#AND that the people who encounter these lodge inhabitants are actually finding out they are tv show characters

[lights-on-the-ridge]

the idea that twin peaks is a self aware soap opera that constantly tells you its a tv show via the black lodge inhabitants is so funny to me and i genuinely feel this weird sort of denial about it.

[everlarkficexchange]

Full Circle

Written by: @emilia206

Prompt 26: Mockingjay canon divergent - Prim was never killed. Gale and Katniss try to get back to how they were before the war, but he realises that he’s already lost Katniss’ heart to Peeta, heart, mind, and soul. Any POV. Submitted by anonymous.

Summary: The prompt is pretty self explanatory, and I did my best to stick to it, however I was not prepared to completely write Gale out of Katniss’ life. Sorry? This is from Katniss’ POV.

Rating: Teen and up audiences.

Word count: 12,567

Thank you to my wonderful beta @melting-starlight. She’s more active on ao3 though, where she’s Starlight_Wren.

Breathe in. Breathe out. That’s all I’m doing. And for once, it’s enough. It’s enough if I just stand in the midst of lush greenery surrounded by the flutterings and scuffles of animals in springtime, just breathing and listening. My bow hangs limp in my hand and in the other I idly twirl an arrow. I’ll make my shot, eventually. When I feel the time is right, I’ll open my eyes again, to a world that’s coming to life once more, and I’ll aim and shoot. Dinner served. Not yet though, the time is not right.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Over and over again. It feels good to be out in the sun, to have it warm my winter chilled body. Perhaps it shall thaw out my heart too, but that can’t happen. Not yet, the time is not right. As the day warms up and begins to start in earnest, the animals become more loud in their search for food, shelter, and perhaps even a mate. They ignore me, standing as still as I am, not making a sound. I even briefly feel the tip of a wing swoop so low overhead it ruffles my hair. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. It’s almost time. Time to open my eyes and find my mark. I have to be quick about it, but these animals have become idle with their hiding skills in the time I’ve been away. No longer looking out for traps and flying arrows. I’ll use it to my advantage. Somewhere in the distance, a group of birds start up a melody. Conversing in short little tweets and chirps. Almost - I twirl my arrow once more in my fingers - time. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. My eyes snap open, letting the bright sunlight shine into them. I squint momentarily before I set my eye on my first mark. A wide-eyed rabbit, that stares at me from behind a protruding tree root. It doesn’t even try to run, it just stares right at me, until I lodge an arrow into its eye. A still comes over the clearing, creatures waiting with bated breath for the next arrow to fly. It doesn’t take me long, two squirrels, oblivious to the still around them, squabbling over an acorn. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. I bag tonight’s dinner, clean off my arrows, and am on my way. I’m not even ten metres away from the clearing when it comes back to life. Stupid things. I don’t know why, but it peeves me. Gale and I only stopped hunting regularly in these woods a little over six months ago, and already the animals have forgotten our presence. It’s ironic that with one tyrannical leaders fall, so did mine and Gale’s rule over these woods. Dr. Aurelius tells me that that’s OK, with a chapter closing within my life, another can begin. Then again, of course Dr. Aurelius can say these things, he’s not the one who actually has to let the chapter close. I don’t want it to - part of me still longs for days spent foraging and hunting in the woods, my partner by my side - but I know it has to.  

Breathe in. Breathe out. I’ve made it to the fence. Here comes the tricky part; making it back to the Village without letting myself slide into a mental vicious circle of passing the blame. Don’t look. Even as my rationale tells me not to, it’s impossible not to stare at the charred remains of my people being tipped into a gaping black pit that used to be the Meadow. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. No need to cry. My tears won’t help them now. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. Don’t cry. As soon as I think it, though, the tears burn at the back of my eyes, and my nose stings and flares. I move my feet faster up the hill. No point in hanging about. The gate to Victors Village looms up in the distance, towering above the carnage of my fallen District. It stands tall and proud, and I subconsciously shrink before it, though the wrought iron lettering looks rusted and dilapidated. 

Breathe in. Breathe out. I stand among the overgrowing gardens and sunken houses. Families are living in them now, and the entirety of the Village hums with life, all but Haymitch’s, Peeta’s and my own. In Haymitch’s resides only the old drunk with a sea of liquor bottles to wade through on the floor. Peeta’s house waits cold and unlived in, standing by until his return. In my own stands nothing but a few boxes waiting to be shipped off to District 4, where we will be greeted by my mother and Prim. 

Breathe in. Brea - a tremendous crash comes from within Haymitch’s house. I’m standing at my own front door, hand resting on the handle when another crash comes from his house. I might not be particularly fond of the old man, but I still care about him, enough to start running like a madman towards his house. He’s drunk most of the time so it wouldn’t surprise me if he accidentally threw himself down the stairs.

Bursting in through his door I yell his name, “Haymitch!” 

As expected, I get no response. I walk on soft feet through to his living room where he lies prone on his sofa, one of his arms hanging limply to the floor where a bottle of half finished liquor sways a little. No doubt he fell asleep like this. 

I give him a rough shake, and for once it’s enough to rouse him from his slumber. He sits up, giving me a disgruntled look, before taking another swig from the bottle. I snatch it from his hands, and he looks up at me, clearly pissed off.

I narrow my eyes at him, “Do you have a guest Haymitch, or have the racoons finally taken over?” 

“Wha-?” He continues to stare at me nonplussed.

“Jesus, how out of it were you Haymitch?” 

“I’d say he’d been out cold for a couple hours when I came in,” says an achingly familiar voice behind me.

I jump, and both mine and Haymitch’s head snap towards the source of the voice, where a blond boy - no, man - stands. He’s smirking slightly, I imagine at the shocked expressions our faces are wearing. I can’t help it, it’s a reflex really, one that I hate to have developed, but I take a step back. Peeta looks at me, and his smile drops, if only by a fraction.  I wince, I don’t mean it, just a precaution.

He looks well, and his eyes have lost that clouded, tortured look. As I stare unabashadley at him, he frowns slightly. 

“So, what, you just let yourself in and started doing god knows what with my kitchen?” Haymitch grouses. I finally manage to snap my attention away from him, and become very interested in my shoes. 

From the corner of my eyes, I watch as Peeta scratches the back of his neck and bounces his foot nervously, “Guess I’m more of a self-imposed guest then.” 

Following his comment, a silence falls over the room. I can’t really remember the last time we were all together alone like this. It must have been some time before the Quell happened, when we were training. Less than a year ago then, yet it feels like a lifetime. 

Quietly, I clear my throat, trying to think of something to say that will break this awkward tension that’s settled over the room. I should have left earlier. Instead I just say, “Well seeing as you’re OK, I’ll be on my way.” I point lamely to the front door, and start making my way over there. 

I’m just about out of the whole stinking house, hating them both for ruining what was looking to be a good morning, when Haymitch calls after me, “Hold it sweetheart, what’s in the bag?” 

I huff, yanking the whole bag off before throwing it at his face. As hungover as he is, his reflexes are still remarkably good and he catches it before it hits him. He gives me a pointed glare before taking a look inside. Giving me a satisfied smirk, he throws the bag back and announces, “We’ll have dinner at yours then.” 

I’m about to protest when he comes lumbering over to the door and slams it in my face. I stand dumb-struck, face inches from the door, hunting bag hanging clenched in my fist.

Breathe in. Breathe out. It’s all OK. 

———————————————————————-

I stand over my stove, grinding my teeth and staring resolutely out of the window, only occasionally looking down as I stir the mediocre stew I’ve concocted.  I worry my lip between my teeth, not caring if it starts to bleed. There’s so much that has been left unsaid between Peeta and I, a thousand apologies and explanations owed both ways. And I don’t even know where to start, or if I even want to open that conversation yet. But I’m wracking my brains and I can’t find anything else that Peeta and I really have in common, other than our horrific experiences. I decide that I’ll simply try and get through this dinner with as little talking as possible. 

I spent the rest of the day after the rude encounter with Haymitch and surprise reunion with Peeta cleaning up the entirety of the house and packing away the rest of the clutter, making space for whoever was going to move in after I left. I find that the menial chores of everyday life, such as cleaning, cooking, washing, help to alleviate some of my pent up frustration and have quite a calming effect. As dull and repetitive as they can be, focusing my brain power on such an unimportant task helps keep me centered and grounded in reality. 

It’s around that time of day when the afternoon is coming to an end, and the sun is starting to lower in the sky. The sun is coming in at an odd angle, blinding me, when I hear a firm knock at the door. I huff, stomping down the hallway to the entryway, rubbing my eyes to get rid of the white spots in my vision. Thinking it’s Haymitch coming early to give me some sort of lecture about behaviour around the newest inhabitant of Victors Village, or to watch me cook and tell me I’m doing it wrong.  I yank open the front door and say in a rather impatient voice, “You needn’t have come early, I know perfectly well how to cook without burning my house down.” 

I’m still squinting slightly, but when my vision finally clears I see only a broad chest standing in front of me. Looking up, I’m met with Peeta’s  face, once more frowning at me. “I know that,” he says, “I just thought I’d come early to help out a little, I brought some bread,” he sheepishly lifts his left arm showing me a small basket filled with rolls and buns. 

“Oh,” I stammer, “right, well come on in then.”

I turn my back and start marching back to the kitchen, scrunching my face and resisting the urge to bang my head repeatedly against a wall. Of all the ways I could invite Peeta into my house, that has got to be one of the worst. “Mind the boxes,” I say as an afterthought, conscious that most of the front of this house is littered with them, and not wanting him to trip over one. 

He hums behind me, and I can hear his heavy tread picking over the little maze that I’d inadvertently created when piling them up. 

I plant myself in front of the stove again, stirring the simmering stew - even though I know full well that it doesn’t need stirring anymore - and yank the curtain closed. 

He enters the kitchen and out of the corner of my eye I see him glance back down the hallway furrowing his brow slightly, I silently beg for him not to ask about them. 

“You can put the basket on the table,” I rush out, as soon as I see him open his mouth. He nods his head, and places the basket on the corner of the table. I can feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head. I don’t think I’ve ever wished for the arrival of Haymitch, but right now I really hope he comes waltzing in.

“What’s with the boxes?”

No such luck.

I sigh, and hunch myself over the countertop. “I’m, uh, leaving.” 

“Oh,” he says it quietly, and I’m not sure if I was even supposed to hear it. 

“District 4,” I elaborate, even though he didn’t ask, “My mother got a job there, and there’s a school with a good training program for Prim.”

“That’s good, I guess,” he says, his leg has started to bounce again, “I was wondering where they were.”

A silence falls over the room, and my breathing starts to pick up. Just say something! My brain scrambles for something to say, because there is no way I can stand here in silence with Peeta. “I only really came back here to, you know, pack up, and uh… say goodbye.” 

As I pull out the drawer to look for a good bread knife, I see Peeta nod, digesting this information. Still he says nothing, nothing about what he thinks of this, what he feels about me leaving. I don’t know why I should care, but I find that I do. Where is Haymitch? Can’t he for once in his life be on time? I’m drowning here, helplessly floundering around.

“Well you know how it is,” I continue, “needing a fresh start, after everything that’s happened…” I don’t know why I’m saying all of this, to Peeta no less, but the words won’t stop pouring out of my mouth. 

I take a deep breath to steady myself, and consider clamping a hand over my mouth to stop myself from saying any more. Peeta stands stock still in the entryway of the kitchen, I don’t think he knows what to say, which is a first. I’ve rendered Peeta Mellark speechless. 

To fill the quiet, and desperate not to say anything else, I begin scurrying around the kitchen. Wiping off countertops, and rinsing already cleaned and drying dishes. I’m frantic, and I have no clue as to where to go from here. What to say to this man standing in my kitchen, someone I know so much, and yet so little about. 

I’m banging open cupboards and drawers, searching for a knife to cut the bread with, when Peeta comes to stand beside me. I’m searching through a drawer, which I know doesn’t hold a bread knife, my hands are shaking and I can’t make them stop. That’s when he reaches over, and clasps my hands in his. I freeze, and look straight ahead at the standard kitchen tile, willing myself to breathe.

“Katniss,” he murmurs, “look at me.”

I blink slowly, and my lip trembles, but slowly I turn my head to look at him. He’s so close, and he’s looking at me with such intensity that it should make me nervous, but it doesn’t. 

“It’s OK,” he smiles, in what I think is supposed to be a reassuring way, but I’m transfixed by his eyes, and they’re not smiling with him. I sag slightly, I want so badly for it to be OK, every morning I trick myself into believing it’s OK, just to be able to get up. It isn’t though.

“No, no it’s not OK,” I whisper, “None of anything that happened was ‘OK’.”

I look down, fascinated by the way his large pale hands seem to engulf my own smaller darker ones. He doesn’t seem to have a response to that either, so we just stand there in silence, until Haymitch finally comes strolling through my back door. 

Quickly, I yank my hands from Peeta’s and take a step back, brushing away non-existent wrinkles in my clothing. Haymitch, seemingly unaware of the strained atmosphere in the room, plonks himself down at the table before rambling on about some phone call he received from Plutarch. Peeta tries to catch my eye, but I move swiftly away, collecting bowls and spoons, and finally procuring that wretched bread knife. Carrying them over to the table, I give Haymitch a withering look, it isn’t exactly his fault that I’m unable to be in a room alone with Peeta and have a normal conversation, but he didn’t have to invite everyone round to my house for supper either. 

He quirks one of his eyebrows in amusement, catching on to my annoyance. 

“I hope you didn’t stare at the food with such a sour face, you might have spoiled it,” he says, eyes narrowing at me in challenge. Goading me into saying something I might regret. He thinks I’m stupid, he thinks I don’t understand why he’s doing this to me. I fully understand that this is him punishing me for leaving, he doesn’t want me to know it, that he doesn’t want me to go, but unfortunately for him he told me once when I was escorting him back to his house after another one of these damned dinners. 

He’d leant in close to my ear, breathing sour fumes into my face, and said, “You shouldn’t leave, you can’t leave, Twelve is your home remember. And anyway, what’re you gonna do without your favourite resident drunk.” It hadn’t been the first time he’d tried to guilt me into staying, but at least he’d shown more finesse before, using Peeta’s inevitable return against me. This was the first time he had actually shown any indication that he was remorseful of my decision to leave. He’d then belched loudly, and fallen asleep right there, with me holding him up in the middle of the road. 

I stare him down, daring him to say another word, but he reaches over the table and grabs the bread and knife. “Well at least I can know that one part of this meal won’t give me food poisoning,” he exclaims loudly, I only roll my eyes and stalk over to the stewpot. Peeta tries once more to grab my attention, but I studiously avert my gaze from his and busy myself with finding a tea towel to carry over the steaming dish. I sigh quietly in relief when Peeta finally makes his way over to the table and takes a seat opposite to Haymitch.

“We’ve missed your bread around these parts,” Haymitch proclaims, “haven’t we, sweetheart?” He looks up at me, daring me to deny this sentiment.

I place the pot down onto the table with a little more force than necessary, causing both Haymitch and Peeta to jump in their seats. I give each of them my best glare, effectively shutting off all conversation for the next five minutes. 

As we eat in awkward quietude, the only sounds that fill the room are the clink of a spoon hitting a bowl or a crunch as someone bites into a roll.

The silence suits me just fine, and the glowering looks that Haymitch sends me from over his bowl don’t bother me in the slightest. At first I don’t realise, but Peeta starts to fidget on the other side of the table, tapping out an erratic beat on the table and holding his spoon in a death grip before releasing it slightly. 

I watch in fascination as his knuckles turn white from the effort, I know it’s a horrible thing to think, but I begin to wonder if it’s my throat he really wants to grip in a chokehold. I give an involuntary shiver, and stare down at the stew that I so hastily threw together, ashamed of my line of thought. 

I’ve just about finished my bowl, when Haymitch clears his throat. I inwardly groan, does the man never take a holiday? 

To my surprise, however, he only leans back in his chair, levels us both with a look, and says, “Thank you, that was… lovely,” his features, so hardened by years of having children die on his conscience, soften slightly and he turns his focus to me. I shrink back a little at the scrutinisation, but his eyes hold no malice, they just look right into my soul and I know what he’s going to say before he even says it, “You did good, sweetheart.”

Even though I knew it was coming, my breath momentarily stills in my chest. I look back at him and my face crumples. Haymitch knew exactly what he was doing when he said it, he’s reminding me that we were, and still are, a team. That as much as he doesn’t want to be, and I don’t want him to be, he’s here. And I am forgiven. 

“Boy, would you give us a moment,” Haymitch says softly. 

I’m barely holding myself together, the flimsy strings that have been holding my already fragile psyche together all these weeks are about to fail, and I’m once more grateful for the fact that Haymitch understands me so well, because as much as I hate to admit it, I can’t fall apart in front of Peeta.  

I hear rather than see Peeta hastily vacate the room, and though I was expecting a floodgate to open and for the tears to stream from eyes as if a dam had been broken, none come. The kitchen isn’t filled with my howls and sobs, it’s filled only with the quiet ticking of the clock on the wall. Within me though, an inferno rages. Filled with the screams of the far gone dead, and me at the center gasping and retching. 

They are bursting to be let loose, they are threatening to tear at the very seams of my sanity and being. Some are my fault, some happened on accident, and some happened because I wasn’t watching closely enough, but they all shout the same. It starts with my father and ends with Squad 451. It’s pent up somewhere inside me, all the hurt and anguish, under lock and key, and it’s writhing and scrambling to be let loose. For me to let it go. But I’m scared that if I do so there won’t be anything left. These people’s deaths are what define me, and I have no idea where I lay in the mess of faults and debts.

In the kitchen though, silence still reigns, I’m staring stoically at the tiny amount of  watery liquid that remains at the bottom of my bowl. Haymitch takes my clenched fists in his own roughened and grubby hands. He doesn’t bore me with trite platitudes, he just sits in silence waiting for me to either release my torment, or push it back down. 

We stay like this for what seems like hours, but eventually my tense muscles relax slightly and I remember how to breathe normally. My ghosts are silent again. I look up at Haymitch, exhausted and emotionally rung out, and I wait for his ‘sage’ advice to come. All he offers up though is;

“You got off the train, sweetheart. Stop trying to get back on.” 

He rises from the table, and for once he carries the dishes over to the sink. He pats me once on the shoulder before leaving. I watch as he hobbles from my kitchen and down the road to his own house, looking years older than a man his age should.

—————————————————————————–

After the somewhat disastrous dinner, I made sure to isolate myself from anyone who might cause me some sort of distress. It wasn’t hard, seeing as I’ve never been the most sociable of beings, and I had plenty to do before my departure. I packed the remainder of the house up, and left a bottle of liquor on Haymitch’s doorstep, with a hastily tied bow wrapped around its neck. I then ventured into the woods, I didn’t bother with getting out one of my bows and arrows, I just wandered through the dense foliage, silently saying goodbye to all I used to know, and with it my childhood. 

The people came, as arranged, to help move the boxes to the train station. I boarded the train in the dead of night, with only Greasy Sae there to bid me farewell. The train moved out of the station with little ado, and I found myself a spot in one of the corners, sat on a crinkly tarp. 

It was decided that if I was to be travelling from District 12 to District 4, it couldn’t be on one of the new passenger trains, it would cause too much ‘excitement’ as Plutarch so eloquently told me. I was to travel in one of the trains filled with building materials, and rations. I agreed, as I see myself as being rather intimate with small cramped spaces.

The train chugged along, rocking me into a state of tranquility. I breathed in, and I breathed out, hoping with all of me that it could finally be OK.

——————————————————————–

It isn’t until a few days after my arrival in Four that I see it, a small piece of paper on my floor. It must have fallen from one of the boxes whilst I was unpacking. Frowning, I pick it up, 

If you ever want to talk.  - Peeta

Underneath is a number, a phone number, Peeta’s phone number. I clutch the paper in my fist, crumpling it a little. I’m standing stock still in my room, the sunlight is filtering in through the window. It isn’t particularly special, in fact, the writing is scrawled, as if he was rushing to get it done. But it’s still from Peeta, and it’s rattled me. 

There’s so much to do, I promised Prim we could go for a walk on the beach, Gale is visiting, I said I’d go see Annie for tea. But right now, none of that matters, because the world has gone still with me, and I don’t know what to do.   

I yank open my desk drawer, looking at the crumpled piece of paper one last time, before placing it in there with all of the other things that I no longer know what to do with, but can’t get rid of; a locket, a pin, a pearl, and a spile. I then slam the drawer shut, hoping that the sounding finality of it will echo across all time, time to say goodbye to all that. I close my eyes against the desperate want to open it again and cradle all of these things in my trembling hands. There’s just so much to do. 

——————————————————————-

I manage to stay away from the drawer, and the objects inside that call for my attention. I take walks on the beach with my mother and Prim, listening to all my little sister has to say. She looks so happy and content as she jumps and twirls on the sand and it makes me happy. I sit with Annie, in the surf or on her porch, holding her hand through her grief, or letting her talk about all she wants. Sometimes we prefer the sound of the waves though, letting the reliable sound of it coming and going fill us with a sense of security. Because even if it goes, it always comes back. 

Gale visits, and we try our hand at fishing and sailing. We fall in a lot, and the cold water is shocking and sobering. It’s good to be back on familiar ground with Gale, the uncertainty and mistrust that plagued our friendship over the past year still hangs over our heads, but we don’t talk about it. Sometimes, though, I’ll catch him looking at me a certain way, or a silence will fall over us, and I’ll curse the war for nurturing such a blank space in our friendship. 

I look into the Capitol archives, at my mothers request, to look for pictures of myself and Primrose from when we were younger. 

The pictures I find are black and white, standard for the mandatory pictures we had to take in school. In mine, I look about ten years old, I’m wearing two braids with ribbons in them. I don’t seem too pleased about this, in fact I look about ready to tear off the head of anyone who says anything about the ribbons. I’m staring at the camera with mild curiosity, but mostly apprehension, though the small smile I’m wearing suggests differently. Primrose looks so young, still carrying a meagre amount of baby fat, her blonde hair falling only to her small shoulders. I can practically hear her giggling at the camera, all blue eyed and dimpled. I forgot that she used to look like that, and my heart aches for the family of four who lived in a small shack in the Seam. I even find a picture of my mother, from when she was younger, and what people said is true. She’s beautiful, around fifteen or sixteen in her picture, and she’s giving the camera a sweet smile, her beguiling eyes are clear of all sorrow that plagued her later years.  

For a while, these pictures take pride of place on our mantle, next to my mother and fathers wedding picture, until Prim declares we must take new ones. So, we do. And their lively colour fills first our mantle, relegating the others (apart from the wedding photo) to my mothers bedside table, not quite forgotten, but no longer the center of attention anymore. Then our fridge, and eventually Prim and I create little collages on the wall. 

My phone calls with the good doctor dwindle to once a week. He tells me that whilst I might always ache for the ones I have lost, making new, happier, memories is a ‘damn good way to honour their memory’. 

———————————————–

All of this ‘moving forwards’ business comes to a grinding halt, however, on the 4th of July. My forced abstinence from the drawer of trinkets that I can’t make sense of, ends. It’s Reaping Day. And I feel so alone. 

I’m awake before dawn, having screamed myself awake from the nightmares that won’t ever leave. I don’t bother with going back to sleep. I slip out of bed and make my way to the kitchen, where I boil the kettle for something to do. 

The tide is in, licking its way further up the sand, coming closer and closer to our house. It never reaches, but a part of me always thinks that it will. I seat myself on our window seat, watching as the water encroaches further up the beach, swallowing sand as it goes. I curl my feet up underneath me, and drink slow tentative sips from my mug. 

Though I try to focus all of my attention on watching the water, my eyes keep on finding their way back to the phone that hangs happy and yellow from the wall, just out of reach. If my eyes aren’t staring holes into the phone, they start fidgeting over to my closed bedroom door, searching for the strength to stay where I am.

My tea goes cold, the tide starts to move back out, and the sky begins to go pink. And still my attention is focused only on the phone and the whiteness of my bedroom door.

Eventually, my will bends, and I can’t stand the stillness of my indecision anymore, I abandon my mug on the table and shuffle over to my room. I find the note exactly where I left it, crumpled in a ball and left to collect dust. A part of me was starting to think that I might have imagined its existence. 

Smoothing out the crumpled paper in my hands, I promise myself only once. 

I dial the number before I can lose my resolve and back out, and wait, impatiently tapping my foot. The phone seems to dial forever, and I’m sure that it’s about to ring off when I hear the click of the phone being picked up.

“Hello,” the voice that crackles through the speaker sounds remarkably tired and my heart sinks like a stone, “Peeta Mellark speaking, who is this?” 

I open my mouth, but my voice sticks in my throat and I can’t get the words out for the life of me. 

“Hello?” 

I close my mouth and breathe in deeply through my nose, trying to calm the nerves that are causing my heart to bang incessantly against my ribcage. I feel as if I have run a marathon. My head is pounding and my palms are sweating. 

“Alright, well I’m going to hang up now.”

I panic, scared that he might actually hang up and then I won’t be able to get a hold of him again; “Wait!” 

“Katniss?” He sounds so shocked and mildly confused. When I hear him say my name, I realise how desperate I’ve actually been to just hear his voice again. I want to talk to him, so I force the rest of the words to unstick from my voice box.

“Yeah, it’s me,” I say, taking another deep breath, “Katniss.”

There’s no sound from the other end of the line, and for a moment I’m scared that he might have hung up the phone. 

Almost as if he was reading my mind he says, “Sorry, just grabbing a chair.”

“Oh.” The relief is tangible in my voice.

Once more a silence fills the line, with only the crackle of static and white noise filling it. I’m filled with a sudden sense of guilt, why did I leave it so long? 

“So…” Peeta starts, “you called.”

“Yeah,” I reply, searching for something to say that won’t outright tell him that I only called him because I was feeling lonely. Isn’t that why I called him though, because I’m so alone, even when I’m around people. I shake the thought from my head, Peeta doesn’t need, let alone want to hear about that. 

He’s about to say something, but I jump in before he can, “Peeta, I’m sorry for not calling you before,” and as I say it I realise that I mean it, I really am sorry for shutting him out of my life. Because as much as I want to move on, I can’t if I leave whatever we have unresolved. I take a deep breath and manage to squeak out, “It’s Reaping Day, and I can’t get through it without you.”

I lean heavily against the wall, suddenly weak in the knees from my confession, scared that it won’t be enough to start to make up for all the harm I’ve caused him. 

Turns out that it is though, because he tells me to take a seat, and he starts to talk. Distracting me from the paranoia I’m feeling, how am I supposed to get through this day every year for the rest of my life. I have a sudden vision of resurrecting snow from the dead, just so I can kill him, for all the suffering he has caused me, everyone really.  

He talks about nothing at first, but then I join in, and I realise it’s not that bad. It’s actually good, I feel good talking to him, like a weight has been lifted from me and I’ve finally reached the surface of deep deep water. Breathing in deep, clean breaths of air. 

“Tell me, what’s happening in Four, right now I mean,” he asks.

“Umm,” I turn my head to look out the window, “the sun is starting to rise over the houses.” 

“Oh?” he says, interest piqued, “that must be pretty, describe it to me.” 

I do, stumbling over my words and trying to tell him just how gorgeous it is. How the pinks wash away the greys and blues of twilight, how the sun looks so yellow and bright, delighting in the fact that it is rising once more, how it makes me feel as if the world is being given permission to awaken by the sun. And once I’m done I can feel that Peeta is smiling on the other end of the line.

“The sunset is even better, you should come see it,” I whisper without really thinking about what it is implicating. 

A silence settles over us once more, and it isn’t awkward even though my last sentiment is hanging in the air. 

Peeta either didn’t hear what I said, or chooses to not say anything to it, because what he says next is so completely off topic that it takes me off guard; “Katniss, why did you vote for there to be another Hunger Games?” His voice is grave, and I can tell that this has been on his mind for the entirety of our conversation, if not longer.

“I’m sorry,” he says, following my prolonged silence, “I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no,” I say, quick to wave off his apology, “you have a right to know.”

I’m quiet whilst I try to collect my thoughts, and Peeta doesn’t interrupt, already sensing that this will open up a larger conversation, one that I wasn’t anticipating when I decided to pick up the phone.

“Coin didn’t like me because I didn’t trust her. She wanted my support when it came to electing a new leader, and she wasn’t sure that she would get it from me. So, she wanted me gone, I had served my purpose as the Mockingjay, and now I was more useful as a martyr than anything else. That’s why she sent you out onto the field, and had you join Squad 451, she was hoping that you would kill me,” at this I hear Peeta’s sharp intake of breath, and I can already hear him try to start to apologise, but that would only open up a whole other can of worms, and I only want to say all of this once, so I continue heedless of Peeta’s attempt to interrupt with an apology.

“I guess she wanted to get it on film or something, to prove what a horrible monster Snow was, turning two lovers against each other, and all that. As we both know, that didn’t really work out for her when we went off the grid on our own mission. She could no longer control what I did, and had no one supervising me, she could only hope that one of the many pods in the Capitol would kill me off. When it became clear that I wasn’t dead, and in fact very much alive, despite much of our Squad not being so, she needed to get me back under control. Rope me back in as it were.”

I suck in a deep breath, preparing myself for what I would next confess. I have only spoken of this once, shortly with Gale. Long enough to know the gist of what happened, and understand what exactly needed to happen next. Peeta sits in silence on the other end of the phone, I have his attention, “Coin needed to break me, she needed me to be so worn down and desperate that I would go for the easy way out. The people would now follow me into anything, and if I did not lead them to Coin they would not go on their own.”

“So, she authorised Prim to be sent into the field. Only thirteen, she would not have been allowed otherwise. That day, in the City Circle… Primrose was supposed to be there, by chance her hovercraft got held up with some sort of technical difficulties, and only made it in time to see the aftermath of the second round of bombs going off.”

“I voted for another Hunger Games because I could see no other way out, nothing was going to change. Ever. Not with Coin around, anyway. I needed her to trust me, to think that I was on her side.” 

I hear Peeta suck in a sharp breath on the other end of the line, digesting all of this information, and understanding what I’m implicating. That Coin’s assassination wasn’t just me going slightly off the rails. 

“Guess the odds were slightly in my favour on that one,” I add with a wry smile. 

The line is quiet for a while, but Peeta catches on faster than I expected, and asks; “Does anyone else know?”

I debate on telling him names, but decide against it. He already knows enough, and if there ever is a deeper investigation on the matter, I don’t want Peeta to be implicated. “As far as I know, only three, and one of them is dead anyway.” 

In my mind’s eye, I see Peeta nodding his head, understanding that he won’t be getting names and shouldn’t press me on the matter. 

“Does, uh, Prim know what could have happened to her?” He questions in a soft voice.

“We’ve never really talked about it, but I assume she does. She was part of the crew that helped rescue myself and a few others from the carnage.” I look out the window, curling myself tighter into my ball on the window seat, picturing what my sister must have seen that day, I shiver involuntarily, my voice trailing off. The sun has risen fully now, and I can hear my mother and Prim rousing, getting ready for the day. 

“Listen, I - uh - have to go, my mother and Prim are awake, and Prim will probably want to be with me today.” I chew nervously at my nail, wincing out how it might sound to Peeta.

“Oh, right, of course,” he replies hastily, “I’ll leave you to it then.”

Frantic that he might disconnect the line, and I won’t get the chance to speak to him again, I rush out; “I’ll call again, I promise.”

“OK, that’s… good.” he states.

I can hear some shuffling on the end of the line, and I know he’s standing up to hang up the phone so I hastily add, “Oh, and Peeta, take care of yourself.” I then rush to hang up the phone before him, with a smile as bright as the sun on my face. 

Later that day I receive calls from both Johanna and Haymitch. Johanna tells me she’s planning on visiting soon, and with a chirpy voice that drips with sarcasm trills down the phone, “Happy Hunger Games, brainless!” Then hangs up the phone so fast I have no chance to get a word in. Haymitch calls rather late in the evening, already buzzed, and slurs some well wishes down the phone that make hardly any sense. 

I spend most of the day with Annie and Prim, who clings to my side and holds me at every opportunity she gets, sitting on the warm beach, sunning, and listening to tales of the sea that Annie murmurs to us whilst stroking her steadily swelling tummy.

Gale visits in the late afternoon, though it wasn’t planned, stating he won’t be staying for long. We sit next to each other on an abandoned pier that’s become our new spot, and he lets me lean my head on his shoulder. We sit in silence whilst I doze in and out of a light sleep, and he stares steadfastly out into the ocean, intermittently stroking my hair. 

That evening, my mother, myself, and Prim sit on the porch, listening to the wind whistle through the reeds, and the waves crash against the shore. My mother brushes and braids my hair, and I let her. Prim sings silly songs that our father used to sing to us when we were little, whilst she strokes a rather disgruntled Buttercup. 

I’m not surprised when that night Prim curls up into bed next to me, hugging me tightly. She whispers into my neck, “I won’t let them take you from me, not ever again.” I stroke her hair and back, murmuring assurances into the top of her haid, fighting the urge to cry. 

When she asks if I’ll sing the Meadow Song to her, I do, but I have to stop when the tears start  streaming down my face. Prim, so young, and yet so wise, understands, and tells me in no uncertain words, “Rue is safe now, they’re all safe.” And with those words accompanying me, I fall into the first dreamless sleep I’ve had in months.

——————————————————————–

I make good on my promise to Peeta a week later, breaking my silly promise to myself that I would only call him once, and call him. We only talk for about ten minutes, where he tells me all about the rebuilding in Twelve and how Haymitch has adopted some wild geese, and I tell him about the comings and goings of Four. The conversation isn’t a long one, and we don’t touch on any touchy subjects, but I realise it’s enough. It’s enough to hear his voice, and to know that he’s OK. Eventually, our calls go from every other week, to once a week, to twice a week, to every other day. We have a few false starts, but I come to realise that that’s OK too. Sometimes, our conversations are lengthy, and other times, they are a mere five minutes of us sharing meaningless conversation.

Dr. Aurelius continues to call, and gives me new ways to deal with and think about everything that happened. Usually half of what he says is complete jargon, but if I listen closely enough I can pick out the little nuggets of advice that are worth my while. 

Buttercup finally ventures further out onto the beach when he realises that that’s where all his fish dinners are coming from, and ascertains that he’s still scared of water after what I did to him as a kitten. It amuses Gale and I though, to watch the cat find a fish in one of the many rock pools, and hiss at the unyielding water whilst stalking around the pool. 

Johanna does come and visit, in late July, and she has me lead her into the sea bit by bit. It takes two weeks of some tears, lots of swearing and cursing at the Capitol and Snow, coaxing from myself, and shouts of encouragement from both my sister and Annie before Johanna manages to stand before me, salty water up to her armpits. She’s gripping my forearms in a vice hold, and she’s standing mere inches from my face.

Gritting her teeth she hisses out, “Say something, anything, to distract me.”

I think for a moment before telling her, “You know that weird lumpy thing on my forearm that you were commenting on earlier,” she nods at me, “You gave me that ugly scar, you bitch.” 

It has the desired effect, and she starts cackling, before adding, “A thank you would have been nicer.” She then dunks herself fully underwater. When she comes back up, Annie and my sister are cheering from the beach, my mother is leaning against the railing on our porch stairs smiling. Johanna coughs a few times, before shaking the water from her short choppy hair like a dog, and embraces me fiercely, wheezing into my ear, “We don’t talk about this, ever again, alright.” 

I only smile, and pat her on the back a few times, before leading her back onto the beach, where the sun dries our chilled bodies. 

Later that day, when my sister has gone off to one of her classes, Annie, Johanna, and I sit on the sand watching the waves rolling in and out. It has a calming effect, and the hypnotic sounds cause both myself and Johanna to yawn and lay back, looking up at the clear blue sky. 

Johanna’s almost dozed off and I’m beginning to feel heavy headed, when Annie unwittingly plants a seed in our heads. She turns and looks out at the unrelenting sea, and says, “Have you ever wondered what else might be out there? I used to, I still do. Finnick used to tease me for it, said there was no point in wondering about the what ifs of this world, I don’t know though.” 

Johanna and I both look at each other in bewilderment, to be truthful I had never really considered the wider world around me when I was younger, too concerned with the here and now and the immediate obstacles facing me; such as getting enough food to live through the week. I think the younger me would have sided with Finnick on this, why ponder about something so out of reach and fantastical. Sure it might have been a fun thing to wonder about, but at the same time a little hard to wrap one’s head around. But now… the possibilities seem endless, and the thought of there being more people out there doesn’t seem so worrisome and out of reach anymore. 

Johanna says something first, “Nope, never wondered. And even if there were other people out there who’s to say they wouldn’t be ten times worse than us.”

Annie shrugs, and says with a little smile, “Who’s to say they’re not terribly nice, and maybe even awfully rich,” She looks down at us with an intense look in her eyes, “My mother used to say there were people, from way back when, who would pillage and steal from other ships and cities, they were called Pirates and they sailed the seven seas in massive wooden boats,” She sighs contentedly, obviously thinking of some sort of happy memory that we’re not privy to, “Doesn’t that sound amazing?” 

I try to imagine this, stormy seas and troubled skies with big ships rocking back and forth on the waves, but I can’t quite envision it. We abandon the conversation and the sun begins to set. I sigh contentedly, watching as the sky turns a blood red and the few clouds are stained orange.

Johanna nudges my arm, “Say, I’ve been meaning to ask, how’s things with lover-boy? Is there anything happening between you two?” 

I’d managed to avoid this conversation with basically everybody for the past couple of months. My conversations with Peeta were a private matter and it was a luxury that I was extremely grateful for after our relationship in the past being shoved under a microscope for all to see, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to let anyone in on this yet, if ever. I’m pretty certain that my mother and Prim are aware of whom I’m talking to on the phone, but they’ve never asked me about it, for which I am thankful.

I ring out the ends of my hair, which are still a bit damp from the sea, and gnaw at my lip, “Uhhh, nothing much to tell really…” 

Johanna makes a disbelieving sound and raises her eyebrows at me, “Sure there isn’t, brainless,” she turns to look back out at the sun setting, and I think she’s going to drop it when she adds, “You’re still an awful liar, by the way.”

I splutter, trying to seem cool and indifferent, but clearly they both see right through me. Annie pats my shoulder sympathetically, before proffering her opinion; “It’s alright, Katniss, you don’t have to tell if you don’t want to… but if you are talking, I think you should invite him for a visit, he’s probably awfully lonely in Twelve with only Haymitch and the reconstructors for company.”

This last comment gives me pause, I’d never really considered what Peeta does when he’s not on the phone to me. I just sort of assumed that he painted and baked and did other Peeta-ish things, I don’t really surprise myself with this either, for I am once more reminded of how self-centered I am, especially when it comes to Peeta. 

I scratch at my ankle absentmindedly, “Yeah, maybe I will.”

We sit on the beach even after the sun has gone down, Annie’s words still ring in my head and I actually begin to consider inviting Peeta. At the moment, I’m completely fine with keeping our friendship as an over-the-phone thing, I know it’s always there waiting and I can always come back to it.

 Annie is a good distraction from these thoughts though, as she points out a few constellations. I’ve never been much of a star gazer, my father used to try and show me the shapes they made in the sky, but I could never make them out, so instead of showing my inadequacy I just pretended I didn’t care. 

She likes these sort of things though, myths and legends that her mother told her when she was little, passed down from mouth to ear for centuries. We used to have an old man like that in District 12, he would hang around the Hob telling stories from an overturned crate to the miners’ children. My father used to describe him as ‘away with the fairies’ and I find that that analogy fits Annie rather well.

Eventually, Annie bids us a good night and clambers up the beach. Johanna, still lying next to me, turns her head to face me. Her eyes are hard, and her face looks serious, I’m about to ask her what’s wrong when she holds up her hand to stop me.

“Look, I’m not going to pretend to know what type of relationship you have with Peeta, but I’m gonna tell you this straight because I know Annie would never. You are the only one out of us Victors who got out of the war relatively unscathed, the rest of us kind of lost everything and everyone we ever knew. I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, but you should be aware of this.”

She sucks in a breath, clearly quite desperate for me to understand, “You care for him to some extent right? Like enough to risk your life for him, repeatedly?” she asks me. I nod slowly, wondering where she is headed with this impassioned monologue. “Then cling to it, and don’t ever let go. You have him now, you could have him now if you chose to do so. I’m not saying in that way, because I have no idea where you are at with that hot cousin of yours, but you have a choice. Which is not something the rest of us have. Your months of pining after him in District 13 are over, brainless.”

“I wouldn’t say I pined after him,” I say defensively.

“Oh whatever,” Johanna replies, borderline aggressive, “and that is so not the point anyway.”

“No, I know.”

“Just think about it, alright?” she says as she pulls herself up from the sand, waiting for me to follow.

We’re walking up the beach when Johanna adds, “Also what the fuck is up with Annie and her crazy stories? I have not once thought that there might be something else out there,” she waves her hand out dismissively at the ocean, “Is that just me?”

I snort at this, she might be one for cultivating awkward situations, and she loves uncomfortable lines of questioning, but she never really gets so earnest about it. I decide to play along, “No, I never did either, until this evening of course. I guess when you live next to the sea though, and you can see where the horizon ends, it makes sense that someone like Annie would wonder about what came after.” 

Johanna nods at this, adding in a conspiratorial voice, “I think we would make great pirates, don’t you brainless?” 

I laugh a genuine laugh at this, “Sure we would be.”

———————————————————————– 

Summer wears on, and things happen as usual. Buttercup learns that he can scare the fish into leaping out of the water, so that he can catch them in his mouth. I help Annie in buying things to prepare for her baby. Her tummy is swollen, and looks quite uncomfortable. When she walks, she does the signature pregnant woman waddle. I continue my calls with Peeta, and eventually I decided that it wouldn’t be half bad if Peeta came to visit. It takes me a while to build up the nerve to invite him, remembering the last time I made an off-hand comment about it, but I do. We speak at length about it, and eventually I convince him. It takes the incentive of a break from Haymitch, and a sunset to remember for the ages to get him to agree, but in time he does. A date is set in September, which according to Annie is when the sea is at its warmest. I find that I’m actually looking forward to it, and when I tell my mother and Prim about it, I can’t help but grin like an idiot. My mother gives me a knowing smile, that I try not to let grate on me, and Prim gives me a brief but excitable hug.

I knew the conversation would have to happen at some point, even so, I’m not prepared for it when it comes. I was hoping that the conversation wouldn’t have to happen at all, but I know that if Gale and I are going to have any sort of relationship in the future I need to start being honest with him. I think I owe him that much. 

We’re heaving ourselves out of the water, onto the pier. We went deep sea fishing, and on the wooden planks awaits a healthy pile of clams, muscles and oysters that we’ve collected over the morning. Gale is busy separating them off into separate piles and counting them up, whilst I’m wringing out my hair and tying it up into a bun so it doesn’t drip too much down my back, when he casually asks what I’m doing next weekend. I freeze, deliberating on how I should best tell him this.

I decide I should just be bluntly honest with him, “Uh, Peeta’s coming to visit,” I try to keep all inflections of emotion out of my voice, nonetheless I still choke on the last part of the sentence as it comes out. 

Out of the corner of my eye I see Gale freeze in his sorting, but he recovers quickly and continues, asking in a level voice, “I didn’t know you were in touch with him?” 

To his credit, it doesn’t sound like an accusation, more of an enquiry. “Yeah well, most people don’t. I guess after so long of having everyone paying attention to us, I just wanted to keep it private.”

“That makes sense,” Gale replies easily.

I’m a little confused, and perhaps even a little peeved that Gale is acting so reasonable. A part of me wants him to freak out on me, or become acidicly jealous. I’m not really sure why that is, but it’s the truth. 

Gale gets up to grab his shirt, and it seems that he is wholly done with this conversation. This confuses me even further, what is he playing at? I try to read his face, try to understand what he actually thinks about this, so I know where to go next. But his trademark scowl is absent from his face as he reaches for a towel to scrub at his hair, it’s neutral and passive. 

“We’re not an item you know,” I blurt out.

Gale stills, and looks up from underneath the towel, “OK?” 

I once again try to read his expression, but come up short. Losing my patience with him I cry out, “Oh for fucks sake Gale! Would you just tell me what you’re thinking, instead of acting like a… like a block of cheese.” 

He raises his eyebrows at this, “A block of cheese? Really, Catnip?” he chuckles, and I feel myself blushing furiously.

“Well you know what I mean, don’t you? You’re acting so… so… Oh I don’t know, you’re just being annoying!” I huff out, standing up and reaching for my T-shirt as well. 

There’s quiet for a moment, and I think my outburst will just be ignored like so many others I’ve had, but then I hear Gale sighing behind me, “What do you want me to say to you Catnip? Be careful? Congratulations?! I know for a fact that neither would go down well…”

My back is still turned to him, and I’m scowling out at the sea cursing whatever deity decided that I needed to care about whatever the fuck Gale thought. I could almost growl for the frustration of it. 

“Katniss,” Gale starts, “Where exactly is all this coming from?”

I whirl around to face him, ready to tell him all the things he should be doing right now, saying in this situation, because I have about a thousand nasty things that I could hurl at him. But I see his face and it’s asking for me to be open and honest with him, so I am, “I’m scared I’ll fuck it up, like I did before… like I did with you.” 

“Well… I can’t promise you that you won’t,” he smiles at me, “but even if you did, he’d come back to you, like I have, and like he’s done a hundred other times.”

“I don’t know, Gale, I’m pretty screwy in the head, and well, so is he. What if I do or say something that… sets him off?” 

“Well you’ve been talking to him over the phone I assume,” I nod in confirmation, “and has anything you said or done set him off on a violent rampage?” 

I shake my head, “No, but there are times when he just goes silent…”

Gale is quiet for a while, and he’s looking at me strangely, when I raise my eyebrows at him in askance, he says, “Sorry, just wondering how I got into this situation.”

I smile sheepishly and tell him, “I’m sorry, I’m such an ass.”

Gale smirks at me and says, “Now that is something we can agree on.”

“Oh, shut up,” I say playfully, but then I add in a quiet voice, “I’m sorry I couldn’t, don’t, love you the way you wanted me to,” thinking that whilst we’re at it I might as well apologise for this as well.

Gale looks at me for a few moments, seemingly contemplating what to say next, “Don’t be, having you as my friend is one of the greatest privileges of my life,” he shrugs, “And it’ll pass.”

I look at him, and I too wonder how we got here. Johanna’s words from a couple weeks prior ring in my head; You are the only one out of us Victors who got out of the war relatively unscathed. A sudden wave of nostalgia hits me, and I rush forwards to embrace him. He might not be the same kid I met all those years ago in the woods, but neither am I. I might not agree with all of his opinions, or the things he’s done, but I forgive him for it. And I need him to know this.

“I do love you though,” I say into his chest.

And like the idiot that he is, he replies, “I know.”

I look up at him in mock outrage, and he’s smiling down at me. I can see it too now; It will pass, and he will get over it. I lean my head back into his chest, smiling secretly at how glad I am that I still have him too.

—————————————————

The next weekend arrives far quicker than I would have liked, but it arrives nonetheless. The day is balmy and warm, and the walk to the station has my clothes sticking to me. I shrink into the shadows as much as I can on the platform, wanting to see him before he can see me. The unnaturally warm day seems to be getting to the people of Four as well, who are usually quite personable, they hustle and bustle around me not even looking back when they accidentally bump into me. 

I’m all jittery with nerves, and I can’t stop bouncing on the balls of my feet, twisting my fingers in my other hand. The train pulls into the station and I feel as if I might puke, I get the overwhelming urge to run before it’s too late. But then he’s stepping off the train steps, he has a small overnight bag in his hands, and he’s looking round the station for me. 

I watch him for a few seconds, take in how he’s filled out in the past few months, his blond hair a little too long on the top as it falls in his eyes. The station, so busy only a few moments before, is now emptying out as people get off the train to attend to business or board the train to be whisked off to who-knows-where. 

Finally, it looks as if it is only him and I on the platform. I step forward, off of the pillar I’ve been shrinking into, making myself more visible to him. As soon as he notices me, my heart stills in my chest. There’s no going back now. He smiles warmly at me as he comes up to greet me. Was he always this tall? I look up at him and am greeted with his startling blue eyes that seem to almost glitter in the sun.

“Hey,” he proffers.

“Hi,” I return.

We’re silent for a beat, and I rock back and forth on my feet waiting for him to do something.

“Lead the way,” he says, gesturing for me to go.

We walk in relative silence on the way back to the house, only exchanging a few words with one another as we leave the station. Otherwise I let him take it all in, District 4 is pretty different to Twelve. Architecture and landscape wise, but also in that it wasn’t hit that hard during the war. The things that were bombed, a few fisheries and a port, have long since been rebuilt. 

It’s an uphill trek towards the Village, as all Victors Villages were always built apart from the actual District. I guess in a show that Victors were no longer a part of normal District society, and should be regarded as something other.

The afternoon passes with easy chatter, and before I know it the day is cooling off from the initial midday heat. The sun is beginning to lower in the sky and I realise all we’ve done today is sit in the surf, toes in the sand, talking. I did briefly go into the water to splash around and cool off, and Peeta went in up to his waist, but refused to go any further into the constantly shifting water. 

I can already tell that the sunset will be spectacular, there’s a little bit of cloud coverage and the sun is shining brightly. My father used to say that this type of sunset is a ‘shepherd’s delight’ I have no idea what that means seeing as I never bothered to ask. 

There’s a slight lull in the conversation, and I stare wistfully out at the horizon and not for the first time since Annie asked, I wonder if there is anything out there. I start untangling my knotted damp hair and turn to Peeta who is also staring out at the sea, though I have no clue as to what he’s thinking about. 

“Have you ever wondered what else could be out there?” I ask tentatively, rousing Peeta from his thoughts. 

His brow furrows as he considers my question, “No, not really. I mean we were always told that everywhere else became uninhabitable after multiple natural disasters and nuclear war,” he recites the things that were told to us every week in class. “Why’d you ask?”

“I don’t know, just something Annie talked about when Johanna was here, I just keep on thinking that if Panem survived then maybe some other civilisation could have as well. I feel like if we ever did do some sort of… expedition, I would want to be a part of that.” As I’m saying it, I’m trying to yank my hair apart, the trouble with salty water is that it makes everything feel sticky and hair is no exception to that.

“Here, let me help you with that,” Peeta offers, holding up his hands. I shrug and hand him the knot, trying not to finch away when his hands travel conspicuously close to my throat, though I can tell that he is making his movements as deliberate as possible. We sit like that for a while, my sentiment hanging in the muggy air, whilst Peeta disentangles my hair. 

“You’re not thinking of leaving again, are you?” Peeta asks quietly.

“No, I mean if the opportunity arose, then maybe,” I murmur, “I just feel like everyone has these things going for them; Prim is studying to become a doctor, Annie has her baby, and I’m fine with helping with all that, but it’s still her baby, you know? And Gale is off doing his thing in District 2 most of the time, which I’m alright with. I’ve just sort of become his weekend hobby. I mean I’m happy for them, of course I am. It’s just I don’t have any real purpose anymore, I don’t even have to worry about bringing food to the table either, because my mother has a steady job with a steady income and then there’s still the Victor’s earnings that I get,” this is the first time I’m admitting all of this out loud, or even formalising these feelings into coherent thoughts, but I realise that this feeling of ennui has been plaguing me for some time now.

“I just, there’s no purpose for me anymore. I served my job and now I’ve just been cast off, and am expected to ‘figure it out’. How am I supposed to know what I want to do with the rest of my life?” I come to the same conclusion that Peeta must have come to before the Quell, “Nobody needs me anymore.”

I look down at my nails and start picking at them even though I’ve already bitten them down to the quick. It’s a nervous habit of mine that I just can’t seem to shake. Peeta’s fingers still in my hair as if he’s debating on something, finally he says something though, “I do, I still need you.”

I twist around to face him, and I swear if only for a second his eyes shift down to my mouth. I find myself almost subconsciously leaning towards him. I’m about six inches away when I check myself, our friendship is still fresh, and so, so precarious. There’s no space for me to mess this up with a choice that I make on a whim. I shake my head a little and move back, looking away from him in embarrassment. It’s then that I notice that the sun is about to set, and I really want Peeta to see this. In all of its glory. Because the weather here can switch from unbearable muggy heat, to thunderstorms and clouds the next day. 

I stand up, brushing the sand from me, and look down at Peeta whose eyebrows are raised in askance. “Come, there’s this really good place we can watch the sunset from.”

It’s a cliff I found in my earlier ventures of District 4’s landscape. The ground is a soft mixture of sand and mud, the grasses stand tall even when the blustering wind bends them. The sea crashes around below, as it hits the rocks and foams and sloshes around. It’s wild up here, but also oddly quiet. 

We get there just as the sun begins to dip lower and lower into the sky, staining the clouds pink and orange as it goes. I’m watching Peeta as he watches the scenery, and I can see a faint smile touch his lips. He must feel my eyes on him, because he turns to look at me and says, “I get it Katniss, I do. To keep on trying to find your place in this world, the nagging thought that you should just start over somewhere new. I understand why you think about what comes after the horizon… and if there ever is an opportunity where you get to go figure that out, I would support you.”

I look at him a little astounded by what he’s said, but wanting to forget the whole rant form before, I dismiss it with, “Yeah well even if I wanted to go, I’m not sure they’d want me. I can’t follow orders for the life of me, and I’m pretty sure that’s a trait that they’d want.”

“Ah, well I can’t disagree with that,” Peeta says teasingly.

He’s smiling down at me, and I find that I’m grinning like an idiot. I keep on wanting to tell him to watch the sunset, but I’m mesmerised by his smile and the way his eyes laugh with it. And it feels so good to know that I put that there. So, I think fuck it, and pull him down by the shoulders to kiss him fully on the mouth. 

It only lasts a mere few seconds before we break apart. Peeta is holding my jaw in his hands, and is breathing heavily, his forehead pressed against mine. And for a moment I’m scared that this was the wrong move after all. That in my attempt to make this day perfect for him, I’ve inadvertently messed it all up. 

But then he smiles again, and relief courses through my veins causing me to almost slump against him. He breathes out, “I’ve been waiting for you to do that all day, I thought I was actually going to have to ask you if you didn’t catch up on all my hints.”

I chuckle lamely, trying to think of when he dropped any hints, but before I can think too much about it, Peeta’s lips are once more brushing up against my own. It starts soft, but the kiss quickly intensifies, and I think I may have whimpered into his mouth. As Peeta sucks my bottom lip into his mouth, I think that this is right. That with the sun setting the sky ablaze, making it seem as if the world is once more on fire, this was the perfect time for Peeta and I to share this moment. 

And as I reach up to tangle my fingers into his too long hair, I know it without a doubt. That even if I did move away to Four, that even if I did sail away in search for something more, I’d come back to him. As reliable and predictable as the world coming back to life in spring, as the tides moving in and out, as the waves crashing against a shore, retreating but always returning, as the sun rising and setting, or even as simple as breathing in and out. I’d come back to him. Always. And as I come to this realisation, I know that with this knowledge, things could finally be OK.

- Fin -

[i-did-not-mean-to]

Hike-Story

So...I’ve been on a hike today with friends and I’ve been told a lovely local legend of my country and region. I’ve decided to put it into a short story with Thorin.

It’s a sort of prequel to all the amazing stories some authors write about Thorin and OCs while already under the Mountain... Please feel free to reblog and further the local saga of Oberschlinden 😊

So...here goes...

Black

Prologue

In a valley hidden within a dark forest, there were once two villages, very different from one another and yet doomed to suffer the same fate.

The first village was prosperous and industrious and its inhabitants knew much success in their bountiful endeavours, whereas the second village was merry and joyous, filled with music and celebrations all year round.

One day, a weary gleeman came this way and asked to be lodged and fed in exchange for a tune, but the upstanding villagers turned him away for they were much afeared that he had come to rob them of their wealth and goods. “We have no need for your futile, frivolous shenanigans.” They claimed and forbade him to set foot into their town.

Understanding what they were really afraid of, the man replied: “So be it, I should not have taken a single coin that had not been given to me freely. For your callous ignominy, I shall leave you something instead.” 

And with these words, he turned around and headed to the other village across the valley.

Here, he was welcomed with open arms. He was fed and housed and after having regained his strength, he went on his merry way again to entertain and amuse other villages. The villagers were much aggrieved about his departure as they had greatly enjoyed his contribution to their daily merriment. They let him leave with their best wishes, nonetheless, for they were an indolent people, unable and unwilling to defend their interests with any kind of forcefulness.

A shadow fell over the valley. A dark sickness befell the first village and rapidly spread across the valley to the other one that had taken no precautions to keep the grim reaper out. Too busy had they been celebrating life and the sinking sun to pay any heed to the pestilence creeping their way.

This is how the first village learned that one who is too afraid to lose what he cannot keep, might well be given what he cannot get rid of, and the second village understood that evil spread faster than fell the night and crept, insidious, into every crack if not actively opposed. Like moss covering the immobile stone, the plague washed over the villages and left none but two women standing.

One of those women would rail and wail all day long, lamenting the loss of her glorious life and of her dear family, until madness took her and she returned to her empty house to wait for death to be her last visitor.

The other one, however, took it upon herself to do penance for the sins of her valley and all its ghostly inhabitants that were heard in the moaning of the wind and the gurgling of the brook.

This is her story. 

The sun was low in the sky already when she was startled by the sound of footsteps behind her, making her look up in amazement.

“Good day, good woman, I am a blacksmith and I am looking for the prosperous village hidden in this valley. I am on my way back to my people and I am willing to work in exchange for food and lodging. May you point out the way to me, please?” A gruff voice resounded and a man stepped out of the shadow of the dense foliage.

He was short and stout, unlike any other man she had ever seen in her life, and she was so surprised by his appearance that it took a moment for her to react to his words.

“Good day, Master Dwarf,” she replied courteously, for she now saw that this was what he was, “I am sorry to confess that this village no longer exists. Neither does its sister. I am the last living soul in these parts.” 

He looked much alarmed at her words. 

“Moreover, there is a sickness lying over the valley. It is not advisable to traverse it.” She went on, getting up from her kneeling position at the foot of the little chapel. “Master Dwarf, I live at the other side of this cursed valley, it is a two-hour walk and the light is failing. I offer you my guidance around the affected area and my hospitality.” She spoke, bowing her head deferentially.

The dwarf seemed to ponder her words for a moment, then nodded. 

“Step where I step; the path is treacherous and night shall be upon us soon.” She warned and set out.

Every day, she made her way along the rocky outcrops and the stony ledges, through the dense foliage of the underbrush and the silent desert of trees, to circle the whole valley and pray for hours at the foot of the small chapel for the souls of those who had fallen prey to sickness, stubbornness and wicked ignorance. 

Along the way, she collected herbs and mushrooms to sustain herself and produce ointments and potions she sold once a month in the next village, just beyond the valley. 

She led a lonely life, but she was unerring in her penance. Those two villages that had been mother and father to her for most of her adult life had done wrong and had been smitten for it by the hand of God. There was nobody left to ask for forgiveness, but her. 

“Dwarves have steady steps and exceptional eyesight, even in the darkness. Worry not for me.” The man, for she could not call him anything else than that, answered. 

He was well-grown, like an oak, strong and sturdy; he seemed tired though and she vowed that she would not commit the same mistake her forefathers and elders had made; she would be a gracious host. Indeed, she would salve the burns on his bare arms and give him the best parts of whatever she would find in her traps along her daily trek. 

“Have you no kin, woman?” He asked after they had mounted a steep rocky ledge leading them through dense undergrowth from which she would extract berries and healing herbs to stow away in the satchels she carried on her back.

“I have no kin, Master Dwarf.” She shrugged, extending her hand to him when they came to a brook. The stones were slippery and wont to shift beneath the unfamiliar foot.

He just chuckled, a sound reminiscent of the big rockslide that had occurred a few months ago, and leapt easily enough across the narrow expanse of wet pebbles. 

For a creature looking this heavy, he was surprisingly agile, she thought. She knew nothing about dwarves of course. In her nan’s tales, there had been mentions of those mysterious man-like beings who lived under mountains and in golden halls, but she had imagined them smaller and less…beautiful than what she saw in front of her. 

As a matter of fact, she could not remember ever having seen a man quite as enchanting as the one following her swift steps effortlessly. There were beads in his hair that shimmered in the dying light and his eyes were the colour of the great river rushing through the valley; indeed, he was the closest she had ever come to a genuine fairy tale. 

“What happened here?” He inquired, as they reached the highest ledge and looked down on the villages, already plunged in deep shadows and obviously deserted.

“A plague broke out and took every living soul. It is said that it was the refusal of hospitality by this village,” she pointed to one cluster of houses, “and the lack of zeal or backbone of that one,” she pointed to the opposite side of the valley, “that led to their doom.” 

She had been there, she had seen the people who had been her friends and family die a miserable, painful death and she had waited for the blight to fall upon her as well. It had never come and now, she was the watcher of the dead valley; in a world of ghosts, there was none who felt less alive than her, walking along the deserted ruins of her existence day after day. 

“Thank you for warning me.” He had a good voice, she thought, low and kind. It was a miracle to stumble upon another living being, but his voice and the empathy in his eyes felt like a caress upon her bruised soul. 

“It is my duty, Master Dwarf. I shall stand in harm’s way as long as I can.” 

“My name is Thorin.” He declared in an almost questioning voice. He had been reticent to divulge his name, she realised and turned around to bow deeply. 

“Come along, Master Thorin. The light is fading fast now.” She urged him on, almost running along the rocky paths, her feet sending up sprays of pebbles in her wake.

They walked on tirelessly for a long time, until they reached a fallen tree stump that had not been there when she had come this way earlier in the day.

Clambering over the dead wood swiftly, Thorin extended his arms, in turn, to her. She stepped closer and uttered a small cry of astonishment when he simply lifted her over the obstacle as if she weighed nothing at all. “Thank you, Master Thorin.” She bowed again.

He smelled like the pines that grew beyond the valley, she noticed, and like life. Everything about him was painfully alive: the vivid intelligence of his eyes, the small smirk he gave her on account of her breathless incredulity, and the warmth of his hands on her ribs that left a palpable impression.

As she walked on, nearing the point where the path would dip drastically and the danger doubled, she came to accept that she would cherish this encounter until the end of her days.

Maybe God had heard her prayers and granted her the small solace of seeing another soul, of speaking to someone who actually answered and of feeling living flesh upon her own once more. 

She extricated a small rabbit from the trap she had laid on the highest crest and pushed it down into her satchel as well, gesturing to the silent valley with a sense of pride.

“This is home. And there’s my hut.” She pointed to a small wooden house at the far end of the valley, nestled between two tiny hills and reflecting the last rays of sun. 

The light was growing dimmer now and the way down was treacherous even in broad daylight. “Permit me, Mistress.” He gave her a mocking smile and took her hand. 

It felt huge and calloused, but its roughness comforted her. She had lived in this rocky wilderness for years now and the feeling of warm stones would always be synonymous with home to her. 

To her shame and despair, she tottered several times on their way down and when Thorin slung his arm around her waist and steadied her, she did not object.

Finally, they reached the little plateau she called her own. 

“Give me your boots.” She asked and when he did, she set them aside to be cleaned afterwards. 

Stoking the fire, she started taking the small rabbit apart and tossing the various leaves and mushrooms she had collected into the pot filled with fresh water. She would deplete her stocks for him; she would not be a bad host like the first villagers. Also, she would mend his socks, tend to his injuries and clean his boots; she would not be a slovenly scallywag like the second villagers either.

“Make yourself at home.” She invited him, giving him the best chair and a blanket she had woven herself in her youth. 

“Are you really all alone?” He asked her, as she sat on the floor, grinding herbs into a paste with devoted focus. “Yes, Master Dwarf.” She smiled, taking his hand and spreading the ointment gingerly on the burns dotting his strong forearms. 

“Do you like being alone?” He pressed on, wincing as the wet unguent made his wounds smart.

“It is my punishment and my expiation.” She replied while stirring the stew she was preparing. 

His eyes settled heavily on her face and she could read sympathy and sadness in those dark, blue lakes shot through with silver. He looked rather like a gem hewn from precious stone himself, she had to admit, feeling drawn to the solidity of his frame and the living warmth of his gaze. 

“Eat, Master Thorin.” She handed him a deep bowl, containing most of the mushrooms and all of the meat she had managed to scrape off the scrawny rabbit.

“What about you?” He asked, suspicious, when she filled a goblet with the fragrant broth. 

“Eat.” She encouraged him again. He had obviously known a long and tiresome road and she wanted him to feel safe and cared for; she was thankful for the chance to do right by him. 

It was a small redemption of her blood to be a good host after the opposite reaction had plunged her people into extinction. 

He looked relaxed now, sitting by the fire, listening to her hum to herself while she cleaned his boots and mended his clothing. “Your gifts are wasted on the dead.” He suddenly said.

“Beg your pardon?” She looked up from polishing his boots, a questioning expression in her eyes. 

“You have been a good host to me, you’re a steady cook and a knowledgeable reader of nature. Come with me.” 

She blinked. She knew not what he was talking about.

“I am, as I said, on my way to rejoin my kin. Come with me, there is nothing here for you but desolation and loneliness. There are people yet alive beyond this valley and they could greatly benefit from your knowledge…and your sweet nature. Come with me! Be my travel companion!” He reiterated when she didn’t reply. 

“I cannot…I am here to…” - “You are here to wait for the next weary traveller and right the wrong inflicted by and upon your people. Consider it done, Mahal has heard you child, I am Thorin, and I shall be King under the Mountain one day. I might be here to deliver you and take you away from this place.” He interrupted her harshly. 

A king, she thought, a future king. What prevented him from being king now?

“It is a hard life amongst my people; there will be deprivation and long, cold nights.” He warned her, but she simply motioned to the small hut they sat in while the wind howled with furious intensity outside. 

“But…it is a life. I offer you a life, not an easy one, not a pretty one necessarily, but a life. Be the watcher of the living, be the minder of the sick, be the guide of the hale-bodied; leave behind your dead and let them find their peace. Come with me!” 

She thought about it for a moment, then nodded. He was right; he might have been the sign she had been waiting for all these years. 

Epilogue:

The last survivor of the great plague that had ravaged the valley and left it inhabited forevermore was never seen again. People say, she just vanished at some point. Some hold the belief that she has been carried away by fairies and others claim that on windy nights, one could see her walk along the stony ledges on her eternal way to the abandoned chapel. 

We shall never know for sure what really happened to that sole survivor, but her name disappeared from the ledgers, never to be mentioned again in the books of men. 

[wihok7]

10 Spot Everyone Loves Tourist Attractions In Thailand

Owing to a good profitable holidays community, Thailand is certainly well-developed and numerous fashionable comforts—yet it's also undomesticated a sufficient amount of available off-the-beaten-path excitement together with once-in-a-lifetime holiday happenings. Irrespective of whether that you're at this point to your world-class beach streets during the southwest or simply any mntain villages during the northern, Thailand are not going to dissatisfy. Spots for example Bangkok and Chiang Mai happen to be bustling hives for process together with business, you have never extremely experienced the region before you will have trekked during the mountain range or simply savored certain face-time utilizing elephants or simply any eye-catching monkeys at all times happy to swipe an individual's lunch or dinner. Thailand's interesting attractions happen to be diversified, together with every one is designed with a pleasing together with great working experience during some strategy.

For encouragement anytime preparation an individual's visit, i’ll tell you some of our number of top tourist attractions in Thailand.

1. Railay Beach Krabi state is home to many of Thailand's most famous ocean destinations—and Railay tops any collection as one of the the majority lovely. Thought of by just countless as one of the perfect beach streets in the nation, Railay generates regarding offers for bright white stone dust, turquoise-blue standard water, and also becoming you've uncovered a good slice สถานที่ท่องเที่ยว for paradise-poker quite possibly earlier than the toes impression any stone dust. Any of the islands are usually got to by just sail boat with Krabi metropolis together with Ao Nang—and any visit at a long-tail old fashioned sail boat is equally as awesome mainly because what precisely you can expect to confront at the time you access any shores. With regards to ocean is likely to be the biggest reason to search any of the islands, Railay is a good rock-climbing hot spot, utilizing karst peaks pulling in adventurers together suffered together with rookie, available to use on any towering limestone cliffs.

2. Koh Phi Phi The Phi Phi Islands happen to be amongst Thailand's most desired lodge zones for that reason—the straightforward purple lakes and rivers, any very soft stone dust, any awe-inspiring perspectives the fact that start on for good. You could access Phi Phi Don —the most well known within the of the islands together with the only person in the long term inhabited—on a good hired kayak or simply by just appointing one small real wood sail boat to have สถานที่ท่องเที่ยว everyone at this point. Potentially the single most interesting blotches regarding Koh Phi Phi is certainly Monkey Ocean, the place you can expect to are provided head to head, honestly, utilizing loads of macaques happy to swipe an individual's lunch or dinner. Longer Ocean is certainly one other fine spot on any of the islands; before a good private put places to traumas security, it is actually suitable for paying attention to any sun. For anybody who is grateful and also tide has gone out, this is a amazing step to come back with the important an area of the of the islands.

3. Sunday Walking Street, Chiang Mai Every last Thailand tourist appearance in advance that will low priced together with mouth watering food—and this is what they'll get in abundance for Chiang Mai's Tuesday Overnight Running Path. Shops provide numerous appetizers at this point: within the famous topper Thai together with chicken breast satay that will samosas, melted bananas, wonderful roti, together with virtues of fresh fruit shakes—often meant for สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวไทย fewer than $2 a portion. When you have gratified an individual's cooking hunger pangs, you could peruse 100s of stalls reselling a wide range of different commodities which include all-natural cleansers, hand-dyed textiles supporting the unique behaviours for native hl tribes, incense together with significant essential oils, music applications, artwork, structure hangings, even more.

4. Historic City of Ayutthaya Ayutthaya gives the breathtaking peek within the glory for traditional Thailand, the place prospects will roam any haunting however , amorous ruins within the old budget. Ayutthaya was initially at one time a very powerful community during Thailand, and also ancient palaces together with wats or temples stand up as the testament to the current. With a one hundred wats, chedis, prangs, together with numerous ท่องเที่ยวไทย Buddha statues happen to be unfold surrounding the area. Certain sights-like any temple the fact that real estate any 12-meter-long reclining Buddha and also bonsai root beginnings looking at a good Buddha head-are notably lovely not to generally be forgotten.

5. Wild Elephants at Khao Yai National Park Elephants happen to be revered during Thailand, together with statues together with artwork individuals are visible anywhere you go, just like royal palaces and plenty of wats or temples. To your maximum working experience, yet, very little music the chance to look at elephants on their all natural environment—and Khao Yai Nationalized Area is designed with a terrific opportunity undertake สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวไทย that. At this point, you can expect to encountered elephants running around close canals, enticing fowls for quarry, monkeys, together with loads of many other temparate bugs the fact that name any area your home. Any area is your home many waterfalls, just like 150-meter-tall Haew Narok and also additional famed Haew Suwat, which unfortunately sprang out during the Leonardo DiCaprio's roll film, Any Ocean.

6. Doi Suthep Perhaps the best-known wat during Chiang Mai sits down on Doi Suthep, a good mntain looking over Thailand's second-largest community. Their favorite place for passionate Buddhist visitors together with drivers with around the world, Doi Suthep may be a sight for ornate devout carvings-a visit here would mean observing monks praying, watching worship rituals, together with a way to gaze released across the ever-growing sprawl for Chiang Mai community.

7. The Grand Palace, Bangkok Regardless if an individual's projects meant for Thailand predominantly consist of frolicking at a ocean together with enjoying the maximum amount Massaman curry together with topper Thai mainly because humanly likely, you may well pay out as a minimum each and every day or simply several during Bangkok. You'll find ways to look at together with undertake during the budget, however Outstanding Structure will definitely get appears an individual's collection. Right here is the number one sightseeing selling point during the community, and it's really enormus during together past สถานที่ท่องเที่ยว great importance together with skillfullness. The lands would definitely be a maze for royal halls, wats or temples, together with traditional relics, a very powerful appearing Wat Phra Kaeo, said to support a good fragment for also frizzy hair or simply navicular within the educated Buddha on his own.

8. Sukhothai Old City Their favorite avoid meant for story lovers together with photography lovers, Sukhothai gives you countless pretty shot ops on a little weighing machine compared with Ayutthaya. Ruins for this ancient community also ท่องเที่ยว stand up boastful notwithstanding long term many years for conflict together with exposure to sun and rain. Sukhothai's Old City is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and much has long been invested in rebuild together with conserve amongst Thailand's key past online websites.

9. Pai Thailand's good reputation as the united states for amazing backyards together with safe consumers is due principally into the world-renowned northern beach streets. That is why, plenty of people don't understand that your broad northern is your home that will wholly numerous however , evenly awe-inspiring backyards. Northern Thailand, particularly the eu section สถานที่ท่องเที่ยวไทย outside of the Burmese border, is certainly noted by just mountainous jungle surface that could be together hardy together with amazing. Pai, during Mae Hong Young man state, stands out as the wonderful place to begin where to have enjoyment from any place's natural charm, and also notable Thai hospitality together with creating meals.

10. Floating Markets Thailand's hovering economies suggest to a different option to undertake certain procuring together with enjoying despite the fact that boosting native shops together with purchasing a magnified take a look at an authentic way of living. Despite the fact that most of the economies undertake frequently cater even more into the holidaymaker crowds, other individuals result in a realistic holiday working experience which involves ท่องเที่ยวไทย getting in a good sail boat together with if you let an individual's instruction require everyone thru canals, the place you'll see old fashioned real estate regarding stilts together with encountered owners delivering items skincare products own personal personal watercraft. You’ll rise premature to search a good hovering promote, mainly because shops happen to be released on their longer real wood personal watercraft initial thing each and every morning with the commodities, fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, spices, together with flavorsome plates.

[bike42]

April 13-15, 2021 IAT Heading South

The funny thing about Spring in Wisconsin is it can be variable. After two weeks of amazing warm weather, we’re back up North in the cold. It’s actually “normal,” weather for April, but after what we’ve had recently, it’s kind of hard to go back. Actually, it was perfect weather for hiking, we just had to keep moving.

This time, we’re staying in the Holiday Inn Express in Antigo, WI (population 7780). I had a Waunakee Chamber Board meeting via Zoom early Tuesday morning, so Jeff and I drove up late Monday night so I’d be able to take that call before joining the gang.  The hotel experience is different than when we’re together in a cabin, but we can’t always have everything perfectly aligned.

Kent had shoulder replacement surgery about two weeks ago, so this hotel option worked out well for Kent and Lynn too.  He can’t hike “off road” for a bit (risk of falling), so he’ll hang out while Lynn hikes with us.  I will say it felt odd not having him along on the hike.  They arrived at the hotel early Tuesday morning, and Lynn rode with us to rendezvous at the start with Dan, Tam and Gary who had already left a car where we’d finish our Tuesday hike.

There were a few snow flurries in the air as we set off hiking just after 10am.  We all dressed in layers, but the 34 degrees with a high of 40 caught me a bit off guard and I had to get creative and layer in some clothes that I’d brought for hanging out in the evening!

Everyone started out in gaiters, which was good as it wasn’t long until we were detouring around or splashing through puddles.  In fact, as we were traversing around 4H Camp Susan, the road was completely submerged so we hacked our way into the woods, up a hill, and bushwhacked back down to the trail.

A little more than three miles, and we were crossing Hwy 45 – which marked the end of the Highland Lakes Segment and the start of the Summit Moraine Segment.

We came upon the Jack Lake ski trails area, and a nice little warming shelter with a porta-potty.  It had a stove and wood – we could have had a fire if we’d needed to warm up.  We were glad to have a picnic table and took an extended break there.  The terrain was like other cross-country ski areas we’d hiked before – nice wide-open trails, but hilly!

After a few easy miles, we came to a fancier warming shelter called the Spychalla Lodge.  We didn’t need another break, but we took one anyway.

From there, we continued on to Veteran’s Memorial Park. My folks had checked this out already, so I knew to expect cute little cabins and a nice campsite – I thought we were just a few weeks too early for camping, however – plus we needed Wi-Fi for a few conference calls.  Just outside the campground, we entered the Langlade County Arboretum, where all the trees were labeled – we found it to be quite educational.  The trail wound around several beautiful lakes:  Game, High, Low and Jack Lakes – said to be named by card-playing loggers that had previously inhabited this area.

Our guide book warned us of possible issues with floating bogs and beaver dams, but we had no issues.  We arrived at our end point for the day about 3PM – could have gone further, but Jeff and I had a Zoom call to be on at 6:30PM that evening so we’d planned for just over 11 miles today.

It was a windy day, but we were mostly protected in the trees – the sound of the wind in the high pines was awesome.  While it never got warm (although Gary was hiking in a t-shirt), it was a pleasant day.  The woodland flowers were just beginning to bloom, but they were advanced enough to use my “Picture This” app to help identify them.  The forest and lakes were alive with the sounds of birds including sandhill cranes, geese, several kinds of ducks and I really loved the sounds of the Ruffed Grouse as they were “drumming,” to attract females or ward off challenging males.

Back to the hotel, and we walked over to the Bowling Alley across the parking lot – always a fun experience and the place was hopping, and the food was ok.

Wednesday morning, we awoke to snow on the cars, and the temperature was 33 degrees as we set out.  I was the navigator, but wasn’t paying attention as Gary, Lynn and I were in a deep conversation about Waunakee’s Community Study on race ... so we missed a turn and saw a bit more of Langlade County!

We did the car drop, and at the start, there was a moss-covered stump that I’d photographed Tuesday afternoon – what a contrast to now find it snow covered!!

We set out at a brisk pace, and quickly finished the last 3.5 miles of the Summit Moraine segment.  The terrain was mostly wide, grassy rolling roads, but then it turned and climbed along a ridge.  Someone had built steps out of large rocks – the first time I can recall seeing that. I imagine it was a lot of work to build that, but made the climb easier. We skirted several beautiful lakes, and saw a beautiful DCA site.

The trail paralleled Highway A for a stretch, where we got a few honks from cars going past.  We crossed the highway and began the Lumbercamp Segment.  The trail went through the Peters March State Wildlife Area, and I expected it to be wet, but aside from an occasional large puddle in the low spot on the trail, it wasn’t bad.  No one got wet feet today!

We walked along lumber roads, mostly grass covered thankfully. We only came upon a short stretch where there was active logging with equipment present but no one working today.  The roads there were muddier, but nothing like the mud soup that we’d experienced several weeks ago on the Highland Lakes Segment!  

I slowed my pace a bit and immersed in the peace of the surrounds – enjoying seeing the new growth of the trees and flowers, and listening to the cacophony of the birds.

After six miles, we searched out a place to stop for lunch. We’d been spoiled yesterday coming upon several shelters and areas with picnic tables!  We finally spotted a downed tree, and Jeff got out his saw and lopped off a few branches to make room for the seven of us.  It made us all think about the lunch we had sitting on a log atop a mountain in Slovenia a few years ago!

We continued trekking, on the lookout for the “Hillbilly Hilton” that we’d read about in our guidebook.  Its all that remains from the Norem Lumber Camp which operated from 1920 to 1938.  The camp originally had several log structures, but the only remnant is the root cellar, which has been renovated (?) into a respite for hikers.  There were several sleeping platforms, a table and shelves with various things that had left behind.  Unfortunately, there was a lot of trash both inside and outside.  In the event of severe weather, it’d be a good place to take shelter, but I’d have been more comfortable in a tent versus sleeping inside there!!

We had another snack, and the guys kicked into turbo mode, with Gary issuing a self-challenge to finish the hike by 3pm.  Tam, Lynn and I hiked a more moderate pace, stopping to check out the ramps (wild onion, or wild leek) – the forest was full of them, and I’d never seen them growing in Wisconsin before.  Made us wish we were cooking dinner tonight!  

The trail left the primitive road and headed up of high-relief hummocky topography.  Once again, we found ourselves stumbling over roots and rocks, which actually was a welcomed change from the monotony of the forest roads.  We came upon the beautiful Baker Lake, with a steep boat launch and a wooden slide to launch a canoe or kayak – would be a great secluded place to paddle!

From there, we climbed up a steep hill to Hwy-52 and the endpoint of our segment (and the guys patiently waiting).

We hiked over 16 miles today, in just under 7 hours. Great pace, but not too challenging. Feels great to be able to put in these longer distances.  Gary commented that we had “rain, snow, sun, and wind; everything but locusts!”  All in all, a great day.

We picked up the car at the start and got back to the hotel about 4:30pm, where Kent was waiting for us.  He walked around Antigo, but reported it was much colder and windier than what we’d experienced in the protection of the forest.  Since we had a Zoom call scheduled with Donovan of Embark Explorations (our Kilimanjaro guide company) at 7pm, we decided to head out to dinner right away.  Tam found the Fifth Avenue Restaurant in downtown Antigo that had a good-looking menu and great reviews, so we headed there.  Like most placed up north, they’re a bit casual with COVID restrictions and masks seemed to be optional and they had no problem with our group of 7 people sitting at one table.

We had a great dinner, lots of food, my favorite Leinenkugel Creamy Dark beer, and Jeff and I got pie to go from the Dixie Diner next door (same ownership – same family operating both places for 75 years).  

After dinner, we went back to our “suite” at the Holiday Inn Express and huddled around Jeff’s laptop for our call with Donovan (and George Sanchez, our BrightStar colleague from Austin TX who will be joining us in Africa).  Donovan and his wife have a pact to live somewhere else in the world every five years. They’d lived in Tanzania at the base of Kilimanjaro, and are now living in Guatemala so he was logged in from there. The call went well, but a storm was approaching there – we could see the lighting in his background window, and as he predicted, he lost power towards the end of the call.  We learned enough to get super excited for our September trek! I’m so thankful that Gary suggested this IAT adventure to help get us so comfortable with multi-day trekking and test out our cold weather gear in preparation for all the weather we’ll encounter on our 9 days on the mountain in Tanzania.

Thursday, we woke to clearer skies, but still cool – the sunshine makes all the difference, mentally as much as physically.  An easy car drop, we found ourselves at the start of Kettlebowl and hiking down into the bowl by 7:50AM.

The road opened up at the base of the Kettlebowl Ski Area, a nice little hill with some short, steep sections, served by several rope-tows, so that made me think of the nearby Paul Bunyan Ski Hill where I learned to ski!

Kettlebowl is a segment I’d read about as one where people had trouble getting lost so I was a bit nervous. It was rated a 4 / 4 so that got our attention as well.  In reality, it was mostly wide forest roads, with numerous intersections.  Perhaps in full leaf out, some of the signage is obscured, but we had no issues.  We did have over 1000 feet in elevation gain, but easier to do with wide grassy paths versus narrow rocky trails.

 Our group set off fast, which helped warm us up on the cold morning. After a mile, the layers started coming off.  After about 3 miles though, I backed off a bit to enjoy the hike a bit more.  Most of this area had been logged long ago, and has a successional forest of aspen and birch.  Without leaves, we could really see through the trees – lots of hills, kettles, large rocks.  We didn’t see wildlife, but I’m sure they saw us!

After about 5 miles we had a break – I went into the trees to find a large rock to sit on while I enjoyed the coffee I’d brought along with a fig bar.  I really enjoyed the tranquility of being “alone” in the forest, knowing Jeff and my friends were just over the ridge – not exactly out of ear shot, so I had my “adventure with security” moment.  I honestly cannot imagine doing these treks alone, but many people do.  Our group is so compatible too, its ok for some to head out fast and work on cardio, and for others to linger back and talk or just enjoy the solace of the hike.

We completed the nearly 10-mile trek well before noon.  We’d left two cars there, so Gary and Lynn headed back to Antigo to pick up Kent at the hotel, while Jeff and I drove Dan and Tam back to their car.  We all met up at the Dixie Diner in Antigo for a hearty lunch.  I was thinking cheeseburger of course, but their special today was a Pastie – either beef or chicken variety.  My love of dough led me to choose that option – it was good, but very different than what I was used to.  It had large chunks of beef and potatoes, while I’m used to more of finely diced version, more like a hash stuffed in a pastry.  

After lunch, we drove back to the cemetery where the Kettlebowl segment ended to begin what’ll be a 30-mile connecting route (CR) – through the end of the Guthook West portion and onto the Central portion of the app!  Since we had a great day and we were all feeling good, we decided to knock off 5 miles of the CR, and Kent walked with us – we felt complete as a group again!

I’d developed a small blister on my right heel yesterday, that was unusual.  This morning’s hike, even though I’d had a Band-Aid on it, expanded it to quarter size.  It didn’t prevent me from hiking; I hardly thought about it.  But I’ll need to work on route cause (probably will have to give up pedicures and my foot softening lotion and build up my calluses before September)!

We had a fast 5 miles back to the tiny village of Polar, then a shuttle back to the cars and we were all on our way home.  We’re still a 2.5-hour drive to our home – getting closer as the “crow flies,” but its still a remote location with small county roads to drive to get to our locations.  After our 4 days next month, we’ll be within two hours – still too far for day trips, but that will come this summer.

[mychemicalficrecs]

I had an ask about Ray/Mikey fics a few days ago and I finally had the time to make one 😅 I realized that kind of a lot of my bookmarks for this ship are smut but since the ask didn't specify, I mostly left those out. (If you want the porn, you gotta tell me *eyebrow waggle*) I added some cool stuff that I found on AO3 to make up for what my bookmark are lacking, though!

Ray/Mikey

you wanna get it for free by akamine_chan, 2k, Explicit. Ray's a wrestler, you see...

The Fundamental Theorem of Philosophically Inclined Music Majors or How Mikey Way Almost Invented the Flux Capacitor by notthequiettype, 4k, Teen And Up Audiences. College AU. Ray's writing his senior thesis; Mikey's just the TA to help him.

That Rockstar Shit by ladyfoxxx, 2k, General Audiences. It's not that Mikey's never noticed Ray. He just never thought Ray had noticed him.

clear and present danger by Trojie, 5k, Mature. In which Mikey is the failiest most disaster-prone stick insect, and Ray scoops him out of harm's way a lot

Hallelujah (Lock and Load) by fictionalaspect, 6k, Teen And Up Audiences. Mikey pauses in front of him on his way into the kitchen. "Where did your hair go," he says. He waves a hand around his face in an accurate approximation of Ray's unruly orange halo. "Oh," Ray says, looking up, and tugs his hair out of the elastic band he'd found in the silverware drawer. He shakes it out for a moment, looks up at Mikey through the curtain, and then ties it back again when Mikey nods like he's satisfied. "Just checking," Mikey says, over his shoulder. "Your hair is a constant in my life."

Tell Me Something True by ladyfoxxx, 15k, Explicit. Mikey and Ray – friends, bandmates, brothers, zonerunners, lovers, killjoys. A story that spans fourteen years.

Mikey Gets His Man by Green, 6k, Explicit. Mikey is a size queen.

Release the Bats by Sena, 10k, Mature. Sure, Mikey's a vampire, but Ray's okay with that. He's still Mikey, after all, still Ray's friend, still dorky and sweet and funny and amazing and, yeah. Maybe Ray likes him as more than just a friend.

L For Lucky (M for Mine) by orphan_account, 42k, Explicit. “Yeah, look.” Mikey turns his head to peer at the crowd over his shoulder. “This is going to seem weird, but.” He stares behind him and seems, for a moment, at a loss for words. “Well, there’s no tasteful way to say it.” Mikey looks Ray in the eye and just shrugs. “This is a highly organized sexual gathering for very specifically kinky people.” Ray feels a bit of spittle lodge in his throat and tries his best not to sputter when he disagrees, “That’s actually a pretty tasteful description of an orgy.”

Catching Pieces of a Fallen Sky by snarkydame, Ray/Mikey, Frank/Gerard, 21k, Mature. Ray and Frank are the only survivors of the Jersey Queen, an independent freighter hit by (space!) pirates. In the chaos, the doomed ship took a blind jump through the hyperways, leaving them stranded in a dark and lonely quadrant of space. Mikey and Gerard are the last remaining crew of a legendary "ghost" ship, the Ravenkroft, which has been lost for the fifty years since the War that Broke the Stations. They've been avoiding inhabited space due to emotional scarring from the loss of their crew, and a feeling of isolation due to the fact that they are in fact cyborgs. They pick up Ray and Frank's escape pod, and promise to help them. In the process, old feeling of guilt are assuaged, new emotional ties are wrought, and the legendary ship comes home.

For a Different View by impertinence, 50k, Explicit. AU. Ray Toro is a girl, Rae, but MCR is still just MCR. (Written for bandombigbang '08.)

There Is Just One Thing I Need by Honestmouse, 13k, Teen And Up Audiences. Just a short, sweet one shot about Mikey Way and Christmas time. Except wait, life isn't exactly a Hallmark movie. Mikey could tell you that first hand. Life isn't just kisses in the falling snow and sugary sweets. Sometimes, your gift on Christmas isn't the newest band merch or a nice gift card. Sometimes... sometimes that gift is a person.

3,2,1. We came to... by DisenchantedHalo (Morgawse), 12k, Explicit. Ray is challenged by Frank to come up with a 'fun' way to pass their time in the New Jersey State Prison. Mikey thinks it ought to involve a way of them getting out, because none of them belong in there - right? Ray remembers that early on in his time with his cell-mates, Gerard told a story about using the energy of your orgasm to get what you want. What could be better than combining all three?

This ain't a hero complex, it's a goddamn compulsion by daniomalley, 13k, Teen And Up Audiences. Mikey is on a desperate and dangerous mission, and encounters an unexpected ally along the way. But Ray has some secrets of his own, and they're catching up to him.

If You've Seen True Light by dear_monday, 8k, Teen And Up Audiences. Mikey is, first, last and forever, what they want him to be. He can't help it, it's in his blueprint. The mortals wrought him from nothingness with the power of their belief in him, and he is what they made him. They brought him to life and circumstances pinned the title of Hades on him, and so it goes. Ray, meanwhile, is the Torchbearer, tasked with leading souls back up to the world of the living, light and life incarnate. And when he crosses the river into the underworld, he sets something in motion that neither of them can escape. (tw: discussion of death, but no actual character death.)

Need a Spark to Ignite by daniomalley, 5k, General Audiences. Written for no_tags, for the prompt: Mikey/Ray - Mikey's running out of things to break on his car just for a chance to spend more time with Ray, the ridiculously good looking mechanic.

I'm Feeling Badly, It's Not An Attempt At Decency by annemari, 17k, Explicit. Mikey enjoys being the lead singer of Asthma. It's a good time, and people like them and his bandmates are pretty cool. But everything changes when Silver Skull finds them. Now they're on the run and Mikey has no idea where to go. He ends up staying at his buddy Ray's place. Ray's fucking great, and he probably won't kick Mikey out. Things would be pretty good, if only Mikey could stop being such an asshole. And why the fuck does Ray keep insisting that Mikey has a brother?

Softly Caught The Penny In His Paw by ichangbaek, 7k, Teen And Up Audiences. The words "That'll be ___ dollars ... Enjoy your afternoon" never change. As Ray visits the comic store over the months, he observes the guy sitting there watching the world pass by. He can't help thinking that the guy seems a little sad and maybe he should get to know him more.

Define Mate by gala_apples, 10k, Mature. Love is complicated. You can love your grandfather while not wanting to clean up after the remnants of his life. You can love your boyfriend while not being able to forgive him. And you can love yourself while wishing that you didn’t have so many fucking emotions. When Ray is given the opportunity to make his mental state simpler, more primal, less conflicted, he takes it.

Before this Damage by yekoc, 10k, Explicit. The car’s the exact color of the earth, brown-roasted nothing, dust, and Jet Star dropped it a fucking mile and a half down the road, in the shaded dip behind a half-assed hill. Mikey’s sweating by the time they reach it, bandanna soaked through, and he whips it off and ties it around his forehead to keep the drops out of his eyes. In which Mikey goes looking for the rest of the Killjoys along with Ray, who isn't one of them.

FABULOUS Killjoys by iamdali, 15k, Mature. The Fabulous Killjoys have got a wedding to plan, and it's time for everyone to get involved. Gerard wants to throw his brother the best wedding this post apocalyptic world has to offer, and Frank's right by his side to lend a helping hand. It's all about love in the desert this year, so keep your gun close and your loved ones closer.

[catscratching]

LFRP – Catrienne Sevin

The Basics ––– –

Age: Late 20′s (Nameday Unknown)

Birthday: 32nd Sun of the 1st Umbral Moon (The day she was rescued from a Garlean shipwreck)

Race: Miqo’te  – Keeper of the Moon

Gender: Female

Sexuality: bisexual 

Physical Appearance ––––

Hair: Long and silver, often worn in a utilitarian braid.  On the rare occasions she wears it down, it hangs past the middle of her back and has a slight wave.

Eyes:  Pale and mismatched; one is the blue of seas around Costa del Sol, the other a pale silver matching her hair.

Height: Petite; just under five feet

Build: Solid. She has spent the past several years of her life as a brawler in the fighting clubs of Limsa Lominsa, and has built a compact, well-muscled physique as a consequence.  She tends to hide it with loose clothing.    [ Valentina Shevchenko used as body model. ]

Distinguishing Marks:  She has a scar stretching from the top of her left brow, over her eye and down her cheekbone.  Her skin, while pale, is     heavily freckled – darkest across her cheekbones, but visible on her chest and in the insides of her ears.  She has a tattoo of a compass rose on the nape of her neck trailing down her spine, and her nose looks as though it’s been broken more than once.  She has a myriad of small scars and callouses on her hands.

Common Accessories: She keeps her accessories minimal; usually limited to small hoops in her ears, or bracelets/anklets.  She avoids necklaces entirely.  She does keep her communication devices small and discreet.

Personal ––––

Profession: She’s  done a lot of jobs, worn a lot of hats. She describes her childhood on a merchant vessel readily enough, without going into details on who their cargoes originally belong to or how they were obtained.  After finding herself unexpectedly landbound, she worked her way through the Limsa underground, ending up as a brawler in the fighting rings.  Now she takes odd jobs that take her around Eorzea, seeing the world and looking for her past.

Hobbies: She doesn’t really have anything she thinks of as a hobby. She will happily engage in anything that gets her out on the water.

Languages: Common

Residence:  She has a flat in Limsa, but has not yet found permanent lodging in Ul’dah.  

Birthplace: Unknown.

Religion: She’s not terribly religious. She doesn’t really believe the Twelve have any interest in people’s lives.  (She makes the occasional offering to Oschon, but that’s out of a sense of sailor’s superstition rather than actual belief.)

Patron Deity: Oschon

Fears: Abandonment.

Relationships ––––

Children: None.

Parents:  Unknown.  Foster mother vanished when Cat was 14.

Siblings: Unknown

Other Relatives: Unknown

Pets: None.  But she loves animals and happily feeds strays.

Traits ––––

* Bold your character’s answer.

Extroverted / In Between / Introverted

Disorganized / In Between / Organized

Close Minded / In Between / Open Minded

Calm / In Between / Anxious

Disagreeable / In Between / Agreeable

Cautious /  In Between / Reckless

Patient / In Between / Impatient

Outspoken / In Between / Reserved

Leader /  In Between / Follower

Empathetic /  In Between / Apathetic

Optimistic / In Between / Pessimistic

Traditional / In Between / Modern

Hard-working / In Between / Lazy

Cultured / In Between / Uncultured

Loyal / In Between / Disloyal

Faithful / In Between / Unfaithful

Additional information ––––

Smoking Habit: Never / Sometimes / Frequently / To Excess Drugs: Never / Sometimes / Frequently / To Excess Alcohol: Never / Sometimes / Frequently / To Excess

RP Hooks ––––

A friend in every port:

Cat spent a great deal of time on the oceans, traveling from port to port.  She is a familiar face on the Limsa docks, and all of the street children in the city know her face if not her name.  If you’re a frequent visitor to the docks, or inhabit the underworld, you may have encountered her, or have acquaintances in common.  She knows people in just about every port city, even if Limsa is the one she’s spent the most time in.

Itchy Feet:

Partly due to a desire to see more of the world, partly due to a personal quest, Cat is eager and hungry to travel.  Newly come to the Ashen Enclave, she’ll be seeking every opportunity granted for travel. If you are looking for a road-trip companion, be aware that she is not a skilled rider.

Strays Welcome:

Cat has a soft spot for strays, having been one herself.  She befriended and adopted several groups of homeless children in Limsa, taking on the role of provider and defender as needed.  She’s likely to ‘adopt’ anyone else she deems in need of family (As @otolin-xiv can attest).  

What I’m looking for ––––

Cat is seeking a missing piece.  She yearns for a family as her own is lost, and searches for answers to her past while trying to figure out her future.  She’s in need of friends, allies and other support that can keep her from vanishing into the depths of obsession.

If you need someone to perform the role of pesty younger sister, drinking buddy and stalwart friend, she’d be an excellent choice.  

If you have a Miqo’te that you’d like distant, unknown family connections for, hit me up and we can definitely talk!  

I’m open to both sympathetic and antagonistic connections; old competitors or holders/targets of grudges, I’m more than happy to discuss all options!

OOC info ––––

I’ve been roleplaying for almost 12 years, with several more of writing fanfic and other fiction under my belt. I study English, and work as an analyst and technical writer as my day job.

My goal is for my RP partner(s) to have fun.  I’m laid back, and willing to work in pretty much any format. If Cat’s not your cup of tea, I can almost guarantee I have a character that will be, or can write an NPC to suit any plotline you have in mind.  

I love DMing storylines, so if you have some character growth you’d like to have run – either one on one, or in a small group, please hit me up and we can discuss what you are looking for. (Think of it like a commission, only there’s no money involved)

I’m mostly available in the evenings and on the weekends.  I am happy to RP in-game, in Discord or Google Docs, although I find Discord to have the most smooth flow and accessibility.

I will write almost anything.  I enjoy slice-of-life, I like backstory establishment, I am happy to write darker plotlines.  (I have a very short list of things I will not do, and am happy to discuss with anyone that’s interested.)

I am a huge proponent of OOC communication, and prefer regular check-ins during emotionally fraught RP to ensure that everyone involved is still good to continue, or if we need to take a break.

Contact Information  ––––

Ingame: ‘Catrienne Sevin’ (Balmung)  *  Discord: veri#0363  *  Tumblr

[livvywrites]

MYNERA

General

Their country’s colors are green, white, and gold. Their animal is [x] and their symbol a star. Their flag is their star done in white, against a green background with gold bordering.

Myneran is the primary spoken language, though most of the inhabitants speak at least basic Common. Noble children are expected to learn Elenian, which is an older version of the Myneran language, as many of the old records are written in it.

Their schooling system is very base, with most children entering into an apprenticeship of some kind when they hit their early to mid teens. Most of an Elenai’s learning is done through experience, a good chunk of which is gathered on their Pilgrimage. Most everyone is taught to read and write, however—either through their parents or one of the temples.

Government

Mynera is ruled by a council, consisting of the High Priest/ess; the Sage; the Monarch; various guild leaders; and military personnel. The High Priest/ess, Monarch, and the next Sage all are decided by the current Sage, when such a time becomes appropriate. Guild leaders are elected by their guilds, while military personnel ascend through a series of ranks, though the highest officials are usually chosen by the Monarch.

The Sage is said to be able to see Fate’s Threads. Whether this ability is natural or learned is known only to the Sage. While the Threads are always shifting and changing, leaving the future very uncertain, the Sage can get enough of a grasp on them to know whose future has the potential to bring the greatest prosperity or peace to Mynera. On the flip side, however, these people are also often the ones who could bring the greatest strife. But, then, that’s why the council is so important. Ruling a country could never be left to a single person.

The work of a Sage is very secretive, and despite serving on the council, they rarely tends to actually take part in votes or hearings, unless it is important to the future of Mynera.

The Monarch’s duties are primarily to serve as Mynera’s face. They communicate with foreign countries, through letters and through meetings. They also are the ones who read out the new laws, who make the speeches, and officiate grand (non-religious) ceremonies.

There is one High Priest/ess for each Hope and Life, and the two of them oversee most religious ceremonies and services. They also make sure that the various priests and priestesses underneath them are well-trained and knowledgeable, and keep their various places of worship well-managed.

Religion

The Elenai worship Hope and Life more than any of the other gods, though they do also pay patronage to Death as well, given that all enter his realm eventually.

They call Hope the Lady Aisling, while Life they know as the Lady Magnolia.

Mynera’s biggest celebration is the Life Festival, which is a week long celebration towards the end of the harvest season. It brings with it much feasting, dancing, and other revelry. It’s also known as a very romantic time, and many children are conceived during it.

Then, there is the Night of Wishes, which is Hope’s major holiday. During the Night of Wishes, an aurora is visible over the western mountains. People gather out into the streets and onto the rooftops, or balconies, or any other place where the sky is clearly visible, and they wish. During this time, most of the lights in the city are put out—but each of the Elenai carries a single candle, whose flame they blow out when they make their wish.

Each of the places of worship in the various cities and towns is considered a safe haven for the homeless, the down on their luck, and the orphaned. There they are provided with a place to sleep—a bedroll if not a bed—and a hot meal. Children are given an education and the ill are tended to.

Cities

Mynera is a very small country, and thus only has three major cities. Several villages line the road between them, however, and then there are many farming steads scattered throughout the valley.

The capitol, Ithera, sits near the mountains to the west. The castle stands not far from the edge of the forest, and it is easily viewable from the cliffs above. The capitol city is the largest and most populated, with finely paved streets and white building with green roofs. The city is built near the river, some of which supplies a plumbing system—which is heated and filtrated through magic.

Port Lothera sits on the north coast of Mynera, and is a hub of trade and culture. Out of all Mynera’s cities, you’ll encounter the most foreigners and non-elves here. Most often you’ll see dwarves and humans, but the occasional tauros soldier or mercenary passes by as well. Rarely a day goes by that a new ship isn’t docking or leaving, bringing and taking goods from across Mynera. And, of course, you’ll find your fair share of pirates there as well—you just have to know where to look.

Rivera is the third largest city, and stands on Mynera’s southern border. It’s the first city travelers typically enter, and thus is home to many inns and general supply stores. Rivera also boasts Mynera’s only horse ranch, as most of the Elenai ride the deerlike race they call da’lia. Here, travelers can purchase or rent a horse for travel through Mynera, if their own has been killed or injured. There are many old and retired horses here; those that travelers had to leave behind because they could no longer take to the road.

Jobs & Guilds

The Rangers are a guild of hunters. They supply most of Mynera’s meat, as well as keeping vicious predators from attacking lifestock or even people. They have Lodges in each of the towns, as well as one or two within the forests. Becoming a Ranger is an aspiration of many young Elenai, who grow up listening to the stories these men and women bring down from the mountains.

The Healers Association is a group dedicated to using magic, science, and alchemy to relieve people’s pain and illness. This is a skill that takes a lot of discipline and study. They have scant few members and as such, are often overworked. Many young men and women begin their studies with the Association, but unfortunately, not all of them make it through. Those that do are more likely to be alchemists or doctors then they are to achieve the esteemed rank of Healer.

Much like the Rangers, the Merchant’s Guild has spread far and wide, and they too claim a place in Mynera. The Merchant’s Guild claims the most members out of any guild, because anyone who owns a shop or does a lot of trading is able to join. In Mynera, the guild is made up of primarily farmers, leather workers, furriers, and butchers. However, there are quite a few general goods stores; tailors; smiths; and booksellers as well.

The final guild is one that no one likes to talk about, or often even admit exists. The Swiftfingers is a group of thieves who make up Mynera’s underbelly. They are most present in the capitol city and the docks, however, and are primarily made up of pickpockets. Though, there have been a few famous burglars among their numbers as well. Fortunately the Swiftfinger’s ranks are among the smallest, which is not something that can be said everywhere.

TAGLIST: @quartzses; @idreamonpaper; @runningonrain; @witchywrite; @queenofsquirrelsstuff; @margaretcroftwrites; @purpleshadows1989; @klywrites; @she-writes-love; @sixstepsaway; @neptune-nereid; @firesidefantasy; @joshuaorrizonte; @waterfallwritings; @languageisbae

You guys. You guys. I LOVE Mynera so much. It’s my favorite little kingdom I have EVER created <3 <3 <3 

[primortravel]

New Post has been published on https://primortravel.com/african-animals-in-photos-wildlife-encounters-on-safari-in-africa/

African Animals in Photos - Wildlife Encounters on Safari in Africa

Going on a safari in Africa is one of the most thrilling adventures in the world. There is nothing more exciting than seeing African animals roaming free on the great plains. We have been on safari in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Botswana. We are truly lucky people.

African Safari Animals in Photos

Our first time in Africa was in 2008 when we cycled from Cairo to Cape Town. Our trip took us from the north through Sub Sarahan Africa all the way to the southern tip of the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. We saw a lot of wildlife on that six-month trip alone and since then, we’ve gone back four times. These are our favorite moments coming face to face with African animals. .

Male Lion

It wasn’t until going on at least three safaris that we actually saw a proper pride of lions. It was while touring Tanzania with Go Ahead Tours that we had our most outstanding lion encounters. One that sticks out is while on a game drive in the Serengeti.

Lion Chasing Lioness

We watched three male lions try to court a female as a herd of elephants kept chasing them away. It was incredible to see how the lions kept watch on the elephants who drove them away whenever they came to close, yet never took their eyes off the female prize.

Lioness And Her Cubs

This memorable moment consisted of 13 cubs following one lone female lion. Our guide George told us that there were probably three other adult female lions lurking in the grass, but the cubs were following her – the Alpha. As they followed along, this little guy broke away from the pack charging at his mom. He brought her down, nipping at her throat and belly before climbing on her back to tell the rest of the cubs to come on down!

Watch our Wildlife on Safari in the Serengetti Video

Watch all the video abovce and at about 1:50 into the video, you’ll see the lion cubs playing with mom.

You can see lions all over Africa: Some of the best places we spotted them were in the Serengeti in Tanzania, Kenya’s Masai Mara, a South African Game Reserve and the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. Lake Manyara is the place to see lions sleeping in trees. We also saw them in the Okavango Delta and Chobe National Park in Botswana.

Lion And Elephant Fighting For Space

We all thought that lions are the kings of Africa, but if elephants are mad at you, you’re in trouble no matter who you are. T his lion and his brothers were way too close to a herd of elephants and their calves. The elephants were having no part of that and a group of big males split off to chase the lions away.

One of the best places to see elephants in Africa is in Amboseli National Park where there is a huge concentration of elephants. Plus, you get a great view of Mount Kilimanjaro. But we also saw elephants in all the usual places in Africa as well including the Serengeti, South Africa, Addo Elephant Nature Park in South Africa, plus Botswana, Malawi, and Zambia.

Leopard in Tree

Leopards seem to be the most elusive animals in Africa. We had waited for days to find a leopard when on safari and we finally heard that one was sitting in a tree at the end of our trip to the Masai Mara in Kenya. We joined the line of safari trucks sitting around the tree to spy on her, but she never showed her face. It wasn’t until everyone left that we waited patiently by ourselves. Sure enough, when the commotion died down, she lifted her head from the branch and looked right at us. It was a breathtaking moment.

Leopard Jumping Into A Tree

Seeing a leopard in Africa is a rare and beautiful thing. Seeing a leopard jump onto a tree and continue to climb it is nearly impossible! It was the end of a long day of our final day in the Serengeti in Tanzania and we knew a leopard had been hanging out in a tree for a couple of days. We never got a great view until driving back to the lodge near sunset. On our way back to the lodge, Dave asked our guide George if we could swing by the leopard tree to see if she had moved. Sure enough, we caught her walking from one tree to another and snapped this shot just as she leaped to her perch.

Three Rhinoceros – The Whole Family

Getting to see a rhinoceros in Africa is rare indeed. They are the most critically endangered famous species of animal in Africa. Sadly, the  Northern White Rhino went extinct in 2019 and the Western Black Rhino went extinct over a decade ago. Why do people think that the fibers from a rhino’s tusk are healing or an aphrodisiac? Leave them, alone people!

Cheetah And Her Cub

One of our favorite moments seeing African safari animals came while leaving Tarangire National Park in Tanzania. We were on our way to the next stop with our safari vehicle’s roofs and windows closed but our guides spotted this cheetah on the hunt with her cub. A herd of gazelles was grazing nearby and she was keeping an eye on them. At one point they made a move to chase one and it seemed like the perfect moment. But the baby jumped the gun bounding ahead giving the gazelle ample warning to getaway.

Keeping Watch Before The Next Hunt

Not to worry though, the mother quickly forgave her child and they cuddled up waiting for the next set of prey to walk by. The cheetah and her cub eye a pack of gazelles. Will they get a kill on the second try? I sure hope so. Mom has a lot of patience, so I think she’ll teach this little fellow how to hunt in no time.

Cheetah In The Grass

Spotting cheetahs on an African safari can be tricky business. Cheetahs are one of the more elusive African animals to see. Our first two safaris we never saw on Cheetah! It was when visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya that we encountered our first cheetah walking through the grass. We followed her for a while in awe. Cheetahs are difficult to spot because they hide well in the long grass, but this beauty was sitting poised and ready as we approached in our trucks.

Baby African Elephants Playing

This little elephant was the leader of his baby posse as he flapped his ears and charged his fellow siblings – Watch the video

Seeing baby elephants will melt your heart. When we happened upon a herd of elephants filled with frisky baby elephants, we had one of our most breathtaking Subsaharan animal encounters. Watching the family unite work together and protect their young filled me with joy. Seeing the baby elephants play and show off made me giggle. They are the most adorable creatures and I cannot believe that people have hunted them to the point of being critically endangered.

African Elephant On The Way To The Watering Hole

I cannot get over how quickly elephants cover vast amounts of land. They seem like they are moving in slow motion, but as you sit and watch them approach from the far distance, they are near you within minutes. We watched a herd of elephants walking to a watering hole while on safari in Tarangire National Park in Tanzania, all the wildlife seemed to be walking to one place. Processions of elephants, zebras, and impalas were all walking in long lines towards the watering hole. This was the perfect African safari scene and what I think of when I dream of Africa.

The Lone Bull Elephant

When male elephants are too old to be a part of the herd (or when male elephants grow out of their adolescence) they are sent off on their own to either find another herd or spend the rest of their days in solitude. This giant elephant was definitely an old man and he took notice when our safari jeep came near.

While watching this bull elephant from the safety of our truck, he suddenly charged. Elephants are the most unpredictable animals when on safari (in our opinion). They look so relaxed one minute, but they can quickly turn the next. We were enjoying a quiet moment, but the truck next to us suddenly laughed loudly. This guy didn’t like that at all and charged at our truck. Luckily it was just a warning.

Giraffes On Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara is one of the most interesting places to see African safari animals. It’s one thing to see giraffes on the Serengeti, but to see them standing on the beach with water reflecting their long necks is mesmerizing. We counted 18 giraffes standing like statues on the shores of Lake Manyara; an alkaline lake known for its flamingoes and baboon population. It’s not an easy life for the “Ladies of the Serengeti.”

Sadly, we have heard that giraffes are quickly becoming critically endangered in silence. We can believe it, we have always had a difficult time seeing giraffes on an African safari. Other than at Lake Manyara, we have only seen the odd one or pair on our outings.

Necking Giraffes

When you are lucky enough to spot giraffes in Africa, make sure to stop to watch them. They are the most elegant of creatures. Watching giraffes intertwine their long necks while swaying back and forth is like watching a ballet. They swing from side to side in perfect unison coming together for a few moments before beginning the dance again. The movements mesmerize you into a trance as you watch the moment unfold.

You can watch it in our video: The Best Things to do in Tanzania

If you love African animals you will love visiting Tanzania. There are so many animal encounters to be had here. Our video above also highlights all of the other things you can do in Tanzania.

Black Rhino

Lake Nakuru is home to one of the largest number of black rhinos in Africa. This sanctuary is under strict guard keeping an eye for poachers and is one of the best places in Africa to see rhinos. More than 100 rhinos inhabit Lake Nakuru National Park in Kenya with several different species of rhino living under protection. You’ll find black rhinos and white rhinos in Lake Nakuru.

Yawning Hippos

Hippos are pretty boring to watch. Most of the time they lay in pools of water with only their nostrils and ears sticking out. However, don’t take that mellow feeling for granted, the hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

They kill more people than lions or elephants. They may be herbivores but just look at those giant mouths. They are very territorial and defend fiercely defend their area. Hippos all pack together protecting one another from the sun as they stay covered in mud. But every once in a while a hippo yawns and it’s the most exciting moment of the day!

Warthog

I must admit, the warthog is my favorite of African animals. Honestly! they are so odd-looking they’re cute! They also never stop. It’s very difficult to get a photo of a warthog because they never stop moving. They are always scurrying about looking terrified that they are going to be eaten any second. I am always rooting for the warthog to survive. There are two species of warthogs found in Africa and they are related to the pig family. I can see the resemblance, they definitely look like a wild boar.

Flamingoes

Flamingoes are found on the salt lakes of African nations. One of the best places to see them is Lake Manyara in Tanzania. We also had an incredible view of flamingoes in Lake Nakuru in Kenya. You will not only see flamingoes at these lakes, but also storks, cranes, pelicans, and eagles all flying and floating on an incredible lake surrounded by rolling hills.

Flamingo Reflections

Did we tell you we were excited about the flamingoes? We love this reflection. It literally looks like the flamingo is checking out its reflection. Lake Manyara that we finally saw the thousands of different species of birds and flamingoes gracing its coast.

Flamingos Flying

Okay, one more flamingo photo before we move on. It was spectacular to see flamingoes take flight. Did we mention we were really excited about the flamingos of Lake Manyara and Lake Nakuru?

Morning Light On A Hyena

The poor hyena isn’t the most famous of African safari animals, but seeing one is pretty rare. I think they are cute. Just because they are scavengers doesn’t mean they aren’t fierce. When cycling Africa we often had hyenas circling our camp. We didn’t stray too far from our circle at night with these guys hanging around.

Ostrich

Male ostrich in his mating dance

There are two species of ostrich in Africa. The common ostrich and the Somali ostrich. Contrary to popular belief, the Ostrich isn’t the world’s largest bird, that belongs to the albatross. However, they are the largest flightless bird in Africa and they lay the largest eggs of any living land animal. Want some more ostrich facts? They are also the fastest birds on land who can run up to a whopping 70 km/h (43.5 mph)

African Crocodile

While cycling Africa, we camped along the Nile and I must admit, I was terrified of an encounter with a Nile Crocodile. Luckily we never encountered one while camping, but we did see them when on safari.

The Nile crocodile is the largest reptile in Africa and they are pretty dangerous too. They kill more people than lions as they lurk in shallow waters on river banks. We were silly enough to go kayaking with crocodiles in South Africa. What were we thinkings? Check it out to see.

Cape Buffalo (African Buffalo)

The African buffalo is one of the big 5 African animals. The Big five were named so because back in the day, hunters shot these beautiful creatures for their trophy heads. The big 5 are buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion, and leopards. (we remember it by using the acronym BRELL) Sadly, many species of animals in Africa are critically endangered today because of hunting. I have an idea, let’s shoot them with our camera lens instead of with a gun.

Plains Zebras

One of the most common animals you’ll see in Africa are the Plains Zebra. We saw a lot of of zebras in Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, and South Africa. We even went horseback riding with zebras on a safari in South Africa. Our horses were surrounded by wildebeest and zebras and I could feel that the horses wanted to join in the run. When you see them up close, they look as if they’ve been painted with thick chalky makeup.

Hartebeest

We saw quite a few hartebeests on safari in Africa. This large African antelope was often hanging out with zebras and gazelles. Their face totally looks like an elongated heart. Sadly, like many African animals, the hartebeest numbers are declining due to human encroachment, hunting and habitat destruction.

Impala

Another African antelope is the Impala. Impalas are graceful and beautiful antelopes that I always thought were gazelles. They are fast and can actually run up to 60 km per hour. (37 miles). Only male impalas have horns.

Wildebeest

Many people know of the wildebeest because of the famous wildebeest migration in Tanzania and Kenya. It has always been our dream to see the millions of wildebeest cross the African plains. We haven’t been to Africa for the migration, but we have seen many wildebeests. Wildebeests are also calle a gnu. Believe it or not, they are also part of the antelope family.

Springbok

Another member of the African antelope family is the Springbok.

I started to really fall in love with the zebras of Africa. If you look closely at the picture above, you’ll see a little bird on this foal’s back. Read more: iSimangaliso Wetlands – Horse Safari

A Chillin’ Baboon

Sitting atop this termite mount, a baboon looks like royalty. A group of elephants had just left the area and this baboon wasted no time jumping on top this mound after they left. You could tell that he was itching to get his spot back.

Sikes Monkey

The Sikes monkey was named after Colonel William Henry Sykes an English naturalist from the 1800s. It’s known for its white throat and we saw this handsome devil in Kenya.

Vervet Monkey

Vervet Monkeys are so cute and are found around lakes and streams in acacia forests and woodlands. We saw this little fellow at Lake Nakuru in Kenya. We also saw a lot of monkeys at Mayanara in Tanzania.

Colourful Birds Of Africa

Dave and I are normally not into bird watching, but our safari mates in our truck were very big birders. Their excitement over birds was contagious and by the end of the trip, I started to know the names of the birds of Africa like this colorful cutie the Lilac Breasted Roller.

Penguins of South Africa

Did you know that southern Africa has penguins? It does! The penguins of South Africa can be found just south of Cape Town near Simon’s town. There is a colony that swims in the cool waters of Southern Africa and they are adorable to see.

Penguin

If you make your way out to boulders bay beach, you’ll see a colony of cute African penguins frolicking in the sand on the beach

Stork

I was very excited to see a stork in Africa. When we were cycling through Ethiopia we saw a lot of them. When I was young I thought storks were made up birds because people always said that a baby was brought in by a stork. However, they are real! There are 8 species of storks in Africa. We saw them in The Rift Valley, in South Africa near St. Lucia, at lakes in Tanzania and in Kenya.

Heron

More Birds

At first, we weren’t too excited about the bird species in Africa, but then on one of our safaris in Tanzania, a truck mate was a full-on bird watcher. She pointed out birds for us to see and we started getting excited whenever we saw a new species. I can see why birding is so popular!

A Late Evening Yawn

The sun was setting and this lion knew it. Almost time for a nap and time for us to head back to the lodge. This was on safari in South Africa at Kariega Game Reserve on the Garden Route.

Lion Looking At Me Licking its Chops

This is the brother of our first lion photograph in the Serengeti. He walked so close to our truck that George told us to get our hands inside. He was licking his chops, so you knew he was ready for lunch!

Lioness On A Rock

One of our favorite African animal encounters was certainly seeing this female lion perched on Lion King Rock. When entering the Serengeti, the first thing we spotted was this lioness relaxing on a rock beside the famous Lion King Rock. And this scene was fitting. This is exactly what we expected to see on the African savanna and the moment didn’t disappoint.

Watch the Big 5 of Africa in Kenya

We can’t wait to go back to Africa to go on more safaris. We haven’t seen the mountain gorillas of Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo yet and we still. haveto see the Chimpanzees at Jane Goodalls sanctuary. But isn’t that what makes travel exciting. We are always adding more encounters and adventures to our list!

More African Animals in Photos

Lions napping in a tree

I’ve always wanted to see lions sleeping in trees. It was a first for us on our Tanzania safari. Lake Manyara claims to be famous for sleeping lions, but we saw lions sleeping in trees in the Ngorongoro Crater and here at Tarangire National Park. Aren’t they beautiful?

Lioness With Her Kill

Watching this female lion carry her recent kill along the African savanna showed just how harsh conditions are for animals. She may have caught dinner but getting it back to her cubs took a lot of hard work. She walked for a few minutes and then dropped the gazelle taking heavy breathes as she caught her breath.

All the while she had to keep an eye out for other predators that could challenge her to take her kill. At one point she saw a lone gazelle and dropped her kill to try for another. It managed to outrun her, but she exerted a lot of energy. I wonder how she would have carried two kills at a time?

Cheetah Cub

When visiting the Masai Mara in Kenya, we only saw one cheetah our entire safari. While on safari in Tanzania, we saw a half a dozen cheetahs including moms, cubs and this adolescent.

At the game reserves in South Africa, they cut off the rhino’s horn so that poachers don’t kill them for it. It is sad to see that this needs to be done, but at least it keeps them safe. I don’t think these two felt too bad about it, they seem to be enjoying life pretty well!

Male Lion In The Ngorogoro Crater

We didn’t expect to see male lions at the Ngorongoro Crater but sure enough, after spending time watching the wildebeest and zebras, we came across two male lions walking steadily to find some shade. We followed them for a bit before they changed course towards a very big and shady baobab tree.

Staring Into The Breeze

Something tells me this lion smells tonight’s dinner.

Close Up Of A Giraffe

Giraffes have a strange mix of being beautiful and dopy looking at the same time. This captures the beauty of the giraffe.

A lioness and Her Cubs

Being on an African safari in August lets you see all the cubs at their cutest. It seemed that every turn in the Serengeti found us at another squad of cubs with mother.

Watch our Safari Tips for Tanzania

Africa is close to our hearts and we were so excited to finally go on Safari in Tanzania. We’ve been fortunate enough to safari in Kenya, South Africa and Botswana.

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[freshtrackstransportations]

Great Sites to Go to in Colorado

Colorado's second-biggest city has developed a heavenly standing, constantly acquiring a spot on the U.S. News Best Places to Live to the position. It's additionally notable for being a focal political and strict center point, yet over the recent years Colorado Springs has backed off on the strict way of talking, in any event, receiving a trace of the laid-back vibe that Colorado guests typically partner with Stone or Telluride (to encounter this side of the Colorado Springs region, head to close Manitou Springs). Fresh Tracks Transportation provides transportation services all over Colorado to tourists at affordable rates.

Why Travel To Telluride

The beginning of this Colorado town's extremely extraordinary name is obscure, however, there are two prevailing speculations. The first is that Telluride comes from "tellurium," the nonmetallic component (frequently connoting the presence of gold stores) that provoked such countless pioneers to advance toward the locale. In any case, numerous local people will disclose to you the name is only a simpler method of saying "to hellfire you ride" – an inventive clarification that features the executioner ski inclines that draw numerous a colder time of year traveler every year. This little ski town has for quite some time been a break for the rich and renowned, with top-of-the-line resorts like The Little Nell and Emissary Snowmass tricking celebs with the guarantee of sumptuous security. In any case, don't let the chance of sticker shock ward you off; all things being equal, you can counterbalance the significant expense of choice housing by basically partaking in your environmental elements. A portion of Aspen's most mainstream locales – like Maroon Ringers – come to us from Mother Earth, who doesn't charge admirers a penny.

Why Go To Rough Mountain Public Park

At approximately 265,000 sections of land, Rough Mountain Public Park isn't the country's biggest public park, nor is it the most-visited with around 4 million yearly guests (contrasted with the Extraordinary Smoky Mountains Public Park's in excess of 12 million guests). Yet, there is something absolutely supernatural about RMNP, which rises 14,259 feet into the Colorado sky at its most elevated point, Pikes Pinnacle. Powder dogs will discover 2,000 or more skiable sections of land ideal for tenderfoots, specialists, and everybody in the middle. "To hellfire, you ride" likewise alludes to the district's rambunctious climate. Occupants and guests the same consistently assemble around Park or Telluride's bars for a foot-stepping fun time. Eventually, it doesn't make any difference where the name comes from – all that truly tallies is the extraordinary experience you will undoubtedly have here.

At the point when it's an ideal opportunity to return to earth, or possibly down to a rise of 7,500 feet or thereabouts, guests can eat up some custom-made frozen yogurt, take a creepy visit through the Stanley Inn, or essentially wander through the superb town of Estes Park. In addition, adjoining Colorado problem areas – Rock and Denver – are each a short drive away.

To restrict the number of individuals visiting the recreation center, Rough Mountain Public Park carried out a planned passage framework that is in actuality through Oct. 11, 2021. Visit the Public Park Administration's site for extra data.

Why Visit Denver

The primary fascination is climbing the recreation center's 350-a few miles of trails that breeze through pine and tidy woodlands, sparkling high lakes, areas of wildflowers, and, in case you're fortunate, some elk or bighorn sheep. What's more, perhaps it's the more slender climate that goes to guests' heads, yet even the most boring report sensations of amazement and miracle following a little while of taking in that invigorating mountain air.

We're not saying you should give the chance to climb the Rockies' path or ski their inclines – simply that you shouldn't do as such without reserving a spot at a portion of Denver's diverse diners, investigating its exhibition halls, or testing a couple of its renowned blends. Working a portion of these more metropolitan temptations into your excursion will permit you to encounter the Denver that local people know and love. For a neighborhood's viewpoint, you might need to pursue a standout amongst other Denver visits.

People of Denver are considerably more laid-back than occupants of other significant American urban areas, advancing a functioning, outdoorsy culture that flourishes with great food and specialty lager. As far as winter wonderland status, not many objections can contrast with Aspen. This beautiful mountain town is straight out of a snow globe, highlighting pleasant mountain chalets embraced by the taking off Colorado Rockies. Obviously, the fundamental draw here is skiing and there are four head ski regions close by that oblige powder dogs, all things considered. Follow the city's inhabitants and go through your days in the Mile High City becoming more acquainted with its climbing ways, shopping roads, and brewery trails. As well as adoring nature, Denver's populace likewise shows enthusiasm for craftsmanship, culture, and food. In the event that The unstoppable force of life isn't your partner of decision, invest your energy meandering around the Denver Craftsmanship Exhibition hall or Larimer Square prior to getting a bin of Rough Mountain clams along with the Legislative center Slope area's Eatery Column. Furthermore, in the event that you end up having children close behind, you'll discover a lot of approaches to keep them engaged here, from a top-notch zoo to the intriguing part of the U.S. Mint.

Why Visit To Aspen

In any case, most guests don't come here to test the political and social talk – they come for the widely inclusive perspectives found at the highest point of Pikes Pinnacle, the transcending bluffs that make up the Nursery of the Divine beings and the reddening precipices at Red Stone Ravine.

However, there's a whole other world to Aspen than winter sports: With top-of-the-line shopping, entrancing exhibition halls, out-of-control displays, and fun celebrations, it very well may be a battle to make it to the slants. Regardless of how you decide to invest your energy here, it will be a getaway you'll always remember.

Numerous explorers consider Denver to be bouncing off point for a Rough Mountain escape, utilizing the Colorado capital for its air terminal and that's it. However, those people are passing up a great opportunity: The Mile High City offers a blend of metropolitan energy and regular environmental elements that other American urban areas can merely fantasize about. For a very long while at this point, this town has been the jewel in the Thundering Fork Valley, and we're not simply talking allegorically.

Why Travel To Breckenridge

Gotten comfortable 1859, Breckenridge holds a similar Victorian-time engagement it did during the stature of the gold rush. Its sensible and well-disposed environment has additionally persevered through its change from a silver-and gold-mining town to one of the country's most darling skiing objections. Additionally, Breck – as it's called by local people – is a fast drive from other famous Colorado objections, including Vail, which is 40 miles northwest, and Denver, which is 80 miles upper east.

Cold weather days in Breck are characterized by runs on the Tenmile Territory and evenings spent refueling at downtown cafés and bars – also an assortment of the bottling works and surprisingly a refinery. In the mid-year, winter sports are supplanted with climbing and cycling. In any case, regardless of the period, the greatness of a Breckenridge dusk and ritzy night sky is a marvel to see – and worth returning to a seemingly endless amount of a large number of years.

Why Go To Vail

Try not to allow Vail's little to measure or distant area fool you: This is quite possibly the most cherished chilly climate objection in the country for one explanation: skiing. Colorado Springs is likewise home organizations, for example, the Flying corps Institute and the Olympic and Paralympic Preparing Center. Also, throughout the long term, it's gotten a cross-segment of characters. Rampage and offer the walkways with maturing politicos, youthful families, workmanship darlings and that's just the beginning: All have a special interest in this part of America the Delightful.

Sandwiched between the Blood Mountain Reach toward the north and the Sawatch Mountain Reach toward the south, this thin valley is home to a few outstanding ski regions, including one of the country's biggest single-mountain resorts. Spiked pinnacles, miles of inclines, and amazing powder draw in the huge number of guests consistently, procuring Vail a vital spot among Colorado's other winter heavyweights, Aspen and Telluride. Truth be told, Vail's expertly manicured slants – just as its lavish lodgings, spas, and eateries – as often as possible invite Superstars like Will Smith, Cameron Diaz, and Justin Timberlake.

That being said, this is a hard city for those on a careful spending plan. The dazzling view is joined by bank-busting inn rates and lift tickets. The best way to keep away from these costs is to avoid the slants, however, that isn't really something terrible. Visit throughout the late spring and you'll find an assortment of approaches to partake in the mountains, from climbing and trekking to horseback riding and even whitewater boating.

Why Should You Visit Colorado Springs

It's not difficult to perceive any reason why Katharine Lee Bates was roused to compose the verses to the renowned energetic anthem "America the Delightful" from Colorado Springs. Glance in one area and you'll see the glorious "purple mountains:" the Colorado Rockies. Shift your eyes the other way to end up looking out at "golden floods of grain:" the Incomparable Fields. The lovely landscape isn't the lone motivation to go to this enchanting town. Colorado's grand landscape draws a large number of voyagers hoping to get cleared up in its regular quality. With a gathering of urban communities and towns, each with its own novel outside contributions, social attractions, and general Colorado enchant, it very well might be hard to pick the best spot for your next excursion. U.S. News considered various elements, including the assortment of attractions, just as the assessments of specialists and voyagers, to decide the best places to visit in Colorado. Have a top choice? Cast your vote beneath to help decide the following year's rundown.

[dailynewswebsite]

Refugees are at risk from dystopian ‘smart border’ technology

Refugee holding a cell phone at a refugee lodging centre in in Berlin, Germany, 2016 EPA/Kay Nietfield

New applied sciences deployed on borders for migration administration and border safety beneath the umbrella of sensible border options are ignoring the basic human rights of migrants.

Unmanned aerial automobiles (drones, for instance) are sometimes deployed within the surveillance of refugees within the US and the EU; massive information analytics are getting used to observe migrants approaching the border. Although strategies of border safety and administration fluctuate, a terrific deal are more and more used to stop migratory actions.

Synthetic intelligence (AI) is a vital part of migration administration. For example, the EU, the US and Canada spend money on AI algorithms to automate choices on asylum and visa functions and refugee resettlement. In the meantime, the real-time information collected from migrants by varied sensible border and digital wall options similar to satellites, drones and sensors are assessed by AI algorithms on the border.

On the US-Mexico border, for instance,the US Customs and Border Safety (CBP) company is utilizing synthetic intelligence, navy drones with facial recognition applied sciences, thermal imaging and faux cellphone towers to observe migrants earlier than they even attain the border. They’ll take heed to conversations between migrants, attempt to determine them from their faces, try their social media accounts and find individuals attempting to cross borders.

A brand new UN report has warned in regards to the dangers of so-called “sensible” border expertise on refugees particularly. These applied sciences are serving to border companies to cease and management the motion of migrants, securitise migration governance by treating migrants as criminals and ignore the basic rights of individuals to hunt asylum. Moreover, they acquire all information with out taking the consent of migrants – components that in different circumstances would doubtless be legal if deployed in opposition to residents.

As researcher Roxana Akhmetova has written: “the automated decision-making processes can exacerbate pre-existing vulnerabilities by including on dangers similar to bias, error, system failure and theft of information. All of which can lead to larger hurt to migrants and their households. A rejected declare fashioned on an faulty foundation can result in persecution.”

This can be a good instance of how algorithmic expertise extra typically will be influenced by the biases of its creators to discriminate in opposition to the decrease courses of society and serve the privileged ones. Within the case of refugees, individuals who have needed to flee their properties due to conflict are actually being subjected to experiments with superior expertise that can enhance the dangers carried by this already weak inhabitants.

Knowledge and consent

One other challenge at stake right here is the knowledgeable consent of refugees. This refers to the concept refugees ought to perceive the methods they’re subjected to and will have the possibility to decide out of them. Whereas voluntary knowledgeable consent is a authorized requirement, many teachers and humanitarian NGOs concentrate on “significant knowledgeable consent” which is greater than signing a paper and serving to refugees to totally perceive what they’re topic to. Secret surveillance offers them no such probability. And the applied sciences concerned are so complicated that even the workers working them have been mentioned to lack the experience to evaluate the moral and sensible implications.

Learn extra: Tech can empower refugee communities – in the event that they’re allowed to design the way it works

Recognition of the precise of ‘beneficiaries’ to reject these applied sciences will not be real looking, neither is it sensible. EPA

Regardless of the current UN report warning on the sensible border options, many governments and varied UN companies coping with refugees more and more desire to make use of tech-based options, for instance to evaluate individuals’s claims for support, money switch and identification. However what occurs to people who find themselves not prepared to share their information, for any cause, be it political, spiritual or private?

Use of those applied sciences requires public-private partnerships and technical preparations for an extended time frame earlier than refugees encounter them on the bottom. And on the finish of all of the processes to determine, fund and develop algorithms, recognition of the precise of “beneficiaries” to reject these applied sciences will not be real looking, neither is it sensible. Subsequently, most of those tech-based investments categorically undermine refugees’ knowledgeable consent as a result of the character of the work of these behind these choices is to disclaim their rights.

Refugees can profit from the growing use of digital expertise, as smartphones and social media will help them join with humanitarian organisations and keep in contact with households again dwelling. However ignoring the facility imbalance created by their lack of rights on account of utilizing such expertise results in the romanticisation of the connection between refugees and their smartphones.

It’s not too late to alter this course of technological growth. However refugees shouldn’t have the identical political company as home residents to organise and oppose authorities actions. If you wish to see what a dystopian tech-dominated future wherein individuals lose their political autonomy appears to be like like, the day by day experiences of refugees will present ample clues.

Emre Eren Korkmaz doesn’t work for, seek the advice of, personal shares in or obtain funding from any firm or group that might profit from this text, and has disclosed no related affiliations past their tutorial appointment.

from Growth News https://growthnews.in/refugees-are-at-risk-from-dystopian-smart-border-technology/ via https://growthnews.in

[kyloxfem]

Solo Travel As a Business and Lifestyle Phenomenon

In increasing numbers, people are traveling alone rather than simply waiting for others to join them. Solo travelers from the recent years have totaled 21 million in just the US and UK combined. According to a New York Times article in Nov. 2012, Internet searches for"solo travel packages" were up 60% over the previous year. The US Department of Commerce's Office of Travel & Tourism Industries ("OTTI") reported that a staggering 42 percent of U.S. citizens/residents that travelled overseas in 2011 traveled independently. 

Of these individual travelers, 38% traveled for leisure or to visit friends & relatives ("VFR") and 66 percent for business. Similarly, inbound solo travelers from overseas totaled 36.2%. Who are solo travelers? Solo travelers are a much wider group than just the single population. They may be: • Two-career couples on business travel or"DINK'S" (Double Income No Kids). • People who have relatives or friends overseas. • Family members pursuing different sports/hobbies overseas. 

Abercrombie & Kent's Jill Fawcett has clarified their solo travelers as:"frequently... married or have partners, but the spouses do not share the same interest... They wish to travel with like-minded individuals and the little group gives them some interaction. Then they return to the solitude of their room... 25 percent of individuals who opt for our Extreme Adventure series are (too ) solo travelers," she said. "People feel a bit more secure in a group if the destination is intimidating or there is a language barrier." Solo Travel Is Growing at a Rapid Rate | Phil Hoffman travel site, 10/25/11. 

Based on Grand Circle Corp chairman Alan Lewis,"Women are a growing force in the solo travel marketplace... in which the solo market has increased from approximately 20% to 25 percent of [Grand Circle's] total bookings during the previous five decades." Single travelers do continue to play an active part in solo travel. Their expansion is apparent in Europe and North America where people are marrying later and might be divorced, widowed or never married. 

According to a March 19, 2013 post entitled"The Growing Solo Travel Market", typical single families total as follows:

• 35% of households in developed countries • 40 percent in Finland and Norway (2011) 

• 37% in the Netherlands (2011)

 • 27 percent in the US (2010), 29% in the UK (2011) and 28 percent in Canada (2011). 

How can solos travel?

Solo travel might not necessarily imply traveling as a"group of one". Individuals may choose 

1. Escorted group tours 

2. Independent tours 

3. Traveling alone and choose their own hotels/tours 

What Matters Confront Those Traveling Alone? 

There are two key challenges for individual travelers. 

• Attractive prices: Lodging, tours and cruises are costly regularly on double occupancy. Although this isn't necessarily 2X, the cost differential can be significant. This is most pronounced in tour packages, especially cruises that have"2-for-the-price of 1" early booking promotionals. Because of this, those traveling alone may cover 3-4X couples/pairs. 

• Top excellent accessibility and service: At a busy vacation or tourist season, the unaccompanied traveler could be given less desired accommodations or tables . In actuality, even 5 star hotels may be unwilling to have a dinner reservation for you even if the individual traveler is a guest of this resort. The alternative might be sitting in the bar for dinner however the dining area has vacant tables. The outcome? 

These travelers are facing a"standup" buffet or participating in sleuthing to find an available seat. What's the Business Opportunity? This journey phenomenon is growing exponentially and represents an underserved market. The Chance for this industry is substantial, prioritized as follows: Leisure travelers: They're the biggest percentage of industry revenues. But a smaller percentage move alone for leisure trips. The beneficiaries: airlines, hotels, tours, car and concierge services. 

Business travelers: Even though a small part of revenues, a larger percentage are on business. Moreover, they could have a bigger budget than an individual on holiday. The identical industry segments would benefit with the exception of excursions except as possible additions to an international trip. VFR: People visiting friends and family might be met at the airport and also have access to local transport. While staying at a private house, meals might not be removed as often as resort guests. 

Thus, such travelers will continue to create new revenue primarily for airlines but are not likely to augment the present market for additional travel services. This business represents a largely untapped market. Given the sheer numbers of wealthy professionals and business executives, with the ideal mixture of well-priced, high quality supplies, both sides benefit. The travel industry will boost their present earnings while those traveling alone will reach more competitive pricing and access to high quality. It's a market whose time has come.

The Joys (and Sorrows) of Travelling Alone

There's not any one"right" way to travel, particularly in regards to the amount of partners you choose to travel with as you explore the world. Yes, if you travel with other people, you should only travel with those whose existence you like. And yes, I would argue you'll have far more fun by travelling with a few intimate and adventuresome friends as opposed to travelling through a foreign destination with a bunch of tourists that hardly need to leave the resort. However, assuming you make a few wise decisions concerning the company you keep, you will find unique benefits hidden within travelling with a single individual, with three individuals, or using a dozen individuals. 

Not that you really want to travel with anyone else. In actuality, the intensity of travelling often outclasses anything you will encounter travelling with others- extreme in its highs and its lows. Intense in its relations and its isolation. Intense in its chances for developing confidence, and extreme in its chances for dealing with uncertainty and fear. And it is this intensity of often-conflicting experience which produces travelling alone for a protracted period of time an absolute requirement for each and every one of us. 

Traveling is About Growth 

A quick aside. 

Some people might be put off with the ideal of intensity I have used to drum up travelling independently. I understand this. An intense experience could be embarrassing to consider. But in fact, an extreme experience is often more embarrassing to think about than it is to really live through. But our distress surrounding intensity lies in the core of every growth opportunity we encounter. We develop the most when we feel most alive and once we push vague anxieties to enlarge our sphere of comfortable actions.

In other words you should not avoid the extreme experiences and the distress they temporarily create - you need to run towards them. Sometimes travelling is all about just enjoying yourself, but at its center travelling the world is all about running towards intensity, adopting distress, and enlarging the world you inhabit.

 So yes, the notion of travelling alone can occasionally feel frightening. That is sort of the point. Do not use this fear as an excuse to live in a smaller world than you will need to. 

Others 

When you travel your adventures will swing wildly back and forth between being profoundly social and profoundly lonesome. Often the tone of your adventures changes instantly. 1 night you meet some new friends you spend hours and hours with as you speak, as you explore, as you bare your souls- as you get drunk together and dance together as you drift overseas streets late at night together, invincible in the present time. 

The next day they depart and so does the last person you know in your present location and you are alone again. In that moment you can be busy and reach out and meet others, but you will feel shocked how frequently, in that instant, you would rather spend your time entirely independently. Through expat pubs and hostels and other excursions, travelling supplies you with a never-ending chance to meet new men and women. 

When you travel by yourself you will only ever be as lonely as you need to be. You will have the ability to meet others without preconceptions, without strings attached, without checking in to see if everything's cool with your friends and without worry what others. If it comes down to it travelling by yourself supplies you with social liberty you could never experience back home or travelling with other people. And that has the freedom to really be on your own. 

The relief of sometimes spending a day on your own once you're back home doesn't, and can't, compare with the thickness of the solitude you may experience when you're alone for hours, days, or months at a time in cities, states and cultures far from your daily experience. These quiet, lonely moments will make you feel so many things, they will provide you the opportunity to process and to question and to reply, it is in those moments of complete separation from everything and everyone connected to home that you may acquire the maximum perspective in your life and make the difficult decisions about who you are, what you need, and how you are going to get there- decisions that you can't make when you are grasping on to even the smallest thread of connection to the life you used to know.  

Yourself 

I hope I do not sound like I am bearing down on others. So lots of your chances for some semblance of enlightenment will come to you in the business of others. We're intensely, and intrinsically, social animals. As E.E. Cummings stated,"We're for each other," and each nugget of insight you learn as you travel on your own is different for the sole purpose of helping you better serve the world and others who reside in it.

I am merely suggesting there are benefits and insights out there in the wild you can only gain when you disconnect entirely from the way you only can if you vacate regular life and search for something else by yourself. If you will need any greater sign that humans are really societal in nature think about the powerful feelings of uncertainty and fear you will feel when you cut yourself off from others. Even considering travelling alone you are probably thinking it isn't something that you could ever do. 

When you leave home on your own you may feel incredibly fearful of what you will find way out there and if you will have the ability to handle it. Travelling alone you may repeatedly question pretty much everything about yourself and if you can even survive, at a fundamental mental and psychological sense, without constant close contact with other individuals. And going through these cycles of fear and uncertainty you may learn something- which you can manage it. You can't just survive but you can flourish. 

You understand how tough you are, how small you really need, and with that knowledge of your own inherent indestructibility and with that understanding that life can be great even if you drop everything, you will get the confidence and courage to really act on the harmful insights you collect as you travel. Travelling alone not just enables you to view what difficult choices you will need to make when you return back home, travelling alone tells you you're strong enough to risk it all and act on them. Travelling alone makes you a wiser and a more powerful individual in ways travelling with others , ever could. Yes, travelling alone is harder than travelling with other people, but occasionally, especially during these times when you don't know what to do with yourself or your life, travelling alone becomes absolutely crucial.

[wallbedsmore]

Being A Star In Your Industry Is A Matter Of Murphy Beds Arizona

Murphy isolated through the communicated structure to cover his bed away in the storeroom of his one-room apartment suite while he guaranteed about. The beds have been being utilized starting now and into the not released, constantly respected by city space suite inhabitants and property holders who required an extra bed in a multipurpose room.

Chamber structures are used to work them by using two of them. The less standard utilize pneumatic ability to raise and sponsorship in order to separate down the bed assembling. It can incapacitate when the bed is vertical up stowed away in the divider. This lock is a thriving part, at any rate a particular foundation must be entered. Old ordinary Murphy bed structures use steel springs. Springs are the immense instrument that the Murphy Beds Arizona ought to use considering how they are liberal and accomplish thought leveling. These make the lifting and bringing down of your divider bed lightweight.

So we ought to talk about the upsides of guaranteeing a Murphy bed. To give a few models:

More space open in a short second for your room

More free floor zone

 Different expressive subject for your room

Choose from different styles - level or vertical

Simplify your life, less time making up the bed

Many decisions, for instance, rooms, break, a getting a region, moderate homes, guest houses, summer homes, rental homes, moving holder homes, houseboats, lodges, etc.

Put aside stores of money by building your own Murphy bed. A readied to present Murphy bed could be more than $2,000 with no issue. On the other hand, a DIY Murphy bed is encountering the trouble of building it, yet various people are boundlessly basic and have a cutoff doing these kind of attempts. There are gear units that might be found for $500 considering, yet others that join the wood and mechanical social affair could be around $1,000. So there is an approach of choices and expenses.

Murphy Beds Arizona

Several people have the money to do it past what many would consider conceivable wonderfully made, at any rate novel others like to make it go in constrainment while putting aside a tremendous extent of money to use for various necessities. Make the key advances not to be panicked by the wood fill in as you can have these cut to the key estimations by your close by mechanical get-together and lumberyard store. An in each advantageous sense dim improvement nuances that go into a twin, twofold/full or sovereign size Murphy bed are flawed close to the sizes. Mesmerizing to present, that paying small admonition to what the size is, you will find the cost for any of the sizes to be the family member.

During World War II and actually a brief timeframe later, the beds dropped in conviction, first by good nature of the nonattendance of steel, and beginning there on thinking about how people were moving out of the city to dependably fundamental, trademark homes, and space was not at such a premium. In the hours of the fifties and sixties, the beds were fundamentally observed as props in an interesting farce or the spot to cover the body in a troublesome story.

As time goes on, Murphy beds are experiencing a resurgence, as ace people move again into the urban areas and make their humbler living spaces interminably fundamental. Certain apartment suite occupants are finding these beds early existing in continually settled structures, especially in places like San Francisco, where the Murphy bed was supported, and where obvious Murphy beds were sold for the lofts worked between the 1906 seismic tremor and World War II. Antique Murphy beds are at present an enormous measure of checked for after conversation pieces and structure focal centers, correspondingly as sensible, paying little advice to everything working family unit things

Wall Beds & More

15705 N. Hayden Rd. Suite #K123 Scottsdale, AZ 85260

480) 725-9680

[topfygad]

Visiting the Galapagos Islands – Etramping Adventure Travel Blog

When you speak to fellow travelers, it’s remarkable how different their “bucket list” destination lists can be. We’re all looking for something different from our travels, and it’s wonderful that there are so many “must see” places. However, one destination that keeps cropping up in everyone’s wish list is the Galapagos Islands.

Welcome to the Galapagos Islands.

Is it their remoteness (they lie almost 600 miles off the Ecuadorian coast)? Or their historic role in the discovery of evolution? Or primarily their abundance of unique wildlife and habitats that can be found nowhere else? Most likely it’s all of these! But whatever your motivation for visiting, experiencing the Galapagos islands is probably on your list, too.

Straddling the equator and dedicated as a National Park by the Ecuadorian government in 1959, the ecosystems of the Galapagos Islands and their surrounding waters are heavily protected. The uniqueness and fragility of their natural history were further recognized in 1978 when they were designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Millions of Years in the Making

Formed by undersea volcanoes over millions of years, the islands are a mix of rugged and barren lava “lunar landscapes” seen on the younger islands in the archipelago, and older, lush forested tropical lands teeming with life and stunning white sand beaches.

Flora and fauna of the Galapagos Islands.

Thanks to their isolation, the Galapagos is home to many iconic species that you just can’t see anywhere else on Earth. From the majestic Giant Tortoises that roam the lowlands of the forested islands to the blue-footed boobies that are famous not only for their remarkably colored feet but also their beautifully comical mating dances.

The jagged cooled lava that meets the ocean teems with marine iguanas basking in the sun or on their way into the sea to feed. The world’s only aquatic lizards, these prehistoric-looking wonders can grow up to 4.5ft long, and they sneeze out the salt that they ingest from their seaweed diet.

The landscapes of the Galapagos Islands.

Galapagos penguins will swim playfully with you as you snorkel in the shallows. These cheeky birds are the most northerly penguin species in the world. In fact, one small colony on the north tip of the island of Isabela have set up home north of the equator – so penguins do live in the northern hemisphere, despite what you learned at school!

A Unique Role in Natural History

There are many more endemic species to discover including flightless cormorants, waved albatrosses, land iguanas, and more, but perhaps the most famous inhabitants are also the least striking – the several species of finches known collectively as Darwin’s Finches. It was the subtle differences between these birds across the islands, developing in isolation, that solidified Darwin’s theories on the origin of species during his stay on the islands as the naturalist aboard HMS Beagle in 1835.

The Galapagos Islands offer a great variety of animals.

Humans first began to settle in Galapagos in the early part of the 20th century, and the invasive species they brought with them (cats, goats, other livestock) wrought vast amounts of damage to the islands’ habitats. Today, the National Park educates visitors on the active work that still continues to preserve and restore the islands as a jewel in the crown of world heritage.

Planning Your Visit – Land or Sea?

With visitor numbers restricted, and only a select few islands and sites open to tourists, you need to choose the best way of experiencing the true Galapagos in the short time you will be able to stay in the National Park. There are two ways to plan a Galapagos exploration. The first is to choose a hotel, B&B or lodge as a base and then make day trips to nearby islands. There are a growing number of accommodation choices, from traditional hotel options in the main population centers of Puerto Ayora on Santa Cruz and Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal.

The Galapagos Islands – land or the sea?

There’s also a growing market in eco-lodges, boutique B&Bs, and other alternative accommodation options. This is probably the least expensive way to visit Galapagos, but it restricts how much of the 3,000 square miles of islands you can actually experience in one trip – and how many of the unique animals and habitats you can discover. You’ll be restricted to exploring one island, or taking small, fast boats to do daily “island hopping” to only one or two of the other nearby islands where visitors are allowed to land.

A Galapagos Cruise – Best of All Worlds?

A more expensive, but much more immersive option is to take a guided naturalist cruise around the archipelago. The National Park authorities license a restricted number of vessels to bring visitors to the islands with tight controls on numbers and the ecological impact they are allowed to make.

What’s the best way to experience this unique World Heritage gem? Cruise is the answer!

Because you must be accompanied by a certified guide who may supervise a maximum of 16 visitors, you receive a very intimate and personal introduction to the Galapagos. Many of the boats in the Galapagos cruise fleet therefore only take 16 passengers, although there are a handful of larger ships, including two or three that can accommodate up to 100.

With plenty of boats to choose from at a range of price of options, each offering at least two different itineraries, it can be challenging to find the right one for you. Luckily there are tools you can use to help you find the right Galapagos cruise.

Galapagos cruises are available as 4-day, 8-day or 15-day options. Given everything that there is to experience here unless you really don’t have any other choice a 4-day Galapagos cruise really won’t give you more than a quick flavor of the islands.

Significant advantages to taking a Galapagos cruise include the ability to get close to those islands where landings are still forbidden, to snorkel from the boat and swim with the amazing marine life, and to share your trip with a small group of like-minded travelers.

Enjoy the cruise!

The guides who must accompany you are all highly qualified and absolute Galapagos enthusiasts. They really help to make the islands come alive for you and their daily briefings will give you a real appreciation for the geography, geology and conservation work that goes on to protect the Galapagos.

Just Do It!

Whether you choose a hotel-based stay or you take a Galapagos cruise you’ll come home with unique memories – so just do it! Take the best camera you can get and plenty of sunscreens, and visit at any time of the year. As an equatorial archipelago, there’s no wrong time to visit, and the islands are full of activity all year round.

For nature lovers, this is a destination that you need to visit. Because they have no fear of people, you can get closer to truly wild animals here than anywhere else. When you add to this the fact that many of the species you’ll encounter are endangered and can’t be seen anywhere else, even in zoos and wildlife parks, then it all adds up to a remarkable experience that really should be on everyone’s bucket list.

This post was originally published in May 2019

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2nav6Ks via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

[vagabondpainter-blog]

Catching up

It all is so far away now, counted as well in days as in weeks, in kilometers, in miles or in impressions, in encounters and insights, or measured by fruitless attempts to write this blog.

To catch up while still keeping this Text readable, I will shorten things, I will have to be unjust.

The people I met, friends I visited, friends I found, even strangers who gave advice or help before quickly disappearing again along the ever winding road, they all deserved more words of gratitude, the landscapes I've seen, the early morning mists, birdsong, rough hills and gentle streams, they are all worthy of poems, paintings, and some day hopefully I will find the rest to praise them rightly.

And about people, about friends: I will not talk in depth about them here, maybe some of the closest not even talk about at all or just mention briefly. That is because trust and friendship are sacred, I don't want anyone to have to worry about being displayed and evaluated here, or conversations being put on public display. That's why my tale will sound probably egocentric at times. Besides some points I take out of conversations I'm determined to keep this a blog only about the experiences and lessons I came across, to share and hopefully inspire, but leave people their privacy.

So informations about others I'll keep vague and brief except for some relevant points now and then if they are required as context.

For now it's these fragments, learned lessons and impressions:

1] The Kindness Of Strangers

The boat leaves in the late afternoon, yet I'm here already. It wasn't easy to say goodbye to friends. Its the moment when you painfully realize what you leave behind before you find the courage to let things go and to jump into an uncertain future. I'm grateful that there have been friends to be missed, friends waving when I left and many people, places and memories to cherish, so rather say 'Thank you' than 'Good bye'.

Now I'm here, not sure how to store a bicycle on the ferry, what to do and where to go. A fellow cyclist reassures me that everything will be ok and shows how to secure the bicycle before we part and enter the huts.

It is a smooth sailing on calm waters. I take position on the south side and watch, watch how Ijmuiden floats away, see Zandvoort passing in the distance, let memories rise out of the parting waves until much later the last dim reflection of the sun is swallowed by the darkness of the water.

Next morning I watch the sunrise from the front-deck before later slowly the shore of Britain appears on the horizon.

Back in the belly of the ship, bicycle is packed and we wait for permission to get on land. My fellow cyclist is here again and we find out that we worked in the same field, be it in different positions, until lately when I quit my job. Healthcare in general, and psychiatry in particular seems to struggle with the same problems on both sides of the water- lack of resources combined with an abundance of expectations and many self-declared specialists eagerly waiting on the sidelines to tell you how exactly you should do your job. I don't regret my step.

Soon we change the subject, talk about more uplifting things, like freedom, travels, cycling and living life.

I'm glad he offers to accompany me for the first few miles, show me the way and help me get accustomed to cycling on the left side of the road.

While traveling the shore, he realizes that my journey later would take me along the A1, the most dangerous and deadly road of Britain. Plans change and a bit later I find myself in a nice cozy house, greeted by a friendly dog. The family is gathered now, they brought dutch scones and there I am, arrived in Britain, eating dutch bread and being made welcome.. and grateful.

Later they even offer me a lift along the A1 so I can continue my journey quite a few miles north on a safe bicycle path.

Actually- actually I made a promise to myself when I gave up my home- to leave every place I visit a little bit nicer, tidier or kinder then I found it, be it a small bit within my powers only.

Yet here I am, receiving all this kindness and struggling to find a way to give a tiny thing at least.

A small contribution I might be able to make after all- the lady of the house is an artist and I hope to come back and spend some time, exchanging tips and knowledge about painting.

It won't really be able to repay the welcome, they didn't know how much it meant- this first encounter on the new path, a sense of home in the world out there.

2] Of Hunters, Vegans, Spiders, Flies, and Shamans too

For my first working assignment I arrive one or two days late.

The bicycle paths in Britain are made for leisure, not for means of transportation, to get from A to B, you sometimes get sent along the beautiful yet rough and rocky road uphill through E to G.

In the morning my host comes to town to give me a lift uphill so I don't need to climb up to the cottage. We soon find out a difference in lifestyle, that either might lead to conflict or to very interesting talks-

While I myself took up a vow years ago to restrain from eating or even using animal products, he is an outspoken and passionate hunter and skillful hunting guide.

Greeted by a friendly dog and a flock of even friendlier chickens I put up my hammock next to a cottage that has seen many years, some of them hard, now regaining its beauty under its tenants committed work.

Not only the growing vegetables outside provide some common ground to get along, we soon find out, as the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh once said: “If you wish to be understood, you should listen very carefully”

I put aside any prejudice and get a chance to actually learn- a hunter may just as much care about nature and all life in it as the convinced vegan.. not every hunter of course, some are in it for profit just as some vegans are in it for pride.

Those others, those on both sides who actually do care, more and more appear to me as devoted parents arguing about the best cure for their sick child. Later I will briefly encounter a native American shaman and will have to realize that those revered ancient cultures are hunters too.

And when I rescue a little spider after that the other day, it strikes me, how many other insects I might have sent to certain death by saving this one predator...

In the end it seems that our technological power has by far outgrown our human wisdom and it's estrangement from nature what deceives us to take extreme positions- on one side some are abusing sensible, breathing, childbearing live as if it where an industrial product, which makes us a parasite in the organs of life, while on the other side we might not interfere when necessary and so get complicit in catastrophes out of fear of causing individual harm, which is neglect of our responsibilities as intelligent life form.

Life is sustained by devouring itself in any form. In the complex web of interdependence I will continue to avoid harm, but I also learned to judge less those who are willing to intervene, it's the caring about nature, the respecting of life and the willingness to learn about them, what defines whether our actions are righteous and wise, there is not one answer that fits all circumstances.

3] Anam Cara

The path up north led me through the green hills of a land where all the places sound like echoes of long forgotten songs and ancient tales.

Shelters where ready, arranged by friends of a friend, all without expecting anything in return, just out of kindness, setup in beautiful places, the shore of a river, a comfortable trailer in a wide meadow with view on the distant chain of snowy hills, hosts welcoming the traveler, helping and showing me around, and I had to learn that sometimes all one has to offer in return is humble gratitude.

What a strange and beautiful paradise waits in the hills behind Inverness. Anam Cara is the retreat center I work and paint for here.

Lodges and huts are made of timber, stone, from large barrels and from caravans..

I sometimes get lost on the terrain, nothing here is put in a straight line, everything has grown naturally accordingly to the apparent conditions at the time.

It's a place just like its founders and inhabitants, a marriage of Buddhist Dharma and shamanic teachings, enforcing and helping each other by aiming at the same goal from different angles in perfect eclectic harmony.

4] Of Tunnels and Light

At Scottish Borders it is. We follow the shore along the stream, up in the hills, where a long abandoned railroad left its trail, and a tunnel between the trees.

Here, our kind host and guide tells us, many found an experience of transformation.

On a dark day in his life he decided for the first time to go inside.

With the courage of despair he had entered and faced inside this darkness that other darkness which at the time needed to be released. On the other side of the tunnel the light that welcomed him brought the beginning of the change to the better.

We are glad he 's willing to share the experience and I opt for walking first.

Beforehand it all sounded quite easy, just going inside the darkness alone without light and walking through, blindly, until the eyes capture a dim light from the other side.

Now in front of the big black hole amongst the green I doubt for a moment whether I really want to go in.

Threads of fog, hovering at the entrance, weave a mystical web. A chilly breeze greets me as if it where the breath of the earth.

One of the dogs accompanied me on my first steps towards the huge mouth that will swallow me in a moment, and for some time I have the impression the dog is still with me in the dark. I hear my own footsteps and feel this other presence right behind me. Later I learn the dog left me at the entrance already...

Once the darkness surrounds me completely and I should probably feel lost in the void, a deep calm sense of serene silence comes over me, a trust that whatever happens here, is supposed to be and is just perfect as it is. I wander in the timeless spaciousness, listening to my ever slower footsteps.

There is no hurry, no need anymore to get anywhere. While the feet calmly keep going I suddenly loose all intention to either stay or leave. Everything is just about now and now is exactly, perfectly well as it has to be.

Maybe due to a lack of external input, the sense of self dissolves into the black empty space and only a floating undefined feeling of wideness and joy vibrates on.

The first glimpse of light some time later doesn't seduce me to rush, I could just as well stay here, in this very moment for eternity, yet I keep moving.

Never thought the greens of the trees and the grasses, the gentle mos could look as vibrant and intense as they appear while I leave the tunnel. It rather seems, I'm watching the surroundings steadily passing by, then moving myself.

I enjoy the forest with a joy I haven't known so far- like a child looking at trees and clouds and pebbles for the first time ever. I keep walking and keep looking, perceiving without judgment, without naming, without wanting, only looking, smelling, listening, just sensing the stream of impressions calmly arising and taking course.

And I know that nothing ever will be the same, also know now that nothing ever has been the same before. It's freedom to ride on the stream of ever changing appearances without grasping or rejecting, I heard of that, I knew it, could have said these words any time, yet now the tunnel showed that truth in a way, so that I actually could see it too .

5] What is Home?

Back in the Netherlands, coming home from being home, not sure how and why I would deserve this. It must be a natural human kindness I didn't notice before that strongly. Now when I need it, there are friends to let me stay in their place, people offering shelter without expecting anything. I visit friends, I'm humbled and touched by all generosity, and I suspect I might know now, why in some lineages Buddhist monks are obliged to beg for their food- it's only when you depend on others in a way, that you get a chance to realize that, contrary to what the news might tell, human is in essence a very kind and giving being.

I have, for now, just to practice in gratitude to hopefully some day be able to give back.

6] Cow-dung is not Bullshit

Cycling in Germany is a challenge, most roads are forbidden for cyclists, they send you along long winding tracks and don't care to close a path without alternative.

After days of sweating under threatening thunderclouds, in heat, having my navigation gone with the broken phone, getting lost in unknown places, climbing hills without knowing where I am and how to get on, I arrive, days late again.

Now I work at the Schwäbische Alb, there's a small Village on top of a hill and I live here, take care of the garden and paint the portals, just paint, nothing artsy :) but besides being invited to feel at home and greatly being cared for, its my first real encounter with alternative building and painting materials what makes it extra special to be here.

The paint is the etching, burning, kind of chalk that was used for centuries here, but the main lesson is a little building project inside the large shed, a storage room made from clay and dry cow-dung.

I learn from mistakes and from what went well, getting an idea to – one day, some day, after the journeys – maybe build my own alternative home based on experiences and learning ahead.

7] The naked Truth

One more fragment, one I doubted if it was ok to tell, but decided that it should not matter if people think I'm weird, I'm a fifty years old guy giving up a comfortable stable life to cycle around and work without predictable income, not even a pension-plan. I AM weird probably and as long as no one gets hurt I'm free to be as strange as I choose to be.

It's the evening of a hard and hot day, the sun burned my skin dark red and any sweat from cycling uphill dried quickly without cooling me off. I finally find a great spot to spend the night, near a small town or village, but out in the green, well hidden and comfortable.

Before I rest I need to refill my water-supplies and rehydrate myself, also the new used phone I was lucky to receive, does act up, the batteries run quickly, didn't recharge anymore and I want to give it one more try.

It's good as well, to check the vibes of the area, to know the territory and get familiar with the place.

So instead of getting ready for the night I enter the place for a drink and general recharging in the local pizzeria. I'm the only customer inside. The friendly owner refills the bottles and tries to help me with the phone. After a tough day through the hills in merciless heat I enjoy talking to someone before I get back out into the fields. Yet when I tell about the travels and my new life, he offers me to seek shelter at the small terrace next to the house where the guests sit in daytime. It's right at the fairly busy street, surrounded by houses and I'd like my first shelter more, but there are two good reasons to gratefully except the offer- one, it is an act of kindness and that counts more then comfort, two, I slept in fields and woods, in trailers, tents and under bridges, but never in the open air in the middle of a town.

So I set up my shelter, sleeping bag as isolation and the raintarp as cover on one side tied to the fence, the other attached to the bicycle.

A thin tarp provides the illusion of privacy and I lay down in the noise of passing cars and voices on the street.

Now the overheated body starts boiling and burning, however I move or turn, a layer of inescapable

fire keeps me awake. Everything I wear sticks to the skin. Half asleep and half in fever I guess, I remove it all.

A gentle nightly breeze cools me off and sings me to sleep. While I see the stars through the fence it occurs to me, that whoever would find me here, would think I was drunk or crazy. Laying there amongst all cozy houses, bare and naked, not showered for days, hair and beard growing wildly I have finally become a drifter.

And then the image comes before my minds eye, of me laying there, bare of any sign of social status or role, looking like an abandoned corpse, but there is no shame, no fear, only deep calm peace and freedom.

That takes me back into the tunnel. It's the same sense of serenity, nothing to achieve, nothing to loose, nothing to be done, only being.

I will loose this peace of mind again on several occasions, when the wind stands against me, when I loose direction, when I set up goals, but there are more and more times of this deep relaxing equanimity, the acceptance of whatever might be.

[laraehrlich-blog]

Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel.

My first encounter with n animals 20 years ago was arguably my most memorable.

We were stopped at a light on the 6-lane highway leaving Anchorage when we saw a mama Moose crossing the road, with an upset calf who clearly had no interest in doing so. Traffic came to a standstill as the drama played out, and we cheered when the youngster finally followed.

It was the first of many incredible sightings of wildlife, which includes approximately 2 mammal species, 525 bird species, 4 species of whales and porpoises, and 3700+ other species of marine life.   

From n tundra animals (including Caribou, Wolves, and Arctic Foxes) and n bears (Black, Brown, and Polar) to endangered species such as Steller’s Sea Lions and Humpback Whales, the wildlife of is thrillingly diverse.

As influential as my first trip to Denali National Park was on the work we do now with Green Global Travel, our recent small ship n cruises with AdventureSmith Explorations were equally impressive in terms of animal sightings.

Exploring the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Fjords National Park, Glacier Bay National Park, and the Inside Passage, we saw more than 50 different animals that live in .  

So here’s a guide to some of the most intriguing n animal species, including many of our favorite wildlife images from our latest trip. 

READ MORE: Best Small Ship Cruises For Your World Travel Bucket List

N ANIMALS GUIDE

n Birds

n Bears

Other Land-Based n Animals

n Whales & Porpoises

Other n Marine Animals

N BIRDS

American Bald Eagle in ’s Kenai Fjords National Park

. AMERICAN BALD EAGLE

Though the United States national bird may be a rare sighting in the lower 48, n Bald Eagles are fairly ubiquitous.

They’re found in the state’s southern coastal areas all year-round, and along inland lakes and READ MORE: List of US National Parks by State (An Epic Guide)

Barrow’s Goldeneye Ducks in Kenai National Park,

2. BARROW’S GOLDENEYE

One of more than a dozen different species of n ducks found in the state’s many lakes and rivers, the Barrow’s Goldeneye rivals the Harlequin Duck among our favorite n birds.

Where the male Common Goldeneye has a jewel-tone green head, the Barrow’s Goldeneye is a gorgeous royal purple, with a white crescent below its yellow eye and a black-and-white back. 

Females of both species are mottled gray, with tawny brown heads. We saw this mating pair near the Pedersen Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. 

READ MORE: 40 Facts about the Hawaiian Goose (a.k.a.. Nene Goose)

Oystercatcher Bird in Kenai National Park,

3. BLACK OYSTERCATCHER

One of ’s most striking shorebirds, the Black Oystercatcher has an all-black body with a long red bill, red-ringed yellow eye, and pink legs.

You’ll typically find them wandering along the state’s rocky seashores, where they use their thick beak to pry and break open the shellfish they love to eat.

They can grow up to 8 inches tall, and have a loud, piercing whistle-like call. We saw this next to the lagoon in front of the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge. 

READ MORE: 5 Beautiful Birds of the Galapagos Islands

Common Murres in ’s Inside Passage

4. COMMON MURRE

This species’ biggest claim to fame is that it is often mistaken for a Penguin due to its similar, tuxedo-like coloration.

The Common Murre, which grows up to 7 inches long, is actually shaped more like a duck, but with a longer more slender bill.

During our time in we only saw them in the open water, usually in large groups swimming in a line or v-formation. We saw this group while cruising ’s Inside Passage. 

READ MORE: Penguins of Antarctica

  5. COMMON RAVEN

Held as sacred among the indigenous Tlingit people, these humongous birds are anything but common when seen up close.

Frequently sighted along the coast (we saw quite a few of them while walking the streets of Juneau), they can grow up to 27 inches long. They boast a low, but loud croaking call that will definitely get your attention.

With its uniformly black feathers, shaggy head, and prominent bill, it’s easy to see why the Raven inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s famous gothic poem.

READ MORE: 0 Travel Books that Inspired My Love of Adventure

Pelagic Coromorants and Black-legged Kittiwakes in

6. PELAGIC CORMORANT

One of the more common n birds, this is one of three cormorant species found in the state. You’ll often see their nesting colonies on the rocky ledges of coastal cliffs.

Growing up to three feet, the Pelagic Cormorants’ crests are subtle, but can be identified by their orange throat patch, slender neck, and hooked bill.

You may also see them with their wings spread wide as they dry out in the sun. We spotted these nesting in Glacier Bay National Park.

READ MORE: Flightless Cormorant Mating Dance (Video)

Glaucous Winged Gull in Kenai National Park

7. GULLS

There are at least four different Gull species commonly spotted in . The most unique of these is the Bonaparte’s Gull, which is small and has a black head, thin bill, and reddish legs.

The most abundant is the Black-legged Kittiwake, which also has black-tipped wings and which you can expect to see every day.

Others include the Glaucous-winged Gull (which are common in coastal areas) and the Herring Gull (which are usually seen near inland lakes and rivers).

READ MORE: 30 Amazing Galapagos Islands Animals

Pine Grosbeak in Kenai National Wildlife Refuge,

8. PINE GROSBEAK

This resident species’ striking coloration may lead you to mistake it for a Cardinal from a distance, but up close the Pine Grosbeak looks much more like a Finch.

Growing up to 0 inches long, the male is rosy red with black wings, while the female is grey with a greenish head and rump.

Both have a black, cone-shaped bill, and are commonly seen at n bird feeders all throughout the year.

We saw this handsome male feeding alongside a female on a road inside the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.

READ MORE: How to Attract Birds to Your Garden

Horned Puffins in

9. PUFFINS

There are two species of Puffins in , but they’re fairly easy to tell apart. The Horned Puffin has a white belly, an orange Parrot-like bill, and a distinctive black, fleshy “horn” above each eye.

The Tufted Puffin is mostly black, with long tufts of golden feathers that curl back from either side of its head.

Both are commonly seen in coastal waters, where they can “fly” underwater to feed on fish. We saw them fairly often throughout our n cruises in both Kenai Fjords National Park and the Inside Passage. 

READ MORE: Top 7 Things to do in Iceland

Red Throated Loons at Pederson Glacier in Kenai National Park,

0. RED-THROATED LOON

Of the five species of loons in , the Red-throated Loon is arguably the most attractive.

Its head is medium gray, with a white-flecked black back, vertical black-and-white stripes on its nape, and a rusty red throat patch.

Like other loons, they can dive up to 250 feet to hunt for fish. They typically inhabit lakes and the Arctic coast in summer, and the southern coast in winter.

We saw this mating pair in a lagoon near the Pederson Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park. 

READ MORE: 20 Largest Lakes in the World by Continent

  . RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD

The only commonly-seen species of hummingbird in , these tiny beauties nest in the southern part of the state, migrating to READ MORE: 40 Amazing Costa Rica Animals

Semi-palmated Plover in

2. SEMI-PALMATED PLOVER

Typically found along ’s southern coastal areas, the Semi-palmated Plover is a beautiful brown shorebird.  

They often nest along beaches, and will become persistently vocal if you get too close to their nesting area.

They’re identified by their white throat and breast, a black band around its neck, and a black-tipped orange bill. They use the latter to probe in mud and sand in search for the invertebrates on which they feed.

We saw this one scrounging on the beach near the Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge. 

READ MORE: The World’s Most Colorful Beaches

Snowy Owl

3. SNOWY OWL

Now commonly associated with Harry Potter, the Snowy Owl generally prefers marshes and tundra in the n Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. 

But they’re increasingly migrating further south in winter, when their food sources tend to get more scarce.

Growing up to 27 inches long, these big, beautiful birds are mostly white, but with head, chest, and wings spotted with black bars. They’re one of the few species of Owls you may actually get to see hunting during the day.

READ MORE: Tundra Animals in Churchill, Manitoba

  4. TRUMPETER SWAN

One of two species of swans found in , the Trumpeter Swan is larger than the Tundra Swan, growing to over five feet from bill-tip to tail.

Both species can be found in all sorts of water– lakes, marshes, ponds, and rivers– and both are all-white.

Other than size, the only easy way to tell them apart is their bill (the Tundra Swan’s is black) and their call. The Trumpeter’s is low and distinctively horn-like, while the Tundra’s is high and sounds like a “whoop.”

READ MORE: 20 Longest Rivers in the World by Continent

Willow Ptarmigan

5. WILLOW PTARMIGAN

The official State Bird, the Willow Ptarmigan is commonly referred to as a “bush chicken,” due primarily to the fact that nearly all n predators (including humans) like to eat them.

Short and stout, with feathers even on their toes, these birds change colors with the seasons.

Males are reddish brown and white in summer, while females are mottled brown, but both turn mostly white in winter to help them stay camouflaged on the snowy tundra.

I saw this one (and many others) during my Denali National Park trip back in 999.

READ MORE: A Guide to Ethical Eating When You Travel

  N BEARS

Black Bears in at Mendenhall Glacier

6. BLACK BEAR

Though not quite as large as Brown Bears or Polar Bears, n Black Bears are an intimidating presence in many of the state’s forested areas. 

Our tour guides frequently advised us on safety procedures in bear country, including always hiking with a buddy, carrying bear spray, talking loudly so that you don’t surprise them, and never running if you encounter a bear in the woods.

We saw them numerous times during our latest trip to , including several loners wandering in Kenai Fjords National Park and a mama bear with two adorable cubs along the Steep Creek Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier.

Despite their name, these omnivores can actually range in color from black and brown to cinnamon and even shades of blue (for camouflage near glaciers).

READ MORE: Black Bears in Alligator River NWR, North Carolina

Grizzly Bears at the Wildlife Conservation Center by Mike Jerrard

7. BROWN (GRIZZLY) BEAR

My personal favorite n animal, Brown Bears are noted for their size (up to seven feet), humped shoulders, and massive feet with razor-sharp claws.

There are three subspecies in Brown Bears in : One inhabits coastal areas and feeds mostly on salmon, while Grizzly Bears are found inland and further north (especially Denali National Park) and are smaller due to a more plant-based diet.

The more isolated Kodiak Island Bear subspecies is the largest terrestrial carnivore in the world.

READ MORE: Denali National Park, (America’s Last Frontier)

Polar Bear in the Arctic Tundra

8. POLAR BEAR

READ MORE: Polar Bear Fight in Churchill, Manitoba

  OTHER N ANIMALS

American Beaver by skeeze from Pixabay

9. AMERICAN BEAVER

While you may not actually spot an n Beaver during your visit, you’ll almost certainly see their handiwork if you go rafting, canoeing, or kayaking down any major river or stream.

These large (up to four feet long), brown rodents use their remarkable teeth to fell trees into the water, gradually building elaborate dams.

They’re most active at dawn and dusk, when they emerge to feed on aquatic plants, bark, and grass, slapping their tails on the water as a warning if danger is imminent.

READ MORE: The 0 Best Canoe Trips (World Trael Bucket List)

  20. ARCTIC FOX

Smaller than their red cousins, Arctic Foxes are perfectly adapted to their frigid habitat (which ranges from and Arctic READ MORE: Amazing Animal Facts (Animal Olympians)

Bison in Yellowstone National Park near Grand Geyser

2. BISON

Most people associate Bison (which are confused with, but technically not a species of Buffalo) with READ MORE: 0 Best National Parks in USA for Wildlife Watching

Caribou in Denali National Park,

22. CARIBOU

Caribou in , which are also known as READ MORE: Winter Adventures in Finnish Lapland

  23. DALL SHEEP

As with the Caribou, both male and female Dall Sheep have horns. But the male’s are considerably more massive and coiled.

They often implement them for intense head-butting competitions, which are used to establish a hierarchy of dominance for mating purposes.

Dall Sheep in are typically seen on cliff edges in mountainous regions, where their white coats stand out in striking contrast to the dynamic green and gray landscapes.

READ MORE: 20 Best Mountains in the World

Gray Wolf by christels from Pixabay

24. GRAY WOLF

Easily the largest of ’s canine species, the Gray Wolf can grow to six feet and comes in colors ranging from white to black and all shades in between.

They’re found in approximately 85% of the state’s wilderness areas, living in packs of two to 30 animals.

The READ MORE: Endangered Species that Mate for Life

n Moose in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

25. MOOSE

I call the n Moose “the Camels of the tundra,” because they tend to be of a similar size (up to 9 feet tall), body type (huge, with long, thin legs and a pendulous snout), and disposition (ornery and unpredictable).

The Moose is the official State animal. But most ns we met were even more wary of Moose than Bears.

They tend to be found in forests near shallow water sources, but we saw a female in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge right alongside the road, feeding on dandelions.

Females with young calves are extremely aggressive, and should be avoided at all costs.

READ MORE: The Moose Whisperer & The Coolest Moose in Sweden

Mama & Baby Mountain Goats in Glacier Bay National Park

26. MOUNTAIN GOAT

From a distance (which is usually how you’ll see them) you might mistake a Mountain Goat in for a Dall Sheep, since both are white, grow up to six feet, and prefer mountainous areas.

But the goat has longer, shaggier fur and short, straight black horns. They prefer high alpine meadows in summer, only going down towards the tree line in winter.

We spotted quite a few in the hills of Kenai Fjords National Park and Glacier Bay National Park’s Gloomy Knob area, including this mama goat with a baby climbing on her. 

READ MORE: 40 Facts About the Markhor (National Animal of Pakistan)

Muskox in by David Mark from Pixabay

27. MUSKOX

Large and stocky, with long hair and prominent horns, these imposing cow-like creatures grow up to eight feet.

Though the native Muskox population in was hunted to extinction in the 800s, a herd was introduced from Greenland in the 930s.

Today there are thousands of Muskox in , including a domesticated farm in Palmer, a research project at the University of in Fairbanks, and wild herds roaming in western areas such as Bethel and Nome.

READ MORE: Wildlife Conservation Center (Photo Gallery)

Red Squirrel at Kenai Glacier Lodge,

28. RED SQUIRREL

A common sighting in ’s forests, the Red Squirrel is actually a rusty olive color with a white belly and a fluffy reddish-orange tail.

You’ll likely hear their noisy chatter before you see them scurrying quickly through the forest to gather their winter supply of berries, nuts, and seeds.

Look for burrows around the base of trees, where they typically hide their cache of food.

READ MORE: The 20 Biggest Forests in the World

Sitka Deer by Hillebrand, Steve [Public domain]

29. SITKA BLACK-TAILED DEER

Found primarily in the coastal rainforests of southern , the Sitka Black-tailed Deer is relatively small, averaging under five feet tall.

The species changes in coloration to help them stay camouflaged, from reddish-brown coats in summer to gray in winter.

Males shed their antlers annually between January and March. 

READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Facts About the Saola (a.k.a. Asian Unicorn)

  N WHALES & PORPOISES

Beluga Whales by Mike Johnston via CC 2.0

30. BELUGA WHALE

Usually found in coastal waters and shallow bays, this small (around 3 feet long on average) white whale has a pronounced forehead filled with fatty tissue (called the melon).

The Beluga Whale is also known as the “sea canary” because of its distinctive high-pitched squeaks, squeals, and whistles, which it uses to find prey and communicate with others.

The subpopulation of ’s Cook Inlet is considered endangered, and is currently protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

READ MORE: North Atlantic Right Whale Facts

Bowhead Whale by Kate Stafford of the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve,   CC BY-SA 2.0

3. BOWHEAD WHALE

Although we never saw a Bowhead Whale during our two weeks in Southeast , the species deserves special mention as ’s State Marine Mammal.

They earned this distinction because they’re the only whales in that spend their entire life in Arctic waters. Bowhead Whales have also historically been an important food source for the indigenous people of ’s northwestern coastal communities.

Growing up to 60 feet long, Bowheads have an unusual arched jaw and a mouth/head that can be up to /3 of their total body length.

READ MORE: 40 Fascinating Facts About Blue Whales

  32. DALL’S PORPOISE

One of two kinds of porpoise we saw in (the other being the more dull-colored Harbor Porpoise), the Dall’s Porpoise looks a bit like a tiny (7-foot-long) Killer Whale.

It has a shorter snout and a stockier body than a dolphin, with black coloring offset by a big white belly patch.

They usually travel in pods ranging from 2 to 20 animals, and are fond of playing in the wake of ships (which is where we saw them during our Inside Passage cruise).

READ MORE: 5 Harmful Traditions & Cultural Practices

Humpback Whale Closeup

33. HUMPBACK WHALE

These gentle giants (which can grow up to 50 feet long) are often seen close to shore along ’s southern coast during their summer migration season.

You usually only get glimpses of their humped backs and small dorsal fins as they dive to feed on small schooling fish. But every so often one will show you their long flippers or tail flukes, which are usually white.

Despite many whale watching tours, I’ve only ever seen them breach from a distance. Listen for their haunting calls when the water is calm.

READ MORE: Whales That Live in Antarctica

Orcas in (Kenai National Park)

34. Orca (a.k.a. Killer Whale)

Though they’re commonly known as the Killer Whale, Orcas are not actually a whale at all, but a member of the dolphin family.

The “killer” part comes from the fact that pods of up to 40 Orcas will hunt large marine animals as a pack, almost like “sea wolves.”

With their long black dorsal fins and white-spotted eyes and bellies, Orcas in are a fairly common sight in Kenai Fjords National Park, the Inside Passage, and other n waters.

READ MORE: Southern Resident Killer Whales

  OTHER N MARINE ANIMALS

King Crab by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [Public domain]

35. N KING CRAB

Second only to Sockeye Salmon among the state’s most valuable commercial species, the n King Crab lives up to its name by growing up to a whopping five feet wide.

Typically found in waters up to 200 feet deep, these big red wonders have pointy spikes covering most of their heads, six legs, and claws.

The right claw is usually much larger on adult crabs, and often used as a weapon during fights. Their meat is widely considered a READ MORE: 60 Weird Animals Around the World

Harbor Seals at Holgate Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park,

36. HARBOR SEAL

One of the most difficult species of wildlife in to photograph, Harbor Seals (a.k.a. Leopard Seals, due to their spotted coats) are shy but plentiful.

We saw many of them throughout the Inside Passage, Glacier Bay, and Kenai Fjords, particularly around icebergs and “berglets” (as National Park Ranger Rebekah Weirda liked to call them).

They’re easiest to see on the ice floes, where they go to rest and bear their young away from the watchful eyes of predators.

READ MORE: 30 Antarctic Animals You Can See on an Antarctica Cruise

Steller’s Sea Lions in Kenai Fjords National Park

37. STELLER’S SEA LION

Also known as Northern Sea Lions, these pinnipeds can grow to 0.5 feet long and weigh 000+ pounds, with males up to three times as large as females.

Around 70% of these endangered animals inhabit the waters around , gathering seasonally to breed and raise pups in rookeries used year after year.

We saw several Steller’s Sea Lions in Kenai Fjords National Park that had been tagged as part of a scientific study on their declining population numbers.

READ MORE: Swimming with Sea Lions (Galapagos Islands)

  38. SALMON

n Salmon is not only the state’s commercial export, but they’re also a huge tourism draw once fishing season opens.

We heard tales of the Kenai River being lined with hundreds of fishermen standing shoulder-to-shoulder during peak season, occasionally competing with the bears for their catch.

In addition to Sockeye (or Red Salmon), Chinook (King Salmon), Coho (Silver Salmon), and Pink (Humpbacked) n Salmon are also popular.

READ MORE: Fishing Mobile Bay & the Mobile-Tensaw Delta

Sea Otters in (Kenai National Park)

39. SEA OTTER

Although they may look cute and small from a distance, these adorable n animals can actually grow to reach 6 feet long and more than 70 pounds.

Unlike its cousin, the Northern River Otter, the Sea Otter only inhabits saltwater (preferably kelp beds close to rocky coastlines).

Most of the Sea Otters we spotted were lying on their backs, eating, sleeping, or carrying their young. They’re also known to use stones to crack open the Sea Urchins and shellfish on which they feed. 

READ MORE: Hairy-Nosed Otter (Endangered Species)

Ochre Sea Star at Kenai Glacier Lodge

40. SEA STARS

We learned just how many different types of Sea Stars (a.k.a. Starfish) there are in during a walk along the shore of Kenai Fjords National Park at low tide.

The Bat Star was my favorite: Growing up to 0 inches, with short arms and wide bodies, Bat Stars range in color from white to vibrant orange and red.

My daughter loved the striking patterns of the Ochre Sea Stars pictures above, which are a common sight in tide pools and range from yellow and orange to purple and brown. –Bret Love; photos by Allie Love & Bret Love unless otherwise noted

  Our trip to was partly hosted by AdventureSmith Explorations. But our opinions remain our own, and we will never compromise our integrity to our readers. To learn more about planning an n Vacation, contact AdventureSmith Explorations at 877-720-2875 or travel@adventuresmithexplorations.com.

  The post n Animals: 40 Species You Can See During Your Vacation appeared first on Green Global Travel.