#this post was brought to you by falling up into a shuttle bus

[friendlycursedspaceotter]

honestly, dyspraxia would explain a lot. why i randomly fall and trip when there is literally nothing to fall or trip on. time blindness (that could just be the adhd, but you never know). why i hate driving with a burning passion and only do it because america is stupid about public transit. and also why autocorrect must save me and why i don't type with my thumbs and probably why my handwriting looks the way it does. and i can't catch things except when all the physics aligns and-- wait, did i have difficulty learning how to ride a bike? does this explain my dance issues?

was i just masking YET ANOTHER DISABILITY? HOW MANY DISABILITIES IN A TRENCH COAT AM I? AND HOW DID I NOT PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER UNTIL LITERALLY THIS WEEK?

and just so you don't beat me to it:

[willwriteforhugs]

you saved me- park seonghwa

seonghwa x reader - one shot !

word count: 2k

genre: fluff, meet-cute

synopsis: a busy and cold winter day leads you to a (very close) brush with death. but a stranger seems to be in just the right place at just the right time...

warnings: mentions of loneliness, near car accident (nothing too serious)

a/n: 

me as i open tumblr with the intent of actually posting for once: god i need to go post something so i feel less bad about being alive

so, anyways. first seonghwa fic- which is really just a long drabble. i always knew i wanted a seonghwa meet-cute, and this idea just seemed to suit him... please remember that this is for entertainment purposes only, though, so be respectful! (also, ^^^THIS genre of seonghwa pic, with the grainy filter and the tan...bruh...)

 anyways, i hope you enjoy, and as always- thank you for reading :)

- - -

your breath comes out in short, angry puffs, which you can see reflected in the cold afternoon air. the temperature in seoul is absolutely freezing, and you are not dressed for it. when you had left for work this morning, (in your standard sweater + jeans combo) you clearly were not anticipating that the sky would dump snow all day long. you long desperately for your warm winter coat.

so now, here you are: jogging, but only as quickly as you feel is safe in this weather. your condo is only a few blocks down- hence why you had walked in the first place, and why you hadn’t brought cash to pay for a bus. but god, the cold is just piercing.

the streets are practically empty, because of the terrible weather. so, at the very least, you are spared the embarrassment of having to waddle awkwardly on the ice in front of others.

but, to add to the stress- your day had seriously not gone as planned.

 when you first took it, you thought that the simple receptionist job would be easy- and doubly so with the convenient location. but these past few weeks were proving you wrong, today especially. while being distracted by coworkers, you accidentally put an important client on a somewhat permanent hold, and ruined a potential sale. as if that wasn’t enough, the next call you routed to a completely different office by mistake, earning you a strict talking to by the supervisor. 

so, to put it plainly: you were tired, annoyed, and cold. so. freaking. cold.

heaving a sigh, you continue your jog/waddle towards your street corner, which is two intersections away. faintly, you can hear a city bus approaching, the one that always stops near your work building. from where you are standing, the bus will be driving perpendicular to you, and you cock your head in thought. you don’t need the shuttle itself, since you live so close, but you wonder how close the bus is now...

feeling a sudden burst of energy, you speed up a bit, challenging yourself to beat the bus to the empty corner, even though you know it won’t stop there. this is something you do often- set up little games for yourself. it’s mostly an attempt to stay busy, but- though you’d never admit it, it helps with the loneliness too. when you race against the clock (say, to make a speedrun to the copy room at work) it almost feels like you are competing against an old friend.

you obviously know that you can’t beat the bus, but the thought itself is entertaining, so you throw caution to the wind. your feet slap the pavement as you run, and you hear yourself laugh a little. the cold air rushing by your cheeks helps distract you from your own thoughts.

you sprint through an empty intersection, and as you approach the final corner- having obviously lost the race to the bus- you begin to slow down a bit. but as you near the end of the sidewalk, (which is parallel to the moving bus, whose hulking body is getting ready to pass you) you feel your previous momentum get the better of you. 

you stumble off of the curb- and right into a vicious patch of ice on the waiting asphalt. 

it happens in slow motion: your feet slide harshly backwards, and you scramble for any traction- but to no avail. you hear yourself cry out as you fall forward, right into the path of the oncoming shuttle.

you slam your eyes shut.

but instead of hitting the ground, or the bus, a sudden weight catches you around your middle and lurches backwards. you scream again, certain you’ve already died.

you hear the sound of the bus honking as it speeds by- the only thing traveling faster than it is your frantic pulse.

you hit the ground hard, with all of your weight on your left shoulder and hip. even so, you start with the relief of knowing the bus didn’t even graze you. 

only after a moment do you realize why it hadn’t.

someone had caught you.

grabbed you from behind, and used their whole body weight to get the two of you to safety. 

you lurch forward, startled. as you turn around, you see him lying on the ground, in the same position you were in just seconds before- and you meet the eyes of the person who’d just saved you. 

it’s a man- a young one. and good god, he’s beautiful, too. the boy on the ground before you is seriously the epitome of korean beauty- large, dark eyes, an open face, and full lips. as soon as he opens his mouth, you wonder at how his teeth could possibly be so perfect.

it takes you a moment of staring before you realize he’s speaking to you. 

“um.” your voice breaks. “what?”

the boy scrambles onto his knees, shuffling towards you. “i asked if you’re alright- are you hurt?” his voice is concerned, and his hands flutter about your face- too wary to touch you, but clearly wanting to.

his eyes are more genuine than you can even take in, and you hesitate at the whole scene- what the hell is happening? did you hit your head?

you stutter, trying to make sense of the situation. the boy leans back on his heels as you finally catch your breath. 

your words are breathy, but deliberate. “you- you saved me.”

the boy tilts his head slightly, the corner of his mouth tugging upwards. “yes, i suppose i did.” a beat passes before he continues. his eyes, though now bordering on playful, still look worried. “you probably shouldn’t be running in this sort of weather.”

you heave a sigh that comes out in a laugh. “yeah, i realize that now.”

your counterpart picks himself up off the ground, brushing off his front. he then extends a hand towards you. you stare at it for a moment, confused. for a moment, he looks down at you intently, waiting. your puzzlement passes, and you blush as you cautiously place your palm in his, allowing him to help you up. 

“i’m seonghwa, by the way. park seonghwa.” the man- no, seonghwa looks down at you, letting his sentence hang.

you clear your throat, feeling a harsh wave of embarrassment at the situation. “um- i’m y/n.”

seonghwa nods at you, taking a step back. his brow is furrowed. “well, y/n-ssi- you didn’t actually tell me if you were hurt or not. do you feel dizzy? nauseous?”

you throw your hands up in protest, not wanting to cause any more distress than you already had. “no, uh- i’m fine, really. maybe a little bruised, but i’m okay. i think it would be a bigger problem if you were hurt...”

you are not exaggerating- you can only imagine the guilt you would feel if he’d been injured. 

seonghwa represses a smile. “i’m alright too. you did startle me, though. thought i was about to witness something pretty terrible...”

at this, you give a surprised chuckle. “yeah, i’m so sorry...you really came out of nowhere, huh? i seriously didn’t even know you were there until i was on the ground!”

this time, it’s his turn to laugh. “yeah, those bus stops provide great cover.”

the two of you settle into a stiff silence, and you can practically hear your heart pounding- both with leftover adrenaline, as well as the sudden nerves that seonghwa was giving you.

“here,” he says, breaking the quiet. “take this.” he shrugs off his long winter coat, and before you can argue, he’s reached over and settled it on your shoulders. the relief is near instantaneous, but you find yourself a bit too tongue-tied to thank him.

you sigh again, determined to get the words out. “oh, god, i really am so sorry about that, um-” you stutter. “i really should thank you, for the coat. but also-” you take a deep breath. “thank you, park seonghwa, for saving my life.”

at this, the man actually blushes. he reaches a hand to rub the back of his neck. “no, really, it was just a gut reaction...”

you shake your head, insistent. “it doesn’t matter. i could have died, but you prevented that. now-” you can feel yourself gaining confidence. “what can i do to repay you?”

seonghwa’s face, which had previously harbored a look of child-like innocence, suddenly turns mischievous. 

you tilt your head, indicating an answer.

his smug smile is full now, chin tilted upwards. “i actually do have a request.”

“okay, shoot.”

“you’ll do anything i ask?”

you frown, narrowing your eyes in an almost flirtatious way. “i suppose i have a few limits...”

to your surprise, seonghwa interrupts you, eyes twinkling. “you’ll repay me- by allowing me to take you out on a date, y/n.”

your mind goes fully blank for a moment. 

...huh?

you blink in shock, not being able to suppress your initial reaction. “wait, come again?”

“will you go on a date with me?”

you stare at him- this terrifyingly beautiful man was asking you on a date? after you’d fully humiliated yourself in front of him? what on earth?

suddenly, before you can even finish the thought, you find yourself nodding. “i suppose i can arrange that.”

seonghwa’s smile is completely smug at this point. “does tonight work?”

you bite your lip, heart pounding despite the chilly weather. your voice comes out in a whisper: “yes, i suppose tonight works.”

seonghwa tries to bury his smile and looks at the ground. “that’s great.” he pauses, allowing his gaze to flit back to you. “do you- i hope this doesn’t sound weird, but do you want me to walk you home?”

you smile, but shake your head. “it’s alright, i live close. here- i’ll give you my number, though.”

you dig through your work satchel for a piece of paper and scribble your phone number on it. when you extend it, he accepts the slip, still trying to suppress his grin.

a beat passes, and the two of you look at each other intently.

and with that, seonghwa reaches down and gently takes your hand, glancing at your face to make sure the action is alright with you. when you don’t pull away, he lifts it up and presses a soft kiss to the top of your hand, holding your gaze the entire time. his lips are cold, an unlikely and romantic nod to the temperature.

you feel your neck and cheeks go red, but you smile in an attempt to seem casual. “thanks again, seonghwa. for helping me.”

“of course.” the man’s eyes are twinkling again. “as grim as it sounds, i’m sort of glad it happened. if it hadn’t, i probably wouldn’t be talking with you right now.”

you smirk in what you hope is a flirtatious manner. 

“well,” he continues. “don’t let me keep you. after all, you’ve got a date to get ready for.”

seonghwa begins to walk away, then turns back. “although,” he calls over his shoulder. “i’m pretty sure the guy you’re meeting with won’t care what you’re wearing. you could probably show up in your pajamas and he’d still think you were gorgeous. just for the record.”

before you could manage an answer, he turns on his heel and strides away- but even from here, you can tell he still has a goofy grin plastered on his face.

heart pounding, you turn and make your way towards your apartment building. 

despite yourself, you also can’t seem to keep the grin off of your face.

[nctsjiho]

How Haechan And JiHo’s Friendship Evolved Over The Years [Part 1]

[2015 | First Meeting | SM Artist Lounge, 2nd floor]

“Is this really necessary?” Jiho groaned whilst getting pushed out of the elevator by Doyoung. “Didn’t you say you don’t have many friends?” “I said in school! I don’t have many friends in school!” Jiho explained agitated. “It doesn’t matter, it’s too late to turn around.”

Doyoung then pushed open the door to SM’s private lounge where 4 boys sat talking to each other on the big couch. “Kids! This is Jiho, she’s also a 00 liner.” The four boys looked up to see Doyoung holding a girl in front of him by her shoulders. They quickly greeted the pair and then expectantly looked at Jiho for her to talk.

“My Korean... uhm, not so good.” She held her hands up in a cross while butchering her Korean pronunciation. The four boys - Mark, Donghyuck, Jeno and Jaemin - smiled awkwardly at her nodding their heads.

Before Mark could say: “It’s okay. Don’t worry.” Doyoung pushed the girl by her shoulder causing her to laugh. “Yah! Why are you like this?” Jiho looked up once more and bowed towards the four confused boys. “I was just kidding. Hi, I’m Jiho. Nice to meet you guys.” She waved and showed the boys a genuine smile which they quickly returned. The boys were relieved and laughing at the girl’s little joke.

“I thought it would be nice for you guys to get to know each other. Jiho’s pretty new and she has a hard time befriending the other girl trainees.” Jiho raised her brow listening to Doyoung’s explanation. “I don’t think that’s necessarily true but-” “If you see her around, don’t be afraid to say hi to her. She’s really nice. Most of the time.” Doyoung mumbled the last sentence this time earning a judging look from the younger girl.

Mark then stood up, motioning for the others to do so as well. “We actually have to go to practise right now, but we’d love to hang out in the future.” Mark said and Jiho nodded with a smile. “That’s fine, I’ll see you around.” She waved while the boys walked off.

Doyoung then quickly nudged the girl, urging her to tell the boys the thing she told Doyoung earlier. “Uh- Wait!” The four boys turned around to see Jiho push Doyoung’s elbow away from her side. “I actually saw you guys practise and you’re all really good dancers...” She mumbled, her fingers curling into her palms. Doyoung one again poked the girl’s side. “Also Donghyuck-ssi, I really like your voice. You’re a great singer.” She smiled and looked up to meet the boy’s gaze. His cheeks slightly flared up and he bowed his head, muttering a small thanks before they all left the room.

Jiho glared at the older boy who seemed very proud of himself. “Thanks. Now things are going to be very awkward thanks to you.” “Ah~ No problem, loved to help you.”

[2016 | Snack Shuttle | SM Practise Room ]

“When you said you’d find a way to hang out more during your busy schedule, I didn’t know I’d become your personal snack shuttle.” Doyoung walked into the practise room with a complaining Jiho by his side, holding a few white plastic bags. “I thought you wanted to hang out more?” “If this is what ‘hanging out’ is than I don’t think I’m that interested anymore.”

Johnny’s chuckles filled the room and everyone looked at him. “You start to sound like actual siblings more each time I see you together.” Doyoung and Jiho then shared a look of disgust before turning back to sorting the snacks.

“Oppa told me what all of you guys liked so I brought something for everyone.” The boy’s eyes lit up as they thanked Jiho and ran towards her and Doyoung who were still holding on to the bags.

After giving everyone what they wanted Jiho held up one more item in her hand. “Did someone ask for this snack?” Jiho asked the room holding the bag of chips up high. Doyoung took a closer look, inspecting the bag but shook his head just like the rest of the room. “I didn’t, but I know Haechan likes these.” Jiho’s eyes locked with Haechan and she held the bag out for him to take. “Jiho I thought you liked those too.” Doyoung added quickly, earning a shrug from the girl.

“Want these?” She asked the same aged boy who’s eyes had widened a bit. “You don’t have anything for yourself though, you can keep them.” Haechan carefully said but the girl just shook her head and pushed the snack into Haechan’s hands. “I have a weigh-in in 2 days. So I’ll pass this time.” A fake smile found its place on her lips and Yuta stood up to wrap an arm around her shoulders. “You’re literally tiny, why should you worry about that?” “The world is a cruel place oppa.” She sighed to which he chuckled.

Mark quickly slid his way over to Haechan and nudged the boy a few times. “How are you still this awkward around Jiho?” The older of the two stifled a laugh. “Hyung~” Haechan whined. “It’s not like that.” He added with a grumble. “Okay buddy, whatever you say.”

[2017 | Dinner Buddies | SM cafeteria]

On his way to the table where his hyungs were already eating, Haechan stopped to watch a scene unfold in front of him.

The doors to the elevator had just opened revealing a dishevelled Jiho, still wearing her school uniform, stumble into the hallway of the cafeteria. Just as she entered she spotted the other trainees walk past her. “Hey!” She held up her hand smiling towards the girls, they all stopped hesitantly and Haechan couldn’t help but catch the way some of them rolled their eyes.

“Are you already leaving? I thought we’d eat together?” Jiho smile was still plastered on her lips, seeming oblivious to the cold looks she was getting. “We already finished, you can go eat alone. See ya~” One of the older girls smirked waving at Jiho and the other girls quickly followed before they all walked away.

A deep sigh left the Jiho’s lips and her head and shoulders dropped significantly. However when two feet walked into her vision she perked up and found Haechan looking at her with a sad smile. “You saw that right?” She chuckled, trying to hide her embarrassment and he only nodded. “I guess I’ll just head out now and don’t worry, I’m used to it. That one girl really doesn’t like me.” She tried to laugh off and then turned to leave the cafeteria.

Haechan stopped her. “You haven’t eaten yet though. Come sit with us. Me and the hyungs just got here.” Jiho smiled at the offer and quickly accepted. With how hungry she was feeling she didn’t feel like taking the bus back home for 15 minutes before she could actually eat.

Not even a few moments later Haechan arrived back at the table his members were sitting, but to their surprise he was joined by the young trainee. “Jiho? What are you doing here?” Taeyong asked. “I got ditched by the other girls.” She explained and the group quickly invited her to sit down with them.

The youngest boy sat down in his original spot next to Mark and in front of Johnny and Jaehyun who all sent him teasing looks. “What?” He raised an eyebrow at the boys. “Seems like you and Jiho are getting closer.” Jaehyun hummed. “Yeah, you seemed to be having a fun conversation before you got here.” Mark mentioned, thinking of how Haechan and Jiho were laughing at something when they walked up to the table. “You guys are so annoying.” Haechan mumbled, shoving a spoonful of rice into his mouth.

[2018 | Better Girl | SM library]

Haechan dragged his feet down the hallway of the almost empty floor. It was the beginning of January so not a lot of people were working, and definitely not a lot of artist. This resulted in the, mainly artist floor to be as good as abandoned.

The poor boy was “tasked” by Mark to get him one of his notebooks which he had forgotten during his writing session with Jeno. Haechan really didn’t have to go right now, but he insisted since it meant Mark would have to buy him dinner. Yet here Haechan was, slouching and dragging his body to the right room as if he was forced against his will.

Upon opening the door he heard a soft giggle. “Oh, I’m sorry- Jiho?” He peeked his head inside finding Jiho sat at one of the tables with her phone in hand. She had her jacket tightly wrapped around her shoulders and her nose and cheeks seemed to glow the slightest tint of red. The heater in the room wasn’t on so it was freezing cold. “What are you doing here?”

Jiho looked up at the boy but the second she locked eyes with his she almost burst out laughing. “You make a better girl than I do.” She said, forcing herself to stop laughing. “What are you talking about?”

Curious about what Jiho meant he circled around the other tables so he could look over to what she was watching on her phone. “Ten oppa sent this to me.” She tilted her phone towards Haechan only for him to get hit by memories. He didn’t expect to get confronted by that red polka dot dress and long brown wig again. “OH MY GOD! Please stop watching that!” He reached for her phone and quickly turned the video off while Jiho was freely laughing.

Once the boy was calmed down he let himself fall onto the chair next to Jiho. “This is so embarrassing” He muttered into his arms, in which he was hiding his face. Jiho reached out her hand to pat the boy’s back.

“Don’t worry about it. People say I dress more like a boy, so there’s nothing wrong with wearing a dress when you’re not a girl.” She smiled. Haechan looked up, hoping that Jiho was being serious, but when he saw her trying to hide a smirk he groaned. “For real, you didn’t look too bad, if I do say so myself.”

This caused Haechan to look up and smile as well. “Yeah, I looked pretty good right?” He said in a cocky way prompting Jiho to chuckle. “You looked fabulous.” She complimented in an exaggerated tone. The two then shared a big wordless smile before they went on to do their own things again.

---

PART 2

Side Note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAECHAN 🌻☀🐻

idk if you guys mind long posts, I just decided to cut it here and do 2018-2021 (post JiHo’s debut) in a second post to keep the length of all my posts on my blog similar. It’s possible though that part 2 is going to be a bit long, since I don’t know how much I’ll be writing for it

fun fact: I save my little collages (btw those photo’s of Haechan are soooo pretty i’m getting bias wrecked SO hard) on my laptop with the member x JiHo’s shipnames, I suck at choosing shipnames tho. So Haechan and JiHo’s shipname is HyuckHo atm, which I both hate and think is kinda cute/funny at the same time. I also thought about JiChan, JiHae or HaeJi but idk

that was just a little unnecessary insider information

I hope you have a good day/evening/night!! <3

[xbunnybunz]

The terrible, you. (4/5) [Wolf Keum x Reader]

Summary: After Wolf Keum unwittingly rescues you from seedy men in the dead of night, he can't shake you from his side. After a while, he's not sure if he wants to.

Genres: Romance

Date: December 12, 2020

-----

Yeongduengpo was a large district, imposing in it’s monotony. Steely-gazed windows and sky-high buildings plagued the skies, obscuring the sun and taking place of the clouds.

Perhaps to an outsider, who may perceive all the algae-covered brick houses and leaky underpasses as identical, it may even be confusing. But to the residents of Yeongduengpo who listen closely to the whistle of each wind tunnel, who grew up slipping their hands over the cracks of the local bakery window, who memorized the stains of each concrete tile leading to the arcade, Yeongduengpo was just an intricate system of secret passages and alleyway shortcuts.

Some areas were home to happy memories, a soccer field, a shopping strip, the street where you first learned how to ride your bike, and learned that there was a huge downward slope just past the stoplight.

Others avenues were oozing with shadows, a brief whisper here and there, “Don’t, that’s where they are.” Recollections of a first, second, and if unlucky—a third beating from high school thugs. Pickpocket corner, a hand on your shoulder like a gun pointed at your temple. “You remember your friend, right?”

To anyone who had lived in Yeongduengpo for their entire lives, the neighborhood was a map of their memories, an intricate web of do’s and don’ts that intermingled like sweet milk into a dark coffee. As familiar as their childhood, just as large as the palm of their hands.

This small yet insurmountable district thrummed a heartbeat within it, pumping through it’s chambers smog, smoke, and rumors. A brief hiss of a city train slowing to a stop, a wary gaze thrown into a wayward shadow, peering for an insatiable darkness.

This how rumors spread, sparking embers at bus stops and blazing it’s way across the city through texts and word of mouth in a matter of days.  

Whispers of a certain dastardly Wolf Keum, one of Yeongduengpo’s most familiar names, and a shiny-eyed girl with lavish gifts overcame the streets, taking over the Shuttle Patch blog in an all-new post: “Is Wolf Keum Getting Too Comfortable?”

The heartbeat of the district became strong, alive and stirring with the commotion brought upon by a girl and her treacherous, Wolf Keum.

The news elicited varying emotions, though two of the most prominent were complete awe or poorly disguised fascination, caught on a censored cell phone camera interview for the Shuttle Patch blog.

“Wolf Keum? Ah man, there’s no way he would ever score a girl. But if he did…”

“That guy, a girlfriend? Is he even taking his spot in the Union seriously?”

“He’s a solid fighter, but anyone can be taken down when distracted.”

In a smaller room, tucked away into a quiet corner of a high school, a meeting begins.

“Fuck. That little brat.”

Red gelled hair shines in the luminous glow of fluorescent lightbulbs, and he shifts, crossing one leg across the other. An expensive sneaker bobs impatiently in the air, cheap mosaic tile squeaking underfoot the other. His fingers play at the cigarette in his hand, unlit and untouched.

“Who the fuck does he think he is?” He sneers, eyes latched onto the phone presented to him. He grows angrier at each successive image, brows furrowing and jaw tensing.

“Does he really think he can afford to let his guard down now? That motherfucker…”

A devious look comes across his eyes, mouth splitting into a toothy smile fit for a ravenous shark. He recalls the shame of bowing to Donald Na, recalls the manner in which Wolf gazed upon him like a pest.

“What do you think, Grape?”

A pair of dark eyes meet his. A bruise rings around Grape’s left socket and leaves a red and purple stain upon pale skin, evidence of Wolf Keum’s short temper and quick violence, but this does not deter the pride in his gaze.

“The fucker won’t even see it coming.” He says this resolutely, but with a shake in his voice, just as all those who speak of Wolf have. It is understandable, so Forrest Lee says nothing of it. Instead, he brushes away the phone and threads his hands together, knuckles still bandaged tightly from his last victory. Forrest sees the orange of dusk dripping into a dark horizon and begins to manifest a sinister plot.

It is wrath that Forrest possesses, clutches onto as a lifeline. But the way he refuses to lose face a second time, the anger in him curdling into something far unrecognizable as rage, becomes far more familiar as pride.

A bruised ego, and a plan to recover from the fall.

These are all things that Wolf Keum has fortified against, as a man who holds his own pride above all else, familiar with its sting and its gold-lined embrace. With pride comes the necessity for wealth and status, all embodied in Wolf’s latest designer clothing and hefty payoff from the Union. However, a man as acquainted with pride’s old habits as Wolf knew that luxury could ooze from his pores, spill from the heavens upon him—and it would mean nothing if he had no title to defend.

Hazel eyes watch the interviews on the Shuttle Patch with terrifying composure, purple hair standing stark against the orange backdrop of a sky behind him. His men shuffle about behind him, the chill of the rooftop breeze stirring them from stagnation, stirring them from peace.

A certain scent carried in the air, the scent of a storm brewing deep in the abyss.

Wolf hears the sounds of the city beneath him, pulsing like a living thing as cold as ice. He ponders upon the new information on him from the Shuttle Patch, upon his reputation and all he holds dear to him.

The beast keens, his unrelenting ego and insatiable yearning for reverence and fear will never, has never, been defeated.

Wolf approaches the edge of the roof and gazes down upon the district.

He has lived in Yeongduengpo all his life. He is familiar with the changing of the stoplights, like clockwork, on every block. He has memorized every divot in the sidewalk, every broken lock and each shattered window.

Tonight, the city is no longer as familiar as the palm of his hand. It shudders with a new life, streets splitting and laying flat for a new history to be written—and Wolf swears by all he knows, he will not have his title claimed.

A knock on the rooftop door sounds. When it opens, he sees a familiar face, a friendly smile that only a fool could adorn in his presence. She’s holding a bunch of colorful nonsense again, but he doesn’t turn her away. Instead, he approaches her, allows her to place her hand upon his arm.

The city stutters with exhaust and groaning rusty benches, homes brightening as families return home and switch on the lights, light spilling from the windows like liquid gold. With these windows, the old city gazes upon Wolf Keum and the mysterious girl. It heaves a heavy sigh, chimney smoke exuding from pipes before it is swept away with a passing train, far into the city night.

[comebeonetwothree]

Blog #8: Country Roads

07/13/2021

Currently driving through roads where pro-life billboards are placed in front of graveyards… we are officially on the road back home.

Traveling fast but seeing the most we have while covering 1,500 miles and two time zones in the last week. 900 miles to go. We jumped from Portland to northern and southern Montana then all the way through to Chicago… our last stop ;(

We met some really nice people out here- the kind of people that want to take time out of their day to interact with you. People actually smile at you and mean it when they say “have a good day.”

There were a lot of experiences this week that were indescribable. All senses were at full throttle from sleeping in the heart of Portland to camping in National Parks.

Being our last stretch of the trip, it has been hard to not feel sad when we are closing such a big chapter of our life. It’s a weird feeling of being sad but also still being so excited for the next stop. I hope the excitement doesn’t end.

Who

Who is ready to rumble…

In Portland we got to meet up with Maya’s cousin, Michael and his daughter Thea. He moved out there 13 years ago and never looked back.

He was telling us he did a similar trip with his college buddies back in the day and fell in love with the city, so moved there shortly after the trip.

Sounds fun, might fuck around and move…

Batman was ready to rumble, and fumble and everything in between. While whitewater rafting in Glacier National Park, we had the pleasure of riding with Batman The Guide. Batman, because you can’t change who you are but if you can always choose Batman.

He had been living in Montana for 17 years after moving from Oregon. He had previously worked in the park as a shuttle bus driver and recently switched over to a whitewater rafting instructor.

He was a funny fucking dude; the whole crew was super hyped but he had a comedic sense that made it an entertaining day.

While on the water, we were joking around and splashing the neighboring rafts, an independent rafter said they will bomb us with beers if we splash them. One of the other people on the boat yelled back, “Are they full beers?” and they responded by launching three full miller lite beers at our raft.

At the end of our tour, Batman gave us the three beers then we dedicated those three beers to him with a funnel.

More Friends!!! Its wild how many people we got to see throughout this trip. Hitting Yellowstone National Park, we met up with Mayas friends from home: Cole, Jamie and Declan.

They were just starting their cross-country trip from Nyack, NY, hitting the Northern route to the southern, vs our trip ending in the North. Funny coincident.

We camped out with them for two nights… it was too beautiful to just stay one night, so we pushed back our trip to badlands and stayed the extra night.

We were all out at this joint called Buffalo Bar, it had a great outdoor area with corn hole, ring toss and puppiesss. There is something so fulfilling in petting random dogs with a beer in your hand.

This one dog I was petting had an exceptional owner who was traveling him across states to bring him home. I spoke with the owner for quite a while, she was so friendly about letting me pet her dog. She really was doing it all, back at home she has three kids and two other dogs.

When people hear about our travels, their reactions usually make us realize how cool it is to have the opportunity to do a trip like this.

Many times they wish they did the same when they were our age, *cough, cough, go travel right now, cough, cough.*

This woman explained how she jumped right into working out of school and has always regretted it. Her children were already teenagers so I told her she should get out there and do it. Traveling her new dog home was a great start to the on-the-go lifestyle, she seemed to be enjoying it.

I later found out she picked up our tables tab… thank you Jennifer, you have a heart of gold and a generous soul. She explained her hopes that her kids will one day get out there and see the world like she always wished, and we were accomplishing. It was a pass it forward request, when I am able to cover the bill of a lovely traveling stranger. I hope I cross paths with this family eventually and pay it forward for her children that may travel.

What

What a reality…

The National Park pass is something you buy and are given access to all the national parks in the US. We got one in the beginning of the trip knowing we would be reaching quite a few parks. Unfortunately, we lost it after just seeing the Grand canyon.

It fell in a black hole… the area where your dashboard and windshield meet. Remember this when you put shit on the dashboard. It can slide right down to its death, the only way to get the shit out is by taking off the windshield.

Those passes are irreplaceable, of course.

In badlands, we posted up around 10 p.m. in our hammocks. It was a new experience for us, we thought hey its our last time camping, lets try it a new way. 

We set our hammocks up underneath this podium and slept there. It was perfect for a quick and easy set up/clean up. There was a solid amount of people around us, so we weren't too worried about getting attacked by coyotes again. 

Where

When driving to Portland we drove through the Redwood National Forest. This made me realize how long this Earth has been around.

Trees take a while to grow, and these trees were as thick as three full grown pine trees and as tall as two stacked on top of each other.

Neck breaking tall.

After crossing through, we hit the upper west coast and traveled on route 101 until we hit Portland. It was filled with jaw dropping views, so much so I woke Mary and Maya up every 5 minutes to show them the views. Most times it was the same view as before, just with a new massive rock to look at.

It was a relatively foggy day, so we couldn’t see certain lookout points, but there was something so majestic about the fog within the forests and hanging on the coast.

There were points where you cross over a bridge and there was nothing around you, just white. It appeared as being stuck in a dream or driving my bitchass to heaven.

Arriving in Portland, we stayed at a place in ChinaTown. It was so cute and located on top of a great deli, Charlie’s Deli.

We checked out a bunch of shops and stores while in Portland. While we were walking around, this coffee shop had the sweetest workers. They enjoyed interacting with their customers and weren’t just looking to take your money.

Portland is filled with mockingly friendly people, they weren’t mocking anyone though, they were just that fucking friendly. They actually want to converse with people... what a concept.

For dinner we went to this food truck pod place, which is about 15 different food trucks serving food, with a communal sitting area to eat the food.

We met up with Maya’s cousin there for a drink and to catch up.

Hitting Glacier National Park, we started our camping excursion. We started off sleeping in our car since we arrived late to our campground after driving 10 hours to get there. It was pretty comfortable and with the knowledge of bear attacks in the area, it was a secure place to sleep.

While in Glacier, we decided to go whitewater rafting, a whole new way of seeing the parks. It was so dope, the rapids were on the weak side since the heat waves.

After rafting, we found a great lake front public access point where we hung our hammocks up and took a nice long nap.

There are lakes EVERYWHERE here in Montana and great fishing! Let’s travel and fish all over Montana, okay? Cool.

We waited until 5 p.m. when the park lets you in without a pass, to do a sunset hike in the park. We took Going-to-the-sun road to the highline hike, where we got to see some wild animals!

In the parking lot we got to see a horned sheep (looks like a ram) and more mountain goats!! We saw three full grown goats and one baby goat.

This horned sheep actually stormed at us and we had to jump into our car. The people that parked in the spot before us left their cheetos on the ground. This guy was hungry as fuck I guess. Relentless to say the least. 

This National Park is my new favorite spot-on Earth. Spread my ashes here. Moseying through the park was a full body experience.

All your senses are involved, the smells of the forest are beyond refreshing. The touch of the crisp air brings goosebumps to your skin, and the taste of wind in your face emphasizes the overload of oxygen in that area.

There are no commercialized areas for hours outside the park. Just a fuck ton of trees.

The sounds of different birds chirping harmonizes in your ears with the wind blowing and the rocks falling below you. Your sight is spiked the highest out of the senses. These views seemed so unreal they appeared fake. When you finally touch the grounds around you, you realize how really unreal this land is.

Heading to Yellowstone the following day brought a similar element of nostalgia. We camped right outside the park, on the state border lines of Wyoming and Idaho.

Our friends we stayed with luckily still had their national park pass, so we all took our car and got into the park early that next morning. We got to see some bison! Fun Fact: Bison and Buffalos are actually the same thing.

There were so many beautiful trees and hot springs throughout the park. So many cool colors to see. We also watched Old Faithful blow her hole!!

Getting to Badlands eventually, we got a campground directly in the park. Since we got there later than five it was free. We posted up our hammocks for our last night camping on the trip ;( when we woke up, the views were so cool.

Badlands is a shit ton of clay forming giant sandcastle hills all over. But there is so much green for a desert it was an interesting combination.

When

When can we shower…

We have completed so much of the drive home its wild. We stayed in an apartment for the first two nights in Portland and then spent the rest of the week camping.

We hit our record of days without a shower… 5 full ass days. I’m so proud of Mary and Maya, they really can’t stand being dirty.

When driving long ass 10 hour plus drives for a week you find yourself enjoying nothingness. Head empty is such a vibe after jamming to music and listening to murder mystery podcasts for hours on end.

Our music ranges widely, depending on crashing periods. Whenever Mary is driving, she is either blasting screamo edm music or 2000s pop music.

Maya plays some bomb bops; I really don’t know any of the songs, but it has opened my mind to all these new artists!!

I personally love the murder mystery podcasts, there were a few times I had to change it though because it got too spooky. In the case of this week, we were driving to camp in Montana and a murder mystery came on about the Montana Child Killer… dope.

Why

I have ruled out ever living in a city. From the driving on busy ass streets to the dirty smells everywhere, I will happily reside somewhere in the country. Where? Still have no idea… Why? Because there are so many pros and cons to all these places we saw.

I guess i'll just have to come back out here!

I’m really thinking somewhere up north on the west coast. The west coast will forever hold my heart, but I really don’t have the money or the ability to live in a city out there. Maybe one day with a bombass money making job.

Coming back to the East has made me realize how much nicer people are out west and how much slower of a pace it is.

How

How are we coming up on our last spot…

We are hitting our last stop… Chicago. Shoutout to my cousin for going to school here and letting us use and abuse his apartment! Hehe just kidding we will take care of it for ya, Owen!

It feels so strange to be this close to New York. Our license plates being from New York is no longer that cool.

I’m going to miss people peeping our plates and asking us about our travels and/or wishing us luck!

Thanks everyone throughout, we are almost accomplished with this chapter!

[coraxaviary]

Sister-in-Arms | CHAPTER 1: Toccoa, GA

(Part I, Run the Gauntlet)

Summary: June arrives at Camp Toccoa. 

Word Count: 5.8K 

AO3 | Masterlist | Next Chapter

Author’s Note: Welcome to my main fic. This is the start of a long journey. I am proud of this fic, and I hope you like it. If you have any questions, refer to my first post or shoot me a question. Once I get about five chapters out, I’ll start posting on AO3.

Warnings: None

Taglist: @keoghans​ @papercinders​ (ask to be added)

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June Hazel Diedtrich stood at the depot in Toccoa, Georgia, wondering how she’d gotten there so soon.

Cars rushed by; buses passed and young men crowded the corners of the plaza, supply trucks being loaded and unloaded. More than a few men in uniform were about the area, their jackets and pants creased and tucked, berets cocked at a slight angle. The town was rushed, hot, and dusty, but bursting at the seams with a dynamic energy: the energy of hope, and dually the uncomfortable undercurrent of lingering expectation. 

Most of the men would eventually ship out. Maybe it would be months, or even years. But it was going to happen, and with combat came the unavoidable reality of pain and death that were the bounty of war. 

June gripped the handles of her suitcase tighter, eyeing the military men, most her age or only slightly older. They looked energetic and diligent. Spirits were high. And yet the feeling of a held breath remained.

Such was the nature of a nation at war. The Japanese had made sure of that.

June took a deep breath of the Southern air, the dry smell of red dust drifting from the ground. A few pigeons pecked errantly at the dirt, and some flock birds chittered overhead from rooftop to rooftop. A car horn honked; someone shouted in return. Boxes and crates knocked together.

She craned her head, looking for a taxi. She didn’t expect many: Toccoa was a sort of backwater area except for the military presence that brought in a lot of soldiers and trucked-in supplies. She’d have to wait for the bus.

Some other women milled about. June figured at least some of them might know the bus schedule, and she approached one woman dressed similarly to her – in a light cotton shirt and a knee-length skirt – and cleared her throat. 

“Excuse me, would you happen to know the bus schedule?” June asked, already feeling lost in the new environment. 

The other woman turned around. She was blonde, tall, and her red lips curved into a pleasant expression. 

“Sure. There’s a bus coming in a few minutes, heading out to the base,” she said with a mildly Southern twang. “Where are you headed?”

June exhaled, relieved that there was a bus. “I’m trying to get to the base, too.” 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, um…” she trailed off. 

“June. June Diedtrich,” June supplied. 

“Nice to meet you, June. I’m Bea,” she responded cheerily. 

“Likewise,” June said, adjusting her sliding grip on her suitcase handle as her palms started to sweat in the hot Georgia air. 

“You know, it’s always nice to see a new face around here,” Bea said, smoothing down a piece of hair that had come free from its pin. “Sometimes it gets a little old seeing the same few people.” She glanced quickly at June, and added, “Working up at the base is nice and rewarding, because we’re helping the war effort. Never bad work, I’ll assure you.”

June breathed a brief laugh. “I’m sure it’s that way,” she said, not sure how to relate to the woman who most likely assumed June was there for secretary work. “Good all the same.”

“I wouldn’t want to scare you off on your first day,” Bea said. “Typing isn’t bad overall.”

June watched Bea’s face, careful not to encourage any new questions about her position. She was sure it was coming, though, and she prepared for how to answer inquiries about the place she was stationed. Bea was going to ask sooner or later. 

“Are you a typist?” Bea asked innocently, and June straightened, breathing deeply. 

“No, I’m not,” she said, not sure how to respond. “I’m not working in the office.”

Bea looked at her curiously. “Nurse? I didn’t take you for the nursing type, but I suppose we could take on more nurses. The men are always getting injured out there, God knows how.”

June looked at Bea, careful not to interrupt, trying to find a way to explain that no, she was not going to be a nurse. She was not going to shuttle papers, pound a typewriter, or drive jeeps – half of which women were rarely permitted to do. She would not be a WAC or a WASP or a WAVES woman or another ridiculous acronym, though God knew they were needed too.

Bea kept talking, and June took that as a good sign. 

“... last week, another one came in with a broken leg. And that was after he’d been denying that he needed to get it fixed, can you believe it? The nurses down at the aid station must get at least three sprained ankles a day, the way it would seem.” June understood then that Bea was an avid talker. “There ain’t much scrapping, between the boys, you know, but there are some mysterious injuries that the nurses gotta figure out. Gosh, how does a guy get all those bruises?” she finished, looking to June for some kind of acknowledgement. 

June coughed into her sleeve hollowly, to stall for time, and then got out a weak, “I wouldn’t know.” Which wasn’t exactly true because James taught her to sock a guy in the eye – and knee a guy in the balls – but June didn’t know a broken arm from a dislocated elbow. “I’m not a nurse,” she said.

“Oh, then where are you? Do you drive?” Bea asked, clearly confused. “Have you not been assigned yet? Because then I’d think you’d just be a typist like me,” she said nonchalantly. She picked a fold out of her skirt and let it fall back against her legs. “Do you know yet?” she asked, blue eyes searching June’s face.

“I’m―” June started, when the bus pulled in, in front of the depot. She glanced at Bea. “It’s complicated.”

“I can handle complicated,” she said brightly. “My dad is a biology professor down at Emory.” The bus came and the women began filing inside one at a time. “I mean, he talks about very complicated things,” she said, connecting her anecdote to the conversation. “You can tell me once we’re seated.”

June stood in line with Bea, trying to come up with a way to explain. Despite her preparation for Toccoa, both mentally and physically, June somehow neglected to prepare a predetermined statement on why she was there. She’d glossed over it, probably assuming that she’d just be inducted into the barracks fairly quickly without much prelude. With the road to Toccoa looming in front of her, June was forced to reconsider how optimistic that thought had been. 

She moved through the bus silently, sitting down mutely beside Bea, and when all the women were on, the bus started to drive down the road. June felt more than a few curious looks to her, the newcomer. 

“Well,” June started. Bea looked at her expectantly. “It’s hard to explain,” she said, betraying a little frustration on her face. 

“Aw, honey, are you trying to get a job near a husband or something? I hadn’t pegged you for the already-married type, but with a face like that, I’d be married outta school too,” Bea said.

“I’m here to join the Army,” June said quietly. 

Bea looked at her, raising an eyebrow. “Sorry, girl, but the Women’s Army Corps doesn’t have much of a presence at camp, if that’s what you’re looking for.” Bea shifted, placing her bag on her lap. “You sure you’re in the right place?”

June pressed her lips together. “Mm, no. Not the WAC. The Army. The Paratroopers, to be exact.” The truth, she found, was best in some situations.

Bea squinted, trying to make sense of the statement. “You’re stationed with the Paratroopers? What, writing papers?” She half-laughed, expecting something out of June. 

June cringed internally. “No, I’m going to be billeted with the men, training. Basic training. At least, that’s the plan. After that, I’m trying to become a combat paratrooper.” It was hard for June to say at this point for some reason, but she pushed out the words with diligence, as if putting them out into the world for the first time would make them more true. Her future had never seemed more remote, though. She wished she could explain more, but the words didn't exist. It was a simple statement. “It’s the plan,” she ended, not knowing what else to say. One shoulder lifted in a shrug.

Bea blinked at her, and leaned back in her seat with eyebrows knitted together for a few long seconds. 

June looked concernedly at Bea, trying to gauge her reaction. Damn, if everyone reacted this way, June was going to have a hard year. Even worse, June realized, if she had this hard of a time telling people why she was here, it would be even harder than she expected. 

Pale grass blurred under the blue sky outside the windows. Sparse fences passed by, and then the rare supply truck or car. A tree appeared every moment or two, and June watched it all flow together after some time trying to clamp onto the image of the clouds or the birds. It was better to just watch from afar and see the colors blend.

“So, you want to do a man’s job?” Bea said slowly. 

June nodded.

Bea failed to say something multiple times, starting and stopping before settling on a phrase. “Why?” she got out. 

June saw confusion in Bea’s eyes. She searched for judgement, but there was none yet, mercifully so. 

“I want to make something of myself.”

That was what June’s father and younger brother had said when she was admitted into West Point. She was making something of herself, they’d said, and June took the phrase to heart. She was doing it alone, herself, and for her only. It turned into a mantra. She’d made something of herself yet: a girl from an apartment above a small grocery, smack-dab in the middle of the middle class, vying for a spot among the political and the academia. This time, she was aiming for a spot that many men didn’t even achieve. The paratroopers had one of the highest wash-out rates in the nation. She’d make it, just like she made it to West Point and out in three years. She’d do it, and make something of herself.

She’d do it, and maybe die trying.

Bea shifted somewhat uncomfortably, fiddling with her hands in her lap. June looked out the window, not as fidgety as before she’d explained, but still pulling at her fingers incessantly. 

“Why didn’t you want to be a WAC? It’s safer. As a woman, you know, you should be doing more appropriate things. The men fight. And we do our own fighting away from the front lines, but it’s just not holding a gun.” Bea’s voice was starting to rise in indignation.

June looked down, then decided to straighten and face Bea. This was June’s decision, and it had been approved by the military. She was going regardless of what Bea thought.

“How is this even possible?” spluttered Bea, in disbelief. “Who let you? And why do you feel the need to–to do something like this?”

June sighed, fearing the reaction. “I sent correspondences to the military base and some other branches. I got support from my local politicians. I suppose the West Point degree didn’t hurt,” she said, trying for some levity. 

Bea still looked concerned and scandalized. “West Point? You don’t mean–” Bea looked intently at June’s face. “You don’t mean you’re one of them?”

“The graduates this year?” June offered, neutrally.

Bea nodded, eyes narrowed.

“Yeah, I graduated with the class of ‘42. This month of June, actually.”

Bea wore the same expression on her face, half confused and half dismayed. June told herself that minds changed slowly. People like Bea were in the majority. Most Americans found any challenge to their status-quo unbearable. She was just like June’s mother when she’d been admitted.

And because Mom was against it, so was Sharon.

June had a very distinct memory of Sharon trying to talk her out of it.

“Mom doesn’t like it, you know,” she’d said, a frown on her face. “She says it’s ridiculous. Just go to University of California or something. You wouldn’t even have to go that far.” 

June told herself that she’d consider Cal. Her family had even visited – many of the young people from their area went there and it seemed like a natural progression for a girl like June. She didn’t like it – not because of the area or the attitude emanating from the school, but because for some reason, she’d already had her heart set on West Point. Assuming she got in. 

When June left for West Point, Mom cried and Sharon grudgingly gave her a hug. She left with a pit in her stomach. Leaving for Toccoa had created a similar reaction. 

“Stay safe,” her mother had said, probably hoping Toccoa would refuse June from the start, despite their promise in the letter to consider June’s military-style education. Sharon probably thought June would wash out. It was an elite division with high drop-out rates, after all. Paratroopers.

Paratroopers. The word was unfamiliar and sounded wrong. She figured the concept of dropping from the sky was in itself, wrong. Humans had figured out how to fly close to the sun and now they were falling voluntarily, too. 

June wasn’t really sure she could do it. This wasn’t West Point, where intellectual and memorization skills could supplement your success if your other scores were lacking. This was the Army. It was physical. It was about survival and combat. She couldn’t just be there, passive, and study at night to play catch-up. She had to take her future into her own hands, once again. 

It didn’t matter if she thought she could do it. It only mattered if she did it. 

And here she was, having a hard time explaining her situation to an amateur typist, God forbid her struggle when she got up to base.

June checked her watch. They were going to get there soon. 

Bea looked into June’s eyes suddenly. “I knew I saw you somewhere else. The newspapers…” she muttered, looking as if she didn’t know what else to say despite being full of questions. 

“I know it would be a lot less audacious of me to just stay on the home front.” June said, waiting for the storm. “That’s what people have already told me. You wouldn’t be the first.”

Bea furrowed her eyebrows again, taking in the grass and trees out the window. “No,” she said quietly, suddenly uncharacteristic. “No, I won’t say that.” She sat in silence for a while, and something came up on the horizon: a peaked hill, poking up from the trees and bushes, ringed with clouds and sitting against a blue sky. “Times are changing,” she said, shifting to look once again back at June. “You seem like a nice girl. I don’t think you’ll make it. You’ll drop out in a week or two, tops,” she said, shrugging, then paused. “But in the instance that you somehow make it, you’ll have done a great thing, female or not.”

June didn’t know what to say. No one had said anything like that to her. Be it with wonder or disgust, people who knew her story would always look at her with a sort of alien strangeness.

The bus was entering the base, and gates loomed in front of them. Wooden structures started to appear along the path, and men became more and more common along the path. The bus finally broke through the fading trees and the base was spread out before them: half paved, half dirt, with wood and brush and trucks everywhere. And the sheer volume of young men, all in uniform, all making their way to a specific destination. Each soldier here was here to train. 

June intended to become just like the men.

She’d almost forgotten about Bea beside her, and there was a brief touch on June’s hand as Bea got up to walk towards the front of the bus. 

“Wait,” June said. Bea turned around, expression unreadable. June couldn’t figure out whether Bea had concluded that she disliked her, but it didn’t matter. “I’ll see you,” she decided to say, the statement impersonal but not too remote, because in the back of her mind, June genuinely hoped she’d see Bea around base. She’d soon have no friends and have to start all over.

Bea gave her a half-smile. “You’ll know where to find me.”

And with that, June was the last woman on the bus. She made her way out in a daze, memorizing the leather of the seats with her fingers as she stepped out into the hot sun, the sounds of the base flowing over her. 

June stared up at the sky, trying to gather her thoughts. She was here to be like the other men. A girl named June couldn’t make this trip to the finish, unscathed. But maybe a soldier named Diedtrich could. 

She was here to fight, to learn to kill the enemy – to advance the mission of democracy throughout the quickly darkening age. The task of the U.S. Army was something huge and something glorious. 

If June’s nation was embarking on the greatest mission of faith and attrition on God’s good world, she wanted in. She wanted in, bad.

And here she was, with the hardest part far ahead.

♤

She found herself gawking at the place. The other women scattered quickly after leaving the bus, reporting for their jobs in various directions. June was left standing in the dust, taking in the huge hill rising above the camp, drowning in blue sky and flanked by hastily built wooden buildings.

A few groups of men – platoons – jogged past, running around the base. The pop-bang of rifle fire drifted distantly from somewhere to June’s north. Some yelling voices floated over the din of engines and footsteps.

A man came walking briskly out from a corner of one of the offices, in his service greens. He immediately spotted June and made a beeline towards her, dodging a passing truck. He came closer, and June noted the triple chevron on his shoulder and kept a smile to herself, preparation already paying off. Sergeant, she thought. He was dark blonde, of medium build, and tall. As he arrived in front of her, he slowed.

“Sergeant John Coates,” he said, extending a hand to her. June took it and gave a firm handshake. 

After a moment of indecision, June decided in a beat to introduce herself the civilian way. “June Diedtrich, sir,” she said with a smile. 

He nodded, already leaning around to take June’s suitcase. She pulled away. “That’s not necessary, but thank you,” she said hastily.

“Alright,” he said brightly, not looking put off. “I’m going to take you to Colonel Sink.” He turned away, starting up a cement path pointing away from the road.

June hauled her suitcase along, switching hands, and followed quickly after the Sergeant. Her heels clacked noticeably against the ground as she picked up speed in comparison to Coates’s boots. They were jump boots: the pride of parachutists and the envy of non-paratrooper infantrymen. June tore her eyes from Coates’s uniform when he spoke, suddenly aware that she was staring.

“So, you’re here to join the Army,” Coates commented, from a few paces ahead. June blinked in surprise. She figured no one would know other than Sink and some upper-division ranking officers. There was no way to tell, except for her suitcase, which wasn’t really an obvious indicator in itself. 

“Yes, I am, sir,” June said. 

“Interesting thing, a woman wanting to fight and all,” he said, voice curiously devoid of judgement. People always had to comment on the idea, and June expected nothing less of Coates, even if he seemed courteous at first glance.

“I think so, sir,” she responded cautiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop. It always did. People always had something to say about her outlandish ideas.

The two were passed by another jogging platoon in silence. June felt the weight of their curious stares, probably sizing her up as another new nurse or secretary to try and take out to the movies. 

More buildings passed. June looked out over the field to her right, a large expanse of flat green grass, which had a primitive track lining the perimeter, and forest beyond that, fading into a gradient of thin trees and ground cover. There were rows upon rows of barracks between her and the field – wooden row houses, long and narrow with square windows and thin walls. Some of them were covered with tarp fittings over the roofs and sides. June thought of winter in those poorly-insulated boxes and wondered how the men stayed warm. 

“Look,  I just want to tell you one thing before you go in,” Coates said suddenly, rounding a corner and facing her. June straightened again. “Colonel Sink may have let you in, but he’s not a nice man,” Coates said, looking slightly down at June, who was a good deal shorter. His tone was not harsh, but it seemed to be genuinely honest. “You’re here for a unique reason. I know that you are aware you will have to prove yourself more than any other man here.”

June looked seriously at him. “I know, sir. You have no idea how well I know.” She immediately reconsidered her statement. Was it too disrespectful? She searched his face. He didn’t look particularly upset. She told herself not to push it.

He nodded, looking at her sidelong without malice. “You will know if you didn’t before,” he said lowly. “I don’t envy your position, Private.”

June looked up, startled. This was the first time she’d been acknowledged as a military person, let alone a hopeful. 

Private Diedtrich. She would have smiled to herself if not for a wave of overwhelming nervousness as she looked at the door that would lead to Sink. Coates broke eye contact and rose back up to full height. 

“Colonel Sink is in here,” he said, holding open a door and following June into the building. 

Inside, the air was cooler, but still warm. A narrow hallway led down the building to the left, and office doors – some shut, some open – punctuated the wood wall every few feet. June stepped aside to let Coates pass, and she followed him down the corridor to the last door on the right. Coates knocked. 

“Come in,” a voice drifted out from the room. Coates nudged open the door and held it open for June, who slipped past him into Colonel Sink’s office.

The office was filled with light from the window behind Sink, who rose from his chair at the sight of June entering the office. June heard the shift of fabric behind her as Coates stood at attention, and after another brief moment of panicked debate, she too snapped her heels together and raised her right arm in salute, feeling a little strange doing it in her civilian clothing: skirt, lipstick, pin curls, and all.

The Colonel looked at June for a few seconds with an unreadable look, then back at Coates. 

“As you were,” he said in a strong, slightly nasal voice. He had gray hair and a composed mannerism. 

June heard Coates’s uniform shift again, and a half-second later, she relaxed her arm, not wanting to be found incompetent. She was feeling out-of-place already. Knowing how to salute and drill and address officers in the book was different than when the Colonel of Camp Toccoa was standing right in front of her. 

Would he offer his hand for shaking? Was she supposed to take it and shake once or twice? Thankfully, Sink didn’t offer a handshake, but instead dismissed Coates with a brief wave. 

“Sergeant Coates, please wait outside,” he said, and then turning to June, he pointed to a chair in front of the desk. “Have a seat, young lady,” he said, and June obediently pulled out the chair and sat down, setting her suitcase down next to her. The thought that Sink hadn’t called her Private briefly flashed through her mind, but June’s thoughts were so jumbled that she pushed the useless observation out of her mind and tried to breathe deeply to calm down her rapidly beating heart.

Sink sat down in his chair across from June and folded his hands, looking at her, the beams of noontime sun slatting through the blinds in the window and giving Sink a backlit glow. June met his eyes straight on, challenging him to make any assumptions before he talked to her first. 

This was the man to impress. If anyone, it was Sink. He could throw her out of the camp right then if he wanted to. June was no Congressman’s daughter, no relative of a high-ranking official. Sink had the right to deny her requests immediately without repercussions, and they both knew. 

Yet Sink had been the one  – the only one – to answer June’s request, asking her to come on base to begin training that September. That had to mean he had some sort of hope for her when the others didn’t. It had to. Right?

Sink’s letter promised her a shot. It might have been a shot in the dark, but June took it.

“June Diedtrich. We finally meet,” Sink said, leaning back in his chair. 

June nodded. “Yes, sir,” she said steadily. Sink laughed, probably at her stiffness, or maybe at the ridiculousness of the entire situation. 

“Well, let’s get into it,” he said with an air of business, turning to a few papers on his desk and laying one on top of another. He had a particular habit of enunciating syllables and drawing them out in a Carolina accent. It reminded June of her grandfather, though she wasn’t sure if it was appropriate to make that comparison.

“In your letter you stated that you specifically wanted to join the Army. Not the WACs, or other female divisions,” Sink said, looking fleetingly at the mentioned letter and back at June. “You do realize how strange and frankly abstract an idea like this is, June?”

June kept her face stoic, but she felt a cold flash of nervousness. “Yes, sir.”

Sink scanned the rest of the letter and put it back down. “Your request has been approved by the top brass, as you already know,” he said, drumming a finger on the table and leaning back once more. “This is something that has never happened. Not once in the history of the United States Armed Forces has a female actually entered front-line combat,” Sink said with an air of finality.

She nodded, not knowing what else to say. A growing fearful anticipation of rejection grew in her mind, and she shifted in the chair uncomfortably. She reasoned with herself: why would Sink kick her out now? She’d taken a train all the way from California to get here. Sink seemed to be a man of practicality. She told herself she was being ridiculous by having anything to fear, but her own voice of logic was drowned out by anxiety.

Their correspondence had been constant, but June still knew nothing was ever concrete with such a tenuous plan relying on scant approval. Was Sink preparing to drop her right here and now? Was that why he’d kept Coates outside the office, so she could be driven back into town? June’s heart sank, even though she knew in her mind that she’d been approved to this position. 

“You’re a high school valedictorian, West Point graduate, and women’s distance running champion. You have political contacts all over the country in top positions, a secure home in San Francisco, and job prospects open everywhere because of your degree. You’re smart. You’re also a woman. You have the option,” Sink said, clearing his throat and leaning forward, “of completely ignoring the war as someone who will not be affected by any possible future drafts. In fact, there will be more jobs for you when men start draining out of the country by the millions.”

June watched his face, trying to follow his logic. 

“So, when I ask this, answer me honestly, because I want to know,” he said. “Why are you here?”

Bea had asked June the same thing on the bus but curiously, it seemed different when the words were coming from the mouth of a distinguished Colonel, sitting here with June’s fate in his hands. She twisted a finger in her lap and stopped herself, knowing Sink could see.

“You could be in danger if you wanted, Diedtrich,” Sink said. “You could fly a plane. You could make yourself useful by manufacturing artillery shells.” He snorted. “Hell, you could even haul ass to Europe and do some fighting yourself without being–” he waved an arm around, one side of his mouth lifting below his moustache in a scowl, “restricted by the organization of the U.S. Army. God knows we haven’t been as welcoming as some Holland revolutionaries could be on the other side of the world.”

June pressed her lips together, thinking. “I’m not bilingual, sir,” she started, and Sink laughed for a moment, his stony exterior breaking for just that second. “I don’t have a pilot's license. I don’t want to work in a factory, sir,” she forged on, wondering if her use of sir was too frequent. No matter – it was better to sprinkle in too many than too few. “I feel love for my country, this great nation I was born into. This is the land of the free and the home of the brave. And if I am daring enough to count myself to be among the free and the brave, then I intend to take up arms and fight for it too.” 

Colonel Sink had asked why. Why was she here? She paused just for a few seconds. 

“And if not for Europe or the free people of the Pacific, I want to fight for my country. The United States of America.”

Sink looked down at the papers without reading them, up at the ceiling, and then back at June, exhaling. Then he nodded. “That’s exactly why every other man is here,” he said. “I’m glad you feel so strongly about our country. But I’ll ask you this.” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “Are you prepared to watch your comrades die? To have the cloud of death and blood all around you as you pack yourself into trenches, waiting for the artillery to tear some poor boy’s arm off? To be hit by the blood and guts of the man next to you, deafened by gunfire and blinded by flares?”

June swallowed, trying to picture the carnage, knowing it was a reality that was all too near, men torn limb from limb just across the sea.

“The taste of ash and metal doesn’t leave your mouth. And if you yourself get hit in battle, sometimes it’s a mercy to not have to watch your brothers bleed out in front of you or get their helmet shot through with some German machine gun,” Sink concluded. “If you ever get through the training and somehow make it into battle, can your female mind and soul bear it?”

June stared into the distance, trying to imagine it – a familiar mental choreography she’d replayed again and again for months, trying to picture the mud and screams and rivers of red. She’d watched war films when she could, but she had a premonition the worst was never shown. She’d known veterans from the Great War, hollow and haggard, missing limbs or parts of their skin or sections of their face. Burns. Amputations. Bullet wounds. Broken arms that never healed. Big scars that were never named, but pointed to some greater wound inside their soul. Empty eyes.

June hoped she’d never get to that point. Empty-eyed was the worst that you could become.

“I know it, sir,” June said, knowing it was a woeful lie. “In the event that I am eventually deployed overseas, I am prepared for it.”

Sink grimaced. “You will never be prepared. You do not know. But I have faith that you are willing to learn what it takes to become a brother-in-arms.” He paused. “Sister-in-arms.”

June nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“You are not one of them yet,” Sink said, pointing over his shoulder into the window, framing a scene of men doing drills, running, and standing at attention. “You may never be one of them. You have to make them understand, Diedtrich. You must make them. No one else will do it for you.” A brief shake of his head. “But the battle for now is not to make friends. You will earn their respect by your actions, your fortitude, and your resilience, something each man must do. And now you are a woman attempting the same thing. If they accept you,” he said, “and that is a big if, you will do it by surviving Toccoa. There is no shortcut. You either shape up or wash out, same as the others, West Point degree be damned.”

June’s eyes narrowed slightly, hating that her degree was probably going to be held over her the whole time she was here, if she lasted longer than a few days. She hated being told about her own education, because she was reminded of how she’d been given exceptions that made her class graduate in three short years. 

If she ever earned something, it would be her place in the Paratroopers.

“I cannot stress this enough, Diedtrich,” Sink said. “You must earn this. The Army men will not be easily convinced of your competence unless you demonstrate it.”

June nodded firmly, face hardening. “I will try my best, sir.”

Colonel Sink looked as if he was going to try to say something else, but then decided against it. “Well, Private Diedtrich, I wish you the best, but that’s all I can do. Welcome to U.S. Army training,” he said, rising from his chair. “The Basic Training exam is in a few weeks. I’ll see you then.”

June stood up quickly too, and Sink offered a hand for a shake. June gave him her firmest handshake, and Sink nodded at her. 

“Survive this, and you make history,” Sink said, face serious.

June felt the unsaid implication hang in the air. 

Fail, and you’re just another drop-out.

June didn’t intend to fail. She’d weather this, just like she had weathered her other obstacles. This time, the obstacle was called Toccoa. And maybe – just maybe – she’d eventually face down the forces of Europe.

.

[rahirah]

via Barb's Place So before setting out on our Grand Canyon adventure, I of course checked the weather. Supposedly it was going to be highs in the 50s and lows in the 30s. Cold and rainy, with a small chance of snow on Friday, but we'd be back home by Friday, right? Right? (Wrong!) As You Know, Bob, the Grand Canyon Railway runs twice a day: one train leaves Williams at seven-thirty in the morning and returns at two-thirty in the afternoon, and the second one leaves at eight-thirty and returns at three-thirty. We were on the later train. Since the train trip takes about two hours, that meant that we'd be leaving Williams around six in the evening, and it would take about three hours or more to get back to Phoenix. After we told Kathy's mom about that, she decided that it would be better if we spent Thursday night in Williams instead, and drove back to Phoenix on Friday. That was fine with us. Unfortunately, the GC Railway Hotel, where we were to stay Monday night, was totally booked on Thursday. During the holidays, the railway does two Polar Express (TM) runs to the "North Pole" every evening, in addition to the two runs up to the Canyon and back in the daytime. So the hotel was completely packed with families running around in matching pajama sets, with kids chanting "I believe! I believe!" No worries, though – there are lots of hotels in Williams! Except Kathy's mom, for mysterious reasons, rejected all of them, because they did not explicitly advertise a free breakfast bar. Why she needed that when all she ever wants for breakfast is oatmeal and coffee, I do not know. We ended up making a reservation at a Days Inn in Bellemont, which is a flyspeck about twenty miles north of Flagstaff. MORE OF THIS ANON. When we got to Williams on Monday afternoon, it was reallyfuckingcold. No problem, right? We'd expected this! We'd brought coats and sweaters and boots. What we hadn't expected was Kathy's mom practically collapsing in the visitor's center. Turns out that she (elderly, ex-smoker, lived in sea-level Florida for the last thirty years) reacts REALLY BADLY to high altitudes. The slightest exertion sent her into palpitations. This more or less scotched our plans of walking around Williams and window shopping, so we got her to the hotel, and... it started snowing. Not raining, snowing. WELL THEN. About this time I started getting emails from places where I'd sent resumes, wanting to set up interviews. On the one hand, yay interviews! On the other, I really hadn't expected to get any responses this week. I had to reply and ask if we could please do it after I got back to Phoenix, and hope that didn't put them off doing it altogether, and then fret about them periodically. Everyone assured us that in a day or two, the MIL would acclimatize. In a day or two we'd be heading home, but whatever. In the meantime, we managed to borrow a wheelchair from the hotel to get her to the restaurant across the parking lot for dinner, because she literally couldn't walk ten feet without gasping for breath. MIL was deeply unhappy about this, as she is very active for a woman in her eighties. Maneuvering a wheelchair with an unwilling passenger across an unfamiliar ice-slick parking lot in a snowstorm is a fun adventure, lemme tell ya. The next morning it was still snowing. We got the MIL down to the train depot, and made the cardinal error of going to watch the Wild West gunfighter show. Wild West Hijinks (TM) which would be mildly amusing when the temperature is in the 70s are merely irritating when the temperature is in the 30s. I felt sorry for the performers, who not only had to stand in the slush, but roll around in it whenever they got shot. After standing in the sleet and slush for fifteen minutes (no one wanted to sit on the snow-covered metal bleachers) we (along with about half of the rest of the meager audience) left early to make sure we got on the train. Once we got MIL on the train, the ride was mostly fine. The scenery was beautiful. There were free snacks. The minute we got to the Canyon, we were bundled off the train and onto a tour bus. Unfortunately there wasn't much to see; the Canyon was entirely invisible, just a vast white snow-cloud void, and half the stops on the tour were canceled due to the snow. When we got back to our hotel, we ran into more mobility issues. We were staying in Maswik Lodge, the budget, i.e. one-step-up-from-the-campground lodge, which is a whole bunch of separate cabins. They had a wheelchair available, and the nice desk clerk asked if we'd like to change our cabin for a more accessible one. We said "Sure!" What the nice desk clerk failed to mention was that the more accessible cabin hadn't been cleaned yet, and it would take a full two and a half hours of us shivering in the freezing cold (I am not exaggerating – every time the lobby door opened, and it opened a lot, more snow blew in) lobby to get it cleaned. If we'd known that it would take that long, we would have said to hell with it and gone with the less accessible one. Finally we got to our cabin, turned on the heat, and thawed out a bit before having dinner at the Maswik food court. The following morning, we encountered the next challenge: getting the MIL anywhere outside the vicinity of the lodge was a nightmare. Since the wheelchair belonged to the Maswik, we couldn't take it with us if we wanted to visit any of the other lodges or points of interest. So that morning, Kathy and I went out by ourselves to look around and do some exploring. It was still snowing, the forest was a magical winter wonderland which I was too cold to properly appreciate, and I slipped and fell on the ice twice. It occurred to me later that I dodged a bullet, because in my current jobless state, I have no insurance, and had I really injured myself, I would have been really screwed. Luckily the only thing really hurt was my pride. We did get to see a few sights: El Tovar, Hopi House, the art gallery, etc. A lot of the tours and whatnot had been canceled due to the weather, but we still saw a few intrepid hikers. We wanted to eat at the steakhouse at Bright Angel Lodge on Christmas Eve, so we ended up walking the MIL out to the stop for the free shuttle in very careful installments. Unfortunately, we took the shuttle driver at his word when he told us we needed to transfer from the eastbound to the westbound shuttle to get where we were going. (It turned out that we could have just stayed on and gone all the way around.) This meant walking the MIL over a couple hundred yards of icy/snowy mud to yet another shuttle stop, and then, finally, getting her up the dozen or so stairs to the steakhouse parking lot. I was absolutely terrified that she'd fall and break a hip. Still, things were going pretty well until it came time to go back to our cabin. By now it was completely dark, the wind was blowing, the snow was pelting down, and it was well below freezing. We stood at the shuttle stop...and stood, and stood, and stood, with the wind cutting right through our coats and snow building up around us. It probably wasn't more than twenty minutes before the shuttle showed up, but it felt like hours, mainly because the MIL (who has zero patience even under optimal conditions) kept proclaiming that it was never going to come and she was going to die of the cold. Under the circumstances, we were not sure she wasn't right. Finally, the shuttle showed up, and we got her back to the cabin. At that point, Kathy and I realized that we had a further problem. We had reservations at El Tovar, the super-fancy lodge, for Christmas dinner. Since we were not staying at El Tovar, we hadn't been able to make the reservations until 30 days out (as opposed to the actual El Tovar guests, who were allowed to make reservations 90 days out.) This meant that by the time we could make ours, the only one available was at 8:45. The free shuttle only ran until 9:00. You see the dilemma. Not to mention that the steps up to El Tovar from the shuttle stop were like five times as high as the ones to Bright Angel, and the MIL had barely made it up those. Plus we really, really didn't want to go through another Freezing At The Shuttle Stop experience if we could help it. Luckily, at this point we had a "D'oh!" moment and noticed the taxi service in the brochure. They picked you up right at the door of your cabin, and took you right to the doors of the other lodges! Woohoo! We were saved! So through the Christmas miracle of Grand Canyon Taxi, we got the MIL over to El Tovar for dinner, and over to Hopi House to do some shopping the next morning before we left. And for a post-Christmas miracle, it stopped snowing on the 26th, so we were finally able to see the Canyon! Double woohoo! Thursday afternoon we took the train back to Williams, and Kathy and I parked the MIL in the depot gift shop while we went through the Exciting Adventure Mark II of finding our luggage (which was not where it was supposed to be) and digging the car out from beneath about six inches of snow. It had, of course, started snowing again on the train trip back, and the roads were all black ice. Now, I am a Phoenix native, and I don't have a lot of experience driving in snow. However, as you may recall, the MIL had rejected all the hotels in Williams proper. I cursed them faintly as I drove past, with their goddamn welcoming VACANCY signs. We ended up crawling twenty-odd miles down the iced-over I-40 at 35 mph, in the dark, in the snow, along with a bunch of other people (some mad speed demons doing 50 mph) who were no happier about it than I was. By the time we got to the Chosen Hotel, my shoulders had seized up completely, I'd been gripping the steering wheel so hard. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" the MIL chirped as we pulled into the hotel parking lot. I did not murder her then and there, which I think speaks to my growth as a person. I may have mentioned before that my MIL, though a lovely and generous woman in many respects, is... well, look under "entitled white lady" in the dictionary and her picture will be there, and there will be a note from her under the picture complaining that the photographer got her bad side and demanding to speak to the manager. And this hotel we pull into is not a rat-infested pit or anything, but it's not the sort of place she usually goes for. It is reasonably clean, and it has free wi-fi, and that is about all you can say for it, amenities-wise. There's not even any carpet in the rooms; it's all linoleum. It is exactly the sort of hotel you'd expect to find when you say "God, I can't drive another mile, this will have to do." Kathy and I are completely underwhelmed. We have seen the MIL rip into far, FAR nicer establishments than this for failing to meet her exa The MIL LOVES it. We throw up our hands and contemplate the mysteries of the universe. There is no restaurant, only a McDonalds across the street, so we warm up the leftovers from our El Tovar dinner in the microwave. Thank God for microwaves. The next morning, we get up. The free breakfast bar, which is the entire reason the MIL insisted on this hotel, turns out to be a dozen packets of instant oatmeal; a Froot Loop dispenser; a sad rack of Wonder Bread for toasting; a warming pan which apparently once held sausages, but is now quite empty; five mini-muffins; one raisin bagel; and a waffle machine with which one can, if one can fight one's way through the throng of desperate breakfast-hunters besieging it, make waffles. The MIL (you guessed it) loved it. I grabbed the raisin bagel. There was no butter, no cream cheese, only packets of grape jelly. Grape jelly, if you are wondering, doesn't go all that well with raisin bagels. You'd think it would, but you'd be wrong. I did manage to nab a couple of sausages when they were finally replenished. They turned out to be incredibly salty, ice cold, and somewhat suspiciously soy-product-flavored. I took them and a slice of Wonder Bread back to the room to microwave them, and made a sort of sad, weird sausage sandwich. Kathy and I then went out to scrape snow off the car – for the moment, it had stopped snowing, but a couple more inches had fallen after we parked for the night. During this process, the head of the driver's side windshield wiper snapped right off. I guess the unaccustomed cold weakened the plastic. Since it was supposed to start snowing again at any moment, I was less than thrilled with this development, but there was nothing for it; I had no idea whether or not there was a mechanic in Bellemont, and I didn't want to wander randomly around trying to find one. We packed everything up and got on the road. It did indeed start snowing again shortly thereafter. Thankfully it never snowed very hard. The snow eventually turned to rain as we came down off the Rim and into the Verde Valley, and it rained all the way into Phoenix and the rest of the day. But we got home safely, I avoided being cited for driving through a rainstorm without working wipers, we picked up Bo from the vet's, I bought a replacement wiper, and the MIL got on a plane back to Florida Saturday morning. So that was my first ever white Christmas. Despite everything, it was a good trip. The scenery was absolutely spectacular. I'll try and post some pictures later. And now, back to the normal stress of job hunting. The end. comments

[timtamtalestakestwo]

Life before lockdown

Since the last blog post I wrote we seem to have escaped from one disaster and entered an even bigger one! Whilst before we were locked inside due to thick bushfire smoke, we now have clearer air than ever but the slight inconvenience of a massive pandemic..

I had a short but lovely trip back to England in February, mainly to interview for a place on the Internal Medicine Training programme. It had been a tough decision, as we both love our life together out in Australia and have had such fantastic experiences and adventures here. I think both of us would love to stay a bit longer, however with my formal training on hold whilst here and a huge difficulty in transferring said training between the countries if I were to start training here, we essentially needed to make a decision sooner rather than later.

It was brilliant to see family and friends again after so long, although certainly took a little adjusting to the cold temperatures and busy roads again having not driven on anything bigger than a largely empty dual carriageway in 30+ degree heat for 2 years!

I later found out I was successful in my application and got my first-choice job so will be spending the next 3 years in Winchester and Southampton from August! This certainly made the whole ‘moving home’ plan seem more real. Although I am fairly certain our reaction for the first few weeks/months of arriving home will be ‘what have we done?!?’ I know for me, the value of having the support of family and friends close-by going forward will hopefully outweigh the bad weather, overpopulation, and extortionate house prices!

On my arrival back to Australia, the virus was still only in its early stages and we certainly hadn’t predicted at that point the imminent deterioration in circumstances across the world; so little so that we booked everything for a trip of a lifetime for our final 2 months here – a month travelling around New Zealand and a month driving from Darwin to Perth. As you can imagine, that dream has since all been taken away rather rapidly.

Image: Celebrating my birthday with a dip in the Bogey Hole!

In early March, we welcomed Tom’s family back to Australia for another visit! The main wildlife left on the list to see after the last visit was a wombat, a platypus, a Tasmanian devil, and quolls..and so the quest began…

As I was working for their first week here, I stayed home whilst they went on an adventure up to the Bunya Mountains in Queensland. By the sounds of things, they brought the rain with them from England and weren’t blessed with the best weather. However, they enjoyed a relaxing few days away from civilization, followed by a few days at Rainbow Beach featuring a day 4WDing on Fraser Island!

We celebrated Tom’s birthday when they got back to Newcastle and were due to go to the Grand Prix in Melbourne, but unfortunately that was the start of the closure of mass gatherings and so it was understandably cancelled. However, these were the days before social distancing was even in our vocabulary, so we got our flights to Melbourne anyway, spending the day exploring the city and botanical gardens! It was only a brief visit as we had a morning flight to Hobart the following morning…

We rented 2 campervans for the trip and headed straight out of Hobart up to the Friendly Beaches in Freycinet National Park for our first night. The night sky was one of the clearest I’ve ever seen so we spent the evening stargazing on the beach and tried our hand at some long exposure star shots! We also had our first encounter with a wombat (which we almost missed in the pitch black – I only noticed it because I was wondering why something I thought was a boulder was grunting!)

Our route the next day took us up the East Coast further, via Douglas Apsley National Park where we hiked to a very refreshing (read freezing!) waterhole for a dip! We spent the night up in the beautiful Bay of Fires, in another beach-side campsite. The sound of the waves crashing on the beach next to the campervan all night was certainly something special!

Image: Apsley River Waterhole

Images: Bay of Fires

We had a long drive the next day to Cradle Mountain National Park, a place I had missed on my first visit and had been dreaming of visiting since! After covering the very wind-y Elephant Pass and across to Cataract Gorge in Launceston to stop for a stretch of the legs, we eventually reached Cradle Mountain campsite before dark. It was certainly the most equipped campsite we’d had so far – our first shower of the trip was certainly welcomed!

After dark, we piled into one van to drive into the park for a wildlife watch, spotting multiple wombats, possums, wallabies and pademelons!

The next day was forecast for rain from late morning so we got up early and Ellie and I caught the first shuttle bus into the park. The hike to the summit was tempting but the forecast suggested that wasn’t the safest choice, so Ellie and I decided to hike to Marion’s Lookout, one of the stops en route to the summit. We’d been advised against the steep rock scramble route up by the slightly over-cautious park rangers, due to the risk of slippery conditions. Instead we took a beautiful longer route up via Wombat Pools and Crater Lake. The place was breathtaking. Jagged peaks, and mirrored glacial lakes, it was everything I had hoped for! We were thankful for the early start as it felt like we had the Park to ourselves and didn’t see a soul for the route up ….until we arrived at Marion’s Lookout and were surprised to see Tom and Gill already there! Having arrived on the next shuttle bus, they had braved the short steep climb (which apparently was no way near as treacherous as we’d been warned) and beat us to it! We were all suitably red-faced and in need of a chocolate break!

I could have stayed in Cradle Mountain all week but there was so much of beautiful Tasmania left to see so we packed up to start the drive up to Stanley on the North West coast. After an hour or so standing on the ‘penguin viewing platform’ at dusk, we finally caught a glimmer of white coming in from the sea – our first fairy penguin sighting! The extra special moment was hearing cheeping noises behind us, turning, and finding two hungry little baby penguins stood at the entrance of their burrows, waiting for their mum to come back with some food!

We spent Gill’s birthday driving around the Tarkine wilderness in the North West. On our first stop at Bluff lighthouse, I managed to get a leech bite on my ankle but unfortunately didn’t notice until about an hour or two later when it was the size of a slug and had injected copious amounts of anticoagulant into me! Ellie saved the day by being the only one of us composed enough to safely take it off! But the bite mark then didn’t stop bleeding for most of the rest of the day…!

That night was the long-awaited platypus sighting, just outside Burnie. It didn’t seem like the most promising spot being very close to an industrial area, and although there were plenty of pademelons about I wasn’t hopeful about seeing a platypus and regrettably retired early to the van. Not long afterwards, Tom snr saw an unmistakable outline through a moonlit reflection on the water, passing under the bridge!

Another long drive the next day brought us over the Central Plateau conservation area and down to Mount Field National Park, not far from Hobart. We stayed in the overflow campsite there, and were surrounded by hundreds of pademelons, lots of very tame and enormous possums and even saw glow-worms on an evening stroll down to Russell Falls!

It was from here that things started to get slightly more stressful….

Whilst we were away, not only had Australia closed its borders, but so had some states, including Tasmania… so thus started a saga of flights repeatedly being cancelled by the airline, and rebooked, and cancelled again, and rebooked, and cancelled again…you get the idea. This of itself was merely a slight inconvenience if it wasn’t for the fact that not only had these cancellations meant Tom’s family missed their flight back to London with Etihad, Etihad (and most other airlines) had now grounded all international flights!

We extended our campervan hire and camped out near Port Arthur in Eaglehawk Neck peninsula in the South East, only an hour or so from the airport if we needed to make a mad dash for it at any point! It was certainly a beautiful place to be stranded and managed to make the most of it with some hikes and a break-in to the now closed Port Arthur Historic site!

After the third or fourth cancellation we decided it best to just go to the airport and wait for them to put us on a flight. It turned out that of the few flights that had been flying, only 50% of the passengers had shown up, so we ended up with a spot on the first one out. If only we’d known that sooner we wouldn’t have been in the difficult position of trying to get Tom’s family repatriated along with thousands of other tourists!

Alas, they were in luck as a relative works for BA, so after multiple international phone calls, she managed to get them safely on a flight home much sooner than many other people!

Despite the mildly stressful end, it was a fantastic trip that we were lucky to even do, as had it been a week later, Tom’s family would have never even made it into Australia!

 It was back to work for the both of us – the Emergency Department has been eerily quiet as there has not been the influx of COVID19 patients in Australia we were anticipating and many fewer people are attending unnecessarily (and more worryingly people who need to attend but aren’t…)

Tom and I are now just finishing up at work having already handed in our notices prior to knowing the world was about to turn apocalyptic, so we are now trying to sort out how we will spend the next few months without any options to travel like we had initially planned! We’re at least making the most of the fact scuba diving is on the government-approved list of daily exercise...!

We hope you are all staying safe and staying well in this rather mad time and we can’t wait to see you on the other side! xxx

[haveclotheswilltravel]

This post is my honest review of our stay at Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa – a luxury, all-inclusive, adults-only resort in Jamaica. 

Now all-inclusive, relaxing and beachside are words that are not normally used to describe the kind of vacations my husband and I embark on. We’re usually more of the scaling mountains, jumping out of airplanes, in need of at least 3 days of sleep after our vacation sort of people.

So… would you believe me if I told you the reason my husband and I got our first passport 10 years ago was to stay at a Sandals Resort in St. Lucia? Because it’s actually the truth! Our first international journey together was to St. Lucia to stay at the Sandals Regency La Toc with my husband’s coworkers (and our now good friends)!

Sandals in St. Lucia almost 10 years ago! (With blonde hair too, haha.)

When the opportunity to visit a Sandals Resort in Jamaica for a Press Trip* (a.k.a. FAM Trip) presented itself this fall – I was intrigued. (I’ll explain what the heck that means at the end of the post.) This is not only because Sandals Resorts kick-started my international traveling, but also because after the last 6 years of nearly nonstop traveling, my husband and I are frankly getting a little tired. The idea of enjoying a beach for a little while didn’t sound too bad at all! 

So, I dug out my sun hat, ordered a new swimsuit and headed off to tropical Jamaica to check out Sandals Negril and also Sandals Montego Bay. For this post, I’m only focusing on Sandals Negril. (More on their Montego Bay Resort coming soon!)

Click here for current Sandals Negril rates. 

Sandals Negril Key Features – What Exactly is Included in Your Stay

So, what are the features that are said to set Sandals Resorts above the rest? This is what you get when you book Sandals Negril.

Unlimited dining at 7 restaurants

Breakfast, lunch, dinner and anytime snacks

Unlimited Premium Liquor, Wine and Beer 

5 bars, including swim-up bars

Stocked bars in every room

All tips, taxes and gratuities

Roundtrip airport transfers

PADI-Certified SCUBA diving (and all equipment)

Waterskiing

Snorkeling (and all equipment)

Hobie Cats, paddleboards, kayaks

Professional instruction for water sports

Beach volleyball, bocce ball, pool tables, and a fitness center

Day and night tennis

Live shows at night

Free WiFi (in room and all common areas)

Free weddings! (for stays of 3 nights or longer)

My Experience Stay at Sandals Negril 

I’ll go into great detail about every aspect of this stay below. However, as my husband likes to say… “if you would rather just have the baby and not the labor pains” then scroll to the end of this post for my overall opinion of our stay at Sandals Negril. 

Airport Arrival

After we made our way through customs in Montego Bay and grabbed our bag, we went over to the Sandals desk to see how our transfer worked. 

We checked in with the people in charge of transfers and were then sent to a very nice lounge that had snacks and refreshments for us while we waited for the shuttle bus. (For the life of me, I can’t remember what they’re called but the rum-soaked, Twinkie-looking desserts they had were SO good.) 

Then, our transfer was called and our bag was wheeled to the bus. Here is where I was a little annoyed, though. The person who transferred our bag was not actually a Sandals employee. Therefore, he wanted a tip for wheeling our bag from the airport to the shuttle bus. 

I know that’s really not a big deal, but I was in the mindset of, “I don’t have to tip anybody for this trip! It’s all already paid for.” (Sandals has a no-tipping policy – it’s all included in your the price you pay for your vacation!) So, when one of my first interactions was with someone demanding a tip for wheeling a bag that I could have easily have wheeled myself, I was irritated. (I also was in need of a proper lunch – so, I was super hangry too!) 

The transfer from the Montego Bay airport to Sandals Negril is supposed to take around 40 minutes. However, for some reason, traffic was REALLY bad that afternoon (around 2 pm), and it took us nearly 2 hours to get to the resort! 

Which, that’s not Sandals’ fault! You can’t control the traffic. It was also not a bad drive. I enjoyed seeing how many goats I could spot. They were everywhere! Our bus driver called them “Jamaican reindeer.” Maybe it’s because I was sleep-deprived…but I found that super funny.

Checkin 

Once we got to the resort, the check-in process was very nice! We were taken to a comfortable room and promptly given some sort of yummy rum cocktail while we waited to be escorted to our room. I also thought it was very nice because the gentleman who had brought us the cocktails was able to whip up a nonalcoholic cocktail for my husband in no time at all and didn’t bat an eye about him requesting one without any alcohol. (My husband doesn’t drink alcohol.)

Our Room  – the Paradise Beachfront Walkout Club Level Room 

This room was perfectly nice and comfortable. However, for me, its selling point was being right on top of the beach! Check out that view from our patio, below.

The view from our room’s patio!

I liked being super close to the beach. However, this also meant that there is quite a bit of foot traffic outside your patio door. Not that it was ever a problem for us, it’s just something to be aware of. 

Here is a little tour of our room, below.

I also liked that this room came with the option of room service. By the time we got to the resort I was beyond hangry and could hardly form words, I was getting so hungry! I also needed to get cleaned up for a welcome cocktail hour/dinner that evening. So, ordering room service was really convenient. 

Sorry, I have no photos of the room service food as I inhaled it faster than you can blink – but I can promise you it was really good and took just over a half-hour to get to our room. 

Restaurants

We were only at Sandals Negril for one night, so we didn’t get the chance to dine at every restaurant on the resort. However, I was very happy with the large selection of breakfast food at the morning buffet. I’m also REALLY picky about my coffee, but Sandals Negril did not disappoint in the coffee department and even gives you your own personal thermos of coffee for your breakfast table. (So, if you’re like me and drink an entire pot of coffee by yourself…you don’t have to go on in search of refills!)

Sandals Negril breakfast dining area

We had our cocktail hour at their beachside Piano Bar. It was really a nice atmosphere and watching the sunset over the ocean was breathtaking. 

Did not adjust the color at all! The sunset here was unreal!

Private Beach Dinners

I didn’t actually have a private beach dinner. However, I could not stop photographing the ones that were set up! They looked so romantic. I loved that they had flower petals leading up to the table! 

Dinner at Sundowner

Our dinner took place at Sundowner. This is a restaurant that offers some great Carribean dishes with a relaxed, but classy atmosphere. I had the chicken that night, which was quite good… but I really screwed up. Sundowner’s coffee-rubbed sirloin is some of the best steaks my husband and some of the other folks we were with had ever had! Be sure to try it when you eat here.

Because we were here on a press trip*, we were also lucky enough to dine in a small group with the resort’s general manager – David Latchimy! Honestly, I would come back to Sandals Negril simply for the fact that it is run by David. He is such a kind and intelligent person, and he truly cares about his employees. He answered all of our questions openly and honestly and was also genuinely interested in our lives. I should have asked to take a photo with him, but I always feel so weird about doing that! So, below is a video of David chatting about how awesome Sandals Negril is.

 The Staff

Given that we didn’t get to stay at the resort for too long, we didn’t get to know the staff as well here as we did at Sandals Montego Bay. However, I can say that the staff we interacted with all seemed very happy to be working here and they all went out of their way to make sure we were having a nice time!

A Look Inside the Honeymoon Beachfront Two Story One Bedroom Butler Villa Suite

I also had the opportunity to tour this fantastic butler villa suite at Sandals Negril! Check out how awesome the inside of this suite looks… 

Final Verdict – Would I Stay at Sandals Negril Again?

Absolutely! I would love to get to experience this resort more…even if it’s just to try out one of those amazing-looking beachfront dinners!

Sandals Negril has a very relaxed and intimate feeling compared to the other resorts I’ve experienced. I can see how Sandals Negril is a great destination for a wedding because of this. (Our friends were actually married here too! They had a fantastic experience!) 

The only thing I can think of that would be a negative for some people is that the beachfront rooms will have quite a bit of foot traffic near them – as they are literally right on top of the beach. We weren’t there during the busy season, we were here in October, so it wasn’t overly busy at this time and never bothered us. I can see how during the busy season, though, this might bother some people. Just worth noting!

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the staff, the food, the drinks and the atmosphere at Sandals Negril. I would go back in a heartbeat. 

Click here for the Sandals Negril website.

  *Press trip (a.k.a. FAM Trip) – these are trips where I do not pay for my stay. The resort or hotel where I am staying pays for my stay and expenses. I am never required to write a positive review about my experience, and for this press trip with Sandals, I wasn’t required to write anything at all! They just wanted Have Clothes, Will Travel to experience their resorts.

I am writing this review because I thought it would be helpful to my readers – Sandals does not compensate me for a positive review. I do believe this is a good place to go for an all-inclusive vacation! (If you need proof that I do indeed write negative reviews for trips like these that I do not enjoy, check out this post.)

However, I do make a small commission if you click my Sandals links in this post and make a purchase. I appreciate you supporting the businesses that make this blog possible!

My husband would go back too!

  If anyone has any questions about Sandals Negril, please feel free to ask in the comments section at the end of this post! And I’m curious, has anyone else stayed at Sandals Negril? And if so, how did you enjoy your stay? Let me know in the comments! 

Again, if you are thinking of purchasing a trip to Sandals Resorts – I appreciate you clicking my links before doing so. I make a small commission off any purchase made through my website. *Click here for the Sandals Negril website. 

  Travel Insurance

It’s a good idea, no matter where your adventure takes you, to have travel insurance. You never know what might happen! Whether you get sick before your trip and can’t go, or you become sick or injured while on your adventure – being covered with travel insurance is a must. Some credit card companies do provide this service (check with yours), or you can get a quote from companies such as RoamRight. Get a free quote by clicking here. 

Visa Requirements

To check if your country requires a Visa for traveling to Jamaica, click here. (If you’re from the US – you do NOT need a visa.) 

If you liked it – Pin it!

Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa Review + Photos This post is my honest review of our stay at Sandals Negril Beach Resort and Spa - a luxury, all-inclusive, adults-only resort in Jamaica.

[quickeningheart]

Eleven

     Naturally, the mice did not take kindly to their Charley-girl’s life being threatened, and they showed their displeasure by promptly storming Limburger’s tower and blowing it up.

    When the city shook from the impact of a hundred-thousand tons of steel and brick meeting the ground head-on, Alley shrieked and dove for cover under the desk. Charley, in the midst of replacing her damaged brake line, just rolled her eyes and kept right on working. "It's not an earthquake," she said blandly. "It's just the guys showing Limburger their appreciation."

    "By taking out half the city?" Alley crawled out from under the desk, frowning at the smears of grease now staining her skirt.

    "Don’t worry. Over the years, they’ve turned toppling that tower into something of a fine art. The destructive radius barely passes a hundred feet in any direction anymore.”

    Alley blinked at her. “I don’t know if that should impress me or make me run screaming for the hills.”

    Charley laughed. “Better go throw some dogs on the stove. And pull a few packs of root beer out of the fridge, will ya? They'll be completely hyped when they get back."

    “And feeding them carbs and sugar is your solution to calming them down, huh?”

    Charley just smirked and flipped a wrench in her hand, laying back on the platform dolly and scooting under the truck. Alley sighed and shook her head. “Call me a nut, but wouldn’t destroying Limburger’s property sort of … I dunno … royally piss him off?”

    "Definitely,” came the muffled reply. “But it'll also keep him busy and out of our hair for at least a week.” She reappeared and sat up, holding the ruined brake line tubing. “It’ll buy us some time to scout around and find out what he's up to.”

    “It only takes a week to rebuild an entire skyscraper?”

    Charley pressed her palms flat against each other and bowed her head. “As blowing up the tower has become an art form, so has Limburger turned rebuilding it into one.”

    Alley tipped back her head. “It’s the ciiiirrrcle of liiiiife!” she sang dramatically, throwing out her arm and gliding to the stairs, earning a bark of laughter from her cousin.

    “Go boil some hotdogs, you nut!”

     ~*~*~*~*~

   True to word, the boys were practically vibrating with adrenaline when they roared into the garage fifteen minutes later. Vinnie screeched to a stop with his signature howl of victory, hurling his helmet across the room. It sailed dangerously close to Charley’s computer, slammed into a nearby stack of tire rims and sent them crashing to the floor in a cacophony of scattering steel.

    “Vinnie! Dial it down a notch, you macho lunkhead!” Charley snapped, throwing the wrench she was holding at him. “You almost took out my computer! And pick those rims up!”

    “Eh, sorry, Sweetheart. Got a little carried away.” He offered a grin and a sheepish chuckle, hastily moving to clean up his mess.

    A few seconds later, Alley skittered down the stairway, holding a pair of tongs and looking around with wide eyes. “What the hell is all the racket? Are we under attack?”

    “The boys are home.” If Charley’s voice got any drier, she’d start spitting sand.

    “I see that.” A pause. “Was someone howling just now?”

    Modo snickered. “Nah. That was just Vinnie.”

    “His way of showin’ the world what a bad mammajamma he is,” Stoker added with a wicked smirk.

    “Oh.” Alley pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Because, for a second there, I thought maybe the garage was being overrun by feral dogs or something.”

    Charley put a fist to her mouth, unsuccessfully trying to stifle her amusement. The other three mice didn’t even attempt to try, and Vinnie glared at them, readying himself for an old-fashioned throw-down.

    “Don’t you dare,” Charley warned before the white mouse had a chance to pounce. “My garage is not a wrestling ring. Take it outside!”

    “Ah, forget it.” Vinnie deflated, pouting. “I’m starvin’! Where’re the dogs ‘n beer?”

    “They’re cooking upstairs.” Alley turned, then hesitated, shooting him a questioning glance over her shoulder. “Do you really howl like that every time you take out Limburger’s tower?”

    “And for any other reason he can think up,” Charley snorted.

    “It’s my battle cry!” Vinnie sniffed, brushing an imaginary speck of dirt from his arm. “Every superhero needs a battle cry.”

    “And ‘cowabunga’ was already taken,” Throttle quipped.

    Alley nodded, her expression serious. “It’s just … you know … the guys who yelp the loudest, Vinster,” she reminded him with a sigh, continuing on her way.

    Vinnie’s jaw dropped. He sputtered uselessly for a comeback, gaping at her retreating back. Modo and Stoker guffawed, Charley buried her face in her hands, shoulders shaking.

    And Throttle just stood there looking confused, wondering what the hell was suddenly so funny.

     ~*~*~*~*~

    The rest of the week passed in relative peace.

    Well, as peaceful as it ever got around the Last Chance, anyway. Alley soon learned that the mice never seemed to be happy unless they were making as much racket as possible. “Quiet as a mouse” did not apply to the Martian variety. While Charley seemed perfectly content to let them cohabit her garage, blaring the rock stations at levels that could only be described as “deafening”, Alley took it upon herself to invest in a bottle of aspirin and some good ear plugs. She wondered at first how they didn’t go deaf, what with ears as large and sensitive as theirs, before chalking it up to their overall weirdness.

    Since the guys were always at the garage more than they weren’t (well, the trio was; Stoker came and went as he pleased, and Charley didn’t appear to give a hoot about that, either), it gave Alley a good chance to observe them. While Vinnie was always flapping his mouth and up to no good, the other two mice were far more reserved in their behavior. Especially Throttle. While they all joked around and roughhoused a lot, he tended to be a little more careful and reigned in the other two when they got too carried away. He must have been their leader of sorts, since they always deferred to him and fell in line when he told them to. Unless Stoker was around. All three of them deferred to Stoker, and it was clear the older mouse was well-respected as a mentor and a war hero.

    One thing Alley could say about the guys; they all had a very well-developed sense of self-preservation. At least when it came to females, and Charley especially. They seemed able to tune in to the times when the mechanic was extra stressed trying to finish a particular job, and her patience was close to the snapping point. That was generally the time they herded each other out the door to “patrol the city” for awhile. Which Alley suspected was code for getting out of the way before her cousin could strangle them with their own tails. Either way, she certainly did appreciate the rare times of peace and quiet their absence bought.

    Unfortunately, this particular Friday morning was not one of those times.

    Almost an entire week, and she was still trying to get the mess of Charley’s paperwork sorted out. A job she’d thought would only take a day or two was taking a heck of a lot longer than that. And the blaring hard rock that was slowly driving a small railroad spike through her skull certainly didn't make it easier to concentrate.

    The cordless phone on the desk rang, and she answered it while making a beeline for the large boombox sitting on its makeshift shelf beside the garage door. Ignoring everyone's protests, she turned the volume down to a more reasonable level before returning to the desk to arrange customer's appointment. From the corner of her eye, she noted Throttle sneakily reaching for the volume control. "Excuse me for one moment, Sir," she said politely into the receiver. Covering the mouthpiece with her palm, she mustered her fiercest glare and snarled, “Throttle. If you touch that dial, so help me, I’ll rip your fingers off one by one and stuff ‘em up your ass.”

    The others chortled loudly as Throttle raised his hands in surrender, slowly backing away from the radio with a raised eyebrow. “Sorry, princess,” he muttered, giving Vinnie a swat with his tail when the white mouse cheered, and staggered a little as Modo gave him a “friendly” clout across the back.

    “Having some problems there, Alley Cat?” Charley teased, eyes sparkling with humor.

    Alley took a deep breath and pasted a saccharine smile on her lips. “Thank you for holding, Mr. Anderson,” she told the waiting customer sweetly. “To confirm, your car will be brought in for inspection at nine AM this coming Wednesday. Are you planning to drop it off, or do you wish to wait?” She paused. “No, sir, the Last Chance doesn’t provide shuttling service, but a taxi can be called for you. There is also a bus route three blocks away. Yes. That will be fine. Thank you for choosing the Last Chance Garage. We’ll see you on Wednesday.” She hung up the phone and sighed, shooting her cousin an exasperated glance. “Did you get all that?”

    “Yep. State inspection. Wednesday. Nine o'clock,” Charley grunted, struggling to loosen a nut from part of an engine. “There’re some Post-its in the drawer. Jot it down for me, will ya?”

    “Oh, hell no.” Alley glared at her. “The jotting of appointments on sticky notes stops now, you hear me? It’s unprofessional and half the notes end up falling into the garbage anyway! You are, without a doubt, the most unorganized computer genius I've ever known. How have you managed to not tank your own business in all these years?”

    "What can I say? It’s a gift." Charley pulled a face at her.

    "Well, here’s a much better gift." Alley waved a brown leather book in the air. "See this? Say hello to your new best friend. All of your appointments are sorted and logged into this ledger. Your assignment is to actually use it."

    Charley’s brow furrowed. "I do have an appointment ledger, you know."

    "If you’re talking about that greasy, torn up notebook I found buried in the bottom of your desk drawer, I threw it out. You haven’t written any actual appointments in it for the past six months, anyway.”

    Charley shot her a dry look. “I don’t recall making you the supervisor. When did you get so bossy?”

    “I’d say during the week I just spent attempting to salvage your pitiful excuse of a business practice,” Alley deadpanned.

    “Oooooh. Burned!” Vinnie sang softly under his breath.

    Charley shot him an irritated glance. “Don’t you have something to go blow up?” she grumbled.

    “You shouldn’t criticize her, anyway,” Alley added. “You’re all part of the problem.” She raised a hand to halt the immediate protests. “Charley, when is the last time you tried to organize your finances? I mean, have you even looked at the balances in the past year? Hell, the past three years?”

    “Of course I have! That’s the one thing I did keep up with. I’m not a complete moron, you know.”

    Alley pursed her lips and folded her hands atop the desk. “Then you’re fully aware that the Last Chance is just barely keeping afloat. You’ve managed to keep your finances in the green, but you hardly pull in enough extra for basic living expenses. The only thing saving you is that you own this building outright. But you still have property taxes, the highest electric bill I’ve ever seen, you’re making payments on some of this equipment yet … and every month that line between success and bankruptcy is narrowing further and further. I see you’ve had to dip into your savings on several occasions just to make ends meet.”

    “Is this true, Charley-ma'am?” Modo wanted to know. All three mice were listening, concern etched on their faces. “You in trouble?”

    “No!” Charley protested, while at the same time Alley stated, “Yes.”

    Charley rubbed her temple, looking irritated, and just a little defeated. “I guess … things are a little tight, financial-wise,” she muttered through gritted teeth. “It doesn’t really concern you, though, so don’t worry about it, okay?”

    “Except it does concern them.”

    “Alley!” Charley glared at her. “Stop it.”

    “No. Let her talk.” Throttle’s voice left no room for argument. “Are you sayin’ it’s our fault?”

    “Partly.” Alley shrugged, rubbing the back of her neck. “And Limburger is at fault, too,” she added. “He's the reason this part of the city is all but abandoned. I don’t imagine that’s helped business, any. But he’s not responsible for a lot of the damage and repair that’s been done on the garage in the past few years, is he?” She tapped the computer monitor. “The garage doors had to be replaced how many times? I mean, not just worn-out parts, the whole, entire doors. Who kept putting giant holes in them?”

    “Um…” The trio glanced at each other, uneasy.

    “That’s why I had the automatic sensors installed,” Charley cut in.

    “And there’s also the matter of all the … upgrades done to your bikes. Specialized parts to be ordered in and … I don’t even know what else.” Alley fixed the mice with a questioning glance. “Has it even once occurred to you to ask where those upgraded parts come from? Or did you just assume she farts 'em out her ass on command?”

    “Oh, for heaven’s sake, Alley!” Charley threw her hands in the air. Her face was suspiciously red. “It’s not their problem, so don’t involve them! I volunteered to take care of their bikes. It was entirely my decision.”

    “And it’s costing your garage way more money than you can actually afford right now. Don’t think I haven’t noticed how often they just help themselves to stock off the shelves when they’re maintaining those bikes, either. More money out of your very shallow pocket.”

    “Can I see the figures?” Throttle asked, stepping forward. Charley started to protest, but he ignored her as Alley scooted away from the desk to let him look at the spreadsheet. He studied it for a few minutes, face expressionless.

    Charley glowered at her cousin. “You’re fired,” she muttered.

    Alley waved a dismissive hand. “Fine. Fire me. But it would've caught up to you eventually. I don’t get what you were trying to accomplish by keeping it from them, anyway. Why shouldn’t they know?”

    Charley sighed heavily, perching on the end of the desk. “Because … they’ve done so much for this city. And for me. I told you, without them, things would be going a lot worse with the Plutarkians. Chicago owes them a huge debt, and doesn’t even know it. I’m just … doing what little I can to repay them for their efforts. There was no need to let them in on how much it was costing me.”

    "Did you think we'd be happy if we ended up tanking your business, or mad if ya told us we were eatin' yer profits?" Modo scolded. "You oughta know better 'n that."

    "Yeah, Sweetheart, we woulda paid ya or somethin'," Vinnie put in, sounding hurt.

    "And how would you manage that, huh? Go out and get yourselves a nine-to-five?" Charley snorted. "You guys ain't exactly rollin' in cash."

    Nobody could argue with that. Alley shook her head. “You could pay her in physical labor, you know. Help her out with the garage, take some of the workload off. If she had more than just herself to finish jobs, she could take on more customers, and bring in more money.”

    “Yeah, but … we’re no wrench jockeys,” Vinnie grumbled. “An’ Charley-girl won’t let us near the equipment, anyway.”

    “That’s because you always blow up anything you touch,” Charley snapped.

    “So, teach them,” Alley said with exaggerated patience. “Start them off with simple stuff. Like motorcycles. They’re always tinkering around with theirs. An Earth bike isn’t that different, is it? Start with that and go from there.”

    Charley sighed. "I'll think about it, okay? But even if they did help, it's not gonna bring more customers or money in any faster, you know."

    "That's because you don't advertise."

    "Last I checked, advertising costs money, which we've already established I don't have."

    "Well, how have you been getting business?" Alley asked.

    "Mostly through word-of-mouth. And most of my customers have been with me since I opened the place. The ones Limburger hasn't managed to drive out of the neighborhood, anyway."

    “Which is great, but new business would be even better. We’ll have to think up some advertising schemes. Maybe print out some cheap fliers and post them around the city? Coffee shops, grocery stores; places like that usually have notice boards where you can tack stuff up, and it doesn’t cost anything. Maybe a small ad in the Sunday paper, or, I dunno, those paper place-mats they use to advertise in diners and stuff. There are ways to get more business.”

    “Great,” Charley sighed, defeated. “Just what I need. More work.”

    “You do need more work. And you need more help. And you’ve got three perfectly able-bodied me—um—mice who can give you some, if you’re willing to let them.” Alley considered. “Four, if you count Stoker. Where is that guy, anyway? I haven’t seen him since Wednesday.”

    “Probably in one of his secret labs,” Throttle replied, straightening up, finished with his perusal of Charley’s files. “He prefers to work alone.”

    “He has secret labs? What is he, a mad scientist?”

    He chuckled. “Something like that. Don’t ask us what he’s cookin’ up, though. He’s pretty hush-hush about the whole thing.”

    “Sounds like him, all right.” Charley smiled fondly. “Always the lone wolf, that one.”

    Throttle fixed her with a look. “You sure aren’t one to criticize, Miss My-garage-is-going-under-but-damned-if-I-ask-for-any-help.”

    “Okay, okay. No need to rub it in,” Charley grumbled. “I just didn’t want to make you guys worry about me, that’s all. You tend to get all protective and you hover. It’s annoying.”

    “Biker Mice do not ‘hover’,” Vinnie sniffed, crossing his arms.

    “Oh, you so hover. Like a little mother hen.” Charley shot him a teasing glance.

    Vinnie looked to Alley for help, but she just shrugged. “Hey, leave me out of it. She’s right. Don’t think we haven’t noticed how one of you guys followed us every time we had to leave the garage this week. We even made fake trips just to see who’d be next in line to tail us. You were totally hovering.”

    “Oh, yeah, that reminds me. You owe me five bucks.” Charley nudged her shoulder. “I said Throttle would be the one to follow you to the bank yesterday, and he did.”

    “Damn. Thanks a lot, Throttle.” Alley pulled a wadded bill out of her wallet and tossed it to her grinning cousin while the mice gaped at them.

    The bell went off just then, effectively bringing the conversation to a halt. The mice quickly scattered, heading back to their bikes to don protective helmets as the huge door slowly rolled up, revealing a very beat-up Chevy Caprice idling on the other side. The classic car was painted two-tone blue, at least where the large spots of rust didn’t cover the body. After a moment, the engine turned off, the doors opened, and Christopher Archer unfolded himself from the driver’s seat as his sister hopped out of the passenger’s side. “Uh, is there an Alley Davidson around?” he asked uncertainly, looking highly doubtful.

    “Guys!” Alley hopped up from the chair and trotted to them, grinning widely. “What’re you doing here? Come for some service?”

    Chris relaxed, tossing her a lopsided grin. “Actually, we came to kidnap you for the day. Got plans?”

    “Uh…” Alley looked at her cousin, who smirked and shooed her off. “Guess not. Great! I need to go phone shopping, and I thought you guys can help me out, yeah?” She turned to Chex, who had spotted the trio of gleaming bikes a few feet away and had honed in on them and their furry owners with predatory interest. Alley watched her watching them. “Hey, you okay?”

    “Yeah, sure,” Chex mumbled, taking a few steps closer. The mice looked at each other, fidgeting nervously under the unexpected scrutiny.

    “Don’t mind her. She’s got a major thing for bikers,” Chris snorted, rolling his eyes.

    Chex ignored him, reaching out to trace a finger along the mouse-shaped headlamp gracing the front of Modo’s bike. The big mouse drew himself up, prepared to defend his precious ride … but she didn’t give him the chance.

    “Holy shit!” she suddenly shouted, startling everyone into jumping and Vinnie into dropping the wrench he’d been holding. “Holy shit, holy shit!” She gave a few excited little hops, turned to slug her brother in the arm. “I told you!” she exclaimed over his pained yelp. “I told you they were real!”

    “What’s real? What the hell’s wrong with you, you psycho?” Chris snapped, rubbing his abused bicep.

    “It’s them!” Chex gestured wildly. “You know, them! I told you! They’re real! I didn’t make it up, those alien mice dudes really exist and they’re standing right over there!”

    There was a moment of stunned silence. And then Vinnie, in two words, said exactly what everyone in the room was thinking.

    “Aww, cheese.”

Next

[crimsonblackrose]

Now that I’ve moved to a city I decided that I should go do the things I want to do. I’m no longer tied down by how difficult it is to catch the bus. This includes going to festivals I want to see. With cherry blossom season in full swing I decided I wanted to see THE cherry blossom festival in Korea. It is, however in Jinhae, which is closer to Busan. (And thus far from me)

I thought I’d go on my own. Make a day trip or a weekend out of it. But then while talking to Gina, she mentioned she was going via WinK. I checked their Facebook events, found the tour and e-mailed them to see if there was any availability left. There was! Which meant I didn’t have to worry about getting there or getting back, or finding my way around. I didn’t have to find a place to stay last minute or worry about almost anything. I just had to pack and be at Seoul National University of Education Station Exit 14 at 10:30pm after work on Friday.

Here’s the schedule we had:

Friday/Saturday

10:30ish depart from in front of WINK taphouse. (short walk from exit 14)

Pick up people along the way to the Jimjilbang/motel after about 3 in the morning.

Meet at 8:15 back at the bus to go to the festival. (Receive muffins!)

9am-Jinhae festival

FREE TIME

11am- Leave Jinhae

1pm- arrive in Gyeongju and rent bikes

FREE TIME

5pm return bikes and head to hostel

6:30/7pm bbq dinner at hostel

8:00 night walk tour of tombs and Anapji pond

Sunday

7:30am Bagels and hot drinks

8am Bulguksa Temple/Namsan Hike

9:30am Seokguram Grotto

11am pick up everyone who tried to sleep in

12:30 Buffet lunch

6:30pm back in Seoul

Pretty busy trip for sure. I wasn’t particularly excited for Gyeongju as I’d already spent an entire Chuseok exploring the city my first year and nothing on our itinerary was new to me.

But this post will cover up through Jinhae. Gyeongju will be in a second post.

First thing was the long journey from Seoul to our Jimjilbang. Practically everyone slept during the bus ride, including our guides. We stopped at a couple spots to pick people up throughout the night/ early morning and there was one “rest stop” included in that. The rest stop was really the bus picking someone up and the rest of us, who were awake, running into a nearby hotel to use their lobby bathroom.

I tried to sleep the rest of the time, grateful I’d brought my eye mask, until our bus driver started yelling. We were making our way up hill and he got stuck due to traffic and seemed rather unhappy. It took a moment for our guides to rouse and in a dazed way figure out why he was unhappy. Turns out the jimjilbang was up a hill and our driver refused to go the rest of the way. So (late) we unboarded and made our way up the steep hill at 4am. Not fun. We all huddled on the steps as our guide tried to get us in. The front desk at first told us that there wasn’t any space available. But our guide reminded them we had a reservation and started calling off our names in groups of threes to collect our jimjilbang pajamas and locker key.

This was my first time staying at a jimjilbang. I’ve heard about them countless times before. Everyone calls them spas and they’re known as a cheap alternative to a hotel/motel/hostel to stay at in South Korea. So cheap, that everyone told me they only cost a couple thousand won. (a couple bucks) When I heard that this one was 10,500 won I thought, oh it must be nice and fancy. It was also much cheaper than staying at the motel which was where or bus had driven off to and which cost about 35,000 won extra.

I headed off with the other ladies on our trip to the women’s locker room and dropped off my shoes in the shoe locker and then my stuff in the big locker. Both went with the number on the key band and then I separated from the rest of the group to head downstairs to take a shower.

For some reason I thought there’d be more. I don’t know why, but I thought toiletries would be included. Or at least more than communal bars of soap.  The ground felt grimy and I really wished I had shower shoes. A couple other people headed down with me and I took, quite possibly the quickest shower in my life. I’m not sure if it’s different if you’re with a bunch of friends or if there’s more people and it’s less exhausting. There were pools or baths, but they were mostly drained and I really just wanted to go straight to bed. So I put on the pajamas, dropped my towels off in the used towel bin and headed upstairs.

The majority of the group had changed into their jimjilbang provided pajamas and headed upstairs to sleep earlier. Apparently there was a specific room for women and another for men that had been set aside for us. However when I got upstairs everyone had gone to sleep and I didn’t want to get too close to the bodies sleeping in various corners to inspect and see if any of them looked familiar. I found one of our guides laying down on some chairs, grabbed a very flat mat and made do near the water fountain.

I did not sleep. I couldn’t. It was too hot. People kept getting up and walking past. Many people were loudly snoring. I was also at the first stages of getting sick which was making me miserable and part of me wished I’d stayed on the bus. One girl from our tour got so fed up with all the sound that she grabbed her stuff and slept in the locker room, where she found a cockroach.

It might’ve been better in the lady only room, which I still don’t know where it was, or shelling out an extra 25,000 won for a motel room. But the people who stayed at the motel didn’t get much sleep either and had a lot of difficulty checking in and the ladies in the women only room ended up not getting much sleep either due to some snoring.

It also didn’t help that at 6am one of the ladies who ran the place decided to high pressure wash all the bathrooms near us and then take out the trash and shake it past everyone sleeping as she walked.

So eventually I gave up, got up, retrieved my stuff from my locker, tried to charge my poor phone, dropped off my key at the desk and then stood outside to wait with everyone else for the bus.

Stay at a Jimjilbang in Korea check. Am I fan? …nope. (However I did miss out on probably everything that people do actually enjoy about jimjilbangs. But I also am not one who can handle heat)

  The first thing we got on the bus was our choice of muffin (from Costco) and then we headed to the festival. The muffins were good but several people also spotted the nearby McDonalds and before the bus left ran off to grab coffee and other less sweet breakfast items. (Gina was very kind and brought me back a hash-brown.)

Maps were passed out and our first stop would be to visit the train station which is only open during the festival. It’s the iconic photo anyone who goes to the festival takes. It was also the furthest away from everything else we were going to do and the thing we had the shortest amount of time for. There were flower crowns being sold everywhere with the sneaky way of being sold as the sellers would just walk up and put them on peoples heads and then be like “Oh so pretty~”.  The safest way to avoid this was beating them to the punch and buying one from someone else.

The Korail cherry blossom train is only available to visit during the festival. The area is pretty crowded but if you have time they set out lawn chairs so you can relax, almost lay down and watch them fall around you. It was absolutely stunning. But also very very crowded.

There’s a line to get pictures with the train depending on when you go. I didn’t want to bother with the line. I was worried about our time. I like being on time and I do get concerned about being left behind on tours. So I grabbed a picture of just the train with the cherry blossoms and I was quite happy.

I was also on the hunt for cherry blossom bread and was determined to find some. I wanted to bring some home to my new coworkers as well as try some. I didn’t find any at the train location, only general street food that I can find anywhere in Korea.

Gina on the other hand really wanted her picture in front of the train, and got in line, but we ran out of time so I ran to see when the bus was leaving only to find it leaving.

Problem: I had the map. My goal was elsewhere. Gina didn’t have the map. Her goal was a picture in front of the train. So she stayed to get her picture and I got on the bus. It was  a bit stressful, trying to figure out how to tell her where we were with my dying battery (remember how I didn’t charge it the entire time we were at the jimjilbang???…yeah) So I stayed close to our guide as we headed to the next spot to try and somehow put the two of them in touch, since he could better tell her where we were and how to get to where we were going.

Our next stop was the stream….which was underwhelming. A lot of the cherry blossoms weren’t yet in full bloom yet. There was very little water in the stream and despite how I ran up and down along either side of it, no cherry blossom bread to be found. Meanwhile Gina met subscribers and got her picture. She also found a free shuttle which took her directly to the area we were in, was able to find an uncrowded side street where the cherry trees were in full bloom and was having a delightful time on her own.

Highlight of my trip at the stream? I did find cherry blossom ice cream.  It was 3,000 won and delightful.

I also found a shop selling cherry blossom coffee with art of the festival on it, so I bought some as a “worse case scenario” back up gift for my coworkers. (Ended up giving it to the principal and vice principal and they loved it) I found information desk after information desk, showed them the bread I was looking for and they sent me “left and up the stairs”, “across the street and to the right”, “down that way past the intersection next to the bank”, “around the corner”, and no matter who I asked, no matter which way I went I couldn’t find the bakery that made them. Concerned about being left behind (the bus didn’t wait a second for Gina) I gave up and returned to the bus. I ended up so early that I was the first one aboard and I just collapsed in my seat and tried to cool off.

Where was the bread? Why was I sent all over downtown looking for it in conflicting directions? Turns out the bakery had made little pop up tents where they were selling the bread. I know this because I saw one of the tents as our bus drove away from Jinhae.

So was the tour worth it? (For the Jinahae section?) I’ve got mixed feelings. I feel like on the one hand it made it very easy to get in and out of the festival. We had a map to where everything of importance was. However due to the time crunch it made it difficult to actually accomplish anything. If you just want to go and see the flowers, it’s perfect. If you actually want to get specific pictures or buy something specific…a little less easy.  It depends on what you want to do.  I’m glad I went but there’s also free shuttles during the festivals that will take you to all the highlights of the festival. So part of me does somewhat wish I’d stayed in Busan and then gone to the festival in my own time and with more sleep. But that’s because I understand enough Korean to navigate public transportation on my own and would’ve liked to have slowed down and smelled the flowers.

Jinhae Cherry Blossom Tour 진해국항제 Now that I've moved to a city I decided that I should go do the things I want to do.

[torontotravelblog]

25 Waterfalls to Visit Near Toronto

There more than thousands of falls within 2 hrs of downtown Toronto ranging from small waterfalls to the globe famous triad of drops-- Niagara Falls.

This post details 25 waterfalls near Toronto. The majority of waterfalls are located in Hamilton and along Bruce Path on Niagara Cliff. The steel city has over 100 falls within its boundary.

The list is prepared in alphabetical order. Waterfalls are best seen in the springtime, fall and after rainfalls for volume of circulation and wintertime for seeing intricate natural ice formations.

Load a barbecue as well as go waterfall day tripping!

VITAL

FYI: You are asked for to be mindful and obey all published guidelines. In 2016, Hamilton firemans had 29 calls for rope saves at regional waterfalls, the greatest number in five years. Six of those went to Albion Falls. Toronto Celebrity Write-up

UPDATE AUTO PARKING & FEES: As a result of big influx of site visitors, who are not being considerate of private property around the location and the uploaded rules/heavy cars and truck traffic, constant modifications are being made to vehicle parking and accessibility at pick Hamilton Waterfalls. The fees/parking provided in the complying with post may not be upto date. Current (2018)-- Hamilton Conservation Area car park at Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls will be closed on weekend breaks and Holiday Mondays from Saturday, May 12, 2018 to Sunday, October 28, 2018 (weather condition permitting). All falls vehicle parking will be at Christie Lake Conservation Area, situated at 1000 Highway 5 West for those that wish to access Webster Falls as well as Tew Falls

A shuttle is being operated from Christie Lake Sanctuary. The very first shuttle will leave Christie Lake at 9:30 AM to take a trip to Spencer Canyon. Shuttle solution going back to Christie Lake ends at 6:30 p.m., (extended to 7:30 PM in June, July & August).

There is no on-site vehicle parking readily available at Spencer Canyon throughout shuttle bus operations, with the exception of limited easily accessible car park at Webster Falls. Fees: $15.

1. Albion Falls.

Among the biggest waterfalls in Hamilton Albion falls is a cascade falls with a height of 19 metres. Albion Falls waterfall is lit up on choose special days/events.

Mud St, Hamilton.

Distance:|75 kilometres from midtown Toronto.How to get to Albion Falls? Auto Parking: Free Parking lots and also watching system. Obtainable Waterfall viewing.

2. Sphere's Autumns

Positioned in Sphere's Falls Sanctuary. There two falls below,|1km apart. The sanctuary produces a great excursion destination. Take in the unbelievably breathtaking view of the majestic Twenty Mile Creek as it plummets over both the top and also lower drops.

Ball's Autumns Conservation Area, Jordan Terminal

Distance:|105 km from downtown Toronto. Exactly how to get to Sphere's Loss? Car Parking: Paid Parking whole lot.

3. Beamer Falls

Situated in Beamer Falls Sanctuary. There 2 waterfalls below. To get to the reduced falls, stroll upstream. This is also a terrific bird viewing destination. Between March 1 and May 1 annually predators such as hawks, eagles as well as falcons move to the location. The Lookout Route gives three wheelchair obtainable watching platforms for visitors to absorb the magnificent views of the Forty Mile Creek Valley, the Niagara Escarpment and also Lake Ontario.

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Quarry Road, Grimsby

Distance:|90 km from downtown Toronto. Just how to get to Beamer Falls? Auto parking: Parking great deal, Lower falls are near the car park.

4. Belfountain Falls

Located in Belfountain Conservation Area. Stroll the suspension bridge across the river gorge to delight in amazing views of the falls. Closed in Wintertime (| End of October to End of April).

10 Credit Street, Belfountain

Distance:|70 km from midtown Toronto. How to get to Belfountain Falls? Car Park: Easily accessible Parking lot.

( Grownups: $5.31, Kid (6-14): $2.65, Senior (60 as well as over): $4.20).

5. Billy Monkley Cascade

Positioned in Billy Monkley Bird Sanctuary. A cascade waterfall measuring 3 metres high as well as 6.4 m large. Open Up All Year.

on Dartnall road next to the Hitch Factory which is in between Rymal (Hwy 53) as well as Stonechurch Road East. Look for the gate, then park in the bird sanctuary parking lot, Hamilton

Range:|75 km from midtown Toronto. How to get to Billy Monkley Cascade? Car parking: Parking great deal.

6. Borer's Autumns

This pluge kind falls is located on Borer's Creek Tributary Creek on Rock Church Refuge. You need to stroll|10 minutes from the car park to reach the falls.

Borer's Autumns Sanctuary, York Road, Flamborough-- Hamilton

Range:|70 kilometres from downtown Toronto. Exactly how to get to Borer's Falls? Parking: Free Parking

7. Buttermilk Falls/Oak Knoll Falls

23 metres tall falls located on a tributary of the Red Hill Creek.Visit Albion Falls as part of this journey.

Where: Bruce Path-- Oak Knoll Park, Hamilton

Range:|75 km from downtown Toronto. Just how to get to Buttermilk Falls? Car Park: Free Car Parking at Oak Knoll Park.

8. Canterbury Falls

2 stage, 9-metre bow cascade falls located on Canterbury Creek. The quantity of water circulation differs substantially depending on the period.

Where: Follow Canterbury Falls Side Trail from the Bruce Route, Ancaster

Distance:|75 km from midtown Toronto. How to reach Canterbury Falls? Parking: No particular parking area for this falls-- park on the gravel shoulder on Lions Club Road.

9. Cataract Loss

Situated in Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, located on the Bruce Path. The drops are|30 minutes trek on the Meadow Path from the parking lot of the Provincial Park.

The autumn colours of the Niagara Escarpment makes for excellent loss day trip/hike location.

Forks of the Credit Rating Provincial Park, 17760 McLaren Roadway, Caledon

Distance:|60 kilometres from midtown Toronto. How to reach Cataract Loss? Car parking: Parking lot. Park Admission (Day usage fees): $9.96.

10. Chedoke Falls.

Situated on Chedoke Creek, this drops is accessible from Beautiful Drive in Hamilton. Reduced Chedoke Falls can be accessed from Chedoke Radial Route.

Scenic Drive at Denlow Dr, Hamilton.

Distance:|70 kilometres from midtown Toronto. Exactly how to get to Chedoke Falls? Car Park: Backstreet Vehicle Parking.

11. Darnley Cascade.

Located on Spencer Creek in Crooks Hollow Conservation Area. The ruins of Darnley Grist Mill ruins adds an additional interesting dimension to this falls tripping.|10 minutes stroll from parking lot to get to the falls. You can additionally check out Christie Lake Conservation area (360-metre sandy beach at Christie Lake) and hike to the Autumns.

Scoundrels Hollow Rd, Dundas.

Range:|75 km from downtown Toronto. Just how to get to Darnley Waterfall? Car parking: Auto parking is $2 per hour at Crooks Hollow Sanctuary. If you are going to Christie Lake Sanctuary as well as taking Round the Lake Path, there is admission charge (Motorist and also car entryway: $10, Each traveler: $5, Walk/bike in: $5).

12. DeCew Falls.

A picturesque waterfall located on Twelve Mile Creek at the chasm behind Morningstar Mills, a completely brought back nineteenth-century gristmill, and the only operating water powered mill in the Niagara Peninsula. Visit Morningstar Mills, and also the neighboring DeCew House to which for Laura Secord set out on her well known expedition from Queenston over the harsh terrain of the Niagara Cliff. Trek the Bruce Path to uncover the reduced DeCew Autumns and other smaller sized falls in the area.

2714 Decew Roadway, St. Catharines.

Range:|115 kilometres from midtown Toronto. Just how to reach DeCew Falls? Car Park: Free Vehicle Parking.

13. Evil one's Punchbowl.

Found in Evil one's Punchbowl Sanctuary. Comply with the trail to the waterfall hunt from the car park.

Adversary's Punchbowl Conservation Area, Stoney Creek-- Hamilton.

Distance:|75 kilometres from downtown Toronto. Just how to reach Devils Punchbowl? Car parking: Car park is $2 per hour at the Conservation area.

14. Elora Canyon Falls.

Positioned in the downtown Elora. Along with checking out the Loss, there are a lot of fun points to do in Elora. Go tubing and also ziplining at one of one of the most beautiful as well as amazing natural area in the Grand River valley. Elora Canyon Conservation area additionally has camp sites.

Midtown Elora-- see from the end of Mill Road.

Range:|115 km from midtown Toronto. Just how to get to Elora Chasm Falls? Vehicle parking: Parking at shopping centres, streets.

15. Felker's Falls.

Located in Felker's Loss Conservation Area. This dive falls is an additional suitable candidate for falls tripping round the year.

Felker's Autumns Conservation Area, Ackland Street, Hamilton.

Distance:|75 km from downtown Toronto. Just how to get to Felker's Autumns? Parking: Parking whole lot accessible from Ackland Road. Mobility device accessible falls-- Peter Road Route.

16. Great Falls.

This is likewise called Waterdown Falls. The Loss are lit up on pick days, fresh year's Eve.

Smokey Hollow Park, 150 Mill St S, Hamilton.

Distance:|80 kilometres from midtown Toronto. Just how to reach Great Falls? Parking: Parking whole lot with a viewing platform.

17. Hilton drops.

Positioned in Hilton falls Sanctuary.

The frozen waterfall is a view to lay eyes on in winter season.|20 mins trek to the falls on Hilton Falls trail.

4985 Campbellville Roadway, Milton.

Range:|65 kilometres from downtown Toronto. How to reach Hilton falls? Car Park: Free Car Parking.

Adult (15-64)$ 6.75; Elder (65 & over)$ 5.75. Child (5-14)$ 5.00; Kid (4 & under): Free.

18. Louth Falls.

Positioned in Louth Falls Sanctuary. From the parking lot, walk to get to the Bruce Route, and then turn left reach Louth Falls.|10 mins trek from the car park.

Louth Falls Conservation Area, Jordan.

Distance:|110 kilometres from downtown Toronto. How to get to Louth Falls? Vehicle Parking: Free Parking.

19. Mill Falls.

Required a suggestion for an unique date and check out a water autumn, after that book a table at Ancaster Mill. Have supper delighting in the tumble of Mill Falls with your unique a person. The Falls lies within Ancaster Mill residential or commercial property.

548 Old Dundas Roadway, Ancaster-- Hamilton.

Range:|75 kilometres from midtown Toronto. How to get to Mill Falls? Car park: Parking lot of Ancaster Mill.

20. Rockway Falls.

Found in Rockway Conservation Area on 15 mile creek, Rockway Falls has a height of 18.3 meters and also there are smaller falls downstream.

2021 Pelham Rd, Lincoln (Address of the Area Centre).

Range:|115 kilometres from downtown Toronto. Just how to reach Rockway Falls? Car parking: Park at the Rockway Area Centre. Comply with the trail, left from the neighborhood centre to reach the Falls.

21. Sherman Falls.

Situated on Ancaster Creek Tributary Creek, Sherman Falls has an elevation of 17 metres as well as a size of 8 metres. The journey is best combined with a visit to Tiffany Falls. Park at Tiffany Falls Conservation area and also follow the route that integrates both Tiffany Falls and also Sherman Falls|1.6 km.

Lions Club Roadway, Ancaster.

Distance:|75 km from midtown Toronto. Just how to get to Sherman Falls? Car parking: Car Parking at 691-789 Artaban Rd, Dundas. Walk South along Artaban Rd to get to Lions Club Roadway. Cross the roadway and go delegated reach Bruce Path head.

22. Tews Falls.

Tews Falls is the tallest waterfall in Hamilton, gets on Logie's Creek on Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls Sanctuary. Ideally best visited with a browse through to Webster Falls on Bruce Path (this section, linking Bruce Path is shut at the time of publishing this post). The renowned Dundas Height, that uses magnificent sights Spencer Canyon is situated here. This area is among one of the most visited Loss location near GTA.

Spencer Canyon/ Webster's Autumns Conservation Area, Greensville.

Distance:|70 km from midtown Toronto. Just how to get to Tews Falls? Car park: 577 Harvest Rd, Dundas-- $10 Auto parking; Likewise see the upgrade uploaded at the start of the short article.

Each fee (children 5 and under free): $5. Stroll in: $5.

23. Tiffany Falls.

Go iceclimbing during winter season at this 21 metre tall, 6 metres wide falls on Tiffany Creekis located within Tiffany Falls Conservation Area. The drops can be checked out from an easily accessible viewing system.

Tiffany Falls Conservation Area, Wilson Street East, Ancaster.

Range:|75 km from midtown Toronto. Exactly how to get to Tiffany Falls? Vehicle parking: $2 per hr parking at the sanctuary parking area.

24. Websters Falls.

Situated in Webster Falls Conservation Area, Websters Falls has a height of 22 metres.

Webster Falls Conservation Area, Harvest Road, Dundas.

Distance:|75 km from downtown Toronto. How to reach Websters Falls? Car park: $10 Parking at Webster Falls Sanctuary car parking lot.; Likewise see the upgrade uploaded at the start of the article.

Per person charge (youngsters 5 and under complimentary): $5.

Stroll in: $5.

25. Westcliffe Falls.

Found on Chedoke tributary, there are 2 falls on this path that leads from Cliffview Park. You can get down from steps that lead from Cliffview Park to get to the lower Cliffview Falls as well as Lower Westcliffe Falls. Go west on the trail (this course is not good for youngsters), to reach the chasm of Westcliffe Falls. Alternative is to go from Chedoke Fairway parking area.

Chedoke Stairs, Hamilton.

Distance:|70 kilometres from midtown Toronto. How to reach Westcliffe Falls? Car Park: Chedoke Fairway parking lot.

The post “25 Waterfalls to Visit Near Toronto” was originally seen on To Do Canada

Toronto Naturopathic Doctor - Dr. Amauri Caversan, ND

[mbergen]

In the beginning of all this, I mentioned Tammy had 2 other nurse friends in New York City.  This is one of them. Carrie Ann. She has a Very Special Story to tell. Tammy and Carrie met at Kindred Hospital in Peoria, and then they both worked for awhile at IVCH in Peru Illinois. Carrie is a Travel Nurse and her specialty is OB, Labor and Delivery. Carrie’s Day 1 of 21 started on March 28 2020. She is staying at the New Yorker in Manhattan and working at Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx. This is so heart wrenching to read her posts. But she is telling how it is. These are story’s that should be told. Their are some doubters out their that just don’t realize what is truly going on in this world with this virus. The people in the New York City are fighting for survival. We need to know what these nurses and doctors and all personal are going through to help these people daily, …..and you might wonder…. why do they do it?…..It’s because they feel the need to help. They are answering the call that they are trained for….It’s their LOVE OF LIFE AND PEOPLE. So in this blog I will copy the words directly from Carries FB site…..These will all be her words……Preserved for us all….

So Lets Follow her for her 21 days fighting Covid-19 in New York City

CarrieAnn is at Chicago O’Hare International Airport. March 27 at 9:57 AM · Chicago, IL ·

I’ve said it before .. being a nurse isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. It’s not always a choice, it’s a calling, sometimes you don’t even understand it yourself. So in the words of my little brother, Im going to “bring my ass home”, but for now, let’s do this New York

Jacobi Medical Center

CarrieAnn March 28 at 6:39 PM ·

Day 1. Jacobi Medical Center. I’m overwhelmed and proud to be part of this group of nurses. Ps didn’t post this morning.

CarrieAnn March 28 at 6:52 PM ·

So I’ve decided I’m going to do something I don’t normally do, and I’m going to post about my days while I’m here..as much as I can by the time I make it to the end of the day. And it’s not going to be your average sugar coated filtered Facebook bs, I’m going to be raw and honest about what is happening here. Unfriend me now if you don’t want to know. Day 1 started with some uncertainty because it’s the first day. No one really knows what they’re doing. A bus shuttles us from the hotel to the hospitals we are assigned to. There was a group of us on our first day so we had a day of hospital orientation before heading to the floors tomorrow. While waiting at the elevators to go up to education the nurse escorting us answered her phone and started crying, asking the person to repeat what they’d just said.. then cried out, and sobbed. She walked away then came back and told us one of their educators just died from corona. On the bus back to the hotel at the end of Day 1 and I receive a text from a newer nurse, I think she’s been a nurse 4 years, she’s young, a lovely girl, and she was assigned to Elmhurst. She just got on her bus, and this is what her Day 1 will look like. PLEASE PRAY.

Mar 29 at 8:59AM

Day 2 in NYC. I am still at Jacobi Center and I’m in Labor & Delivery where we still have plenty of supplies.

The text from my friend about her first night at a different hospital.

“ER -one nurse taking care of FIVE intubated “sedated” possible positive covid patients. five to one, he was just running around trying to keep a BP going. they are out of ALL supplies… they’re out of pumps!? they had fentanyl/levo/propofol gtts with no pumps. they were titrating by the roller clamp. maxed out on vent settings, with sats in 70-80s and they were happy with that sat. patients coding every couple minutes. it’s a 50 bed ER, and they have over 200 patients in there right now. patients just stacked on top of each other and having to move stretchers around to just reach a patient in the back row. they made a tent morgue outside of the ER and it’s full already.”

Feeling thankful beyond words for my assignment today, and praying this nurse has peace in her heart and mind this morning when she lays down to sleep. Even just for a few hours. ♥️

March 29 at 9:08PM

Today I got my assignment, and thanked God above my whole walk to the labor and delivery unit. That group of nurses were so appreciative -so thankful that we’re here to help- I’ve never felt so appreciated walking onto a shift. They took me in as one of their own made me feel welcome and did not miss an opportunity to thank me, all day long.

The TV in the break room runs between ABC NBC CNN and Fox news all day long, trying to keep up with the latest with Covid while managing our patients.

Employees at the hospital were picketing outside the emergency room and I’m not even really sure why… The biggest complaint I hear is about having to use the N95 masks for a week before we can get a new one. They gave out small brown paper bags, like a lunch bag, to store it in.

The labor and delivery unit is dated, and not well laid out. The cabinets are falling off hinges with long mismatched screws holding them on, and there is paint chipping off most of the corners of walls, and along the ceilings. But it doesn’t change the overall feeling of optimism on this unit, and in the midst of everything going on all around us, we had a delivery of a healthy baby girl today.

Every nurse that got on the bus wore her day on her face, some spoke it in words, some look defeated. One cried. We talked about our day.. the good, and the bad, then finished the bus ride back with our acapella rendition of Joe Diffys John Deere Green. RIP Joe

March 30 at 7:02PM

Day3. Today I learned why Mondays get a bad rap. New York hospitals did that. It doesn’t matter how experienced or strong of a nurse you think you are, you’re not ready for this. I got there, took my assignment in triage, and the door didn’t stop revolving. Within the first hour all the triage beds were full and there was a line waiting. Some were belligerent and cussing demanding to be seen, some were tearful, all were scared. Everyone’s wearing masks and complaining of how hot they are. Management is visible, on the floor working, asking what you need, how they can help.

These women are coming in alone, leaving their husbands, sisters, moms- whoever brought them- in the waiting room as they are assessed and treated. If they stay they can have one support person, no trading off- ONE person, per patient, per stay…. WHEN THEY ARE HAVING A BABY. Or when they’re not. Some of these girls are miscarrying, or having a threatened miscarriage, and they have to pick the one person that can sit next to them, hug them, tell them it’s going to be okay. One person. Because of this virus. Oh, and when they do deliver, dad gets one hour to bond then they have to leave .. til mom goes home.

Covid in pregnant women is a hard thing to look at. She’s struggling to breath and her 02 sats are in the 70-80s. Do you know how much oxygen that means her baby is getting? She went to ICU. I didn’t have time to check and see how she was doing after she left our floor.

I also didn’t have time to eat, drink, or pee. I can feel my heartbeat in my feet after sitting down for 10 minutes on this bus, and don’t even feel sorry for myself because I had more help than the night shift I just left.

March 31 at 9:27PM

I wasn’t going to post words tonight, but just a picture. If you haven’t seen it, this isn’t some professional National Geographic wait for the perfect poignant shot picture. It’s a snapshot, taken with a phone, by a nurse, here, in New York City.

But then…

Ive always been a believer of “to each their own”. I’ve never had a hard time respecting someone’s opinion or beliefs without agreeing with them myself. And then today I find myself typing out the words “you’re a fucking idiot” in response to a strangers comment on a friends post. A stranger. Going on and on about how this virus is a hoax. Well-?! .. is he..? an IDIOT?? Are people that fn STUPID? I just hope..these individuals don’t end up with the virus themselves and need the medical attention and treatment from one of these doctors or nurses that read that shit. Because I think, for the first time in my life I would walk on by.

April 5 at 7:05 PM

Day 5 was mixed. I am sore and I am tired. My back hurts from being on my feet for 15 hours a day, and there are open spots on the back of both my ears from wearing a surgical mask over the N95, to try to make it last longer. You end every day with a headache from the tightness and pressure of the N95 on your face all day. We have two rooms just dedicated to corona virus rule outs on Labor and Delivery, and we are going to ICU to do fetal monitoring for positive moms. We constantly weave in and out of ambulances on the way to and from the hotel. I’m not complaining.

I was present and praising God at the beginning of 2 new lives today. The OB charge nurse called the 4 of us crisis nurses together n she stood up and told us that when she saw on the news that nurses were coming from all over the country to help in NY, she was emotional and touched. When she heard her hospital was getting 200 nurses, she was excited. But when we walked onto her unit to work, she couldn’t believe it. She thanked us with a sincerity that was raw and I will never forget.

Across town my friend Sid had a different day. When she text me I put my phone down and cried. You don’t even have to be there to feel the terror of that shift. Its not plateaued, and it’s not slowing down. Again, she is not at the same hospital I am.

****five codes… they all die. staff is so so rude and unhelpful. it’s such a toxic environment. my patient was one of them at 0630. my vent stopped working because it’s a damn portable and he’s been on it for three days. they refused to get him another one and said that they had to save them for other patients… I bagged him for a good 30-45 minutes without a peep valve and of course he started to decompensate. it was me and a resident and nobody would help, he coded and died. the bus has left me. I have to wait for a van to come get me. we are reusing code carts over and over, we have no oxygen on the unit, the low oxygen alarms are going off, we are out of sedation, we’re using pediatric pulse ox’s… i’m doing things that are just going against my morals and it’s so hard to see how these patients are going down. I do not think covid is killing these people, it’s the lack of staff, education, equipment and resources…. *****

And so now there’s that.

Oh, and my other friend here, that I came with, she was in the ER today, positive.

CarrieAnn April 3 at 8:07 PM ·

On day 7, the Midwest is looking really good. After a week here, working nonstop, you’re a different person. I miss home, miss my kids and I miss my husband, Joshua, who tried everything from arguing to pleading with me not to go-because he was worried about my health-but has been indescribably supportive, and encouraging me every day. I love you. Im irritable and emotional. Tears fell out of my eyes and right down onto my patients bed yesterday as I’m leaning over her doing all the things when we lost fetal heart tones. That’s not how I nurse, and has nevvver happened. I just couldn’t help it. The feeling of impending doom is heavy. There are numerous morgue trailers, morgue tents, and mobile morgue trucks all over the city. Ambulances constantly speeding by, lights on, horns blaring. Don’t miss the view from my patients labor room below. The hospitals here have now started ethical triage. That’s when families are simply told there are no ventilators to save your family member. Do they need a ventilator to survive? Yes? Then roll them over there to die. People over 65 have been denied ventilators to give it to a younger person who has a better chance. WHAT-? Many healthcare workers here are writing their last will and testament. New York has now initiated orders that first responders cannot transport people to hospitals if they cannot be revived on the field. They just don’t…even…take…them.  Can you imagine, in our country, calling 911 because your wife can’t breath and they won’t even put her into the ambulance? Thousands of nurses, nurse practitioners and doctors have come to New York, and are risking their lives to help. NO ONE knows how they will respond to the virus..you may be okay, you may die. All you have to do is stay home. Or you could be standing in the emergency room hearing “I’m sorry but we don’t have a ventilator for your wife/son/daughter.” No bullshit. How bout the NYFD though, greeting nurses for our shift 🙌🏼❤️

.

CarrieAnn April 5 at 10:07 AM ·

Yesterday was day 8, and it was the closest representation of a “normal” day in labor and delivery. I had a 1:1 mag patient that I was able to give the appropriate amount of attention to, and I didn’t feel like running off the floor once. I’ve gotten a lot of support and kindness from the staff nurses here, and that makes a huge difference. There are 2 covid+ moms on the unit- these women are SICK- and we sectioned a mom that was in ICU because her oxygen was in the 80’s, and although she resisted having a c/s all day, insisting God would get her through it, her body couldn’t win out over the strain the virus was putting on it. Her baby was born alive and went to NICU.. but this unit continues to focus on life and beginnings. It’s upbeat- a small little bubble of happiness compared to the rest of this city. I also received a package from the best best friend, Lynn, with more “stuff” I couldn’t live without! Shaina, you’re a special kind of person, and I’ll never forget the N95s you had for yourself, but sent to me instead. ♥️ So I’ll use this opportunity to share some pics I’ve taken since I’ve been here..none too exciting, no touristy or cool things that one would want to see on their first trip to New York, but New York nonetheless.

Madison Square Garden

New Yorker, Carries Hotel

CarrieAnn April 5 at 3:02 PM ·

Live♥️ NYFD here showing love to the health care workers!

CarrieAnn Munson April 6 at 9:38 AM ·

Day 9….Yesterday was my 9th day in a row working in New York City. The NYFD came to Jacobi and showed the nurses and docs some love, and that was cool. L&D was slow so I was floated to PEDS, which isn’t pediatrics at all anymore. It’s now an adult med-surg with double occupancy rooms. Practically every patient is covid positive or covid rule-out. The stream of admissions literally doesn’t stop and I heard the charge nurse say I’m at maximum capacity now so what do I do- put 3 in a room? The mood is still upbeat. This charge nurse was joking and laughing, trying to keep his nurses light and moral high. One of the nurses in my group got onto the bus tearful, saying she lost one of the patients she’s taken care of since we arrived here. A 38 year old man, who left his wife and 10 year old son, and died alone because of quarantine. The things etched in our minds eye and memories are hard to explain in words, you just can’t understand it without seeing it. The people who are really sick go from bad to worse quickly, and recovery, if at all, is very slow. The few people that do get extubated, are still 100% dependent on BiPAP. For those who are intubated, more than half are on very strong medications to keep their blood pressure up. And still many of them are dying anyway, despite our best efforts. The most tragic part, is that they are alone. Staff uses their iPhones regularly so that families can use FaceTime to see their person one last time, and say goodbye. There are videos people are taking suggesting that the situation in New York is not as bad as the media projects. I don’t have the time to watch all the news right now, and I can agree that the streets, even around the hospitals, are not crowded. However, that is NOT an accurate depiction of where actual patient care is being provided. At least in Queens, and the Bronx.. even Manhattan, every department that cares for the critically ill is stretched way beyond normal capacity. I have been working with nurses and physicians, anesthesiologists, general surgeons, gynecologists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurse anesthetists, all of whom have been stepping in to do their best to function as intensive care and/or emergency medical providers. In the emergency room, there literally is no more room for additional stretchers, and those less ill are sitting in chairs, for hours and hours. This pandemic is real. The severity, which luckily doesn’t seem to impact the majority, is devastating for the minority. Please- distance yourself from others. Act like you have it, and everyone who doesn’t live with you has it too. You may get Covid, you may not. You may get really sick, you may not. But you could be the reason someone else does, without ever knowing.. and some of them are DYING. Dying with no family member there in their final moments…and that would be much worse than missing out on time with your friends, or not eating in your favorite restaurant.

CarrieAnn  April 7 at 8:24 PM ·

Day 10….Yesterday was day 10. My friend was woken by a call on her room phone from the NYPD, saying there was a complaint against her and she needed to come to the police station for questioning. The officer told her he didn’t want to embarrass her so he would give her time to shower, and she could wear her street clothes (not scrubs) down to the lobby where he would meet her in 40 minutes, walk her out and cuff her before putting her into his car. She called home to fill them in and was told to call the police station back and ask questions. She learned that no officer had called her, no complaint had been filed against her, and no officer was coming to pick her up to take her to the police station for questioning. She notified our company who quickly made arrangements to move her, and make her non-registered. They are also making frequent checks on her. So not only are we fighting the virus, lack of sleep and hot meals, long hours on our feet, homesickness, death in our faces…. now we have to worry about abduction, or worse. W. T. F. Today was my 11th day working in New York. It was a good day. I was just a labor nurse, it was a nice pace, with wonderful fellow nurses, and a good delivery. God is present, and He is good. I am tired, and homesick, He knew I needed a day like this.

CarrieAnn April 9 at 6:04 AM ·

I have NO WORDS for the overwhelming feeling of gratitude and appreciation to each and every one of you- and I know who you are- that took the time out of your day -and money out of your wallet- to send me something here in New York to make my time easier. I’ll never forget it. ♥️♥️♥️

CarrieAnn  April 9 at 7:03 PM ·

Day 13….Today was my 13th day here. Today we also had military nurses arrive at the hospital and assigned to the floor. It is an actual deployment for them. Today I started my shift counting the codes paged overhead, and just realized I stopped counting at 11, hours ago. Today we started swabbing all patients admitted to labor, regardless if they show symptoms or not. Have any of you had this done?..or seen it done?… if you haven’t yet, go ahead and search a video. The swab goes up your nostril all the way back, to your throat. Thrrroaat. Their eyes water and they try to stall, some women push the providers hands away over and over..and then they swab the other side. I miss home, and it feels so much longer than 2 weeks. But I have so much love and support from home..thanks again to all of you that sent me care packages, you can’t know how much of a difference it makes. And this unit continues to make each of us one of their own, embracing us more every day, with endless thank you’s. I still feel healthy, with no signs of illness, so I won’t be whining or complaining.

This is Carrie’s first 13 days.  It is so hard to comprehend as we just sit here every day waiting for the days to pass.  We see it on the news, but the reality does really have the full impact unless you know someone who is fighting the fight……Part 2 will follow her to DAY 21

Part 1….Carrie in New York….Tammy’s Friend….Coronavirus In the beginning of all this, I mentioned Tammy had 2 other nurse friends in New York City.

[tripsterguru]

What to see in Baku in 1 day - 18 most interesting places

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What to see in Baku in 1 day - 18 most interesting places

Baku, preserving traditions, confidently looks to the future and, changing its appearance with each new era, carefully preserves the heritage of past centuries. Modern architecture here is harmoniously combined with medieval fortresses and towers, ancient mosques – with cutting-edge concert halls, and oriental flavor – with the latest Western trends. Go to the capital of the Land of Lights, and we will tell you what to see in Baku for 1 day on your own, in order to fall in love with him forever and be sure to return.

How to get from the airport to the center

From G. Ailiev Airport, the center can be reached in various ways. Shuttle H1 goes directly to the center. You can buy a ticket for it at the exit from the terminal building in the machine. The ticket costs 90 cents, the journey takes approximately 40 minutes.

Another way is to use the city bus of route 116. He leaves from the airport and goes directly to the center with an interval of 30 minutes. Without traffic jams, the travel time is 1 hour. A ticket costs 20 cents, the driver sells them.

If you do not want to use public transport, you can take a taxi. Book it better in advance using any of the online taxi services. The trip will cost about $ 25 or more, depending on the class of car, and take 35 minutes.

Workshop Ali Shamsi

In the Old Town, on Kichik Kala Street (Malaya Krepostnaya), an unusual house will surely attract your attention. Its facade is hung with many amulets, signs and symbols, decorated with installations depicting a huge lion with unusual eyes, aliens, native oilmen. Opposite the tree grows, the trunk of which is painted with three female faces. Tourists always gather around it to take pictures. In front of the house, two artistic brushes “grow” directly from the ground.

This is the workshop of the famous Baku artist Ali Shamsi. He himself can also be found next to the house. The artist often works in the studio and invites everyone to visit his house with pleasure. Inside the house is no less interesting than outside. There are two rooms in the workshop. The first houses art objects collected by the master, brought by him from other countries or collected here in his homeland, including during excavations in the Old Town.

Subscribe to our channel in Telegram, where we daily post the most last-minute tours and flights. And in the second – the work of the artist himself. Most of them are dedicated to the nature of Azerbaijan, their hometown and, of course, women. He paints flowers, the sea, mountains, portraits of beautiful women – everything that he loves and does not get tired of admiring. His paintings, bright, joyful, very kind, will certainly find a response in your heart. The workshop is located at: Icheri Sheher, st. Kichik Kala, 84.

Museum of miniature books

On April 23, 2002, a unique museum was opened in the Old Town, not far from the Maiden’s Tower, which has no analogues anywhere in the world — it is a Museum of Miniature Books. Here are the smallest books in the world. These are rare editions of Russian classics, Azerbaijani poets and writers (including the great oriental poets – Nizami and Fizuli), books published during the Soviet years in different republics of the Soviet Union and in Europe. There is even a miniature edition of “Criminal Jokes” by Yu. Nikulin.

The exposition presents not only fiction, but also philosophical and spiritual books – for example, miniature Bible and Quran. And in contrast to them – the collected works of V. Lenin. Zarif Salakhov, the sister of the artist Tahir Salakhov, began to collect her collection many years ago, in the Soviet years. And this she began with a collection of fables by I. A. Krylov, published back in 1835.

The museum’s most valuable exhibit is one of the smallest books in the world. Its dimensions are 2 x 2 mm, but at the same time the book contains not only text, but also illustrations. True, to make out them, as well as read its contents, is possible only with the help of a magnifying glass. The museum is open every day, except Monday and Thursday from 11 to 17 hours. Free admission.

Governor’s Garden

The Governor’s Garden is the oldest in the city. It was laid back in 1830. By the decree of Roman von der Hoven, commandant of the Baku fortress, all ship owners and their captains had to bring several bags of black soil from the south so that even crops that do not like the arid climate could be grown. They planted acacia, mulberry, conifers, broke flower beds, and some exotic plants.

The result was a unique garden in which even rare, including subtropical, plants grew. It began at the walls of Icheri Sheher, and when in 1865 the outer wall of the fortress was removed, the garden expanded significantly. For a long time it was the only garden in the city. For ordinary people, entry here was allowed only once a week.

By the end of the 19th century, arbors and terraces for relaxation appeared in the park. The garden was renamed many times, it bore the names of Mikhailovsky, Revolution, im. Aliaga Wahid, but the old name – Gubernatorial – has taken root best of all. Now adjacent to the garden adjacent to the building of the Philharmonic. M. Magomayev, therefore, it is often called the garden of the Philharmonic. It stretches along the fortress wall from Azneft Avenue to the Icheri Sheher metro station.

Kichik-Gala Street, 8 – place from the movie “Diamond Hand”

In our country, the old city is familiar to everyone, even to a person who has never been to the Azerbaijani capital. Legendary Soviet films were shot here: Aibolit 66, Tehran 43, Do not be afraid, I’m with you. But, of course, the most recognizable views of Icheri Sheher are in frames from the films Amphibian Man and The Diamond Arm. Almost all overseas in the film “Diamond Arm” was shot in the Old Town. Soviet Baku at the time of filming becomes Istanbul.

Walking through the narrow streets of Icheri Sheher, you will surely find out where the sultry beauty is trying to seduce Semyon Semenych (“Tsigel, tsigel ai-lu-lu!”), You will see the walls of the Shirvanshahs Palace, against which Soviet tourists are given an excursion. And of course, no one can pass by the famous place next to the Chikanuk pharmacy, in which the main character was smuggled in plaster.

Tourists here are photographed in the same pose and with the famous phrase “Cheort beat!”. The exact address of this place is Kichik Kala, 8 (Malaya Krepostnaya, 8). Of course, now there is not a pharmacy, but an ordinary courtyard of a residential building with its measured life. To find this place, you can navigate by the nearby Thunder cafe at the intersection with Veli Mammadova Street.

Shamakhi Gate

Icheri Sheher (Old Town) is not a millet a piece of the preserved ancient city. This is a unique architectural reserve, protected by UNESCO. The fortress with 25 towers and 5 gates rises above the sea and is surrounded on all sides by strong stone walls up to 8 m high, and their thickness reaches 3 m. Today you can get to the Old Town through the Shemakha Gate. For a long time they were practically the only gates of the fortress. In another way they were called the gates of Shah Abbas.

Once in the fortress there were two tiers of defensive walls. In the XIX century, when the city grew significantly and went far beyond the borders of Icheri Sheher, the governor proposed to remove the inner walls. In 1886 a decision was made, the wall was demolished, and the gates of the inner walls, called the Gate of Zulfikar (named after the shah who erected the inner walls), were moved to the Shemakhinsky.

As a result, the gates now have two arches and are often called the Twin Gates. Through the Shemakha gate you can enter the Old Town by car. But at the entrance you will need to pay 2 manat, and for each next hour to pay 1 manat.

Maiden’s Tower

In the southeast of Icheri Sheher the famous Maiden Tower (Giz Galasy) rises, which has long become a symbol of the city. The thickness of its walls at the base is 5 m, and at the top 4 m. The height of the tower is 28 m. It is divided into 8 tiers, a spiral staircase leads to the very top. In the tower itself in the rock a well is arranged, 21 m deep. For what this tower was erected, historians still argue. According to many, it did not have a defensive function, but rather a cult function, associated with pagan times and, in particular, with worship of the Sun. The time of its construction, too, until the end is still unknown.

According to archaeologists who investigated the mortar and masonry, it could be built in the 1st century. or in the IX century. For a long time the tower served as a lighthouse. Until the 19th century, a flag fluttered at its top, which served as a guide for sailors, and from the middle of the 19th century the lighthouse began to shine. There are many legends associated with the tower. The heroine of each of them is necessarily a girl who, because of unhappy love, rushes from a tower into the sea and smashes into stones.

One of the stones in the sea at the foot of the tower is still called the stone of the virgin. This plot inspired many poets and artists to create their own works related to the legends of the Maiden Tower. Her image has become a symbol of the city. Now there is a museum in the tower, and at the very top there is an observation deck from where you can see the city. The museum is open every day, except Mondays from 10:00 to 18:00. A ticket costs 2 manat.

Shirvanshahs Palace

The Shirvanshahs palace ensemble is the former residence of the Shirvan shahs, a unique architectural and historical monument that was built over several centuries from the 13th to the 16th centuries. It is located on a hilltop in the center of Icheri Sheher fortress (Old Town). In addition to the rulers’ palace itself, the complex includes a tomb, a bathhouse, a mosque of the 15th century, a mausoleum of a Baku scientist Seyid Yahya Bakuvi and a courtyard Divan Khan. Despite the fact that the entire complex was not built at the same time, it is a complete, harmonious ensemble, designed in unified architectural forms and combinations of decorative elements.

Spiral staircases and the main hall are preserved in the palace, which now presents an exposition consisting of archaeological excavations – dishes, jewelry, household items, musical instruments, weapons and the famous Shemakha carpets. Household items can be considered in the remaining 52 chambers of the palace. In the courtyard – Divan Khan – there is an octagonal rotunda with columns. Her appointment is still unknown.

It is assumed that this could be the tomb or the building in which the state council was sitting. The mausoleum of Seyyid Yahya Bakuvi, the scientist who worked here under the rule of the Shirvanshah Khalil-ulla I, was connected with an arch to the old Kay-Kubad mosque, which burned down in 1918 year. In the tomb, the remains of tombstones and 14 crypts of members of the Shirvanshah Khalil-Ulla family were preserved. The complex is located in Ichera Sheher, in Palace Lane, it is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. An adult ticket costs 2 manat, For students – 60 qepiks (kopecks), for students – 20 qepiks.

Monument to the poet Aliaga Wahid

Aliaga Vahid (Aliaga Mammadkul-oglu Iskander) – Azerbaijani poet, satirist, friend of Sergei Yesenin. Very popular among the people were not only his satirical poems, but also lyrical gazelles. A very unusual monument to the poet stands in the Azerbaijani capital in Icheri Shaher (Old Town) on Kichik Kala Street (Malaya Krepostnaya). Its authors are sculptors Rahib Hasanov and Natik Aliyev.

The monument is the poet’s huge head, which grows directly from the ground – his neck, torso and hair represent the trunk and branches of trees and at the same time the interweaving of human bodies. The monument is very interesting to consider – all the cycles of our life are presented here: birth, love, separation, wedding, funeral. According to the sculptors, all our ideas live in our heads, they decided to “pull” them out.

The monument was opened on October 27, 1990. It was built almost entirely at the expense of ordinary people, admirers of the talent of Aliaga Wahid. The idea to perpetuate the image of the poet belongs to the architect, journalist and writer Arif Mansurov. He also sponsored the installation of the monument.

Market Square

One of the oldest places in the city, Market Square, has always been indicated on ancient maps, but was discovered as a result of excavations in Ichera Sheher only in 1964. Once there was a large eastern bazaar. Gradually, the square began to carry not only trade functions, but also was the center of political and public life. Here the most important decrees of the rulers were read, court hearings were held and their decisions were announced.

However, during one of the enemy attacks, the square was destroyed. After that, it was no longer used for its intended purpose and eventually was used as a cemetery. Here archaeologists found 52 graves. On the top of the hill, under which the market square was buried, the townspeople gradually began to build houses. After archaeologists discovered and examined it, the area was cleared and landscaped. Archaeologists and restorers completely liberated it, restored the arcade, which rests on stone columns with a capital.

Mohammed Mosque

In Icheri Sheher there is also another iconic structure – the mosque of Mohammed, or the Son of Kala, which translates as a broken fortress or tower. The mosque was erected in the XI century. Here, the date of construction of the mosque was even preserved. An inscription on one of the walls says that the mosque was built by ustad-rais Muhammad, the son of Abu Bekr in 471 (approximately in 1079). It was built on the site of an even more ancient structure.

During the assault on the city by the Russian fleet in 1723, shelling of the Icheri Sheher fortress was carried out. One of the shells damaged the tower of the minaret. At that very moment a strong wind rose and carried the ships back. Defenders of the city regarded this as a sign of God. For a very long time the tower was not restored, it became a symbol of resistance and then it got its second name. The minaret is adjacent to the main building of the mosque. Its upper part was restored only in the 19th century.

Haji Gaib’s Bath

As in any eastern city, there are many baths. In the East, a hamam is not just a place intended for hygienic procedures, a visit to the bath was accompanied by a special ritual. And here they often gathered for negotiations and transactions. The bath of Haji Gaib was built in the 15th century in a very convenient location. Trade routes crossed here, and merchants from different countries gathered for ablution and business negotiations. Archaeologists discovered hammam only in the 60s of the last century.

Today, the bath of Haji Gaib, of course, is no longer used for its intended purpose. But tourists can see what a traditional hamam building was like in the Middle Ages. It consists of three rooms. The dressing room has rectangular shapes, and then follows a large central hall in the form of an octagon. It housed two pools with hot and cold water.

Under the stone tile floor, steam passed through the canals, which heated the room. Ceramic pipes also served for this. In the third room, in the locker room, they had tea after bathing, negotiations were held here, cheerful conversations and deals were made. Haji Gaib’s bathhouse is easy to find, it is located next to the Maiden’s Tower, on 5 Boyuk Kala Street.

Park “Little Venice”

Seaside Boulevard is one of the most beloved places in the city not only for tourists, but also for the Baku people themselves. Here, back in 1960, a park was built, which is a network of islands and channels connecting them. It was called Baku Venice, or Lesser Venice. In the post-Soviet years, over time, this park became desolate. Restored it and upgraded only in 2011.

Now cafes and restaurants have opened along the banks of the canals. Here appeared small green areas, flower beds, fountains and openwork bridges. On the channels of tourists carry gondolas. Special marinas were equipped for them. The length of all channels of Little Venice is 1350 m, and the depth is 1.3 m.

Azerbaijan Carpet Museum

In 1967, the National Carpet Museum was opened in the building of the Juma Mosque in Icheri Sheher. In 1992, the mosque was returned to believers, and for some time the museum’s exposition moved to the Museum Center. From 2008 to 2014, the construction of a new museum building was in progress. In August 2014, its grand opening took place. The shape of the building resembles a rolled up huge rug.

The museum has a large collection of not only carpets, but also ceramics, metal products, jewelry, national clothes and embroidery. The most valuable exhibits are a fragment of the Tabriz carpet and the 18th-century carpet “Hila Afshan”. The museum presents carpets from all regions of the country, you can see the most diverse embodiment of traditional national ornaments.

The museum has its own training center where you can learn about the main schools of carpet weaving, their features, the history of the emergence and development of this type of decorative art in Azerbaijan. The museum is located on 28 M. Useynova Avenue. It is open every day except Monday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., but the entrance for visitors starts and ends one hour earlier. Adult ticket costs 7 manats, for pupils and students – 3 manats

Funicular

In any city built on the hills, a funicular is a must. In Baku, the first lift appeared in 1960. By the Eurovision in 2012, it was not just repaired, but completely modernized: the old cabs were replaced with new, modern ones, which operate completely silently. Now from the Bahram Gur station to the Flaming Towers can be reached in just 4 minutes. And this way only 1 minute passes through the tunnel, and the rest of the time – along the hills of the Green Theater, covered with coniferous trees.

The trailer overlooks the Caspian Sea, towers and green slopes. In the evenings you can see fantastic panoramas of the city flooded with lights, glowing oil derricks and lights in the sea. A staircase also runs along the paths – in order to return to the embankment it is not necessary to use the funicular again, you can go down on foot.

The funicular is located near the Icheri Sheher metro station. It works every day except Monday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. The fare is 1 manat one way. Payment is only for cash. The cars depart every 10 minutes.

Flaming towers

Since Zoroastrian times, Azerbaijan has been called the Land of Fires and the place of storage of the sacred fire. And the matter is not only in the oil and gas rich bowels of this land. This fire burns in the heart of every resident of this hospitable country. This is exactly what the creators of the modern architectural ensemble Flame Towers – Flaming (Burning) Towers – tried to embody in their work.

These are three tall buildings shaped like flames. The towers are considered the tallest buildings in Azerbaijan and are visible from all over the capital. When the lights turn on in the evenings in the towers, the lights turn on, and the movement of fire is shown on the monitors, from afar it seems that a fire is really blazing in the distance. They built towers for 5 years.

All buildings have different heights. The tallest tower is 190 m, the rest are 140 and 160. The towers house offices and accommodations, as well as the Fairmont Baku at the Flame Towers Hotel. It is most convenient to get to the towers from the Icheri Sheher metro station on the city funicular. It is best to view them from the waterfront.

Ferris wheel

The wheel makes a full revolution at different times – from 10 to 30 minutes, because the landing takes place in 5 booths at a time. Therefore, sometimes the wheel freezes and freezes while moving – do not be afraid, after a while it will continue to move. The cabins are completely closed, air conditioners work in them, a video showing the construction of the wheel is shown on the monitor, information about the height at which it is located and the temperature “overboard” appears.

The wheel is located at the end of Primorsky Boulevard, on Neftyanikov Avenue, next to the National Flag Square. It works every day from 10:00 to 23:00. A ticket costs 5 manat, for children under 6 years old – free of charge, from 6 to 12 years old – 3 manat.

Baku “Crystal Hall”

When the duet Ell & Nikki from Azerbaijan won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011, the country began to prepare to host the festival. For this, in less than a year, a new concert hall was built. For its unique form, this concert venue was called the Crystal Hall, or Crystal Hall. The external building of the hall consists of light metal structures.

They have built a huge number of LED bulbs. With the onset of dusk, the hall begins to glow with multi-colored lights. Thanks to special spotlights, thin strings-rays stretch out from the roof of the arena, which are clearly visible from all over the city. The hall seats up to 27 thousand spectators. Its equipment allows you to realize any visual intentions.

After Eurovision, the hall remained operational. World stars (Rihanna, Shakira, D. Lopez, etc.) often perform here, events are held as part of major sports competitions, for example, the 1st European Games, the Chess Olympiad. The hall is located on National Flag Square, next to the Icheri Sheher metro station.

[adamandkellytravel]

Off to Banff

I got pretty far along in this post and then it happened...my iPad froze. So, here’s the second attempt!

We headed out of Calgary Friday morning and started driving towards the mountains. It was stunning. Every hill we went over, we got closer to the Canadian Rockies. Adam was loving the drive. The weather started to change pretty quickly and we had to deal with some misty/rainy weather most of the day. But it was worth it. We stopped in Canmore for some items I forgot - like a hairbrush - and a map. It was a super cute town so we were excited to see Banff.

It didn’t take too long to get there and when we arrived, I found a cute lake to stop at so we made a quick stop. It was breathtaking. I couldn’t believe how clear the water was. Even a couple feet deep and it was like looking through glad. The rippling waves were the only way to know the water was there. We spent some time walking around at a few pull off spots.

That’s one really nice thing about Banff National Park, everything is beautifully kept up. Public restrooms are located everywhere and there are viewing pull off areas all over the place. You have to get a pass to enter the park and keep it in your car at all times. But we were in luck, since it is the 150th year celebration of the parks system, the entrance was free!

Anyway, after exploring the lake a bit, we were driving toward the hotel and saw this car ahead of us stop in the middle of the road and start reversing. We had no idea what was going on until we saw 4 huge elk in the clearing! It was quite a sight. We were even able to see them sparring! The videos I was able to take were pretty amazing and of course Adam was pumped!

We sat and watched for a bit and Adam chatted with another driver who stopped for a bit. Then we FINALLY made it to the town of Banff. This place is AMAZING! The storefronts are all uniform and you can tell they have strict guidelines for how storefronts are supposed to look. But I’m glad they did. Even the McDonalds was beautiful!

I realized there was one other stop we should make until we got to the hotel. There was a small falls/rapids that we stopped at which were pretty cool. Everyone was so nice so we were able to get quite a few pictures of us together that I’ll definitely share when I get the photos off of my big camera.

We got turned around a bit getting to the hotel but we finally made it to the Rimrock Resort! Wow. This place is stunning. The views are something I can’t even describe. The whole hotel overlooks a valley surrounded by towering peaks. There are restaurants and lounges overlooking the incredible views and we couldn’t wait to get to our room and we were not disappointed when we did.

The room has dark wood floors and antique furniture. There was a separate sitting area that ended with a huge picture window. An incredible view to be welcomed with. The only negative is the terribly small bathroom.

When the concierge brought up our bags, we asked for a good steak place that we should head to and without hesitation, he said Chuck’s. And that’s about all we needed to hear. If you remember from our other travels, we don’t eat much when we travel and this was no exception. We started the day with breakfast but now that it was getting to be about 5, we were starting to get hungry.

Since we didn’t want to drive to town from the hotel (about 10 minute ride), we decided to take the bus that runs through town and has a stop right at our hotel entrance. So, we rode down to town and stopped into Chuck’s to make a reservation for 6:30 and made our way to the Rose and Crown pub. It was really cute. And the bartender was familiar with Mercyhurst university as her sister went there. Crazy! After a couple pints we decided to delay our reservation a bit and have another drink before dinner.

By 7:00 we were starving. We walked the 2 blocks back to Chuck’s and waited for our table. Now, Chuck’s is a very expensive restaurant but the menu did not disappoint. Month-long dry aged steaks, delicious appetizers and sides. I went with a. 12 oz ribeye and Adam went with the 18 oz bone-in wagyu. We started by sharing onion soup with bone marrow and OMG. The soup alone was delicious but the steaks were AMAZING! Definitely the best meal we have had in a LONG time. I was stuffed but Adam ordered a dessert and as it was our anniversary, they gave it to us for free. Which is why I am telling everyone I can that it’s our anniversary weekend lol

Of course we were officially in food comas. We grabbed the shuttle back to the room at about 9:45. I was hanging out in bed and Adam was looking out the window when I suddenly heard “oh my god!!!” Adam spotted a huge elk just hanging out and laying down in the courtyard below our room. It was so cool. They are like the deer in Canaan Valley. Just hanging out not bothered by anybody. Earlier in the day, there was this huge elk sting right by the side of a road we were about to turn around on and I was like “it’s stuffed, it’s just decoration.” We just sat there and all of a sudden, his head moved! It was real!! They are quite majestic and we feel lucky to see so many of them.

And that was a wrap for our first day in Banff :)

[bigtinyworldtravel]

In Croatia, Plitvice Lakes National Park is a must-see destination we were fortunate to see in the off-season of autumn. Plitvice’s stunning beauty brought us there, and we had an unforgettable experience. It was pure eye-candy to see so many waterfalls in one place. Here are some things to know before going and a short video of our experience in the park.

Why visit Plitvice Lakes National Park?

The primary reasons to visit Plitvice are the 16 turquoise lakes combined by streams and stunning waterfalls. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to wildlife, and various flora and fauna. We love the beauty of this magical place.

Our Trip to Plitvice Lakes

On our first pass through Croatia, we missed Plitvice Lakes National Park. We were trying to time our visit through the country to finish before we had a house sit in Montenegro.  Fortunately, our route sent us back up to Croatia on our way to Switzerland, allowing us to visit this park. When we headed to Plitvice Lakes in December, we were hoping to see snow and icy lakes, and it excited us when there was some at the entrance. We were disappointed to find little snow on the lakes themselves.

  Our Experience

We walked on wooden pathways leading to some of the most dramatic waterfalls we have seen. While in the park we found boardwalks that literally lead right up the falls! Water was spraying our shoes through the steps. When we climbed high above the falls, we had some killer views of the paths and lakes below. We even found cute little ice snowmen on a path. Holee had to take a selfie with it.

Our Favorite Viewpoints

The park has two kinds of paths. There are paths by the lakes and waterfalls, and also ones high above for stunning views of the park. We recommend going to both to get a different perspective on the grandeur of this place. There are several viewpoints we enjoyed and some are easy to miss. Here are some of our favorites.

Viewpoint near the gate at entrance 1

Upon entering the park, the first viewpoint would be hard to miss as it is near the gate.

Veliki Slap

After crossing over the Kaluderovac Lake on a wooden path, you turn right and get to Veliki Slap. This one is easy to miss as you want to keep progressing left towards all of the other waterfalls. See map number 23 below for the location. This is one of the top photo spots in the park. Say cheese!

  Boardwalk Junction View

Between entrance 1 and bus stop ST1, there is a magnificent view down onto the boardwalks around the lake. It was hard to leave this spot.

Going in Late Autumn

Late autumn is the off-season for this park. The good news is we had the possibility of getting snow, which creates an incredible contrast with the turquoise blue waters. There are far fewer people around this time of year as well, allowing us to explore the park without hoards of tourists. The upper lakes and the caves were closed unfortunately, and that makes us want to go back again. We love visiting national parks in the winter and arrived as close as we could.

Video of our Journey

In our video, we show some of our drive to the lakes and all the beautiful spots we explored. The highlights include our boat ride and our juicy views from high above the lakes. The scenery on the water, the pathways, and even the drive there are stunning. If you like the video, please subscribe to our channel on YouTube for more updates from our 9-month adventure around the world.

Things to know about Plitvice Lakes

In late autumn, one day may be enough to see the park due to limited access.  However, there is a two-day ticket available which is discounted below the cost of two single-day tickets if you want to take your time exploring the park.

Autumn is a good time to see the park crowd-free. We loved walking these empty pathways.

There are toilets on-site and you do not have to pay for them.

Benches are available throughout the park so you can relax while enjoying the waterfalls. Not all are as elaborate as this one.

Prices are based on the time of day you arrive, seasonality, and age. Check the official website for the current prices. The price is drastically lower in the off-season.

Since the park is huge, you will take a boat and a shuttle to get around the major sections of the park. These will only take you one way and are included in the price of admission. 

Check the weather before you go. Unlike the coast of Croatia, the weather can be more unpredictable with rain and snow in the off-season.

Have a good camera ready to capture the beauty of the park.

Bring your own food to save time and avoid lengthy lines at the dining areas. We were starved with only one place open this time of year.

Bring a garbage bag to pack out your trash as bins are not easily found within the park.

These are the route options for the park so you can customize your experience.

Getting There

Getting to Plitvice Lakes is easy by car or bus. We rented a car and drove in from Zadar and it took about an hour and a half. The drive there has mostly empty, well-paved roads with beautiful scenery. The video shows many of the roads on the drive in from Zadar. Rental cars are pretty cheap here, so it ends up being a good deal if you have more than one person. Otherwise, there are options by bus.

Here are the driving distances and times from popular locations in Croatia, ordered by drive times. You can find rental cars for as little as €7 or $8 USD per day.

Zadar: 128 km, 1 hour 40 minutes

Zagreb: 135 km, 2 hours

Split: 250 km, 3 hours or 2 hours 30 minutes w/ tolls

Pula: 240 km, 3 hours 30 minutes

Dubrovnik: 450 km, 5 hours with border crossing and tolls

Going by bus is simple, and you can buy tickets online or at the bus terminals. The cost is around €13 or $15 USD per person. Some popular buses are Flixbus and Croatia Bus which we used all over the country. 

Our Thoughts

We loved visiting this park in December and capturing all the beauty it holds. On our next trip, we plan to visit in September or June, which are shoulder seasons with good weather and lush greenery. The upper lakes will be open for us too, so we will try to find lodging near the park to avoid the longer drives from Zagreb or Zadar.

We recommend you go in June or September to get a balance of pleasant weather and lower crowd sizes. We likely saw this place at its worst and it was still amazing. We can’t wait to see it again when it is green. This place is beautiful at any time of the year, and each season has its own uniqueness.

What national park do you want to visit in autumn?

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Visiting Plitvice Lakes in Autumn – Things to know before going In Croatia, Plitvice Lakes National Park is a must-see destination we were fortunate to see in the off-season of autumn.