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Reflective essay

During the process of the making of this blogging project I have experienced different situations and emotions. In this essay I will further explain in detail all aspects.

To start with, I will start talking about how I choose this specific book. I am a person who  has a preference predominantly in adventure themed books like the one I chose, so I started to search for one on the internet and after spending some time on it I suddenly found the one that called my attention the most. The name of this motivated me to choose undoubtedly since it has the word journey in it, I am a fan of this type of story.

Regarding the book itself, I would say it is a fascinating piece of work and I will explain why that is. First, the fact that it is a fictional story, which makes me think about how the author used his imagination along with real events and places to generate this incredible work. Then, I would say that  the plot in general is captivating because when you read it and dive into it you start creating all the scenarios in your mind. For example, when Axel, the professor and Hans were navigating in the inside ocean and fighting against difficulties such as sea monsters, storms and so; I was picturing it all in my head.

 My journey writing about this book was advantageous and challenging at the same time and there are reasons why.  In the process of making this blog I realized that there are so many situations from which one can learn or interprete in order to get advice, and that is what I did. However, it was hard for me at some point to reach out for ideas and add to the work, perhaps because I was not concentrating enough and missing out on key ideas.

Overall, I will have to say that this blogging project represented a great opportunity for me to grow as a person, not only in my writing and development of ideas, but also it raised an interest in me to keep reading and books and writing as well.

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The journey comes to an end.

This adventure ends as the three boys would finally get out of the inside of the earth.

As many other moments in the journey, their way up on earth was not easy at all. They had only one way to escape that place and it is a peculiar one; they thought it would be a good idea to use the forces of the explosion they generated so they did it, along with the raft, which was still functional, they started to get pushed upwards. During the ascent the guys experienced a set of uncomfortable events, such as heat, pressure, the speed and the thick steam around them, which would make them run out of breath. 

Some time later they finally get to be thrown out by the mixture of gasses and lava behind them. When they had a clearer view of their surroundings they realized they were not traveling inside the main vowel of a volcano, it was just a simple tube that you find around a volcano. Personally, I feel that things could have ended up differently if it was in the mainstream knowing that the extension in diameter of an average volcano is massive.

At this point it turns out they ended up in the famous stromboli volcano in the south of italy. In that place they found mass extension of crops of all types, such as pomegranate and especially vine. When they went to take a look in those lands they found a shepherd looking boy, who might be the owner of the place. Each one of them ate as much as they could since they have not eaten correctly for days. 

With no time to lose, the three boys now are heading to a port on the island to start their journey back home. I know for sure they are excited to return to their old lives. First they stop in Marseilles, France and then Hamburg. Everyone in the house was happy for the return of the Professor and Axel, especially Grauben, Axel’s fiance. However, Hans was still on his way to Iceland, where he came from. 

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Surviving in the waters.

Now the guys are about to navigate in a vast ocean inside the earth, through their trip they experience some surprising and also unpleasant situations.

To dive into these waters the three adventurers had to find a way of transportation, that is why they built a type of boat made of wood they found in the inside lands. As usual Hans was the one in charge of that. Before they sailed they thought that that sea would be a small one, however it really was not. I think that was so naive coming specially from the professor as they should expect the inimaginable.

Their journey on the water surface this time has already started and as they thought they observed something amazing for them and I know Axel and Llidenbrock enjoyed it. It was fishes but not simple ones, those were prehistoric creatures that are supposed to be extinct already but somehow they wander in there. Later, they get to find a mysterious island in the middle of the ocean, which they thought was the end of it but they were not even close yet.

Things become more interesting when the problems appear on their way. First of all, they get to see the fishes again but this time things were not the same as these new creatures they are facing are potentially predators, so basically they are now prey of the hungry animals who rarely get visits like this in their environment. For sure they were freaking out since they are pretty small compared to the threats and they did not know they would deal with it but in the end they get to beat them and keep safe luckily.

The next challenge and I strongly believe that it was the hardest one they had to experience is an electric storm mixed with rain and fast wind. It was hard because they have been traveling already for several days so they were tired. However the biggest struggle was the amount of days they had to spent inside this terrible storm, it was about four days in total and during that period of time they would be hit by strong waves, which made them fall off their rattle, losing with it almost all the items they had for survivals, specially food. But somehow they managed to get back up again and land on the other side finally,

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Finding a whole new world

After a long way and days of traveling inside the earth bowels the three adventurers will admire something they’ve been expecting for. I believe that the professor was already imagining the scenes that they would witness. However, Axel was really looking for it and Hans was just joining them.

Right before arriving to this impressive inside land of wonders, Alex had to deal with a huge problem. Basically, in a sudden he got lost inside the tubes. It’s actually crazy to think about it, because, how could he disappear so easily form the sight of his companions when they were all together. I think the fact that they barely talk to each other could be one big reason. Nevertheless, after getting injured and even losing all senses he managed to find a way to encounter with his peers. I can tell Alex is a strong boy, as well as Lidenbrock and Hans but he is way younger that them.

Later on the guys could finally get to see each other again, his uncle was so worried and emotional, which is weird coming from him, because he is always a cold-hearted man. Hans was also relieved of having found his mate, who didn’t say much as usual, maybe the language is a barrier for communicating properly.

But the most important event was about to happen. They are now in a place which resembles a lot the outside lands. Why’s that? Well, first of all it was a huge space, which had a sky with clouds, a vast sea; they could not even see the end of it , and even formations of mushroom shaped trees; those were gigantic and not a common species for the visitors. It is definitely a whole world right in the center of the earth, but a place someone could never imagine exists. Of course, we can see that they cannot wait to further explore this inside world.

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Chaos down the tunnels.

The story proceeds as Axel, Professor Lidenbrock and Hans prepare themselves to dive into the crater. It is when the real journey starts.

They begin to assemble their packages, luggages and all items needed to survive in the expedition. Each one of the guys would carry a thing and others are just tied up and dragged along for its excessive weight. Hans and Lidenbrock prepare ropes for the descent while Axel stares at the inside of the volcano with shock and fear. When everything was ready they went inside in a certain order. During their trip downwards the Professor, as a geologist is supposed to do, confirms a theory about the chemical reaction of metals by seeing the volcanic formations. Later on, after some hours on the go they finally arrive at the bottom of the Snaefells, it was already late so they served themselves something to eat before they got to sleep.

The next day they prepare themselves to plunge inside the earth´s bowels. Axel is scared again when he has not even started the move. As they go further they realize that the slope is not necessarily perpendicular but, it was actually just 45 degrees, which allowed them to walk peacefully. Professor Lidenbrock makes observations about the surroundings. Deeper inside the pressure would not allow them to breathe properly, however it was at slow pace so their lungs had time to get used to it. Also there was a strange phenomena with the temperature, which considering the depth they are in was intriguingly low. Axel, again concerned but this time about water, he thinks there might not be streams in the caverns but his uncle trusts they will get to it. At the end of the day they realized that they surpassed the record as the longest trip of a person inside the earth.

They depart again and in their way they find now to different tunnels, they need to figure out which way to go. As they already decided, now start their walk in this new path with uncertainty. It was still horizontal and maybe even more. The tunnel seemed really interesting for the Professor and his nephew since both of them are geologists; they analyze the surface and the surroundings and find evidence of different types of strata and stones. Axel is still worried about water and provisions because they had left for some more days. And so they walk unstoppably for the next few days expecting to find a shaft which could lead them downwards but instead they find a wall in front of them, which means that their track ends right there. Involved in an unpleasant situation they will now have to head back to try luck in the other entry they found in the intersection.

With great disappointment the three adventurers are heading now to the other tunnel, hoping to come across a better scenario. When they are already inside, the Professor discovered that they are surrounded now by a type of strata that has benefits, which is called the primitive formation. Axel, distressed by tiredness and thirst, could not resist any longer and blacked out. The hunter was concerned about this situation, so he decided without previously informing his peers, on going in search of water. He found a stream inside the walls, in order for them to get access to the liquid he needed to break down the rocks, so he did and they finally got to refresh themselves with the water. After walking a long way inside the tubes they find out they have already been 200 miles away from Iceland.

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The beginning of a journey.

It all stars in Hamburg with Professor Otto Lidenbrock as a well-known scholar who devotes his life to geology and mineralogy, and Axel his nephew who follows his steps.

Axel describes how passionate his uncle is about books apart from minerals, he would gather even the most insignificant one. One day when he was in the professor’s studio a revelation happened. A strange manuscript slipped out of a book his uncle was manipulating. The professor identified the old icelandic language and after analyzing it with more sophistication he knew it was a cipher and that was written in runic by Saknussemm, an alchemist icelandic from the 16th century.

Professor Lidenbrock wouldn’t care nothing else but this piece of paper and desicively would start his attempt of revealing the hidden message. He started using all type of combination but nothing came out. One night when he went out, Axel decided to giving it a chance and confidently started examining it carefully. All of a sudden, the inimaginable ocurred, the secret code has finally been solved .

Although Axel knew the answer he was terrified of telling his uncle because he knew the professor would drive crazy. However, after admiring Lidenbrock’s impeccable commitment to deciphering and after seeing the desperation in his eyes, the young boy decided to intervent. Later after trying hardly and tirelessly the Professor made a milestone discover, which consist of a trip inside the earth.

This discover would the beginning of an adventure. They both started discussing if such trip would be possible anyway for how complex it is. Axel was terrified to join, he hesitated that it would be a good idea to dive into this adventure. However the Professor convinced him but in reality the kid had no choice.

The official journey was about to begin. They were getting ready packing all the necessary items. Before leaving Axel went into a deep conversation with Gräuben, his beloved girl, who was also a fan of mineralogy.

They first went by train from Hamburg to Kiel. Later on they had to take a steamship heading to the next stop, which is Copenhagen. During their stay in this last city they met Professor Thompson, also a scholar, who helped find a ship to sail heading Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.

At this point the trip was about to enter to another phase. Getting to Iceland is now the major concern for the boys. The time of sailing arrived and Axel and Lidenbrock were ready to spend the next 10 days navigating in the waters. Then, after a long travel they finally step in the icelandic lands. They met Mr Fridrickson, a science professor, who would give them his warm hospitality for some days until making up their way to snaefells.

The main aim now is arriving to this dead volcano. For that to happen they had to encounter a guide, so they found Hans a robust local hunter. Getting on their horses they are now in an attempt to get to Stapi, the closest point to the snaefells, completely by land for seven to eight nights. Throughout this journey the three of them now had to cross through several fjords . In their way they also found a peasant 's house, where they would stay for a night. After leaving this place they also got provisions of food. They started to notice that the landscape started to change for the soil and the mountains.

Eventually the two adventurers and the guide are finally at the feet of the grandiose Snaefells. Professor Lidenbrock looking at it flabbergasted could not believe his eyes, he new the journey was just about to start.