#rook taking a trip down memory lane.

[lemonmoxy]

Memory Lane

Summary: Direct follow up to Ships in the Night where Mimir and Lucanis finally recognize each other. 

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Chapter One: Lucanis and the Suicidal Death Mage

It starts like this: Rook and Harding are planning their trip to find their Grey Warden contact, which means spending long stints away from the Lighthouse as they try to track down the correct Eluvian. Bellara goes with them most days as she is the closest thing they have to a fade expert. Rook insists, when defending why they keep taking Bellara, that they are not a Fade expert, that they don’t have an expertise because that’s a whole thing you have to write a thesis on which Rook hasn’t done yet. Regardless, this leaves Lucanis and Neve alone together. 

Neve doesn’t like him. She is rather upfront about her lack of trust. Lucanis doesn’t mind. He doesn’t trust himself either. And someone has to caution Rook, who thinks his situation is a “marvel”.  Rook tries with all their might to not make it painfully obvious that they are enchanted by his situation because they are not so insensitive to not know that it was forced and bad, but Rook is not very good at hiding the way their eyes sparkle with intrigue whenever he does something “abomination-y” (as Bellara calls it). 

They are concerned, yes. They are the first to, kindly, chastise, Spite when he lashes out. They insist Lucanis sleeps, suggesting ways to keep Spite at bay. All of their ideas involve open communication and discussion of boundaries. It makes Lucanis’s skin crawl. Of course, this isn’t because of the fact that he hasn’t spoken about his feelings since before his parents died, but because Rook is insistent on treating Spite as if he is a person. They do not seem to grasp that Spite cannot be trusted. Lucanis honestly doesn’t understand how Rook hasn’t gotten themself possessed all on their own given their stubborn refusal to see demons as what they are. They want to talk to Spite almost as much as Spite wants to talk to them. Lucanis couldn’t live with himself if he ended up with their blood on his hands (and he wouldn’t live long, Neve and Harding would have his heart), so he holds Rook at as much as a distance as he can (because Rook is very insistent, and very very hard to say no too). So yes, Lucanis is very appreciative of the way Neve and Harding hover around Rook hovering around him. 

Neve in particular has picked up on Spite’s fixation in a way that Harding hasn’t, and she watches Lucanis like he might pounce the death mage. Again, Lucanis appreciates this, it’s good to know that Neve will have an ice spike through him before he lays a hand on Rook; but things are tense, even when Rook is away. Neve works on her cases in her office and Lucanis cooks. They barely interact at all. 

Neve bursts in on Lucanis attempting a vegetarian dish Mimir had mentioned missing (to Bellara). Lucanis hears her steps so he doesn’t startle, but he is surprised by the unnecessary force she opens the door with. 

There is a manic look in her eyes and for a moment Lucanis is sure something terrible has happened. Then she opens her mouth, “We’ve got to do something about Rook’s hair.” She announces.

There is a beat of silence as Lucanis processes her words. “Oh thank the Maker you said something.” Lucanis breathes a sigh. Neither Harding nor Bellara seemed to notice the problem. He was beginning to think he was going crazy or fashion had changed a lot in a year.

“We have money now.” Neve expresses her exasperation. She paces over to him, then in circles. “Why won’t they spend it?”

“They give all their money to Bellara.” Lucanis points out. 

“What?” That stops Neve in her tracks for a moment. “Why?” 

Lucanis has no answer to that. 

“Is it some sort of flirting thing?”

Set. Bellara. On Fire. 

Lucanis winces as Spite rears his head at that. Spite was mad enough that he wasn’t out watching Rook throw constructs to the next Fade island. He was mad whenever he wasn’t the center of Rook’s world, and that was with the current state of things where out of everyone (including Lucanis!) He got the most of Rook’s attention. If Rook started dating, Spite would hit peaks of insufferableness that Lucanis could not begin to imagine. This was, obviously, the only reason why the idea of Rook dating Bellara bothered Lucanis. That and obviously it was a distraction. 

Rook had so much on their plate, it was, frankly, selfish of Bellara to put her attentions on their fearless leader. It was understandable, of course. Rook was sweet, funny, endlessly patient, heroic, they had a dimple on their right cheek when they smiled, they had a sweet husky voice that could make anything sound like music, they could pick up constructs twice their size and throw them like they were playing log toss- Lucanis put those thoughts to a halt because he had surely lost the plot. The point was, there was no way Rook was interested in Bellara (not that there was anything wrong with Bellara, it was just inconceivable that Rook would ever have feelings for anyone).

“No, surely not.” Lucanis said, his tone forcibly light. 

Neve shrugged. “Well, we got to do something.”

“I bought them shoes.” He had, on their shopping trip. Rook had been delighted, and had put them on immediately. Then Rook had turned around and bought him a knife ten times more sentimental and expensive than what he had done for them (before giving Bellara their coin purse, seriously, what was UP with that?)

Buy. Rook. MORE!!!

Spite had a point. Another set of armor at least, the Dalish poncho was on its last legs. It was begging for death. They would look in nice Antivan leathers. The blues would clash a bit with their eyes, but if he went with the more traditional black it would look good on them. And more importantly they would be safer. Lucanis did not understand mages’ insistence on wearing cloth. 

“Every Nevarran I’ve met has had an exceptional sense of style.” Lucanis said, remembering a teenage elf with a death wish. They had taken an hour to pick through the corpses of blood mages to find all their stolen jewelry; it had been a similar experience to a Crow presenting their knives, always one more, and each piece of jewelry had been an exquisite antique. “I do not know what is going on.”

“It does seem rude to ask.” Neve agrees. “But I bought this.” She holds up a bottle. “It strips hair dye. Whatever their natural hair color is, it can’t be worse than what it is.”

Lucanis hesitates. “You sound like you’re planning to ambush them.”

“We are. Yes.”

“What?”

“Rook can punch holes through walls when determined enough. I’m going to need your help.”

Lucanis twitches at the mental image that brings up. “Surely we can just offer it to them. They took the shoes.”

“Counterpoint. Rook said they don’t bother to wear anything to bed because they tore their night clothes and it ‘wasn’t worth replacing’.”

The wooden spoon Lucanis was using to stir their dinner snapped. He fumbled to fish it out of the vegetarian stew. “We have to buy them night clothes.” Lucanis’s thoughts buzzed, going a million miles an hour, but he couldn’t grasp them fast enough to know what he was thinking, “Any one could walk in on them! They oversleep all the time!” 

An image, straight out of one of his romance novels, sprang to mind: Bellara stumbling in with an academic question; Rook sitting up, disoriented with sleep, vulnerable and soft, lit by the blues of their aquarium bedroom, their blanket slipping, first exposing just one pale shoulder; they smile a hazy smile at Bellara, not realizing their state as they sit up more, draping themself over the back of their couch so they can see and face Bellara; the blanket slips more from their body exposing-

TWENTY BLANKETS! A HUNDRED! Spite interrupted the delusion like it was a tangible real thing. Suddenly Lucanis was thinking of Rook wrapped in a cocoon of blankets which made his stomach flip, but in a different less stomach churning way.

Spite’s fixation on Rook (and Rook’s fixation on Spite) wasn’t good but he had a point. Rook might not have a sense of modesty but that was no reason to scare Bellara, or frighten Harding’s Ferelden sensibilities. 

“That’s what I said.” Neve agrees, jarring Lucanis back to reality. “They said, they’ve seen lots of naked dead bodies and don’t understand what the big deal about nudity is.”

“… what did you say to that?”

“What do you say to that?”

Lucanis also wouldn’t have had a response. “Ok. Hair dye. New armor. Night clothes.” 

“So you’re in?” Nere’s grin is devious.

Lucanis coughs. “I think we need to express to our fearless leader that they are an asset that deserves care.”

“Aren’t you so noble? And this has nothing to do with the fact that you just got a missive from Treviso and you don’t want to be seen with Rook as they dress?”

“Nope, not at all.” He says too fast to be believable.

Harding, Bellara, and Rook return not too long after Neve and Lucanis’s conversation. 

“We’re back!” Rook calls as the three of them come up the stairs. 

“And we found the Eluvian to the Anderfels!” Bellara announces cheerfully.

Harding is frowning. “Are you sure you’re ok Rook?”

ACID. DIZZY. Spite is openly sniffing Rook, but Rook doesn’t know it. They can just feel his presence around them. They pat where they think Spite’s head is (they are off by a good few inches) as he sniffs them. Lucanis feels violated for them. 

“Vomiting is a normal biological reaction from going from low altitude to high altitude so quickly, combined with going from freezing temperatures to hot.” Mimir explains, clearly embarrassed from the way their ears tint at the points. “It is stupid that the Eluvian to the hot dry place is in a snowy area.”

“The Anderfels have a lot of marshland actually, so it’s not dry and it has spots that are co-.” Bellara says, earning an exasperated look from Mimir. “Sorry!” Bellara flushes in embarrassment and Rook immediately looks guilty.  

Neve, seeing that Rook isn’t actually sick, and is about to enter into another apology spiral with Bellara, pounces. She slides up behind Rook, throwing an arm around their shoulder. “Well, I’m glad our fearless leader is ok.”

“I am…” Rook says, dubiously, sensing this isn’t going in a direction they’ll like. 

“Then, how about a makeover night, say, new hair dye?” 

Rook tries to jump away. “Neve, no, I’m fine!” They insist. 

Neve’s arms lock and Harding of all people grabs their waist. “Rook!” Harding breaks in. “It’s really bad! We’re not hunting Solas anymore, you don’t need it!”

“Varric bought me it!” 

Neve freezes at that confession and for a moment Lucanis feels awful, but then Harding speaks up. “As a joke!”

Rook seems to just pretend they didn’t hear that. It is a hauling effort, Lucanis has to wade in as the only person who has both strength and height, to drag Rook to the kitchen (Harding could drag Rook, but then Rook just went to the floor and grabbed the floating stones and they came to a standstill). Lucanis has never had friends that weren’t related to him, but he’s pretty sure this is a game. If Rook wanted to really make their displeasure known, they are strong enough to make it very (painfully) clear. They only used enough magic to make it a challenge.  

Raise your hand. Spite advises as Lucanis heaves a squirming Rook onto his shoulder. Lucanis, foolishly, thinks he’s been given advice to stop another Rook ploy to escape. His hand cups their ass at Spite’s guidance. Rook freezes. Lucanis almost drops them. Rook wobbles on his shoulder and clings to him to keep from crashing onto hard stone. 

Their right leg curls around the length of his chest, while their left curls against his lower back, seeking a steadying purchase. Their right hand slaps against his shoulder blade, aiming to grab his shoulder but failing to reach while their left rests on the small of his back just above the swell of his-

“Ah! You bastard! If you drop me, I’ll break your favorite toe!” 

Lucanis has manhandled many people. He has manhandled people prettier than Rook (especially true with their terrible terrible hair dye). He has never felt any which way about doing it. He had always privately laughed at how Illario would always get himself worked up at the weirdest (in Lucanis’s opinion) moments. Right now, Lucanis is so uncomfortable he feels he might combust on the spot. Spite is laughing at him, the bastard. 

He drops them in front of the sink and Bellara and Neve descend. Rook’s head is forced into the sink and cold water is dumped onto them.

“COLD! IT’S COLD!” 

“Heat it.” Neve commands, completely unsympathetic. 

“I’m bad at elemental magic! Do you want me to set my hair on fire?!” 

Neve does, at that, take pity on Rook to heat it. Bellara starts scrubbing the liquid bottle into Rook’s hair. 

Lucanis watches as the dye seems to turn to ink and run down their scalp. Black gives way to white. And in the warm lighting of the kitchen, with the Lighthouse reflecting the last traces of sunrise for them. Lucanis doesn’t see the dye as black, but as a dark red. He remembers another death mage with blood running through white locks, the curls so damp with blood that they hung straight and limp. 

“Mimir?” Lucanis wouldn’t have remembered the name if asked. It was something that could only be pulled out of him in a moment of such visceral remembrance. 

Mimir blinks up at him, peering at him in between Bellara, Harding, and Neve. Their eyes half lidded to keep hair dye from running into them. For a moment they are alone. His blood rushes around his ears. It’s so strange. It’s so strange to see evidence of something he did right, that was good. He and Mimir had saved a hundred people from dying. They had all walked back into Nevarra together with a hundred people, and what had been about to be a disaster just wasn’t. It was incredible how Mimir kept turning around bad situations, like it was the role they were born to play (somewhere in his head, Lucanis can feel Spite take note of that). 

“You talk to other demons?” Spite speaks with Lucanis’s mouth, affronted. Lucanis slams his hands over his mouth and wrestles control away from Spite before he can say something else embarrassing. 

“Maker!” Mimir laughs. It took them a few seconds but the realization clicked in their head too. “You’re that crow! I didn’t recognize you with the beard!” They straighten, grabbing a towel to mop up the dye before it can stain their shirt. 

“I speak to plenty of demons, Spite.” Mimir laughs. “I’m a mage, they find me in the Fade, in my dreams.” Mimir’s tone is factual, and they seem unaware that they are causing problems.  

Spite is furious at this new but obvious fact. 

Lucanis ignores Spite and the headache coming on to regard Mimir with his newly remembered information. “You really didn’t learn anything from all that did you?” 

Mimir huffs. “I learned plenty! I got really into Spell Thievery after that.” Lucanis doesn’t know what that is, but he suspects it has something to do with Mimir taking charge of the Tevinter spell in Ossuary. He thinks about all the terrible spells that they are likely to come across, and Mimir sticking their hands in it, and he feels a little sick. 

“That was the worst thing you could say.” He tells them seriously. They throw their still wet hair dye covered towel at his face, and Lucanis dodges for his life, because this shirt is silk!

[oh-the-bliss]

It’s been a while. 

Far Cry: New Dawn sceneries [4/?]

[twstdreams]

Top 10 Posts

While celebrating this blog’s first birthday, I’m reminiscing over the top 10 posts with the most notes.

Tackle Hug

Sometimes you just have to be a little more aggressive to get your dose of physical affection! So you tackle the seven dorm leaders in hopes of a hug.

This is one of my favourite posts! I just wanted some hugs after going without for so long and I’m glad it resonated with everyone else, especially given it wasn’t even a request.

Fun Discoveries

Random fun facts about the game and the boys!

This takes me back! The game had just been released and I was extensively taking notes to learn more and incorporate it into my writing. This was my first in depth look at all the characters, so it was exciting!

Kissing and Cuddling Headcanons

Headcanons about how Floyd, Leona, Ace, Azul, and Jack are physically intimate with their lover!

I am still immensely happy with how much everyone enjoyed this. The kissing and cuddling headcanons take a lot of effort for me, especially because I like to make analogies and try to capture the feeling of it too. 

Settling the Score

Leona, Jade, Ruggie, and Lilia reacting to their partner being physically assaulted and landing in the hospital.

Revenge is sweet! I think this idea is fun in the Twisted Wonderland universe as well, because many of the characters are villainous or morally ambiguous so you know it wouldn’t be all calm forgiveness and peaceful resolutions.

Sick Days

Taking care of Riddle, Leona, Azul, Vil, and Malleus when they get sick

 So cute! I enjoyed writing a common idea while taking into consideration each character’s quirks and charms.

Arranged Disasters

Riddle, Leona, Kalim, and Malleus find out their partner’s parents are looking for suitors as candidates for an arranged marriage!

This was interesting, because I think each character would react fairly differently given both their personalities and own circumstances.

Bad Days

You’re having a bad day and this is how the dorm leaders would try to help

This was a very self-indulgent piece, but I’m glad people liked it! I had recently come out of a mental health crisis around this time, so I just wanted to imagine some beloved characters trying to cheer me up.

Rejection and Regret

How do Floyd, Azul, Ace, Rook, and Leona react to their crush rejecting their confession because they don’t think its sincere?

I liked writing this because I felt this request matched well with the characters chosen! These characters play pranks, hide secrets, and are not always straightforward, so I could imagine how someone might think they’re being played or that it’s a temporary fling.

Shoujo Secret

Leona, Rook, Ruggie, Jamil, and Ace discover their newfound friend at NRC is actually a girl!

Once we discovered that NRC was an all boys school, there’s definitely been lots of versions of this concept, but I’m happy people liked this take!

Our World

How do Riddle, Kalim, Ruggie, and Malleus react when they find out MC comes from a world with no magic?

I was honestly surprised that this post was both popular and made it into the top ten!

Overall, this was a fun trip down memory lane and I’m happy some of my platonic/not-explicitly romantic content made it on here too. I hope next year there will be new and different posts amongst my top 10!

[harringtonstudios]

vegas run. (II)

plot: it’s the annual las vegas run. let’s see what kinda trouble you get into this year!

A/N: the fun allllmost begins. hope yall like <3. everyone say thank you ellie for forcing me to update ily! & i’m so so so grateful for all the messages i received, you guys make me so happy

masterlist! part I.

Sunday came sooner than you expected. Although your duffel bag was sitting in the backseat of your car, you’re were still anxious, nerves lining the pit of your stomach for some reason you couldn’t quite figure out. Wrapping up with your last customer, you ran over to Sarah, giving her a bear hug. 

“Thanks for taking over,” you mumbled, as she grumbled at the tightness of your grip.

“Yeah, yeah. Go have fun! Don’t do anything stupid,” she said, pushing you off as the door opened, people strolling in. 

“Me? Stupid, never,” you whispered back as you nodded at the customers before walking out to the curb. Your car was parked in the lot of Luca��s Diner, an easy spot as you walked in to pick up the order you had called in an hour ago.

Hefting the containers the waitress provided you with, you huffed your way to the car, one hand awkwardly opening the backseat. Tossing in all the food, you stepped back, closing your door and wiping your hands. 

Baze had texted you letting you know that they were planning on leaving the house around six, and you had quickly decided to buy them all dinner, knowing that someone had paid for your flight ticket. Happiness was passing the favor along forward and you were doing really well with the newfound success of your shop anyway. 

Driving to the house, you hummed alongside the radio, trying to quiet the buzziness in your stomach. You didn’t know why this trip was weighing so weirdly on your mind. You’d been on so many Vegas runs before, each other more hectic than the last. Running through the memories, a small smile grew on your face.

There was nothing better than getting drunk with some of the people you considered your closest friends. Even if you hadn’t spent a lot of time with them lately, you knew that they would always have your back, regardless. That was the things about the boys and the people they hung out with, loyalty and pure kindness. 

-

Two minutes away from the house it hit you. Every Vegas run so far, you’d been by Baze’s side. You were his best friend, and even though you were tight with everyone else, it’d just been natural for you to hang with him. You’d done the big group activities, ran after Kells when he’d popped a tab of acid and started stripping, but it was Baze’s hotel room you’d fallen asleep in and now things were going to be different. Ellie was going to come along on the trip, and even though you loved her to the core, you realized that you couldn’t just go crash in Baze’s room, not when he’d rather be with his girlfriend. 

Pulling into the driveway, you shut the thoughts up. It was going to be okay, this was a trip you were supposed to enjoy and getting a week break when you’d been working for the past two months straight sounded like heaven, regardless of who you spent it with. 

The door swung open before you could even get out of the car. Dub and Slim ran out, bags in hand as they rushed past you to the car on the side of the road. You waited until their car skirted off before stepping out of your own, pulling open the backseat door. 

Rook was standing on the porch and you called him over, eager to get the food out of your car before the smell started seeping into your seats. 

“Where’re they going?” you asked, handing him the containers. 

“They booked a different flight by accident. Idiots,” he supplied, before walking back to the house and you couldn’t help but laugh. 

-

The food was long gone, empty containers stacked on the countertop. You’d thought about cleaning it up, knowing the house was going to be empty for a week, but then Colson had picked up a garbage bag, and you’d laid back on his couch satisfied, socked feet propped up on his coffee table. 

Your eyes had lingered on him for a couple of seconds, taking in the sight of his tattoos rippling as he sweeped the boxes off the counter. You’d seen him shirtless countless times, but there was something different this time around. You hated your brain for thinking this way, but all the little bees that had been floating around all day suddenly swarmed your stomach as he picked up a bottle, taking a swig. 

His hand ruffled at his matted hair and then he caught your eyes. 

“So you’re just gonna sit there, stare and not help?” he questioned, tone light as he put the bottle down. 

“That’s the plan chief,” you responded, saluting him with two fingers as he laughed and flipped you off. 

You took a breath. This was going to be okay, these bees weren’t going to bother you anymore.

-

You all had made it just in time for the flight, checking in your luggage as the overhead announced that your flight was boarding. Running across the airport was not something you had planned to do and you scoffed as Kells took off, long limbs making up distance quickly. Rook was soon to follow, and then AJ and Baze ran right behind, leaving you and Ellie strolling behind them. 

“It’s okay, they’ll hold the plane for us,” she murmured, knocking a shoulder onto yours and you laughed before humming in agreement, happy that she was going on this crazy-fest with you. It wouldn’t be a Vegas Run without you both. 

Reaching the boarding area, you stopped yourself from laughing at the scene that lay in front of you. There was a long line, wrapping around the seats, and there were your boys, panting slightly at the back. Walking behind them, you went, “Great job guys. Marathon training is definitely working out.”

Colson rolled his eyes at you as Rook glared, wiping his forehead. You mouthed a quick sorry as he turned the other way. 

Moving up in the line took no time, and you smiled at the flight attendant biting her lip as Kells handed her his ticket. It was funny to see him so oblivious to it all as he thanked her, moving on without sparing another glance. 

Collapsing in his seat, he pulled your arm as you passed by, dragging you into his row. 

“What? This isn’t my seat,” you mumbled, checking your ticket to make sure. 

“Yeah, I know. It’s Baze’s, but I thought we’d switch so him and his girl could be together,” he answered, letting go of your arm as you furrowed your brow. 

Turning to sit down, you nodded at his proposition, pulling your seatbelt across. He had the window seat, and you pushed yourself forward a little, peering across him to the view outside. It wasn’t anything nice, just a couple of people milling around in bright orange outfits, but you still found it interesting as the sun started to set. 

It took a few minutes, and then you were being told to prepare for take-off. Colson had his headphones in, and you watched him move to the music, eyes closed as he mouthed the words, lips moving fast. Soon you were in air, and you unbuckled your belt, only to move back into his space. 

The clouds stood still in the darkening sky, and you smiled at the sight of California underneath you, lighting up with orange glows. The flight was only around an hour long, and your fingers tapped at your thighs, not really wanting to use your phone while you were on board. 

“Stop moving so much,” came a muffled voice. 

“Sorry,” you moved back, grimacing a little as Colson’s eyes peered open. He smiled a little at that, before noticing how you were practically at the edge of your seat. Sitting up, he scrubbed a hand over his little beard before going, “We can switch seats if you want?”

“You sure?” you perked up, knowing that watching the sky would be more than enough entertainment for the rest of the flight. 

“Yeah, here move,” he offered, hunching over to get up. The plane was tight enough as it was, and being six four probably didn’t help so you quickly slide over to get into his seat. 

You leaned back into the seat comfortably, eyes trained to the window. It was pitch dark now, the only thing lighting up the wings of the plane were the little blinking lights. There was a nice white noise sound running through the plane, and you closed your eyes for a second. 

Before you knew it, there was a sudden jolt. Reeling from the movement, you lifted your head up, wincing at the slight ache in your neck. The plane seemed to be landing and you blinked your eyes open, trying to move from where you seemed currently stuck. 

Colson’s head was lolled onto your shoulder, right underneath where yours had been. His mouth was hanging open, and you waited for a second, noticing the slope of his nose and the blonde of his eyelashes. There was another little tremor, and you bumped up your shoulder a little before using your hand to shove his head off. 

“Huh, what?” he mumbled out, arm going up to wipe at his mouth. 

“We, uh we landed,” you answered, looking away from him. There was something soft about the way he looked after waking up and this moment wasn’t for you. The bees reared their little ugly heads inside your stomach yet again.

-

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[r3b3lgrrrrrrrl]

A LunaTic and her Gunn (Part 104 1Xs2) "Late Nights and Lazy Days"

@creatureofthen1ght-v3 @crystalbaby12 @5sosfam1dlover @backoftheroomandnotbelonging @findingmyths

The show at The Roxy was a huge success. The venue filling with electricity as soon as The Boys took the stage. Outside, the sight of Luna had given Colson an extra boost of energy to his mind. Inside, OnStage, her touch was a direct shot of adrenaline to his body. The crowd growing even more insane once Dom and Travis joined him OnStage for an intense encore of I Think I'm Okay.

BackStage, Luna had offered up her repacked bullet to whomever wanted it while hanging off of Colson's back. Collecting their things, they sent their luggage to the LA house after deciding to spend their night in The Valley at Roger's Bowling & Arcade. Luna calling Frannie and Paris while Colson invited Mod and Noah.

-------------------------------------------------

"You're goin' down, Sucker!" Luna wiggles her loose arms and fingers as she grins at Benny and he chuckles.

With so many of them, they have to break off into teams. Luna and Colson call Captain in unison, leading him to complain about how They Won't Be On The Same Team. He only pouts out a Fine when Luna gives him First Pick and a kiss.

Choosing Slim first, Luna takes Paris. Eyeing Luna and knowing how his last interaction went, Colson tries his luck by picking Fran. Making Luna shake her head when she catches her friend rolling her eyes at his effort. Luna takes Rook as a response. Colson snatching up Travis, AJ, Mod, Benny and Bullet while Luna secures her team with Ashleigh, Dom, Baze, Noah and Paris's boyfriend Gabe.

It's way passed midnight. Having been ON since before Noon, Luna's hitting her fifth or sixth peak by now. Just as it starts to kick in for Ashleigh and The Boys. Having only hit the bullet upon arrival with Frannie and Gabe, Paris dutifully sets up their bowling screens as everyone crowds around and the two teams talk shit to each other.

"You don't know what these guns can DO!!" Benny laughs at Luna as he flexes.

"We gonna take her cocky ass down?" Colson nudges Frannie trying to break the ice between them.

Paris had rallied for Colson on the way over, still trying to persuade her to give him a chance. Deciding to bite her tongue tonight for Luna and P, she nods with a small smile. Agreeing with him that, THAT Bitch Could Be Knocked Down A Peg Or Two. It's Colson's laughter that draws Luna's eyes over to the two of them.

"Ugh... With all this bullshit with Sam, I really fucking hope tonight goes well..." Her mind flashes before it catches a trail of colors and is off flying in a different direction.

"Alright.... Here we go!" Paris calls out.

The pure MDMA is now coursing through all of their bodies, minds and souls. The stream of black lights wraps around them, causing them to glow. The bass driven music making their hearts pound as they laugh, trip and bowl.

"It's so great to finally get to hang out with you!!" Luna exclaims as she grabs a seat beside Gabe.

"It truly is!" He agrees with a wide smile.

"Tell me.... What are you guys working on right now. P said you have a mini tour coming up?" Luna asks regarding their band The Soundflowers.

"Yes!!!" Gabe beams as Paris approaches them after picking up a spare.

The three go on to talk about The Couple's music and plans. Colson making his way over as they take turns bowling. Wrapping himself around Luna from behind, he kisses her cheek before joining their conversation. Colson and Gabe clicking quickly as they bond over their love of Sublime and Oasis.

"Your turn, LunaTic!!" Rook hollers.

With her body warm from happiness, content, love and drugs, Luna leans her head back into Colson's chest. Lifting up, she kisses him under his chin before going to support her team.

Grabbing her bearings along with her ball, Luna poises herself as the different colors and objects dance around her. Blinking twice, she swears she can taste cotton candy as she throws a Strike.

"MY GIRL!!!!" Colson yells to her squeals as he spins her around. "I don't even care that you're supposed to be my rival right now!" He laughs as he pulls her chin up for a kiss after he sets her down.

"Come on, Loooove Birds!!" Mod teases them. "You're holding up the game!"

They're really not though. All Sixteen of them are ON, distracted by the black lights and lasers. Slightly Slipping. Bodies still bouncing and bobbing to the music that surrounds them as they chat uncontrollably with each other about EVERYTHING.

Growing bored after the first game, The Slipping Sixteen venture into the Arcade. Simultaneously finding a row of ski ball lanes alongside a line of electronic basketball games. Entering into more challenges against each other, they drop tons of shiny quarters into the game's slots along their way.

Slim, Colson and Benny battle it out in basketball while Luna, Frannie and Ashleigh go head to head in ski ball. Paris and Rook switch out when Luna wins as Baze steps up to challenge Slim along with Gabe after Colson loses to him.

"I got next!!" Colson calls on ski ball.

Luna wins again. Squaring up against her and Frannie, Colson takes his stance in front of the middle lane VERY seriously.

"You two have NO idea what you're in for." He says confidently as he laces his long fingers together and stretches them out in front of him.

Lights, lasers and images dance around them. Flowing in through the windows of their eyes, down into their souls. Binding them together like sticky, magical taffy.

Popping their quarters in, the wooden balls fall down the slot with a loud SMACK. The sound making the three players grin as it brings back goosebumps from their individual childhood memories.

With Rook shouting 1.2.3. GO! They're off. All three being incredibly skilled, it's a close call. Luna coming in 3rd as Frannie takes Colson by two solid 100K point hits. A slightly smug twinkle glints in her cool, blue eyes. It's the only sign of how pleased she is with herself.

Comparing ticket winnings with each other, Luna notices Baze is a little quieter than usual. Part of The Slipping Sixteen going on to wander around the Arcade, giggling and wiggling while they taste the sounds and hear the colors. Finding Travis, AJ, Mod and Bullet, they're consumed by the vivid, original arcade games as the others join them.

"You okay?" Luna asks Baze as she hooks her elbow into his and they continue to wander together.

"Is it that obvious?" He answers with longing eyes.

"Only to me." Luna reassures him as she leans her head against his large arm.

"I miss her, MaGoons..." Baze sighs.

Passing a mirror, Luna stops them. "Let's tell her." She smiles at him before taking a selfie of them and Snapping it to Sam.

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Sam is at Pier 97 with Ashley, Stephanie, Mack, Jackie, Logan, Jason and a bunch of their other friends. Continuing to celebrate at Pride Island, a 2day music festival created solely for the end of the week long event. Checking her phone in the bathroom, she finds the Snap from Luna.

Sam sighs when she sees Steve's face as her heart flutters for him. They have a strong connection but Sam is incredibly independent... And if she'll admit it, incredibly scared of intimacy. Reading Luna's words, she's annoyed with her but can't help Snapping her back with love along with her trademark sass.

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"Yo!! You game?" Slim challenges Luna when he sees the beaming lights of an open AirHockey table.

"Bet, Motherfucker." Luna laughs as she digs in her bag for more quarters.

Slim drops the plastic disc on the table as it begins to roar and cool air blows from it's sides. With a nod, they signal their beginning. It's an intense, fierce game. Both talking shit as they slam the disc across the board with all their might.

"You ain't got SHIIT!" Slim tries to intimidate her as they match up at 2to2.

Pulling the puck from her slot, Luna holds it in place as she points at Slim. "Watch me, take your whole life and FUUUUUCK it all up in one shot." She grins as she rearranges and recites Colson's lyrics.

"You're such a fucking dork." Slim laughs at her.

The two of them are quick as they make the plastic object zoom across the flat surface. Luna's wide eyes steadily following it as it turns from one disc into four. Glowing orange trails fly around behind it, causing her to become distracted by it's zip as Slim connects just right. Slamming it into her goal, he wins the game.

🎶Who fucked who's life all up in one shot? I DID! Beat THAT bitch when I made THAT disc drop in her slot and YOU KNOW that I'm so good that I can't stop.... Because SOMETHING'S FUCKING WRONG WITH ME!!"🎶

Slim raps as he teases Luna, laughing as he dances around the table. Quickly grabbing her to happily jump and shake her around with him. They're slowly becoming friends.

"FUUUUUCK Yooou!" Luna laughs with him as she rolls her eyes before giving him playful shove.

"You gonna let THESE BOOYS play us like that, B?" Frannie asks with a grin, throwing her arm around Luna. "I got next, Big Man." She taunts Slim with a welcoming smile.

Frannie is naturally suspicious of all people, growing up in the environment she did. It's when her third eye is open that she let's her guard down, fully enjoying herself as she kicks Slim's ass 3to1. Lightly teasing him along the way.

"You got an eye, Girl, don't cha?" Slim compliments her after her win, making Frannie laugh.

Coming back together, The Slipping Sixteen decide to bowl another game. Keeping the same teams as they continue to be entertained by each other and mesmerized by the different colors. Noah and Mod argue over Who's Ball Is Who's while Colson and Slim both High Ten Frannie when she hits a strike on her first bowl. Ashleigh flicking them both off when she nails her own solid strike.

Only picking up a spare, Luna checks her phone as she sits on Colson's lap. Finding a Snap back from Sam, she opens it.

Seeing the Snap over her shoulder, Colson realizes for the first time that Sam didn't come back with Luna. He's called for his turn before he can ask Why.

Having a blast, they finish up their game. It's a close one, Luna's team only winning again because of Rook's impeccable Turkey.

Gathering together, Paris and Gabe exchange GoodByes and Love before catching an Uber home. Frannie uncharacteristically choosing to head back to Colson's with Luna along with Noah and Mod. Dom catching another Uber with Travis to his place, choosing to crash there while Ashley's still in NYC.

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Back at the crib, they let loose with all of them being happy to be Home. Making their way through the house, only Twelve Tripping Twits remain. Pumping up some old Blink 182, Colson immediately starts jumping up and down on the couch before hopping off to grab whatever he can find to juggle. Being pool balls this time.

Luna watches him adoringly. She can feel her brain and heart throb for him as her body continues to tingle during it's own personal rollercoaster ride. "Fuck, I missed him." She thinks. Regardless of the stress from the loss of his Adderall, traveling or even Sam's issues, Luna's glad to be Home. Colson being her Home. Not The West Coast. Not even NYC. Her Home lies where Colson is. Always.

Hooking up Casie's Dance Dance Revolution, at different points they all succeed in both excelling and destroying their attempted dances. The Twelve Tripping Twits laughing uncontrollably at each other throughout their turns as they pass joints amongst them.

They continue on with their magical journey. Gliding in and out of the house, talking about and touching everything. Different Twits alternate in and out of different jam session at different times.

Colson, Luna, Rook, Frannie, Noah, Slim and Mod take to chasing each other around the house, wrestling about and hitting each other with pillows unexpectedly as they round corners blindly. Ashleigh, Benny, AJ and Baze are curled up in fuzzy blankets while Mario Kart escapes from the television. Bullet can be found outside lounging by the pool, staring at the stars.

There's a lot happening at all times. The Twelve Tripping Twits making a huge mess out of the house with their amusing antics.

"Lemme set you up...." Luna says to a still wild eyed Frannie.

"I can't sleep right now, Loons.... I'm on some seeing and feeling shit." Frannie let's out with an exasperated gasp.

"That's okay... I just wanna show you that you've got a safe space when you're ready to crash." Luna answers lightly as she takes Frannie's hand.

Already talking to Colson, Luna shows Frannie to Casie's room. It's a special privilege. Frannie may not be aware of it, but Luna is. NO ONE sleeps in Casie's room.

"This is The Kid's room. You can sleep here without being bothered..." Luna trails off as her swirling mind struggles to formulate words again in order for her to speak. "But... If you're not ready to sleep, you gotta stay the fuck outta here." She asserts by closing the door to Frannie's all too knowing nod.

"There's our killer!" Slim shouts as he comes out of his room, finding Luna and Francis in the hallway.

Wrapping his arm around Frannie's shoulders, he asks What They Were Doin'. Fran answers with a NunYa to Slim's laughter as they follow him back downstairs into the ongoing House Party.

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Rolling hard, the music is still loud as Luna offers up Xanax for calmness and sleep. BB King easily grooving through the living room as The Twelve Tripping Twits begin to slow down. Lounging around while burning HARD. The blues guitar slipping, ripping and vibrating through their enlightened souls.

Exploring each other's bodies slowly on the floor behind to the couch, Luna coaxes Colson to his room. Not bothering to say GoodNight as they slip away. Thinking they're quiet, they loudly laugh as they fail at racing each other on the stairs. Tripping in different ways as they make their way up them.

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In his bed, there's a sweet sensuality to Colson and Luna. Trying to focus, they slowly take each other's clothes off as they kiss the other with soft touches. Uncontrollable colors, feelings and love radiating off of them. Luna's breasts are full as she runs her hands down the sides of her throat, then along her shoulders. Pulling down the straps of her black, lace bra. She unhooks it, letting it fall off of her body as she drags her hands down alongside her ribcage. Still rolling hard, even the lightest touch to her body is amplified by a million.

"I don't know if I can handle fucking you tonight." Colson let's out with a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"Mmmm... That's okay... Can we just lay and touch?" Luna asks delicately with an understanding of the intensity that drugs can bring.

"Yes, please...." Colson answers, wrapping his naked, long body alongside Luna's tiny one as they lay together side by side.

Getting comfortable, he can't help but cup her breast. It's not long before his coarse thumb finds it's way to her pierced nipple. The rounding strokes of his hard thumb making her body heat up as her pussy becomes plump for him.

Their touches are kind and sensual as Colson pulls Luna closer to him from behind. With his right arm under her, distracting her nipple, his left hand slides over her hip. She can feel his growing cock against her as his fingers slowly reach for his goal. Running his two tips up her vulnerable lips, he grows harder as he feels how warm her insides are.

"I wanna live inside her pussy." Colson's drug addled mind wishing for the impossible

Pulling her lips open with his index and middle fingers, Colson slowly makes his way inside of her from behind. His touch causing Luna to arch her back as her whole body tingles. Taking his time as he slowly slips his dick into of her, making her quiver at not only his girth but also his touch.

"Holy fuck...." Luna's body erupts as her brain slowly repeats "Holy Fuck....." Over and over again. The sensation of Colson being inside of her so insanely strong that she feels like they're melting into each other.

Taking his time, he rocks her back and forth along his cock slowly. Colson grunts louder with every inch of him that she pulls further inside of herself.

"Oh, Kitten..." He moans as he sucks on the back of her neck.

"Mmmm....." She coos, enjoying the way he fills her.

Colson holds Luna closer to him, making her juicy pussy clutch his cock tighter. Picking up his pace as he drives into her deeper. Still playing with her piercing with one thumb, he reaches down. Using his middle finger of his other hand to tickle her clitoris, Colson has full control over Luna's body.

"Oh FUUUUUCK, I'm cumming." She moans, not being able to control herself as her body gyrates.

Feeling her tighten around him even more, he let's go also. Bursting inside of her like an overfilled balloon.

"God Damn, Loons.... I swear, your pussy gets better every FUCKING time." Colson pants as she kisses her naked shoulder with a sigh.

Luna let's out a light snicker from his words, causing him to pop out of her to both of their disappointment. Placing his tired dick against her bare ass, they drift off wrapped in each other.

Sticky from their sex as the Xanax begins slowing down their running minds. Their touch calming more than just each other's soul as they end another late night together.

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Feeling Colson shift, Luna rolls over with him, turning him into The Little Spoon. Nuzzling in between his shoulder blades, she kisses his bare, tattooed skin as she whispers out an I Missed You. Squeezing his body tighter against hers. Lifting her hand, he kisses it as he mummers the same. The two easily and instantly falling back to sleep together.

A few hours later, Colson stretches out long as Luna curls up against him under the covers. It's a Monday, the first of July. Just coming off a month long tour, they're taking the day off. A lazy day if you will. Already deciding last week that business will resume it's regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.

Wrapped in each other, their too hungover to talk. Both of their brains feeling like mush from the massive amounts of drugs they not only consumed the day/night before, but throughout the last 2mnths or so. Although their insides feel like dehydrated fruit, there's an intimate relief as they simply cuddle. Enjoying the quiet moment to themselves, they drift back off. Catching up on some much needed sleep.

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Colson and Luna finally make their way downstairs after lazily fucking each other awake. He's bare chested in a pair of EST basketball shorts while she's in an oversized Hotel Diablo shirt with a pair of Colson's black boxer briefs underneath and a loose bun.

They find Frannie, Slim and Ashleigh surrounding the island as Baze controls the kitchen. Joints flowing freely while Neil Young plays lowly in the background. Noah and Mod are knocked out in the living room on separate couches with Bullet sprawled out across the floor. The sight of him making Luna happy. While Rook, AJ and Benny can be found still snoozing in their bedrooms.

"Holy shit, that smells delicious." Luna compliments Baze as she peeks around his arm. "What 'cha makin'?" She asks as she accepts a cup of coffee from Colson with a grateful Thanks.

"Homemade bacon cheese burgers, REAL fries and grilled asparagus along with spinach and mozzarella stuffed garlic mushrooms." Baze answers proudly as he checks the oven.

"You truly are a Norseman's God, aren't you?" Luna teases as she slides into a chair between Colson and Frannie, accepting a joint from her pal.

"Viking in the HOOOUSE!!" Baze shouts as he triumphantly thrusts his fist in the air, making the room laugh with him and Luna.

"How'd you sleep?" Luna asks as she turns to Fran after passing the joint to Colson.

"Fucking GREAT!! That bed is a dream. Literally." She laughs. "Thank you for letting me crash in your daughter's room." Fran goes on to speak to Colson as she leans up against the counter to look at him.

"No problem, I'm glad you were comfortable.... Just don't let her know her when you meet her. She can be a little anal about her room and things." Colson says with a smile as he exhales a large cloud of smoke.

"Wonder where she gets THAT from.." Ashleigh chimes in as she rolls her eyes.

"Not THIS guy, EVER." Slim laughs as he jerks his thumb towards Colson.

"Fuck you both, you don't like people touching your shit either." Colson counters as he throws them both a middle finger.

"Facts." Luna laughs as she backs up his statement.

"You're just as bad!!" Frannie exclaims to Luna with another laugh.

"Who's just as bad and what are we eating, My People?" Mod asks happily as he comes bouncing into the kitchen just in time to intercept the joint.

"All of 'em, apparently." Frannie answers through her laughter.

"Hey!! Don't you lump me in with them fools!" Baze threatens with a smile as he points his spatula at Fran.

"My bad, Dude." She continues to laugh with a grin.

"You fuckers are soooo LOUD...." Rook complains as he makes his own appearance.

"IF YA CAN'T HANDLE THE HEAT, GET THE FUCK OUTTA THE KITCHEN, YA FUCKING ROOKIE!!" Colson yells at him with a teasing tone.

This catches him a middle finger from Rook and a solid NO from Luna as she puts her hands over her ears. Colson retaliating with another loud I DO WHAT I WANT before Luna skips him and passes a fresh joint to her Favorite Drummer Boy.

"You're such a bitch." Colson complains with a chuckle once he realizes what happened.

Noah, AJ, Bullet and Benny slowly trickle in as Baze throws the burgers on the grill. Making The Twelve of Them a complete set again as they fill the kitchen with bodies, music, smoke and coming food. All surprisingly functional once coffee and bud hits their blood streams as they recount the madness of last night.

"You totally stole that kid's tickets!!" Noah shouts at Colson.

"No I didn't." He shoots back immediately with an undeniably guilty look.

"You stole a kid's tickets!?!" Luna and Frannie ask together in wide eyed shock.

"No." Colson asserts. "He walked away, I just grabbed the loose tickets that were hangin'." He shrugs with a smirk.

"Seriously?" Luna asks with a cocked look.

"I mean, yeah... But, I gave all our tickets away to a bunch of kids at the end of the night so fuck 'em." Colson shrugs again as he sips his coffee.

"You're such a fucking dick." Luna replies with her face still twisted in disbelief.

"Whatever. Someone else would've jacked 'em if I didn't. And at least I spread the wealth... Because I REALLY wanted those fucking light sabers." He laughs.

Slim, Baze, AJ, Benny and Rook solidify him with a RIGHT. Leaving Luna to lean across the counter now, looking over at Ashleigh for someone else besides Frannie to shake her head with.

"So, what, you fancy yourself as the Robin Hood of Arcades?" Fran challenges Colson. "Robbing from the dumb who are probably in the same poor crowd that you're rewarding?"

"Ohh, FUCK ME." Luna mentally sighs as Colson cocks his chin towards Frannie.

"No." He answers with an attitude. "But if you're stupid enough to leave your money hangin', I don't give a fuck what age you are. Imma snatch that shit up. Don't be dumb and you won't get played like you're dumb."

"Truth." Slim agrees, tossing his bestfriend an elbow while Luna's tosses her an unamused eye.

"I get what you're saying, Kells... But that's fucked up. You can't tell me you wouldn't snap if someone swooped up on Case's tickets." Ashleigh says, putting her two sense in.

"Case wouldn't be dumb enough to leave her tickets behind." Colson replies smugly.

"I had you until then...." Luna laughs lightly as she leans across the counter again to Ashleigh's sigh, both knowing he's right.

"So, what's that make you... A partial dick?" Fran asks not letting it go.

"Oh no, I'm that FULL dick. Through and through. Ask Luna." He smirks.

"Shut the fuck up." Luna replies as she sucks her teeth. Going on to roll her eyes at him and shake her head, she displays the three quality signs of an annoyed woman. "No one here gives a fuck about your dick." She continues as she SideEyes him.

"Yo! Check my mushrooms!" Baze interupts them as he hollers from the patio.

"Gotcha!" Ashleigh shouts back as she hops up.

"All I know is, I'm gonna FUUUUUCK this food UUUPPP." Luna declares, making the entire room agree for the first time.

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Crowded around the dining room table, they all compliment Baze's cooking skills as it's sweet scent fills the room. After passing plates of food and condiments around they all dig in. There's a collective sigh of Oh SHIT when they sink their teeth into their burgers.

"Holy fucking cracker balls." Luna moans as she bites into the homemade potato wedge. "PLEASE fucking teach Colson!" She requests with her eyes closed in pleasure.

"Hey... I know how to cook." Colson states as he shoots her another SideEye.

"No Bunny, you know how to grill. Not cook. We both know this. I love you, but there's a difference." Luna sighs in delight as she takes a snapping bite off of her asparagus.

"Facts." Colson admits. "To Truck, our Viking cook!" He says as he raises his beer. "Great food, better friends and MOTHERFUCKING HOTEL DIABLO!!" He shouts as everyone clinks their glasses and beers with his.

Enjoying their meal, each other's company and being off of The Road, The Twelve of Them relax around the table as they shoot the shit. Bodies slowly recovering as the delicious food regenerates their beings. As always, continuing to bust each other's balls as they laugh with full bellies over a round of drinks and joints.

Once they've finished, The Girls begin to wipe down the kitchen and do dishes as The Boys clean and clear the table while carrying things in from the dining room. They wrap up leftovers before helping with the rest of the clean up. Baze being the only one who's exempt. It's been said before, if you cook in Colson's kitchens, you do not clean.

Coming up behind Luna as they finish, Colson lightly touches his lips against the back of her ear lobe. Sending instant goosebumps down her spine as his deep voice crawls into her brain.

"I wanna show you something when we're done." He husks.

"Okay." Luna agrees without hesitation.

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Word Limit (1 of 2)

To be continued.....

[aoibaratraveler]

A Look Back At My Time In Japan Part 1!

Time for some Japan nostalgia!

I was hoping to write this much sooner than now but between settling back after our road trip, finding a job and then finding time to organize my life during my days off has been difficult!

This will be part of a three semi-detailed/summarised blog looking back at what I can remember from living in Japan three years ago; since I was too much of a fool to document it back then but then again I was having the time of my life so that can be a good enough excuse I guess, right?

Part One will be my first month in Japan where I was living in Tokyo with a friend who graciously let me stay in her apartment. Part Two (and maybe three) will be my four months living, studying, and working in Nagasaki and Part Three (or 4) will be my hitch-hiking back-packing trip around Japan in what was my final month of my six months living there!

Pre-arrival/Arrival in Japan and First Impressions:

I was excited beyond belief that I was finally going to go live and explore Japan and be away from home for the first time. I was also super nervous, the preparation to study abroad was pretty intense for someone who had never done it before and for someone who had never gone through the paperwork of visa application, passport renewal and getting all the documents together for the study abroad application itself. Once that was settled though it was just the wait to be able to go (maybe I should write a simple how-to of my experience with the study abroad application and why I think every university student should do it?).  I purchased my departure ticket to be on 29th February 2016 which I thought was pretty cool since it’s not every day you get to fly on a leap year. About six months prior to this I had met up with a close friend of mine who was about to leave for a year to participate in the JET programme and she, we’ll call her L, invited me to stay with her for the month of March in Tokyo to sightsee and hang out before my study program would start in April and of course I took her up on it!

In the days leading up to my departure, I really went all out and planned my own going away party with all my friends and had the best time with an escape game, archery tag and a poutine party. The bf, who at that time was just a friend, met up with me beforehand and helped me pick out a bunch of Canadian souvenir type things to bring with me to Japan so I could give to my homestay family. It was a fantastic day and very special so I had no idea that on the day I was set to leave that one of my other close friends, A and the bf planned to sing me a going away song at the airport (to be clear, the bf didn’t actually sing, A did and he provided the music on his laptop and speakers). This tidbit may a bit unnecessary in my nostalgic walk down memory lane but it is just part of what made those six months some of the best times in my life.

Anyway, enveloped in jitters and excitement I boarded my plane to Japan to start my journey, or as the Japanese say “tabi” (旅). I flew into Haneda airport which is quite central to Tokyo and I then found myself squeezed into a sea of evening commuters on the metro. Unfortunately, when I got off the metro and proceeded to take the escalator out of the station…I dropped my suitcase down it and one of the wheels broke which made walking around Tokyo a tad difficult. At that time I hadn’t realized that there was free wifi pretty much everywhere in Tokyo and while trying to find my friend’s apartment…I got lost for about an hour. It was pretty funny and I wasn’t too worried, to be honest, but I did feel bad to be keeping my friend waiting. I found a payphone to try and call her to tell her what was happening but I ran out of change while on the call (had a bit of leftover change with me from when I had first vacationed in Japan two years prior). After a while of walking around and trying to follow google map’s offline directions, I found a koban (a small police station) and gave the police officer the address that I was trying to find. The police officer was very kind and accommodating and pulled out a map to show me where I was and where I was trying to go (which actually wasn’t too far away…I was walking in circles). He then copied down the address on a big piece of paper with some instructions and hailed a taxi for me since he figured it was late and I should just take a taxi which I didn’t mind. I got to my friend’s place in no time at all and settled myself in.

First Two Weeks in Tokyo:

In my first few days, I took out my Japanese textbooks so I could prepare myself and brush up on things to be ready for classes at my university in Nagasaki and because I was planning to be staying with a homestay family that could speak no English…..well, being that I am pretty much the queen of procrastination, those collected dust pretty fast. Since it was a small apartment and I had a suitcase and big travel rook sack with me, L’s sister advised me to just send it to my homestay to be stored there in the meantime. The Japanese postal service is amazing and although my suitcase was pretty big and heavy they had no problems with shipping it to my homestay in Nagasaki the same day.

L’s neighborhood was quite cute and quiet and super pleasant to explore. It was pretty suburban and away from the hustle and bustle of central Tokyo which I greatly appreciated. Since L had work, I often explored on my own and was able to borrow her sister’s bike to further acquaint myself with the area. One of the days I borrowed her sister’s bike, I rode to Arakawa river which is a huge river just outside central Tokyo. I brought my textbooks along and thought I would spend a quiet afternoon just revising next to the river. I didn’t. Instead I rode the bike along the river and took everything in. There were other people there on runs, some guys practicing skateboarding and an old man playing the saxophone. When I finally got around to sitting down and opening up my textbook, a friendly old man walked up to me and with a big smile on his face asked me what I was doing there and why I was in Japan. I told him and we had a pleasant conversation at the end of which he handed me a bag of something from his garden–I think basil? And then told me to enjoy Japan. I didn’t exactly know what to do with this bag so I just gave it to L’s sister who had been doing most of the cooking in L’s place to include in whatever dish she was next going to make.

In the following days, I did all the typical touristy stuff in that I spent an entire day at one point just walking to and around central Tokyo and taking as many artsy photos as I could manage with my old phone. I explored around the Tokyo Sky Tree, perused Sunshine city—definitely made sure to check out all the Ghibli and Sailor Moon items I could find and get a spectacular view from the 59th floor (the place has 60 floors but you have to pay from the 60th and I ain’t about that life).

At the end of my first week in Japan, I made my way to an Airbnb hostel where I would be spending the next 4 days. This place was pretty interesting and my first real hostel experience. Everyone there was really friendly and I became quite close with my roomie who was the embodiment of a stereotypical German woman in that she was tall, pretty, had long blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She was in Tokyo for a mini-vacation from where she had been staying in Hokkaido and basically just wanted a change of pace. We exchanged stories, shared a few laughs and went sightseeing together. We are both fans of anime so we decided to check out Akihabara and since neither of us wanted to go to one alone, we decided to go to a maid cafe…and boy was that an experience. Firstly, it was super expensive so props to the girls who work there because they probably make a ton of money but it was also just very awkward. The maids put on a performance and called us “master” and refused to take any orders for food from us unless we put our hands up to our faces like cat paws and said “nyaa nyaa” first. Afterward, we did the very cliche anime couple thing and went to ride a pedal boat at Ueno park; it was a very silly but funny day. In the following days at the hostel, the roomie and I explored Shibuya crossing, the Hachiko statue, the National Museum of Nature and Science in Ueno on a rainy day and went to a Pokemon center where I purchased a little Charmander souvenir for the bf (who was then just a friend). It was definitely a very cool little pocket of my time in Tokyo. I ended off my first two weeks in Tokyo by visiting the imperial palace and exploring the royal gardens and…..go to the Ghibli Museum! The Ghibli Museum was beyond impressive and I definitely teared up a bit to be there. It was so cool, we weren’t allowed to take any photos from inside but it was like being transported to another world. On top of the museum was a life-size statue of the robot from Castle in the Sky and inside the museum were all these cute little bits from the movie and a mini theatre where you could watch original Ghibli film shorts. There was also a lovely gift shop with so many beautiful items like illustrated postcards; I purchased a lovely illustrated postcard of the Ghibli museum during the day…which I inevitably misplaced (I’m terrible, I lose everything).

Second Two Weeks:

I met up with a Japanese friend who I had met in Vancouver and we went for a day trip to explore Kawagoe also known as “Little Edo”. I say day trip but really it wasn’t until I got there that I realized that Google had lied to me when I searched best day trips from Tokyo because as lovely as Kawagoe was, it wasn’t worth a “day trip” because it was so small that it could be done in an hour or two! It was really quite funny, to be honest. It was very pretty and had loads of old-style architecture from the Edo period, hence where it got its nickname but there wasn’t all that much to do and a bit expensive to get to so after a couple of hours of walking around and trying to make our money’s worth of the train ticket to get there we decided to head to the next biggest spot to explore; Yokohama. Yokohama was definitely very fun and vibrant and the Chinatown there was great. We snacked on a bunch of samples and enjoyed the pretty night lights of the area. It was certainly a day with a lot of contrast.

The next day was great because the next day L and I headed to Taiwan! L managed to get a week off and so we thought why not explore Taipei during that time and get a little break from Tokyo. I, unfortunately, did not know the geography of the city too well and when I booked the Airbnb it ended up being too far from the centre of Taipei city and hence too far from any convenient connections to explore outside of Taipei PLUS we went right in the middle of the rainy season so it was a bit difficult to do any fun outdoorsy things. We still made the most of our time there and had a lot of fun. We ate at a few night markets and tried a lot of food, explored the area near our Airbnb, visited a cafe that was owned by a family friend of L’s and went to the National Palace Museum which housed tons of historical artifacts from China, it was pretty grand. Even though we spent the last two days of our trip sick in bed I’d still go back to Taiwan again to explore more of what the country has to offer and try more of the food!

Last Week in Tokyo + Night in Fukuoka:

I spent the majority of my last week in Tokyo just chillin’ really and preparing for my departure to Nagasaki, although I did go with L and her sister to do some lesser-known sightseeing in parts of Ginza and did the obligatory visit to the Tsukiji fish market to taste a delicious array of food. As well as some egg on a stick. Good stuff. The last bit of sightseeing that I can remember for that week was in two really interesting parts of Tokyo that not many people think to visit when they explore the city (well this was back then, it seems to have gotten a lot more popular now) known as Yanaka and Nezu.  These two neighborhoods make up what used to be Tokyo old downtown and have really kept their old-timey style. Walking through these neighborhoods felt like taking a trip back to the Show era of Japan and walking through the Yanaka cemetery felt very mysterious and cool. I gotta be honest though, as pretty as these places were, I mostly remember them because of the delicious beef korokke and taiyaki that I had there. 10/10. I’m only in part one of my nostalgia blogs but I’m telling you now that I basically ate my way through Japan.

So it was my final night before heading to Narita airport for my flight to Fukuoka and what did I decide to do? Laundry. Except L didn’t have a dryer and the weather wasn’t warm enough for my clothes to be dried fast enough to pack them up and I’m not sure what exactly happened but I think I broke the washer or something because for some reason the water didn’t drain so it wouldn’t have mattered if she had a dryer because my clothes were soaked. With only an hour to go before I had to be out of her apartment (L was asleep and I had decided to just not sleep that night since my flight was so early and I had to leave her apartment at 5 am), I wrung the clothes out as best I could, packed them in the new suitcase that I purchased in Taiwan to replace the one that I sent to Nagasaki with the wheel I had broken on my first day in Tokyo and was off. L’s place wasn’t far from the train station and I arrived 20 minutes before the first train of the day so I decided to go grab some breakfast and use the toilet at the nearby 7/11. Many convenience stores in Japan have two floors and a seating area so it’s a really nice place to just chill for a bit if you’re waiting for a train. A bit dramatic but I’ll never forget this day for the sheer amount that happened in a single morning. So I said before that I thought I’d use the toilet before heading off for the train and I guess for the first and only time in my life, I left the door unlocked…well a construction worker walked in on me on the toilet because of course. I screamed, he screamed and then he awkwardly and for some reason, slowly, closed the door while I died of humiliation. Anyway, I finally hopped on the train to Narita with tears of humiliation still in my eyes and also simultaneously laughing at myself. There weren’t many people on the train thankfully but I’m sure I was still dubbed a crazy foreigner in the minds of the people that were on the train. Oh, by the way, I may not have kept a journal at the time in a technical manner of speaking but I did have a daily journal in the form of me texting the bf every day (again, he was just a good friend at this point) and sending him long messages of what I did every day. Having him to confide in all the time definitely helped me to not go insane, especially that day and especially since Japan is ahead of Canada so he was still awake at that point. Once I arrived at the airport, I was to be greeted by the news that my suitcase was too heavy to be checked in without having to pay an extra exuberant amount, why you may ask? Because my clothes were still frigging wet. Well, partially owing to that and the fact that I accidentally purchased a heavyweight suitcase in Taipei…oops. After some reorganization of my suitcase and bag and *ahem* throwing out some things that I no longer deemed necessary to my life, I was finally able to be checked in..rather late (everyone was waiting for me, what can I say? I was a mess). Pretty sure I cried in my sleep when I finally arrived at my seat on the plane and passed out.

It was a relief to finally arrive in Fukuoka and the airport was so close to the main train station! It only took about 7 minutes to get there. I obviously got there really early in the day so I walked around Hakata station and explored the area before meeting up with the rest of the people who were part of my exchange program for the Nagasaki University of Foreign Studies at the hotel that they were to be staying at and signing in to show that I had arrived. Now I said they were staying at that hotel because of course, I wouldn’t be. But don’t worry, this was by choice, why spend the equivalent of $80 somewhere when the true shoestring traveler way is to rough it up somewhere for little to nothing? It took a bit of searching but I managed to find a family restaurant that was open 24/7 and not too far from the hotel (although sadly had no wifi), left my big ol’ suitcase outside (yay for safe Japan) and headed inside for the night where I did my best to study for the whole night, order some food every now and then and eventually pass out for a couple of hours. The next day I met back up with the exchange group, boarded the bus to Nagasaki and headed to the university to meet my homestay family who I would be staying with for the next four months! (spoiler alert: my homestay mother was about an hour or two late to pick me up and I was, in fact, the last person to be picked up at the university…so yea the first of many reasons why my homestay experience was certainly an interesting one).

[chriskarrtravelblog]

2020 Hay Festival goes online

The 2020 Hay Festival has launched a free digital festival, which is online until 31 May. The festival features novelists Hilary Mantel, Anne Enright, Elif Shafak, Roddy Doyle, Margaret Atwood, Ingrid Persaud, Polly Samson, Ali Smith and Jessie Burton; actors and comedians Stephen Fry, Helena Bonham Carter, Dominic West, Sandi Toksvig, Vanessa Redgrave, Benedict Cumberbatch, Helen McCrory and Jonathan Pryce; and many more. 

In honour of our favourite literary festival, we asked a host of speakers and literary lights, “What’s your favourite place to visit in Britain and why?” Here are their responses.

Martin Shaw, author of Courting the Wild Twin (Chelsea Green Publishing, hardback RRP £14.99)

I’m lucky, the place I most love to visit is the place I live, Dartmoor National Park. Dartmoor is amok with 365 square miles of granite tors, swamp, old growth oak forest and staggering views right out over to the grey teeth of the sea near Teignmouth. Be warned, it’s prone to mood swings, and the petrol gauge has a nasty habit of hitting empty at dusk. It has proper, unbridled spook. There’s a pub (the Warren Inn) whose fire hasn’t gone out since the 19th Century, and contains beer as dark and chewy as the inevitable storm overhead. 

Brigit Strawbridge-Howard, author of Dancing with Bees (Chelsea Green Publishing, paperback RRP £10.99)

I fell in love with Northumberland on a school field trip, when I was just 13 years old. From the youth hostel in Wooler (still there today), we walked and picnicked in the Cheviots, travelled by boat to the Inner Farnes, and spent a glorious sunny afternoon exploring the Holy Island of Lindisfarne. I have returned since with my husband, my children and my grandchildren, and loved each and every visit. Northumberland has everything: history, walls, puffins, hares, romance, vast empty beaches and skies, castles, hills, rivers, rocks, and wild open spaces where you can breathe, and feel fully and completely alive. Definitely my favourite place in Britain to visit!

Lara Maiklem, author of Mudlarking (Bloomsbury, paperback RRP £9.99)

My favourite place to visit is a village on the Kent coast called St Margaret’s-at-Cliffe. It was my escape from London for years, I wrote part of my book here, and I have good memories of it. There is a small pebbly beach, which is perfect for seaweed collecting and pebble hunting, and a pub with views over the Channel to France, which is tantalisingly close. The walk from St Margaret’s Bay, over the white cliffs to Dover, is dramatic and moving. It is the front door of the nation, so as well as a sense of end there is also a feeling of welcome and beginning. 

David Abulafia, author of The Boundless Sea (Allen Lane, hardback RRP £35)

Credit: Marit Hommedal/SCANPIX

I live in (and prefer) Cambridge, so to say that my favourite place to visit is Oxford might sound like a predictable answer.  But it is the difference between the cities rather than their similarity that draws me to Oxford. The palatial grandeur of Radcliffe Square and the nearby colleges and libraries is not matched in Cambridge; nor does Cambridge make nearly as much use of the honey-coloured stone that is one of Oxford’s glories. And North Oxford, with its massive villas, parks and riverside walks, is a different and delightful world away from the crowds.

Miranda Krestovnikoff, author of The Sea (Bloomsbury Children’s, hardback RRP £12.99)

I love the island of Skomer, especially in May where it is washed with indigo as the bluebells emerge.  This is also the season to see the puffins – characterful birds with rainbow-coloured beaks, who always seem to be in a hurry. They nest in old rabbit burrows, the same pair nesting in each burrow year after year. Standing in amongst them, you are surrounded by wheeling birds coming in to feed their newly hatched chicks or pufflings, closely followed by marauding black-backed gulls looking for an easy meal.  At night, the nocturnal Manx shearwaters return to the island – tens of thousands of them. Poorly adapted to life on land, they land clumsily before waddling to the safety of their burrows. The sights and sounds of such huge numbers of these and many other seabirds is a real wildlife spectacle.

Jackie Morris, author of The Unbinding (Unbound, coming soon)

Credit: Davina Jelle

Two places draw my heart back. Both revolve around bookshops. 

The first is Dulverton in Somerset, tucked into steep wooded valleys, where the trees colour the land, bird filled and raucous with rooks. Number Seven is the smallest of shops but so filled with beauty, it’s a real haven.

The second is Grasmere, where I swam in the lake that mirrored the hills. Where a heron in flight almost touched wing tips to fingers. Where I sat beneath a beech tree drinking lavender tea in Faeryland, talking of swans. Where Sam Read books has shelves filled with wonder.

Oliver Bullough, author of Moneyland (Profile Books, paperback RRP £9.99)

I love wild bits of the British coastline, whether that’s northern Norfolk and the seals of Blakeney Point, or Jura and the crazed waters of the Corryvreckan, or the fossil beaches of Robin Hood’s Bay. For me, the best of the lot is the coastline of northern Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, from Strumble Head, past the Teifi Estuary (with lunch at the market in St Dogmaels), on to Mwnt – with its gem of a chapel, and its tiny beach – and along to Penbryn beach. It’s as good as Cornwall, with a fraction of the crowds. 

Stephen Moss, author of The Accidental Countryside (Guardian Faber Publishing, hardback RRP £16.99)

I just need to pop down the road from my Somerset home, to the Avalon Marshes. These former peat diggings, within sight of Glastonbury Tor, have been restored as nature reserves, and are now one of the best places in Britain for birds. In winter, they are home to the famous starling murmuration, and watching these huge flocks as they form patterns against the setting sun is simply unforgettable. In spring and summer, the marshes echo to the sound of warblers, newly returned from their African winter-quarters, while great white and cattle egrets, and the secretive bittern, feed amongst the reeds and pools. 

Gavin Francis, author of Island Dreams (Canongate, hardback RRP £20)

As a boy my holidays would be to campsites of Fife’s coast; at night, as I drifted off to sleep, I’d watch the lighthouse on the May Island and dream of reaching it. In the Middle Ages its chapel was a place of pilgrimage; the whole island is now a National Nature Reserve and home to thousands of puffins, auks and gulls. In my twenties, finally, I went there as a volunteer nature warden, and the beauty and tranquillity of those weeks, the simplicity and the satisfactions of living and working there, have been a touchstone for me ever since. 

Joseph Coehlo, poet and author of Poems Aloud (Wide Eyed Editions, hardback RRP £12.99)

I’m a huge fan of antique shops and Rye has a tonne of them, I believe around 50 odd. So Rye is perfect for exploring and getting lost and perhaps finding some treasure, or at the very least some lovely tea and cakes. Nearby Winchelsea is also very much worth a visit for the Parish of Winchelsea and its associated ruins. When you’re done with the ruins and antique shops and had tea and cake, the sea isn’t too far away for a paddle. 

Mark Haddon, author of The Porpoise (Vintage, paperback RRP £8.99)

Very possibly the Pembrokeshire coastal path from Tenby to Abereiddy or thereabouts, excluding the Milford Haven oil refinery but very much including Skomer and Ramsay Islands. Running sections of it, early on a clear winter morning before everyone else is up and about is a particularly glorious thing to do. Sometimes, if I’m feeling cabined and confined, I will walk a section on Google Street View and even that makes my heart lift and swell.

Jenny Valentine, author of Hello Now (HarperCollins Publishers, paperback RRP £7.99)

I live in the landscape of the Black Mountains in Wales, rich and green, full of light and open spaces, so my favourite place to visit in the UK, for contrast, is my old home, London.  I miss crowds and strangers and movement and Art and noise and restaurants and traffic and Film and conversation and histories on that kind of scale. I love the pace of it, the flow and mess and heart and guts. From Hackney to Southbank to Hampstead Heath, as a guest in the city there is always something to see, something to learn, something to get involved in.

Allie Esiri, author of Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year (Pan Macmillan, hardback RRP £18.99)

If you have never been, you may know the north coast of Cornwall as the backdrop to Poldark moodily riding his horse across the cliff tops. The area is protected by the National Trust and is largely uninhabited save for the odd flock of handsome sheep. If you take a boat out you can see the old smugglers’ coves where pirates – as the storylines of Poldark often plundered – used to smuggle in their illicit loot. I love the cliffs, the coves and the beaches and you have to stop me quoting from Kipling’s poem, ‘A Smuggler’s Song’. 

If you wake at midnight, and hear a horse’s feet,

Don’t go drawing back the blind, or looking in the street,

Them that asks no questions they isn’t told a lie.

Watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!

Five-and-twenty ponies, trotting through the dark—

With brandy for the Parson and ‘baccy for the Clerk.

Laces for a lady and letters for a spy,

And watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!

Running round the woodlump if you chance to find

Little barrels, roped and tarred, all full of brandy-wine;

Don’t you shout to come and look, nor use ’em for your play;

Put the brushwood back again,—and they’ll be gone next day!

If you see the stable-door setting open wide;

If you see a tired horse lying down inside;

If your mother mends a coat cut about and tore;

If the lining’s wet and warm—don’t you ask no more!

If you meet King George’s men, dressed in blue and red,

You be careful what you say, and mindful what is said.

If they call you “pretty maid”, and chuck you ‘neath the chin,

Don’t you tell where no one is, nor yet where no one’s been!

Knocks and footsteps round the house—whistles after dark—

You’ve no call for running out until the house-dogs bark.

Trusty’s here, and Pincher’s here, and see how dumb they lie—

They don’t fret to follow when the Gentlemen go by!

If you do as you’ve been told, likely there’s a chance

You’ll be give a dainty doll, all the way from France,

With a cap of Valenciennes, and a velvet hood—

A present from the Gentlemen, along o’ being good!

Five-and-twenty ponies, trotting through the dark—

Brandy for the Parson, ‘baccy for the Clerk.

Them that asks no questions isn’t told a lie—

So watch the wall, my darling, while the Gentlemen go by!

  Explore highlights from past editions at hayfestival.org/hayplayer

  The post 2020 Hay Festival goes online appeared first on Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture.

Britain Magazine | The official magazine of Visit Britain | Best of British History, Royal Family,Travel and Culture https://www.britain-magazine.com/features/hay-festival-authors-describe-their-favourite-spots-in-britain/

source https://coragemonik.wordpress.com/2020/05/20/2020-hay-festival-goes-online/

[olwog]

Pete’s looking dapper in light walking trousers, poachers waistcoat with more pockets than you can shake a stick at and a nice little fabric man-bag casually thrown over one shoulder. He’s clearly been influenced by Grattans.

We’re all looking at him in admiration, “All you need is a pith helmet and a gun”, Dave’s got the early quip in and Pete’s ability to respond with a witty reply has been honed and in the blink of an eye he’s dug into his extended memory-bank of wit and repartee and responds with a ‘fluffing’ word followed by ‘off’. There’s an immediate response of course, “You can stop taking the pith out of him now”, says Dave and we’re off, it looks like a promising day!

    The lay-by that we’re in is just a couple of hundred yards past the Yorkshire Gliding Club and is free but there are no facilities. We take the path to the White Horse and as we emerge from the trees we can see a vista that’s as wide as a human can take in and the Pennines are quite clear against the blue sky backdrop. It’s a view that takes your breath away although the White Horse is underwhelming when you’re close to it.

We make our way down the steps; George has planned this walk with a lot of ‘down’ early on and serious ‘up’ about two thirds of the way through. It can be a bit taxing to tackle serious ‘up’ after eight or ten miles so this balance is much appreciated.

The sun is strong and the shade from the trees creates black shadows as we make our way across the grass towards the wood. The track is partially overgrown with ferns but this time we didn’t have the added impediment of heavy rain the night before. When this happens the potential for testing even the most expensive Gortex trousers is challenging. There’s a couple of zigs and a zag and we emerge onto a narrow lane and after a minor detour we find the fork we require and join an easily negotiated forestry commission track that leads us towards the bottom of Sutton Bank.

The track is stony but not unpleasant although there are undulations as it meanders through the woods. We make another little faux-pas but soon it’s soon remedied and only a a couple of hundred metres added. The path crosses a field of harvested corn and the huge round bales are casting shadow in their lee creating a fabulous 3 ‘D’ effect and gives the scene a wonderful depth.

    At the farm we pass through a gate and are met with a barrage of sound from sheep calling their offspring away from the strangers crossing their land. There are swifts or swallows hurtling around the farmhouse and buildings, they’re a bit quick for formal identification and they’re in silhouette in the strong sun so colours are not distinguishable hence the ambiguity of name. 

A couple of gates later and we’re on the Sutton Bank/Thirsk Road and George takes us right for a couple of hundred metres then across and over a style back onto grass. There’s a sign telling us that ‘No sledging is allowed’ and there’s a couple of quips about the antics of wicket keepers and batsmen and whether that type of ‘sledging’ is acceptable. We conclude that it should be ‘miked-up’ so that we could all hear it but we know that’s just not going to happen until we get the next Kerry Packer.

    It’s ‘up’ now and over another style followed by a short level section towards another farmhouse then beyond towards Gormire.

We’ve been here many times on various walks and one of our merry bands reminisces about skinny dipping in these waters many years ago. I once did that in a loch over forty years ago and I don’t think my genitals have recovered, I came out of the water with three Adams-Apples and a firm commitment never to do it again!

There’s a rope swing over the water and it becomes something of a draw, we’re like little boys with a new toy as we take turns to swing with immense care over a small section of water. Fifty years ago we’d have taken a run along the side of the lake and left the bank to swing in a huge arc across the water and probably accompany it all by warbling Tarzan sounds over the water before landing with theatrical ease back where we started – or we could have fallen in – but that was a long time ago, now we do it with care and no warbled sound.

A few photographs and with a conflicting mix of disappointment that no-one had fallen in and relief, also that no-one had fallen in, we make our way towards the end of the lake and a right turn through the woods on a major ‘up’ that will lead to the Cleveland Way on Garbutts Ridge.

    The path is steep and leads us through dappled glades that are as still as a statue accenting the movement of the butterflies and the odd fly and wasp. The crows and rooks are cawing but they’re hidden from view so not distinguishable from one’n other. We meet a couple with their son; he’s only slightly taller than the nettles and mum is walking in front ensuring they’re well pushed back in order to avoid him being stung. I note she’s doing this instinctively and whilst she’s clearing the way ahead there’s no more than a couple of seconds go by without a backward glance to check he’s still safe and the work that she’s doing is having the appropriate effect. I never cease to marvel at human instinct and find it even more fascinating when watching a mum – they’re special, very special species and it would be wrong to allow political correctness to undermine this. I’d really like to see them get a couple of years of maternity leave to allow them to continue the creation of the tiny human that’s going to spend a lifetime on this planet. I’m still thinking of a slogan, “Keep Mum’s special”, when we arrive at the ridge and join the mountain goats already there.

    It’s gone noon and the blue skies are still evident as we break out the sandwiches and biscuits. The walk and the conversation is wonderful but the picnic and craic is even better as we sit in the heather looking over a ridge that is purported to be the best view in Britain, this is heaven. It may be argued about what really is the best view and it may change on an hourly basis as the weather and angle of the sun influence the scene, but it’s pretty dammed good and we take time to appreciate it.

    The walk along this ridge is divine and I would encourage you to do it. It doesn’t have to be as strenuous as our little excursion, just go to Sutton Bank, park the car and walk along the ridge, it’s beautiful and not difficult.

The walk back to the White Horse is about two miles but the time passes in a heartbeat and in no time we’re back at the cars. We round it off with a trip to the Glider Station cafe where ham, double egg and chips can be had for a fiver; if you’re a veggie and want to lose the ham it’s four quid, what’s not to like?

This is a great walk, especially in the sun.

Enjoy the snaps…G..x

  White Horse, Gormire, Sutton Loop Pete’s looking dapper in light walking trousers, poachers waistcoat with more pockets than you can shake a stick at and a nice little fabric man-bag casually thrown over one shoulder.