#I will be including journal entries primarily from blue as well as asks on this blog

[ask-a-girl-and-a-bowgart]

Does everyone have plans as to what they want to go as for Spooktacle? :v

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[craniumculverin]

Crude Fortuity (part 2)

It’s not as many scenes as I wanted to have done, but I decided to stop nitpicking and just post what I have done! Some of this has been written for like 2 years now, for pete’s sake... Enjoy!

 A brisk wind whips through the tents, the sound of taut canvas joining that of the camp’s weary denizens. The fires built for light and warmth are but embers save for one or two that are more sheltered, drawing those still awake. Percy is quite content to remain sequestered away from the rough voices and occasional shouts. One of the tents closest to where he’d been working until dusk had been designated as a sickbay, which is where he currently sits, recording the day’s events.

Luckily, aside from the two that had abruptly ensured his stay, many of the cases he’d seen were relatively minor, and thus could sleep without supervision. Hypothermia had been the most widespread problem, some minor lacerations and a few instances of frostbite, fewer of which required amputation. Quite a fortunate outcome, medically speaking. Of the three and a half dozen or so men only five had been found dead, and right before nightfall all had finally been accounted for. Quite fortuitous indeed, considering how many had been trapped. The two unconscious forms currently occupying the other end of the tent, however, were anything but fortunate. They’d taken up most of Percy’s time, and rightfully so.

The arguably worst off was a Mister Lorcan Quinn, a young Irishman of diminutive build, about 19 years of age. When he was laid out on a table he’d been unconscious and terribly pale from blood loss and exposure. Besides multiple fractures to his right leg, numerous abrasions and extensive bruising, his left leg had been crudely amputated below the knee, a makeshift tourniquet of rope tied just above - it was so tight and slick with blood Percy had given up on removing it in the end. Truthfully it’d likely been the only thing that kept the boy alive during the apparent trek down the mountain, but the damage it had caused had been an issue in and of itself. As the doctor rushed to stop the flow of blood, it also became evident something had occurred prior to the amateur amputation.

“…Both tibia and fibula appeared to have suffered severe comminuted fractures prior to where cuts were made, as large bone splinters were still present in surrounding tissue, some of which would have had to be removed. The bones had been twisted severely at the knee - tendons and muscle damaged beyond recognition. Likely to have been broken or mangled in a way that trapped him, thus the amputation. Most probable to have been done with an ax, with extreme force, done in 2-4 swings.

Due to the severity of the knee’s condition, massive blunt trauma caused by crude technique, extensive tissue damage from the rope, and lack of viable skin to create a flap, further amputation was required. Patient awoke as sawing of femur began but quickly passed out. Procedure went fairly well, assistant performed admirably despite inexperience. Setting of fractures in right leg left to assistant and two other men, done quickly and precisely. Bandaging finished and treated for remaining injuries and hypothermia once in sickbay.”

Percy sighs as he finishes his entry, writing slightly askew from having to balance the journal on his knee. He curses his inability to find a pencil and hopes he wasn’t using his good blue ink - the lamp he’d been given is too dim to tell, and too low on oil to make any brighter. Pausing to let the page dry, he removes his spectacles to rub at his tired eyes before placing them back on the bridge of his nose.

Looking over to the prone forms across from him - particularly Mister Quinn, who’s shivering required an extra blanket - Percy feels a little resentful. As of yet no one has bothered to see that he himself has somewhere to sleep, and frankly he didn’t want to leave the decently warm tent to inquire about it. They’d given him a chair at least, one with a sturdy enough backrest. What little luggage he’d packed aside from his medicine chest sat in the corner, a number of coats and shirts inside suitable to sleep under. He could make due for tonight, if it meant not having to interact with anyone until morning.

The doctor flips to the next page for his final record of the night, glancing up at the other occupant of the sickbay’s cots. The snoring man’s bandaged feet hang over the edge, a few dry pairs of stockings stretched over them. His hands are wrapped as well, but neither are anywhere near as thickly bandaged as his head. A small frown crosses Percy’s features as he dips his pen, unsatisfied with how he’ll have to start this particular entry.

“Patient: Alfred (surname unknown)”

He huffs after finishing just the one line. Why no one in camp would come forth with the man’s full name was a mystery, and the Captain had been too preoccupied to be of any assistance on the matter. Surely at least one of these loggers would be privy to such information? In lieu of a surname Percy opts to include a more thorough description - some way of properly identifying him.

“Blond, green eyes, fair skin, strong nose. Likely English accent. About 6 feet in height, solidly built. Age anywhere from 20-25 years.

Severe head trauma resulting in large laceration over right parietal, no fracture or depression, unable to detect possible intracranial hemorrhaging. Likely moderate to severe concussion. 3 broken ribs, at least 2 partially fractured. Moderate to severe bruising across body, primarily front of torso, legs, and arms, unable to detect possible internal trauma or bleeding. Moderate abrasions, lacerations to face and hands. Minor abrasions, blistering to feet. Beginnings of frostbite to all extremities, particularly hands. Hypothermia.

Patient was found carrying Mister Quinn at the outskirts of camp after the avalanche and resulting landslide. Reportedly collapsed as assistance approached but remained conscious, became distraught when Quinn was taken from him. Put up weak resistance at first before being half-dragged into camp. Appeared confused and unable to form intelligible speech, no other immediate signs of brain trauma. Repeatedly tried to get up during procedures and had to be held down. Eventually forced to be made unconscious by way of chloroform when-”

“Dr. Hewlett, you awake?”

Percy’s eyes close of their own accord at the sudden intrusion. “Yes, come in.”

The flap of the tent’s entrance is pulled open, letting what little warmth that had accumulated out into the night. The Captain pokes his head in, quickly frowning. “Where’s your cot? Told Ben to bring one for you soon as he was done with whatever he was up to with those bloodied rags.”

Ah, that explains it. Benediktus, the camp’s New Pthumerian “doctor” turned assistant, had been sent to use what was left of the boiling water to wash out any bandages that could be reused. Given the nature of the task and his apparent perfectionism, he was likely still at it, much to the chagrin of the cook.

“Ben is likely still at work on his last task I’m afraid. Is there something I can do for you Captain?”

“There isn’t, just wanted t’check in before I make m’last rounds. I’ll have a cot and blankets brought in,” the man pauses as he inspects the cramped space, “unless you want t’sleep elsewhere? Not sure a third will fit comfortably with your equipment and such…”

“I’d rather sleep here. Neither of these men are stable enough to go unsupervised for long.” And they were better company than anyone else he’d have to share a tent with, being unconscious for the foreseeable future.

“Alright then…” The Captain gazes over to the slumbering patients, a surprising amount of worry etched into his weathered features. As explosive as the man’s temper was, Percy had quickly come to realize he cared deeply for those working under him. He knew every man by name, and as soon as they’d all been found his demeanor gradually shifted from a demanding tyrant to a concerned leader - strict and immensely gruff, but concerned. A much more pleasant man to deal with than Percy’s initial interaction had led him to believe.

After a short time the Irishman must have realized he was lingering; he clears his throat and stomps his boots before entering, shutting out the chill outside air. “Is there anything else I can d’for you Doctor?”

“Thank you Captain, I do have one request,” Percy shifts to better face him, motioning to the larger of his two patients. “What is Alfred’s surname? I couldn’t find anyone that knew, or were willing to say.”

The stout man is quiet before bursting into laughter. “Pwaw hahaa! That’s all? Sorry Doc, I’ll have t'check the ledger for his full name - Alfred’s never been fond o' using his, ever since I first met the lad. As t’why the others won’t say, he tells anyone that asks something different. T’mess with them, I think.”

“Really? How odd.”

The physician leans back in his seat as he considers his strange patient. The other man grunts in agreement, then shrugs his broad shoulders. “Aww he’s prolly just a bastard or a runaway is all. People are strange about such things… Anything else before I away?”

Percy is silent for a moment before his eyes light up. “Ah yes! I am curious - why do you call yourself ‘Captain’? A strange choice of title, for such an occupation.”

The Irishman’s face instantly falls into a grimace. “I don’t, but the men do. I figured it’d save time and confusion if you just called me by that bloody nickname. If you want t’call me by m'proper name it’s Murry Buckley, though by now most o' this lot likely’ve forgotten it.”

“…Well that was sensible of you. That’s all for now Mister Buckley, thank you.”

“Thank you, Doctor. These two would be goners without you, I have no doubt about that. And the other men you saw to as well - I truly appreciate your efforts.”

“Hmm Lorcan yes, absolutely - he was practically dead when he came to me. But Alfred… hmmaybe,” ponders Percy aloud as he watches the two patients. “His head wound probably would have closed on its own. Eventually. But inflammation and discharge would've been an issue, not to mention his chances of… Anyway! You’re very much welcome. I myself appreciate being allowed to stay here for a time.”

“…Right,” the Captain gives him an odd look, “I’ll eh, I’ll make sure that cot gets t'you. G'night Dr. Hewlett.”

“Good night Mister Buckley.”

----------

One would think being stuck in a logging camp so soon after a natural disaster would be stressful, what with the questionable terrain and so many antsy workmen, but as far as Percy is concerned it's really quite dull.

His time is primarily spent cooped up in the sickbay tent or directly outside at the tables, his responsibilities keeping him anchored to where he can easily be found amidst the rows of canvas and piles of equipment. It's hardly the natural beauty he'd expected to appreciate during his time here, and to make it worse Buckley is adamantly insistent that he stay within the camp proper until their surroundings are deemed safe. Given that more than half of camp is either buried under snow and mud or is where the men are working, that leaves Percy just enough space to feel much like a caged animal, restless as it paces along the bars.

There's technically something to do with his free time - even in the midst of seeing to the injured on that first day, Ben had eagerly asked he impart any medical knowledge he'd be willing to share. He later agreed, despite having mixed thoughts on the matter; it's something to put his mind to besides the very few instances that someone requires medical attention, yet also involves having to plan on regular interaction with the young man. However, it turns out the student's shockingly wide range of duties keep him far too busy or exhausted to hold a focused conversation, and when he can he tends to stop in unannounced and for too short a time. While hashing over lectures is pleasant enough, doing so has begun to feel rather meaningless as the boy never lingers long enough to finish any. Percy may as well just open a textbook to a random page and tell him to start reading!

Speaking of, the physician had cracked open his neatly packed chest of books as soon as he'd made adequate space in the sickbay to do so. Many of the tomes he simply couldn't leave behind also happen to be those he enjoys rereading, which he quickly decided on doing - only to realize a logging camp may in fact be the worst place to attempt such an activity. Maybe once the men are spending more time sawing logs and climbing trees they'll stop shouting all the time, and with such colorful profanity.

So, with such a severe lack of things to occupy himself, he's taken to observing. Everything.

How the fog grows and shrinks along the foothills as time passes, what sorts of wildlife can be seen along the outskirts of camp, the cloud patterns and wind directions in relation to the terrain, the unfamiliar types of trees and plant life, where paths have formed from foot traffic and which are used more, how the Captain maintains order and directs the men, the sorts of roles present within the camp, which men tend to do what, who interacts with who and how, all the while sorting out which names belong to which faces. None of it is in the slightest bit interesting, but it's something to pass the time.

And of course he properly sees to any and all medical complaints the workmen might have, as he'd promised. He's not negligent after all, just bored out of his mind.

As for his two long-term patients, neither have been able to remain conscious for an extended period of time. It's a day and a half full of incessant humdrum before either finally come to, and unsurprisingly it's the young Irishman. While the redhead has simply been in too weak a state, Alfred had developed a fever during the first night, which, along with his head trauma, has made it difficult for him to stay awake for even a minute at a time. According to Mister Quinn - or simply Lorcan, as he prefers - his coworker would "snap out of it soon as he gets hungry enough." Percy sees no point in rebuffing his deplorable grasp of medicine as, despite the constant pain and soreness he's sure to be experiencing, the boy is already talkative enough without further prompting. The doctor has to repeat himself thrice just to get his name out amongst all the questions and chatter.

Once word to both the Captain and the cook - whose name is actually Cook, poor man - has been sent, Lorcan finally quiets enough to take in an explanation about the extent of his injuries and what has become of his leg. He wearily pushes away the covers to examine his new stump as Percy finishes, condolences left to hang in the air. A decent amount of time passes of him blankly staring at the mass of bandages - then he heaves a sigh and winces through a shrug, expression belaying a sense of minor annoyance.

“Guess I’ll be working for m'dah after all. A boring job for me back home then, hurrah."

He throws his hands up in mock celebration, earning him a bemused look and raised brow from the physician. “My, you appear to be handling all of this exceptionally well. I’ve had men make more of a fuss over losing a single finger than you are with most of a leg. May I inquire why that is?”

Something dark crosses Lorcan's features before he shivers and wraps bruised arms around himself as best he can. “T'is better than being dead out in the middle o' nowhere. T'die in the country God forgot…”

“Hm…" Percy idly considers the patient as he moves to gently cover his residual limb - much like a listless cat eyeing a possible plaything, contemplating if it's worth the trouble of pouncing on. "…If it’s not too upsetting, could you recount what you remember? Of how you came to lose it, I mean - from my understanding such an injury isn’t common to receive from an avalanche or landslide.”

The hint of humor goes completely unnoticed as the young man is absorbed into his thoughts, a frown crumpling his freckled features. Lithe fingers begin to pick at the stitching of his blankets.

“…I woke up with m’leg trapped under a tree, likely the one we’d been up when it hit. I d’know how long I was out before that, but… I already knew m'leg was done for. All that blood… and the pain was- I was ready, wanting t’die by the time I heard Alfred call out,” Lorcan looks over to his slumbering compatriot and dryly chuckles. “I was gonna ask him t', t'just- …But he was out of his head with how hard he must’ve gotten knocked. Thought he could somehow get the both of us out of there alive, all on his lonesome.”

“A belief that turned out to be true.”

Lorcan is shocked when he turns back to Percy, before disbelief quickly blossoms. “We weren’t- the others didn’t come find us up there?”

“No. At the time they were all occupied with digging out those still trapped under the snow and debris. Alfred carried you to the edge of camp, where the two of you were found.”

There's a brief silence as the two stare at one another, and then Lorcan bursts into laughter.

“Hahahahaaoo damn! Of course he did, the lunatic! Couldn’t leave behind anyone what showed him a lick o' good will! Bloody idiot!” Despite the harsh words, tears well up in the redhead's eyes as his voice begins to waver. “Gonna get him- himself killed for sure one of these days, with that stupid loyalty of his! Pigheaded l-loon!”

He suddenly turns away and clutches at his curls for something to hide behind, no longer able to keep from outright crying. Percy quietly moves to focus on the contents of his medicine chest to let the boy gather himself. There’s evidently some history here, concerning Alfred risking his personal well-being for others' sakes, and it seems he may have done so for Lorcan at some previous point. Unless the boy is simply wont to being ridiculously over-emotional. Hopefully neither of these possible traits will interfere with their recovery in any way, or his time tending to them.

A few sniffles are heard as Percy finishes noting what and of how much he'll need to restock upon reaching civilization. Lorcan is rubbing his reddened nose along his forearm when the physician pointedly turns to face him, his bleary eyes glancing up before sheepishly breaking eye contact. His voice is somewhat hoarse as he tries to casually continue the conversation as though nothing had happened.

“…Didn’t take him long t’take his ax t’my leg though, that’s for sure. Smiling like a madman he was!”

“An ax? Goodness!” exclaims Percy, brows raised in faux shock. He’d obviously figured that out right after getting the residual stump clean enough to see the damage, however practicing a little more sympathy and interest than he usually bothers with may be appropriate, given the youth’s sensitive nature - and it's proven to do wonders when he has to stay in constant contact with a patient.

Still, Percy is ever curious. “How many swings could that have taken? Alfred seems like a strong sort, it couldn’t have been too many… The pain must’ve been truly exquisite!”

“Hell if I know Doc - I was screaming my throat raw just from him tying the rope ‘round it. Once he put the ax t’me I must’ve been out like a light! Just heard him say t'close m'eyes after stuffing his gloves in m'mouth… What’s ‘exquisite’ mean?”

“Intensely felt, as in pain that is 'agonizing' or 'severe',” says Percy somewhat listlessly. He’d gotten his journal out to make an addendum, but alas, his curiosity is to remain unsatisfied. His guess is still at around three swings.

“Oh. Then yeah, it was the exquisitest pain I ever felt!”

The boy attempts to shift himself further upright only to lean too far on his stump. He jolts backward with a yelp, gripping at his blankets as all color drains from his face. Before he can do any further possible damage to the immense amount of work, Percy jumps up to push him down to lay against the flimsy cot. He checks for any fresh blood seeping through the strips of fabric, a distinctly calm but chiding tone in his voice as he works. “You won’t be very active any time soon, I’m afraid - bed rest is of utmost import for a proper recovery. Don’t try to do anything without assistance until told otherwise, you’re in quite a delicate state. Should we both do our best, your chances of survival are still less than desirable.”

“Great, okay, sounds good,” Lorcan deafly wheezes as the doctor’s nimble fingers painfully press and prod, “don’t feel much like a walk anyway. Not that I could.”

About a half an hour of constant one-sided gab passes before Ben asks to be let in with three dented cups of steaming soup in hand. Assuming the third is for the New Pthumerian himself, Percy stands, expecting to be asked for another impromptu lesson. But the student merely shakes his head as he’s offered the seat and hands the older man two of the cups. “It’s not for me sir, I’m needed back at the stove. Cook said to bring it for Alfred in case he woke up as well. Wouldn’t let me leave unless I did, sir.”

“Oh? Mister Cook must be confidant of Alfred also waking today if he’s willing to risk rations going to waste. Thank you Benediktus.”

“It won’t go t’waste, I’ll eat it if it gets t'cold before Alf is up!” says Lorcan, panting around a mouthful of the too-hot food.

The pale assistant bows slightly before seeing himself out, allowing Percy the space needed to sit back down to his meal. Inspecting it reveals it’s the same three main ingredients that every dish has been comprised of thus far - potatoes, salt pork, and beans. Cook added some kind of local herb to alter the flavor at least, and soup is new to the menu. Chewing on a bit of tough pork, the doctor wonders how many of the men have suffered from scurvy since becoming loggers.

“Sometimes we find berries in the wild, or catch fish and trap rabbits and the like. Around here are hermit-types living in the hills that sometimes give us veg they couldn’t eat or sell, though it’s usually started t’rot.”

Percy looks up to see Lorcan watching him with a mischievous grin. “You looked like you were thinking about how shite the food is - which is fair, ‘cause it is. Not even Cook can change that, though at least he bothers t’try.”

Swallowing is difficult with how little chewing has accomplished, but the physician manages. “Not- ahem, not necessarily, no. Just that what’s on hand is rather nutritionally lacking. I’m surprised all these men can handle such long hours and hard labor on so little.”

“Eh, t’is not so bad,” the redhead licks his spoon clean before setting the empty cup on the nearby makeshift nightstand, “Sometimes Cap’n bags an animal, what with having the only gun. He’s already shot down a wild pig since we set up this camp - took Alf ages t’cut up! Huge, monstrous things they are here, can get big as a coach! Still get extra meat with how much was dried.”

Percy looks up as he pokes at a chunk of gristle. “Alfred butchered it? Why not Mister Cook?”

“‘Cause he wasn’t ever trained at butchery like Alf was.”

He halts his meal to arch an eyebrow. “He was a butcher before becoming a logger?” Seems like quite a step down in terms of lifestyle and earnings.

“He wasn’t, but he did work for one way back - before enlisting in the Army.”

That causes the other brow to rise as well. “A soldier turned logger, with a history of butchery… Interesting choice of career changes, to say the least.”

“And he wanted t’be a priest before all that!”

Lorcan's gleeful excitement suddenly disappears and he leans closer as he hurriedly glances in his friend's direction, obviously uneasy. “Don’t go spouting off that last part though, and don’t let him know I told you any of that! I don’t think he’d like me sharing it! Oh, and never call him Alf like I do! He hates that!”

“Never, and I won't say a word,” Percy says as he finishes his soup, making note to be careful of what he says around the lose-lipped youth.

His cup is placed atop what luggage he couldn’t fit beneath his cot, next to the third serving. He pauses to consider whether or not to actually wait or just split it with Lorcan now. Why let hot food go to waste by going cold on such a chilly day? As he reaches for it a quiet gasp catches his attention. Turning, the doctor sees Lorcan wide-eyed and fully focused on the sickbay’s other occupant, prompting him to swiftly make his way between the two cots to inspect his feverish patient.

Alfred’s eyes are open, blearily staring at the ceiling. Resting a palm against what little of his forehead isn’t wrapped reveals his fever has come down some since morning. The waking man clenches his eyes shut and weakly tries to shake Percy's hand off, grumbling. “Responsive to touch-” He gently turns Alfred’s face toward him, forcing one eye open, then the other. A hand knocks into his elbow, clumsily trying to push him away. “-pupils are of equal size, coordination isn’t overly impacted, no hand tremors…” 

“Alfred, you awake? You alright?” Lorcan anxiously leans back and forth, trying to see around the physician's bent form. Alfred squints up at Percy and mumbles before swallowing, voice hoarse and gravelly from disuse.

“Whadda… we havin’…?”

Both Percy and Lorcan pause to stare at him out of confusion, but the younger's exuberance soon returns. “Soup! With the same old taters and meat as always, but this time Cook did something t’make it taste different!”

“Smells good…”

"Able to swallow unaided. Comprehending and responding to speech, his own is minimally slurred though this may be from just waking… Southern English accent…"

“Don’t it though?“ Lorcan laughs and claps a hand on his remaining knee. “What’d I say Doc! The smell o' food wafts across that snout o' his, t'is only a matter o' time 'til he’s awake!”

“Lack of facial movement is due to swelling… Hemorrhaging seems unlikely, concussion doesn’t appear to be overly severe…”

“So it would seem,” says Percy absentmindedly as he starts checking the dressings over the head wound. A few chunks of blood-clotted hair had already been cut out of the way to clean and close the injury; now that what remains has been washed and dried, he sees that more will have to be removed to keep redressing from becoming a hassle. “Perhaps I should just cut it all off - trim the beard too, keep those whiskers from getting caught in his cuts and scrapes.” Once his mind is made up he realizes the blond has been staring at him, expression blank save for a hint of slack-jawed confusion. Percy smoothly draws away to retrieve a flask and the third cup of soup before returning. “Do you need help to sit? You’re parched I’m sure, have some water.”

"I’m alright,” croaks Alfred, clearly having trouble moving with the pain of his battered ribs and limbs. Eventually he figures out how to rock forward until he can get his elbows wedged behind his back. Once fully upright he doesn’t take the proffered flask, instead looking across to Lorcan with an air of utter perplexity. “Why’s you only have one leg Lorcan?”

The redhead’s smile falters. “’Cause you cut it off, ya dolt. Don’t you remember?”

A second passes before Alfred’s bruised features try to distort in disbelief. “I wouldn’t do that! ‘Least not to you… ‘less you really deserved it, or…” He trails off as his gaze drifts back to the doctor, face falling into open-mouthed puzzlement. Then he squints harder. “…Who’re you?”

Percy flashes a pleasant smile as he empties a hand to extend to the bewildered man. “My name is Dr. Percival Hewlett. I’m a physician that has been tending to you and Lorcan for a few days now.”

“Oh…” He looks down to the hand before taking it into an awkward, bandaged grasp to give it a weak shake. “Call me Alfred.”

“Very well Alfred.”

The blond doesn't relent his grip on Percy's hand as he continues to dumbly stare up at him. An awkward silence grows heavier with each passing second as Lorcan looks back and forth between the two, even more baffled than the physician. Then Alfred knits his brows together. "Your hair is white.”

Percy stifles a sigh and forces his smile to remain extant. “Yes, it is. Drink please.”

The water flask is held directly in front of Alfred’s face, which he finally takes. He can’t quite get the cap off, but once Percy’s done away with it he drains the contents in a few gulps. Wiping his mouth with the back of a hand, his drooping eyes light up on seeing the cup still in the doctor’s grasp.

“That breakfast? What are we having?” Percy wordlessly hands it to him before excusing himself to go stick his head out of the tent, hoping to catch a passerby to report to the Captain.

“I already said, it’s soup,” Lorcan gingerly leans forward to get a better look at his friend’s face, “you feeling alright Alf? Hearing okay?”

Alfred pauses shoveling food into his mouth to think. “Ah guht ah headehk tha’ hurths ah lot,” he says through meat and beans, swallowing before he continues, “and breathing hurts, and my head hurts. A lot. My hands-”

He frowns as if he’s just noticed why his fingers can hardly bend. Percy returns with the chair to sit closer, noticing Alfred’s unnerved expression as he looks between his wrapped hands and bundled feet. “You had signs of frostbite in a few of your digits. You’re lucky to have not lost any, however it’s likely the affected areas will be especially sensitive to cold from now on.”

“Oh,” the blond says flatly, before gobbling down the rest of his soup.

The cup and spoon are forgotten - and retrieved by Percy - as he settles into vacantly staring at the tent's entrance. Or, perhaps more accurately, whatever happens to be in front of him. Lorcan is openly worried as the doctor comes back from setting their emptied cups outside, casting a sidelong glance his way as he sits.

"Is he… okay?"

Percy can't resist giving him a vaguely curious look. "Why? Isn't he always like this?"

"He… isn't…"

"Ah. Well I figured as much," his tone suddenly turns matter-of-fact, "he has a concussion, which is the cause of his odd manner and may plague him for some weeks. Otherwise, considering his injuries and the exertion of getting back to camp, he's doing remarkably well."

"Oh, okay. Good." The youth is still troubled as he watches Alfred, but seems a little more at ease. "So he's not gonna stay like this then?"

"There is possibility of permanent changes to his overall demeanor, but I believe it's quite an unli-"

"You're both too damn loud," Alfred gruffly mumbles. A drawn out groan escapes him as he rests his head in his hands. "Why do I have such a God-awful headache…?"

"You got hit on the head really hard, got a bad bump and passed out," says Lorcan in a surprisingly confident tone. This time Percy's curiosity is genuine as he stares at the boy. "It's worse than when you got decked in that nasty fight outside the last camp - you need t'sleep and rest up, lay low and all that."

"Oh." Alfred appears to think over his friend's words. "…I got in another fight? Did I win?"

"You didn't. We both lost and got the beating of a lifetime. But that's not your fault, just is how it is."

"…Oh."

The blond sounds disappointed as he fiddles with the bandages on one of his hands. He looks over at Lorcan to say something but stops short on seeing the sickbay's doctor, silently observing the two. Percy matches his gaze, both concerned and impressed at how little appears to be going on behind those dull green eyes. Perhaps permanent changes to one's faculties following a concussion may be more likely than he'd originally thought… Lorcan's sudden assertiveness melts away as he looks between them, his anxiety now almost palpable in the sudden quiet. Interesting - and here he'd suddenly sounded so sure of himself. Was this sudden change just some sort of show, trying to impress the doctor for some reason? Or maybe it was meant to be something familiar for his debilitated compatriot; a tone and voice Alfred would be more used to hearing from him? Something to help anchor him to the present, since he's unable to-

"Who're you…?"

Percy's brows rise as he brings his focus back to the man in front of him. Without missing a beat he smiles and uncrosses his arms to offer a hand. "Dr. Percival Hewlett, a physician. I've been tending to you and Lorcan for a few days now."

"Oh," says Alfred as he awkwardly takes it in his own, "you can call me Alfred."

"Very well Alfred."

The doctor's hand is allowed to be gently pulled away as Alfred dazedly blinks. "…I'm gonna sleep now."

Percy nods ever so slightly, still smiling. "You do that."

Alfred dips his head in a sort of nod, then eases himself back down. After getting comfortable his breathing instantly evens out, and soon snoring once again pervades the sickbay. Lorcan is the first to break the silence that has fallen over the tent's other occupants. "You sure he's okay?"

"…He will be, with time."

----------

With the monumental task of getting his logging camp back in working order, the Captain isn't able to drop by until the next morning, just after breakfast.

Despite having been awake just minutes prior to scarf down his food, Alfred is asleep when the foreman enters and somehow remains so as Lorcan loudly greets him, eager to finally talk at someone other than Percy. "Cap'n hey! How's the camp? We still have a job out here, still in business? And who's dead? Doc said men died but didn't give any names! Have y'heard from the employer yet?"

Mister Buckley pauses in removing his cap to give the voluble boy a tired frown. He sits in the chair Percy had offered with a sigh, the hat coming off to reveal a bald head in stark contrast with his wildly bushy cheeks. "Calm down Lorcan, it's not even been a week. We're still just getting our bearings - I'm only just figuring out who to send to the nearest town, and even that's hardly a priority right now! No word's gotten t'our employer so no word's come from them, and as for the men… Well, none o' that's anything for you t'worry about. How are y'feeling, lad?"

Lorcan visibly deflates at the lack of news, but brightens on being asked his status. "Horrible! Everything hurts, I'm more bruised than not, m'legs hurt like a bitch even though one of 'em is- M'leg is gone! That's a damn good indicator of how I'm doing!" He winces after leaning forward too far as he gesticulates, but quickly sits back when he sees the flash of concern in the Captain's face. "But! I'm still alive somehow, and Doc says m'stump's doing well, and that he'll give me something for the pain it's causing. So it's not all bad, I guess."

"The morphine is for your overall pain," Percy chimes in from where he sits on his cot, still focused on once again trying to read one of his books. "I doubt it'll have any affect on the amputated limb sensations you're suffering. Unfortunately there's very little known about the phenomena, and even less on treating it."

"Oh that, I still get such pains m'self from time t'time," Buckley mutters as he shifts his walking stick to eye his wooden hand. "It'll hopefully die down for you like it did for me, but I've heard one can suffer these phantom pains constantly - for years, even a lifetime. Only time will tell."

Lorcan frowns and momentarily falls silent, lip quivering as he again stares at the remainder of his leg. He suddenly shuts his eyes tight and shakes his head, only to stop with a roguish grin directed at his superior as he jabs a thumb in Alfred's direction. "Anyhow, enough about me - let's talk about Alf! He got knocked in the head and now he's stupid! Useless as a toothless saw he is, dull as one too!"

The Captain's brow furrows as he glances at the slumbering, bandaged blond, then twists in his seat to give the doctor a questioning look. With a heavy sigh Percy sets aside his attempted reading, casting the giddy redhead a disapproving glance before addressing the foreman. "Alfred has a significant concussion. He's having trouble retaining new information along with remembering events directly before and after he sustained his head injury. However his cognition will improve in due time, so no, he's not 'stupid' or 'useless' now."

Buckley instantly relaxes back to his neutral frown. "I'm familiar with those too, aye - apparently had a few m'self over the years. Explains why he's sleeping so soundly for once." He suddenly turns back to Lorcan with a scowl, jabbing his own finger at him. "Don't you go spouting rumors about Alfred like that! The last thing I need right now is for him t'get riled up again and lose me even more men!"

The physician raises a brow as Lorcan scoffs and waves him off. "Aw y'know I'd never do that, he's m'best mate! Besides, every time he's really pummeled one of the guys it's been for good reason. Remember when-"

"I remember every damn time he's caused me trouble, thank you very much!"

"Come on now, he's just one logger! He can't've done that much."

"Oh? How's about I list off what he's done just since you joined up!" The captain leans forward to shove his remaining hand out to start counting. "Got in a fight with a driver for talking bad about his own wife! Got in a fight with other workers over going out t'solicit some doxies! Knocked out a prospective employer for- wait, no, I told him t'do that… But! I didn't tell him to stomp his face in, which he did anyway! Gave some village bloke a blackeye for striking his mouthy brat! And in the camp before last, he beat a couple o' newly-hired men into a bloody pulp! Over something as silly as possibly planning t'rob a nearby-"

Something between a snort and a scoff erupts out of Lorcan. "Possibly?! They asked if I wanted in on it when I caught 'em talking! Were gonna use your employering them as their alibi, was the only reason they joined up! Christ Cap'n, Alf wouldn't've bothered beating 'em that badly if they were just thinking about it!"

"And how the hell d'you know that?! He's prone t'overdoing it regardless of who or why, damnit! The one time I agreed t' let the lot o' you that hang around all year off for a day, I get word he got drunk and broke someone's jaw! Over bumping in t'him!"

Face a mottled red at this point, Lorcan seems at a complete loss as he gapes in disbelief. His voice comes high and drawn out once he finds it. "That guy broke a chair over his head! During a fisticuffs tourney! Not even the bloke's mates felt bad for him after Alf was through with him! Who told you that?!"

Buckley's own reddened features make a minute shift from furious to contemplative. The tent feels utterly devoid of sound as the two Irishman glare at each other in some odd sort of battle. Even with the sudden lull, Percy is still far too entertained to interrupt, let alone cease his covert notetaking.

The Captain is first to break, his shoulders lowering as his expression turns more curious than infuriated. "…Was Alfred and that man in a match when he took a chair t'his head?"

Lorcan flings his hands up. "Yes!"

Buckley straightens in his seat, still frowning. "Well that was just unsportsmanlike, that was."

"Thank you!" The vexed redhead's hands are thrown in the other's direction before they're dropped into his lap.

"Would you all jus'… please shut up…"

The three turn as one toward the source of the weak request, who is now very much awake. Alfred's face is set in an aggravated grimace while he attempts to cover his ears, turned as far away from the raised voices as his injuries will allow. Percy is immediately up and maneuvering around Buckley to lean over the blond, a touch regretful for forgetting his patient's current sensitivities in lieu of some enthralling snippets of his past. To their credit the two Irishman look exceedingly sheepish, the older moving himself and the chair closer to the entrance to be out of the way. Once he's settled he gives Lorcan a glance before addressing his other employee, voice lacking most of its previous volume.

"Apologies Alfred, y'know how Lorcan and I can get going… How are you, lad?"

There's a long pause as Alfred merely grumbles, blankly squinting up at Percy as he makes sure no dressings have come loose from his head or hands. When he answers he closes his eyes with a frown, as if watching the physician takes up too much of his concentration. "Head hurts a lot. Chest hurts like hell… When's breakfast?"

"You had it not ten minutes ago, mate," says Lorcan, concern once again lacing his unusually quiet voice, "salt pork with wild radishes and broth? You said it tasted bad?"

Alfred's expression twists into something even more sour. "Oh… yeah, it tasted bad." He opens his eyes to dully stare up at Percy again, wincing at what light there is within the sickbay's canvas walls. "…Who's this? 'S'hair's weird..."

Percy makes no reaction even as Lorcan snorts in amusement, but it takes a moment for Buckley to angrily splutter his shock. "Don't be rude, boy! That's the good doctor, he's the one that saved you and Lorcan's lives! You've been living in the same tent for days now, y'could at least remember his name!"

"Lay off 'em Cap'n, Doc wasn't lying about his memory…"

Lorcan suddenly sounds exceedingly tired from behind Percy as he straightens after finishing his inspection. "I have a better chance of learning t'read just from being near all o' Doc's books than Alf does of remembering past a few hours ago. Dr. Hewlett's been patient as a saint, he has - introduces himself every time Alf asks."

"I believe repeated phrases and experiences may help form new memories faster, particularly for cases such as this," the physician quietly comments to the Captain before turning back to Alfred, hand extended. "My name is Dr. Percival Hewlett, a physician. You and Lorcan were badly injured some days ago, I've been tending to you since."

His words are met with a rankled, blank stare that lasts long enough to become unsettling. Without looking away, Alfred slowly draws a hand from where he'd buried them under his pillow to take the offered hand. He gives it a rigid shake. "…Call me Alfred."

Pain erupts in Percy's hand and he's suddenly wrenched downward. Another hand slams into his chest to halt his descent, the fingers curling into an equally crushing grip on his shirtfront. Their faces are mere inches apart, but the chilling, furious intensity of Alfred's glare freezes him in place.

"Don't call me Alf. Or Fred. I hate that."

The doctor barely manages to keep his alarm in check as he forces himself not to struggle. He gives a shallow nod. "Duly noted."

A suffocating silence fills the meager space for the span of a second, and then a red-faced Buckley takes an incensed breath only to be cut off by a frantic Lorcan at full volume. "He knows already, mate! I already told him! You like him, remember?! Remember you told me that - you said it just this morning!"

Alfred's expression returns to one of agony as soon as his friend starts shouting, forgetting his grip on Percy's captured hand just enough for it to be pulled free. The grip on his shirt falls slack as soon as he tries to lean away; he straightens and shuffles back until his calves bump into the other cot, massaging his aching hand as covertly as possible. "What a shockingly strong grip for being wrapped as such, in an overall weakened state - and with the pain of frostbitten digits! Goodness, what an extraordinary tolerance for…" He forces that thought to a standstill, lest he start thinking up experiments he has no way of making seem necessary, let alone acceptable.

Lorcan's loud assurances send Alfred rolling into the canvas wall as he cringes in pain. A choked sob escapes as he curls in on himself and grasps his head again, eyes clenched tight enough to draw tears. "Fffuuuckkin' Christ, just… shut up! How can I like him if we jus- I don't like him! Same as I don't like anyone right now! Just sod off, all of you!"

"Alright, we're done here."

The Captain curtly stands and dons his cap with a grimace. "He can throw a tantrum which means he's feeling fine enough. I'll try to check in t'night before lights out, but no promises. Lorcan, keep your voice down. Alfred, don't you dare strike anyone, especially Dr. Hewlett - I'll have you sacked if you do!"

Alfred flinches at Buckley's sudden unrestrained volume and practically snarls on hearing his name, spitting grumbled curses at the man as soon as he stops talking. Meanwhile Lorcan simply nods and remains silent where he lays, anxiously glancing between his friend, boss, and doctor. Very much content to put more space between he and his decidedly unpredictable patient for now, Percy follows the Captain out into the overcast daylight, quickly shutting the flap behind him when a pained, angry hiss comes from inside. As soon as he turns the old Irishman bids him to follow to one of the further tables nearer to Cook's firepit, already hobbling there himself.

"M'sorry about that Dr. Hewlett," he says ruefully once they're out of earshot. "Lorcan and I fall int' arguing easily - or rather, we get t'discussing loudly. I wasn't thinking. I know for m'self how bad light and noise can be with a head injury, so I don't blame Alfred for getting so bothered. Are ye alright?"

Percy simply hums, too intent on organizing his thoughts to respond. He ceases rubbing his sore hand to cross his arms against the chill, finally looking away from the sickbay to focus on the other man. "I take it this sort of… volatile manner isn't uncommon for Alfred? Until now he's been nothing but amiable; I'd never have guessed he'd be anything but."

Buckley sighs and sits at the end of a bench as if already weary of the topic. "Aye he's- he can be a temperamental lad. Like a kettle that doesn't whistle every time its come t'a boil, if that makes sense. Little t'no warning of when he'll… But I don't think you've anything t'worry about, Doctor, it's not too common an occurrence when he acts out. Plus Lorcan seems t'think he already likes you. Heh, aren't you lucky…"

The physician tilts his head slightly, gaze drifting as he taps a finger against his arm and quietly weighs his words. "…Pardon my eavesdropping, but from what you'd shared with Lorcan, it sounds like he's quite prone to acts of violence. I would think I should've been made aware of that as soon as we knew he'd live. Especially when he's in such a delicate state right now, mentally speaking."

The Captain grunts, absentmindedly fiddling under his jacket's cuff at whatever keeps his fake hand strapped on. "I'd've mentioned it beforehand if I thought it'd be an issue, honest. It's not- Look, Alfred can be a hotheaded eejit at times, but he's no rampaging madman. More often than not he gets violent because someone has acted out of line - and he's usually good about knowing where the line is, and when it's a matter o' talking or striking! He's a pain in m'arse when he wants t'be, but he obeys every order I give and makes sure the rest o' the men do as well. I'd honestly say he's only a touch more heavyhanded than someone in a peacekeeping position ought t'be, in this line o' work… And, if he really is fond o' you..."

Buckley's gaze turns vacant and his demeanor to one of amused ponderment as he spins a lock of facial hair between his fingers. He abruptly stops to haul himself back to his feet with the help of his cane before looking at Percy once more. "Far as I know, the only person Alfred's ever actually claimed t'like is Lorcan, and we've all seen now what he's willing t'go through for him. I think you've less to fear from the lad than most, Dr. Hewlett."

A chortle escapes Percy before he can think to stop it.

"Oh I'm not fearful, Mister Buckley, not for my wellbeing," he says with an amused smirk. "If this information affects anything, it's my concern for Alfred's recovery and the state of your operation. You already have to make due without him and his 'peacekeeping' for a number of weeks; it'd be a shame if his volatile nature were to somehow lengthen that time."

Another grunt comes from the Captain at the thinly-veiled warning, understandably far more weary than before. "Between you and Lorcan being his only company for the time being, I certainly hope that volatile nature of his finds no reason to show itself in the first place… If you'll excuse me, Doctor."

With a nod the older man turns to trudge up to where the majority of the men are gathered, still hard at work clearing out the remaining debris from their previous worksite. Percy watches him for only a few seconds before he retreats back to the sickbay, his lack of layers having thoroughly chilled him through. Rubbing his hands together nor blowing into them relieves the numbness beginning to nip at his fingers, but a satisfied smile graces his lips regardless. Despite the need for warmth he slows the closer he draws to his tent, every snippet of information he's gleaned within the last hour running through his mind.

The only intriguing, possibly worthwhile thing to be found in this bustling camp, and it's one of the two men he has to stay in nigh constant contact with. Time will tell if this is as much a blessing as he hopes it could be, or more the curse he's already begun to suspect it is… No, it's a blessing and a curse, really. But he won't squander this chance just because it's unpleasant and far from optimal.

Nothing is pleasant at the moment, but it'd be even less so without the distraction of a temporary study subject.

----------

It's not as cold this morning when he wakes up.

His breathe doesn't come out in such huge puffs of steam as he stares up at the ceiling of the tent. Alfred runs a hand over where his head feels itchy, finding fabric instead of skin or hair. His head hurts really bad. For a few seconds he's lost as to why before he remembers he got hurt. Really bad. He breathes in deeply and winces when the inside of his chest burns, but it's not as bad as he thought it would be. It's too much to open his eyes all at once, so he tries to slowly ease them into a squint. On looking at his hands he can see they're not bandaged, and wiggling his toes reveals they're in a similar state. Alfred's smile is lopsided but genuine; he's getting better.

Sitting upright is also easier than he expects, so he tries standing as well. That's much harder but he manages, wavering when the pain in his head skyrockets and his vision goes dark around the edges. Eventually he can see Lorcan asleep in the cot next to his, which is good. With just the one broken leg now it'd be strange for him to be anywhere else.

Alfred looks over to the other end of the tent where the flap is, wanting to go find food. Sitting with a periodical in hand is a spectacled man with odd hair, passively watching him from his place blocking the exit. He's familiar, but…

Alfred knits his brows together and frowns. "Who…?"

"Dr. Percival Hewlett, a physician," the silver-haired man says coolly as he closes the magazine and sets it aside. For some reason it feels like they should shake hands, but there's no offer, and it feels like he shouldn't offer either. Obviously because they've… met before?

"Right, right," Alfred sheepishly mutters as he scratches at his stubbly cheek. Of course he already knew Dr. Hewlett's name, and that they'd met. He's Alfred's doctor. "How long has it been since what happened… happened?"

"Six days. An earthquake caused an avalanche which in turn caused a landslide that toppled the tree you and Lorcan were up. You carried him to camp and have been in my care since. Your head hurts because you have a concussion, you've already eaten breakfast, and it's nearly noon."

"Oh…kay…"

Having his questions answered before asking them is unsettling. Hewlett is an unsettling man.

"Yes, so I've been told. Please sit down."

Alfred's eyes go wide - did he say that out loud? He instantly sits as he was told, ignoring how the room wobbles in response as he rubs at his mouth, cheeks tinged red. The doctor remains seated, smirking now as he continues to stare at him in silence. It was annoying and uncomfortable, Alfred decides. He's never liked people staring at him for very long, like they're sizing him up - especially if he's not looking nice. It makes it more difficult to ignore like he's supposed to, when people annoy him. If he doesn't he otherwise might accidentally punch them. It makes them stop, but usually just makes things even more annoying in the end.

"Does that happen often? You 'accidentally' harming people?"

This time Alfred flinches and makes a noise treacherously close to a meep. Hewlett outright chuckles at him as he leisurely stands, causing the blond's ears to burn - from embarrassment or anger he couldn't say. The throbbing pressure in his head intensifies so much he presses it into his hands to keep it from bursting, hissing as he draws a breath. God, but his head hurts something terrible…

"Yes, I'm aware. There's not much else I can do to help with that, I'm afraid. Here."

Alfred just huffs when the doctor mind-reads again, but looks up when legs come into view. A few strips of jerky are in an outstretched hand, a tin cup in the other. Suddenly remembering why he wanted to leave, Alfred's face brightens. "Ah, thank you!"

Dr. Hewlett hums and remains there long enough for the foodstuffs to be snatched up before returning to his seat. He doesn't pick up the periodical but instead pulls out a little book from his breast pocket, along with a pencil stub. For a while the only sounds in the tent are of scribbling, the occasional page flip, and Alfred gnawing on cold jerky. Eventually his meal is gone and he gulps down the tin's remaining water before setting it on the nightstand. Then he just sits.

He's not sure what to do now that he isn't hungry, so he tries to think. It's easier than it used to be, he's fairly sure, but it still doesn't feel right. His head hurts worse than a hangover, but it's also… really foggy, like it's caught in a raincloud. Thoughts get lost before he can find them and he can't remember things the way he usually does. It isn't a good feeling… Can he still read? Alfred suddenly sits a little straighter as panic starts to bubble up. He can't stand the idea of not remembering how to read - it's one of the only things he's got in life! He looks to Dr. Hewlett for an answer but gets none; the man doesn't even look his way. He must not have been thinking loud enough this time. "Can I still read?"

Now the doctor looks up, mild surprise in his expression. "You can read?"

Alfred is annoyed again. "Can I?"

Hewlett seems confused for a moment before his eyes light up. "Has the concussion specifically affected your ability to read? Is that what you mean? Hm…" He picks up the magazine and comes closer to hand it to him. "Can you tell me what's written on the cover?"

Alfred has to concentrate to make his eyes focus, and then even harder to figure out how to say words he's never read before. "…The… assehh- ass-ee-luhm journal, of men-tall science… i-issue t-twaahgh!"

The headache grows so intense that his vision blurs and darkens before he can finish, each throb accompanied with a spike through the back of his brain. A whine works its way out as he drops the magazine to hunch over and grip at his dressings in a bid to lessen the dizzying pain. The presence next to him silently disappears as the world shifts and turns unnaturally, only to reappear again.

Alfred doesn't want to talk anymore. He's about to blindly throw a punch when the doctor softly speaks up. "Here, lay down. I've something to cover your eyes to keep out the light."

For a moment he wonders if Hewlett is really talking to him; his tone is more gentle and kind than Alfred has heard directed at him in a long time. He blindly settles back into the cot and then something weighty and fabric is laid over his eyes, making it so he doesn't have to keep them shut as tight. It doesn't make his headache go away but it makes the ache around his eyes stop. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome. You can still read by the way."

"…That's good," Alfred winces at his own voice, "Is there anything you… for pain…?"

"I'm afraid not. Everything I have on hand would likely tamper with your recovery," Hewlett sighs. It sounds as though he turns away as he mutters, "Medicus curat, natura sanat…"

Already trying to will himself back to sleep, Alfred frowns. "…'Nature heals?' Why're you… speaking Latin…?"

"You know Latin?" the doctor quietly exclaims, more surprised than before. He gets no reply, as instead soft snoring begins to fill the small space.

Hewlett watches his strange patient for a moment longer, before retrieving the little journal to flip to a certain page and add to its contents.

[trenttrendspotter]

Fresh from Expo West: 10 Top Natural Trends for 2019

The interest in naturals continues to evolve and capture the imagination of consumers. It’s an exciting time for the industry with the popularization of the plant movement, the emergence of CBD and shoppers’ obsession with wellness. The 2019 Natural Products Expo West, held at the Anaheim Convention Center, March 6 – 9, was a convergence of mainstay and up-and-coming brands vying for the spotlight.

There isn’t a trade show that engenders as much passion as Expo West. Everyone who has ever been to an Expo West remembers it and thinks of their time there with great affection. Great news: The show continues to flourish under new management and to lead the way on natural alternative trends and products. 

“Every year at Expo West we foster the connection between emerging brands who are impacting the landscape and industry pioneers who have paved the way for decades,” said Lacey Gautier, group show director at New Hope Network. ”This event highlights the importance of community engagement and the role everyone plays to create a more sustainable packaged goods industry. With so much to celebrate in organic agriculture and ethical business practices, you can feel the energy throughout the campus.”

Here the top 10 trends spotted by globe-trotting trend watcher Nancy Trent:

1. CBD bubble or boom

What’s happening with CBD is reminiscent of the internet bubble of the 90s…or is it?Everyone is racing into the game, but it’s not a game, it’s just the beginning of one aspect of the plant-based revolution we are seeing change the way we live. Just as the Internet bubble resulted in the failure of many individual companies but not the Internet industry itself, the CBD business is likely to thrive but not all of the many companies coming out with CBD products will survive.

According to Sebastien Hebbelinck, founder of Prana Principle, “We are just scratching the surface of the potential of this revolution as we wait for guidance from the FDA.” Hebbelinck, who has been in supplements for over 25 years, began his career in the Netherlands and settled in Colorado as a sought-after expert. Hebbelinck figured out how to maximize the potential of CBD with a line of full spectrum hemp oil extract sublingual tinctures that contain non-psychoactive phytocannabinoids and synergistic compounds such as Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabigerol (CBG), Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabichromene (CBC), and a range of naturally preserved terpenes. Terpenes is expected to be the next buzzword in plant-based healing.  

Hebbelinck’s focus is crafting CBD tinctures without THC and he feels there is a lot of confusion in the market about full spectrum vs. broad spectrum, the safety of THC and claims that manufacturers can accurately make. But the country is moving forward and manufacturers need to be responsible to the FDA, retailers and consumers.

2. Shots are the juice

The juicing trend has reached an all-time high.  So has “the awareness of sugar content in our foods, including juice, which has lead to the ‘shot’ movement,” says Kristina Dermody, CEO of California Juice Company. Consumers and people that influence these trends have realized that most of the nutrients we need from juice can be consumed in one delicious shot. This has lead to the success of companies like California Juice Company. The California-grown, organic, nutrient-dense, premium full ingredient fruit and veggies are mindfully formulated to optimize authentic flavors and give the health we need in condensed servings. They are delicious, too!

3. Putting more fun in Functional Foods 

Just the Berries has a special species of Organic New Zealand blackcurrants, which are the most nutrient-rich berries in the world, used primarily for eye and vision health. They are very popular in Asia, as top baseball teams from Japan love this brand. Just the Berries is celebrating its 30th anniversary and is launching its first store in the U.S. 

Likewise, Wishgarden Herbs, an almost 40-year-old whole herb company, combines the fast-acting power of its whole herb liquid extract formulas with an enjoyable social connection via remedy-drink pairings. “This takes wellness and lifestyle to a whole new level that delivers octaves on ‘functional drink’ efficacy and is also fun, tasty and shareable,” says Catherine Hunziker, CEO of Wishgarden Herbs. 

Move over cauliflower pizza: “There can be no doubt that vegetable crust pizza is of interest. Who doesn’t want healthier and tastier pizza alternatives?” asked Benjamin Frohlichstein, CEO of Cappellos. The latest entry into that category is almond crust, with plant protein, healthy fats, nutrient-dense and grain-free pizza crust perfect for keto appetites.

4. The new superfoods

Buyers are inundated with snacks that are so smart, marketers have to find snacks that are not only Keto, protein-rich and grain-free but also have a certain  je ne sais quoi too. 

“There is a focus on ingredients because people are reading labels and demanding better ingredients,” says Jeff Brinkhoff, CEO of Hopapops. For instance, lotus seeds, the main ingredient in Hopapops, are trending in Europe because they are a true ancient superfood with roots in Aryuvedic and traditional Chinese medicine for helping to maintain health blood sugar levels.

Vegan, all natural TahiniBars are made of sesame seeds with amazing taste and texture, all for only 100 calories. The texture is so appealing, TahiniBars made an ad campaign around their smoothness called “my first crush.” 

Brami Snacks, made with lupini beans from Spain, have more fiber than edamame and fewer calories than almonds. To make them even more appropriate for the U.S. market, they come in scrumptious flavors, too. How did we not know about these incredibly delicious wonder beans before? 

5. Focus on simply healthy ingredients

Elma Farms latest introduction is POSHI, which stands for the “Power Of Simply Healthy Ingredients.” These plant-based snacks are gluten-free, non-GMO, convenient and low-calorie.  Everyone is talking about innovative fermented snacks!

Much of the hummus we buy at the store is pasteurized by heat. Anyone who has had or has made their own fresh hummus knows that it’s all about the freshness of the ingredients. Starting out in farmer’s markets, discovered by Wegman’s, they continue to keep high standards for ingredients. “It’s not about flavor to catch attention,” said Chris Kirby, of Ithaca Cold Crafted.  He buys whole lemons and squeezes them in his hummus, which also includes raw garlic.   

And when hummus is good, it’s easy to eat too much. That was the concept behind Blue Moose, one of the first organic snacking hummus with portion control 100-calorie cups and dehydrated carrot sticks. 

6. Basics, made even better

We all would be eating more beets if they were easier to work with. Thank you Beetroute from the Netherlands for sourcing the most delicious beets and doing the messy prep work. I know I will be eating more beets as you launch in the U.S. market.

Another classic to get a fresh spin: Dates. Joolie’s, with the help of superior technology, produces the most succulent organic Medjool dates I have ever tasted.

In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the National Peanut Board partnered with Crazy Richards Peanut Butter to roll out an entirely new category with the introduction of its new frozen snack line, Wholly Rollies – Frozen Protein Balls. Wholly Rollies was developed to make healthy snacking simple. “As consumers continue gravitating toward snacking, the National Peanut Board is excited to be part of bringing new products to the freezer case. As a delicious, nutritious and portable snack, Wholly Rollies embodies everything consumers are looking for,” says Ryan Lepicier, SVP, marketing & communications, National Peanut Board.

7. Brands that go above and beyond

“Every year consumers get smarter and more discerning in their decision-making process, whether it’s non-GMO or vegan–these are specific values,” says Sabrina Banadyga, the chief marketing officer of EnerC. EnerC is a caffeine-free, low-sugar vitamin C supplement committed to the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit.

Teatulia, a Bangladesh-based single-garden direct line of organic loose leaf teas, demonstrates a thorough commitment to sustainability by supporting a cooperative and establishing a cattle-lending program. In exchange for maintaining the garden, collective members (who are overwhelmingly female) receive cows instead of the more popular microfinance loans normally associated with Bangladesh. In return for fresh milk, members of the program pay down the loan with milk and cow dung which helps fertilize the tea garden. Teatulia is now introducing a totally innovative line of tea sodas. 

It’s about time people started getting picky about their eggs. “There is an increased desire for eggs from chickens that are pasture raised,” said Ryan Miller of Farmers Hen House. People want more protein, they want better protein and they are willing to pay for it. Another reason these eggs are amazing is they only get eggs from authentic sustainable family farms that produce their grain to feed their chickens. And, their processing plant is 100% solar powered!

8. Hydration cleans up

Hydration was one of the hottest categories. We’re thirsty for natural ways to hydrate. Electrolytes are a great way to stay healthily hydrated, but they are hard to drink without calories, sugar, carbs or caffeine. That’s what lead to the success of Ultima Replenisher, a stick pack containing all 6 macro electrolytes without the things you don’t want. It’s made with all plant-based flavors, colors and sweeteners and vitamin C, another thing we like to add to our water.   

One water company, Essentia, has done some rigorous testing to prove its hydration value.  A clinical trial, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN), showed Essentia has a 9.5pH or higher alkaline water that is better at rehydrating than regular water.

9. Seriously smart supplements

As people continue to push themselves to new limits, the use of brain-health supplements has become an expanding industry, with expected growth to $11.6 billion by 2024. Quality of life is dependent on the healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system. Meaningful improvements to cognitive function can impact the quality of communication and connection in relationships. It gives us more of the mental energy we might need to turn our good intentions, in areas like diet, exercise, and sleep, into reality. And, it supports our ability to adapt to environmental stressors. Neurohacker Collective, a company focused on creating best-in-class wellbeing products using a unique research methodology based on complex systems science, understands that different systems in the body don’t act in isolation. Neurohacker’s flagship product, Qualia Mind, is a premium nootropic used to help stimulate and support overall mental performance of the brain. Qualia Mind incorporates high-quality ingredients to ensure optimal results and transcend basic cognitive enhancement. Neurohacker’s brain supplements, while designed to support increased cognition, also are designed to improve the entire body to support peak performance.

10. Chemical free, from cosmetics to OTC remedies

Increasingly, people don’t want to put anything on their body they wouldn’t put in their body. And that means more interest in plant-based ingredients. But even plants can be processed. Skinny & Co provides one of the only chemical-free, additive-free, and non-acidic coconut oil in the world. Every product starts with handpicked, raw coconuts from the jungles of Vietnam, processed through a patented Nutralock System that keeps the oil cool and 100% raw. With 5 or fewer ingredients in each product, these cleansing balms, body scrubs, deodorants and more, are proving that healthy really is beautiful. As the use of essential oils continues to rise with more people leaning toward natural methods of care, Oilogic says its three collections are safe and impactful for babies & toddlers, kids and adults. A trailblazing leader in family natural wellness, Oilogic Essential Oil includes the right concentration of each powerful oil, diluted appropriately to create a safe, yet effective formula that is ready for use. Natural Products Expo West 2020 will be held March 3rd-7th at the Anaheim Convention Center. Natural Products Expo East will take place at the Baltimore Convention Center September 11th-14th, 2019. Follow @NatProdExpo and #ExpoWest on Twitter and Instagram, and visit us on Facebook for ongoing conversations. 

As seen in Whole Foods Magazine

[bornomadic-blog]

Official Blog: www.bornomadic.com

Isn’t it true that everyone wants to travel? Yes, but money plays an important role in making this decision. Therefore, I’ll am sharing my journey how you can travel cheaper, longer and safer in Sri Lanka 🙂

How to travel Sri Lanka under 500$?

Trust me! You can travel even cheaper. I focused primarily on three things.

(a) Accommodation: If you chose the right accommodation. You would save a good money which can be used tor food or transport. So, I used websites like www.airbnb.com, www.booking.com, and www.agoda.com for places to spend the night. Keeping the expense as low as 10$ at most of the places. However, there were a few places where I had to pay 15$ but not beyond that. Also, I searched for homes that provide free breakfast, free Wi-Fi, and free laundry.

(b) Food: Make sure that your accommodation provides a free breakfast. Then, you would have to just focus on lunch and dinner. I chose inexpensive restaurants but decent ones. Being an Indian I thought that I would be able to get accustomed to Sri Lankan food. But it turned out to totally different. I was unable to develop the taste for the food. However, there were certain dishes that I did like. (i) Rotti – very similar to India chapatti (bread) but with filling. The stuffing could be chicken, banana, pineapple, egg and the list goes on and on. (ii)  Kuttu – it is a mix of chapatti with vegetables, chicken (iii) Hopper – is a bowl-shaped pancake-like dish. It’s made of rice.

Suggestion: 1 Litre Water bottle in Sri Lanka costs around 80-100 LRK (approx. 1$). So, what you can do is a carry a water bottle or two always so that you don’t have to buy one. I re-filled them from places where there were water purifiers installed. It saved good 50$ or so for me during my entire trip.

(c) Transport: The whole country is very well connected through its bus and train system. You may have to change a bus or two to reach your destination at times. But it would definitely save some cash. The Auto-Rickshaw’s (Tuk-Tuk) charge is pretty high. So, I avoided this medium. However, I did take an Auto-Rickshaw (Tuk-Tuk) once as I had to leave early to climb the Adam’s Peak and I had no other option. For trains, I would suggest taking a second class ticket as it is reasonable and the seats are fairly comfortable.

Note: Purchase a SIM from a local shop outside the airport. I made a mistake by purchasing it from the airport costing me 1300LRK (250 minutes international, 500 minutes local, 3GB of data). Later, I got to know you could get a similar deal for 300LRK (500 minutes local, 2GB of data. This is a better deal in case you don’t need international minutes. 

I travelled as an “unplanned traveller” without any itinerary. However, I was able to cover as much ground as I can in these 15 days.

Colombo | Kandy | Dambulla | Nuwara Eliya | Maskeliya | Ella | Mirissa | Galle | Anuradhapura | Jaffna | Colombo

My Journey

I carried a journal during my trip to keep the notes of the trip and also a count of my daily expenses. I would share my entire trip here including the expenses occurred. Hope this would provide you with a fair idea on how you can travel cheap, safe and long.

Day 1 (New Delhi – Bangalore – Colombo – Chennai)

My flight’s scheduled departure from New Delhi was 8.35PM but it got delayed by the half-hour. This delay caused another problem for me. It was a connecting flight. I had to board another plane from Bangalore to Colombo and go through the immigration and security checks. All this was time-consuming I felt I would miss the flight. The boarding time was 12.30AM and I reached the queue for immigration clearance at 12:20 AM. Thankfully, the JetAirways executive expedited the process, sorting the issues with airport authorities. And finally, I was in the place.

Took a moment to capture all the commotion in the plane after the drinks were served

I was all relaxed and wanted to take a nap. But my luck was not with me. I have never seen such a scene in an aeroplane. There were around 90 odd people travelling together for some kind of a meeting in Colombo. After the liquor was served the plane completely turned into a cheap club. I cannot describe the scene but reminded me of this movie ‘Soul Plane’, if you haven’t watched it – Please do!

Anyways, I looked forward to my amazing trip. I was eagerly waiting for the plane to land at Colombo. I was just an hour from the foreign land. Once the place flew over, my eyes experienced a mystical view from the aeroplane window. The whole city glittered by the deep blue sea, it seemed as thousand stars in the sky and our plane was flying upside down. All this anticipated my excitement. We were getting closer to the ground, preparing to land. When suddenly, the captain throttled the plane flying us back above the clouds. Everyone started looking at each other in amazement.

And, an announcement happened “There has been a technical problem at the Colombo Airport, so we are going back to Chennai”. Now, you can image how happy I was.

Day 2 (Chennai – Colombo – Kandy)

In an hour we were at the Chennai Airport, refuelled and flew again for Colombo. The plane landed around 5 AM and I was sure that no way I would be able to catch the train for Kandy for which I had made an advance payment. Yes, I did miss it. Immigration and baggage collection took another hour. Finally, I was out of the airport around 7 AM.

Suggestion: The best way to reach Colombo Fort Railway station is to take Bus No. 187. It takes an hour to get to the fort and charges only 120LRK. If you opt for a tuk-tuk it may charge a hefty sum like 1000LRK or more.

Bus E3-187 from Airport to Colombo Fort

It’s a decent AC Bus. But, it will not move until all passenger seats are full. So, one has to wait for a while. In my case, the bus left within 30 minutes. I reached Colombo Bus stand around 8.25 AM, from there the Colombo fort is just a 10 minutes walk.

I reached Fort a late as I had planned. Therefore, I could only get the ticket for the train which was scheduled for 10:30 AM (Kandy Rajdhani). It was a 2nd class ticket costing 190LRK. I had to wait 2 hours for this one. So, I roamed around the station appreciating the beautiful architecture laid by the British, still standing strong. Clicked few pictures of the trains passing by.

The 4-hour journey from Colombo to Kandy is breathtaking. The rides take you through the lush green foliage of the banana and the coconut trees, symmetrically step farmed paddy fields, petite settlements, and massive tunnels, providing the view of the hills that is too incredible to imagine.

Any traveller would love to experience this enormous exhibition of the countryside. I was tired and deprived of sleep but I deliberately kept myself awake so that I don’t miss this abundance of beauty. The only drawback is that the train stops every 30 minutes or so.

Finally, I reached Kandy, around 2.30 PM. I had booked a place to stay for 2 nights which was at a walking distance from the railway station.

After walking for around 15 minutes I was at the ‘Clock Inn, Kandy‘. I chose to stay in these capsules as this was something distinct that you don’t get to see every day.

Thinking, I have few hours in hand before the sunset. I thought of visiting places nearby. I could see this huge ‘White Buddha’ statue from my capsule. So, I took a shower. I picked a map from the reception and started walking towards this Buddha Temple.

Enter a caption

I reached the Big White Buddha temple after hiking for 45 minutes from the hotel. The temple is beautiful and one gets to see the whole city and the lake from this elevation. However, there is an entry fee to the temple (250LRK). You may also be asked to provide donation by different people within the premises ( I ignored those guys). However, I did pay 20LRK to this shop owner who took care of my shoes when I was in the temple.

I walked down the hill and sat on a bench by the Kandy Lake to see the day end. It was beautiful.

By now, I was starving so I hopped into this local restaurant and requested for an authentic Sri Lankan cuisine. The owner suggested me to try Hopper – Plain and Egg. And trust me “it was delicious”.

Day 2 Expenses – 4265LRK (28$)  (a) Local SIM – 1300LRK (b) Bus from airport to Fort Colombo – 120LRK (c) Train to Kandy – 190LRK (d) Snacks in the train – 140LRK (e) Water Bottle in the train – 50LRK (f) White Buddha Entry Fees – 270LRK (g) Water Bottle – 100LRK (h) Dinner – 350LRK (i) Accommodation – 1745LRK

Day 3 (Kandy – Sigiriya – Pidurangala – Dambulla)

Suggestion: To visit all these places in a day, you would have to leave around 7 AM. Second, if you leave early you would find the places less crowded.

My day started with a hefty breakfast. I was not sure when I’ll be having my next meal. Therefore, I stuffed myself as much as I could. I was sure that I would be commuting by buses or trains. Thus, I headed towards the Kandy Bus Station, which was not far from the hotel. I wanted to visit the Sigiriya Rock and Pidurangala Temple first and then the Dambulla caves. I took a bus for Dambulla.

What lovely people we meet when we wander! During my commute to Dambulla. I met Julia, she was from Germany and was also travelling solo. Sitting by her made my journey more compelling as we talked all our way. We shared our experiences about the little big island. She has been travelling solo for some time now, covering a good number of countries. I told her that I would love to be her host cum guide when she comes to India.

Nice and beautiful people kept coming 🙂

To reach Sigiriya Rock, we’ve to change the bus from Dambulla and get on the one heading towards Pidurangala. The bus dropped me at this deserted place with a sign board stating Pidurangala leading to the woods. I followed my instincts and started walking towards the forest.

After walking for almost a kilometre I saw the Pidurangala Temple. Prayed to the Lord and starting walking the incline. The hike is brief but exhausting, however, once you reach the summit, the view is captivating. I could also see the Sigiriya Rock and I now wanted to visit the rock. Initially reluctant to visit it as the entry to it was 30$.

After reaching the Sigiriya Rock, I realised that it’s not a rock but a fort in the shape of a lion, whose head has dropped off somewhere. This massive piece of architecture makes you spellbound. One has to climb some 300 stairs to reach the top and again the view of the surrounding is astounding.

Now, I had to run to the Dambulla caves. Hence, I walked to the near Bus Stand. There was a bus there for Dambulla but no driver and passengers. Upon checking with some people around, I got to know that this bus was not going in my direction. I wanted to reach my destination before it gets dark, so I raised my thumb at a car coming to my direction. Thankfully, it stopped and offered me a ride till Dambulla. It was around 6 PM and I wanted to reach the cave temple as soon as possible as the entry closes after 6.30PM.

God Bless this gentleman for offering me a ride! 

After getting off the car, I boarded a bus to the Dambulla Cave Temple but I was late. It was already 6.30PM. Still, I ran towards the entrance considering that I would somehow slip-in but the authorities did not let me. I desperately wanted to get in, so I offered the authorities a donation, to which they agreed and they let me in.

Delighted was I to go around the temple with these little monks, who excitedly showed me the entire place. It was astounding to roam inside these caves at this hour.

I came out of the temple and walked towards the Bus Stand near the temple. Lucky was I, the bus to Kandy just arrived. I got a seat.

After 2 hours spending in the bus, I finally reached Kandy. And, slept like a baby as I was dead tired from all the walking I had done.

Day 3 Expenses – 6982LRK (46$) (a) Bus to Dambulla – 94LRK (b) Connecting Bus from Dambulla to Sigiriya – 60LRK (c) Entry to Pidurangala – 300LRK (d) Entry to Sigiriya – 1250LRK (e) Bus to Dambulla Cave Temple – 10LRK (f) Entry Donation at Dambulla – 1500LRK (g) Bus to Kandy – 98LRK (h) Dinner – 180LRK (i) Accommodation – 1745LRK

Note: Entry to Sigiriya Rock is for 30$, however, if your country is a member of SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and you are carrying your passport then you are eligible for a 50% discount i.e. 15$.

Day 4 (Kandy – Nuwara Eliya)

I was suggested by a fellow traveller Logesh to visit Nuwara Eliya. So, I decided to change my plan, instead of going north I changed my direction to south. But before I could start my travel to Nuwara Eliya. I had to visit one more place in Kandy – The famous ‘Temple Of The Tooth’. I had a lot to do today. Thus, I woke up early had a heavy breakfast as always and headed towards the temple. I was told that the entry fee to the temple was 1500LRK for the foreign nationals. Thinking of the amount, I thought I would stroll around the place and will not enter the temple.

Asankya carrying the offerings

Fortunate was I that I bumped into Asankya. I local from Galle. After a chit chat about where I was from and where I am heading to. He told me that he can get me into the temple without paying a penny. It sounded like a plan and my mind I was happy that the amount that I paid as a donation at Dambulla Cave Temple would get compensated.

He asked me to stay mum till we pass the entry gates. And I did. Once I was in the temple a feeling of advantage came over me. I was happy. 

We offered the gifts to the Lord. Then, Ashankya showed me around the temple and the museum. I was grateful to him. He told me that he would try to meet me again at Galle when I go south and parted our paths. I returned to the hotel to pick my stuff. It was around 10.45 AM and the train to Nuwara Eliya was about to leave in the next 10 minutes. I was sure I would miss it and wait for the next.

Luck was on my side today. The train was running late and it arrived at around 12 PM, a few minutes later after I reached the railway station. I got the window seat and couldn’t be more thankful as I got to know that this route was the most beautiful one in the entire country.

Hakeem and I sharing the lens!

Next to me was this gentleman named ‘Hakeem‘. Once, he got to know that I was from India, he started narrating his experiences of his travel to India. I was good to hear good things about my country. I saw the ticket checker approaching so I put my hand into my pocket to get the ticket. I realised it was not there. Probably, I had dropped it somewhere. I ran to the ticket checker and told him that I’ve lost the ticket. He calmly responded suggesting me to buy one from the next station. Hakeem helped me get the ticket from the next station. Also, when he dropped off at his destination; he got me some snacks too so that I don’t have to get down at any station if I was hungry. I had no clue how to thank him. Before I could say anything he was gone.

Beautiful Nanu Oya Railway Station

Reached the beautiful town of Nanu Oya but this was not my destination. So, I boarded a bus to Nuwara Eliya. I liked the weather, it was raining and it was cooler here as compared to Kandy. After reaching the Nuwara Eliya bus station. I used Google Maps to locate the hostel I had booked online. Maps showed me that it was 10 minutes walk from the station. I started walking, making my way through the woods.

I booked a dorm bed at the hostel for 2 nights believing I would be able to cover as much as I could. It was around 5 PM and I wanted to see a couple of places before it gets dark. I decided to visit the ‘Ashok Vatika’; today’s ‘Seetha Amman Temple’ as everyone back in India had suggested me to visit the place.

There was no one in the temple. I was the only person at this hour. From my childhood, we’ve heard stories about Ravana’s Lanka and places associated with Ramayana like any other Indian. I sat near the Feet imprint of Lord Hanuman for a while. The place made me feel a deep connection and I got hysterical.

I wanted to stay longer but due to the brevity of time. I had to leave. The bus stand is opposite to the temple.

While I was waiting for the bus, I met these two gentlemen from India. We talked about the food, the people, the places. They were kind enough to give me company till I boarded the bus. I reached Nuwara Eliya bus station around 8 PM, went to this restaurant on the opposite side. I ordered Masala Dosai and a glass of milk. Once done, I walked back to the hostel. In less than 15 minutes I was in the hostel; good that I was carrying a flashlight because the path to the hostel turned dark.

Day 4 Expenses – 2060LRK (13.50$) (a) Snacks – 130LRK (b) Train Fare Kandy to Nanu-Oya – 160LRK + 150LRK (for the new ticket) = 310LRK (c) Hostel/ Dorm Charges – 1330LRK (d) Bus to Nuwara from Nanu-Oya – 25LRK (e) Bus to Hakgala (Seetha Amman Temple) – 30LRK (f) Bus to Nuwara Eliya from Seetha Amman Temple – 30LRK (g) Dinner – 205LRK

Day 5 (Nuwara Eliya)

I got up around 6 AM. Freshened up, had breakfast and left for Lover’s Leap Waterfall. I was told by the caretaker that the waterfall was just 3 Kms walk from the hostel. Within half an hour I was at this beautiful waterfall. I immensely enjoyed the walk as it provided me with a beautiful view of the town. You get to see trails of beautiful flowers along the route accompanying you.

There was no one here at this hour of the day. So, I sat near the waterfall listening to the harmonica of the water splashing on the rocks. I was a marvellous feeling – Mother Nature and her child.

Realising that there were other places too that I had to see. I scuttled down the slant and luckily met Mr Nazim Zubin who offered me a ride to the bus station. It did save some time.

I took bus No. 311/1 which dropped me off a location leading to the Single Tree Hill. It’s a 2 Kilometre hike and every bit of it worth it. Firstly, You tend to see the whole town from another level of elevation. Secondly, you get to meet the locals collecting tea leaves from the tea garden. Also, there is a beautiful stupa on the way up.

After reaching the summit I realised that there was no tree named ‘The Silent Tree’ instead the hill that I had just climbed was called the ‘Silent Tree’. I was not disappointed I sat there for a while and let the cool breeze lower down my body temperature.

After climbing down the hill. I boarded a bus heading towards the Ramboda Falls. Within 30 minutes or so I was at the Ramboda Waterfall. People were clicking pictures and leaving the spot. But I observed a narrow path leading to the up the source. So, I climbed all the way up and found the real fall. Water was falling from a height of 390 meters and the view was mesmerising.

The view was so compelling that it urged me to take a dip under the waterfall. But there was a problem, there was no defined path to reach the fall. Anyhow, I removed my shoes, tied them to my bag and made my way through. I did stumble in between due to the presence of algae on the rocks but somehow I reached the point of bliss. I removed my clothes and jumped into the pool, feeling the love of nature. Once done, I came back to the highway from where I started the climb for the Ramboda Waterfall and asked a local for the direction to the ‘Hanuman Temple’. He said that I need to walk 2 Kilometres straight and I would reach my destination. And so I started walking….

This walk was not exactly 2 Kilometres. It was far beyond that. Initially, I did not realise that but now it did not matter to me because the charm it offered me was priceless.

I walked through tunnels, saw beautiful waterfalls, lush green pine trees. The pure air filled my chest and I walked along the artistic road.

There were no cars on the road. Just a few locals selling vegetables and fruits besides the highway. They smiled when I walk passed them.

I walked for good 5-7 Kilometres until I reached a small restaurant. I was starving, so I asked the waiter to get me 2 glasses of Avocado Shake and noodles. After regaining my strength, I asked the restaurant owner how far the ‘Hanuman Temple’ was. He replied “it’s just 2 Kms from the restaurant” but he suggested that I take a bus, which I did. It took 5 minutes for the bus to drop me near the temple.

I bought offerings for the prayers from a shop near the entrance of the temple. And walked the 500 meters incline towards the temple.

It was at the entrance of this beautiful temple. Photography was prohibited inside the temple so I was unable to click more pictures. I was taken aback when I was told that I had to pay for the prayers. This was unusual, anyhow I did pray the priest.

This was my final destination for the day. It was getting dark so I decided to return back to the hostel. I boarded the Bus heading to Nuwara Eliya and reached the hostel around 7 PM. While I was lying on my bed, these two guys (a Chinese and a Korean) come to my room and asked me if I wanted to join them for dinner. I accepted their invite and we headed to a local restaurant. The Sri Lankan food we’d ordered was pathetic, we told the owner of the restaurant that the food was bad and left the place. Then, we headed to this Chinese restaurant where we were well fed.

Day 5 Expenses – 2252LRK (15$) (a) Bus to Silent Hill – 20LRK (b) Bus to Ramboda Waterfall – 50LRK (c) Lunch – 300LRK (d) Offerings for the temple – 100LRK (e) Prayers – 20LRK (f) Bus to Nuwara Eliya – 52LRK (g) Dinner – 380LRK (h) Hostel Charge – 1330LRK

Day 6 (Horton Plains National Park – Maskeliya – Ella)

I was suggested to leave early morning for Horton Plains and The World’s End as it gets really hot during the day. Therefore, I got up around 4.30AM and left in an hour. I pooled up for the taxi and entry to the park with 3 other travellers in the hostel – 2 Chinese girls and an English man.

We stopped at a small eating joint before entering the park for a quick bite. After entering the park, we realised that it was crowded though we reached the place quite early.

We started walking towards the Mini World’s End initially and reached the location in good 30 minutes or so. Others got to see the Sri Lankan Sambar, some wild birds, and monkeys but I was not that fortunate. However, I enjoyed the walk though.

Mark and I walked along the narrow path sharing our travel experiences, of people, places, and food. He had been travelling from the south of Sri Lanka towards the north and I was doing the opposite.

Mark helped me get some great pictures of the Mini World’s End, the World’s End and the Baker’s Fall. It feels marvellous to meet nice people and sharing cultural differences.

After returning from the Hortons Plain. I started packing to move to my next destination – Adam’s Peak. Initially, I was not planning to visit climb the Adam’s Peak but after learning from Mark and Julia about it I added it to my itinerary.

I took a bus from Nuwara Eliya to Nanu-Oya Railway Station. I was about to miss my train to Hatton but I ran like a horse towards the ticket counter, got a ticket and hopped on the train.

I reached Hatton around 1.30PM and it was pouring. But I was fortunate that a bus was waiting just outside the Railway Station. It was heading to Dalhousie. During my commute, I was searching for an accommodation in Dalhousie but all options were out of my budget.

I dropped off at Maskeliya for a cheaper accommodation. I found a place to spend the night but it was really far from the bus station and a good 5 Kms from the Adam’s Peak. Anyhow, I walked towards the “Madhusa Rest” house. Somewhere in between, I felt that I was lost but there some these school kids who helped me find the place.

I told the caretaker not to disturb me until the dinner was ready because I really wanted to rest before the excruciating hike. The caretaker also arranged a tuk-tuk for me who would take me to Adam’s Peak at midnight.

I had a typical Sri Lankan dinner. It looked great but I was not accustomed to the taste, so I left in between and slept. Around 1 AM I heard the sound of a tuk-tuk arriving, I freshened up and left to the climb.

Day 6 Expenses – 7004LRK (46$) (a) Taxi to Horton Plains – 1250LRK (b) Breakfast – 190LRK (c) Horton Plains Entrance Fee – 2900LRK (d) Bus to Nanu-Oya – 24LRK (e) Train to Hatton – 60LRK (f) Bus to Maskeliya – 70LRK (g) Snacks – 120LRK (h) Accomocdation and Dinner – 2390LRK

Day 7 (Adam’s Peak – Maskeliya – Ella)

I underestimated the climb. But soon realised that it would get tough as I go further. I wanted to grab a perfect point to view the sunrise from the summit so I walked as fast as I could without stopping anywhere in between.

Somewhere I between I looked at the sky. It looked beautiful, it seemed as if the stars looked at me guiding me through the deserted path. I wanted to stop and stare at the sky but due to the brevity of time, I kept walking.

By 4.30 AM I was at the summit. The hike was gruesome and it tested my endurance and agility at all levels. But every bit of it was worth it. I took a seat at a seating area near the temple and meditated till dawn.

The sunrise was too majestic to describe. I looked it until I had completely grasped the beauty of the moment. I roamed around the temple for few minutes and then started running down the stairs. I took 45 minutes to come down.

I took a bus from the Adam’s Peak bus station to Maskeliya. Within 20 minutes I was at the guest house. I took a shower, packed my stuff and headed towards the Bus Station to take a bus to Hatton.

Though I left early for Hatton, I missed the 11.30 AM train. So, I headed for lunch and returned to the railway station around at 1.45 PM to catch the 2 PM train.

During my commute to Ella, I met Vicky from China. We talked about the countries we’ve travelled. Shared our experiences. She wanted to know more about India like why certain people wear turbans and why the married women wear vermilion on their forehead. I explained her as much as I could and it was fun to talk. Around 6 PM, we reached Ella and bid farewell to each other.

I had booked a bed at the ‘Sleep Cheap – Ella‘ guesthouse, which was not far from the railway station. While I was walking towards the hostel it started to rain and I had to take out my poncho and hurried.

Once, it stopped raining I left for the Ella market. During the evening hours, Ella seems to become a different place altogether. You see people walking, hear music from the pubs and happy hour boards placed outside all bars. Without any delay, I stepped into a restaurant and offered ginger beer and pineapple roti. Once done, I went back to the hostel.

Day 7 Expenses – 3070 (20$) (a) Tuk-Tuk from Madusa Guest House to Adam’s Peak – 700LRK (b) Bus from Adam’s Peak to Maskeliya – 40LRK (c) Bus to Maskeliya to Hatton – 45LRK (d) Snacks – 110LRK (e) Lunch – 200LRK (f) Train to Ella – 160LRK (g) Dinner – 320LRK (h) Accommodation – 1500LRK

Day 8 (Ella – Little Adam’s Peak – Ravana Falls – Ella Rock)

Next morning during breakfast, I met Quan and Aines from China. They were in Sri Lanka for a week. I was planning to climb the little Adam’s Peak, so were they. So, they tagged along with me.

We walked through this path exhibiting us the beautiful landscapes, talking about the similarities of China & India. Our education system, people, government, etc. The places we want to travel and not get married soon enough.

Aines shared her story, how laboriously her parents worked for her education. At one point, she really got emotional. At that instance, I realised for similar people are though we are from different worlds.

Aines and Quan had to catch a bus so they left. I bid farewell to them and I moved to the next peak. Little Adam’s Peak is an easy trek. So, it did not take us long to reach the peak. The view was amazing and in front, I could see Ella Rock, which I had to climb before the end of the day.

The view was majesticI so I clicked few pictures and sat there for a while. Then, I walked down the hill for the Ravana Waterfall.

Google Maps showed me Ravana falls at a distance of 6 Kms from my location. To save some time, I thought of hitchhiking. So, I raised my thumb high. I could see a motorcycle approaching, it stopped and offered me a ride.

The rider’s name was Sumit and he came to know that I was from India. He told me how big a fan he was of the Indian Cricket Team. His favourites were Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni.

While we were lost in our conversation, we saw a police barricade ahead and I guessed it that we were in trouble. I was not wearing a helmet. The policeman on duty stopped us. He asked me to leave. I tried to give an explanation but I was waved-off. Even Sumit asked me to leave the spot. Feeling guilty, I left. I walked a few hundred meters and could see Sumit coming towards me. He stopped and said that the police gave him a verbal warning and let him go. The policeman was a nice man, he made him think of a scenario where a foreigner meets with an accident then what would consequences he would have to face. It was thoughtful for me too. Anyhow, Sumit did leave me till Ravana Falls.

I didn’t find this place amusing. Just a waterfall by the road with few people getting pictures clicked.

My last attraction to cover in Ella was the “Ella Rock”. Therefore, I boarded a bus to Ella and started walking towards the rock.

One has to walk along this railway track for good 2-2.5 Kilometres first. Then, there is narrow passage along the forest leading to the Ella Rock. During my walk along this wonderful foliage by the track, I met a lot of hikers returning and they guided me through.

I was lost somewhere in the forest. But by God’s grace, I met Anil, a villager from Ella Village. He walked with me till I was back on the trail. I gave him 100LRK for helping me out.

In total it took good 2 hours for me to reach the rock. I sat on the edge of the rock enduring the cool breeze. The view of from the rock was thrilling. One can see the Little Adam’s Peak in front, the petite village at the bottom and enormous ranges all around.

While I was grasping the beauty around. I saw Priyantha and Pradeep approaching. They were curious to know where I was from and what I was doing here all by myself. I told them all and it clicked well. We talked about all kind of stuff from Cricket to Buddhism to how we are missing good things in our lives of hectic work schedule.

While I was returning back, I met Mark and Eleonora. I’ve been bumping into them for a while. First, I met them at the Nanu-Oya Railway station then the Little Adam’s Peak and now the Ella Rock.

On my way back, I lost my path. Thankfully, my phone had enough juice to guide me though. I finally reached the hostel before dark. For me, the most memorable part was walking along the track.

In the evening, the town turned hazy. Looking at that I went to this pub playing some great music and ended my day there.

Suggestion: When visiting Ella Rock, keep track of the path and continue asking the locals for the route. Don’t take a guide, it’s not required.

Day 8 Expenses – 2825LRK (18.50$) (a) Accommodation – 1500LRK (b) Bus to Ella from Ravana Falls – 25LRK (c) To Anil – 100LRK (d) Dinner – 1200LRK

Day 9 (Ella – Mirissa)

After breakfast, I left for the Ella Bus stand to catch a Bus to Mirissa. But, there is no direct Bus. So, I boarded a bus to Matara. It’s a four-hour journey from Ella to Matara. And, Mirissa is 30 minutes distance from Matara. I reached Mirissa in the afternoon. It’s a beautiful town, with a lot of restaurant and shacks by the beach.

I stayed at the ‘Sun Vivanta Resort’ which was is and managed by a cute couple. I was offered a king coconut, freshly cut, from the tree to quench my thirst, when I arrived at the resort.

Though I had booked a single-bed room, they offered me a comfortable double-bed room. Laundry was not a part of the amenities offered but they allowed me to use their washing machine.

The owner suggested me to go for ‘Whale Watching’ the next morning. I agreed to it. He made all the arrangements. Later in the evening, I thought of taking a walk by the beach. And I met this lovely couple from Czech – Mark and Eleonora again. I sat with them for a while and told them that, there was kind of power that was making us meet every now and then. For dinner, I had cheese roti which had a stuffing of eggs, cheese and vegetables; it was delicious.

Day 9 Expenses – 2590LRK (17$) (a) Accommodation @ Sun Vivanta Resort – 1500LRK (b) Bus to Matara from Ella – 400LRK (c) Bus to Mirissa from Matara – 40LRK (d) Lunch – 250LRK (e) Dinner – 400LRK

Day 10 – Mirissa

Early morning around 5 AM, the owner of the resort, woke me up. He had arranged a tuk-tuk for my pickup from the resort to the harbour. I got ready and reached the place by 6.30 AM. We left for the ocean at 7 AM.

Exhilarated was I, as the boat sailed on the sea in a harmonic pattern. I felt a profound connection to my soul with the deep blue water of the ocean. It took good one hour or so to reach the spot where the big mammal is spotted.

We had to wait for some time to see the big blue whale. Our boat stood still in the blue water, all of us waiting to see a glimpse of the creature. The captain said that the whale comes every 15-20 minutes to the surface. So, we were waiting patiently.

We did see a couple of whales. After which, we headed back to the port. I fell asleep and got up when we were about to reach the harbour. I was famished by then, I headed to this restaurant near the resort for lunch. As it got too hot during the day, I stayed at the resort and relaxed.

In the evening, I left for the beach. The blue water and the blue sky complemented each other. I got into the shallow water and while I was enjoying myself two mammoth size waves hit me. First, I tumbled into the water and as soon as I tried to get on my feet, the second wave pushed me to the ground. I felt an excruciating pain on my right knee. I sensed something bad has happened. Somehow, I came out of the water, changed and headed for the resort.

I knew deep down that I may not be able to continue my trip with an injured knee. So, I stopped that thought from getting into my head. Rather, I thought of enjoying the moment.

I went a little off my budget. I took a seat at a table by the beach and ordered few beers and barbequed chicken. There was no one around and even in pain, I was content.

Day 10 Expenses – 5510LRK (36$) (a) Accommodation @ Sun Vivanta Resort – 1500LRK (b) Whale Watching – 2000LRK (c) Lunch – 560LRK (d) Dinner – 1450LRK

Day 11 (Mirissa – Galle)

Next morning, I got up a bit late. I was unable to bend my knee, the pain had worsened. The owner of the resort gave me some kind of ointment but it didn’t provide any relief. I made my mind and thought of continuing my journey. I had breakfast which the owner’s wife had cooked, it was some authentic Sri Lankan food; it was exquisite.

I boarded a bus from Mirissa to Galle around 11 AM and reached Galle in an hour. It was getting really hard for me to travel. I met this English couple on the bus who gave my some painkillers by looking at my state. I wish I had clicked their picture but I was not in the right state.

It took me good one hour to walk 1.5 Kilometres to reach my hostel from the bus station. It was painful and the day felt really hot. This became the most memorable day of my trip for me. I stayed at the ‘Pilgrims Hostel’. Thankfully, it was not far from the Galle Fort, Lighthouse and the beach.

I was exhausted from walking in this state and wanted to rest. Moreover, it was too hot and humid during the day. So, I took a nap during the day after having the pain killers.

Around 3 PM, it rained and the weather got pleasant. I took a seat at the balcony and looked at the sky as it rained. By this time, my pain had reduced or I would say, I got accustomed to it. Once, it stopped raining, I thought of taking a stroll around the fort.

As I walked around the fort, I saw couples walk holding hands, school kids clicking pictures, pedlars selling toys and candies. People swimming at the beach, some girls collecting seashells. Everyone seemed gleeful. I took a seat at a corner and saw the sunset steadily.

Day 11 Expenses – 2654LRK (18$) (a) Accommodation Pilgrims Hostel – 1800LRK (b) Bus from Mirissa to Galle – 54LRK (c) Dinner – 800LRK

Day 12 (Galle – Anuradhapura)

I left for Galle Railway Station after having an awesome breakfast. My knee continued to hurt. I was thankful to this doctor in the hostel who gave me few painkillers. It helped me for a while. I planned to travel the north before I leave. So, I purchased a ticket for Anuradhapura.

It was a long tiring journey. To add more to this torment, the train took multiple stops. Though the journey was tiring, it was not monotonous as I got the company of Joshua and Michael; they were from Canada.

The train was crowded and we did not get seats. Thus, we stood by the door, talking all kind of stuff. They got off at Colombo and I got a window seat. I reached Anuradhapura at 7 PM. It got dark so I took a tuk-tuk to the hostel.

I stayed at this place called ‘Lion Rest��. An average place, with minimal amenities but it served the purpose. I went to a local restaurant, had noodles, returned and went off to bed.

Day 12 Expenses – 2490LRK (17$) (a) Accommodation Lion Rest – 1500LRK (b) Train to Anuradhapura – 310LRK (c) Snacks & Water – 200LRK (d) Tuk-Tuk from the Railway Station – 100LRK (e) Dinner – 380LRK

Day 13 (Anuradhapura)

My injury had made me weak and to some extent killed my enthusiasm. I woke up a bit late. I was running short of cash. So, I walked around few ATMs and finally found the right one. It was the Commerical Bank ATM that read international cards. Anuradhapura was different from all cities/towns I visited in Sri Lanka. Everything was pretty scattered here. So, I took a tuk-tuk and asked the driver to take me around the city.

First, I went to see the Sri Maha Bodhi tree. One has to remove their shoes/slippers before the entry. After which you have to walk into the temple from any of the four gates.

The Sri Maha Bodhi is said to the oldest and longest-surviving tree in the world. It was planted in 288 BC. It grew from a branch taken from the Bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya, India where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment and became known as Buddha more than 2,500 years ago.

One gets to see a huge number of devotees coming to the place with offerings. Several of them tend to spend hours sittings by the tree and its whereabouts.

Suggestion:  Carry a pair of socks, you would be requested to remove your shoes. The floor gets really hot and it’s very hard to walk barefoot.

After the Bodhi Tree, I asked the driver to take me to Mahiyangana Stupa, is believed to be the site of Gautama Buddha’s first visit to the country.

Then, I went to a temple which had some 500 statues of monks meditating with Lord Buddha. There was no one there as it was too hot at this hour of the day.

I roamed around the place. It was very peaceful. Even the tuk-tuk driver clicked pictures of the place. And we sat there for a while.

We then headed to the Isurumuniya Temple. There is an entry fee to it. It is one of the oldest Buddhist temples of Sri Lanka. I was not wearing socks which made it really tough for me to roam around.

I was hopping around the place with an injured knee. Also, it was extremely hot. But, I did tour the complete temple.

I also climbed to the top from where one can see the whole city. It took me good 10-15 minutes to reach the top but I loved it there. I stood there for a while till my body regained its strength.

While I was getting down, there was a family climbing up. Looking at my agony, they asked me why I was limping. I narrated the whole incident. They asked if they can see my knee. I said yes. Later, I found that 3 people in that family were orthopaedics. What Luck! They checked my knee movement and the prescribed me some medicines. They believed that I had suffered a ligament tear. I thanked them and headed to my last destination of the day.

The tuk-tuk driver left me outside the Royal Park – Ranmasu Uyana. This place gave me shade from the scorching heat of the sun.

This place has a rich history of the Senegalese empire. The ruins were once an ancient play area for the kings who ruled the country. Depicting the luxurious facilities and technology used in that era.

If you are really keen in knowing the history of this place. I would suggest you take a guide.

After all the roaming around the ancient city. I asked the tuk-tuk driver to drop me at a pharmacy near the hostel. I purchased the prescribed medicines and returned to the hostel.

In the evening, I left for the Anuradhapura Railway station to purchase tickets for my travel to Jaffna and a return ticket to Colombo from Jaffna. The ticket counter operates from 4 AM till midnight.

While returning from the Railway Station, I went to this Chinese Restaurant for dinner. Had noodles and ginger beer. Returned to the hostel, did packing for the next day’s travel. Then, went off to sleep.

Day 13 Expenses – 2850LRK (19$) (a) Accommodation Lion Rest – 1500LRK (b) Tuk-Tuk for going around the city – 1000LRK (c) Entry Fee Isurumuniya Temple – 200LRK (d) Dinner – 150LRK

Day 14 (Anuradhapura – Jaffna)

I left the hostel around 9 AM. There was bus stand nearby, boarded a bus to the Railway Station. Sat at the station waiting for the train for a while.

Thankfully, it was an AC train. But there were hardly any people on the train. It seemed not many people were inclined to see this part of the country. Yet, it did not kill my zeal.

While I was on the train I booked a room at the R&B Guest House, they were providing accommodation at a moderate price and also it was pretty close to the Railway Station. After a 3-hour journey reached Jaffna around noon.

I was picked from the Railway Station by Subraj, the caretaker of the guest house. On our way to the guest house, he told me all the places I can visit. Also, showed a great place to eat.

When he got to know about my knee injury. He offered me to take around Jaffna. As the bus service and other mediums of transport is not as good as in other parts of Sri Lanka.

In the afternoon, first, we went to the Mantri Manai or Residence of the Ministers. I am sure this place had its relevance in the past but now it was in ruins. And none was done by the Archaeological Department for this monument. There was scribbling on the walls and the whole structure was wearing off.

Then, we went to the ‘Jaffna Public Library‘. It opens from 4 PM to 6 PM for visitors. Due to the brevity of time, I did not enter the library. From outside, I could see this beautiful building between the Jaffna Fort and the city centre.

Now, it was the turn of the famous Nallur ‘Kovil Temple’. It is considered as the most sacred temple for the Hindus in Sri Lanka. I was asked to remove my shirt before entering the temple and was not allowed to click any pictures inside the temple. One gets to see the impressive architecture, interesting history and significant devotion. I was on time, so I attended the puja.

It was almost evening and the sun was about to set. So, Subraj hurried to the Jaffna Fort before it got too dark. He had to leave me at the fort as another traveller had arrived at the guest house. In the meanwhile, I roamed around the deserted fort.

There was no entry fee fort. I roamed around the whole fort. It was sad to see this colonial masterpiece in such a miserable state.

Later, I sat at a corner near the fort waiting for Subraj and also to witness the setting of the sun.

Subraj returned in an hour or so. By this time, I was starving. I asked him to take me to some Indian Restaurant. Thankfully, there was one – Mangoes India Veg.

After all the tripping, we went to Mangoes. The food was delicious and inexpensive. Subraj then dropped me at the guesthouse and left for his home.

Day 14 Expenses – 4170LRK (27$) (a) Accommodation Lion Rest – 1750LRK (b) Train from Arunradhapura to Jaffna – 1000LRK (c) Lunch – 500LRK (d) Snacks in the train – 120LRK (e) Dinner – 800LRK

Day 15 Anuradhapura

Next morning, Subraj came with a plan. He wanted to take me to few places. I was dead asleep and woke up when he started banging my room’s door. He told me that he would be taking me to a beach and a U-shaped sacred pool. I got ready and we headed for the day trip.

We headed for the beach first, it took good an hour or so to reach the spot. During our ride, I saw Sri Lankan military keeping guard. One could sense the place still recovering from the civil war.

Finally, we reached the KSS or Kankesanthurai Beach. It was the most beautiful beach so far. The water was so clear that I could see the stones at the surface. Another good thing about the place was that there were no people. I was overwhelmed.

I swam at this clean salty water until I was exhausted. Even my knee pain was reduced due to the upthrust of the water. After a while, few school kids came and we started playing Volleyball with them. I couldn’t understand their language but I knew what they were saying.

We had spent almost half of the day at the beach. I was all tanned and I skin started to itch, I had suffered a bad sunburn but it did not concern me at all.

Then, we headed to the U-Shaped – Yamuna Eri. The U-Shaped pool is made of carved stones and it is also one of the neglected attractions of Jaffa. There are two similar pools, one of the men and other for the women.

I did swim at the pool but came out of it pretty soon. The place was not maintained that well. I was not comfortable staying in that water. There were huge rocks under the water with algae on it which made the water stink and it was hard to find ground to stand.

It was almost evening and we both were dead tired. Also, we were famished by now. So, I asked Subraj to take me to Mangoes again for dinner. After returning to hostel, I went off to bed and slept like a baby 🙂

Day 15 Expenses – 2550LRK (17$) (a) Accommodation Lion Rest – 1750LRK (b) Gasoline for Bike – 300LRK (c) Dinner – 500LRK

Day 16 Jaffna – Colombo – New Delhi

In the morning I left around 9 AM from the guest house to the Railway Station. Subraj came early to do his regular chores with that he wanted to drop me to the Railway Station.

It was a long tiring journey. And, there was no one in the train compartment in which I was travelling, therefore it turned monotonous too. It took good 8 hours or more to reach Colombo from Jaffna.

After reaching Colombo. I boarded the bus No.187 for the airport. I reached airport around 10 PM which was too early. My flight was scheduled for 4 AM, I had good 6-7 hours in hand. I wanted to sleep but there was no place to sit. So, I laid on the floor and slept till I was woken up by airlines officials.

And finally, I reached New Delhi at noon 🙂

Hope you guys enjoyed my journey. I have made a video of my travel. If it interests you please like, comment and subscribe to my channel. Would really appreciate it!

Soloed Sri Lanka in 15 days under 500$ Official Blog: www.bornomadic.com Isn't it true that everyone wants to travel? Yes, but money plays an important role in making this decision.

[janenyartsemester]

Journal Entry 4 - September 7, 2018

*this journal entry contains supplemental word count in order to make up the missed entry for Dia: Beacon/Storm King*

Today we are visiting the Museum of Modern Art for our first Friday of New York Art Semester. We are focusing today’s visit on a few of the notable exhibits as well as a visit to one of the conservation labs in order to learn more about the world of conservation and the different kinds of processes used in it.

We begin our MoMA visit in a large gallery featuring the work of many familiar and notable contemporary artists such as Jackson Pollock, Francis Bacon, Jasper Johns, and many others. As we entered the hall my eye was immediately caught by the notoriously grotesque Painting by Francis Bacon himself. I studied a few of Bacon’s works while I was overseas and have grown accustomed to his edgy and brutal style of painting. The soft rosy pastels of the background compliment the dark, haunting violence demonstrated in the figure and mutilated body of an animal hanging behind it. Bacon’s works primarily featured disfigured portraits of politicians, priests, as well as disturbing imagery such as the hunks of meat in this particular work. His use of menacing figures and horrific elements in his work act as a form of symbolism for cruelty and disturbances experienced in the real world, thus creating and enlarged perception of those who view it.

Following Bacon, we continued around the gallery and viewed other works by Pollock including Full Fathom Five, a beautiful splatter painting that derived inspiration from Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The work contains hues ranging from blue-grey, white, and bursts of orange pigments that create a alluring movement that somewhat replicates the sea. There are also hidden treasures within the work, such as cigarette butts and a nearly indiscernible key, staying true to his and his inspirations nature. I particularly enjoyed this work over Pollock’s other pieces due to the sheer density of the paint within the composition and the purposeful inclusion of objects such as the key. To me, this action came off as more intentional and deliberate as opposed to the inclusion of the cigarette butts, which could be interpreted as simply accidental. 

We continued around the rest of the gallery and made our way towards the exit. At the end of the hallway we stopped to discuss Jasper Johns’s work Flag. Flag was interesting to look at, and was definitely an interesting piece, and we continued on.

Entering into a different section of the seemingly endless labyrinth of galleries, we found ourselves face to face with works we had researched prior to today’s class. I had researched Brooklyn-born street photographer Helen Levitt who created work starting in the late 1930s all the way through the early 2000s. She specialized in capturing the everyday lives of those who reside in the city, capturing images of children playing, women seated at cafes, even chickens walking down the sidewalk. Her work evolved over time with the addition of color, however it maintained its essence and general composition, as her photos reflected the compositional format of paintings. I found her work to be reflective and representative to what life was like and how relatable it is to what we see today. There’s a sense of honesty and casualty judging from the carefree nature her subjects demonstrate. We break for lunch and meet again an hour later to continue our tour; this time we are heading towards the conservation labs upstairs.

As we slowly ascended in the elevator, I tried to imagine what this lab would look like. Professor Rhodes informed us that the space would be small, which led me to create an image of a tiny, cramped room with dim lights. This couldn’t have been farther from the truth. What we were greeted with upon entering was a beautiful, bright space with just enough room to fit in. Everything was clean and polished and perfectly organized. We were met with the two conservators who were working on a few projects. The first woman gave a small demonstrating on a black and white image she was restoring. She spoke about her process while passing around her tools, and pointed out her paint, telling us that it was a customized palette created specifically for the restoration of this work. A few of my peers asked questions on how one gets into the field, and to my dismay, it involves a lot of chemistry which I am in fact VERY allergic too. The thought and process of conserving and restoring works of art had always interested me, but seeing it carried out in person was an experience unlike anything I could’ve imagined. The other lady showed us some magazines she was restoring for a loan and explained how one repairs a tear in a page. She passed around materials such as Japanese paper, a flour-paste, as well as other tools. She then pointed out a former tear on the cover, however all we could see was what appeared to be a crease in the page. It was witchcraft, modern day wizardry. We’d been bamboozled. I learned that conservation is an extremely difficult field and takes a tremendous amount of work and dedication to be able to properly take care of a piece. It was highly impressive and I am very glad I had the chance to experience it in action.

[lerchepehrson20-blog]

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