#punda veri

[kaythefloppa]

The villain The real villain

[jezawitha-z]

Today is just a very long day. After 6:30am shift, ngayon palang ako matutulog peacefully.

Sobrang busy sa kalsada ngayon nagrrush silang mamili at maingay na rin. Buti nalang naihatid ko ng maaga laundry ko dahil maaga cutoff time nila ngayon. At the same time need ko din bumili ng bedsheet, punda, at kumot.

Nagka issue pa ako sa room ko dahil ilang minutes kong di talaga mabuksan yung deadlock.

now, i just need some rest dahil nakakapagod 'tong araw na' to.

[sembulapeyalneerpol]

Til that thae thool punda mavane that is annamalai is gounder and it makes so much sense. These jaathi veri pudichiven bitches in kongu belt are a fucking cancer

[tamilxxxx]

பாத்ரூமில் குத்தாட்டம்

en peyar raji ..ithu enudaya first story padithuvitu kuraigal erunthal solungal…en age 19.nan schoolil 12 th padikiren..enaku sex enral romba pidikum.en udalum mambalangal perusaga erukum 34 size kundi 36 um erukum schoolil sir elam en muligayum kundiyaum pathu jolu vadipargal..oru nal iravu en friend veetiruku sendru vitu veetuku selvatharkaga bus stopil ninru kondiruhten. en school dressil shirtum kuttai pavadayum potrunthen..bus vara one hr agum enu solivitargal..enaku ena panrathu enru theryamal erukumpothu mulithikondiruthen antha neram pathu enaku onnuku mutikitu vanthathu engyavathu oramaga poye pavadaya thooki jattyai kalati vitu onnuku eruka vendumpolu erunthathu analum vekkamaga erunthathu kudniyai kati kondu onnuku povatharku..busstopil bathroom thedinen..bathroom povatharku veliyil oru pailvan madiri ukanthu erunthar onnuku porya renduku poryanu ketar nan onnuku matum enru koorinen avar udane 5 rs ketar enkita thutu elai enrum bus ticket vanga matume erukirathu enru kurinen avar apadienral ule vida mudyahtu enru koori vitar..enaku ena seyvahtenru theryavilai …udane pakathil eruntha oru karupana manithar avurum udambu pailvan madiir erunthathu kaluthil chian mothiram enru aninthiruthar avar enai parthu siirhtu kondu ulle vidumpadi sonnar avarum vitar bathroom ulle…nan bathroom ula sendrathumange niraya pengal kundiayai katti kondu onnuku erunthu kondu erunthargal nanum ulla sendren oramaga idam kidayahtathu ullae sendru pavadayai thookivtu jatya vegama kalati vituu ukanthu onnuku erunthen soodaga thanni kotyathu pundailuiruthuuuu oru litre therum pola erunthathuuu avalu erunthu viteenn jattyai maati vitu veliye sendren..veliye vnathathum antha karupana manitar enai koopitar enai patri visarithar visarithu kondu enai kannam thotu thadavinar enaku koochama erunthathuu …appothu bus vara vilai enru koorinen appadya enru koori vittu sari inge eru enru koori vittu avar madiyil ukara vaithar…nanum ukantehn ukanthathum avar sunni kadaparai madiir natukitu enkundiyai kuthi kondu eruthathuu avar pesikonde en kaluthil kai vaithar kanathai thadavikondu eruthar en iduapi sutrii kai potaru appadye en thodayai thadavidvitar apapdye methuvaga en pavadaykula kai vittu adi thaodayai thadavi varudivitar enaku sugama eruthahtuu inum pndaykul viral vidamatara enru erutnahthuuu ninaithu kondu erukumpothe en jattyil kai vaithar enaku crent shock adicha madir erutnahtuu en jattyil kai vaiithu pisaya arambithuvitar enaku ena seyvathu enaru therya vilai avar udane aangal bathroomiruku alaithu sendrar ange thanyaga bathroom erunthathuu ulle poga sonar ponen ulle sendrathu enai kati pidithar nanum kati pidithen mutha mailigalapolinthiom nalauthatai sapi edutar appdye en molaiagaliak asaki pilinthar en shirt kalati vitu bravaiyum kalti itu en mamabalanagali kasaki en kaambugali kadithu eluthu suvaihar appadye en pavadaykul kaiya vitu en jattykul kai vitu en pundaiayai kilinar antha pundaikula viral vitar vitu itu kuthianr vegama kuthianr enaku sugathila katha arambihten nan kathavum avruku mood eriyathum inum vegama virala vitu kuthinar en pundai thannerai kakaikyahhu apapye viralil valintahthu athi appadye avar nakki kondar enaku tired agivitathu udane avar enai kuniya vaithu en pavadaiyai thookivaithu enpundaiyul avar kadaparaia vaithu kutha arambithar athuthan en muthalm urai enbathal enala vali thanga mudayavilala aluhtuviten avar vidamal kuhtinar appadye naakai potu nakkinar nanraga pundaiy viirhtu vaithu nakki eduthar marpadyum sunnyai vaithu kilithar kilikumpothe thitikondu kilinthar thevidyaku poranthevale kathudiii punda mavale nalla kala viidu thirutu munda evanukudui porantha unga atha evankuda paduthu una paethanu egapata keta varthaigali thiti kondu en pudnai kilithar apapdye en kundikul viral vitu naka arambihar enkunidlyuium avar kadaparaiyai vaitu kuthi kilithar enala nika mudyavillai koothyayum kundyaum kilithu erinthar piraku en vayulue poolai ulle vittu nanaraga kuthianr nanum sapinen sisrithu nerathil kanjyai kakkina en vaykuleee ….avar ponathu avar friend vanthar avarum vidamal en koothayai kundyaum mathi mathi kilithar en vayil sunnyai vitu kuthianr nanum nalla sapi eduthen avarathu aknji muluthum en vaykule vittar nnaum athai kudithu vitu kialmbinen en nyabagmaga jattyai avare vaithu kondar nan kilambum pothu enidam 100rs kuduthar ipadithan nan thevidiya anen ..

[tamilgirlx]

பாத்ரூமில் குத்தாட்டம்

en peyar raji ..ithu enudaya first story padithuvitu kuraigal erunthal solungal...en age 19.nan schoolil 12 th padikiren..enaku sex enral romba pidikum.en udalum mambalangal perusaga erukum 34 size kundi 36 um erukum schoolil sir elam en muligayum kundiyaum pathu jolu vadipargal..oru nal iravu en friend veetiruku sendru vitu veetuku selvatharkaga bus stopil ninru kondiruhten. en school dressil shirtum kuttai pavadayum potrunthen..bus vara one hr agum enu solivitargal..enaku ena panrathu enru theryamal erukumpothu mulithikondiruthen antha neram pathu enaku onnuku mutikitu vanthathu engyavathu oramaga poye pavadaya thooki jattyai kalati vitu onnuku eruka vendumpolu erunthathu analum vekkamaga erunthathu kudniyai kati kondu onnuku povatharku..busstopil bathroom thedinen..bathroom povatharku veliyil oru pailvan madiri ukanthu erunthar onnuku porya renduku poryanu ketar nan onnuku matum enru koorinen avar udane 5 rs ketar enkita thutu elai enrum bus ticket vanga matume erukirathu enru kurinen avar apadienral ule vida mudyahtu enru koori vitar..enaku ena seyvahtenru theryavilai ...udane pakathil eruntha oru karupana manithar avurum udambu pailvan madiir erunthathu kaluthil chian mothiram enru aninthiruthar avar enai parthu siirhtu kondu ulle vidumpadi sonnar avarum vitar bathroom ulle...nan bathroom ula sendrathumange niraya pengal kundiayai katti kondu onnuku erunthu kondu erunthargal nanum ulla sendren oramaga idam kidayahtathu ullae sendru pavadayai thookivtu jatya vegama kalati vituu ukanthu onnuku erunthen soodaga thanni kotyathu pundailuiruthuuuu oru litre therum pola erunthathuuu avalu erunthu viteenn jattyai maati vitu veliye sendren..veliye vnathathum antha karupana manitar enai koopitar enai patri visarithar visarithu kondu enai kannam thotu thadavinar enaku koochama erunthathuu ...appothu bus vara vilai enru koorinen appadya enru koori vittu sari inge eru enru koori vittu avar madiyil ukara vaithar...nanum ukantehn ukanthathum avar sunni kadaparai madiir natukitu enkundiyai kuthi kondu eruthathuu avar pesikonde en kaluthil kai vaithar kanathai thadavikondu eruthar en iduapi sutrii kai potaru appadye en thodayai thadavidvitar apapdye methuvaga en pavadaykula kai vittu adi thaodayai thadavi varudivitar enaku sugama eruthahtuu inum pndaykul viral vidamatara enru erutnahthuuu ninaithu kondu erukumpothe en jattyil kai vaithar enaku crent shock adicha madir erutnahtuu en jattyil kai vaiithu pisaya arambithuvitar enaku ena seyvathu enaru therya vilai avar udane aangal bathroomiruku alaithu sendrar ange thanyaga bathroom erunthathuu ulle poga sonar ponen ulle sendrathu enai kati pidithar nanum kati pidithen mutha mailigalapolinthiom nalauthatai sapi edutar appdye en molaiagaliak asaki pilinthar en shirt kalati vitu bravaiyum kalti itu en mamabalanagali kasaki en kaambugali kadithu eluthu suvaihar appadye en pavadaykul kaiya vitu en jattykul kai vitu en pundaiayai kilinar antha pundaikula viral vitar vitu itu kuthianr vegama kuthianr enaku sugathila katha arambihten nan kathavum avruku mood eriyathum inum vegama virala vitu kuthinar en pundai thannerai kakaikyahhu apapye viralil valintahthu athi appadye avar nakki kondar enaku tired agivitathu udane avar enai kuniya vaithu en pavadaiyai thookivaithu enpundaiyul avar kadaparaia vaithu kutha arambithar athuthan en muthalm urai enbathal enala vali thanga mudayavilala aluhtuviten avar vidamal kuhtinar appadye naakai potu nakkinar nanraga pundaiy viirhtu vaithu nakki eduthar marpadyum sunnyai vaithu kilithar kilikumpothe thitikondu kilinthar thevidyaku poranthevale kathudiii punda mavale nalla kala viidu thirutu munda evanukudui porantha unga atha evankuda paduthu una paethanu egapata keta varthaigali thiti kondu en pudnai kilithar apapdye en kundikul viral vitu naka arambihar enkunidlyuium avar kadaparaiyai vaitu kuthi kilithar enala nika mudyavillai koothyayum kundyaum kilithu erinthar piraku en vayulue poolai ulle vittu nanaraga kuthianr nanum sapinen sisrithu nerathil kanjyai kakkina en vaykuleee ....avar ponathu avar friend vanthar avarum vidamal en koothayai kundyaum mathi mathi kilithar en vayil sunnyai vitu kuthianr nanum nalla sapi eduthen avarathu aknji muluthum en vaykule vittar nnaum athai kudithu vitu kialmbinen en nyabagmaga jattyai avare vaithu kondar nan kilambum pothu enidam 100rs kuduthar ipadithan nan thevidiya anen ..

[sunb0rn]

28 December 2021

na survive ko walang kumot, though 24C lang namin ni-set yung ac. may days kasi na malamig na yon eh, buti ngayon hindi.

side kwento, nalimutan ko na nagpalaba kami kay ate Athel eh WFH sya kahapon kaya di pa naibalik mga gamit namin.

worried talaga ako last night na hindi maka tulog. gustong gusto ko kasi nag kukumot kahit nga hindi kalamigan, i really like that warm feeling and parang may nakayakap.

there was this time na tinatawanan nila ako dito sa dorm kasi sa pag memedyas ko, like para akong bata and yun nga, kahit hindi malamig na season;

nasabi ko lang out of nowhere, "it keeps me warm" parang maiiyak ako. alam ko I was in a very low state nung mga panahon na yun

last night, pinahiram sa akin ni Mae yung punda ng unan niya para maisuksok ko daw kahit lower leg ko *shorts pa naman pantulog ko, sabi ko parang mas need ko ng kayakap na unan tonight so don ko nalang gagamitin. madami talaga ako unan pag sa bahay kaso hindi ko kasi trip mga unan dito sa dorm; kaya even if I have spare na punda, head pillow lang ginagamit ko. buti may isa pang spare si Mae so I was able to have one pantakip ng legs and one para sa hug pillow.

uhg. idk. i kinda need affection these times pero saks lang naman, mej I feel indifferent nga specifically last night compared nung mga nakaraan; siguro normal ko nalang din ito.

ayun, I had a good sleep naman. (almost) 5 hours isnt bad for me lalo na lately napuputol nanaman tulog ko. I was able to join yung zoom tambay with the kada. patulog na sana ako @11 pero super miss ko sila; feeling ko naka tulong din yon para mag diretso sleep ko 🥺

thanks for the pics Hys @lachrymiformm

mukang need ko nang isecure yung fone batt ko before bedtime para makatulog ako with them.

not to mention yung usual warm shower ko kahit hindi rin malamig panahon. uhg. thats one reason bakit mag dedecide ako mag uwian na ulit kung sakali. hahaha.

MAYBE I'M JUST A SUCKER FOR WARMTH.

//

[smolgreenboi]

Once spotting the green Titan, the evil Titan wanted to try something new, sneaking up behind him as a hummingbird before morphing, wrapping hands around his eyes. "Did you know that I've really missed you?" came Terra's voice before she smirked, turning him around as a gorilla and slamming fists against him before she stood over him again, foot planted against his chest firmly. The grey changeling wasn't afraid to break morals - especially if they could get painful for Beast Boy. (inncrbcast)

@inncrbcast

as the pair of hands covers his eyes, there’s an immediate instinct to elbow whoever stood behind him. he stops himself–knowing this could just be a harmless prank–but then they speak. and he knows something’s wrong.

it sounds like her. but it doesn’t smell like her–doesn’t quite feel like her–and his sixth sense is jittering in the back of his mind, desperately trying to signal that something isn’t adding up. something is very, very wrong.

before he can really react, the hands press down on his head and force him around. gar blinks once as his eyes adjust. he sees a large, gray gorilla before an incredible force slams into him and forces him to the ground. white pain streaks through his chest, and all the air is thrust out of his lungs. he coughs, shakes his head. slowly, he becomes aware of the foot on his chest and the figure standing over him. his vision is still a little distorted… but he knows who this punda is.

         ❛ …can’t… say the same for you… ❜

[majordomo-zazu]

The Lion King: The Great Journey

1: The Water Hole

A minor, low-stress fic I’m writing just to get the ideas out of my head. Posted here just to have somewhere for it to go

and no the Simba we see here is not the Simba we know and love. Story takes place before the known Lion King timeline

It was dawn in the Wanyama Valley, and for Fisi the hyena, that meant it was time to get a drink. His little black nose poked out from his burrow to sniff the air for any sign of danger, and once he was sure the coast was clear, he hauled himself out onto the dust by his long front legs, and shook his hunched back free of the dry soil.

The sky was gold and the valley walls were blue as the spotted hyena began trotting across the savannah, heading for a small outcrop of rocks topped by a dead tree nearby. Fisi stopped at the bottom and whooped up at the golden tail he could see dangling from the highest boulders.

“Simba! Are you coming down to the water-hole?”

He was answered by a loud yawn, almost a roar, and the golden head of a lion rose up from the kopje. Simba had only recently reached maturity, and the beginnings of his mane formed a tight brown circle around his head and did not go further than his shoulders. His eyes dropped and he smacked his jaws lazily, looking around for the source of his disturbance.

“Oh, hello Fisi. I’ll be down in a moment, hold on.” The lion stood up underneath the tree and began slowly clambering down the rocks. They were both young males without a group of their own species, so they often hunted and scavenged together, both for companionship and increased chances of success.

“So, are we hunting today?” said the hyena once Simba was on the ground and had begun to walk. “I’m so hungry! When was the last time we ate?”

“Yesterday,” Simba chuckled.  “Surely you can wait a little longer to find something to eat?”

“HAH! That shouldn’t take too long!” came a harsh caw from somewhere in the sky.

The two animals looked up as a dark shadow passed overhead, and a large brown bird with a gangly pink face landed in front of them.

“Good morning Tai,” Simba said civilly. The vulture sometimes followed the two carnivores around to scavenge their leftovers, so they knew her well enough, but she was not a particularly pleasant creature to be around. “What makes you say that?”

The vulture hunched her shoulders as a grin spread across her hooked beak. “The water-hole has dried up!”

“What?” Simba and Fisi looked at each other in horror.

“Yep! Not a single drop left! Those fish flopping around in there will make an excellent midday meal once they’ve cooked for a while!”

“I mean, sure we’ve had dry seasons before, but for it to completely vanish?” Fisi whined, ignoring her and looking at Simba.

“We’re supposed to be in the wet season just now! There’s been no rain for weeks!” the lion replied, sounding anxious.

“Boys! No need to be upset!” Tai smiled, clearly revelling in their distress. “After all, lots of very thirsty animals mean lots of meat for you and I! Well, mostly for me, once you two inevitably shrivel up as well.”

Observing the dumbfounded expressions on their faces, the vulture smirked and took off. “Well, I’d best go spread the good news! See you later boys, sooner than you think! Haw-haw!”

Lion and hyena stood silent until the steady flap of the vulture’s wings faded into the distance. Then wordlessly, they began to walk, their previous destination gone and forgotten.

“So…” Fisi began after a short while. “Do you think we should go check it out? See how bad it really is?”

Simba shook his head. “No point, if it’s gone then it’s gone; nothing we can do about it. We had better get to the river instead, if we don’t get there first then all the water there might be gone soon as well.”

“Hold on,” Fisi stopped, angling his large ears towards the sky. “Do you hear that?”

“What is it?” Simba, with less sensitive hearing, stopped and listened. Then he heard it: roaring and crashing, hisses and grunts, all accompanied by the sound of splashing water.

“It sounds like it’s coming from the river! Come on, let’s go!”

They raced forward in the direction of the noise, the cat easily outstripping the loping hyena. As Simba got nearer to the river, he could make out the shapes of the animals standing around it, though not the water, as it had shrunk far beyond its usual level.

The animals on both sides of the river turned their heads when Simba skidded to a halt on the bank, followed closely by a panting Fisi; they all knew to be wary of two of the valley’s most proficient predators. On their side, Muhangu the aardvark and his mate stepped backward nervously, and Mbuni the ostrich spread her wings out over her chicks. On the opposite bank, Punda Milia the zebra and a few of his mares whinnied and stomped, and Twiga the giraffe loftily turned his head away as though he were above the whole situation.

But Simba and Fisi paid them no heed, and instead stared transfixed at the bottom of the riverbank. All that remained of the once great and powerful body of water was a muddy puddle, barely big enough for an elephant calf. Standing opposite in the water, and the source of the noise, a large crocodile and a huge hippo were facing off against one another.

“The river has always belonged to mine, Mamba, go back to the water-hole!” The hippo charged forward, sending up a spray of mud and flashing her long yellow teeth.

The crocodile recoiled, but quickly retaliated with a swipe of his massive tail and a snap of his jaws. “There is no water-hole anymore, Kiboko! And I need this water:  more than you do!”

Simba watched as they argued, charged, and retreated back and forth. So far, it looked as though no one had struck a blow yet, but they would need much convincing before they did. He stuck his claws into the mud and carefully slid down the bank and ran up to the water.

“Stop! We shouldn’t be fighting! This is the only water left in the whole valley!”

“Exactly!” The leader of the zebras stomped his hoof. “And we were here first, so back off, lion!”

“Yes,” The giraffe turned his attention back to the argument, and snorted aggressively at Simba. “The last thing we need right now is some carnivore telling us what we can and can’t do. He’s only here so he can catch us while we’re drinking and sneak up on us! Him and that scavenger friend of his.”

“What? No, I-“ Simba looked up at Twiga and the zebras. Mamba and Kiboko had ignored him, and the crocodile lunged forward at the hippo with full intent to bite.

“Please, let us drink! My children haven’t had water for days!” Mbuni the ostrich begged, crouching low over her chicks who were sobbing at the noise.

“What about my wife? She’s sick! She needs this water more than anyone!” Muhangu the aardvark stood forward and grunted, adding his voice to the mix.

Fisi stood on the bank, looking from animal to animal as the arguments got progressively worse. Mamba and Kiboko were full-on fighting now, and Simba tried to escape the crossfire by heading for the other side, but he was harassed back down the bank by the shouting zebras and stomping giraffe. The ostriches and aardvarks were still complaining, and all the while Tai the vulture was circling overhead. Fisi could just imagine the hungry smirk on her face.

“SILENCE!”

Everybody froze. There was only creature in the entire savannah who could make a sound like that.

Simba watched as a huge black shadow slowly came into view above the bank. It totally dwarfed every other creature at the river, making even Twiga look measly by comparison. The massive form blocked out the sun and the watching vulture, and huge ears flapped away at the flies that hovered around them. In the shadow, a pair of long tusks stuck out like the horns on a rhino. Nobody was arguing now.

When Tembo the elephant spoke, it was best to listen.

All eyes were on her as she slowly surveyed the scene, never once showing a hint of emotion. There was a long pause where she shut her eyes and appeared lost in thought. Then, she took a deep breath, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice, drastically different to her introduction.

“Simba is right. We should not be fighting at this time of great need.”

“But I-“ Mamba began, gesturing towards the hippo, but the elephant silenced him with a single look.

“We all need water. Fighting to control it will accomplish nothing but more deaths than necessary. What we must do is share what we already have, and begin looking for an alternative source when it runs out.”

The animals looked at their respective groups and murmured admiringly among themselves, except for Twiga, intent on discrediting her, even though he thought of the elephant as his only superior.

“In case you missed it, Tembo,” the giraffe drawled, looking down on her and drawling all attention to him. “This is the only water left in the entire valley. Once this dries up, we are out of options! It’s every creature for themselves now!”

The elephant shut her eyes to think again, and Simba was impressed with her patience towards the disrespectful giraffe. After another short while she opened her eyes to speak.

“This is a problem, though not a new one.” Tembo raised her voice to address them all. “For years now the rains have fallen less and less, and now, it seems, they will not fall at all. The animals in our valley either migrated never to return, stayed and starved to death, or dwindled in numbers so severely that those who remain are the last of their kind here.” Simba, Fisi, and Twiga all lowered their heads at that, and even Tembo seemed sunken.

“Wanyama Valley was once a beautiful place filled with life: grass covered every inch of ground, birds burst from every tree, insects lived under every rock…and now it appears that its time has come. With the disappearance of our water-hole, the valley’s fate is sealed. Our home is dead, and we will be too if we don’t work together. We have always depended on each other for survival: does the lion not live only if the zebras flourish?”

Bad example, thought Simba, cowering at the already angry zebras on the ridge above him, though they seemed distracted by Tembo’s speech.

“Can’t we just leave?” Punda Milia said, backed up by eager nods from his mares. “Zebras can go with zebras and everyone else can go with whomever they choose. I mean, grass is grass no matter which valley it’s in, isn’t it?”

“You won’t get far!” Tai decided to join the conversation, and circled down to land next to Fisi, her talons gripping the ridge of the riverbank.”For one thing, the same thing is happening for miles around, and beyond that, the places are filled to the brim with herds that definitely won’t welcome more mouths to their watering holes, and starving lions and hyenas that will just look at you as a walking buffet! I mean,” the vulture rolled her shoulders and laughed. “You’re certainly welcome to try!”

That caused more cries of outrage and despair from all sides, as hope seemed to be lost for the animals now. Simba said nothing, and looked around at the creatures gathered at the river, thinking. Suddenly he locked eyes with Tembo, who seemed to be watching him. She nodded, as though she was waiting on him to do something.

Simba roared, silencing the arguing crowd in an instant. All eyes were suddenly on him, and he was unsure of what exactly he should do next. After a moment, the lion’s resolve hardened and he walked forward, in between the stunned Mamba and Kiboko until he stood directly under Tembo, and it was the elephant he was addressing when he looked up.

“We should have a meeting, tonight, with everyone in the valley in attendance.” Simba half-turned in both directiond, projecting his voice for all the animals to hear.  “We can all put our heads together, discuss our options, and maybe someone will come up with an idea!”

“Everyone in the valley?” Twiga scoffed, bending his neck to Tembo’s ear for approval. “Sounds like he’s luring us all there to eat us if you ask me.”

“I’m not,” Simba promised, stepping forward. “And I’ll make sure that the other carnivores know to not harm anyone. You have my word.”

“And mine,” Fisi stepped forward, and even Mamba nodded his long snout in agreement.

“And they have my trust.” Tembo rounded on Twiga with a stern look, and he straightened up with a gulp. “I think it is a marvellous idea. We will hold it by the great baobab tree at dusk today. Can I rely on the rest of you to spread the word to the others in the valley?”

“I know where to find Pimbi the hyrax, and the lizards.” Muhangu said, twitching his snout in excitement.

“We zebras can pass the message on to other creatures of the herd I suppose, the gazelles and antelopes and such.” Punda Milia added, looking to his mares who nodded in approval.

“I should pass by the monkeys and birds on the way to my nest. We’ll let them know, won’t we children?” Mbuni offered, accompanied by the happy ‘peep’s of her chicks.

Fisi wagged his tail. “Simba and I know where to find Duma and Nyoka! We’ll make sure they promise not to hurt anyone!”

Tembo smiled and nodded her head. “Good, and I will stay here and make sure there are no more fights over the water. Speaking of which,”

She twitched her head, and Mamba and Kiboko, ashamed of themselves, moved out of the puddle.

“Very well, then I will see you all tonight at the great baobab. Until then, drink!”

Pleased with the agreement, the animals moved down towards with the water with a general buzz of excitement. Kiboko and Mamba moved aside to let Mbuni’s chicks and Muhangu’s mate drink first, and Fisi went to stand beside Simba, congratulating him with a small smile. Twiga moved in among the zebras, trying not to draw attention to himself although he was five times their height. Tembo did not move, waiting until all of the others had drank their share before she would do so.

Fisi noticed there was once creature absent, and he nudged Simba to look up at sky. The lion and hyena exchanged a glance and giggled under their paws as they watched Tai the vulture fly away, clearly in a very bad mood.

[kruger2kalahari]

These strange-looking animals with their very long front legs are known as whip-spiders or whip-scorpions. We found this one under a rock in Punda Maria camp. Look how effective a ground level image is as opposed to taking the image from above. Image from the Photographer's guide to the greater Kruger national park eBook. https://www.kruger-2-kalahari.com/ #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #PhotoSafari #Kruger2Kalahari #nikonwildlife #knp #KrugerPark #krugernationalpark #greaterkruger #kruger #krugerexplorer #krugersafari #krugerparksafari #krugerselfdrive #travelphotographer #selfdrivesafari #bigfivesafari #whipscorpion #whipspider #macrophotography (at Kruger National Park, Mpumalanga) https://www.instagram.com/p/CRvcybDAOkc/?utm_medium=tumblr

[shystoryrebel]

How Blue is my Sapphire

I am a true Indian and a Harijan.  So are all my relatives, friends and contacts.  One happy day I gave good news to all, “I am going to Varansi.” All were happy but worried too. With congratulations, I was showered with advices.

“Varanasi-Holy Ganga! ….how lucky you are! Great?

“No, no, you would have tried to America.”

“It’s the same thing. Varansi or America…Makes no difference. Success is more important…This time Varansi…next …America! Who knows?”

Really, a big name! A big city, a lonely planet and a glamorous playground of dark-superstitious-Hindu world.

“But beware of Pundas, Brahman, Sadhus and cheats.”

“Don’t go out alone on banks of river Ganga. It is full of rowdy Sadhus, pundas and cheats. ”

I was surprised that why everybody was so scared of Hindu Sadhus and pundits but love Muslim mazars and dargahas.  

In India too, I have been hearing this since I was a child. Indian model of secularism has made Muslims as the most important species. That is talking about them has become fashionable, intellectualism, humanism and above all a powerful vote bank.

Long, whitish donning skull cap, some in lungis and most of the women in burquas and in hijabs. We have all possible shades of Islam among us.

“Crazy people. They love everything Islam and Islamic. Good or bad makes no difference”

“Ha-ha, hee-hee, hoo-hoo,” everybody laughed.

Mr Dior of France has created a perfume called Poison. A black bottle in the shape of half cut apple. So is Brut. Similarly Rape jeans.

All are so popular here and there too.

Whatever the trend there, it is to be followed here.

“Varansi is very expensive city. Where will you stay?”

“Take my niece’s address. She lives in the safe township Malviya Nagar.  You can stay with her. You can go to Knowledge Village in the morning and come back in the evening.” Shall I ask if the niece is Hindu or Muslim? What a funny question! A Hindu niece will be a Hindu.  

Whatever she is, my lodging has been prearranged. Happy! Spoke to the niece, “Enquire at the Varansi Railway Station and a cab to Malviya Nagar. Call me from there. I will come and pick you up. Telephones in Varansi are out of order most of the time.”

When everything was ready my mother gave me a golden rings studded with blue Sapphire. She said, “It will protect me from inauspicious waves and looks.

All of us live with our past. All of us allow it to shape our future. But some of us know how to shrug the past. I think that is who I am.....

Good. Tension free.

My train reached Varansi. Big railway station. Everything was big. Big longue. Big luggage. Big sadhus and big pundits. Big women. Big enquiry board.  Visible clearly from far. But station itself was very dirty.

First thing I did after coming out of the coach, I kissed the blue sapphire and the soil of the oldest city and oldest civilization of the world.

 Carrying the big luggage on a big trolley, I crossed the big longue, reached the big enquiry counter and stood in front of a blue eyed, healthy, black glass wearing woman. I was surprised why she was wearing black glasses inside a room.  She was blind.

“When does the local train leave for Malviya Nagar?

“I don’t know.”

“Do you have a timetable? Information booklet?”

“I don’t know.”

I was shocked to see their hostile behavior towards visitors.  

I was almost in tears. Muttered- Malviya Nagar. I was advised by my host,” Take a taxi and come. It will cost you Rs.40/= Ask a policeman and get the fare fixed, otherwise you will be cheated.”

I had this choice only. At least my hotel expenses have been saved. I moved towards the taxi stand. There were so many taxis. All the drivers were in grey and whites.

I reached one of the taxis. “Malviya Nagar.”

“Meter or without meter?”

I was taken aback. It was Varansi or Chennai?

He has his name plate written ‘Saddam Husain.’ on his shirt.

I remembered, I had been advised to ask the policeman to get the fare fixed. I saw one there sitting in the booth….Shukla …! Written on his name plate.

“Beware of Brahmans. Stay away from the Brahmans.”

Hey Krishna! Protect. He was advancing towards me like Genghis Khan, the brute and inexhaustible rapist.  

“May I help you?” He asked. Tall, strong, tilak on his broad forehead. I was scared and dumbstruck. My tongue trapped. I managed to murmur, “The fare to Malviya Nagar.”

“Switch on the meter,” he ordered in a firm voice to the driver and me. “It will come around Rs.40/= . Okay?”

“Okay.” I was happy to be released from his clutches.

He walked away. He was very decent and soft spoken. I felt like stopping him and talking…But ….beware of Brahmans.

All of us live with our past. All of us allow it to shape our future. But some of us know how to shrug the past. I think that is who I am.....

The driver was on his seat. He opened the boot of the car by pulling a knob.  I put my luggage in it. As soon as I entered the taxi, it moved. Speed was very high like the arrow of Arjun’s Gandiv. I was on the cloud nine although a little nervous. Outside it was hot, but inside the taxi it was cool. The temperature was comfortable. I closed my eyes to take a small nap. I heard the driver’s voice.

“Where do you have to go Madam?”

“Malviya Nagar.”

“Any idea, where’s that?”

“I don’t know. Wait; Let me see it in the map.” As I was seeing the map, the meter clicked Rs.50/=.  

“I Shouted, we have crossed Malviya Nagar. Meter is indicating Rs.50/=.”

“Stupid policeman. Forty! He does not know anything. Wanted to ruin my business as I don’t bribe him”

“So? Miser Indian. Get down here.”

“How can I get down here in a remote forest?”

“I have to go to Malviya Nagar.”

“It will cost you near about 70 to 80 rupees.”  

“Whatever. I have to go there. Move. Signboards may give us some clue. I also tried to find out in the map.”

I kissed my blue sapphire.

“Malviya Nagar. Malviya Nagar. ” I jumped with joy.

“Street? Block, building, number?” “Raja Harish Chandra Road, Amrapali Towers, B-Blok, Flat No.101.

Oh God, Jai Hanuman, Here Krishna Here Ram, Om Namoh Shivay, please bless me and help me.

The driver got down in front of a tall building.

“This is your address.”

“This one?” Totally abandoned type. Few mazars near by. On the other side was forest. Totally dark.  

I went into the building campus. There was a temple near the entrance. Some sadhus and pundits were busy in some puja and chanting holy mantras.

Taxi driver muttered something.

I heard, “Hindu bitch.”

Who? Where? Or me? There was no one. So am I a bitch? Oh Krishna! Protect me.

In a split second rapes of Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Nigeria etc., danced in my mind.  

I shouted, “The policeman has the number of your car. Take me to the proper address.”

He laughed at me.

“Listen, listen. The policeman is our brother and a local. He will not help you against us.”

I was taken aback. In India Muslims are treated like VIPs. But here they are naming me as bitch. What a great bond? Actually nobody cares for Hindus and Indians.

A whistle thud and a guard was standing in front of me.

He was like a demon. Tall, strong, tilak on his broad forehead, moustache, and blue eyed. He laughed at me.

“Yes madam. Why are you disturbing us here?”

I was shocked at his behavior. I was just enquiring about the right address only and he was blaming me of disturbing him.

“Please help me. I have to go to Raja Harish Chandra Road, Amrapali Towers.

Asking a Brahman for help!... What is this?

He appeared more dangerous.

Here Krishna, Here Ram.

I kissed my blue sapphire ring.

The demon opened the door of the car and sat next to me. I minimized myself into the corner. He roared, “Driver.”

The driver came running and puffing.

“Raja Harish Chandra Road, Amrapali Towers. No ifs and buts”

My blood froze. The driver became pale. He was hurling abuses some time in English, some time in their local dialects.

“Donkey, bastard, pig…!

On his name plate was written Ram Kumar Mishra.

We reached “Raja Harish Chandra Road, Amrapali Towers.

The taxi stopped. I got down.

“Open the boot.” I shouted.

The driver also got down. He was middle aged man.

“Open the boot.”

“Give me the money first.”

“I will give you the fare but first give my luggage.”

“No first give the money. Educated Hindu women run away without paying.”

I was shocked and surprised. How poorly they think of educated Hindu women?

“I was told that taxi drivers like you ran away with luggage as well as money. Open the boot take out my luggage and take your money.”

Ultimately again Ram Kumar Mishra roared ,”Give her luggage. Don’t talk much. I am here.”

Blue sapphire – strong skull capped man and women passed by. All were staring at me.

At last both I and my luggage were safe.

I called the niece and she took me to her small flat. I told her about my experience. “These taxi driver scoundrels are all cheat and consider we educated Hindu girls as second grade citizens.”

Luckily I have got a shelter so easily. I enjoyed my first night with this unknown niece of my neighbor. Next day I strolled in the campus of the building. All very imposing, huge and luxurious houses. Long, bright foreign made cars.

The niece said,”This is very good, posh and safe colony. No local or non-Hindu live here. All are outsiders. Some are Europeans. So no tension, no crime. Women are very safe here.

I spent the next night with her. The next morning I took a train to Knowledge Village where I was appointed as an academic executive in a university. My job would take the full day. I would have to find out a room near my workplace.

The flat of the niece was near the ghetto of Muslims where majority of the people were in silk and cloth business.

The train arrived. The gate of the coach was quite wide. I was feeling clumsy and uncomfortable…

Large number of locals entered the coach in like rowdies.

I saw four empty seats. I tried to occupy one. The table cum board which had been locked with the seat suddenly opened and hit my hips.

“We are playing chess here,” a well built, fair complexioned man said. He had opened the table without any warning. On two other seats were big sized men. One seat was empty. People in the coach were laughing on me. They were all rich people wearing expensive clothes and carrying briefcases. They all must be going to markets, every morning and returning together in the evening. They must be playing chess every day. But the same thing could have been said politely. They were all local weavers except me. “Are all locals as uncivilized?”

I cursed myself. Coward! Coward Hindu woman. I felt like crying. Humiliation, anger, frustration, shame, self-condemnation and what not. They cannot defeat me in arguments. Academically I was much higher. Hindus are treated so badly everywhere.

I took the cheapest room near the Knowledge Park. The hotel has strange rules. They made me first deposit entire amount. If I leave the hotel earlier,

“Take back your money when you leave,” came a terse reply. I have no reply. We are third class citizen.

I kissed my blue sapphire to get some solace.

Leaving my suitcase in the room, I went out for a walk. It was very hot outside. But I wanted to see the city. I also ate a tasteless burger and drank coffee.

Fast and furious winds started blowing. I rushed towards the hotel. I put an overcoat to protect my sari. The winds did not stop. They became more furious. The shade by the road side was crowded with the people waiting for the taxis. Taxi drivers were giving preference to locals and people from ghettos. This was another shock. In India there is racism in everything.  After an hour I got a cab and reached the hotel.

Everybody was surprised. How could I reach on time in this weather otherwise,”Indians are never on time.”

Next day again weather was very bad and taxis were asking four times the amount. Very difficult situation. Almost impossible to reach the office. It was raining very heavily now. My umbrella turned inside out. I was very badly tired. “Taxi” I yelled.

Nobody stopped. I was running to reach on time. I requested a policeman. But he was also of no help. I reached a tourist office. The attendant told me,” You cannot sit here. Office time is over, so I have to lock the office.”  On his name plate was written Amar Paswan.

The weather was very cruel.

My skin was burning and my head was spinning. Only I remained there in the storm like King Lear, plunging, drowning, and floating in the storm.

I could not reach my office nor to my hotel.

I saw a temple nearby. I rushed inside. I saw a small cabin type shelter. I sat there on the ground. There I got respite from rain and storm.

I have just lain down…I removed my wet sari…went off to sleep.

“Wake up, get up!”

“Let me sleep.”

“It is morning. Wake up.”

I opened my eyes. A very smart, fair skinned and sharp featured young man was shaking me.

I screamed loudly.

He moved back, shocked and scared.

I got up.

He came near me with a glass of hot milk.

“Thank Baba Vishvanath, you are alive.”

Tears dripped down my cheeks.

“Why did you come here?”

“I could not get any taxi and there was heavy rain and storm outside.”

“Where do you have to go?”

“Raja Harish Chandra Road, Amrapali Towers, B-Blok, Flat No.101.”

I tried to get up. I faltered. He lifted me by holding my hand. Again I stumbled. He put his hand around my waist and lifted me. I did not resist, rather I liked his touch.

“Are you drunk or drug addict?”

“No. I am tired and hungry.”

He touched my forehead and hand.

“You have fear.”

“May be! I am feeling very weak and exhausted.”

“Do you have disprin or paracetamol with you?”

“No.”

He gave a call to someone and told that Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj was speaking. He ordered to bring disprin or paracetamol tablets.

He took me to his room. I lied down on his bed. A boy brought the medicines. He gave the money. He gave me biscuits to eat before medicines. He dissolved the disprin in water and gave me. I took the paracetamol with the milk. I was feeling much better.

After some time he brought two plates of aaloo-puris. We both ate breakfast

together and took tea.

“What is the time?” I asked.

“Eleven…morning.”

“Now I have to leave.”

“I won’t let you go alone.”

He gripped my hand firmly.

“Why?”

“Taxi and auto drivers, rickshaw pullers, beggars, drug addicts, juggi and ghetto dwellers, etc., may cheat you or rob you.”

“I feel scared.”

“Of Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj? Then run away.”

He removed his hand. This time I gripped it more tightly.

I was amazed but happy that a Brahman priest is so kind and caring for a Harijan woman.

He took me to the taxi stand and asked the driver to drop me at my hotel and not to charge any money. I was surprised the respect he had in the mind of the people.

I came back to my hotel room and removed my dirty clothes…lay down on the bed crying…and slept.

I was wrong.

Yes. Brahman. Male. And me?

Female. Hindu.. Harijan. Alone

I took Disprin. Hotel was full of people. But all were tired. Some were Sheikhs, some foreigners, a few lean and thin Indians. But all of them were tired and exhausted.

On the next morning, I got up. Absolutely happy and tension free. I kissed my blue sapphire. I checked out the room, collected my luggage, handed over the keys, and took my money back.  

I finished my coffee. Ate the pizza, swallowed the dissprin again and called the cab.

Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj cured a sick worm. I failed but Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj had won.

I reached the temple. Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj received me and alighted my luggage.

“I will live here permanently.”

Pundit Vishnu Prasad Bhardwaj smiled, gripped my hand and took me to his room.

I kissed my blue sapphire.

  DR. YOGESH SHARMA

[architectnews]

Villa Sophia, Prague House

Villa Sophia, Prague Modern House, Czech Republic Property , Architecture Photos

Villa Sophia in Prague

13 Oct 2020

Villa Sophia, Prague

Design: COLL COLL

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

Villa Sophia is like the center of the Universe around which all of life revolves. When the young couple returned to the Czech Republic from Canada, they both wanted to return into the Prague social life. A house that will allow the combination of work and living, next to each other but at the same time separated, had to meet many demands. It’s built for living, which is matched by the disposition, chosen materials and the integration of technologies into one autonomous system with artificial intelligence.

Location The house is situated on the edge of the Trója hillside above a nature reserve with a one of a kind view of Prague. Aside from a wide range of birds, occasionally a deer or a wild boar will wander into the overgrown garden.

The panorama view starts with the green star of the Dejvice hotel International and spreads all the way to the bubble of the Libeň gasholder. The view is an enjoyed landmark for the surrounding houses as well, which is why Villa Sophia is the smallest in height as possible at the street side, so it doesn’t block the view.

The house The descending terrain allows for the house to open up to the south and offer three basic composed views. From the living area into the garden, from the bedroom into the treetops and from the office we see the panorama of the city.

The double entry on the north blind facade, separate into the living and working spaces, is mainly intended for visitors. The home is opened to the owners through the garage from which the house’s spatial spiral begins. The garage is therefore a space of equal importance to the rest of the house and practically serves as an entrance hall. In the spirit of Paladian villas, the square footprint is divided into 9 sections that ascend in a spiral up the hillside and end with the most public part of the house, the work space.

The main living space is accessible at garden level where then through the central staircase hallway we can gradually access the upper parts of the building. The entry for the resident and the visitor are antagonistic. It allows a different experience of the space or the usage of the stairway slope by descending it or in contrast, climbing it, all accordingly to the opposing ends of the spiral.

The stairway is criss-crossed by a barrier-free ramp that again highlights the whole function of the house as a whole-life space for living, as was the client’s commission. It helps develop body movement in the early stages of life and makes it easier at its dawn.

The building Many of the structural and material choices were motivated by the emphasis on sustainability, permanency, durability and haptic stability of the building. What can be once resolved shouldn’t be re-opened and waste more time and energy. Specialists from ČVUT were continually integrated in the preparations and process of construction itself. Material samples were tested for strength, elasticity and chemical stability and permanence. The building monolith was cast exactly so the windows would fit into the articulated facade that rotates around the house and connects its lowest and highest points.

Environment The client’s ambition – a culturologist and computer scientist – was a functional home without compromises which is matched by their opinion on the integration and control of technologies. The user’s view of integration with the environment however doesn’t meet with the reality and conventional processes in civil engineering. Thanks to the integration platform of the sysloop® system and artificial intelligence by EMPYREUM Information Technologies, the age-old limitations could be surmounted. The system allows the connection of hard construction technologies, soft non-structured data and the ever-changing context of the web. The unique amount of interconnection of values and technology opens countless options and opportunities.

All the layers of the house are designed with an accent on generality. For example all the lights in the house are manageable in the full specter of light (RGBW), so the house can slowly eliminate the blue component for good sleep. Doors move on their own on linear magnets but also serve as an equal participant in natural ventilation. In the concert wing, the house can accompany the residents’ musical performance, play any piece itself or even generate melodies thanks to its own artificial intelligence. And if it were to be very cold, you can even use the oven for additional heating. The house offers but doesn’t pressure the active usage of this sort of control. It learns to optimally accommodate often self-opposing needs, takes externalities into consideration, doesn’t contradict technological potential or sustainability.

Garden The house is exposed from above as well and therefore the roof blooms with many colors through-out the year. The green roof contributes not only practically to the energetic balance of the building, but also aesthetically. The ornament of an unfolding star seeps through into the shapes of the terraces around the house as well, and dissolves into the garden.

Villa Sophia in Prague, Czech Republic – Building Information

Architects: COLL COLL

Project location: Prague, Czech Republic

Author Daria Chertkova, Jana Zatlukajová, Krištof Hanzlík, Libor Mládek, Lucie Roubalová, Ĺudmila Koskan, Marie Davidová, Michaela Dlouhá, Martin Gaberle, Michal Krejčík, Markéta Součková, Ondřej Punda, Šimon Kos, Veronika Brůhová, Vojtěch Slabý, project architects Website

Project location: Prague, Czech Republic

Completion year: 2018 Built-up Area: 307 sqm Gross Floor Area: 480 sqm Usable Floor Area: 390 sqm

Collaborator Structural analysis: ASP Praha Builder: Stings 96 Facade: Clearmont Floors: YS Studio Interior: In Styl Hořovice Prototypes: Experis DSKM Automatized controls: sysloop Artificial intelligence: EMPYREUM Information Technologies Garden: Acre

Photographer BoysPlayNice

Villa Sophia in Prague, Czech Republic images / information received 131020

Location: Prague, Czech Republic

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Comments / photos for the Villa Sophia, Prague House – page welcome

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[calorieworkouts]

23 Weight-Loss Tips That Actually Worked For Women Just Like You

There's no question that employing a trusted registered dietitian is the means to go when you're attempting to make a big modification to your lifestyle.

But you understand that else has some pretty damn suitable ideas when it pertains to dropping pounds? Individuals that have really done it themselves.

Here, 23 various women share small tricks that helped them lose weight (and also keep it off).

1. Ditch your trigger foods.

Bags of chips. Tubs of crackers. Additional Halloween candy. Do away with anything that's a weak place, specifically any foods you've binged on in the past. 'If you understand you'll damage into the remaining birthday cake at twelve o'clock at night, throw it quickly,' states accountant Brandy Thele, that shed 130 extra pounds after she was detected with kind 2 diabetes mellitus.

Instead, swap 'restricted' foods for much healthier replacements. As opposed to swearing off treat completely, for circumstances, indulge in fresh fruit after meals. As well as if your partner or youngsters balk at your chucking the gelato, hide it behind the icy edamame so you don't glance it every single time you open up the freezer.

2. Hold on your own responsible ... for every little thing.

Keep a food diary as well as consist of everything (yes, that bite of your toddler's mac and cheese matters) so you can see where the calories come from. Day-care supervisor DJ Gray listed what she consumed and tracked her calories with the SparkPeople app on her way to shedding 115 pounds.

3. Produce an assistance system online.

Social media can be a powerful incentive to stick with your plan and make progress, Christina Donatella, now an individual fitness instructor, established up a Facebook page about her diet plan and workout routines and dropped 180 pounds.

Are you captured up on Jenna Jameson's weight-loss journey?

4. Take note of section dimensions.

So lots of dieters undervalue just how much they're eating. Devices and also devices can help: Teacher Jen Punda downloaded and install the MyFitnessPal app to help her gauge serving dimensions and also dropped 91 pounds, stay-at-home mother Krystal Sanders acquired a portion-control plate, which educated her to eyeball healthy and balanced portions of healthy protein, veggies, and starches.

5. Cook your own food.

Research reveals that individuals that prepare the majority of their own meals take in fewer calories, carbs, sugar, and fat than those who prepare seldom. If you insist you're also overloaded, try this method from paralegal Jessie Foss, who shed 100 pounds: On Sunday, work up a big batch of something healthy and balanced, like soup from a slow cooker, and also eat it throughout the week.

6. Do not nix the fiber or fat.

Fiber broadens in your belly and also requires time to digest, both of which aid keep you really feeling complete for longer. Great resources include entire grains, veggies, as well as whole fruit (not juiced). Healthy fats like olive and nut oils-in moderation-improve flavor, give you energy, and also help your body use specific nutrients. Alexandra Shipper included healthy and balanced fats, such as avocado, to healthy protein sources like eggs as well as fish on her method to going down 55 pounds.

7. Do not really feel required to go to the fitness center.

When you're at your heaviest, it can be frightening to step right into a health club and start running or lifting among the spandex-clad. Exercising in your very own space is likewise merely less complicated to schedule-you can lift weights while the child naps or very first point in the morning without dragging yourself out the door. 'I bought a stationary bicycle so I can function out whenever I want,' states Sarah DeArmond, who shed 100 extra pounds.

8. Job weights into your workout routine.

To drop significant lbs, you require the one-two strike of cardio exercise plus strength training. Resistance assists construct and also protect metabolism-boosting lean muscle mass while shedding fat and is particularly crucial when you hit a plateau. Amanda Eco-friendly lost 15 pounds in 2 months doing hour-long cardio DVDs, but it wasn't till she started running outside and training weights three times a week that she was able to ditch the last 15 of her 30-pound objective.

9. Difficulty yourself by enrolling in a race.

Jessica McMullin signed up for her first race, a 5K walk-run, hoping an obstacle would certainly help motivate her to shed weight-which it did, method greater than she could have pictured. 'I absolutely fell in love with running, it changed my whole life,' she states.

Not only did it aid her shed 60 extra pounds, yet making it a day-to-day practice also helped her overcome her depression. Now she stays motivated by remaining to challenge herself with brand-new race goals. To day, she's completed over 100 different races.

10. Do not promise off your favorite deals with for excellent.

Little treats keep you from feeling robbed, so everyday, allow on your own a little bit of something you enjoy (go for 150 calories each). This kind of small amounts is the distinction between a 'diet' and also a way of life you can stick to for life. For salon proprietor Caitlin Gallagher, who shed 125 pounds, that indicated changing her every night bowl of ice cream with a square of chocolate, social worker Brittany Hicks, that lost 100 pounds, started cooking mini variations of her favorite pies.

11. Always ensure you have a plan.

When going out to supper, follow the lead of law enforcement agent Larissa Reggetto, who dropped 105, and also look up the food selection ahead of time to prevent impulse buying.

12. Stick to a routine.

Too much selection in your diet regimen can tinker your satiation cues and also make you eat way too much, so include some (tasty) monotony to your routine. One easy way: Consume the exact same healthy and balanced breakfast and/or lunch daily during the week, and appreciate new tastes on the weekend break. The most effective feature of that strategy, claims 69-pound-loser (emergency room, champion?) Melanie Kitchen area: 'I really did not need to keep developing new dishes!'

13. Have a positive weight-loss rule.

When Katrina Plyler decided to take control of her weight, she chose to try the Whole30 as a way to reset as well as commit to her objectives.

' That initial day was so tough, I nearly caved and also grabbed the vending equipment at job yet I kept in mind a quote I carried my Facebook web page that claimed 'The only thing standing between you as well as your objective is the bullshit tale you maintain informing yourself as to why you can't attain it' which was enough to make me avert from the machine,' she says.

She completed the entire month of the Whole 30 and stuck to a clean Paleo-style diet regimen afterward. Within a year she was down 46 pounds. 'I always keep that quote close-by and also reread it when I'm really feeling weak,' she adds.

14. Search for things to include to your life, not deduct.

Starting a weight-loss journey can be hard, particularly if you're quiting a great deal of points you love. Shannon Hagen's key to remaining positive while dropping weight? 'I never ever consider it as giving points up, that makes me feel deprived,' she states. 'Rather I concentrate on adding in one little healthy change at a time, until it comes to be a practice.' Instead of being bummed over not having your normal dish of ice lotion before bed, attempt a new healthy dessert recipe to include to your file.

15. Focus on what you wish to acquire, too.

Chronic migraine headaches were what first inspired Amanda Tagge to begin working out. 'I was intending to discover some remedy for my frustrations as well as working out did aid however I realized that if I truly desired to really feel much better I required to overhaul my health habits overall and slim down,' she claims. The even more she transformed, the far better her frustrations obtained and she lost 70 pounds in the procedure which aided her feel even better. Concentrating on right her wellness was enhancing kept her going even when the range wasn't moving.

16. Track your fruits as well as veggies.

Snacking is the crucial to Mary Rogerson's 60-pound fat burning but it's not just exactly how usually she eats yet what. 'I intend to eat at least 7 portions of vegetables a day, in addition to some protein, every couple of hours,' she states. 'And also The finest component is that by the time she's filled up on her rainbow of fruit and vegetables, she's usually also full to eat much else as well as her yearnings for sweets have actually gone method down.

17. Consume something rejuvenating as quickly as you wake up.

' Every morning I consume alcohol a mug of warm water with half a lemon pressed right into it, a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and a dashboard of cayenne pepper,' states Michelle Keough. This assists her beginning her time off on a healthy note while obtaining her moisturized after a long night. This technique, integrated with eating meals constructed around healthy protein as well as veggies, helped her lose 20 pounds and also keep it off.

18. Try establishing an 'consuming home window.'

Connie Jory advocates recurring fasting-eating during a certain window of time, like from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. consuming at all.

' In the beginning it was difficult to adapt to but I've found that if I stick to only consuming within my collection home window, the hunger pains vanish and I don't even think of food.' This intermittent fasting method has actually assisted her shed greater than 70 pounds.

19. Make treats a real treat.

' I have one hell of a wonderful tooth, therefore I have to decline to bring sweet, cake, or sweets right into the residence, period,' claim Lin Williams, who's lost 105 extra pounds. Rather, if she desires a reward she has to want it poor enough to get up, obtain in the cars and truck, leave her house, as well as go to the store-a procedure that rarely really feels worth it. As well as on the rare occasion she does indulge? 'I get specifically what I want as well as enjoy every bite of it!' she says.

20. Use a loved one as inspiration.

Finding the inspiration to work out as well as drop weight was difficult and as a busy mama Sabrina Winder can never appear to discover the time. When her son decided to do a biking value badge for Kid Scouts, unexpectedly helping her youngster indicated helping herself also.

' My reason made use of to be that I really did not intend to leave my kids alone to work out, however this assisted me see I can still do it and simply include them,' she states. Currently she's slimming down and obtaining trimmer while setting a healthy and balanced example for her children. 'It's a win-win for our entire family,' she adds.

21. Don't really feel poor for saying 'no' often.

' My father resembles a food-pushing wizard, he's always pulling stuff out of his pockets or showing up with delicious food,' states Mary Mock. While the family members tradition of shock sugary foods was fun, when it came time to lose weight, she knew she needed to place a quit to all that lure. 'At first, he seemed hurt when I kept claiming no yet when I explained it was for my wellness, he hopped on board. Sometimes I still have to remind him though!' she says.

22. Discover ways to treat on your own without food.

Making the connection between her stress and anxiety and also her food desires was a game-changer for Kelly Pedestrian. 'I understood that by the end of the day, I simply wanted something to relax me down as well as so I 'd binge on delicious chocolate,' she states.

' Regarding a year ago, I started looking for other ways to handle my stress and anxiety besides consuming, like washing or doing acupuncture.' She's lost over 40 extra pounds but the finest component is that she feels extra unwinded than she's ever been. 'It ends up that eating all that sugar was making me much more distressed, making a ferocious cycle.'

23. Make your refrigerator a 'healthy and balanced treats just' zone.

Having a healthy option within your reaches when you're depriving can make all the distinction in between sticking to your objectives as well as providing in to temptation. 'I keep little containers of hummus and also carrots, pickles, nuts and dried out apricots, salsa and rice biscuits, and other healthy and balanced combos in the front of my fridge and also kitchen so they are literally the initial thing I see when I unlock,' claims Lita Moreno. 'I don't also offer myself a selection to rip off.' This little change has aided her decrease virtually 80 pounds.

[indiasendangered-blog]

Going Wild Over Mushrooms

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Come monsoons, and the thick undercover of Western Ghats forests are transformed into a magical kingdom of mushrooms – ending their mysterious life spent underground and popping out for a brief moment as if just for the purpose of enhancing the life nurturing quality of the season.

Via MaxPixel

Unlike the supermarket versions of the packed button mushrooms that are specifically cultivated for mass consumption, wild mushrooms are season specific, habitat specific, diverse in their shape, texture and sizes, and thus much more fascinating and rare. In the culinary and medicinal world, they are highly sought after for this very exotic nature, making the foraging and selling of the fungi a huge business during the golden period when they are available.

Read More: Researchers Find Thousands Of Fungi Species In Singhgad Forest

In Karnataka, wild mushrooms sprout in plenty, thanks to the perfect climatic conditions of humidity and moisture during the monsoons as well as the abundance of soil enriched with rotten dry leaves, and natural waste. However, only a fraction of total fungal wealth has been subjected to scientific scrutiny as defining the number and kinds of fungi is a challenge. This is because mushrooms are ephemeral and disappear within a day.

Therefore, documentation of mushrooms needs constant survey during the appropriate season. Nevertheless, scientists have still been able to report about 163 morphotypes of macrofungi from Kodagu district, 778 species of macrofungi from Shivamogga district, 90 species of mushrooms in and around Bengaluru, and 135 species of macrofungi from Western Ghats during different surveys conducted in different years between 2006 and 2015.

Foragers of the forest

Quite interestingly, the people with the most knowledge of wild mushrooms are the ones who rely not on science but the traditional wisdom passed on from one generation to the other. Ethnic groups and tribal communities have for centuries entered the heart of forests knowing precisely when and where to look to find a particular variety of mushroom.

Image courtesy Wayanad Yathra

The Amma-Kodava, Are-Gowda, Iri, Billava, Kembatti-Poliya, Kodava, Kukka-Poliya, Kudiya, Kuraba, Madiyala, Meda, Vokkaliga-Gowda, Panika, Peggade, Siddi and Yerava communities have used the know-how passed on by their forefathers to forage for mushrooms based on their appearance, smell, shape and location.

Read More: Pay A Fine if you step on this Hill! Tribal Find a Unique Way to Protect Nature

These indigenous techniques of identification of mushrooms are as varied and distinctive as the mushroom species themselves. From forests to sacred groves, lateritic scrub to orchards, plantations to bamboo thickets, even residential locations, kitchen gardens and termite-infested regions are a veritable treasure trove of mushrooms if you know where to look and what to pick.

Equally interesting is the ethnic nomenclature for each of the fungi. Names vary based on the tribe, still they give a good sense of where the mushroom is coming from. For instance, punda kum is the vernacular name given to mushrooms growing on nodal region of bamboos, whereas those growing on dead logs of mango trees are called mange mara kum.

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With the first pitter-patter of the rains, the forest dwellers begin to tread the muddy paths in search of these delicate seasonal growths, which was at one time only available for local consumption, but now increasingly for selling and earning some quick bucks too.

Overharvesting threat 

Many mushrooms have therapeutic properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticancer, cholesterol-lowering and immunostimulatory effects. Many genera of mushrooms are edible and are rich in essential nutrients, such as carbohydrates, and have a low fat and oil content, and contain proteins, vitamins, mineral, fibre and various amino acids. Even if the medicinal or nutritional value is not known, the attraction of having mushrooms harvested straight from the forests has elevated their demand in many states.

Goa especially has a high demand for mushrooms called the olmi mushrooms — the Termitomyces varieties or those that grow on termite mounds. Goan homes have been using this for a long time and are willing to pay a handsome price when the mushrooms are available. In the streets of Panjim, and other places of the state, vendors can be seen selling the different varieties like Termitomyces clypeatus, T indicus and T Umkowaan for a price of Rs 500-600 per kg. These are harvested from the forests of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka and needless to say are one big reason for disrupting the balance of nature because of overharvesting.

Read More: Vanishing Ecological Inheritance

Termitomyces mushrooms grow in a completely dependent relationship with termites. The termites collect and ‘plant’ the seed-like fungal spores on comb-like structures in their underground nests and fertilise them with their manure. They receive valuable nutrients by eating the underground ‘roots’ or mycelium of the mushrooms from their ‘fungal gardens’. It is this intimate relationship that humans have not been able to replicate and thus, the mushrooms can only be harvested from the termite mounds in the forest. With kilos plucked and served to urban population, the losers are the termites and eventually the nature cycle that is disrupted.

One third of fungal diversity of the globe exists in India and of this, only 50% has been characterised so far. Not to be fooled by their miniature size, wild mushrooms are an important part of the ecosystem in multiple ways. Neither plants nor animals, these fungal species exist as symbiotic partners with plants to help them extract minerals and water from the soil; in exchange getting sugar compounds from the tree. Sometimes, as in the case of termites, mushrooms exist to provide food for them, and at other times as decomposers .

To know so little about them, and allow unscrutinised harvesting is thus an unwelcome way to lose some very interesting and unique living forms. Wild mushrooms need greater scientific attention and protection to continue to thrive and applaud the oncoming of monsoons with their sporadic outbursts on the forest floor.

This article by Atula Gupta was originally published in Deccan Herald 

Featured image via Gazette Metro

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Going Wild Over Mushrooms was originally published on India's Endangered

[tamilxxxx]

குமுதா மூத்திர புண்டையை கிழித்த வெறி பிடித்த ரௌடி சுன்னிகள் புண்டாமவ தெவிடியளுக்கு பொறந்த தேவிடியா கதை

En peyar kumutha vayathu 29 .en kanavar dubail erukirar 2 varudathiruku oru muraidan inge varuvar .nan ingu mamyarudan valgiren.enku marriage agi 4 varusham ayum kulanthai elai ..ithanal adikai enakum mamyarkum sandai varum .nan adanal govt velai ku exam eluthi kondiruthen epadyavathu velaiku poga vendum enru.enathu veetil computer net elame undu..exam ku padipathum netil chat panuven.enakum pundai aripu payangramaa erukum epothum pundaiyai nondikonde erupen evanavathu vnathu vadi vnathu padudi enru soli kuthamatanu enru enguven…netil chat seyumpothum pundai nonduven..orumura chat panumpothu oruvan pesinan .avan ku vayahtu 26 enrum auto otuvathaga sonan .alagaga pesinan akkarai eduthu kondan enidam enaku muthalil pidikavilai enralum poga poga avarin ninaipaga erunthathu. Avan enaku pundai aripai athikamakinan..avanidam olu vanga vendum endra asai athigamanathu.avan paduka sonal kuda readyaga erunthen avanuku pundai viripatharku kathukondiruhten avanuku adimaiayaga anen.athe nerathil enaku avan ooril enaku exam centre podapathathu ..avanidam koorinen avanum varumpothu paklam enru sonnan…

nan exam anru melithana selai aninthukonden melitana jacket potu konden ulle bra potirupathu nanraga therithathu apapduye moliagaliyai kasak vendum enru thonum ulle jatyaum potu konden pundaiku sugama erunthahtu veetai vitu veliyil varum varai olungaga erutnhen busstop vanthhum bathroom sendru selayayi thooki pavadayum thookivitu jattyai erakiviten sugama erunthathu apapdye keele ukanthu onnuku irunthen apappapa ena sugamda soodaga erunthahtu apram thoppul theryumpadi selayayi keele aninahukonden apram kilambinen avan ooruku vanthathum avanuku phone paninen autovil vanthan .paka alaga erunthalum rowdy pol erunthan enaku inum aasai athigam anathu avanmatum varavilai kuda 3 perai kooti vnahtiruthan enidam pesinan avargal nanbargal endrum koorinan..nan busil selvahtaga koorinen avan vida vilai rumba urimayaga vadi autovil polam enru koorinan enaku avan koopatathum enaku inum pundai arithuvitathu sari enru autovil erinen..en pakathil eranu perum munadi avaodau oruvan eruthan…4 perum enida valinthu kondiruthargal enakum koochama erunthahtu eruthalum elarum enai angaye pavadayaai thooki opathu pol parthukondiruhtan. Athil pakathil erutnhavan erandu perum vadi podi enre pesinna enai thotu pesinan kaiyai pidiahtan en bagai pidinginan vilayadinan enaku vekkamagga erunthalum avan seyum kurumbu enaku pidithahtu en tholai thotargal enai varnithan kannam uthadu kaltuhu apram keele enru varnika enaku koochamaga erunthahtuu enaku appave vanagada enai olungada enru solavendrum enru thonyathu atharkul exam centre vanthathu exam mudunthahtum varuvnathaga soanrgal pakathil aruvi onru erupathaga sonargal …kulithu vitu varugirom enru koorinan enaku exam sella manase elai auto vitu erangienn enaku pogave manasu elai athil oruthan koorinan enadi poga istamilaiya enru athuku nan onume padikala ena eluthurathunu theryalaaa enrathum appadina engakuda variya sandaosama erukum enru orumathiri sirithukonde koorinan enakum ena solvathendru theyamal thalaiyai 

ateinen udane eruvarum enai auto ule eluthargal apadye en bagay auto pinadi potargal exam cut adicahu sadnosama eruka sonargal…apapdye pesikonde ponom ipothum munadi eruntha oruvan pinadi vnathu vitan 3 perum enida valinthu kondirunthargal ovaruthanum enai thodavum kanathai kilavum idupil kicham katvu menru erutnhargal nan kovamaga muraipathaga pathalum avargal vidavilai enadi muraikira enru comedy panikondu eruthargal .enaku sandosm erunthahtu manasu inum nanraga avarkalaoda palaga vendum enru yosithen epadivathu avargalodau sandosama erukvum udivu seythen..apothu oru katukul alaithu kondu senran ulle aruvi kotyathu intha idam yarukum theyahtu enrum ithu ivan nanban sonthamana kadu enrum sonnan yarum varamatragal enrum koori vitu aruvi pakkam ponom…enaku epadyavathu paduka vendum enru pundai kaiya arambitahtuhuu atahnal ninruviten ena enru ketargal nan vekka patukonde onnuku varuthu enru koorinen avasaram enru sinuginen avargalukum mood eryathu udane oru putharaii kampithu ange poye eruka sonnargal nanum angu ponen antha putharil ponal nan onnuku eruthnal avargaluku theyahtu avargaluku theryavendum enru mood ethia vendu m enru putharuku ulla pogamal veliyave ninru vitu avargalai pakatha madiri en selayai mele luthen apuram pavadayai thookienn ithai avargal pathu kondiruthargal apuram en kundiyil jatti eruapthai kanpithen apuram jattyai methuvaga keela erakivitu nanrgaa kundi theryumpadi en pundai theryumpadi keele ukanthu sooodaga oonuku erunthen ithai parthu aniavarum etho pesikondu sirithu kondu eruhtargal en kathil sariaga ulavilai mood agivitargal enru therinthathu..apuram eluthu mehtuvaga jatyai potu kondu thirumbinen avargal ethayum pakatha mdiri keele erangi vitargal nna piandye ponen ange ponahtum kulikirayadi enru ketan nan venam enru soliviten ei summa vadi vanthu kulidi enru koorinan nan vera dress elai enru koorinen athauku enadi elathayum avuthu potu amamnakundiya kulidi enru kooinan ealrum sirithargal enaku koochama erutnhahtu ithai ketathum apothu oruvan sema kundidi enru kidnaladithan atha evlo perusuda enru koorivitu siruthan enaku kovamaga erutnhalum ule mansu sandsoama erutnahthu epadiyavathu olu vanga vendum enru sari itnha sandarpathai vitu vida koodathu endru avagal theryumpadi oru paarai oramaga sendru en thuniyayi klatinen avargal athai parthu kondiruthargal en saree blouse bra vai kalatinen pavadai nenju mel thooki katinen avarkal pakra madiri en pavadykula kaiyai vitu jattyai kalatinen avargal verum jattyodu eruthargal elarumkum ulle kadaparai natu kondu vitathu elavanukum adaka mudayvailai avargal thambiyai thudithargal nna ethum theryatha madiri pavadayodu ninrne elorum enaye parthu karpalithargal en udambaii mulusaga paka vendum enru very eryathu avargalku nan kulikalam enren avargalum enai kai pidithu kooti ponargal nan rumba valukuvahtupol nadithen avargalum enai tholil idupil naraga pdidithu kondu kootitu ponargal ange aruviyil kulithom verm pavadayodu kulithen pavadain naiyanthu enida moli kambu thopul pundai kundi alagu appadye therninthahu athai pathahtum ena alaga erukadi nee sema kattadi nee enru sonan enaku vekamaa erunthuathu inoruthan unailelam oru varthuku paduka potu enru koori nipatinan apuram thidir enu enai kati pdiithargal enai erukamaga kati piidthan nan vendam enpathu pol vidungada enru solinen avangay arum kekra mathiri elai enai molaaiyai pidihtu kasakinan oruvan en pavadayai thooki kundiyai nondienan oruvna en pudnai viral vitu nodna arambithan nan kochathal sokiviten appadye enai tharaiku kooti sendrargal en pavadai avuthu vitu enai ammanakundiaya nika vaithu parthu rasithargal eandi thediya madiri erukaaa sema kudni pundai elam paluthu poye erukudi kal viridii nu etho etho epsianargal oru vna en mudiyai pidihtthu thevidya vadi vnathu oombudi en sunnya enru koori avan poolai ule thintithan oruvna en molaigali kaambayum kasakian pilinthu kadithikondiruthen enaku uyire poydum pola erunthahtu enaku pal pal vneum enru soli kaambai kadithukondiruthann oru van en kundiyai naniki kondiruka oruvan en pundaiyai nakkai ulla vitu nakka aramabitan enaku ucham vanthu vitathu en pundiyai thanni kothyathu appadye nakki kudithukondu inum viral vitu kuthinan inum venundi nalla attudi enru soli kuthinan oruvan en kundikul nakkai vitu nakinan viral vitu kuthiann enaku vethanai thangamal kathi kondiruthen amma amma enru enadu kathura theividya siriki munda enru keta varthayi thitinan poolai vitu kuthiann inoruthanu en vayil poolau vitu

 ithayum oombudi pundamavale nalla vaya thorathu oombudi enru sonnan apuram en kudniyil pinadi erunthu avan poolai ulle vitan pogavilai enada nalla kala viidi kundiya kaidi enru thitinan matra ernadu perum avrgal echiyai kundiyil thuppi ottayi perusakinargal ivna poolai ulle vitan ponathu nalla kuthianna kundi ulla poolu muluhtm senrathu ulle vittu kundiyai kilithan en mulaiayia kasaki konde kundaiyai kuthinan enaku ucham vnathu kondu eruthathu oruvan en vayil poolai atinan oruvan en molaiayai aksaki pal kudthan oruvan en pudnaiyil viral potu kuthianan thanii pundai thanniayi kudithu kondirutnahtn apuram oruvan pundaiyi kuthiann enaku uyire poyveitathu perya poolal kuthi pundaiyai kilithan vegamaa oruvan kundyulm oruvan pundayulum kuthi kuthhi kilithargal nan vendam enru sonalum avargal vidmaala kuthianrgal oru valiyaga mudinthahtu enru nainaythen meethi erukum 2 perum athe madiri kundiayayum pundaiyaum kilithargal kilika kilika en pudnayum kundiyum loose agivitathu iapdye sapidamal maalai varai othu kondiruthaom enai kathara kathara kuthi kilithargal enal odavum mduayvilai enaku udambil thembum elai oduvathuruku maalaiyil elorum paduthuvitom eravu oruvan mulithu kathian appuram dan elunthom nan dress poten en bara jattyai vendum ernu soli pidingi kondargal en pavadayil avargal kanjyai koti vnaithiruthargal en pudnaiyum thodathu eduthen pavadayai paathi kilithuvitu ithai matium katikodi punda enru kuduthargal paathiayai katti konden sariyagapundaiyai maraikira alavukudan minjiyathu pavadai apuram jacket potu selai katienn pauam kilambumpothu ena eluthan oruvan elluthu enadi odukaili munda odura padudi enru sonann enaku mooda eruku padu enru koorian nan vendam timea chu enren ei padudi enru sonnan avan nanum paduthen en kalai virithen kuthianan pundaiyai elorum maruapdyum kuti kilihtargal enai bus etri vitargal avargal enaku sarina natu katadi enru sollii 400 rupa kuduthu enadi thevidya pothumladi unaku enru soli anupivitargal …nan vetuku vanthu thoongiviten enal oru varathuku eluthirika mudyavilai apuram enaku kulanthai piranthathu en mamyar en purusan enai thooki vaithu kondadinargal elarum kulanthai appa mugajadayaga erukirathu enru sonargal anal enaku matum than theryum en purusan jadai elai enru antha 4 peril yaruku poranthathu enrudan theryavilai…..ungaluku therinjal solungal commentil….ithu enudaya karpanai kathai …..epadi erukirahtu enru solungal……………veru entha madiri katahigal vendum enru solungal……………..

[krugerexplorer]

Big cat playtime! I was fortunate enough to spend 2-hours with a 14+ strong pride of lions at Klopperfontein near Punda Maria - and completely on my own the whole time! It was a cool morning and they were very active - what a show!! We’ve also just added a new blog post of some of our favourite images from our epic 7-Week journey through Kruger National Park, including these playful lions. A link to our blog is in our profile above for those interested in more...! 👆🏻👆🏻 . We are building the KrugerExplorer App! It will be a beautiful wildlife field guide with detailed profiles and photos on 300+ animals plus a routes guide with over 70 of our favourite routes detailed with explanations on the landscape and what wildlife you might be able to see! The tech part of the project has taken longer than we’d hoped but we really want the App to be perfect and are hoping for a launch towards the end of June with a bit of luck. Lots more info on our website too (see above bio link) - please check it out! 👆🏻👆🏻 . Use #KrugerExplorer to be featured! . @krugerexplorer #krugerexplorer #krugernationalpark #africansafari #africanwildlife #thisissouthafrica #wildlifelovers #fantasticbeasts #safari #bigcats #cats #bigcatlover #lion #lions #lionlove #big5 #pride #cubs #lioncub #babyanimals (at Kruger National Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/BxuRJfLgU1S/?igshid=1xvv0wmrci4u5

[gayexplorers-blog]

Amazing Curacao

We had such a wonderful time on our Trip to Curacao. It was everything we hoped for and then some. Our journey began departing Las Vegas and connecting through Miami to Curacao with American Airlines. We arrived into Curacao around 830P and went through customs and immigration rather quickly. We lucked out traveling in business and other intl. arrivals at the same time to delay us getting to baggage claim. We waited for about 30 mins for our luggage and were off to Alamo for the rental car. I am really glad we did the rental car because Taxis are rather expensive and there is no UBER or LYFT on the island. We got a pretty good deal for the week of about $150.00 with all taxes and fees. The staff here was super friendly and efficient. Note if you do not take the insurance through Alamo they do hold a charge of $1,000.00 on our credit card.  

Our perfect planned vacation took a bad turn upon arrival at our hotel the Holiday Beach Resort and Casino. The resort was way older and more run down then any pictures showed on booking.com or on TripAdvisor. Our biggest problem was the moisture in the room the walls and the floor were wet and bedding and seating extremely damp. The hotel is near a lagoon and on the other side of that lagoon is what appears to be an old power plant or water treatment facility. On the other side of the property there is construction going on for a new cruise terminal pier shopping center. The next morning, as we sat on our patio looking at the view of the lagoon we could hear the loud banging from the dock being built and decided that we need to switch hotels and bite the bullet on the nonrefundable room rate we had. We decided to look at the other two hotels we considered when we booked our reservation the Hilton and the Floris. Since the hotel safe in our room was not working at all we had to take everything with us and went out to explore the hotels.

The other properties were not far but far enough to escape the noise from the construction of the pier. The Hilton is a decent beach front hotel that meets one's expectations of the Hilton brand. This is a family resort and we saw several families. Its pluses were onsite restaurant, beach front, and casino. The Floris was across the street and it was something else! A beautiful resort and tropical feel as you drive up. It’s an adult only resort so no screaming kids and all suites. The only thing we thought could be a negative was that had no beach front. But the hotel advised they have a private beach and offer free transfer back and forth via a golf cart. The room was very well decorated and appointed nicely. They offered us the Royal Suite room category at the Jr Suite and we were sold immediately!! As a note, the wifi here was good compared to other wifi we found on the island. Since we had the hotel drama I do want to give a shout out to the booking.com customer service team who were able to get the remainder of our time at the Holiday Beach refunded which made this move all that much easier to make. 

After getting the hotel situation resolved we set out exploring the island. We found that there was a good mix of tourist with South American and Europeans being he majority and very few American tourist. This was nice since it means there was a very authentic island feel here and not overly Americanized. We felt welcomed everywhere we went on the island there was no issues everyone just seemed happy.

One of the favorite areas to visit was Punda this area is an UNESCO World Heritage site. We parked on the Otrabando side of the harbor and we walked across the Queen Emma bridge. The bridge was unique and cool. The bridge is a pontoon bridge that swings open for the boats on the one side. It’s worth sticking around a few minutes to see it open for a boat a or two and get some good pictures. The area has lots of cafes and shops and recommend getting a walking map from the visitor center kiosk. The map will get you to all the highlights in the area so you don’t miss anything. We liked the floating market which has a lot of fresh fish and other seafood for sale.  As you walk along it turns into a great fruit and vegetables market so you can literally get all the ingredients for a good meal here. This section also has some little street vendor stands and has the Caribbean market feel where you can haggle for a deal on souvenirs.  In this area you will find the CURACAO and DUSHI signs which make great back drops for pictures and kids really enjoyed climbing on them for unique photos. While in this area we enjoyed walking around the courtyard of the Governor’s mansion.  If you are in the area this time of year we recommend going down here on Thursday nights as they have fireworks, dancing, live music, and more street vendors open.

One of the things everyone wants to see and visit while in on any island is the beaches. We generally don’t spend the day just laying on a beach working on our tan. We would rather go snorkeling so we can see the different sea life. This trip we lucked out big time with the sea turtles which is my favorite animal in the water to see. The best spot was Playa Grandi-Sabana on the Westpunt side of island. We really liked Westpunt area of the island as it was less city or resorts and more local personal feel to it. If you like relaxing on the beach and chilling out there for the day I would recommend going to Caso Abao Beach which is also on the Westpunt side. Note that having a good water shoe is recommend for these beaches.  On the other side of the island by aquarium by the other popular resorts you will find Mambo Beach which has a well-manicured white sand beach protected with manmade sea wall to reduce waves. This is a beach club, pool, and shopping complex with our favorite restaurant on the island Fuoco.

We found the best place to see the sunset on the island we found the Westpunt side to be best and great place to have a Heineken and also really great lunch the Blue View Sunset Terrace. We really enjoyed the chicken satay was very good. There is Iguana on the menu but I was not feeling adventuresome enough to try it. 

When it comes to the gay scene on the island it's very subdued no real bar scene but the Floris does allow locals to buy day passes for use of the pool, spa, and bar. There is a directory PinkCuracao which has a guide to LGBT owned and LGBT friendly business on the island,

I could go on and on about what a wonderful time we had if you have questions about the island please ask in the comment section below or send us an email at gayexplorers@yahoo.com

Happy Exploring!