#not to mention that many of those require time off and traveling and accommodation its fucking unreal

[babygirlracing]

My family in law goes on a bi annual diving trip around my birthday and every time they get borderline offended that i want to spend my birthday with my friends and family instead of on a boat doing nothing all day because diving scares the living shit out of me.. like????

[thinktank2024-max-love]

Andy Robinson

Andy Robinson is a front of house engineer/production manager and has been working in live music for 13 years spanning a range of different jobs/roles along the way. Whilst studying at De Montfort university in Leicester, he started to do volunteer to local venues/rental companies and worked his way to the sound desk. A pivotal moment starting off for Andy was working his way into O2 academy, “I went to a club night and there was a guy packing down a mixing desk, so I asked him if I could get work experience.” After persisting, Andy was able to work his way to securing a paid job which is where he met Wolf Alice. “Ended up on tour with them for a year, and off the back off that I’ve been able to make enough contacts to be able to tour for the last 10 years.”  

This kick started his career as a touring freelance FOH engineer and has been regularly touring all year round for the best part of 10 years working with artists such as Raye, Beabadoobee and Ashnikko.   

It is vital that Andy can accommodate what the artist is requesting but staying within budget and being able to hire all the required people and equipment to do so. With this, comes a lot of compromising and effective communication, interpersonal skills and being able to adapt to new situations/issues to make the show possible.  

Touring is a mixed bag with its opportunities come a full range of responsibilities and roles which can affect people differently. Both physical and mental health was a theme when talking about his working life and how important it is to take care of yourself. You are often expected to work long and unsocial hours (in Andys case even beyond 24 hours), you’re constantly travelling and are expected to live an unhealthy lifestyle and to work in often horrible, dirty venues. Which expectantly is not great for one's mental health over time with the mixture of poor options for food, sleep deprivation and high stress situations.  

Unfortunately, it's no surprise that the music industry can be an incredibly difficult one to be in, from the performer to the engineers. In 2019, a study by Swedish digital platform Record Union concluded that “73% of independent musicians struggle with mental illness. Which increases to 80% when looking at ages 18-25.” (Musicians Union, 2023).  

Irregular working patterns, unsociable hours and even safeguarding issues like sexual harassment are all factors into musicians and engineers' poor mental health. Especially as “1 in 5 people in the UK are neurodivergent”. And from research carried out by AFEM and the Musicians Census its suggested that this figure is higher in the music industry. (Musicians Union, 2023). It can be especially hard for those who have mental health conditions which adds more to the workload when sometimes the world isn’t wired the same as yourself. 

Thankfully awareness and support for mental health for people working specifically in the music industry is increasing each year. Confidential counselling from organisations like Music Minds Matter and specialist support groups around drugs and alcohol abuse such as Music Support are so vital. Andy mentions in his talk that there is “a lot less drinking involved these days”, people are going for coffees instead which is a great step forward for young musicians starting out. 

Tackling drug and alcohol abuse has always been an issue within the industry, and it's encouraging to hear that musicians have places to go such as Music Support. A 24/7 helpline consisting of volunteers who have experience in music business who can offer support for those struggling with urgent issues regarding addiction and mental health issues. Because it is hard to manage all these work-related issues and responsibilities on top of being, in Andy’s case, on the road away from loved one's 200+ days a year. And personally, I know so many musicians and engineers who are neurodivergent or have anxiety and it can really make you feel like you’re not built for the environments around you. Especially if you’re constantly moving about to unfamiliar surroundings.  

[beyondthepage]

Which is More Desirable: City or Rural Area?

(With reference to Indonesia)

Different preferences are bound to be found in different people. Classic example is the option of living in a city or living in a rural area. Those who favour living in urban areas may say that it is more convenient, has better education, has better job opportunities, has faster advancement and many more. On the other hand, those who are inclined to live in rural areas may argue that it has lower living cost, less pollution, and lower crime rates. I believe both have their own advantages, but my stance would be that living in the city is more beneficial because of the overall advantages that it offers.

To start off, living in rural areas is known for its more relaxed pace of life. The sense of peace, refuge and comfort that rural areas provide is not something that you can find in the urban grounds, with its soothing natural landscapes all around, a mere glance out of the window and onto open fields or other green spaces can help lower stress levels. This makes them ideal for older people, parents raising young families, or simply those who want to live a more secure and health-conscious life, away from the hustle and bustle of the urban centres. As an illustration, people living in the city will have to start getting ready for work or school by 7am, while people living in the rural area are most likely enjoying their morning coffee or tea during that time. Not only are rural neighbourhoods quieter and more picturesque, but they’re also known for being safer, with less crime, pollution, litter and traffic. With lesser population density to resources ratio, the number of crime rates is are not as high as in the urban areas. For instance, in Jakarta the level of crime is moderate at approximately 55% while in Yogyakarta it is low at approximately 38%. Lesser people usually correlates with less traffic. If Jakarta was to be compared with Batam, there is a very noteworthy difference in terms of the traffic. To travel 30 km, on average would take 50 minutes for people in Jakarta but for people in Batam it could be as quick as a 10-minutes drive. Thus, rural areas indeed have a more flexible lifestyle contrasted to urban areas.

Moreover, living in rural areas requires less cost of living. Typically, moving to the countryside involves a lower overall cost of living. Property costs are lower, as are some resources and even retail prices. A clear example of this is the price of the famous Indonesian’s Nasi Goreng. The classic fried rice found on the side of the street in Jakarta costs about 18 thousand rupiah while in Tanjung Pinang it costs 10 thousand rupiah. The essentials such as 1.5L of mineral water in Jakarta would cost around 7 thousand rupiah while in Yogyakarta it only costs 4 thousand rupiah. Not to mention, accommodations in the city are comparatively more expensive than those in the rural areas although both provide equal quality in their services. It is evident that people can live in the rural areas with less amount of spending in comparison to living in urban areas.

On the other hand, one of the most substantial factors is that the city has more facilities for the people to be provided with. There will always be shopping malls, amusement parks, good transportation systems, delicious restaurants, and libraries around the city. For instance, MRT, Transjakarta, ferry and KRL are currently only available in Jakarta. Some rural areas like Papua and Kalimantan are still using traditional canoes to go from one place to another. The classic McDonalds are easily found in big cities like Surabaya and Jakarta but not one of them is found in Papua yet. Not to mention the advancement of the technologies in gadgets and in the medical field are far way better in the city. In rural areas, many of the people are still unfamiliar with smartphones and they still take traditional medicine even though modern medicine is far way more effective. Clearly, facilities in the city are way more preferable than rural areas which makes living in the city more worthwhile than in rural areas.

Furthermore, the city offers a higher quality of education and more job opportunities. The rapid advancement of technology alongside accessible facilities has significantly affected the education system and the job opportunities. More students are able to learn things based on their interest with the best curriculum provided. Since these young generations are well-educated, there is the tendency of more work in different fields being innovated. The variety in the interest of the people sparks the innovation of new aspects of jobs being discovered. For example, data analyst and data scientist, process automation specialist, digital transformation specialist, digital marketing and strategy specialist, and many more. The exponential growth in technologies has led to e-commerce as one of the new aspects being discovered. People used to go to offline stores and get what they needed but now many prefer to just open their smartphones and click on Tokopedia, Lazada, Shopee or BliBli to get what they need. Who would have expected this change 20 years ago? Adding to it, big business companies and industrial companies are mostly located in the urban areas which leads to more job offers as more employees are needed to run the companies. Hence, it is proven that great education as well as career opportunities are easily acquired in the city.

To summarise, I agree that living in the city is much more desirable than in rural areas. The vast opportunities and facilities offered are undeniably beneficial to the people. Besides, I believe that advancement of technology is playing a significant role in the lives of human beings and the city has the fastest improvements of technologies. Although living in rural areas is more relaxed and requires less cost of living, the amount of benefits in the city outweighs it. For this reason, it is more ideal for people to live in the city than in rural areas.

[yourehomesickiunderstand]

About/Rules/Verses

Hello, and welcome to my Bofur RP blog. This post is a HUGE wall of text, if you are on desktop and would like to see it a little tidier, please see the separate pages in the sidebar to the right. 

Promo Post Found Here

About the Mun

1. Firstly I am over 30, own a house, have a husband, 1 baby, 2 cats, and a wealth of commitments and responsibilities. I will do my best to reply in a timely manner, but will state up front that sometimes life gets in the way.

2. I am in EST and work M-F from 9-5, plus a half hour commute. Please understand that I can not post from work, and will not be posting during those times.

3. In addition, I am Mom to a very active toddler who is my priority over writing and who’s nap schedule tends to dictate when I can post.

4. My native language is English, though I can understand French, and a little bit of Spanish and Japanese. Don’t bank on me carrying on a decent conversation in any of those languages though.

About the Blog

1. When I first set up this blog I didn’t realize that secondary blogs can’t follow back, ask, or submit. My main blog name is Saffity, so if you see that blog follow you, it’s me. If I send an ask or submit, I will mention this blog name so you don’t get confused.

2. My inbox, ask, etc. is open. Please feel free to write me any starters, questions, or whatever.

3. Please send any critiques or suggestions to me. I’ve been on Tumblr forever, but have never really been a poster. If you see me doing basic noob mistakes with my posts that can be easily fixed, please let me know.

4. I will be tracking #yourehomesickiunderstand so please use that tag with our threads.

Mun’s Playing Style

1. I prefer my Bofur straight. I understand Boffins and other ships and have no qualms with them, I’ve been known to enjoy a good fluff fic once in a while, but this Bofur is straight.

2. Please send me an ask or fan mail if you would like our characters to have an already established relationship, I’m totally cool with it. I respond to all cannon characters as known as it shows in the books or movies, but if you are an OC and want something other than a “Nice to meet you” please let me know first.

3. I’m willing to do some fluffies, but not full on smut, if the thread calls for smut (which will often happen), I’ll fade to black when I’ve gone as far as I feel comfortable with. (Don’t worry, I’ll fade when I’m ready, you’ll never get any angry messages from me about going too far.)

4. Bofur here is multiverse, au, indie, whatever you want to call it. I’m sure he’ll fit into whatever crossover or world you decide to drop him in, he’s very easy going after all.

5. I tend to write in the past tense, third person. If you’d prefer a different style, just let me know and I’ll try to accommodate.

6. I’m bad with my images, so bad! I’m still figuring everything out, so if I’ve royally screwed something up, please let me know and I will delete and repost correctly.

7. I am super okay with editing anything I write if it doesn’t jive with your character or where you want the plot to go, please just let me know.

8. I mainly play on mobile, as such, I’m not able to cut my posts down. Please do so whenever you feel the need/want, I won’t be upset.

Head Cannons that go across all verses

1. Bofur has a Northern Irish accent and his hat, always his hat.

2. Bofur has named his hat Bundushathur, which in Khuzdul means “Cloudyhead” and will sometimes refer to his hat as a sleeping rabbit. If Khuzdul does not exist in the verse (like Modern) then the hat is called Cloudyhead and still referred to as a rabbit.

3. Bofur is the everyman, he isn’t special or high born. He is good natured, friendly, and the world’s best wingman, even if it means connecting someone he pines after with someone else. He would rather see them happy and keep their friendship than try to force his feelings on them or lose their friendship because of his pride.

4. The main characteristic about Bofur is that he is unimportant in the hierarchy of society.

Main Verse - The Hobbit/LOTR

Bofur is 4'6" but fairly thin for a dwarf.

Bofur is a dwarf who’s family line comes from Moria. He is of the mining class. He was born and raised in Ered Luin with his brother. Shortly after Bofur became an adult, his parents died, leaving him to raise his brother. Shortly after that, Bifur was injured in an orc attack. Bofur and Bombur took Bifur in, however there were a number of difficult years as they all got used to Bifur’s new personality.

Once Bifur was stable enough, the brothers decided it would be a good idea to head out and find new customers for their skills. They ended up at Bree, opening up a shop to sell Bifur’s fabulous toys, and offer tinkering services.

During their stay in Bree, Bombur got married to a passing female dwarf and moved his overly large family near the shop. Bifur and Bofur live together in living quarters at the back of the shop, Bombur lived with them until he got married.

Bofur travels around Middle Earth, usually west of the Misty Mountains, and most often between Bree and Ered Luin by way of the Shire. He collects supplies, sells wares, and visits many friends and family that are about the lands.

When Thorin calls for assistance in taking back Erebor, Bofur and his kin lock up their shop and head for the Shire.

After the quest they settle in Erebor, though Bofur heads back to Bree to close up their shop and settle accounts prior to settling in for a long life of enjoying his 14th share of the treasure.

Head Cannons that can totally change if my partner is a Bifur or Bombur

1. Bofur’s father was killed in Moria at the battle of Azanulbizar, his Mother died in an Orc attack when Bofur was in his 40s. He has taken care of his brother ever since.

2. Bofur took Bifur in after Bifur was orphaned as well, the three are like brothers, having shared the experience of loss and growing up together.

3. Bombur stopped speaking after their mother died. Bofur’s tried to get him to speak, and has managed to get him to speak sometimes, but usually just small replies and often with much prodding. Bifur and Bombur use the same sign language to speak to each other and those who don’t speak Khuzdul. Bofur takes care of both of them and is the one who speaks to customers.

Modern Verse

High School

Bofur is not popular, though he’s friendly and basically knows everyone. He enjoys shop class, classical music, and historical literature.

Studious and hard working, Bofur can often be found with his nose in a book, when not sitting on the bleachers playing the tin flute he always has on him.

College Student

Bofur is a TA in college. His major is historical literature, and his goal is to eventually become a professor. His passion is delving into historical fanatasy from cultures other than England and Western Europe.

He enjoys learning languages in order to read what he is researching in its original state.

General Modern Adult

In most modern adult verses Bofur is a general labourer, most often a janitor. If he is a teacher, he teaches music and drama.

Ice Cream Shop

Bofur runs a small home made ice cream shop that is part of a coffee shop run with a companion or family member (his partner can be any member of the company). He makes a variety of flavours, and offers lactose and gluten free varieties.

He prides himself on being able to guess his customers’ favourites on sight (like the movie Chocolat).

Marvel

Bofur is a janitor within shield. He can be found on the helicarrier, within the Avengers training base, or basically anywhere the heroes may be destroying things that need to be cleaned up.

While he is quiet and without powers, he has wisdom and a patient ear to lend to those supers who require a moment to vent.

Star Trek

This is the only verse where Bofur stands out. Bofur is a red shirt, but by some miraculous turn of events, he has gone on a number of away missions and made it back alive. Poor Bofur would love to get off the enterprise with his life, and shirt, in tact, but it appears some of the higher officers like to see him lose his mind and suggest him for more away missions, even if only in jest.

Head cannons that exist in all modern verses

1. Bofur and his family are from Northern Ireland, though Bofur travels around, goes to school abroad, and in general can pop up anywhere in the world.

2. Bofur is short for a male - 5'6", with a stocky build, and fairly strong.

3. Bofur’s younger brother Bombur is still at home (or married with kids depending on their age).

4. Bofur’s parents took Bifur in after he got injured during Armed Forces training, as Bofur’s family lives closer to the rehab resources that Bifur requires.

[sidestone-urban-legends-old]

Sidestone is broken into two areas: the town and the forest. While most people live in the town, it’s not unusual for a few lost souls to live in the forest. Usually those who want to be left alone live in the woods, while those who are more social or lonely and want to fit in live in the town. 

Below you will find a detailed description of some areas that are important to the residents of Sidestone. 

A: Mundane Road

This road is named mundane because that’s what it is. To travel down this road means entering the world of the normal, or at least, what most humans on Earth consider normal.

This road is covered in thick mist. The closer to Sidestone you get, the thicker the mist, to the point where your hands are barely visible in front of your face. This is to keep the residents of Sidestone safe and keeps threats out.

Bless the people who actually manage to navigate the road and enter Sidestone without an invitation.

B: Nightmare Bridge

A creaky, old red bridge that crosses over Nightmare River. The holes in the bottom of the bridge trap the sounds of the roaring river below and make it sound like a thunderstorm on the inside.

Those who enter are spit back out the same side they’ve entered, meaning it’s hard for those outside to enter Sidestone, and those who come in are stuck in the town. The only way to safely make it across Nightmare Bridge is with the help of Thomas, who seems to always sense when there’s a visitor nearby.

C: Sidestone Square

During the day, this looks like just a pile of dirt. However, at night, the sky is lit with floating lanterns, and residents of Sidestone mingle together and converse about their daily lives. Calming grand piano music plays from somewhere, but no one knows from where.

In the center of the square is Spectrum Fountain. The water changes color during the night, making it a dazzling liquid rainbow display. If you stare in it long enough, your true self will stare back.

Festivals are often held in the square, the biggest one being The Autumn Festival. Candy, cakes, and pastries made special for the holidays are often available for anyone to enjoy, and games that capture the spirit of the holiday are scattered throughout.

D: Sidestone Town Hall

This is where Thomas takes all the new residents so that they can get registered to live in Sidestone. The building itself only operates when Thomas is inside, and should you enter when he’s not there, it’s an abandoned ghost building, literally. Better watch your step.

If you are simply visiting Sidestone, you will get a special bracelet that lets the other inhabitants know you are under the protection of Thomas himself and are not to be harmed. Only the wearer or Thomas can remove it. Do not take it off.

This is also where you can go to seek help, whether it be a rowdy neighbor or trouble outside of Sidestone. After all, those who enter Sidestone become part of the family, and family means no one gets left behind.

E: Sidetown

This is the living area of most of the residents of Sidestone, unless they choose to live in the hotel, of course. Most natives to Sidestone will refer to this area as Dead End Lane, because the pathways are surrounded by a high wall, and there’s only one way in and out.

Most of the homes are designed to accommodate their specific inhabitants, so inside the homes may vary. Some have large pools, while others dig under the ground. They all come in various colors, and some even change colors depending on the position of the sun.

For some reason, all the house numbers start with 8.

F: Mom’s

If you’re hungry, Mom’s is the place to go. Hosted by a woman that goes by the name of Mom, this is a restaurant, bakery, hot chocolate, tea, and coffee shop mixed into one. Most of the eating area is outside under a pavilion filled with comfortable seats and tables.

Inside, there are small, private areas for people to sit and relax in by yourself or with a friend. They are often filled with books and toys to stimulate or calm the mind, depending on what you desire.

All of the food and drinks inside are free of charge and all you can eat, so long as you are kind to all the guests who enter this safe space.

G: Stony Playground

The quirky name isn’t for show. All items in this playground are made of stone, from the smooth granite that makes the benches to the gravel that crunches under your feet. The park’s founder, Sarah, designed it to be made of stone in honor of their late wife, who she accidentally turned to stone many years ago. Her wife’s statue stands in the middle of the playground.

The playground features many things you would find on a playground, from slides to swings to a sandbox to a climbing set that towers three stories high. A merry-go-round plays cheerful music as the horses go round and round. 

H: Nightmare River

A winding river that splits the town in half, Nightmare River is the main source of Sidestone’s water supply. Don’t be fooled by its narrow appearance. The river itself is deeper than you can imagine. The main river leaves the town and disappears into Mindscape Forest, where it feeds Nightmare Lagoon with a fresh supply of water every day.

The river splits off and runs through the Sidestone Hotel then goes to an unknown area. Those who have survived being down this part of the river refuse to tell people where it leads, leaving it up to everyone’s imagination.

I: Sidestone Cemetery

Of course, all things have to die, but this cemetery isn’t like the others. This one is more of a memorial than a burial site. The stones that line the cemetery are all names of those who have called Sidestone their home. They are often filled with the names of residents who have been lost over the years, and if you mention their name to some of the older residents of the town, they’ll get rather sad.

However, should someone happen to perish inside of the town, there is a morgue toward the back of the cemetery for those who have passed. To raise the dead from here without permission is strictly forbidden. 

Memorial hours are every day from 9 to 10 pm.

J: Sidestone Hotel

A home for those who are just passing through or disappear from time to time but still visit the town frequent enough to need a place to stay. Run by one of the town’s oldest inhabitants, Cassie, this hotel is the perfect quiet place for travelers to rest their weary bones.

The hotel’s hallways are filled with webbed twists and sticky turns, making it easy for those inside to get lost if they’re not careful. If you do happen to get lost, seek the trail of spiders to guide your way. They are always running to Cassie, who is always in the lobby.

In the middle of the hotel is a lake fed by Nightmare River, offering a place to stay for those who prefer wetter conditions than a hotel room. The small pool of water also doubles as a swimming pool for residents who stay, though it’s swim at your own risk.

The hotel is thirteen floors high, but the doors won’t open on the seventh floor, and those who take the stairs are transported from sixth floor to the eight floor. Rumor has it the resident on that floor does not like to be disturbed.

K: Sidestone Library

Filled with rows and rows of books, the Sidestone Library has five layers and every book known to man. You can either read the books in the cozy reading area on the fifth floor or choose to take them home. All you have to do is find the librarian, Logan, and ask for a library card. 

Every afternoon at exactly 3am on the third floor, a violin will play to entertain guests who like to read to music. The music will be anything from lively to sorrowful, depending on the mood of its player. The music goes on for an hour, when it slowly fades into nothing, much like the person who plays the music. No one knows for sure who is playing the music because no one has ever found them.

L: Sidestone Park

A series of twisting paths that wrap around the center of the town, Sidestone Park is used by those who want to go for a casual stroll or sit in the grassy areas to relax. This is a lovely area to picnic in.

Be mindful of which path you take, for it’s easy to get lost, and it’s hard to find your way out again if you don’t know where you’re going.

M: Sidestone Hospital

For those who are injured accidentally or on purpose, Sidestone is trained to help anyone who enters its doors. While most of the town is inactive during the day, Sidestone Hospital runs 24 hours with a skeleton and ghost crew. The head of the hospital is Mara, a woman with a special talent for creative and often inhumane treatments.

For residents who desire more meaty meals, a cafeteria sits in the basement of the hospital. To enter requires a special key, as Mara doesn’t want to clean up the mess if someone who shouldn’t be there ends up on the wrong floor. She can’t use picked clean bones, after all.

The hospital has ten floors if you don’t count the three floors below the ground. The elevator takes you all the way to the top floor, which is often used to look over the whole town. Residents often go here to watch the full moon rise.

N: Sidestone Theater

A more recent addition to the town, the Sidestone Theater puts on a play for its residents every year on June 15. Mostly filled with volunteers, this three floored theater seats guests of all ages and sizes.

The leader of the theater is a new resident named Roman, who plays most of the main roles, and he is often accompanied by his good friend Janus, who can play practically any part.

The only rule of the theater is to remain quiet while the show is going on, unless you are encouraging the actors. It’s rude to talk during a performance, after all.

O: Sanders Manor

An old Victorian styled home at the mouth of the Mindscape Forest, Sanders Manor has been passed down in the family for generations. Its current owner, Thomas, is responsible for everything you see before you.

The home itself has 99 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, a kitchen with cobwebs, a grand ball with no dancers, a never ending hall that seems to stretch farther than the house, an attic that makes horrific noises in the middle of the night, rooms that are completely upside down, and stairs that seem to lead nowhere. 

Only Thomas knows how to navigate the house, so it’s best to stay with him. You wouldn’t want to get lost in there, after all. He may never find you until it’s too late.

P: Line of Thought Pathways

A series of pathways that winds through Mindscape Forest and lead to Nightmare Beach and Nightmare Lagoon, this trail is only lit by the light of the sun or the moon. The path is long and winding, and it takes a whole day to walk around the whole thing if you stay focused. 

The path itself is made of dirt, and it sometimes disappears after a heavy rainstorm, so it’s a good idea to only travel the path once it’s able to regenerate itself. The pathways also change a lot, so be mindful to where you walk. Sometimes you can see the paths change before your very eyes.

Some mock pathways lead to dead ends, but these are not part of the trail at all. Be mindful if you step onto these tricky paths, for they will abandon you in the woods or lead you in a never ending circle.

If you stray from the path, don’t worry. If Patton takes a shining to you, he’ll gently lead you back to the path without going near you, but don’t thank him for his kindness.

Q: Mindscape Forest

A protective wood that surrounds Sidestone, the Mindscape is made with a thick redwood series of trees. The trees tower almost a mile high, and they are too thick for most people to see around. They are rumored to be over a thousand years old. Some are hallowed out and are turned into homes by its inhabitants, but they must ask the tree for permission to live there.

Those who don’t live in the town and prefer the solitude of a more private life, the residents of Mindscape Forest are as far from normal as you can get. Most choose to live just how they are and not blend into society. The residents themselves range from friendly to malicious, so it’s a good idea not to trust anyone who approaches you unless you know them personally.

Only enter the wood during the day if you don’t live there.

R: Nightmare Beach

A popular resting spot for those who prefer to bathe in the sun, Nightmare Beach is made of pure white sand and surrounds all of Nightmare Lagoon. The sand is always cool to the touch and is always soft. It’s perfect for making sculptures and castles. Just don’t bury anyone in it.

Sometime before the sun sets, there is a person that will sell you ice cream free of charge. They have any flavor you can think of, and they are usually a warning to residents that the sun is setting and it’s time to leave. Their name seems to change every day, but common beach goers refer to them as the Sugar Rush.

S: Nightmare Lagoon

A deep lake in the heart of the woods, Nightmare Lagoon is a bottomless lake that eats the water from Nightmare River. Many creatures inhabit the lake, but the most notorious is a quiet man named Remus, who protects the lake from anyone who should not be in the waters. 

The water seems to have a mind of its own and produces waves from seemingly nowhere. It’s always polite to ask before you enter the water. If the water accepts you, it will wave its water onto your feet. If not, it will recede, warning you if you enter that it will not be kind to you.

If the water likes you, its said that it will gift you a pearl from the dark depths that is more valuable than gold.

[solarflaresrp]

Below the cute you will find overviews of each planet and settlement within Sol. These overviews by no means covers the entirety of each location’s lore, however, it will give enough information to start brewing those character ideas!

EARTH

There is no one alive that remembers Earth as the small blue marble floating through space.

Innovation came to a halt with the outbreak of World War III. In the wake of the third World War, most of North America, central Europe were left completely uninhabitable through nuclear warfare. Whatever damage the climate crisis had done, the war finished, leaving the rest of the world in a constant overcast and constant acid rains. Even after three centuries there are large swaths of Earth that are uninhabitable, leaving Terrans to live on top of one another in the Safe Zones.

When the last of Terran companies took their business off planet, Earth’s economy plummeted and created an even bigger wealth gap between the rich and poor. With conditions on Earth becoming even more dire, a mass migration to Luna and Mars took place. The price was high however, and those who could not afford it or work on the colonies were left behind.

Government systems, while they still exist, have dissolved and have very little power and influence over their people. Large cities, such as Cairo, Buenos Aires, and Seoul, have morphed into city states, their infrastructure nearly breaking under the weight of the population. Most people still on Earth are considered part of the working poor and will most likely never see space.

Because of this, Mars’ military is able to recruit Terrans heavily with the promise of Martian citizenship after their contract ends. While some are able to get it, most return to Earth, as their contracts did not meet the minimal conditions required by Mars’ government.

Terrans know they have been forgotten and left to rot by the other settlements, only useful to outlaws on the run from Luna or Mars. Those who claw their way off Earth are often looked down on by the rest of Sol. But Terrans are resourceful and hardened by their experiences on the planet that gave birth to humanity.

LUNA

Luna comprises six sectors, each one governed by a Luminary and represented by five Ataraxia on a federal level. They are very proud of their status as the oldest human settlement off Earth, though don’t mention how they only have Mars beat by a scant few months, you’ll get some nasty looks.

Their history is almost entirely uneventful, except for a year long, bloody revolt to gain their independence from the Terran governments just over a hundred years after the first settlement was established. Ultimately though, Earth’s weakening state allowed Lunites to establish their own government, their own laws, customs, and culture.

Due to the lack of atmosphere, Lunite cities are entirely domed. Though, several cities also span several miles under ground as well, especially as the population on Luna increased over the last couple centuries. Many of those who live in the underground portions of the domed cities have unfortunately been disproportionally those of a lower socioeconomic status, which as led to an uptick in crime over the last several decades. 

In efforts to make ends meet, a red light district has dominated the largest underground neighborhood on Luna, drawing in visitors from all over Sol. Prostitution while not inherently illegal on Luna, is incredibly frowned upon and considered to be Terran-like. 

All cities are found on the side of the moon that faces Earth, though that isn’t to say Lunites haven’t found uses for the dark side as well. Primarily the dark side of Luna is used for scientific research, military training, and for Light Races.

MARS

Of all the human settlements across the solar system, Mars is by far the wealthiest and most powerful. While Terran governments turned their attention and focused on settling Luna, the wealthiest Terran families with incredible influence and power turned their eyes on Mars. These families are known as the Founders, and to this day hold incredible power and influence over all Martians. Some revere them, others despise their existence, there is no in between.

The first settlements had two massive failures that lead to loss of life, but the Martians bounced back and their cities are among the most technologically advanced due to their desire to protect Martian lives.

About a hundred years after Mars stabilized the Martian government changed their focus to terraforming the planet, beginning with strengthening the atmosphere so it can withstand the solar winds that ripped it away and turned it into the dry, dusty landscape it is now. However, in the two hundred so odd years since scientists began this terraforming process, only a handful of cities across Mars are not entirely domed.

These cities reside in mostly the eastern provinces Valtameri, Aigean, and Tethys and require daily oxygen tablets in order to move around outside the domes for long periods of time. Many of the poorer working class Martians live in these dusty cities and are supplied the necessary tablets from the companies they are employed by. However, these tablets often lead to long term complications and lose their effectiveness over time. Many of these Dust Cities are also where many of the Terran’s the Martian military recruits are sent to live when they are not stationed on a fleet ship.

(The wealthy receive a cocktail mix of serums that allow their body to naturally produce more oxygen and process out the dust in the air without any side effects.)

UNITED STATIONS

What began as a collective agreement to mine the asteroids for resources that Earth could no longer provide has now turned into four massive stations that have become their own independent entity from Luna and Mars. Thanks to technological advances and Martian wealth, each station is capable of sustaining hundreds of thousands of citizens between them. It was a struggle to gain their independence, as Mars had incredible wealth and power poured into each station, but ultimately Stationers realized that they could bleed Martians dry by cutting off access to the mined resources.

(After all, Martians didn’t know how to navigate the complicated flight paths to avoid total destruction of a ship and its crew. And if Stationers gave them false flight plans, well, it only helped ensure their upper hand.)

After Mars relented officially and independence was won, the stations were faced with the choice to become four independent settlements or unite under one metaphorical flag. In the end, many stationers were in agreement that unifying was the only way to ensure Mars didn’t attempt to regain control in the future. With access to important resources in the asteroid belt, the United Stations brokered treaties and trade agreements with Mars, Luna, and even Earth firmly solidifying their position in the solar system.

While each station now does a little bit of everything, the United Stations kept the original purpose each ship was built for. However, ten years ago the fifth ship, Poseidon was lost in orbit and forced the United Stations to quickly refit the Hermes Station to accommodate Poseidon’s loss without losing profits.

The truth of Poseidon’s loss is whispered behind closed doors and those who had family members on the station hold a festering resentment for the cover up and every year on the date of Poseidon’s loss, many stationers travel to the capital city on Hermes to demand answers. As the years have gone by though, the amount of stationers that travel to Hermes has dimensioned greatly.

The Stations:

Demeter (Agriculture) — Produces most of the Stations food supply. Has the fewest “cities” within the station, instead many fields can be found with residents spread out on many of the levels. Most residents are considered “simple folk” as they are known for rarely traveling outside their station.

Hermes (Technology, Government, and recently: Shipbuilding) — Most of the solar system’s androids and synthetics are built on Hermes and they constantly push the technological boundaries to create new tech for themselves and other settlements. Due to having the largest city among the stations and its location among the other stations.

Apollo (Medical, includes manufacturing prosthetics) — While each station has several medical centers and hospitals of their own, Apollo is home to the best hospitals, clinics, and research opportunities for the medical profession. As a result of this, these residents tend to be the healthiest of all the stationers and as a result are among the wealthiest too.

Hera (Textiles such as clothing and cloth based goods) — The best fashion in all of Sol is created on Hera station, anyone who wants to be a household designer name comes to Hera to study under the best of the best. Of course, the grimy underside of that is the factories that pay among the worst wages outside Earth to worker who put the clothing together. Often referred to as the two faced station, residents are either among the well off or among the exploited.

Poseidon (Formerly: Shipbuilding) — The Lost Station. Before its loss a decade ago, most of Poseidon’s residents were made up of those who were criminals forced into labor to pay for their crimes or engineers that were constantly pushing the boundaries of what space traveling ships could accomplish. Similar to Hera, these two different worlds within the station were sharp contrasts of each other and often led to issues on the station. While everyone in Sol has been told an unfortunate accident occurred, the truth is a parasite wormed its way onto the staton via corner creepers and is turning those unfortunate enough to be exposed to this parasite to lose all sense of themselves, whittled down to the barest of human instincts, which often means once infected one turns into a violent hive minded zombie like being. Rovers have begun calling them “Hivers”.

EUROPA 

Once it became clear that humanity was going to sustain permanent life off Earth, scientists on Luna and Mars eagerly awaited the moment they could send humans into the outer reaches of Sol and gather first hand scientific research rather than through robotic rovers. It took nearly three hundred years, but finally Europa was established as a scientific outpost by Luna. The journey to Europa was long and the original settlers spent weeks drilling through the huge ice sheets to establish the underwater domes.

Over the next hundred years, scientists and their families expanded and the prospect of a new life in a brand new settlement drew many from across Sol, especially Luna citizens who were desperate to get out of the underground cities. Despite the blue collar and white collar workers settling on Europa, the main occupation most Europans have falls within the sciences. Many study the organic lifeforms that have evolved in the massive ocean, in attempts to better understand how life on Earth perhaps began as well.

In the last thirty years, rising tension with Luna has shifted public opinion of the settlement that technically controls them. Europans pride themselves on their resilience and ability to push the scientific boundaries, many of them have zero interest in getting involved with the complicated political dynamic between the United Stations, Mars, and Luna.

ENCELADUS 

Established as Mars’ response to Luna reaching into the stars for hands-on scientific research and for the first fifty years, remained purely a scientific outpost but now has become more about selling a destination vacation to Sol residents. Much like Europa, Enceladus is covered in snow and ice, though the moon’s surface isn’t as harsh as Europa’s allowing domed cities to be built above ground and utilize the planet’s seas and hydrothermal vents as a constant source of energy.

Due to the fact Encleadus is the smallest and most distant settlement in Sol, they are the slowest to get the latest and greatest technological advancements. Enceladites are viewed as rural and a bit “slow” though their reputation is still far, far better than Terrans. And many of them are quite content with this view and are happy to leave the tourists with their flashiness to take advantage of the snowy slopes while they go about their life. Many brilliant minds live on Enceladus and want to simply be left alone to do their research.

Unfortunately, over the last decade, Mars has begun to defund the research centers and shift their investments into the resorts that take advantage of the snowy landscape and slopes found in the south pole of the moon, where tourists can also witness the phenomenal views of Saturn. This has led to increased frustration among Enceladites who come from the original families of scientists, feeling as though all their hard work has been spat on.

[anderseeds]

I saw a Witcher/Hellsing crossover mentioned in the tag and I was just inundated with ideas for it, so I’ll ramble here instead of attaching a tl;dr to that post. I’m a huge fan of the Witcher, and yet somehow I’ve never actually considered a Witcher AU for Hellsing (and Andercard of course; it’s my modus operandi). This is based on the Witcher games, books, and a little bit of the The Witcher RPG since the Netflix show isn’t my thing. 

First of all, for the unfamiliar:

Witcher = a person (usually as a child) that has been mutated and trained to be a monster hunter. They have greater endurance, enhanced healing, enhanced senses, are able to drink potions that would be deadly to the average person, and can perform a small degree of magic called ‘signs’. One can tell a person is a Witcher by their eyes, since they look like cats eyes. Sometimes Witcher’s have other indications, but the eyes are the most consistent feature.

To become a Witcher, a candidate must go through three trials. All of them are exceptionally difficult and painful. The first two trials, the Trials of Grasses and Dreams, basically break down the body through use of various potions and rebuild it, while the third is basically a test for those who survive the first two trials. Very few children put through the trails survive; sometimes there’s only one survivor among those brought in to undergo the trials, and those who die do so in complete agony. Understandably, many Witcher’s are bitter about this whole ordeal and resent being turned into what they are. Witcher’s are also regarded with suspicion and dislike and no better than the monsters they kill, which makes being a Witcher even more torrid.

Vampires = vampires in the Witcher aren’t like your traditional vampires. They’re a race rather than creatures born of humans and they reproduce as any other creature does. Lesser vampires are generally unintelligent, beastly, bat-like creatures, while Higher vampires are intelligent and near indistinguishable from a human. Higher vampires often live among the other races and can integrate well, though some choose to live only among their own, and a rare few even stay with Lesser vampires. While Higher vampires are very different from their Lesser counterparts, they can turn into giant bats or similar creatures.

Higher vampires also don’t need blood to subsist. They can eat whatever they like, but some vampires do drink blood because blood is addictive to them and offers an experience not unlike drinking alcohol. Blood also has rejuvenating and strengthening qualities to it. Lesser vampires do seem to drink blood as part of their diet.

Honestly, Witcher vampires require a lot of explanation, so here’s the wiki for them. They’re a really interesting take on vampires.

Conjunction of the Spheres = a point in history where different dimensions collided with the world of the Dwarves and Gnomes and various different races fell through rifts and got trapped there. At the time the books start, they’ve all been there for well over a millennia and have thoroughly integrated. 

Anderson: 

Since Nilfgaard is based on the Roman Empire and has a religion functionally similar to Catholicism, I think it’d be appropriate to place Anderson as being from there. He’d be proud of being Nilfgaardian and would introduce himself as a Witcher of Nilfgaard alongside mentioning his guild. But being a Nilfgaardian Witcher is kind of an oxymoron since the Witcher schools were around before Nilfgaard started spreading through the South, and Witcher’s aren’t actually wanted or really used there anymore... in fact, the school most strongly associated with Nilfgaard - the Viper school, which is where I’m placing Anderson - was straight up destroyed by Nilfgaard. An Emperor (Upsurpur of Fergus var Emreis, specially) tried to take over the School of the Viper, failed, and then the Nilfgaardian army destroyed their keep and banned the Viper Witcher’s from entering core Nilfgaardian cities. Nowadays, most Nilfgaardian’s barely know what Witcher’s even are. Viper Witcher’s are thoroughly displaced; unwanted and relatively unknown in the South, reviled in the North, and with no keep to take refuge in, but Anderson still considers himself Nilfgaardian and is loyal to the Empire and the Great Sun despite no longer being welcome in his home city. He’s also has loyalty to Emhyr because he always regarded Fergus’ son as the rightful Emperor during the Usurpers reign and he’s happy when Emhyr returns to take the throne.

Before all that happened, Anderson grew up in various orphanages in Nilfgaard, going first from a decent one in the City of Golden Towers, and then to an over-packed and impoverished one closer to the border. Support for the orphanage eventually fell through, and almost all the children ended up at the Viper school when a Viper Witcher saw an exciting opportunity to expand the guild and took all the boys. Anderson went on to become a Witcher, while all but one other orphan died during the trials. 

The potions used on Anderson were experimental and had a lot of vampire components for regeneration purposes. Anderson has a chip on his shoulder about that and specialises in hunting vampires as both a consequence of his hatred, and because his enhancements make it easier for him than his fellow Witcher’s. 

Continuing under the read more since this is getting long.

Since Anderson’s trials emphasised regeneration, he has very accelerated healing and benefits hugely from Witcher healing potions. To accommodate his frequent use of potions, Anderson has a very high tolerance, which has been strengthened by both himself and teachers in his youth by repeatedly testing his limits. In battle, he tends toward longer blades than his fellow Viper’s and keeps a multitude of them on hand. He’s particularly good at using them as projectiles. His signs are used on occasion, but not often; everything but his Yrden and Quen are relatively weak. Sometimes he uses potions to bump up his Igni.

He’s also just a well-read and educated as he is in manga/OVA. The School of the Viper highly valued knowledge, so all Witcher’s received a decent education. Anderson built on this by attending lectures at academy's during his journeying and has visited and appreciated Oxenfurt Academy a few times despite it being a Northern institution.

His visual mutations are fairly mild: bright green, slitted cat eyes and slightly pointed canines. He gets the same sort of toxicity appearance as Geralt in the games if he takes too many potions (reference). He can pretend to be human with some effort, but the eyes are hard to hide since the pupils are slitted and they have a degree of luminescence. 

While the keep still stood, Anderson collected information on the Wild Hunt alongside his fellow Witcher’s. He also became a teacher of young Witcher’s, but many of them died during the conflict at the keep and more still when Viper’s had to remain on the path year round instead of wintering at their home. Eventually some of the remaining Viper’s did start wintering at other places/keeps despite their reclusive, secretive nature, but a lot of Viper’s simply remained on the path year round. Anderson is among those who rarely chooses to winter and will instead travel to a warmer climate to do work. 

Many provinces in the south are... fairly safe and prosperous, so Anderson often travels around all the Continent to find work. He has some disdain for Northerners like he does Protestants in canon, especially since they treat him like a monster while most Nifgaardian’s don’t even know what he is. Basically, Melitele and the Eternal Fire are stupid, Elves are hot respectable beings, Northerners are barbarians, dwarves and gnomes who??, and god don’t even get him started on Skellige. Typical Nilfgaardian in his opinions. 

Alucard:

Alucard is a little harder to figure out since I like to think of Alucard as one of the vampires that arrived during the Conjunction of the Spheres, and we don’t actually know all that much about the world vampires came from... the books have basically nothing. The games expand on vampire lore by giving us three tribes and links to Etruscan civilisation, but its still slim pickings. Since Alucard stayed in society and assimilated, I think it’s fair to say he was part of the Gharasham tribe. 

I also think vampires were generally peaceful since if one kills a fellow vampire in the games, they’re rejected and pursued by vampire kind. That might not be the case in the world vampires came from... but since other vampires are the only ones who can kill a fellow higher vampire, they would have to be somewhat peaceful to accommodate their longevity and near inability to die. Alucard might have warred once or twice, but it isn’t until he encounters humans that he really starts going off the rails. 

Over a thousand or so years, Alucard kills humans for fun and consumption and gets into human husbandry. When the Witcher’s start being made, numerous of them try to kill him over the years, and all of them fail... until a group surges in together and defeats him. He’s consequently stuck in a state of non-death for a century before a fellow vampire locates him and helps him reform. Luckily, Alucard doesn’t return to his awful ways, because a century of being isolated and stuck in a never-ending state of fear taught him a lesson in basic decency. He develops some respect for humans, and especially for Witcher’s. 

His interest turns to observing humans and Witcher’s instead, and they’re a lot more complex and interesting than he gave them credit for. Especially a certain green-eyed Witcher who seems to particularity dislike vampires... he does, however, still indulge in blood on occasion, since he sees no issue with drinking of those who seek battle with him or do ill unto others. Maybe innocents get caught up in that sometimes, but he doesn’t deliberately go after them these days.

On top of being a higher vampire, Alucard would also be an Elder vampire since that seems to be the case for all vampires who came during the Conjunction of the Spheres. It fits the fact that the Elder vampires are incredibly, incredibly powerful beings. Staying true to canon, he’s perhaps the most powerful of Elder vampires, being among the first to arrive and active enough to keep him in peak form, while other Elder vampires are withered recluses. 

Since he partakes in so much blood, it could qualify as a drinking problem... but he drinks so much of it that its gotten to the point that it rarely negatively impacts him. 

Together:

Alucard finds himself fixated on a vampire hunter Witcher he hears about during his journeying. They clash a few times, and Alucard thoroughly impressed with Anderson’s abilities and it convinces him to tail Anderson through the North (and occasionally in the South). It takes decades for Anderson to warm up to Alucard, but Alucard’s thousands of years old; he can wait! And he does, doggedly pursuing Anderson until they develop an amicable rivalry. 

This would probably take place after or before the events of the main books (not the short story ones). Otherwise, there’d be an awful lot going on around them.

[pkvjarvis]

An Adventure Vacation in Turkey

Many people would raise eyebrows if a vacation off to Turkey is mentioned. But, to those that are into adventure vacation, a trip to Turkey, especially in Gaziantep spells as a fun-filled ADVENTURE! This is because the place, the Gaziantep province, can be found at the southeast part of the country—which most tourist have not stepped foot onto.

If you are planning to go on an adventure vacation in Turkey, Gaziantep is an ideal place because it boasts off a commercialized city wherein you can find the things that you are used to. However, despite its commercialization, you can still feel its rich culture that has been existent for the past 4,000 years. Originally known as 'Ayintap,' Gaziantep was a very important settlement area during the times and empires of the Roman, Ottoman Hittite, Persian, Babylonian, and Byzantine.

Standing at the crossroads of Southeastern Anatolia, Asia, Europe, and Mediterranean, Gaziantep is indeed a very interesting place to visit because it bears woven influences of many civilizations near the borders.

What is truly interesting about Gaziantep is the old city center where traditional house made of stone and have distinctive architectural features are still existent up to this time. This is also the place where you can find the great 6th-century Gaziantep Fortress as well as the Ravanda citadel surrounded with tiny palaces, mosques, watchtowers, a bath house and the Mehmet Gazali Tomb.

For those who are into archeology, it is nice to visit the Archaeological Museum where you can find a unique and rare collection of the province's Hittite and Neolithic empires. Roman situs judi online24jam terpercaya relics that are considered the finest in the whole of Turkey can also be found in Gaziantep. For more thrilling adventures, you can arrange day trips to Mount Nemrut where you can see a historic monolithic sculpture.

What to consider

If you conduct a simple research on the Gaziantep province, you will find out more interesting activities and places to visit. But, before you finally decide to choose the place as a destination for an adventure vacation, assess yourself first:

- are you prepared to witness a totally different culture from what you are used to? This is very important to consider because if you are prone to "culture shock" then, you would not enjoy the vacation. To prepare yourself for other cultures, make sure that you conduct a research first to have a general knowledge on the place.

This research should include the basic pieces of information a tourist should know about the place including means of getting there, places that offer accommodation and lodging, paper requirements, lifestyle of the people living in there, food available for you and what are your options, as well as the clothes that you should wear. (Remember, Turkey is a Muslim country so people are stricter when it comes to dress code especially to women.)

- how much is your budget? This should also be settled before you finalize your adventure trip. To know how much you will be spending in going and staying in Gaziantep, inquire from travel agencies that handle and arrange visits to the place. If the cost would fit your budget well, then it is better to have the travel agency arrange everything for you.

But if it costs too much and you would still want to push though, start your research by visiting sites in the Internet that offer information on Gaziantep. Although it would cost some of your time, it would cost you lesser amount of money.

[theonceoverthinker]

Comfortable (Fair Game)

Summary: Things worked out in Atlas and Mantle, better than anyone could have reasonably expected them to. Who’d have thought? Now, the extended group sets out after saving one day to save the next one and the one after that. And with a moment’s peace in between those days, Qrow and Clover finally let themselves get comfortable. 

AO3        Fanfiction.net

A/N: So like the summary warns (While a background element of the fic itself), this fic is almost certainly an AU for the 0% likelihood that everything is going to work out perfectly in the Atlas/Mantle arc -- the communication tower will be back up, everyone will be warned about Salem and then protected, and then everyone will then go to inform the rest of the world.

Tagging @merilinlokk and @lady-branwen!

Seriously, this thing is so sappy. I can't believe it. I am grossed out by this abomination of cuteness! 

Enjoy.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Atlas has a gorgeous line of aircrafts. Aircrafts are behemoths of steel most every other place in Remnant, but in Atlas, where they are an indispensable part of life, something about them is simply different from those in the regions below. Perhaps it’s a reflection of Atlas’ gilded lives -- or at least formerly gilded lives.

Things are changing. So many things have changed already. Atlas and Mantle exist under new leadership, and now are readying themselves to aid in the fight against Salem. The communication’s tower is up and running. There’s a new Winter Maiden.

And now, just as life changes, their extended group must change as well. There are other regions to visit, to warn about Salem, and to assist in facing off against the Grimm that will haunt them in the wake of that knowledge. Much assistance will be required -- enough to warrant the strongest assets of the Atlesian military to join the extended fight beyond Atlas’ borders.

Despite their higher spirits, everyone’s a little mixed at the idea of leaving Atlas. For the Ace Ops, Atlas is not just a workplace...it’s home. For the kids, it was somewhere stable. Clover can only imagine how much they’ve missed having someplace like that to stay. From what Qrow tells him, constant travel has been something of a norm for them since they faced the Fall of Beacon.

But at least this time, their accommodations are more comfortable. The plane they’re taking is about as nice as Atlesian arcrafts come. It’s no four-star hotel, but it’s close. 

Clover’s happy to see that the kids seem content with the accommodations as they board it. 

He’s also happy to see his team content with the accommodations as they board it.

But mostly, so strongly to him that it’s almost embarrassing, he’s happy to see Qrow content with the accommodations as he boards it.

Clover makes sure he’s right by Qrow’s side to get his reaction up close, and Qrow’s smile -- as always -- does not disappoint. It’s as warm as a fireplace after a snowstorm and more beautiful than a hyacinth in bloom.

And fortunately for Clover, he’s been seeing it more and more frequently over the past few months they’ve spent together.

Clover’s always known he’s been blessed with a personality that could win just about anyone over, but experiencing Qrow warming up to him, opening up to him, enjoying his presence and their partnership...it’s been something so different than he ever expected.

He’s unashamed to admit that he loves it with all that he is.

They board the plane together, and Clover gestures to Qrow two unoccupied seats towards the center of the plane.

There’s been no secret made about the length of this flight. The trip from here to Vacuo is sixteen hours.

That’s sixteen hours they’ll be side-by-side, and while this plane is luxurious, that luxury comes at the cost of seats. There’s just barely enough for all of them, and the plane’s available seats are filling up fast. 

Committing to a spot now means committing to spending a whole day by the side of whoever one ended up next to.

Clover knows Qrow knows this.

And he still chose to sit next to Clover without an ounce of hesitation.

A smile crosses Clover’s face, and he’s undeniably thrilled.

However, there’s more to it than that, and funnily enough, that more would seem like less to the naked eye -- comfort.

Comfort, yes. That just about describes everything about them, and it might just be the part of this thing they have that Clover loves more than anything else.

While the armrest between them offers a generous amount of space, his and Qrow’s shoulders touch as they get settled into their seats. Still, neither of them blush, nor look away. No, the touch is casual -- it’s comfortable.

‘Comfortable’ -- oh, how Clover’s grown to love that word. 

As the plane takes off, Clover relaxes at the thought of the next sixteen comfortable hours they’ll share together.

()()()()()()()()()()

In the unlikely event Qrow was ever forced to spend the rest of his days aboard an airplane -- not exactly his ideal retirement plan, mind you, but at least it doesn’t involve being digested by a Grimm -- he can think of a lot worse people to choose to sit next to for all of those remaining years than Clover Ebi.

So when the prospect of a mere sixteen hour flight by his side approaches them, Qrow has no qualms accepting the invitation. 

As a matter of fact, a qualm is just about the last thing Qrow Branwen has with anything having to do with Clover Ebi.

Clover is comfortable -- yes, ‘comfortable’ is the best word to describe him. For as serious as he is when it comes to his job, he is also as carefree as Harbinger is sharp. A lesser mind would attribute that quality to his semblance and the cockiness that it may cause, but Qrow takes pride in being the exact opposite of a lesser mind. He knows that carefreeness Clover has is more than just the result of luck -- it’s who Clover is -- plain and simple. Qrow sees it in Clover’s eyes, his brow, and his smile, a smile that isn’t innocent, but informed, yet still optimistic, and that makes its successes that much more interesting to witness.

Qrow spends a lot of time looking at that smile, and even more time thinking about it. 

And now, he has that smile all to himself for sixteen hours.

Not to mention, if there’s one thing Atlas can be counted on, it’s that it has amazing planes. Their seats feel like they’re made of the very clouds they’re flying through, the craft is fully stocked with seemingly every snack under the sun as well as a nice variety of sodas, and they have screens to project their scrolls onto for a handsfree experience.

So not only will he have access to Clover’s smile, he and Clover will also be given plenty of good reasons TO smile.

It’s going to be a great flight.

()()()()()()()()()()

Clover swears that at some point, the plane flew up beyond the limits of the very sky itself and is now gliding straight across heaven.

Sure, that theory is rather hyperbolic, but with how nice of a time he’s having, he wouldn’t be surprised if it proved to be the case.

Rays of light amber shine inside the plane. Qrow, while not directly in its way, is bathed in it all the same. 

The sun makes everything about him pop -- as if he didn’t already do that well enough on his own. His smile is so much brighter, the speckles in his eyes are clearer, and his teeth almost sparkle in the light. Even the crumbs from the pretzels he ate earlier are illuminated, and Clover -- ever the neat freak his team well knows him to be -- finds too endearing for words.

The setting sun gives Clover little time to take it in, so he does fully under the guise of simple conversation.

He can be quite the clever devil when he wants to be.

That would probably be a bad thing if he didn’t care for the topic, but he does. Clover considers himself a caring guy, but Qrow manages to make even the most seemingly boring, annoying, or weird topics come alive. While Clover’s not at all into video games, if Qrow’s talking about them, suddenly, he doesn’t mind thinking about them for a half hour or so.

The past few hours have passed in a relaxed state of bliss. Conversations tend to flow between them as naturally as a river, and the long flight together hasn’t changed that. There’s plenty of moments of silence too, or just moments that pass where they do things on their own, but it never feels out of place. It’s just them...being who they are. 

Clover likes who they are.

It’s not long before the sun completely sets. The dark sky is contrasted by the warm lights from within the plane, and it feels as if they’re safely put in a nice, cozy cabin on a harsh winter’s night.

However, before long, that changes too.

Their arrival in Vacuo will be early. Everyone aboard the craft knows that, and as yawns start to surface after their early wake up to prepare for their initial departure, it starts to sink in that calling it a night sooner rather than later is in all of their best interests.

Clover can already see people settling in for some sleep. He gets a peek at his teammates, and he can just barely hold back a chuckle. 

Harriet’s lounging in her seat with her left arm spread out over the armrest and her eyes shut, with Vine holed up in the corner beside the window and his seatmate, halfway to slumber town himself. Marrow meanwhile has contorted himself so that his tail is curving over his body while Elm pushes his back against her own as to sleep more cozily.

Of all the descriptors Clover as ever used or considered using in regards to his team, the term ‘adorable’ has never once come to mind. However, those brief glances at his fellow fighters changes that perspective in an instant.

He has a sneaking suspicion that a certain group of kids from Beacon have a hand to play in the change. 

Honestly, the Ace Ops as a whole have become so much closer over the weeks that unorthodox group has been in their presence.

Those kids...and Qrow...who knew they would be what the world needed the most right about now?

And more importantly, who knows what they’ll do next? Clover believes that whatever it is will be something good, and he’s happy to be along for the ride.

Well, whatever the case, he does agree nonetheless that it’s just about time to turn it in for the night.

()()()()()()()()()()

Sixteen hours never seemed too big of a number for Qrow, and passing that time with Clover has made it seem even more paltry than that. 

Things are always easy like that for Qrow and Clover -- at least when they’re together, that is. Clover has this aura about him -- not a luck-based aura, but...a different kind of aura, separate from the pressures of semblances and more of a resemblance of his core personality. That aura makes the air feel just a bit sweeter and the urge to keep his guard up seem so much more distant than it should be.

Being around Clover...it makes Qrow just feel safe.

He knows it’s unwise. After all, they have a relic in their possession. It’s just a matter of time until a flying Grimm attacks them, or Hazel will show up on a hot air balloon or something or both at the same time, ready, willing, and able to blow them out of the sky.

Well, at least Tyrian’s not among their enemies’ numbers anymore.

Still, despite the danger that lurks behind each and every one of Remnant’s four corners, Clover’s sheer presence somehow wills his relaxation into existence. It’s nice having someone around like that, and it’s even nicer that that person is Clover.

Qrow’s never been much of a talker -- in truth, he’s not even that much of a talker with Clover -- but Clover and he are able to ebb and flow through the balance of conversation and alone time with such ease. There always seems to be something new for the two of them to discuss, and at the same time, they can exchange a comfortable silence with not a single bit of awkwardness, and no time has made that more apparent than today. 

Most of the conversation’s been surrounding Vacuo. Qrow wants Clover to know what he’s in for once they hit the harsh sands below it. Clover seems so assured that he can handle the rough climate, but he’s never been there before. Nonetheless, Clover’s confidence -- as it is often one to do -- leaves Qrow believing he can weather whatever Vacuo has in store for him.

...That said, is it bad that Qrow also wants to see the look on Clover’s face when he realizes they need to regularly traverse the desert on foot?

Probably, but he’d be lying if he said it wasn’t a hilarious mental image to have dance around in his head.

Still, even if he has a hard time at first, Qrow knows Clover will get it in no time. 

And he looks forward to that smile of triumph when even the cruelest of wastelands falls prey to Clover Ebi’s relentless optimism.

The shattered moon is the only light the outside world provides them that remains in the wake of the deceased day. And just like that very outside world, it’s not long after the sun abandons it that the occupants of their aircraft abandon their overhead lights.

It makes sense. After all, they’re supposed to be landing early tomorrow, and they left Atlas Academy pretty early this morning just to make their flight. Everyone could use a little shut eye.

Some arrive sooner to that proverbial party than others.

Qrow hears Ruby and Nora snoring from both the front and back of the aircraft, respectively. 

He’s traveled with them for months, but it never ceases to amaze him just how loudly those two brats in particular seem to -- not even just sleep, but just do...everything.

Other snores -- less loud than his niece and her friend’s -- speckle the night with bits of sound, as the plane lets itself darken. 

He and Clover lock eyes just before turning to see their comrades as they fall to the lull of sleep. 

Diagonal from their seats, they spot something that almost makes Qrow’s heart skip a beat.

‘Cute’ really isn’t Qrow’s scene. He may hang around with people considered to be cute by both others and admittedly himself, but Qrow doesn’t go looking for cute things, nor pay them any more attention than anything else that only mildly interests him with few exceptions.

But seeing Yang and Blake, cuddling up against each other with a shared blanket that continues melding forms that are already bound by touched foreheads, yeah, that’s cute. 

Nah, not cute. Downright ‘precious’ would be the better way to describe the sight before him. 

Clover seems to think so too. He can feel the tension in Clover’s forearm release from up against him, but also not pull back.

Qrow can’t even blame him. He’s halfway tempted to take a picture and send it to Ruby because he knows she’d kill him if she found out he held something like this back from her.

But he doesn’t. This is Yang and Blake’s moment, not theirs, even if it is cute.

They’re good kids. They deserve some happiness like that.

He and Clover take a final look at the lovebirds before turning back to each other, softly smiling. 

Clover hums his agreement to their silent conversation in a relaxed, yet still jovial tone. 

Then...Clover does something unexpected. He leans down briefly, rifling around the bottom of his seat. Moments later, he surfaces, but with a dark blue plush, cylindrical bundle in his hands. The name of the aircraft is embroidered onto the cloth exterior. 

Well, it wouldn’t be an airplane ride without a complimentary blanket, now would it?

Clover pops open a button and holds the blanket between them, his offer obvious despite that offer being given no voice.

There’s a hidden implication to the gesture, especially given what they just saw between his niece and Blake.

A sudden case of convenient amnesia overtakes Qrow -- or rather, Qrow takes on -- regarding the fact that he has also been provided with his own blanket, one that rests right beside where Clover found his, and that he’d be able to access just as easily as Clover was.

Oops. How silly of him.

Qrow, with a shrug and a chuckle nods his acceptance. 

Without a word needing to be exchanged between them, Clover and Qrow spread the blanket over themselves and get comfortable. 

Clover positively radiates warmth. It would make for a sweltering scenario if the shared body heat was balmy rather than cozy.

Qrow and Clover are sharing a blanket.

No, Qrow is not completely beside himself with a delight he never thought it was possible for him to house.

...That’s the veneer he aims to put on, at least.

In truth though, for as happy as he is with the arrangement, it’s not enough to hitch his breath, nor make his heartbeat race. Things may have been like that at some point between them, but right now, Qrow can’t remember -- he doesn’t want to.

What they have now, it’s comfortable -- literally, at this second, just as much as it is figuratively -- and Qrow wouldn’t trade it for the world.

As the final minutes of their day slink by, they watch something on each of their TV’s. Still, Qrow isn’t paying attention to anything except how nice this all feels and just how alluring the prospect of a nap is right now. He suspects Clover feels the same. Their eyelids begin to grow heavy, and that weight only gets increases more and more by the second. Hardly ten minutes pass after the blanket is spread before Clover and Qrow quietly fall asleep.

()()()()()()()()()()

Yang’s uncle, whether he’ll ever admit it or not -- something Yang thinks is about as likely as Salem deciding to sprout confetti all across Remnant instead of Grimm -- is too cute for words.

She’s seen plenty of instances of his cuteness throughout her childhood -- mostly through funny faces and even funnier stories made to entertain while simultaneously distracting her and Ruby. In her adolescence, instances were less prevalent, coming out only through the occasional glimpse of awkwardness, goofiness, or unashamed bouts of affection.

But any absence of signs that she’s ever experienced in her life of her uncle Qrow’s cuteness are more than made up for by the sheer sight of Qrow cuddling underneath a blanket with Clover Ebi.

It’s an adorable sight to wake up to -- not quite as adorable as the sleeping Blake that first greets Yang’s eyes when she wakes from their nap, but still more than enough to make her smile nonetheless. 

Yang doesn’t stay awake for long. At times like this, Blake’s presence soothes her like nothing else, and the pull of sleep is a mighty one to ward off under such circumstances. However, upon prying her eyes away from Blake to stretch, she gets to see a bit of her uncle’s snuggly nap, and it does a good job holding its own in the battle of cuteness.

All is calm, but all the same, while the nightmares that Yang knows make her uncle Qrow reel in his sleep are clearly not present, Qrow’s head ends up shifting all the same, eventually leaning onto Clover’s shoulder where it at last is calmed. And Clover’s head, taken off its balance, gently sandwiches Qrow’s head into the crook of his neck. Yang sees Qrow’s left arm slip towards the bottom of the small of Clover’s back, and Clover’s hand is visible through the indent it makes, falling to Qrow’s right thigh, practically on his waist. Both sport easy smiles.

Despite the fact that there are so many fights left unresolved and so many monsters that will likely soon come for all of them, Cover and Qrow both look as though they’ve never been as safe as they are whilst held in each other’s arms.

And in the entire time Yang’s known both of them, they’ve never looked this comfortable before. 

Well, perhaps she’s wrong about that. Everything about them is comfortable from the outside looking in, and has been since the day they were first partnered up. It’s something that goes beyond their complementary semblances, too. Actually, yeah -- if Yang were to put it into words, she’d say that they just fit so...comfortably together. There’s no better way to describe them than that, but all the same, it’s the right word for them.

Yang’s not a betting girl, but she’ll say that if Qrow or Clover were each allowed to pick a single moment could be made to last forever, there’s a good chance at least one of them would pick this one.

She’s happy for them. Clover’s a good guy -- cool-headed, but cocky, spunky, but earnest, and strong willed, but not incapable of change to help the world improve. Yang likes him and as a plus, he and Qrow fight well together. 

They’re good men. They deserve some happiness like that.

And speaking of some due happiness, a slight stir from Blake settles Yang back into their prior pose, and moments later, she falls asleep again.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Clover’s woken up in aircrafts before. 

If he had to call one thing about them his favorite, it would be the pale sunset that shine through the windows. Just like the sunset from the previous day, it creates a gorgeous glow over the plane’s occupants that makes for a wonderful way to start the day.

And with both that sunset and Qrow Branwen by his side, Clover wouldn’t be surprised if this turned out to be the best day ever.

As if he and Qrow didn’t match each other perfectly enough already, they wake up at practically the same time, too. Less than a minute after Clover eyes open, Qrow’s eyes meet his gaze. It’s so serene -- Clover feels as though he could meet it forever. 

In a move that honestly surprises Clover, Qrow doesn’t do anything to move away from him. They’re so close -- there’s no way that hasn’t resonated with Qrow the same way it has for Clover.

As a matter of fact, he doesn’t even rush to create the small excuse for distance they had prior to their rest either. The touch lingers in the warmth of the blanket and their shared body heat. 

No one else is awake yet. Neither he nor Qrow are looking around, but he gets the sense that they can both just feel it.

A certain moment from the night before rings a bell, of two people nestled under a blanket together, holding each other tightly.

It’s just them -- resting together, resting comfortably.

Clover’s pretty sure there’s not one tangible thing in all of Remnant or beyond that he wants more.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Qrow hasn’t slept as well as he has over the past few hours in a long, long time. His usual bout of nightmares let him be, and because of that, not once did his consciousness stir out of its state of slumber all evening.

It’s a good feeling -- it’s a really good feeling.

He has to strain himself to will the strength needed to open his eyes into existence -- a Herculean task that he feels should grant him a round of applause for its completion.

And when he does, he’s rewarded for his efforts by one hell of a sight. 

Clover’s eyes have always stuck out to Qrow as bold -- then again, so do his own -- but two inches at most from his face, despite their singular color, they’re as vibrant as a rainbow.

Neither of them speak, as if their proximity to each other leaves them speechless.

But no -- this isn’t them being speechless. Qrow knows what that’s like, but he can tell that if he ever gains a desire to end this, he could whenever he wants to.

And he doesn’t.

Instead, tender smiles are exchanged, acting in place of any verbal language as a wish for a good morning.

Verbal or not, the wish feels well granted right about now. 

They’re both so close together right now, with much of their bodies already pressed against the other about as snugly as the situation can allow.

With that thought, another slams into him, one that should leave him agape and shocked, but doesn’t.

So Qrow let’s the thought exist, entertaining it like silly putty in his hands.

If they were so inclined to kiss, such a thing would be almost too easy to pass up right now.

And neither of them are running away. They’ve both fought their demons -- emotional and literal -- and won.

Some easiness is definitely called for.

So Qrow leans in, and Clover follows him as if their minds and thoughts were one.

It’s little more than a shift for them as their lips touch for the first time.

The kiss between them feels...weightless. Yeah, that’s how Qrow would best put it. With that weightlessness comes a sense of finally and fully letting go. It’s a letting go of his inhibitions, a letting go of his guard, and a letting go of anything that he hasn’t already readily offered Clover.

There’s not much of the latter...but that’s what makes the kiss as good as it is.

Qrow’s hand moves from the small of Clover’s back up to the space between his shoulders. Clover’s moves from Qrow’s thigh around the corner of his form, fully ensnaring his waist. 

It’s a quiet kiss, at least to the outside world. But between them, a fondness in the form of a question that had been upfront about its presence, but never ultimately asked is at last not only asked, but answered. That answer turns out to be better than Qrow could’ve ever imagined.

They breathe each other in more and more for every moment the kiss goes on, and that leaves them both with a lot of the other’s scents dancing through their noses.

The kiss comes to an end as a flight attendant passes by, offering them coffee. Even as they softly break apart though to tell them their drink preferences, one of each of their hands find their way to the other’s. 

Another kiss is not exchanged that morning, but those hands stay casually bound until the plane lands in a small mushroom cloud of sand. 

Vacuo is for certain going to be a challenge for the group, one that will not be gentle with its trials and tribulations as the weather, Grimm, and Salem’s goons alike put their patience, strength, and sanity through the absolute tightest wringer.

However, Qrow’s not worried, or at least not as worried as he would be alone. As long as Clover stands beside him, no matter the pain that may follow, a part of him will always be allowed to be comfortable.

[testenopcorona]

Daily Life During the Period of Corona Virus

   For more than a month, Italians had heard of the 'Corona Virus' in China, having seen the stories on the news about how the Chinese Government was handling the epidemic. This news seemed like something that was from a far off land that could never hit the Italian peninsula because it was the kind of situation that only happened to 'others', quite a normal response, much like many other populations responded. Thus, people were slow to put any emergency plans into place. At one point in early January, it was suggested that an Italian manager come up with an emergency plan, but this had not been the first time this manager had been advised that establishing rules to protect people from the normal flu was in order. However, one had to think positively rather than to living in fear of the Corona Virus, which was considered 'unlikely' to spread beyond China. People from all backgrounds, not just Italians, tend to be more favourable of looking at life from a positive point of view; however, planning for the best is sometimes the equivalent of kicking the bucket down the road to someone else. Politicians are now trying to find a solution to help small businesses that are facing difficulties during this trying period, and money is being allocated to help families with children who need to keep a mother or father at home to watch the children whose schools have recently been closed. On the surface, these seem to be the best solutions to problems facing the country, but the long-term effects could potentially bury the nation in outstanding debt, causing difficulties for future generations. Not only have hugs, kisses, and handshakes been banned. Soccer games open to fans have also been banned for thirty days by the decreet of Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister of Italy. This has saddened the majority of Italians, although many argue that even soccer players should have the right to keep their distance from one another. Furthermore, all sports' events must be held behind closed doors until the third of April, something that remains incredible in the country known for kisses on the cheeks.  If you have any kind of concerns pertaining to where and how to use Corona tester inzetten, you could contact us at the website. COVID-19 has interfered dramatically with the practice of religion, especially the Catholic religion, during February and March 2020. Yesterday, the author visited the Church of Santo Stefano in Borgomanero, where custodians had just cleaned the floors and disinfected the church. Not a living soul was to be found, neither a priest nor a tourist, which allowed the author to focus on the frescoes and the beautiful stained-glass windows in silence. If one travels across Italy this month, he or she will encounter numerous churches without parishioners because people are naturally afraid to meet one another in closed spaces no matter how large and accommodating they might be. It has been recommended that priests remove the holy water from Catholic Churches for fear of spreading the virus. Although citizens and tourists can visit holy shrines, church services have to be conducted via television and internet. Furthermore, churches have been closed because, in recent years, people have begun to steal religious artefacts from them when the churches and shrines are not guarded. The author has been researching what is happening in the churches throughout Italy; however, there is much more information available about soccer games and the survival of the economy, which seems to be the main focus right now. For instance, in the news one finds much information about saving the reputation of 'Made in Italy', so low-level employees are forced to work even harder than before as they hope other countries will continue to demand their products in times of trouble. A company which had had to quit producing medical face masks for fifteen years (due to Chinese competition), suddenly had to reopen its doors to help meet the needs of the Italian population that did not have enough masks to protect citizens from COVID-19. Not having enough masks was ironic in a country known for its Venetian Carnival celebration. Sadly, Venetian Carnival parades had to be cancelled this year for fear of contagion, causing the country to lose many tourist dollars and initiating the current crisis in Italian tourism. According to Assoturismo, ninety per cent of hotel bookings in Rome have been cancelled, and the United States has issued a level-3 warning to its citizens, stating that they should avoid travel to Italy in March. Travelers who visit Italy are required to stay home for 14 days after returning to the United States. A well-known leader of the Five Star Party was worried that such travel restrictions might lead to discrimination against Italians and 'Made in Italy'. Many members of La Lega believe in a bailout amounting to 50 billion euros. Citizens who used to hate watching the news because they generally detest politics are now glued to the TV to see what will happen next, whether or not they should stock up on food and masks, whether or not they will go to work, and who will help them get over the crisis. On a positive note, unlike most Americans who have to worry about paying much money to be treated for the Corona Virus, Italians know they will not take on a load of personal debt to pay for initial testing and further cures. The Sistema Sanitario Nazionale aims to heal all Italian citizens as well as those who have the appropriate visa to be in the country. Notwithstanding these good intentions, there is the likelihood that the health system will become overburdoned with too many patients to care for during the crisis. For example, in a message written at 12:30 on the third of March, the Piemonte Region announced that simple surgical procedures that utilize the operating rooms have had to be suspended (if they are not urgent procedures) in order to assure that the diffusion of the virus is contained. On the fourth of March, the Government decreed that all schools and universities would be closed for a month until the fifteenth of March although they are allowed to give lessons online when possible with the goal of stopping the spread of the virus or at least slowing down its spread. Until now, most Italians have been suspicious of online education; therefore, most teachers have not had training in how to convert to the online platform; nor have most students been prepared for this new learning curve. Fortunately, this experience will change the Italian mindset, so that everyone will learn to utilize the internet for learning, telecommuting, and flexitime. The Decree of the Prime Minister of the Council (DPCM) advises citizens to limit exiting the home if they are over the age of 65, to refrain from shaking hands, to refrain from kissing and hugging, and to avoid visiting family members in hospice or in assisted living. Citizens have been advised not to go directly to the emergency rooms, but that they should dial 112 before going in order to assure they are not positive with the Corona Virus. The Lombardia Region, having closed the gyms and swimming pools, had also ordered its citizens not to go to the local health clubs. Many citizens living in Lombardia interpreted the orders differently, thus deciding to go to use the sport clubs in the nearby Piemonte Region. Therefore, the Mayor of Novara, one of the cities in Piemonte, had to order that all of the city's health clubs be closed. Likewise, some people have tried to escape the Red Zones of containment in Lombardia to reach their families elsewhere. One example was that of two public school teachers from the southern town of Irpinia who had been ordered not to leave Codogno, but who returned home to Irpinia near Naples as fast as they could where they were forced to be quarantined with their families, causing the entire condominium to have to be quarantined. Whether museums should be kept open during the COVID-19 crisis remains a topic for debate amongst art enthusiasts. Museums take in much money while also attracting much-needed tourists from across the globe. Moreover, foreign tourists have to pay the much-needed tourist taxes, known as the tassa di soggiorno, which is going to be missed by the cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice (as well as many other cities) if tourism decreases, not to mention the tickets to museums which are sometimes higher for non-citizens. Italians themselves love to visit museums throughout their country, so they know they will be disappointed if they find museums closed for a month.

[maritimesilkroad3]

Exploring the Silk Road

21st Century Maritime Silk Road

The actual Silk Road is one associated with China's most popular tourist destinations. There are actually already heaps of travel agents as well as tour companies offering excursions in 2010. So where is it and also why is it so popular?

21st Century Maritime Silk Road

Traditionally the actual Silk Road extends via Xian in central China and taiwan to either the Middle Far east or Europe. In fact there are several routes, some to Moscow in the north and those straight into India and Pakistan in the south. The same as travellers in the time regarding Marco Polo - the particular thirteenth century - typically the ancient trade routes remain although the type of goods available and the method of transport get changed. The reason why the Cotton Road starts/ends in Xian is that it was the ancient investment of China and dimensions trade routes, in many cases across the Yangtze and Yellow Estuaries and rivers, were already established for you to distribute goods within Cina.

Nowadays, many tourists start off their Silk Road trip in Beijing. The Poderoso City, the Great Wall involving China the many places connected with historic interest will make the 3-5 day stay useful. Add to it a little store shopping and time to experience n . Chinese cuisine and you are positioned for your Silk Road encounter.

Getting there. Most intercontinental airlines fly into Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. You will find a lesser choice of flights to help and from western Tiongkok and most of these are structured out of the capital of Xinjiang Province, Urumqi.

China offers rail connections north in order to Mongolia, Hong Kong, Tibet along with west to Moscow. To the even more adventurous there are multiple track links into Vietnam.

Instructor access from/to Pakistan is offered along the Karakorum Highway, in addition to November though April, introduced closed. Delays and distress can be part of this path so be prepared. Travel throughout Pakistan needs serious thought. We spent 12 great days travelling there at the end of 2007 but with the climb of the Taliban the risk intended for westerners has increased dramatically.

Integralinis are required for all access take into account China and I recommend that all these be obtained well in advance.

Driving around Train travel is famous in China although it is equipped with an extensive coach network. Naturally you could fly but that might really defeat the main intent behind visiting China - in order to meet the people. Train travel is usually reliable, fast and affordable. "Soft" sleeping compartments because of four or on a few routes for two persons are offered or if you want to join often the locals try the "hard" class, but unless you need treatment on a tight budget, it's not encouraged. You will need assistance buying the railroad tickets as few stop staff speak English. The particular timetables and options might be complex. Ask a travel company with China experience to help you.

Many companies offer tours over the Silk Road. Most of these work with a combination of coach and also. International companies include DISTANCE, Peregrine, World Expeditions, Vacation Indo-China. You can find these applying Google. Some tours will include a lour leader and guideline. Standards of accommodation in addition to comfort are reflected from the pricing.

Another option is to work with a guide through Chinese firms like Xinjiang Silk Path Adventures in Urumqi. Community guides can be provided with a per day basis or all round for a tour, at inexpensive prices. Tour guides are required to always be licensed in China.

When is it best to Go China is a huge country covering eight timezones. Its climate varies noticeably. Summers can be hot as well as sticky and the winters really cold so the best several weeks are in Spring and Fall months. Consult a good guide reserve for the temperatures that you can knowledge at the time of your planned vacation so that you can dress appropriately.

Egypt Road Highlights To get the best of a Silk Road quest it should not be rushed. Let a minimum of 14 days in addition to just about any stay in Beijing. If you are such as Uzbekistan add another eight days:

The major attractions are generally:

o Xian the Clay Army and other historic web sites o The Labrang Monastery in Xiahe, in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous region to The Fort and Wonderful Wall of China Adult ed at Jiayuguan o Dunhuang for riding the two humped Bactrian camels in the great sand dunes. Nearby are definitely the Buddhist Mogao Caves fixed into a desert backdrop from the Flaming mountains. o Urumqi has an excellent Xinjiang Comarcal Museum. Two hours apart is the spectacular lake section of China, the Beautiful Lake. Here you'll find Kazakh people living in yurts and also grazing their herds associated with horses, sheep and goats. If you have the time, stay right away and experience the food and food of the locals. o Turpan is famous for its grapes, along with nearby are the ancient urban centers of Gaochang and Jiaohe, the Bezeklik thousand Juggernaut Tombs and the underground normal water systems called karez in which link Turpan to much essential snow melt from the far away Tian Shan mountains. a Kashgar, a trade option city for thousands of years. Visit the outdated city before it's destroyed and attend the famous On the animal market which though dusty is a great spectacle. e Those with extra time may find the actual southern Silk Road remanso towns of Yarkand in addition to Khotan of interest. This area is much less visited but does have several interesting side trips which includes camel safaris and journeys into the Taklamakan desert. This kind of predominantly Uyghur area provides much of interest for those that are seeking something a little different. i A short train journey or maybe flight will take you across the european Chinese border and then up on Tashkent the capital of Uzbekistan. Here the real gems in the Silk Road are to be within the ancient cities regarding Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. Coach travel in Uzbekistan is comfortable and reasonably priced, although the rail line western world offers an alternative.

If you are looking for a getaway with a difference and you are a small adventurous, then travelling the particular Silk Road should be on the side your list. It is harmless and affordable. And it is any hugely rewarding experience. Sure, it will have its challenges but you may be asking yourself what a story you can tell if you get home, not to mention your excellent digital photographs of the best parts of this scenic journey.

[traveladventuresinnepal]

Best Trekking Places for Crazy Trek Lovers in Nepal

In our previous post, we mentioned the top best adventurous places to visit in Nepal. Our blog post and recommendations are strictly suggested from the genuine travelers who have experienced holiday tours and thrilling destinations in Nepal. In this post, we will be mentioning about top-rated and best trekking destinations in Nepal and a few necessary information to help you guide through your holiday plans. 

Nepal is the land of natural wonders, and in the lap of Mount Everest, there are countless spots to trek for thrilling experiences. It is rather unfair to name one as the best trek in Nepal because these different routes are best in their way. However, depending on your need, budget and choice of difficulty treks in Nepal varies in several days you spend for treks. Yet, we have listed down the top and best treks possible in Nepal based on destination popularity, scenery, culture and price.

Everest Base Camp Trek

It is one of the most spectacular and also the utmost trekked routes in Nepal. Many tourists visit Nepal to set their foot in the EBC and to enjoy the enticing mountain views. However, beside Everest or the Sagarmatha, there are other highlights as well. A nearby viewpoint Gorakshep which is also known as Kala Patthar is regarded as the highest point of elevation that tourists will reach during the EBC Trek—situated at over 18519ft that compensate trekkers with an incredible view of Nupste, Changtse and Lhotse. Besides, it is also the best spot in the entire trek for an unbarred sight of Mount Everest. One of the adored parts of Kala Patthar is the dazzling panoramic view of mountain ranges and glaciers during sunrise. Trekking EBC is the ultimate achievement for dedicated hikers that don't require expertise in mountaineering. You will be guided with expert Sherpas and guides to help acclimatization schedule, which ensures a person with the good physical and mental condition can easily conquer Everest Base Camp. 

The best season for trekking is when the temperature is comfortable with plenty of daylight with the blooming of wildflowers which happens in the spring and autumn which in context of Nepal starts in February and lasts until May. However, it is suggested that someone willing to see the Himalayas at their most elegant needs to trek during fall, which is around September and November. 

Besides the amazing natural view of mountains, you will also witness the cultural and historical highlights. Monastery like Tengboche in the Khumbu Valley, which is regarded as the spiritual centre of the region that holds an impressive collection of colorful Buddhist artwork.

Due to health or time if you think you cannot make to EBC then there are Everest sightseeing flights conducted by Buddha Air, one of the best domestic air in Nepal. 

Khopra Ridge Trek

It is another moderate level trek that is considerable for beginners. This trek is fantastic in the spring as you get to enjoy the stunning mountains in the warm light of the sun. Spring brings with it the colourful flowers, greenery and fresh air. Khopra Ridge Trek in spring is brilliant with the picture-worthy landscapes and the beautiful weather.

One of the moderate level treks suitable for beginners is the Khopra Ridge Trek. This trekking takes you to the ethnic villages and experiences the wildlife of the region. As you travel the, you'll be awe-stricken by the beautiful landscape. The Annapurna ranges, Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri in the background will be a sight to see. This picture-perfect moment will make you enjoy trekking even more. Kaire Lake with its sapphire water is the main highlight of this trek. As you reach Ghandruk, you'll enjoy the beauty of Machhapuchhre and Hiunchuli.

Annapurna Circuit Trek 

It is another most popular treks in Nepal because it embraces the landscape and the ancient culture of the region. It is a moderate level trek that is also suitable for those who are non-experienced. During ABC trek you will walk through the forests, ethnic villages, paddy fields, and the world's deepest river known as stream gorge to ice streams. If you are trekking in the spring season, then you are likely to see waterfalls and flows along with fresh delicacies. Hence, it is one reason why the ABC trek is considered to be a complete package of nature and culture. 

Mount Annapurna is 8091m, making it the 10th highest mountain in the world with its journey to the base which is 4130ft provides a unique experience of trekking. Ghandruk, Chhomrong village and Jhinu (natural hot spring) are the major attraction in ABC trek. As the base camp is surrounded by numerous Himalaya ranges in which Machhapuchhre is one which is the famous fishtail that dominates the skyline above Pokhara. 

Mardi Himal Trek 

Mardi Himal Trek is considered to be the short yet most adventurous and exciting trek in Nepal. The first discovery of Mardi Himal was made in 1961 through a route via the east flank. If you are short on time, then this trek can be soul saviour to escape away from the busy city life. It is also an ideal choice of those trekkers who are looking off beaten trekking experience. It is an 11 days trek and considered to be a moderate level around the Annapurna region with beautiful natural views. The trek happens alongside the Annapurna I (8091m), Dhaulagiri (8167m), Hiunchuli (6441m), Annapurna II (7937m), Annapurna III (7555m), Annapurna South (7219m), Fishtail (6988m) therefore, it is in the best 5 lists of trekking in Nepal. 

The trekking region is blissful as the wildflowers like rhododendron and other makes it feel like heaven on Earth. You can also carefully observe the traditional culture and ethnic groups of these remote areas while passing by the villages like Kande, Durali, Siding etc. The trek to Mardi Himal is not well marked, and accommodation is limited, so an experienced guide is needed along the way. This expedition requires knowledge of the trails, and mountain experience is a little risky in a few spots. 

Makalu Base Camp Trek 

Also known as the fifth highest mountain in the world the mount Makalu is situated in the Mahalangur Himalayan Range that is the southeast of Mount Everest. It is an isolated peak with a pyramid shape whose beauty is enriched by the delightful environment of the Arun Valley making the Makalu Base Camp Trek a distinct. Due to its remote accessibility and off beaten trekking trails the region attracts few travellers. The trail goes through the village of Tumlingtar in the mid-eastern district, and the Makalu Barun National Park with jagged topographies and notoriety for swift ascends through villages and beautiful descents along with lush forests. It covers the area of 1,500 km square in the districts of Solukhumbhu and Sankhuwasabha; the Makalu Barun National Park is the world's only protected area with an elevation of more than 8,000 m encircling tropical forest and the snowy mountains. 

The Barun valley beside the trek also has the stunning contrasts with high waterfalls cascade into deep gorges, rugged rocks rise from lush green forests, and colourful flowers bloom beneath white snowy peaks. The unique scenery of the region shelters some of the last untouched mountain ecosystems on Earth. It is a long, varied and a quite strenuous trek suitable for those who are keen trekkers and nature enthusiasts and who would rather be in tranquil, pristine nature than follow the crowds.

Upper Mustang Trek

Upper mustang trek is exclusive and mesmerizing because its remote and untouched civilization will art your experience of life that is similar to the ancient civilization back in time. You can still see the living culture and tradition that has been practiced for centuries in this region still untouched and prehistoric.  Mustang is also known as the forbidden kingdom as this part of the country is beyond any control and influence of the administrative center of the Nepal. 

The land of Mustang is dry and barren as it receives very less rainfall and shares its nature similar to the Tibetan plateaus. It is also known as the only desert in Nepal that has alluring and captivating views although landscape doesn't possess any kind of vegetation except few plants that grow in dry places. The high walls with the opinions of rigid mountains in the background, it nothing less than a picturesque portrait. Your trekking experience in the Upper Mustang will be like a treasure hunt where you travel to mysterious places. The deserted yet beautiful landscape will rendezvous with its hidden natural caves and artistic monasteries built there is like a reward for your hard work and endurance capacity to spend your time in such a remote place. As you follow your trail, you will come across the Gompas, prayer flags and monasteries, which is an evidence to the Tibetan Buddhist culture prevalent in this place. The local people residing in this region are Lobas. These people follow Buddhism and regard themselves as the descendants to Tibet.

It is the less traveled part of Nepal. The people living here follow a lifestyle that we hear in the books and televisions some centuries back. Therefore, you can analyze how remote and secluded this region is. As the area is dry and barren, it is prone to windy storms in the afternoon and trekking in this region is beyond moderate. You must have functional endurance capacity and compromising habit when it comes to food and accommodation. If you choose, Upper Mustang Trek as your travel package, then you are a real adventure seeker who would like to give a new taste to your travel stories.

Buddha Holidays is 100% a subsidiary of Buddha Air that conducts tour and travels in Nepal for tourists all around the globe. It is the safest way to travel in Nepal if you are not sure about the other legitimate tour companies in Nepal. 

[trafford1234]

Things To Know About The 5 Star Luxury Hotels In And Around Manchester

Firstly, it might probably be useful to assist define luxurious, both simply as a standalone word and inside the context of 5-star luxury hotels. Luxurious is employed to spell out something that's excellent in quality to something else and therefore the word often suggests that whatever is being described is often very expensive. When taken within the context of hotels, this suggests superior to other hotels then often a more exclusive destination to remain. It’s normally defined when it involves room size, quality with furnishings, food, and drink on offer, facilities, and therefore the neighboring area.

Luxury Five-star boutique hotels combine the comfort related to a home with the posh of the many of the 5 Star boutique hotel in Manchester city center. You get a sense of home far away from home alongside the posh of staying during a quality 5 Star boutique hotel. What all luxury accommodations offer- airport devour and drop off, limo service, laundry service, and theater and concert tickets amongst all types of other perks, but you furthermore may find the comfort of home. There is certainly no other comparable accommodation available within the city of Manchester.

There is a good sort of concerts on in Liverpool one among the various Cities within Lancashire regularly, catering for all different types of musical tastes from almost all walks of life Considering that concerts continue fairly late, confirm to book one among the various close Five-star luxury boutique hotels so you'll revisit easily at the ultimate of the night.

Time to travel to ascertain for yourself whether you agree or not, so happy on the look for that luxurious 5 Star boutique hotel web and hopefully you discover the Five Star Luxury Boutique Hotel for you. Beginning any look for a five-star boutique Luxury Hotel in Lancashire should start with realizing something about the region you'll be visiting. Lancashire may be a county inside northern a part of England, and it had been a prominent feature during the economic revolution of the 18th and 19th century where changes happened within the fields involving manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, exploration, and technology. Many with the towns of this region sprang up within the textile industry, and you'll find many inland towns still display the heritage of that industry.

With many wonderful rural areas to draw in the eye of the casual traveler, 5 Star luxury boutique hotels in Lancashire are really a gratifying addition thereto landscape. Walking trails abound with the Pennine hills and therefore the foothills to the east of Lancashire, and therefore the amazing wonder of the Forest or Trough of Bowland which sits at the guts of Lancashire. Knowing a little amount of the history of the spot is another bonus when checking out the proper location to rest your head after an extended day of adventure inside the county of Lancashire.

One cannot forget that the famous War of the Roses happened between Lancashire and its rivaling neighbor Yorkshire. They were vying for the English throne in an exceedingly eccentric way. Five Star luxury hotels in Manchester affords the required station from which to launch any visitor's study within the landscape which makes up this historical element of the planet.

Over the course of your time, any mention of Lancashire is strongly affiliated with Manchester and Liverpool. With Liverpool being the renowned home of the Beatles who took the whole world by storm back within the 1960s, many sightseers and travelers take great pleasure in with the power to locate a 5-star boutique Luxury Accommodation in Lancashire. Memories of screaming women and distraught parents also will always follow after those adventuresome teenagers.

Access to Lancashire exists by ferry from Ireland, the United Kingdom motorway network, or by plane using the Lancashire airports in the Black pool, Manchester, or Liverpool. That ensures that reaching the alluring regional of Lancashire and locating an appropriate five star Luxury Hotel in Lancashire is straightforward and afforded to anyone up for one's adventure of a life-time.

Motorways are available throughout the county to supply the casual visitor and resident alike how of getting from your location to Lancashire. With a base of operation which involves a five-star boutique Luxury bedroom in Lancashire.

For more info :- best hotel in Old Trafford

Visit us for social media update’s :-

https://www.facebook.com/thetraffordhallhotel/

https://www.instagram.com/traffordhallmanchester/

[garryspolicememories]

                Policing Memories of           Garry Crawford Circa 1962                          Part XII It was on June 14, 1971. I had just reported to the Superintendent at Sault Ste Marie D.H.Q., dropped off Sergeant Major Orville Waito and headed north on Highway #17 towards Wawa. If anyone has not travelled this section of Highway #17, it is one of the most beautiful scenic highways in Ontario. I remember my excitement growing as I travelled up past the Goulais River and when I first seen the majesty of Lake Superior. The immensity of the lake along with rugged shoreline and background of the mountains was breath taking. I drove by miles of beaches and I was amazed that I did not see a soul on them. The road constantly dips inland for a mile or two then you pop back out to another explosion of scenery at the Lake. Little did I realize that this beautiful country would be our home for the next nine wonderful years! I travelled by Harmony Bay, Batchewana Bay, Pancake Bay, Mamanse Harbour, Alona Bay and finally the Montreal River the half waypoint to Wawa. This was where I later learned the division point was between Sault Ste Marie and Wawa Detachments. At Montreal River the road goes up a steep incline for a mile and a quarter as you travel through an area of hill tops and lakes to Kenny Lake then the road drops down again to the Agawa Bay area where you follow along the great lake again, running inland past Doc Greig Lake, Red Rock until it finally pops back out again at Old Woman Bay. On reaching this point I had already crossed many large rivers. I would later memorize all the rivers and tick them off; in my mind, as I travelled north or south between Wawa and Sault Ste Marie. On crossing the Old Woman River the road took another steep incline and left the lake for a distance passing Baby and Fenton Lake, then over the Michipicoten River and finally the Wawa Detachment on the top of the hill It is on the service road just to the south of the town of Wawa. On reaching Wawa Detachment which is approximately two and a half hours north of Sault Ste Marie. I was greeted by the then Detachment Commander Patty Bingham. I became the third Corporal serving under Patty. The other two Corporals were Bill Duncan and Bill Freeth. Constables that immediately come to mind were Ray Negus, Ed Zelionis, Walter Purdy, Jeff Lamb, Joe Poderys, Spence Coutu, Tim Jones, Don Lewko, Carmen Foster, Tex Luoma, Tom Richber and Ray Rose. There were many others that I remember, however I believe they came later. I took a room at the Beaver Motel the first night and proceeded to orient myself to the Town of Wawa itself. The town of Wawa had their own municipal police force at that time. It was called the Michipicoten Township Police Force and the Chief was Scott McCrae. The Town is situated on a height of land between the Magpie River Valley and Wawa Lake, which lays east of the town for a distance of seven miles. Highway #101 runs from Highway #17 to the Town of Wawa, then east along the south shore of Wawa Lake to Chapleau and Timmins. The Wawa Golf Coarse lies in the Magpie River Valley to the West of the town and at elevation perhaps 200 feet lower. I remember that first night, driving out to the William Teddy Park; about a mile east of Wawa and just off Highway #101. The park was named after a native man who had first discovered gold in the creek that borders the park. I got out of my car and walked over to the shore where the picnic table had been that we used some three years earlier, where I had made a wish to be posted there. I don’t remember expressing that wish to anyone else other than my wife and sister and brother-in-law. However I was so thrilled that luck had brought me there. I looked back westerly at the town of Wawa itself and marveled at is beauty. Almost the whole length of the town has a sand beach at its edge. On reporting for duty the following day I learned, that the Detachment while not policing the town of Wawa at that time, had a very large area. To the east we covered out Highway #101 to the Sudbury Algoma district line, then into the town of Missanabie on the CNR. This patrol also included the mining hamlet of Renabie. This was a distance of approximately 85 miles from Wawa. We were required by agreement to patrol that area on each shift. The town of Hawk Junction is located about 12 miles out Highway #101 on the Algoma Central Railway. There seem to be a large number of occurrences that required our attendance in that area. Our area also went south on Hwy #17 to the Montreal River a distance of approximately 70 miles. To the North of Wawa we were responsible for 30 miles of Highway #17. Michipicoten Township police covered the land area that was included in their Municipal area for a distance of ten miles north of Wawa, our Detachment was responsible for all that other land area. We also initially had the town of Dubreuville. This was later made a one man Detachment. I should mention that following the appointment of the one man Detachment at Dubreuville, I was lucky again and assigned to supervise and monitor it. For the majority of my years at Wawa I had the pleasure of having Bob Pilon as the Constable posted there. Bob required very little supervising and at each visit I made, it was like visiting old friends, it was always a joy. On some occasions my wife made the trip with me and would visit Bob’s wife. One thing that stands out in my memory was the first week I was in Wawa, there were 11 moose motor vehicle collisions on our 30 mile stretch of the North Highway #17 alone. That was not counting those on Highway #101 and many more on the southern stretch of Highway #17. This I learned was quite normal for the area. I also learned that the dead moose provided a ready meat supply for many of the Constables and some of the Corporals. My boys use to tell me: You raised us on steak and weaned us on hamburger. They were not referring to beef steak. These types of accidents would continue all year but were especially bad in the spring of the year. There is some who say the moose congregate at the Highway because of salt used in the previous winter, and also that the flies chase the moose out of the bush to open areas. The fact is they sure like the highways. While the main work at Wawa was traffic enforcement and motor vehicle accidents, there was always a large number of break and enter and theft investigations, as the large wilderness area had very many tourist resorts and camps. We also had many lost person searches, drowning’s and accidental deaths to investigate. Wawa had three air services flying out of Wawa Lake. They were Airedale, White River Air and Watson’s. George Theriault flew out of Hawk Lake at Hawk Junction. I and many of the members of Wawa Detchment flew at one time or another with these services. Sometimes on investigations and sometimes for pleasure. The first month or two at Wawa I was busy obtaining accommodation, for my family and I, plus arranging for the necessary move from Warren to Wawa. We owned our house in Warren and at that time the force only paid for real estate fees. We were able to obtain the services of a real estate company from Sudbury, however they never did bring a customer or help with the sale. We finally succeeded in selling our home by advertising in the Sudbury Star. We found a home at 20 Superior Ave., in Wawa that had been moved down from the Renabie Mine town site, placed on a new basement and completely refinished. The only problem was the home would not be completed for another month. With the home in Warren sold, we arranged with a mover to move our furniture then store it until our new home was available. At that time we owned a Starcraft hardtop pop up trailer, so we moved it to the William Teddy Park on Highway #101. We moved into our trailer in July 1971, with our two boys age 8 and 10 years. My wife was just not quite sure of what I was getting her into. The house was still not completed when the mover finally came, but the builder agreed to let us use the two bedrooms to store all of our furniture while he completed the house. Looking back, it was a really good experience for us camping at William Teddy Park. As I write this article my wife and I have enjoyed a happy marriage for 60 years, however I must admit it takes a very special person to endure some of the things that happen to the spouse of an OPP member, especially during a northern posting. The first year or so at Wawa much of my time was taken up attending further training courses both in Brampton and Aylmer. The first being a Corporal Development Course, followed by a Criminal Investigation Course. During these courses my wife was left in Wawa adjusting to her new home. It was she who made our home a home and kept our family stong. The first winter in Wawa there was very heavy snowfall, if I remember correctly there was a total of 17 feet of snowfall. Highway #17 was closed many times. It was over a hundred and fifty miles to Sault Ste Marie, many of those miles ran close to the lake. Snow effect snow combined with the strong winds would cause complete whiteout conditions. So often when the roads were closed I would get a phone call, the person on the phone would inquire about the road conditions to the Soo. When I advised they were closed, they would argue with me as they wished to take the chance and go. I remember one day taking the family out for a snowmobile run. We stopped in a cleared area and I jumped off my machine, I sunk in the snow to a point where it was above my waist. I was happy the machine I was riding was close enough to me to assist my crawling back up and onto the snowmobile. I will continue this adventure in my next submission. If you wish to read my previous submissions, they are all stored at the following URL: <garryspolicememories.tumblr.com>

§   Added a tag to this post.

§    

[eabhaalynn]

So you want to be a doctor...

Congratulations on even thinking about this career path! It is undoubtedly a noble one, and one which will be very rewarding. You probably love science, you probably already work super hard at school, and you’ve probably got your own personal motivation that I will never properly understand. All of these are admirable, and I know I was in your position not too long ago.

Over the next few years, and probably over the last number of years, you will have some life experiences that will be truly incredible. These experiences will be inextricably linked to your career choice, and you should be so grateful to have them. My own volunteering in my community, with the FRIENDS group, is probably the most formative experience of my life. It is definitely what inspired me most to be a doctor, and I miss it to this day. More recently, I have got to see incredible doctors at work, both in the UK and US. They are such incredible communicators, saving and changing lives every single day – I am overwhelmed with gratitude and I don’t doubt that these experiences will change your life for the better.

But today, we have to be realistic, so here is the rest of what the last three (give or take) years have taught me about trying to be a doctor…

You almost certainly can do it.

I did my GCSEs at a school where not many people do medicine, and the ones who do are the ‘geniuses’ who don’t know what anything short of an A* looks like. You should all know that I am not one of these geniuses, at all. In fact, I barely remember what an A* looks like. So, as you may expect, when I announced my career plans to my fifth-year careers teacher, she told me that I ‘wasn’t academic enough’ for medicine and would never get to the interview stage of the process, so I’d be better off trying something else. My predicted GCSE grades were fairly unremarkable; 2A* 6A 2B. However, I am far too stubborn to listen to any career’s teacher, so I did try. I tried far too hard and did unexpectedly well at GCSE. Two years on, I am in a fairly similar academic dilemma; but this time I have a firmly accepted offer to study medicine. It’s all about progress. So, what I’m really trying to say is that if I can get a medicine offer, you can too. And please don’t listen to careers advisors who try to tell you otherwise.

Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

It’s almost exam season, and you’re going to work so hard and do so well, whatever stage you’re at. After exam time is summer time, and that’s when you’ll have time to have a really good think about what you’re getting yourself into, and why. (I know and fully understand I am only an upper 6thand have no right to talk about medicine as a degree or career – just the application).

Using my own personal experiences, here is what the application process was like for me…

SCHOOLS

Yes, this is a bizarre one. But essentially, I changed schools for medicine. I was THAT committed to the cause. And I promise the application process will still leave you feeling like you want to study anything but medicine.

Personally, I wasn’t too torn up about leaving, but it can be a really big deal. Certain courses require certain A Levels – and for the courses I wanted to apply to I really couldn’t have stayed. This isn’t make-or-break stuff, but it’s not something I gave much thought to until it was almost too late.

GCSEs

These are important exams. Most medical schools will either rank them standalone or on a point system before they interview you. You should definitely study. These are also probably the last exams you’ll sit at school where your hard work is almost guaranteed to pay off – so you’re better off putting in the work now. Better GCSEs would have made my sixth form experience infinitely easier, and worse ones could have made it far more difficult. They are not, however, an ultimatum. They do not define you or your ability to be a doctor.

VOLUNTEERING AND WORK EXPERIENCE

If you’re volunteering to get into medicine you’re doing it wrong. But volunteering for the good of your community and for the good of others, even for the sheer experience of it, is probably one of the greatest things you can ever do. Start as early as you can, and put in all the hours you can, while you can. Some experiences won’t be brilliant, but they’ll be worth it (and some medical schools need it.)

As I mentioned earlier, work experience is incredible, but it can be difficult to organise. Start contacting doctors and healthcare professionals you know as soon as you can. They were very accommodating to me – they’ve all been where we are. It can also be quite consuming, while my friends were making big money in retail, or with their talents (sailing and music namely) I was making tea in hospitals, unpaid. Again, this isn’t a big deal at all, it’s just not something I would ever have considered.

OPEN DAYS

Medicine isn’t the kind of vocation that you can decide to just stay at home to study. You need to accept that if you live in Northern Ireland, ¾ of your choices will not be in Northern Ireland. I am a wee bit apprehensive and so I spent a great deal of my sixth form experience travelling up and down the country, visiting all sorts of medical schools I was thinking about applying to. This has clear financial implications, and I completely understand that it is not accessible for everyone. It’s definitely not a necessity, but its something I’m really glad I did.

Not all medicine courses are the same, not all cities are the same. You’ll be spending five or six years of your life at these Universities, so you’re better to do your research on them rather than wasting a space on your application.

AS LEVELS

Lower Sixth was the hardest year of my school career. I was in a new school (which I love), studying new subjects (which I love), and yet I was really struggling. All of the medical schools I was applying to specified 4 AS levels in their entry requirements – so it was never going to be a fun year. Looking back, I don’t know how I did it. It was far more to handle than upper sixth has been. Study subjects you love, and just accept now that you will quickly stop loving them – especially chemistry. Try to balance a personal life too, because that only gets more difficult with time. In Lower Sixth, I was in a relationship, kept up my volunteering, and even had a job until Christmas. Your academic attainment will probably not be what it was previously, but that’s okay, it will come in time. Surround yourself with all the support you can, get a library membership and use it. Buy textbooks and get a tutor if you need to – again I know this has its financial implications. And please know that you will survive the year.

UKCAT

This is where the shit really hit the fan for me. It will make your A levels look like P5 English. My school were fairly supportive, and even then, I was still left largely to my own devices. I sat mine fairly early, and I’m so glad I did, because it really does have the potential to ruin your summer. Allow a solid three weeks to cram, there are brilliant resources online, and some books available. Again, if your financial situation allows, there is an amazing course that Kaplan run every weekend through the summer and it boosted my score significantly.

There is also the BMAT that certain universities require, I didn’t sit this myself but it’s supposed to be more academic based than the UKCAT. It’s also sat on a single date in October, by which stage you have already applied, and know your UKCAT score and how it sits compared with the average. I wasn’t willing to take the risk and didn’t like the uncertainty, but it is entirely personal choice.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Do yourself a favour and write this in June. I am a firm believer that lower sixth exams finish early for a 4000-character long reason. I am one of the lucky ones and wrote my personal statement in one draft. There aren’t many people in my position, and I am well aware of how many people were so fed up and drained by this following AS Levels. But it’s so much easier to handle then than it ever could be in September. It’s also not nearly as long as you think it’s going to be – and that just makes everything harder.

UCAS

I sent away my UCAS application on Monday, 10thSeptember 2018. By that Thursday, I had received my first offer to study Genetics at Glasgow. Without meaning to sound arrogant, I could probably have got five non-medicine offers back within the week. But applying to medicine was a completely different ball game. My final ‘UCAS Application Status Notification’ email came on Wednesday 3rdApril 2019. Just a week short of seven months later. It was a rejection from a medical school. My third rejection.

Those UCAS emails give you the sort of fear that isn’t really comparable to anything else. The feeling of being rejected from a University who has met you, spoken to you, and marked your personality as unworthy, seems very personal. It does hurt, but no more than any fall out or heartbreak would. It just hurts differently because it’s a whole institution that has rejected you. This isn’t pleasant, but it is a reality for the majority of applicants and offer holders. So, if it does happen to you, just know you’re not alone.

INTERVIEW

I was very naïve going into the interview stage. Of my four choices, I had three interviews, within three consecutive weeks. I have one offer. Two of the interview processes were friendly, and they were manageable. The third was a truly awful experience. Thus, I think it’s fair to say that the interview process is variable. All of my interviews were in January, right in the rush of A Level work, I even had my attendance reported because of them. MMIs themselves can be fun, especially with relatively supportive examiners. But there is so much preparation required for a medicine MMI and the reality is that you can place in the top 20% of one University and the bottom 20% of another with very similar interviews. They take their toll on you, and are physically exhausted, between travelling, early mornings and the workload of the preparation. It is also, I believe, fair to say, that it can be quite emotionally destructive to have your personality scored and analysed in such a manner.

A LEVELS

Only when applying to medicine do a-levels feel like an after-thought. At this stage, I feel like I have been put through the ringer by this application, and to even get an offer has been more than I ever thought I was capable of. But you do need the 3As, in some of the hardest subjects and exams that boards can write. Its easy enough to forget that, but it is an immense amount of pressure, and it is still my present.

So you want to be a doctor…

I am so grateful to have got this far with my medicine application, and I do genuinely hope I get to study it in September.

There is so little accessible information regarding the details of the process and how to approach it without losing your head over it. I don’t think anyone has cracked it yet, and if they have I wish they’d write a post about it instead of this one.

Ultimately, you have to take care of yourself first. It’s what your doctor would tell you to do. You are more important than any and every stage of this process, and your own mental and physical health should come before every career choice you make. I hope to see you on the ward someday! But even more than that, I hope you get to be everything you aspire to be, whether you decide medicine is for you or not.

[thesydneyfeminists]

Feminist Travels: How to Travel More Ethically

I’ve traveled a fair bit over the course of my lifetime, especially over the last four years. In that time, I’ve spent three months backpacking Europe, a month roadtripping the east coast of the US, a month and a half exploring the Melbourne area, before finally planting tentative roots in Sydney for a year and a half.  But then my life plans went astray, as they’re apt to do. Since February, I’ve been working and traveling New Zealand while I wait for a second visa back to Australia. It’s been an amazing and, at times, overwhelming experience. And it’s certainly not the life I imagined for myself. If you asked 16-year-old me, she never would have guessed she’d grow up to travel the world. I often get bemused or baffled looks when I try to explain to people how (and why) I do what I do. The truth is, most of the time I don’t know.

But, wherever life takes me, I keep circling back to how my various privileges shape the way I travel. My US passport is hugely beneficial, as is being white. I’m straight-passing (which, at times, is both a blessing and a curse). I don’t come from money, but my family is supportive and would take me back in a heartbeat if I ever needed it. And I don’t have any health issues that prevent me from traveling or require me to announce them to customs. It’s still less safe for single women to travel than single men, but it’s becoming much easier and more acceptable for women to travel alone. If you Google “feminist travel,” you’ll find a plethora of feminist travel blogs, all created with the intent of empowering women to see the world. This is great! But there is also a darker side to the recent travel phenomenon that we, as feminists, need to address more in-depth.

Image Description: A picture of a person with long hair standing on a metal walkway overlooking the tops of a vast mountain range. They are wearing a long sleeve shirt and long pants of indeterminant color and facing away from the camera. They are straddling the walkway and holding their arms spread up over their head like an angel. The mountains are shadowy and peak up over fluffy, white clouds, which are beneath the person and the walkway. The sky above the mountains is bright blue.

The travel lifestyle brand pushed by so many Instagram pages and blogs is often enormously unethical. For starters, not everyone can or will ever be able to travel. Of course, I want travel to eventually become accessible to everyone, but sadly there’s a long way to go before that happens. Additionally, not everyone wants to travel, and that’s perfectly okay too. Those who make sweeping claims about how traveling makes you a better person do so at the detriment of people who choose not to travel, for various reasons. And finally, travel can have lasting environmental and social/cultural/political effects on a place and its inhabitants. As one travel blogger writes, “we have a responsibility as travelers to be respectful to the people and culture in the foreign countries we visit. This means traveling humbly, respectfully, without cultural appropriation or mockery, and being aware of the historical dynamics your ethnicity bears” (https://capsulesuitcase.com/2017/03/08/how-feminism-shapes-the-way-i-travel/). As feminists, we should think critically about travel and the ways in which our feminisms shape and are shaped by our physical movements through the world.

Now, I’m not here to lecture anyone about the best and only way to travel (there isn’t one). I won’t try to convince you it’s absolutely necessary to stop traveling if you want to call yourself a true feminist. Obviously, I enjoy traveling and it’s a huge part of my life, so that would be a bit hypocritical. Instead, I want to think through some ways in which we can all be a little more “feminist” in our travels. This list is not definitive or all-encompassing. It’s meant more as a jumping-off point for further thought/ discussion. It stems from my personal experiences and conversations I’ve had with other travelers and non-travelers alike. Please feel free to add your own ideas in the comments!

Image Description: A photo of a large map of the United States spread out of on a white table. In the left-hand corner is the keyboard of a Mac computer with a mug of coffee sitting to the left of the keypad. Beneath the computer is a United States passport and a turquoise blue, plastic camera. In the top right-hand corner is another silver and black camera with a black strap. You can see the top of a person’s head in the bottom-center of the photo. They are wearing a black, broad-brimmed hat which hides their face and shoulders. They are also wearing a white sweatshirt, rolled up to their elbows, a black and gold watch on their right wrist and a silver ring on their right ring finger. Their right hand is pointing towards a place on the map near the Great Lakes. Next to their hand is a pair of light blue, leopard print sunglasses.

1.     Don’t participate in Voluntourism: So, I very much support volunteering. I’m a volunteer here at the Sydney Feminists, so I know firsthand the importance of volunteer work. But voluntourism is something altogether different and very problematic. Everyday Feminism published a brilliant article on this very topic. Instead of attempting a poor summary, I’ll just link it here: https://everydayfeminism.com/2016/11/voluntourism-wont-fix-the-world/. I don’t mean to condemn you if you’ve ever done a trip like those mentioned in the article. No one is born the “perfect feminist,” and we all need to learn and unlearn as we grow. Reading up on voluntourism and the harm it brings to communities around the world is a good start!

2.     Support local businesses: This point really boils down to the “keeping it local” mentality.  Although there are ways to travel on a budget, all travel requires at least some monetary exchanges. Many people consider travel and tourism “healthy” for local economies for this exact reason. But the truth of the matter is, large, international corporations benefit the most from travel and tourism. More often than not, local economies don’t see much, if any, of the profits. So, next time you travel, forego the Hilton and book a local B&B. Or, better yet, stay and work for locals in exchange for food and accommodation. Websites like WWOOF and HelpX are popular ways of facilitating such exchanges. Skip Maccas and dine at small, independently owned restaurants (in most cities around the world, there are usually cheap food carts and such for even the most budget-friendly of travelers). Attend weekend farmer’s markets for an array of food, crafts and activities. And definitely make sure those souvenirs you buy to bring home are sourced from local artisans! Bonus points if you research businesses owned and operated by minorities (gender or otherwise). 

3.     Donate to local charities – but do your research first: Again, you don’t have to pour huge amounts of money into this step. I understand the need to pinch pennies when traveling. But even a donation of the cost of a cup of coffee can be helpful. It’s always important to research charities before donating, even in your own home. Some charities are just as corrupt as big businesses. But, if you can find good people doing important work on something you’re passionate about (say, women’s rights!), donations of time or money are great ways to say thank you to local communities for sharing their home.

4.     Read books by locals: Okay, not just books! Read (or listen to) anything you can get your hands on by people who grew up/ lived in the place you’re traveling to. If you have the money to spare, you can purchase hard copies from a local bookstore. But there are plenty of free resources on the internet as well. Sometimes, local libraries will allow you to browse and read the items they have available, or else will have cheap books for sale. Reading in this way allows you to see a place through the eyes of the people who live there. It can give you a fresh perspective and is often a much more intimate experience than reading those mass-produced guidebooks you see in airports.

5.     Familiarize yourself with local politics, and then listen to what locals have to say about them: As I mentioned above, traveling is always political. Therefore, it can be handy to have a basic understanding of the politics of a place before you travel there. No one is expecting you to become an expert overnight. But a few, initial Google searches will show people you care. Probably the most important part of this step, though, is listening to locals. I wouldn’t suggest immediately bombarding people with questions about politics the second you step off the plane (or train or bus). But if the topic comes up organically, be open to what people have to say. I’ve learned so much through conversations with locals about politics (both the government kind and the daily life kind). Willingness to communicate and actively engage with a place and its people will go a long way in leading a more feminist, traveling life.

Image Description: A photo of a hand holding a toy globe up in front of a green and grey mountain range. The hand and globe are in focus, while the background is slightly out of focus. You can only see the hand from the wrist up and its palm is facing the camera. On the globe, you can see all of Central and South America and some of North America and Africa.  

By: Brittany L. 

Sources:

https://feministglobetrotter.com/

https://worldforagirl.com/travel-and-feminism/

https://capsulesuitcase.com/2017/03/08/how-feminism-shapes-the-way-i-travel/

https://thevagabondfeminist.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/solo-female-travel-is-an-act-of-feminism/

https://passionpassport.com/feminism-travel-space/

https://everydayfeminism.com/2014/03/traveling-harassment-advice/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sydney Feminists. Our Blogger and Tumblr serve as platforms for a diverse array of women to put forth their ideas and explore topics. To learn more about the philosophy behind TSF’s Blogger/ Tumblr, please read our statement here: https://www.sydneyfeminists.org/a