#but worth it in the endd

[clericofshadows]

CLERIC'S MODEL SWAPS REGIS SHEPARD/ZAEED MASSANI WHAT IF: Zaeed had a fling...?

[lucimaaie]

we pt4 ✧.* tlou

pairing - santa barbara!ellie x reader

summary - you and ellie make a promise.

a/n - okay fr my hands hurt i need to take a break but this is the endd (prob) did this need to be stretched out, prolly not but..i did it, lil angst, fluffy tho, wasn't sure how to end it but hope u like it

part 1, part 2, part 3

“texas. that’s still a ways down, isn’t it?” you said, looking down at the annotated map. it was worn out, having been dropped a few times and even dropped in the water but the picture was still clear.

you looked over at ellie at her lack of response. her eyes were laser focused on the road ahead of you, only tearing her eyes away for a second once she heard you call her name. she raised her brows.

"you okay?" you knew the question was one that probably wouldn't be answered honestly, but it was worth asking anyway. she was still shaken up from what happened months ago. being back in the cabin, you barely encountered runners or clickers in the middle of nowhere. she'd started to wonder whether or not it was worth it to drag you from the home you'd already shared together.

"m'fine." ellie scratched her outstretched arm. she'd been driving for hours and you knew she'd barely slept.

"i'd believe that if you weren't zoning out every few seconds." you folded the paper up and tucked it into the console, angling your body to look at her. ellie glanced at you, sensing you were gonna say something. "lemme drive. i know how, a little bit."

"a little bit's not exactly reassuring, peach." she rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. "just sit back."

"but, you're tired."

"wiiide awake." she stretched the words out like that would reassure you more. her eyes were in fact wide in atttempt to keep herself awake and not swerve off the makeshift dirt road.

"baby." her eyes seemed to soften at the pet name. she let her head hit the head rest, looking at you with a smile. she shook her head as she looked back at the road.

"not gonna let you do it." ellie sung.

"it'd be great! i'd drive, you could take a nap. how's that sound? a nap."

"are you talking to me like i'm a- i'm not a baby."

"but you're-"

"my baby." "my baby" ellie mocked you.

"you're so..i love you."

"i love you too, will you let me drive?"

"you're relentless," ellie eventually pulled over and gave you the reins for a few hours. she didn't go to sleep the first two, still unsure about your driving skills. not that she didn't trust you but learning to drive wasn't exactly a concern amongst people today, so she would get it if you couldn't. but when it was clear you would hold up pretty well, she couldn't resist sleep anymore.

ellie flinched at the sound of a rattling in the car. she looked around to see the car stopped and you in front of the car, checking out something under the hood, probably having no idea what to do. ellie took a moment to breathe, reminding herself that nothing was wrong this time. there hadn't been for months, you were fine.

when she got out of the car, she wore a tired smirk. "you broke it."

"no i didn't." you looked stressed, leaning your hands against the hood as you looked into the mechanics of a vehicle you'd only found days ago. you couldn't even tell what model, these things were practically useless without gas. you bit your lip as you tried for the problem, having no idea how attractive ellie found you like this. "i swear."

"it's alright." ellie wrapped her arms around your waist from behind and kisses your temple and your cheek. "would've ran out of gas anyway. we got it on foot." she rounded the car to grab her backpack and wrap it around her back. she came behind you and moved your arms to put yours on. "unless you wanna rest a while?"

"no, no i took enough naps." you adjusted the straps of your backpack before lacing your fingers with ellie's. "let's go."

you had become grateful of the extra rest being in a car had given you. unfortunately it made it easier to become winded when you'd become used to sitting on your ass.

on the bright side, you were almost to texas. the only scary thing was the uncertainty of being somewhere this new without knowing if you'd find a place like the cabin. and you knew if were anxious, ellie felt worse. "you okay?"

"you keep asking that." ellie as she tried not to look at you, which she loved doing, only not when you were so adamant on getting an answer. she didn't want to tell you she was still scared over what happened months ago. she'd been through worse, but it felt like none of it would compare to losing you. if she lost you, she was done.

"you usually give me some smartass answer. like that one." you jogged down the hill to catch up to her. "like before." you looked at her from the ground.

ellie’s eyes flicked over to you. her eyebrows furrowed as she caught what you meant. this wasn’t before. not when you and her were essentially roommates and she tried to pretend as if she was falling in love with you. no, you were together now. she was trying.

she was pulled out of her thoughts by you tumbling down the grassy hill. “oh my-“ she tried to run down to get catch you but ended up slipping herself.

ellie was in shock as she landed at the end of the hill onto finally flat ground. she was just recovering from the fall, dusting herself off when she heard you laughing. “what?” she asked, completely thrown off guard between what she was already feeling plus the added embarrassment from falling on her ass.

she stared at your carefree expression, allowing herself to let out a laugh of her own. she didn’t exactly find the situation funny, it would be had she not had so much on her mind, but she laughed anyway. she couldn’t help but laugh. after a while, it died down into quietness as you laid in the grass.

ellie looked at your relaxed expression and she was reminded of her fear. “you can’t leave me.” she said quietly. “you can’t leave me o-or do anything stupid to get yourself killed, okay?” she turned to look at you, her eyes pleading.

“ellie.” you scooted closer to her, mirroring her. “i’d never.”

“you swear?” her voice shook with emotions she wanted to push back down. "cause you've scared the fuck out of me before. i hate feeling like that."

“i swear on everything i love.” you pushed her hair behind her ear, your hand cupping her cheek. your eyes were filled with love as you swiped your thumb over her cheekbone. “that includes you y’know.”

“i-i got that.” she chuckled, blinking away tears. she wasn’t a crier but of you made her one to wear her emotions when she hated to.

“you have to swear to me too. no more martyr bullshit. i don’t need you to save me, i need you to be with me.” your words were a harsh reminder that she’d been thinking of what she’d be like if she lost you but not you if you lost her. “swear?”

“i swear.” she leaned up to kiss your nose. “on everything i love, i swear.” she said before laying a soft kiss to your lips, course it didn’t stay that way with both of your emotions on high. ellie pulled away with the need for air. she looked at you with all the affection in your eyes and swollen lips. “let’s get to texas, peach.”

thank you for reading!

[i-dreamt-a-nightmare]

THIS IS SO EMBARASSINGGGGGGG I SWEAR IF THIS ISN'T WORTH IT IN THE ENDD ADKFADK...

[f0xd13-blog]

Y'all either fascist or that dumb that you fell for nazi bullshit where they made you think a piece of land is worth killing millions of people in rebelious acts just to have their italian descents explore that shit in the endd anyways ahahahah

[taegularities]

Hey Ridd!! Sorry for the rant in advance..!!

I haaatteee ir when Tumblr loses my asks 😭😭😭😭 2 of my asks sent to you have literally just disappeared.

You knew about the first going amiss, which was pretty much Love, warmth and Hugs for you as well as sooooooo much Love for our CMI couple and adoration for SBW and all that it encompasses. My hope and prayers that whatever is in store for the CMI couple, may everything for them come to pass in such a way that they face everything *together* and not apart 🥲

The other ask was sent right after I completed reading CMI Seven. (This is an unedited snip of it since I was adding my comments to the notepad to send them all together in an ask. This is what remains saved on my NP - No edits and all the jk gifs I searched up gone amiss)

Will you still give me a Goodnight's kiss or..?

Here, my hearteu cracked a little

Press the lightest kiss against.

.. and then broke

The puffy cheeks, the youthful pout, the big, big eyes flashing to the ground. Unsure what to say, unsure what you're thinking of him

Mhm.. My big girl?

I'm in a puddle!! 🫠🫠🫠

My feisty little girl.

Aaaaaeeeekk!!!!! This Lovee 🥰🥰🥰

A big hand waves in tiny

🥺 Baby Koo..

I'm already more than halfway through.. I don't want this to endd!! 😭😭

Where's the focus on the Underwear? You can barely see it. Are people plotting against you?

The panic setting in! She's spiralling. I'M Spiralling!!

And then I totally lost myself in the story... !

This was totally worth the wait Rid! So Much Love, albeit veiled for sometime, but present nonetheless. They deserve the world 💓💓

But now I can't wait for CMI10!! 🤍🤍

PS: Seems like my ask is one amongst those that disappeared just like that. I had sent it lil bit before your hiatus. Just a bit of Positivity, concern and Love for yu. 🤍Ah no worries, I'd be sending many more of those for yu regardless. Although, now I'm gonna go off to see if there's a way to find sent asks and resend them! 😂

Much Love n Hugs 🤍🤍

Again, sorry for the Loooonnnggg as msg!! 🤍🤍🤍

HEY!! never apologise for long messages!! im slow with asks sometimes, but i genuinely love reading long, elaborate ones!! first off, tumblr is cruel for swallowing your messages, i definitely didn't get the second one :') but i did receive the first and it was the sweetest thing ever, it truly means a lot to me that you've been enjoying this series so much. like i literally saw you reading through it on wp and loved all you had to say :')

also so grateful you read cmi9.5 so fast 🥺 not wanting it to end is one of the biggest compliment ever. fret not though, i've been working on the next main chapter and am hoping to have it out v soon!! im very scared, like i truly hope it'll be worth the wait, too. seriously, thank you for all your support. here's to tumblr behaving next time and letting your asks go through!! drop by literally anytime 🥺🤍

[craske]

he cant help it..........

i absolutely love @sunflower-frog ‘s au its so cute ;A;

[obsidian-vineyard84]

Went to the beach today, as it's our vacation, and I came back to our temporary housing and I got a ton of sunburn on my back, because I forgot to put sunscreen there. Why do I have to be so pale? Ahhhhhhhhh, no one listened when I said I hate the beach.

Levy out

[buckysmischief]

I saw them & my ovaries were like “yes I’d like an order of THAT!!!”

no biggie but like thanks for being so amazing & supportive ???

How’s it goin’, Gorgeous?

Peter Parker x reader ⟶ ??? x reader

Social Media au & story mode

Twitter Profiles ½

Masterlist | Series Masterlist

Summary: You first meet Peter Parker when you’re both 16 right before his interview with your step-dad, Tony Stark. When he moves to California two years later for his internship, what will become of the two of you

Warnings: language, mentions of teen pregnancy, eventual smut 18+ (chapters will be marked as such), EVERYONE  is 18+ when the story starts, and that’s all I can think to mention rn

Inspiration: @geosaurusrrex​ & @valkyriesryde​ for always being there to give me advice (and her stories, duh)

AN: if you wanna be tagged, just ask or message me!

[coolmiddlename]

thoughts on season 5.2

ok so this post will be the shortest yet, even tho 5.2 was for a long time my favourite season ever! i think these days i much prefer season 7 and 8 but then again who doesnt? 5.2 was the start of the arcs leading up to those, and you can tell, because no season before had ever been this continuity heavy. even season 6 and 7 barely raise a candle to 5.2′s episode-to-episode references and plot. since season 8 has all of 1 filler ep tho it wins 

thoughts:

it was amazing catching up on all these old eps. i remembered them well but there were still scenes that took me surprise, such as the last moments in apple wedding with the voyeurism. god i love apple wedding, when it first aired it was funnier than i could have imagined. this was my second favourite ep.

humor-wise i didnt laugh much today... its not cos the eps arent hilarious, but cos 1. i remember them too well (MOST REWATCHED SEASON) and 2. ive been so on-edge. poor sleep and overexcitement! unless something was outlandish and unexpected i didnt laugh D: but still keyboard mashed instream lol

also its less random, and far more plot focused! even blade of grass, which i  formerly dismissed after finn almost immediately lost his grass sword, ended up being well worth the rewatch because of what had transpired in seasons 7 and 8.

finn was.... pretty blande in season 5/5.2 compared to before or later. it was probably the worst season ever for him. he had all the unlikability without any of the sympathetic characteristics, and this continued until the WONDERFUL season finale where finally he went somewhere.  thankfully cos finn got this shit over with here he never went back to it, and endd up more interesting later

as i said yesterday i once again found myself more frustrated than before with peebles, and having watched all these eps at once holy hell they pushed her flaws hard in season 5.2. spies on people, manipulates ‘em, especially kids like lemonhope and fp. also cinnamon bun and james lol. and in 5.2 they do it with barely any letup or sympathy. by the end of season 5 shes TERRIFYING. i remember it being a case of “what fucked up thing is peebles going to do next?” and this is the right feeling to have going into season 6. but shes also sympathetic cos of being a superstressed boss who people are starting to like a lot less and, even though what she did to lemonhope was fucked, its probably the smartest thing peebles has ever done. 

and thats part of what makes lemonhope my favourite episode of season 5. combined with lemonhope’s own trauma, his general personality, the lemongabs’ absurdness, the rick ‘n’ morty shenanigans with pb phlannel boxingday, and the finale itself, it was the only ep i saw today that left me floored. god what a good way to cap the season.

least favourite ep, however, was the red throne. not funny. not interesting. the only redeeming feature in this ep was cinnamon bun and his wolf.

fuck you king of ooo

[justauthoring]

Please write s4 slowly, I don't want the series to endd 😭

I’ll try my best :( but I promise you guys i’ll make this season of the series worth it!

[bobmccullochny]

History

September 5

1666 - Great Fire of London endd, 10,000 buildings, including St Paul's Cathedral, were destroyed, but only six people are known to have died.

1698 - Peter the Great decreed a tax on beards. When a citizen had more than 2 weeks worth of growth, a tax had to be paid, and the citizen was granted a two sided token stating: "the beard tax has been taken" and "the beard is a superfluous burden."

1774 - Peyton Randolph was elected as the first president of the Continental Congress, in Philadelphia.

1836 - Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas.

1881 - Thumb Fire, Michigan

1882 - 10,000 workers marched in the first Labor Day parade in New York City.

1906 - The first legal forward pass in American football was thrown by Bradbury Robinson of St. Louis University to teammate Jack Schneider in a 22-0 victory over Carroll College (Wisconsin).

1921 - Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle party in San Francisco ended with the accidental death of actress Virginia Rappe, in what became the first sex scandal in the Hollywood community.

1939 - President FDR declared US neutrality at start of WW II in Europe.

1949 - Willard Frank Libby announced his discovery of Radiocarbon dating.

1960 - Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) won the gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing competition at the Rome Olympics.

1966 - The first Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon rasied $1,002,114. The toteboard was only six digits, so Jerry Lewis painted the "1" million spot.

1967 - ABC's The Fugitive finale (part 2) was one of the most-watched episodes of the decade."Tuesday, September 5th: The day the running stopped."

1972 - Eleven Israeli athletes were killed by Palestinian terrorists at that 1972 Munich Olympics.

1975 - Lynette "Skueaky" Fromme attempted to assassinate US President Gerald Ford.

1977 - Voyager 1 was launched.

1987 - Dick Clark's American Bandstand was broadcast for the 2,751st and last time by ABC, after 30 years on the network. It continued, in syndication, until October 7, 1989.

1989 - Deborah Norville became news anchor of Today Show. Ratings slowly declined and by June of 1990, she was replaced by Katie Couric.

1997 - Mother Teresa died in Calcutta, India, at age 87.

1997 - Ally McBeal premiered on FOX

2001 - The Amazing Race premiered on CBS

2007 - Torchwood premiered on BBC America

[babykerr]

 i let you look right into me, and nothing ever felt the same since. i always kept my eyes on the ground, until i realized that no one knew me the way you did. if i could look at you one more time, one last time. i dont know what i would say to you. i guess, i’m sorry that i made you resent me. i just dont understand how you could be down for someone, everything about a person- and how they can just flip the switch and not care about you at all. after i lost you, i was okay. i spent two months in silence, alone. i didnt leave my house, i didn’t talk to anyone. i didn’t really cry, i didn’t really feel anything - until i was sitting in a saladworks restaurant with my friend, and we were looking through photos, and you were almost in every single one of them. i couldn’t help it, it hit me like a wave. i haven’t written on this stupid blog since i met you. you took everything away from me, you stripped me of my confidence, my self worth- my will to express my thoughts. i lost my passion for reading and writing and made it y o u. and look what you did to me. you chewed me up and fucking spit me out. but i still wish i didnt take the nights that i spent next to you for granted. i wish i appreciated those small moments of time, because now, in my small moments. when im out with my friends, laughing, drinking, or whatever. you’re that quick singular thought between my heartbeat. between that quick conversation. my thoughts avert back to you in small moments, like if im with another man and i trace my finger along their gold chain, i think of the one you wore beneath your shirt. you didn’t even treat me right, you didn’t even deserve a quarter of me or my time. you were an abusive piece of shit and everyone in your family as well as you painted me out to be the BAD guy. you didn’t know how to convey your love because no one ever fucking loved you. you never knew it and you never saw it. you had a cheating mother and a lonely miserable father. and its sad to know that you’ll never know love, that you’ll never have it. i tried giving you love and you werent competent enough to accept it. you werent ENOUGH for me. a lot of people think that us ending was the best thing that couldve ever happened to me, that you couldve endd up killing me- i mean, i can see where theyre coming from you really did hate me that much. everyone thinks i shouldnt be sad, but i am. im sad because i lost my best friend, as cheesy as that sounds. im sad that i tried SO hard to make it work, and every little thing i do now is haunted by the memory of you. like i’m caught in a never ending riptide. 

[enddorgnet-blog]

EnDD - Travel News

South India Temple Tour – Get stunned with the elegant architecture and design

South India is the heaven for the tourists who look for the perfect mix of everything including hill stations, beaches, backwaters, historical monuments, wildlife sanctuaries, waterfalls and more. Let us not forget the temples. South India is known for magnificent temples where you can explore different culture, tradition and architectural wonders in the designs and structures. At present most of the people within the country and beyond the borders love to be part of South India tour that exclusively covers important temples.

Introduction to temple tour in South India

The important temple destinations of South India temple tour include Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Telangana, and Pondicherry. All of these states hold amazing temples that stays the stories of culture, tradition, and life of people dating back to several years. Visit to temple really worth if you are interested to know about ancient culture, tradition, excellent stones works, works with wood, amazing paintings, architectural excellence and more. Most of the ancient temples are made of stones and the words are not enough to describe the calmness, peace and divine atmosphere you experience in each of the temples.

Kerala Temples

If you prefer an exclusive tour of Kerala, then you have several temples to select from in almost all the districts in the state. There are temples near backwaters, in hills, in cities, Fort temples and more. But most of the tourists plan south Indian temple tour including almost all of the states in the region. If you are on the same, one of the most important temples to visit in Kerala is Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the capital city of Kerala, Trivandrum. The temple is situated in the heart of the city near KSRTC Bust Stand at East Fort. The Lord Mahavishnu is the presiding deity and is reclined on the serpent called ‘Anantha’. For this reason, the city is also called as ‘Ananthapuri’. Architectural work of this temple is famous and The Ottakkalmandapam which means hall made from a single stone is an important attraction. At present this temple could be the richest temple in the world and is known for treasures of gold, emeralds, diamonds, etc.

Tamil Nadu Temples

Tamil Nadu is the home to architecturally magnificent temples. Almost all of the temples will have tall gopurams (monumental gatehouse tower) that make the tourists to really get wonder about the construction. Almost all of the famous temples will have gopurams on all four sides. You can find the famous temples in the places of Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram, Trichy, Tanjore, Madurai, Rameswaram and Kanyakumari.

Mahabalipuram is an amazing destination to visit to watch a beautiful beach. The shore temple stands as an excellent tourist spot to visit than a temple. Greenfield filled with grass is really beautiful and it is really stunning to watch the beach from the temple.

Rameswaram and Madurai are temples are known for their architectural works and are famous for “Ayiramkalmandapam” (the hall made with thousand pillars). In Madurai temple, it is said that each of the pillars produces different sounds of sapthaswaras (seven musical notes) when knocked on it. Rameswaram temple stands near the sea and is an excellent place to engage in ancestral ceremonies.

Tanjore is one of the biggest Lord Shiva temples with the huge tomb and where it is said that you can’t see the shadow and Trichy temple stands in the top of the hill situated in the centre of the city. Kanyakumari temple situates in the meeting point of three oceans and you can watch sunset and sunrise here. This is one of the temples that most of the tourists never like to miss in Tamil Nadu.

Karnataka Temples

Karnataka is not as rich in famous temples as it is in Tamil Nadu. But still, there are famous temples including Sravanabelagola, Udupi, Mookambika, Murudeswar Temple, etc. Mookambika Temple is made with Kerala style architecture and is the temple famous to celebrate Navarathri (festival of nine days) and is the ideal location for Vidyarambham (first learning of children).

Murudeswar is one of the famous temples built on the cost of Arabian Sea on Kanduka Hill. This temple has the second highest statute of Lord Shiva in the world. You can get the excellent views of the ocean from the temple and it is really breath-taking.

Andhra Pradesh Temples

Some of the amazing architectural marvels in the state include the Charminar, the Golkonda Fort, the Buddha Statue, etc. Important temple destinations include Tirupathi and Puttaparthi of Sai Baba fame. Tirupathi is one of the richest temples in South India and is known for extreme cleanliness maintained in the temple and on the way to temple. Temple is situated on hill station and the journey to the temple really worth. The deity is Lord Balaji (Mahavishnu) and the temple surroundings are beautified with gardens to make it an excellent tourist spot. There is well-maintained pond inside the temple which sets a good feast for the eyes.

How to plan the tour?

South Indian temple tour can vary from 7 to 17 days based on the places you visit. Chennai is a convenient location for the tourists who are from North India and other countries to set start to the tour. If you are on an arranged tour by consultants, then there is no need to worry about the travel, food, and accommodation. Otherwise, you can start the tour from Chennai. Almost all temples cities are connected each other by rail and bus.

From Chennai, you can take a day to visit Tirupathi, and then, you can visit the famous temple of Tamil Nadu on the direction to Rameswaram. Then enter Kerala to visit Trivandrum and move to Kanyakumari. From there, you can back to Trivandrum to back home or to Mangalapuram to start watching Karnataka temples.

At present, it very easy to book your tour in advance as there are several reputed tour operators to help you. You can also set start to an immediate tour since at present everything can be booked on the go.

[enddorgnet-blog]

EnDD - Travel News

What Should You Look For In Best Hotels In Hertfordshire?

To stay comfortably in a hotel during your vacations at a place like Hertfordshire or other places worldwide, you will definitely need to look for some facilities or amenities. It is because you may stay in a totally homely manner at any place such as a hotel only if you are able to avail of all the facilities available to you. For this, you certainly need to look for certain points or keep in mind some tips so as to look for the best hotels. Now one may wonder what you should look for in a country hotel in Hertfordshire or other places worldwide. Here are some points you may look forward to in the best hotels in Hertfordshire or other places worldwide.

Types of rooms

You need to explore and confirm about the type of rooms provided by the hotel owners for the customers. Because there are various kinds of rooms available in different hotels such as single bed, double bed, normal rooms, and luxurious rooms and so on. It all depends upon unique and varying needs of various kinds of customers. Thus you must specifically look for the type of rooms looked forward to by you. It helps you to get specific type of room required by you so as to stay comfortably.

Space inside the rooms

Definitely, you need to consider the space available inside each room. It is because the space provided by a country hotel in Hertfordshire or other places is in accordance with the numbers of guests that wish to hire the rooms. You may hire a room that has enough space as per the numbers of people or companions accompanying you.

Availability of facilities inside the rooms

It is also an important point worth acknowledging when it comes to looking for the best hotels at any place. Different hotels offer various kinds of facilities inside their hotels depending upon the rental charges and other factors. You may look specifically for the facilities needed by you at the hotel rooms. It assures that you may stay in a totally comfortable manner at the given hotel without experiencing any problems or difficulties.

Services offered by the hotel staff

Unquestionably, you need to acknowledge the type of services offered by the concerned hotel staff members. It is because the services offered by various hotels to their customers vary greatly. It all depends upon the unique needs of the customers. Thus you may particularly look for the services demanded by you for your comfortable stay at the hotel rooms.

Standard of services

Evidently, everyone wishes or expects the best services from the hotel owners. While looking for the best hotels you must check and confirm about the standard of services so that you may remain satisfied in all manners.

Cost of services

It is an evident fact that different hotels charge differently from their clients. You must check rental charges from various hotels and then decide about a country hotel in Hertfordshire or other places while keeping in various factors.

All these are some of the most important points that you need to look for in best hotels in Hertfordshire or other places. It allows you to hire the best hotels at any place.

[enddorgnet-blog]

EnDD - Travel News

5 Beautiful Parks in New Zealand

New Zealand is a place that is full of nature that you just can’t get enough of. For adventure seekers and nature lovers, it is the ideal destination for a fun-loving and awe-inspiring vacation. Whether you travel in a motorhome hire New Zealand or you take a car to go to your favorite locations, you will be sure to have the time of your life.

If nature is what you are looking for, then you may want to visit New Zealand’s best national parks. To help you plan your trip, following are the most beautiful parks in New Zealand:

1.Tongariro National Park

If you have seen the Lord of the Rings, you have seen how entirely beautiful Tongariro National Park is, as much of the landscape was filmed in one of New Zealand’s best-known parks. It is no wonder that this place is so iconic—with it’s incredible mountains and volcanoes, gorgeous lakes and hot springs, vast meadows and rivers, this park deserves a World Heritage Site title, both for its incredible nature and strong Maori significance.

Abel Tasman National Park

This national park will be a favorite for beach lovers. Set right on sandy beaches with crystalline waters, the beauty and charm of Abel Tasman National Park is unmatched by any other national park in the country (it’s the only national park on a coastline). This national park offers a myriad of activities that visitors can enjoy in the sun, sand, and water and provides guests with views of beautiful cliffs, greenery, and of course, the gorgeous ocean where you may even get lucky and spot some seals.

Arthur’s Pass National Park

If forests are where you feel the most comfortable, Arthur’s Pass National Park is incredibly inviting. What makes it even more charming are the waterfalls and rivers that run through the park. With its snow-capped mountains, it offers incredible views and challenging hikes for the adventurous.

Nelson Lakes National Park

Perfect for a nature get-away, Nelson Lakes National Park is a tranquil destination where many people love to go to simply rest and relax while observing the beauty of the forests, mountains, and lakes. While many other national parks offer a lot to see and do but in vast open spaces, the Nelson Lakes National Park provides visitors with an eye-full in a smaller area making it all that much more impressive.

Tai Poutini National Park

It’s surprising how many gorgeous parks can be found in a relatively small country, but New Zealand does a great job at appreciating its natural beauty. From being able to explore glaciers to soaking in hot pools, Tai Poutini National Park is yet another incredible national park that you will want to see when visiting New Zealand.

You can’t visit New Zealand without visiting at least one of the national parks. While Tongariro National Park is always a highlight for visitors, any of these parks will be worth your time to see and explore.

[enddorgnet-blog]

EnDD - Travel News

Festivals of Sri Lanka You Must Not Miss

Over the course of many travels I’ve realized that the best time to visit a country, city or even village, is festival time. There’s no better way to soak up the sights and sounds, indulge in a little culture and find out more about how they live their lives. On a recent trip to Sri Lanka around December, one of my friends lamented being unable to see the land in full swing, which led me on a trail to discovering what was so special about Sri Lanka and its festivals. The land is quite a religious one, with a number of festivals that I’d rush down for. Here are a few that stand out from the rest.

Vesak (May):

The full moon festival is a great time to visit Sri Lanka, which means you should book your tickets for May this year. It’s a Buddhist festival celebrated all around the world, but with more pomp and grandeur in Sri Lanka than anywhere else. You’ll be treated to good food and a splash of colour as you walk around; the houses are filled with vibrant hues, lamps, lanterns and all things festive. And if you’re strolling through to get a feel of the island country, you shouldn’t forget to stop at the stalls for some of the free refreshments!

Kandy Perahera (July/August)

You have to know about Kandy Perahera, whether you’ve been traversing through travellers’ tales and looking through stories of Sri Lanka tourism or not. There’s no way you’ve missed hearing about the biggest festival in the country, unless you’ve been walking around with your eyes closed. This is why one of the best times to visit the place is during July/August. Apart from the ten-day pageant, there are enough indigenous activities to keep you entertained through your trip, events, festivities galore and traditional costumes that you have to try on. It’s almost like the Mardi Gras of Asia, with its torch bearers, dancers and processions.

Poson (June)

Sri Lanka is all about religious festivals and there’s absolutely nothing more religious than celebrated the day religion really began for the little island. This June based festival includes big processions and is vibrant, vigorously celebrated and a lot of fun, but what is more interesting for me and anyone who wants to get to the heart of culture here is that it’s the day Buddhism was first introduced to the land. It’s rich in historic, cultural and religious significance, so you know you’ll come away from this one enlightened.

Vel (July/August)

So, if you love listening to tales of valiant warriors, this one is definitely for you. Complete with chariot processions and temple visits, the festival is dedicated to the War God Skandha. Catch hold of a local, learn the history and celebrate with the islanders to get the full blast of this one.

Kataragama Perahera (July/August)

Yes, try saying that one in a hurry! It might be a mouthful, but it’s a good enough festival for you to start thinking of how to reach Sri Lanka come July, which is when it opens, with a flag hoisting ceremony. It’s more of a pilgrimage, but definitely worth it. The processions, fire walking (which is considered to be a sacred duty) and thousands of devout followers – if you’re interested in the culture and want to soak up the religion, the best way to do it is by visiting the jungle shrine with the rest of Sri Lanka’s religious devotees.

Duruthu (January)

The full moon day of Duruthu is celebrated in January to commemorate the first visit of the Buddha to Sri Lanka. A procession is held for three nights at Kelaniya, 10 km. off Colombo. Getting to the festival is easy, thanks to regular on sale flights to Colombo easy to come by. This is a colourful occasion with elephants, dancers, drummers and whip crackers entertaining the spectators.