the main attraction - onsen! the unique point of this resort is that there’s a huge onsen which is shared by both male and female, and it’s so spacious that it fitted 1000 people at the same time in the past. shared onsen is super rare in japan, as you would probably imagined as everyone has to be naked in the bath. so there’s 2 hours a day when the onsen is reserved for females only, 8 to 9am and 8 to 9pm. during this time, women can enjoy this huge onsen by themselves without worries, so of course we went, it was really huge. the water is very nice and relaxing, it just feels amazing being in onsen, your whole body gets to be pampered both physically and mentally as it is just very soothing and healing.

even after 9pm, it is still possible to stay in the bath as we found an area where there’s a separator that blocks the view from the men’s side, what a great strategy, and we did enjoyed the bath as much as we wanted, and it’s also great that it’s almost empty as well. there’s so much to learn about onsen culture, it’s definitely one of my favorite thing to do in japan, as enjoying onsen is a one of its kind experience that i am addicted to, since my first experience many years ago.

the night just unwinds slowly with lots of chit chat and some light local beer, it was an amazing day with many new experiences for me and i’m grateful to my friend who brought me to the famous onsen, which is her favorite onsen of all times, as this is a very local experience, there’s almost no foreigners in this place, definitely no english at all, so it’s a truly authentic and unique charm that i get to enjoy. =)

to be continued...

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addieabroad · 1 year

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Week Eight

Back to Patagonia

Week eight started with me anxiously awaiting Austin’s arrival. On Monday, I spent the day prepping our travels and finalizing all I could for my last article due before our vacation. That evening I went out for coffee with Meli, which was a great way to pass the time.

On Tuesday, Austin finally touched down in Buenos Aires! His journey into the city was a long and stressful one, but he finally made it, exhausted and excited. We didn’t do anything too crazy on his first day in town, as he was understandably jetlagged. But I was able to show him around my neighborhood and take him for coffee and delicious pizza. We had an early night to prep for the next day.

With Wednesday came a day trip to Tigre — the town in the Buenos Aires province but outside the city — with the twofold purpose of showing Austin the dense jungle and river canals of the region and finalizing my reporting for the week.

I’m noticing more and more confidence with my Spanish nowadays, and it’s been so rewarding to look back on my progress. I had a few really successful street interviews in Tigre for a story on the importance of the region to Buenos Aires. I chatted with a father-daughter duo who were both from a town just outside Tigre and who provided me with insightful views of the beautiful area. And I spoke with a shopkeeper who further contextualized the importance of tourism in the region. All in all, it was an insanely productive and validating trip. Bonus: Austin really liked it too!

We ended the day with wine and snacks at a friend’s place and an early bedtime…

… Which was mainly to make our 3:00 a.m. wakeup the next morning for our 6:00 a.m. flight to Bariloche! It seems my Calafate jam worked its magic as I had the privilege of visiting Patagonia twice in the span of one week. This time, we were heading to northern Patagonia — the Lake District — to visit the Swiss-inspired, fondue-loving, chocolatiering town of Bariloche. Our AirBnB treated us to spectacular views of Lake Nahuel Huapi, and we spent most of Thursday exploring the cute shops and drinking hot chocolate to stay warm in the considerably-more-chilly region. We had the best sushi delivered for a dinner-and-a-movie date night, and went to bed ready for our vacation weekend.

Friday brought more cold and wet, as the wind howled all day long. We grabbed coffee in the morning then set off on our main adventure of the day: high tea at the Llao Llao Hotel, a resort about 10 miles outside of Bariloche. A 40-minute bus ride later and we made it just in time for our reservation. Tea was incredible and so fancy, everything I love about loving food. We enjoyed our time and made it back to Bariloche late, happy to get some MacDonald’s fries and watch another movie, calling it a night as the rain started coming down.

We woke up to snow Saturday morning, my first snow in Argentina! The streets were covered in the soft fluff as we went for a late breakfast at a nearby cafe.

The day before, we had met a Mendoza sommelier named Ariel, and after our conversation, he invited us to a private wine tasting scheduled for Saturday. Of course we happily accepted the invitation. So after breakfast, we made the mile trek up toward the mountains and to the house of a woman named Dan, friends with Ariel and a sommelier herself. It was an incredible, intimate experience, learning about Ariel’s wine while Dan made small food pairings to go with each glass. In total, there were about 10 of us, Austin and I being the only foreigners. The entire time, I felt so grateful to have been invited, and so in-awe of the amazing opportunity to learn more about Argentinian wine and to flex my Spanish muscles. We left happy and content.

That evening, we had a reservation at a popular fondue restaurant in town. It was our first time trying the Swiss dish, and it blew my expectations out of the water. We got home that night full and wiped after such a long day.

Sunday was mostly a travel day for us. We reflected on our Bariloche trip and looked forward to the upcoming week — full of touristy Buenos Aires activities. What a beautiful weekend of eating, hiding from the cold, and enjoying our time together. Patagonia has been so good to me!

#buenos aires #bariloche #weekend trip #travel #argentina #patagonia

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newenglandtaxiburlingtonvt · 2 years

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Burlington Airport to Stowe Taxi Service

There are many ways to get around Stowe, including buses, taxis, and shuttles to the Morrisville-Stowe State Airport, which is just seven miles north of Stowe Village, and the Burlington International Airport (BTV), a full-service international airport in South Burlington, Vermont. The Stowe Recreation Path, which meanders 5.3 miles up the Mountain Road from the old Stowe village, makes Stowe also accessible by foot and bicycle.

The center of Stowe is located 58 kilometers from Burlington International Airport. The taxi ride to Stowe from the Burlington airport takes around 45 minutes, and the bus ride takes about 2-3 hours. Renting a car is the most affordable method to get from Burlington Airport to Stowe. Because it will take so long if you opt to take the bus. And the cost of a cab ride, depending on where you're going, will be roughly $70-80 USD.

The Burlington airport also offers vehicle rentals and private transfers. Travelers can contact affordable nearby Burlington to Middlebury taxi and shuttle services, whether you need a trip from the airport into the city or transportation to bring you around the area. To reserve your ride, make an advance call to one of trustworthy transportation companies.

From Burlington International Airport, Cab of Vermont offers shuttle service and transportation to Stowe, Vermont. Additionally, offering daily cab service from Burlington to Stowe as well. You will be recommended good restaurants and tourism attractions because the drivers you hired are locals who know the Stowe region intimately. Book the ideal vehicles for yourself, such as SUVs and Minivans, to fit your bulky winter travel luggage and ski racks.

With each trip to your destination in Stowe, Vermont, take advantage of the following beneﬁts:

· Drivers with experience and knowledge of the Stowe region

· Reasonable prices

· Available Day and night, seven days a week

· Certified checks, all major credit cards, and cash are all accepted.

Best Time to Visit Stowe

In Stowe, there are 4 seasons. Because April through October has the finest weather, those are the best months to visit Stowe. Since it's not the busiest time of year, but it can snow for a few days, many tourists prefer to travel between the months of January to March.

How to Get to Stowe from Burlington Airport

Renting a car is the best method to get from Burlington Airport to Stowe. Since you have to change buses and the schedule isn't great, traveling by bus will cost you money and take you 2-3 hours. Since the distances are short and you will get at your destination in 10 minutes, you can take an Uber or a taxi for $60 to $80 USD. This is a wonderful idea if you are going with someone to divide the expense.

Private Transfers from Burlington Airport to Stowe

Although they can be rather expensive, hotel transfers are also incredibly simple and practical. The transfers, which are typically offered around-the-clock, are only perfect if you have the money and truly need comfort following your journey to Burlington. The cost is about $100 USD, and it can accommodate up to 4 people. It might cost each participant $25 USD. Private transportation will undoubtedly be as pleasant as a cab; they will wait for you and take you to your destination without you having to worry about a thing!

Accommodation in Stowe

You should expect to spend between $40 and $50 USD on lodging in Stowe. Mid-range hotels cost between $100 and $150 USD, while luxury lodging starts at $300 USD. It is crucial to get insurance when you travel outside of your place of residence. Make sure you have one so you may travel safely around the world.

Burlington Airport to Stowe Taxi Service: FAQ’s

What are the travel restrictions in Stowe?

Ans: There are no restrictions on domestic travel, but there may be some restrictions:

· Masks for the face are advised.

· There is a 2-meter social distance minimum.

· there are national control measures

What is the national COVID-19 helpline number in Stowe?

Ans: Stowe residents can reach the national COVID-19 helpline at 800-232-4636.

What is the cheapest way to get from Burlington International Airport to Stowe?

Ans: The line 11 bus, which costs $2 to $6 and take 3 hours and 33 minutes to go from Burlington International Airport to Stowe, is the least expensive option.

What is the fastest way to get from Burlington International Airport to Stowe?

Ans: Taxis costing between $65 and $80 and taking 42 minutes to travel from Burlington International Airport to Stowe are the quickest option.

How long does it take to get from Burlington International Airport to Stowe?

Ans: Burlington International Airport to Stowe travel time, with transfers, is roughly 3 hours and 33 minutes.

#Best taxi services in Burlington VT #Airport taxi services in Burlington

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thatelegantgirl · 2 years

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JAPAN 2022

MAIN TOURIST DESTINATIONS FOR A TRAVEL TO JAPAN

Natural parks, high-end restaurants, and hot springs are among the top spots for tourists visiting Japan’s destinations. Buddhist and Shinto temples. Protected natural areas. Imperial castles that are intact despite being built thousands of years ago. Cherry blossoms.

GUYS IF YOU ARE INTERESTED READING MORE ABOUT THE SCI-FI COUNTRY THAT IS CALLED JAPAN YOU’LL GET MORE KNOWLEDGE BY CLICKING ON MY BLOG : https://thatelegantgirl.com/index.php/2022/06/08/15-most-beautiful-places-in-japan/

Tokyo, capital of Japan In Japanese, Tokyo means “the capital of the East”. Traveling to Japan without going to the capital is like visiting France without spending a few days in Paris: the experience is simply incomplete. Some say Tokyo never ends as it is one of the most metropolitan, diverse and convulsive cities in all of Asia.

Located in the Kantō region, it is the center of the commercial, political, cultural and culinary activities of the whole country. Therefore, among the tourist destinations, it is perhaps the most expensive of all. Since its founding in 1457 at the foot of Mount Fuji, it has witnessed the rise of dynasties and the fall of empires. As one of the strongest metropolises in the world, it is able to accommodate a wide range of tourism offers: Tokyo is there for everyone.

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Among the most representative tourist attractions is undoubtedly the Imperial Palace. However, the city also has thousand-year-old sanctuaries and castles that have stood the test of time as if still in use. In the same way, it is recommended to visit the row of torii arches — ceremonial Shinto thresholds — lined up in the center of Kyoto.

Jigokudani Jigokudani Besides the hot mudflats that surround the area, Jigokudani is also known for the fiery rivers that flow through the forested areas. Even in the coldest season, the Oyunumagawa River keeps its warmth. Tourists can follow the course of the water for a fair distance and enter the clearings of the forest in the spring months.

In addition, it is possible to follow the ancient Japanese tradition of Ashiyu: a meditative practice of immersion in nature, in which the person places their feet in the warm waters of the flowing river. This experience is completely free as it preserves a sacred halo in the region’s oral tradition. The wooded trails that meander through the foothills of the mountains are accessible by ferry, which is a 20- to 30-minute ride across a lake.

IF YOU ARE SO KEEN TO KNOW WHICH ARE THE HAPPIEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD CHECKOUT MY BLOG . Sapporo While Sapporo is open to international tourism year-round, the city really comes into its own in winter. Due to the heavy snowfalls that cover the entire region — and much of the open, uninhabited countryside nearby — the Snow Festival is celebrated year after year.

For a whole week in February, professional sculptors from all over the world carry out their monumental projects on ice. Because of this, it’s common to see replica temples, manga characters, and other representations made entirely of snow. This tradition began in the 1950s but continues to this day with new technological adaptations that allow visitors deeper immersion.

Yokohama Yokohama is Tokyo’s most visited neighbouring city for international tourism. Some would say it’s a less tumultuous extension of the Japanese capital. Being on the coast, visitors spend the day at the beach. However, the destination is famous for the Ramen Museum and its amusement parks, as well as the business centers that made it grow.

It is easily accessible by train or bus as it is only 30 minutes from Tokyo Station. Many of the areas of tourist interest are within walking distance as the city as a whole is well connected and there are many public areas for pedestrians only. One of the most famous is the Sankeien Garden, designed by a wealthy silk merchant more than a century ago.

#japan travel #japan culture #japan tourism #japanese #japan tour #kyoto travel

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dragonoffantasyandreality · 3 years

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Kamen Rider Thunderbirds chapter 3 (Bit 3)

(Prologue, Bit 1, Bit 2 Updated, Bit 3…)

Just an updated version of the second bit of the chapter, because it was crap and I thought I should edit some things to make it interesting. Still featured my Kamen Rider OCs and their daily lives before Bit 3 :3

(@myladykayo, @janetm74, @willow-salix ) -0-0-0-

Taira was standing near his bike, taking his moment smiling at the sky. The wind blew through his hair as a familiar sensation flowed through his spirit like a river. A sensation of warmth and comfort.

As he turned his head to look at his side, there was a crying little boy he had been comforting. He had to stop from the bike ride after seeing this poor little soul crying at the edge of the busy street near a market area. He can’t help but stop next to the

Channeling his positive energy, he began speaking once more.

“When I was a little boy, me and my papa went hiking on a snowy mountain. We went so far; we got lost, believe it or not," he chuckled to himself as he knelt in front of the youngster, "I remember I have been crying so badly, I thought we couldn't go home… I was a wreck that my tears would become icicles. But then, papa told me, and this is something I would never forget as long as I live! He said to me in his usual calm but firm voice: "Son, don’t ever panic. Panic kills you." and then he simply made a bonfire with flint and steel and after what felt like hours of keeping the fire alive, we were finally being rescued and got home!"

Taira smiled fondly when the little boy calmed down as he listened curiously, forgetting about his problem. “So it's going to be fine.”

The child lifted his poor face, looking up to him with his red, tear-filled eyes, "Y-You sure?"

"Trust me!" Taira grinned. He noticed a police officer patrolling nearby, then he pointed in their direction, "You see this police officer, he can keep you safe till your parents arrive."

"B-bu-but I'm scared…" he started crying again.

Taira swiftly jumped into action. Three white balls appeared in his hands and he began juggling. The kid stopped sobbing and watched in amazement as Taira caught and threw the balls with ease, doing impressive tricks that he had honed. He finished off with a 'ta-da' pose after an amazing trick with a face splitting smile.

The little boy clapped in applause.

"Nice!" exclaimed a friendly voice.

In the corner of his eye, his three best friends stood applauding him for the act. The dog jumped in excitement as a way of congratulation as well. He bowed to both sides.

He stood up as the kid's parents finally arrived, relieved to have found their child safe and sound. They thanked him and he returned with a big, wide grin.

Before they leave, Taira gave the boy one of his juggling balls as a parting gift and gave him the thumbs up. The little child had returned the gesture happily and left.

He felt satisfied, the day didn't pass in vain.

"Always here to make people smile, right bud?" laughed Koji, in which Taira had responded with a grin.

"That’s my goal! To reach 2000 skills to make people smile!" he replied proudly, making Koji, Yuuki and Recko chuckle.

The gang took their break on a bench, as they watched the busy streets of New York city. Cars and bystanders pass by and people preparing for Christmas and the New Year. The snow and ice accompanied the mood; a great setting for the holidays! But not for Koji’s cold feet.

"Man, wish we could've just stayed in Cuba; slagging cold!" he whined a little bit, shaking awkwardly to keep himself warm.

"Your dance is ridiculous..." scoffed Recko in a harsh, toneless voice, "It's not Christmas yet."

"I know! It wasn't that bad in Oklahoma, but here in New York, it is a cold, bloody, wet mess!" Koji's commentary made chuckles out of his circle, even for Recko who simply smirked in amusement

As Taira was about to ask Yuuki a question, he heard a sudden beeping noise coming from his Beatchaser 2000. He zoomed towards the bike and pressed a button in his motorcycle’s controls, in which it activated the radio.

“Mosh, mosh* ?” he asked.

“Taira-kun?” got out a soft, feminine voice from the radio.

“Ah, Sakiko-chan~!” He chanted happily, “What a lovely jovely day to hear your beautiful voice! How are you?”

“I'm alright,” he heard her giggle, “How are you, Little Kuwagata?”

“Ah, just a mundane day with a few twists,” he joked as he explained.

"Then it’s not a 'mundane' day if it had some twists," Taira can sense her teasing smile from the other end, “So, what happened?”

“This morning, we had some ramen noodles with bacon and eggs for breakfast, cooked by our generous Yuuki. Nearly ruined by Koji’s clumsiness, but thankfully saved by Recko fast reflexes,” Taira began joyfully, “Raider would’ve been really happy if some of the bacon had fallen, but at least he got his Puppuccino.” he mumbled, giggling to himself before continuing, "We went on a ride for a bit, then we had to stop, because just now I had to cheer up a poor kid while we waited for his parents to find him."

"Typical of you," Sakiko snorted knowingfully, “Ne(Say), how’s the mission?”

“Well…” Taira eyes darted from one side to another before leaning close to the radio to whisper, “Let’s just say we blew the Kaijin skyhigh and got some News points. Standard stuff.” He straightened up again. "So, what's your plan now?” Now its Taira’s ask.

"I am joining you guys in a few weeks, so I can keep an eye on Yuuki," She explained.

"Ah, I see…" Taira smiled sadly as he looked over at his sad friend, who was sulking at the bench at the moment.

"How is he?" Sakiko asked, a bit of worry in his voice.

"Well, he's recovering alright. But very slowly…" Taira

"Hai. Well, when I'll return, I'll bring your favorite beaver tails."

"Oh, I miss them!" Taira grinned. They both laughed wholeheartedly. Just as Yuuki approached Taira and his bike with eagerness.

"Konnichiwa, Sakiko-chan!" He exclaimed.

"Konnichiwa, Yuuki-kun! How are you?" Sakiko greeted.

"I am doing fine, really…"

“Ne, how’s International Rescue? What’s their recent news?” Sakiko asked, causing his eyes to lit up.

“Oh, looks like this week they are having an even tougher time than usual," Yuuki sympathized, "Some of the rescues made me swear my heart had stopped! I hope they are ok..." his voice slowly trailed off as he had a flash of worry.

"Oh, Fruit Jesus… Those poor guys. Well, that comes with the job of saving lives. You know..." She responded.

"Like us…" Yuuki whispered under his breath, his mind momentarily drifted into that thought.

"Alright then, I have to go save somebody. Again..." Deadpanned Sakiko.

Yuuki and Taira both chuckled, knowing who she was referring too, "Hai. Tell him I said hi, well, after you rescued him from whatever bad salad he’s in. Sayonara." Yuuki smiled, the salad joke almost made Taira laugh.

"Sayonara, Taira-kun, Yuuki-kun. Please take care. Oh and tell Recko and Koji I said hi as well! Ciao!" was her last words before she hung up.

Recko and Koji approached the duo shortly after.

"Seems like your interest in International Rescue helped you a little," Recko pointed out, his voice not as monotone as usual. Raider who was beside him nodded his canine head.

"I guess you are right," Yuuki smiled, having been so glad his close buddies always got his back. "I feel bad for them, though. They don't seem to have a break..." Yuuki sighed silently with sympathy.

Suddenly, a shock hit Yuuki like a lightning strike to the head, causing him to freeze into place. He saw flashes of something sinister as a familiar sensation rippled across his body. His face of a shy boy morphed into a face of a man who got unfinished business to be done. His own muscles and senses began moving on their own, as if they had got taken over by something. Something inside of him... His inner warrior… his inner warrior must respond to the call… he must purge the unknown evil...

His friends immediately recognized his strange change of behavior. It can only mean one thing…

“Yuuki, something’s wrong?” asked Taira as he turned serious.

“I sense… danger…” muttered Yuuki, the determination of a guardian awakened in his eyes.

“Does that mean…?” began Koji.

“We must go!” Yuuki wasted no time but to rush towards his bike.

“O-Oi! Matte kudasai(Wait)!” Koji frantically shouted as he too rushed to his bike, tripping himself and fell flat on his face only to get up quickly and got on into his machine.

"Klutz…" scoffed Recko as he and his dog followed suit.

The rest of the gang all hopped onto their motorcycles and rode after Yuuki, who was leading them towards the scene of chaos...

*AN: Japanese way of saying "hello" on the phone

#Kamen Rider Thunderbirds series #kamen rider #thunderbirds #thunderbirds 1965 #kamen rider fanfiction #thunderbirds fanfiction #my fanfics

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thecomfywriter · 4 years

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Worldbuilding 101 pt 2

Complex Worldbuilding

Or as I like to call it, Worldbuilding 202 :)

That wasn’t even a joke, I’m sorry. Anyways! It’s your girl— @thecomfywriter— back with another post. Today, I will be going into complex worldbuilding, which is a shorter way of saying all the small details I like to think of for very specific reasons. Per usual, if you like this post, make sure to like this post. Reblog to show your love and spread the tips. Comment and suggestions or thoughts you have. And follow me— @thecomfywriter — for more content like this. Here are my handles:

Insta: @tovwriter

Wattpad: @GKM075

Tumblr: @thecomfywriter

Pinterest: @GKM075

Now, without further ado… Complex Worldbuilding

———————————————————————————————————

Complex worldbuilding serves a very specific purpose to me. It asks the deeper and hyper specific questions about your world and society. A lot of these details are not even so much as mentioned or brought up in your actual wip, to be honest, but they are— in my opinion — vital in creating a sense of realism in the world.

They are meant to give YOU as the author a grasp of your own world. To make it real. To understand the inner workings. It helps reduce plot holes. It gives you insight to the society and thus helps you create every other aspect of your book (the plot, the characters, the customs, the relationships, etc).

So let's get into it:

Setting:

Locations: I want you to tell me every possible location in your world that you can think of. As specific as you possibly can. Here’s a list of places your characters can visit. Tell me the name of this place in your civilization. How many are there in your city/town/village. What is it’s purpose? What can you receive at this place? How do you get there (fr, I actually want you to make directions). Make a detailed map with a legend and label these locations if it helps with directions.

General things about the country:

What are geographical landmarks ?

National parks

Is there an ocean nearby? A mountain range?

Where is the smallest village in the country located?

Tell me how life is like there. How is it different to the large city What places can you access there? What are some places you cannot find here?

Where is the biggest city?

The capital?

The wilderness?

How much wildlife is in your country? (this is very telling about the values of your government; if they care about the economy more or using resources vs maintaining them and protecting them. It shows how eco-friendly your government is)

About the main city/town/village/hamlet/tribe

Suppose a tourist were to visit. What’s the first location you’d take them.

The tourist attractions or landmarks

Where’s the nearest transit (if there is one)?

Where's the nearest gas station?

What types of schools are located in this city? (very telling about the value of education and the literacy rate; can dictate your character’s voices and personalities)

Private schools?

How are their attitudes different than public school kids, if they are at all?

Who funds these schools?

How does the education here differ from other schools?

Public schools?

What is the curriculum like?

What is the attitude + values of these schools?

What courses are typical + mandatory?

Religious schools

How are they different from the other schools?

Who funds them?

What is public opinion about them?

What are the kids like?

Pre-school?

Elementary?

Middle School?

High school?

Any universities or colleges?

How are the campuses like?

How does this affect life for the locals?

Healthcare institutes:

Where would I go for the common cold?

Where would I get medication from?

Is medication free/covered by insurance?

Is healthcare free? (says a lot about government values, economy/taxes, public health and safety, life expectancy)

Is healthcare accessible? [why or why not?)

Is it privatized or is it public, or can it be both?

Where would I go for a burn?

What are emergency responders like (do you have ambulances, paramedics, etc)? What do they do/respond to? Where would they take you?

Where would you go for a chronic illness?

How is it like to live at the hospital? Is it expensive, or covered?

Is it a safe environment, or underfunded? Is it hopeful, or does it feel like a death area?

How accessible is it to stay inpatient?

Emergency services:

Where is the closest police station?

Approximate response time?

Where is the closest fire station?

Approximate response time?

How do people receive emergency mental health help?

What do these institutions do? How effective are they?

Restaurants?

Grocery stores?

Malls + markets?

Fast food institutions?

Coffee shops and diners + pubs?

Parks?

The bank?

(if there is agriculture)

The barns

The milking stations

The fields

Different crop fields + how they are traded + exported

Water source + irrigation?

Now give me the population of your capital + cities

And if you’re wondering… yes, I do try and answer all these questions in my writing journal. I think I’m still sane LOL

Weather:

Where is the nicest weather in your country?

Which city has the most rain? The most snow?

Where is it the hottest? The coldest? The chilliest?

Where is it the windiest?

Bonus points to describe what locals do to protect their houses against such harsh winds

How does the weather affect lifestyle?

How does it affect attitudes and the accessibility of certain institutions? What about the products you receive

Winter coats and snow boots wouldn't be popular in the hottest city in the country

How does the weather affect culture?

Any specific holidays for the switch of weather or seasons?

Does it hold a symbolic value (i.e. thunderstorms in the summer is an ominous sign)

Where are there the most storms?

What are the impacts of these storms?

Any natural disasters? How prevelant are they? What does the government + NGO’s + locals do about it?

Transportation:

How do people travel in this world? This country? This city?

How convenient is it?

What is the approximate travel time between locations (refer back to the map and directions made under ‘Setting’)

What are the fares (if any) for these modes of transportation?

Who regulates transportation?

What is the accessibility for people with disabilities for transportation?

Here are some examples of transport:

Transit:

Where's the local stations?

What’s the fare?

Is it safe?

Is it crowded or do people rarely use it?

Is it complex or easy to understand?

Where can it take you? Where can’t it take you?

How accessible is it for people with disabilities?

Bus:

Same questions as transit

Plane:

Car:

Price?

Does the type matter (are people in your culture “flexy”)

Efficiency?

Public opinion

Bonus points: affect on weather

Horse/another animal:

How do you access this?

How much does it cost to shelter + feed?

How much time does it take to exercise + groom?

What is the relationship between the animal and the rider?

How much skill is required?

What tools are necessary to ride (i.e saddle and bridle, whip, carriage, etc)

Is it ethical?

Bike

Are there specific routes or is it the same as pedestrians or cars?

Is it dangerous?

Is it encouraged?

Is it popular?

Walking (consider weather + travel time)

Other

i.e. in my book, in the winter it doesn’t snow. Rather, everything is coated in ice, so they polish the ice and everyone skates everywhere

Yo, okay, this is already hellah long and I haven’t even completed the first section :|

Guess we’ll need a part three. Sorry! But stay tuned

I told you I go wayy too in-depth LOL

Happy Writing! :)

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