glamoriized

[xenonmarket]

ARFF Trucks Market Market Insights: Evaluating Growth Opportunities till 2032

New Research Report on “ARFF Trucks Market Market” provide insightful data on the main market segments, dynamics, growth potentials and future prospects of industry. The study covers complete analysis on changing market trends for industry. The report shows the year-on-year growth of each segment and touches upon the different factors that are likely to impact the growth of each market segment. Each segment has analyzed completely on the basis of its production, consumption as well as revenue. And also offers ARFF Trucks Market market size and share of each separate segment in the industry.

Get a Sample Copy of the Report at - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-sample/1367

The global ARFF Trucks Market size was USD 576.40 million in 2024 and the market is projected to touch USD 676.2 million by 2031, exhibiting a CAGR of 2.7% during the forecast period.

Top Key Players in the ARFF Trucks Market Market:

Rosenbauer (Austria)

Oshkosh (U.S.)

E-ONE (U.S.)

Morita Group (Japan)

Request Sample for Covid-19 Impact Analysis - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/request-covid19/1367

The ARFF Trucks Market market research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.

Market split by Type, can be divided into:

Drive 6x6

Drive 4x4

Drive 8×8

Market split by Application, can be divided into:

Civil Airport

Military Airport

Report presents a detailed picture of the market by the way of study, synthesis, and summation of data from multiple sources by an analysis of key parameters. Our ARFF Trucks Market market covers the following areas:

ARFF Trucks Market market sizing

ARFF Trucks Market market forecast

ARFF Trucks Market market industry analysis

Inquire or Share Your Questions If Any Before the Purchasing This Report -https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/1367

What Global ARFF Trucks Market Market Report Offers?

Provides strategic profiling of key players in the ARFF Trucks Market market.

Drawing a competitive landscape for the world ARFF Trucks Market industry.

Describes insights about factors affecting the ARFF Trucks Market market growth.

Analyze the ARFF Trucks Market industry share based on various factors- price analysis, supply chain analysis etc.

Extensive analysis of the industry structure along with ARFF Trucks Market market forecast 2020-2024.

Granular Analysis with respect to the current ARFF Trucks Market industry size and future perspective.

Regions Covered in ARFF Trucks Market Market Report:

North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)

Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)

South America (Brazil etc.)

Middle East and Africa (Egypt and GCC Countries)

Purchase this Report (Price 4900 USD for a Single-User License) - https://www.proficientmarketinsights.com/purchase/1367

[lalsingh228-blog]

Armored Vehicle Market to enjoy 'explosive growth' to 2030

Latest business intelligence report released on Global Armored Vehicle Market, covers different industry elements and growth inclinations that helps in predicting market forecast. The report allows complete assessment of current and future scenario scaling top to bottom investigation about the market size, % share of key and emerging segment, major development, and technological advancements. Also, the statistical survey elaborates detailed commentary on changing market dynamics that includes market growth drivers, roadblocks and challenges, future opportunities, and influencing trends to better understand Armored Vehicle market outlook. List of Key Players Profiled in the study includes market overview, business strategies, financials, Development activities, Market Share and SWOT analysis: Oshkosh Corporation (United States), UralVagonZavod (Russia), Ukroboronprom (Ukraine), General Dynamics Corporation (United States), BAE Systems plc (United Kingdom), NORINCO (China), Rheinmetall AG (Germany). Download Free Sample PDF Brochure (Including Full TOC, Table & Figures) @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/sample-report/1792-global-armored-vehicle-market-1 Brief Overview on Armored Vehicle: The armored vehicle is a vehicle that is guarded by means of armor plate. The major companies are adding more proven technologies systematically and strategically in the Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East owing to increasing political pressure, hostile activities, and terrorism in this region. Moreover, growing defense spending by governments globally is likely to support the growth of the armored vehicles market. For instance, BAE Systems received a contract worth USD 376.0 million from the US Government for the development, engineering, and manufacturing of mobile protected firepower vehicles for use across the spectrum of terrains and operations. Key Market Trends: Technological Developments and Improvements towards Reducing the Weight and Size of Armored Vehicles Opportunities: Increasing Demand for Modular Armored Vehicles

Rising Demand from the Developing Economies

Market Growth Drivers: Increasing Incidences of Cross-Border Conflicts

Emphasizing On Military Modernization Plans

Challenges: Absence of OEMs in Emerging Economies Segmentation of the Global Armored Vehicle Market: by Platform (Combat Vehicles (Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs), Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs), Armored Amphibious Vehicles (AAVs), Others), Combat Support Vehicles (Armored Supply Trucks, Armored Command and Control Vehicles, Repair and Recovery Vehicles, Others), Unmanned Armored Ground Vehicles), Mobility (Wheeled (4x4, 6x6, 8x8, Others), Tracked), System (Engines, Drive Systems, Ballistic Armor, Composite Armor, Explosive Reactive Armor, Electric Armor, Others) Purchase this Report now by availing up to 10% Discount on various License Type along with free consultation. Limited period offer. Share your budget and Get Exclusive Discount @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/request-discount/1792-global-armored-vehicle-market-1 Geographically, the following regions together with the listed national/local markets are fully investigated: • APAC (Japan, China, South Korea, Australia, India, and Rest of APAC; Rest of APAC is further segmented into Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka) • Europe (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Russia, Rest of Europe; Rest of Europe is further segmented into Belgium, Denmark, Austria, Norway, Sweden, The Netherlands, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania) • North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico) • South America (Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Rest of South America) • MEA (Saudi Arabia, UAE, South Africa)Furthermore, the years considered for the study are as follows: Historical data – 2017-2022 The base year for estimation – 2022 Estimated Year – 2023 Forecast period** – 2023 to 2028 [** unless otherwise stated] Browse Full in-depth TOC @: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/1792-global-armored-vehicle-market-1

Summarized Extracts from TOC of Global Armored Vehicle Market Study Chapter 1: Exclusive Summary of the Armored Vehicle market Chapter 2: Objective of Study and Research Scope the Armored Vehicle market Chapter 3: Porters Five Forces, Supply/Value Chain, PESTEL analysis, Market Entropy, Patent/Trademark Analysis Chapter 4: Market Segmentation by Type, End User and Region/Country 2016-2027 Chapter 5: Decision Framework Chapter 6: Market Dynamics- Drivers, Trends and Challenges Chapter 7: Competitive Landscape, Peer Group Analysis, BCG Matrix & Company Profile Chapter 8: Appendix, Methodology and Data Source Buy Full Copy Armored VehicleMarket – 2021 Edition @ https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1792 Contact US : Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager) AMA Research & Media LLP Unit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJ New Jersey USA – 08837 Phone: +1 201 565 3262, +44 161 818 8166 sales@advancemarketanalytics.com

[planitiumtradingmotion]

Planitium, a prominent global provider and exporter of automobiles in Dubai, specialises in selling brand-new 4x4 SUVs, sedans, pickup trucks, vans, and buses. Complete export and trading of premium brand LHD cars from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Land Rover, KIA, and other manufacturers is one of our services. Our main line of business is locating, selling, and exporting brand-new automobiles from Dubai, primarily to nations in Africa, North America, South America, and Latin America.Our areas of expertise are fleet sales and export of brand-new 4WD, Tropicalized, Sedan, and Project vehicles. The majority of our cars are built to withstand harsh environments and severe weather, making them ideal for use in a variety of locations, including Latin America, South America, Central America.

[renplanitium]

Dubai used cars for export to Africa

Planitium, a prominent global provider and exporter of automobiles in Dubai, specialises in selling brand-new 4x4 SUVs, sedans, pickup trucks, vans, and buses. Complete export and trading of premium brand LHD cars from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Land Rover, KIA, and other manufacturers is one of our services. Our main line of business is locating, selling, and exporting brand-new automobiles from Dubai, primarily to nations in Africa, North America, South America, and Latin America.Our areas of expertise are fleet sales and export of brand-new 4WD, Tropicalized, Sedan, and Project vehicles. The majority of our cars are built to withstand harsh environments and severe weather, making them ideal for use in a variety of locations, including Latin America, South America, Central America.

[ticketsbolivia]

Adventure Lover Or A Blogger: Book Your Tickets Easily Now!

Are you an adventure lover or a travel blogger? Do you have a passion for exploring the world? If so, you may be interested in booking your Bolivia flights. With so many apps available for booking tickets, it's now easier than ever to plan and book your next trip.

But before that, it's important to know the difference between an adventure lover and a travel blogger. An adventure lover is someone who seeks out physical and mental challenges, often taking on activities like camping, climbing, and hiking. A travel blogger, on the other hand, is someone who visits different places, takes in the sights and sounds of different cultures, and then using social media, shares their experience beautifully. Different trips to go on: San Pedro De Atacama to Uyuni Whether you're an adventure lover or a traveler, booking your San Pedro De Atacama to Uyuni bus can be an exciting experience. With so many amazing places to explore in the country, it's easy to see why so many people choose it as their next destination. Cusco to Arequipa Once you know whether you're an adventure lover or a travel blogger, you can start to plan your trip to Bolivia. The country offers some of the most beautiful landscapes in South America, as well as plenty of cultural experiences. There are plenty of ways to reach there. One of them is Cusco to Arequipa bus and there are plenty of breathtaking spots to explore. Places to explore in Arequipa In Arequipa, for example, travelers can take in the stunning architecture of the city's many churches and colonial buildings or they can explore the volcanoes and natural parks around the city, such as Colca Canyon. Uyuni In Uyuni, travelers can explore the unique salt flats or take a 4x4 tour of the Bolivian salt desert. There are several advantages to booking in advance. Flexible fares Not only will you be able to secure the best fares and routes but you'll also have more flexibility when planning your itinerary. Many airlines offer discounts for purchasing tickets in advance. So, it's always worth checking out the deals before you book. Be safe and don’t rush It's also important to think about safety when traveling to Bolivia. Make sure to research your destination before you book your tickets and only travel when the weather will be pleasant. For more travel-related information, visit https://www.ticketsbolivia.com/ Original Source: https://bit.ly/40ArMWj

[stevecarell600]

Armored Vehicle Market Strategies, Production Supply-Demand & Competitive Landscape by 2028

The global armored vehicle market size is expected to reach USD 27.83 billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 6.36% during the forecast period. The introduction of next-generation vehicles with reactive armor technology and active protection systems will have an outstanding effect on the armored vehicle market, states Fortune Business Insights, in a report, titled “Armored Vehicle Market, 2021-2028.” The market size stood at USD 17.57 billion in 2020. It also showcases what procedures and strategies; companies are currently implementing in the market. It further examines the ways and components convincing armored vehicle market expansion, growth patterns, restricting factors, and market strategies.

Informational Source:

Market Segments:

Based on the platform, the market is classified into combat vehicles, combat support vehicles, and unmanned armored ground vehicles. The combat vehicle segment is expected to hold the largest share during the forecast period due to the rising demand for armored personnel carriers (APCs) and light armored vehicles (LAVs) around the world.

Based on mobility, the market is divided into wheeled and tracked. The wheeled segment is expected to hold a significant market share. The growth is attributed to the growing demand for 4X4 LAVs by the military for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and transportation.

Based on the system, the market is separated into an engine, ballistic armor, turret drives, drive system, ammunition handling system, armaments, fire control system (FCS), countermeasure system, command & control (C2) system, navigation system, observation, and display system, power system, and hull/frames.

Based on geography, global market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and the rest of the world.

What Does the Report Include?

The report is fixed at delivering a comprehensive description of the market dynamics and structure by identifying and providing information regarding the key market segments. It also focuses on an all-encompassing analysis of leading market players by financial position, product, product portfolio, price, growth strategies, and regional presence. It offers PORTER’s analysis and SWOT analysis to record the question of shareholders and highlights the investment potential in the upcoming future. 

Driving Factor:

Inflated Demand for Next-Generation Combat Vehicles to Intensify Market

There has been an increase in conflicts, criminal attacks, and conflicts around the world in recent years. Several countries have modernized their current security systems in response to increasing conflict and cross-border activities between Asian countries and other regions.

Policy makers are fielding modern main battle tanks (MBTs), light protecting vehicles (LPVs), infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs), and other vehicles to defend and reinforce their defensive powers. As a result, it boosts the armored vehicle market growth over the study period.

Regional Insights:

Robust Defense Spending to Augment Growth in North America

In 2020, North America led the industry and was worth USD 6.12 billion. The United States' supremacy in this area can be traced to the government's largest defense spending on combat vehicle acquisition and modernization. Important stakeholders such as General Dynamics Corporation, Textron Systems, Oshkosh Defense, and others drive business growth in North America. India, China, South Korea, Japan, and other countries are increasing their military spending. In Asia, rising terrorism, cross-border problems, and political instability have resulted in warfare circumstances that have fueled the market's expansion. The Indian Ministry of Defense signed a USD 144.79 million deal with Mahindra Defence Systems Ltd (MDSL) in March 2021 to provide 1,300 light specialist vehicles to the Indian Army.

The Report Lists the Key Players in the Armored Vehicle Market:

BAE Systems (U.K.)

Denel SOC Ltd (South Africa)

General Dynamics Corporation (U.S.)

IVECO DEFENCE VEHICLES (Italy)

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG (Germany)

NORINCOGROUP (China)

Oshkosh Defense, LLC An Oshkosh Corporation Company (U.S.)

Otokar, a KOC Group Company (Turkey)

Rheinmetall AG (Germany)

Textron Systems (U.S.)

Competitive Landscape:

Prominent Companies Focus on Innovative Military Equipment to Establish Strong Presence

Since many companies are engaged in designing and producing military equipment, the industry is fragmented. OEMs are concentrating their efforts on manufacturing technologically innovative goods and forging close relationships with governments in both developed and developing countries.

Key Development:

February 2021: Paramount Group, a major producer of armored and mine protected vehicles and state-of-the-art camp systems, announced its collaboration with Bharat Forge Limited to launch Kalyani M4 Armored Vehicles in India. The M4 delivers ballistic and blast protection - up to 50kg TNT side blast or IED/roadside bombs, and quick mobility in rough terrain.

[brookston]

Holidays 4.4

Holidays

Antitrust Day

Art Deco Day

Atlanta Day

Auditory Processing Disorder Awareness Day

Ballroom Dance Day

Basque Day (Spain)

Bonza Bottler Day

Cat’s Day (Taiwan)

Chicago Flag Day (Illinois)

Children’s Day (China, Taiwan)

Clear and Bright Day (Farmer’s Calendar; China)

404 Day

HIE Awareness Day

Hug a Newsperson Day

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (UN)

International Day to Defend Amina

International Rock Beat Day

Jeep 4x4 Day

Maya Angelou Day (Boston)

Microsoft Day

Mourning Day for Covid-19 Martyrs (China)

National Dillon Day

National Horse Rehabilitation Day

National Lunchbreak Day (UK)

National Pansy Day

Ose Matsuri (Japan)

Peace Day (Angola)

Refugee Rights Day (Canada)

Sarhul (Jharkhand, India)

Swedish-American Friendship Day

Tell-A-Lie Day

Victims of Violence Wholly Day

Vitamin "C" Day

Walk Around Things Day

World Drummers Day

World Plagiocephaley Day

World Rat Day

World Stray Animals Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chocolate Milk Powder Day (a.k.a. Powdered Chocolate Day)

Homogenized Milk Day

International Carrot Day

National Cordon Bleu Day

National Pub Day (UK)

National Ramen Noodle Day

1st Tuesday in April

National Family Caregiver Day (Canada) [1st Tuesday]

National Healthy Schools Day [1st Tuesday]

National Service Recognition Day [1st Tuesday]

Oncology Nursing Day (Canada) [1st Tuesday]

Sexual Assault Awareness Day of Action [1st Tuesday]

Independence Days

Jacktoopia (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Senegal (from France, 1960)

Sorrenia (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Aequinoctium Vernum VI (Pagan)

Benedict the Moor (Christian; Saint)

Dabucuri pataub, (Initiation Rites of the Young Men; to Jurupari, South American Guarani/Tupi God)

Feast of No Saints Day (Pastafarian)

Gaetano Catanoso (Christian; Saint)

Holy Tuesday [5 Days before Easter]

Isidore of Seville (Christian; Saint)

The Kangaroo Rat (Muppetism)

Katori Jingu Otaue-sai (Rice Planting Festival; Japan)

Magna Mater begins (aka Megalesia / Great Mother Festival; Ancient Rome)

Martin Luther King Jr. (Episcopal Church (USA))

Maurice de Vlaminck (Artology)

Megalesia (Mother of Gods Festival; Phrygian)

Mahavir Jayanti (a.k.a. Janma Kalyanak; Jainism)

Nafels Pilgrimage (Glarus Canton, Switzerland)

Pierre-Paul Prud´hon (Artology)

Portfirio Diaz Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Reginald Heber (Anglican Church of Canada)

Theodisius of Bithynia (Positivist; Saint)

Tigernach of Clones (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Unluckiest Day of the Year (China)

Premieres

Alice’s Auto Race (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

Aloha From Hawaii, by Elvis Presley (TV Concert Special; 1973)

Anna Karenina (Film; 1997)

Brilliant Corners, by Thelonius Monk (Album; 1957)

Bye Bye Birdie (Film; 1963)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Film; 2014)

Chasing Amy (Film; 1997)

Combatants Will Be Dispatched (Anime TV Series; 2021)

Cool for Cats, by Squeeze (Album; 1979)

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Anime Film; 2003)

The Double (Film; 2013)

Follies, by Stephen Sondheim (Broadway Musical; 1971)

The Good Life, a.k.a. Good Neighbors (UK TV Series; 1975)

High Fidelity, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1979)

Man’s Best Friend (Disney Cartoon; 1952)

Nim’s Island (Film; 2008)

Oliver’s Story, by Erich Segal (Novel; 1977)

The Party (Film; 1968)

Perils of Pauline (Film Series; 1914)

Rio Bravo (Film; 1959)

The Saint (Film; 1997)

What a Girl Wants (Film; 2003)

Today’s Name Days

Isidor, Konrad (Austria)

Benedikt, Izidor, Platon (Croatia)

Ivana (Czech Republic)

Ambrosius (Denmark)

Ambrus, Arbo, Arp, Arpo (Estonia)

Ukko (Finland)

Isidore (France)

Isidor, Konrad, Kurt (Germany)

Izidor (Hungary)

Isabelle, Isadora, Isidoro (Italy)

Herta, Valda (Latvia)

Algaudas, Ambraziejus, Eglė, Izidorius (Lithuania)

Nancy, Nanna, Nina (Norway)

Ambroży, Bazyli, Benedykt, Izydor, Wacław, Wacława, Zdzimir (Poland)

Iosif (Romania)

Izidor (Slovakia)

Benito (Spain)

Ambrosius, Marianne, Marlene (Sweden)

Cedric, Cedrica, Plato, Tiernan, Tierney (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 94 of 2024; 271 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 14 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 17 of 28]

Chinese: Second Month 2 (Gui-Mao), Day 14 (Red-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 13 Nisan 5783

Islamic: 13 Ramadan 1444

J Cal: 3 Aqua; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 22 March 2023

Moon: 97%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 10 Archimedes (4th Month) [Theodisius of Bithynia]

Runic Half Month: Ehwaz (Horse) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 16 of 90)

Zodiac: Aries (Day 15 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 4.4

Holidays

Antitrust Day

Art Deco Day

Atlanta Day

Auditory Processing Disorder Awareness Day

Ballroom Dance Day

Basque Day (Spain)

Bonza Bottler Day

Cat’s Day (Taiwan)

Chicago Flag Day (Illinois)

Children’s Day (China, Taiwan)

Clear and Bright Day (Farmer’s Calendar; China)

404 Day

HIE Awareness Day

Hug a Newsperson Day

International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action (UN)

International Day to Defend Amina

International Rock Beat Day

Jeep 4x4 Day

Maya Angelou Day (Boston)

Microsoft Day

Mourning Day for Covid-19 Martyrs (China)

National Dillon Day

National Horse Rehabilitation Day

National Lunchbreak Day (UK)

National Pansy Day

Ose Matsuri (Japan)

Peace Day (Angola)

Refugee Rights Day (Canada)

Sarhul (Jharkhand, India)

Swedish-American Friendship Day

Tell-A-Lie Day

Victims of Violence Wholly Day

Vitamin "C" Day

Walk Around Things Day

World Drummers Day

World Plagiocephaley Day

World Rat Day

World Stray Animals Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chocolate Milk Powder Day (a.k.a. Powdered Chocolate Day)

Homogenized Milk Day

International Carrot Day

National Cordon Bleu Day

National Pub Day (UK)

National Ramen Noodle Day

1st Tuesday in April

National Family Caregiver Day (Canada) [1st Tuesday]

National Healthy Schools Day [1st Tuesday]

National Service Recognition Day [1st Tuesday]

Oncology Nursing Day (Canada) [1st Tuesday]

Sexual Assault Awareness Day of Action [1st Tuesday]

Independence Days

Jacktoopia (Declared; 2014) [unrecognized]

Senegal (from France, 1960)

Sorrenia (Declared; 2013) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Aequinoctium Vernum VI (Pagan)

Benedict the Moor (Christian; Saint)

Dabucuri pataub, (Initiation Rites of the Young Men; to Jurupari, South American Guarani/Tupi God)

Feast of No Saints Day (Pastafarian)

Gaetano Catanoso (Christian; Saint)

Holy Tuesday [5 Days before Easter]

Isidore of Seville (Christian; Saint)

The Kangaroo Rat (Muppetism)

Katori Jingu Otaue-sai (Rice Planting Festival; Japan)

Magna Mater begins (aka Megalesia / Great Mother Festival; Ancient Rome)

Martin Luther King Jr. (Episcopal Church (USA))

Maurice de Vlaminck (Artology)

Megalesia (Mother of Gods Festival; Phrygian)

Mahavir Jayanti (a.k.a. Janma Kalyanak; Jainism)

Nafels Pilgrimage (Glarus Canton, Switzerland)

Pierre-Paul Prud´hon (Artology)

Portfirio Diaz Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Reginald Heber (Anglican Church of Canada)

Theodisius of Bithynia (Positivist; Saint)

Tigernach of Clones (Christian; Saint)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Unluckiest Day of the Year (China)

Premieres

Alice’s Auto Race (Disney Cartoon; 1927)

Aloha From Hawaii, by Elvis Presley (TV Concert Special; 1973)

Anna Karenina (Film; 1997)

Brilliant Corners, by Thelonius Monk (Album; 1957)

Bye Bye Birdie (Film; 1963)

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Film; 2014)

Chasing Amy (Film; 1997)

Combatants Will Be Dispatched (Anime TV Series; 2021)

Cool for Cats, by Squeeze (Album; 1979)

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (Anime Film; 2003)

The Double (Film; 2013)

Follies, by Stephen Sondheim (Broadway Musical; 1971)

The Good Life, a.k.a. Good Neighbors (UK TV Series; 1975)

High Fidelity, by Elvis Costello (Song; 1979)

Man’s Best Friend (Disney Cartoon; 1952)

Nim’s Island (Film; 2008)

Oliver’s Story, by Erich Segal (Novel; 1977)

The Party (Film; 1968)

Perils of Pauline (Film Series; 1914)

Rio Bravo (Film; 1959)

The Saint (Film; 1997)

What a Girl Wants (Film; 2003)

Today’s Name Days

Isidor, Konrad (Austria)

Benedikt, Izidor, Platon (Croatia)

Ivana (Czech Republic)

Ambrosius (Denmark)

Ambrus, Arbo, Arp, Arpo (Estonia)

Ukko (Finland)

Isidore (France)

Isidor, Konrad, Kurt (Germany)

Izidor (Hungary)

Isabelle, Isadora, Isidoro (Italy)

Herta, Valda (Latvia)

Algaudas, Ambraziejus, Eglė, Izidorius (Lithuania)

Nancy, Nanna, Nina (Norway)

Ambroży, Bazyli, Benedykt, Izydor, Wacław, Wacława, Zdzimir (Poland)

Iosif (Romania)

Izidor (Slovakia)

Benito (Spain)

Ambrosius, Marianne, Marlene (Sweden)

Cedric, Cedrica, Plato, Tiernan, Tierney (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 94 of 2024; 271 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 2 of week 14 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 17 of 28]

Chinese: Second Month 2 (Gui-Mao), Day 14 (Red-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 13 Nisan 5783

Islamic: 13 Ramadan 1444

J Cal: 3 Aqua; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 22 March 2023

Moon: 97%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 10 Archimedes (4th Month) [Theodisius of Bithynia]

Runic Half Month: Ehwaz (Horse) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 16 of 90)

Zodiac: Aries (Day 15 of 30)

[tropicalforestproducts]

Exotic Wood Options For Sale in Canada

Ipe wood, along with other exotic woods, are some of the most desirable materials in the construction industry. They offer a rich and warm tone, and are also known for their durability. As a result, they are often chosen by homeowners looking to create a distinctive look for their home. However, they are not always easy to find in Canada, and may require a bit of research to ensure that you are getting the highest quality materials. Experience the beauty and durability of exotic wood for your next project - shop our wide selection of exotic wood for sale canada now, available for shipping across Canada!

Cumaru

Cumaru is a wood species originating from the Brazilian Amazon region. It is used in construction of houses, commercial buildings, and bridges. This exotic wood has a dense grain and is scratch resistant.

Another common name for this hardwood is Brazilian teak. Aside from being an excellent choice for exterior decking, Cumaru is also very durable and resistant to decay, rot, and termite attack. Despite being extremely hard, it is still highly recyclable.

When freshly cut, the wood of Merbau has a yellow to brown color. With time, the wood turns a rich reddish brown.

The hardness of Cumaru is rated at 3,340 pounds-force. That means it is more than three times harder than Redwood. And, it also ranks among the hardest woods in the world.

KAYU-Ipe

Purchasing a KAYU (r) Keruing wood product is a great way to get a high quality wood at a great price. They are used in a wide range of applications from truck and trailer decking to heavy construction. The benefits of using this wood include durability and a low to zero maintenance.

The best part is that these products are sustainable and are harvested responsibly. If you're looking for exotic hardwoods, check out Kayu Canada. Their products are ideal for siding, soffits, fencing and pergolas. You can also find the best price on their products thanks to their direct imports of the finest exotic hardwoods to the Canadian market.

In addition to their high quality products, they are able to offer the best possible customer service at a price that is both competitive and reasonable. The company has been providing high quality hardwood products to consumers since 1994.

Garapa

Ipe wood is one of the hardest hardwoods on earth. It has a hardness rating of as high as five times harder than the equivalent woods, such as oak, teak and cedar.

Ipe wood is durable and has a long life expectancy. It is extremely resistant to rot, moisture and surface scratches. This makes it perfect for exterior applications.

It is also a natural fire retardant and bug repellent. This makes it ideal for decks, docks, pergolas and outdoor fireplaces. A lot of people prefer this kind of material because of its beauty and durability.

There are many types of Ipe wood, including 2x4, 4x4, 5x6, and nominal profiles. The Ipe tree can grow to a height of 160 feet.

Terrace

Exotic wood is a great choice for your terrace. It is natural, rot-proof and weather resistant. These types of wood are usually harder than other hardwoods.

You can choose from a wide variety of exotic woods. Some of the most popular species are teak, ipe and merbau. Each of these woods has its own unique characteristics. However, they all tend to have some similar qualities.

Teak is a very hard, durable and water resistant wood. It is also highly resistant to insect attacks. As a result, it is a very popular option for decking.

Ipe is another popular choice for your terrace. This hardwood originates from South America and offers aesthetics and warmth. Although it is a tough and dense wood, it is a little more expensive than other options.

Azek

Azek exotic wood options for sale in Canada come in a variety of styles and colours. Some have the look of real wood and others are constructed with synthetic plastics.

The Arbor Collection is a series of composite decking options made to mimic the look of warm tropical hardwoods. This series of planks offers unique colour variations and stain resistance. It also has a hidden fastener system that hides the fastener holes.

Trex is a composite decking product that features a more realistic appearance than Azek. It's made of weather-resistant cellular PVC and is said to be scratch resistant.

Trex decking is known to be more durable than Azek. It can withstand heat and contraction better than Azek. However, the heat absorption rate isn't as high as with Azek.

[travelling-around-this-world]

SOUTH of BOLIVIA 🇧🇴

Bolivia shares Lake Titicaca, the second largest lake in South America (after Lake Maracaibo), with Peru. The country has been landlocked since it lost its Pacific coast territory to Chile in the War of the Pacific (1879–84), but agreements with neighbouring countries have granted it indirect access to the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The constitutional capital is the historic city of Sucre, where the Supreme Court is established, but the administrative capital is La Paz, where the executive and legislative branches of government function.

HISTORY

Although only one-third of its territory lies in the Andes Mountains, most of the nation’s largest cities are located there, and for centuries the highlands have attracted the nation’s largest amount of mining, commercial, and business investment. The country has a rich history. It was once the centre of the ancient Tiwanaku (Tiahuanaco) empire, and from the 15th to the early 16th century it was a part of the Inca empire. After the arrival of the conquistadores, Bolivia was subsumed within the Viceroyalty of Peru, and it provided Spain with immense wealth in silver.

SALAR D'UYUNI and PARQUE NACIONAL EDUARDO AVAROA / 4 DAYS

We arrived to Uyuni directly with a night bus from San Pedro. We stayed at Hostal Le Ciel d'Uyuni that we highly reccomend for the price and the position.

From the City of Uyuni we bought a 3-days-tour to the Salar and the Parque National Eduardo Avaroa. It costs 100€ pp, 3 nights, all included. We did the tour with Andino Travel, one of the best in terms of quality.

It's almost impossible to do the tour by yourself, if you dont have a van or a big 4x4 to sleep inside!

WHAT TO DO

SALAR DE UYUNI

Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is considered one of the most extreme and remarkable vistas in all of South America, if not Earth. Stretching more than 12,050 square miles of the Altiplano, it is the world’s largest salt flat, left behind by prehistoric lakes evaporated long ago. Here, a thick crust of salt extends to the horizon, covered by quilted, polygonal patterns of salt rising from the ground.

This beautiful and otherworldly terrain serves as a lucrative extraction site for salt and lithium—the element responsible for powering laptops, smart phones, and electric cars. In addition to local workers who harvest these minerals, the landscape is home to the world's first salt hotel and populated by road-tripping tourists.

ISLA INCAHUASA 1km2 island with more than 7.000 millenial cactus.

LAGUNA COLORADA

Laguna Colorada Bolivia is very special, because not only does it stand out for its miraculous red tinted water, it is home to hundreds of pink flamingos posing for incredible, post-card-like photos. Flamingos flock here for the abundant supply of plankton. There are six flamingo species in the world, and three of them can be seen here: the Chilean, Andean and the James’s Flamingo.

LAGUNA CANADA

LAGUNA NEGRA

GEYSERS

THERMAL POOLS

Amongst the beautiful polygonal patterns of salt and sensational volcanoes of Salar de Uyuni lies the Polques Hot Springs where visitors can bathe in the thermal waters.

CEMETERO DE TRENES

Most of the trains here date back to the early 20th century and were imported from Britain. Uyuni was originally destined to become a major train destination connecting a variety of cities. Those plans ultimately never came to fruition as both the mining industry lost momentum and also disputes with neighboring countries broke out. The trains are exceptionally worn down because of the mixture of salt and strong winds which give the massive steel structures their weathered look. There are over 100 trains cars there for you to explore and each one has its own unique structure. There’s also lots of graffiti covering these transportation antiquities.

POTOSI / 2 DAYS

Potosí is the example par excellence of a major silvers mine of the modern era, reputed to be the world’s largest industrial complex in the 16th century.

Potosi was founded in the 1500s as a Spanish mining town. Local indigenous people from Bolivia and Peru, as well as African slaves, were brought to Potosi to mine Cerro Rico for Silver. The mines produced so much silver for the Spanish that the term “worth a Potosi” was used to describe something of high value and Potosi was considered the richest city in the world at the time.

The abuse of the mines and the miners left tens of thousands of people dead from many causes. Lung infections are one of the main reasons which reduced, and still reduces, the life expectancy of the miners to between 40-50 years. Child labourers were also very common, and some say they still are.

By the time Bolivia received its independence the mines were empty of all value. These days the government has stopped funding the mines, but about a thousand miners still work as part of a cooperative. They look for less profitable metals such as lead, zinc and copper, with the hopes of maybe finding silver. However, with no health care and dangerous conditions, the miners know their faith but have no other options to earn a living wage in the city.

It is the world’s highest elevated city with more than 20,000 inhabitants and, as said, formerly the home to one of the most important yielding silver mines during the Spanish rule.

WHAT TO VISIT

TAKE THE SILVER MINES TOUR IN CERRO RICO. We did the tour with Koala Tour, where the guides are former miners. It's not a funny tour though.

CLIMB SAN FRANCISCO CHURCH

VISIT LA CASA DE LA MONEDA

GO TO MERCADO CENTRAL

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Los Faroles Hostel, one of the Best we've been to.

WHAT TO EAT

You absolutely need to try the KALAPURKA soup, with a lavic stone inside, that allows the soup to stay warm.

PIQUE MACHO a mix of spicy meat

CHAMBERGOS, typical pastry

SALTENA, typical bolivian empanadas

BEST RESTAURANTS: Casona de la Pascualita, El Rincon del Mono, Phisqua Warmis

SUCRE / 1 DAY

Welcome to the official capital of Bolivia; the nation’s colonial centerpiece and historical heart. Sucre showcases a glorious ensemble of whitewashed colonial-era buildings, spectacular rooftop terraces and quaint garden patios. A must-see in Bolivia, its pleasantly warm climate and relaxed small town atmosphere entice many a visitor to stay longer than intended.

WHAT TO VISIT

Taste the chocolate at Chocolate para ti, a nice shop where you can taste different types of chocolates. Even though chocolate grows in the Amazon area, it's then produced in Sucre, as the city has a perfect climate!

Casa de la Libertad, the most famous monument pf the Country, where the independence of Bolivia started.

Go to monastero Santa Clara and taste the empanadas still made with a 16th century recepe.

Visit the Mercado Centrale and have lunch there in the upper floor, where you can try all the different local dishes, like the famous Sopa de Maní.

[brianstowell]

“Roads” in Bolivia, from my iPhone

Instagram / Prints

[julianajohnsonphoto]

Sunrise

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

March 2018

instagram: @juliana_johnson

[canonicallyobserving911]

Buck & Eddie: Unhappy Buck

Buck has been unhappy for a long time but he keeps trying to mask the unhappiness he’s feeling from his family (Maddie, Eddie and Christopher) and from his found family (the 118) with bright smiles along with his naturally sunny disposition.  Instead of just returning to therapy on his own, like he did in 4x2 “Alone Together”, he’s reading self-help books and asking others to tell him the secret to happiness.  So far he’s asked two people, Bobby and Hen about being at ease with himself and what the secret to happiness is but they both told him that he has to answer those questions for himself.  And now he’s going to be a sperm donor for a so-called friend named Connor that he hasn’t seen in more than 3 years.  Buck NEEDS TO GO TO THERAPY and based on his most recent decision to be a sperm donor for a random couple, his actions are IRRATIONAL and he’s not making good decisions.  Connor is using Buck the same way he did when they were in Peru.  He wasn’t listening to Buck during one of his rambles about how chocolate was made in South America instead of Hershey, PA because Connor was too busy watching that woman walk by. It’s the Buckley parents all over again because Connor will use Buck for parts, get what he wants out of it and leave him broken.  Buck is still trying to FIX IT for people who only want to GET something from him.  Instead of making the decision on his own, it would have made more sense for him to talk to Maddie and Eddie, the two people who love and care about him and his well-being, before he said yes to that couple.  Now he probably won’t be able to get out of it, if he even goes through with it.

It’s interesting that Buck is still searching for happiness since everything he’s ever wanted in a life partner, a person who loves him endlessly and who wants to build a family with him (Eddie), has been right in front of his face for more than four years now just like the chair in his living room (related post: “Timeline of Couches – META”).  He keeps looking past Eddie as a romantic partner even though they’ve already built their relationship on trust and they started building The Buckley-Diaz Family together more than four years ago.  Also he’s Christopher’s co-parent with Eddie and Eddie named him to be Christopher’s legal guardian in his will but he’s probably hesitant to make the first move and tell Eddie how much he loves him because he’s scared of being rejected (he won’t be).  If he doesn’t address his feelings of unhappiness along with his irrational decision to be a sperm donor soon, he could be headed for a breakdown (related posts: “Before Buck’s Breakdown” and “Buck Breaks”). The day he finally breaks, appears to be quickly approaching so hopefully he will talk to someone before it’s too late.  Of course Eddie should be there for him when he breaks just like Buck was there for Eddie in 5x13 “Fear-O-Phobia” because they are in love with each other and have been for years (related post: “That’s love!”).  Eddie doesn’t like to see Buck hurting and he’s always been there to take care of Buck (related post: “Eddie takes care of Buck” and related GIF set: “Eddie worrying about Buck”). 

The GIFs below are for some of the times that Buck’s been unhappy in CANON.

1x10 “A Whole New You”

2x8 “Buck Actually”

2x13 “Fight or Flight”

2x13 “Fight or Flight”

2x18 “This Life We Choose”

2x18 “This Life We Choose”

3x1 “Kids Today”

3x1 “Kids Today”

3x1 “Kids Today”

3x5 “Rage”

3x5 “Rage”

3x6 “Monsters”

3x6 “Monsters”

3x9 “Fallout”

3x15 “Eddie Begins”

3x16 “The One That Got Away”

3x18 “What’s Next?”

4x2 “Alone Together”

4x4 “9-1-1 What’s Your Grievance?”

4x5 “Buck Begins”

4x5 “Buck Begins”

4x5 “Buck Begins”

4x5 “Buck Begins”

4x5 “Buck Begins”

4x14 “Survivors”

5x5 “Peer Pressure”

5x5 “Peer Pressure” & 5x9 “Past is Prologue”

5x16 “May Day”

5x18 “Starting Over”

6x1 “Let the Games Begin”

6x1 “Let the Games Begin”

6x2 “Crash and Learn”

6x2 “Crash and Learn”

6x4 “Animal Instincts”

[planitiumtradingmotion]

Dubai used cars for export to Africa

Planitium, a prominent global provider and exporter of automobiles in Dubai, specialises in selling brand-new 4x4 SUVs, sedans, pickup trucks, vans, and buses. Complete export and trading of premium brand LHD cars from Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW, Land Rover, KIA, and other manufacturers is one of our services. Our main line of business is locating, selling, and exporting brand-new automobiles from Dubai, primarily to nations in Africa, North America, South America, and Latin America.Our areas of expertise are fleet sales and export of brand-new 4WD, Tropicalized, Sedan, and Project vehicles. The majority of our cars are built to withstand harsh environments and severe weather, making them ideal for use in a variety of locations, including Latin America, South America, Central America.

[dameronology]

welcome to the jungle {frankie morales}

summary: after taking a job with the delta guys, you cross paths with frankie morales. even though you’re at each other’s throats at first, it proves to be the start of something beautiful.  (for @what-the--curtains​ - i hope you enjoy!!) - 7k words

warnings: swearing, mentions of ptsd

this is kinda ambiguous in terms of the timeline of the film but i sort of hint to the first half being before the events of t.f and the second half being after -- with that said, you can take it as you would like :D

- jazz

Your brother had dog sat for a few days.

In exchange, you were flying out to Colombia in the middle of your work week. 

You believed in favours, but these two did not feel like they were equal. 

Still, you were a person of your word - and getting to fly to South America was exciting. The job itself was exciting, if not a little...eyebrow raising. His friend, an ex-Delta soldier, needed somebody to ID a body. That part didn’t bother you - you were a forensic archaeologist after all and it was quite literally your job description. The suspicious bit was the circumstances under which you were doing it; Santiago Garcia hadn’t been entirely clear on the phone, but he’d said something about witnesses and getting the government off of our backs. You’d met Santiago a few times and you knew what kind of work he did - military stuff. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that it was probably an under-the-radar kind of affair. But, you’d never been one to back down from a challenge. 

So, here you were on a warm Colombian Tuesday afternoon, suitcase trailing behind you as you trekked towards a dusty old air base. The sun was high in the sky, beating down on your back in a way that had initially been comforting, but was now just plain annoying. You didn’t know how long you were going to be here, but packing three jackets now felt like a stupid idea. The one one you’d worn on the plane over had been long discarded and tied around your waist, which only added to the struggle of dragging your case up the steep, sandy hill. In the distance, you could see an ATC tower glinting under the sun - the streams of light bounced right back off of it, causing you to shield your eyes with your forearm. The taxi you’d gotten from the international airport - not like this sandy little place - had only taken you so far. At least, of all things, the boots you’d opted to wear were built for this kind of thing. 

A few hundred meters up the road, you finally saw another sign of human life. A 4x4 was parked outside the abandoned terminal entrance, three men leaning against the side of it. You spotted Santiago standing a few metres away on his phone, thumbs tapping away. He didn’t look any different to the last time you saw him; dark and curly hair, a semi-friendly smile and stubble littering his chin. You hadn’t seen him since your brother’s birthday party a few months ago. 

‘Hey!’ The former soldier offered you a grin when he saw you, holding his arms open. ‘Long time, no see!’

‘Hey, Santi!’ You replied, giving him a pat on the back as he pulled you into a hug. ‘And yeah, it’s been a while. Then again, when was the last time you were in the country for more than five minutes?’

‘I’m in high demand.’ He shot back. 

Pulling back from the embrace, Santi pointed to his colleagues. There was Will and Benny, two blonde boys, both in military gear. It didn’t take much to figure out that they were brothers; same smirk, same stance, same eyes. Even if Santi hadn’t pointed it out, you would have figured as much. You were naturally deductive - came with the job. After the brothers, there was Frankie. He had dark eyes and hair, the latter of which was covered by his hat. Unlike the other three, he was wearing more casual clothes, just with a tac vest over the top. You kind of got the vibe that he didn’t want to be there - that was...comforting. 

‘What’s all this?’ Frankie asked, gesturing to the heavy metal suitcase behind you. 

‘Just...stuff. Tools.’ You replied. ‘Things I need to do my job, I guess.’

‘How heavy is it?’ 

‘Light enough that I was able to get them onto a commercial flight?’ You offered. 

‘The plane is already at max weight.’ He replied, brown eyes flickering up to meet yours. 

‘God, give ‘em a break, Fish!’ Santi slapped him on the shoulder. ‘It’ll be fine.’

‘Remember last time you said it would be fine-’

‘- hey.’ He cut him off with a harsh look. ‘We don’t talk about that.’

‘So I can bring them?’ You raised your eyebrows. ‘Because I can’t do whatever it is you need to do unless I have them.’

‘Yeah, it’ll be fine.’ Santiago gave you a comforting smile. ‘Let’s head to the jet and we’ll talk about the job.’ 

Swinging your duffle bag back over your shoulder, you picked up your suitcase and began to follow the guys further up the hill. There wasn’t anybody else around -- just sand, sun and rusting old jets. There was one in particular that they seemed to be headed towards. It was only mildly less eroded than the damaged ones around you, but the engines were running and the cargo doors were open. Santiago took your bag from your hands as you approached it, tossing it in with the other luggage. 

‘Do not throw that one, Garcia!’ You demanded, flinching slightly as he took your suitcase. 

‘Wouldn’t dream of it.’ He shot back. 

‘Sure thing.’ You rolled your eyes at him. ‘You brought a medkit right?’

‘No. Why?’

‘There’s one in my duffle bag.’ You replied. ‘Side pocket. Can you grab it?’

‘We don’t need one, we’ll be fine-’

‘- Santiago Garcia, do you want me to report back to my brother that you took his baby sibling on a jungle-wide expedition without the correct medical supplies?’ You challenged. 

Santi swallowed, mind briefly flashing back to the time he’d almost been decked by said brother for letting you walk home alone. ‘Fine.’

Your triumphant smile only lasted a split second; as soon as your eyes fell on the plane, you realised you still had to get on it. Fuck. 

The engines seemed to be working fine, but it was just...old. And eroding. And making a funny sound. You were by no means an engineer, but even just binging a few episodes of Air Crash Investigations made you feel qualified enough to know that this was not where it was at in terms of air safety. You could have taken it up with Frankie, but he didn’t seem entirely approachable. 

You did trust Santi, however - though sometimes that seemed a little against your better judgement. Every crazy story that your brother had relayed back to you from their time in the military involved him making questionable decisions. Hopefully, opting to fly this hunk of metal wouldn’t be one of them. Here’s to hoping it was aerodynamic. 

‘Are you getting in or…’ Frankie peered down at you from the stairs, eyebrows raised. 

‘Yeah, sorry.’ You blinked in surprise. ‘This thing is safe, right?’

‘What’s it to you?’

‘What is it to me?’ You snorted. ‘Just, y’know, that I’m about to fly a few hundred thousand feet in the air and if it falls out of the sky I’ll die.’

‘I know what I’m doing.’ Frankie shut the door behind you as you climbed aboard, twisting the handle shut. ‘I’ve been flying for years.’

‘I’m not saying it’s you.’ You brushed past him, shoulders bumping as you did. ‘Captain fucking Sully couldn’t fly this thing.’

‘The guy from Monster’s Inc?’ 

‘No, the guy who landed the plane on the Hudson? They made a movie about it, with Tom Hanks-’

‘- you should sit down now.’ Frankie turned away from you. ‘We’re about to take off.’

Your mouth fell open in slight disbelief. What an asshole. 

Santi called your name, signalling for you to sit with him in the cockpit. The seats on the plane hardly looked comfortable, and your brain was mentally working out if it was safer to sit over the wing in a crash, or by the tail. You’d definitely seen it in a documentary once, but you couldn’t remember exactly what they said. Perhaps the best option was to just be less dramatic. 

Taking a seat between Frankie and Santi, you pulled your seatbelt on and shuffled awkwardly. This was fine. Absolutely fine. Frankie was a trained pilot (and a dickhead, but that didn’t take away from his flying skills) and you were going to be fine. Fiiiiine. Maybe if you said it once more, you’d believe yourself. You were going to be fine. Yeah, there we go. 

A few deep breaths and you were certain. Or, at least you’d convinced yourself to be certain. 

‘So.’ Your eyes momentarily flicked over to where Frankie was adjusting some controls. ‘What exactly am I doing here?’

‘A few months ago, the boys and I were involved in the shoot-out.’ Santi began. ‘Pretty standard for the type of operation we were on.’

‘Right. Standard office work.’ You muttered. ‘Do go on.’

‘We thought everyone who had witnessed it had been recorded.’ He continued. ‘And everyone who we spoke to verified that it was a justified shootout. No dirty work, no ulterior motive. All valid, from a legal perspective.’

You thinned your eyes. ‘I don’t think I like where this is going.’

‘We ID’d all the bodies at the time.’ He said. ‘Including a Ricky Martinez. Except now, a guy claiming to also be Ricky Martinez has come forward, claiming that his version of events is a little different. Like, different enough to incriminate us.’

‘He’s lying, right? You guys were the good ones?’ You urged. Santiago’s silence was anything but comforting. ‘Right?’

‘Morals are all a matter of perspective.’ He replied. ‘Our labs ID’d Martinez’ body twice but we need a third party opinion before we can completely dispel the guy pretending to be him.’

‘Guess that’s where I come in?’ You asked, leaning further back into the seat as the jet began to move. 

‘Exactamente.’ Santi nodded. 

That didn’t sound too bad. Between excavating the grave, running tests and returning the body, it would take a few days tops. You could manage that. 

The jet began to pick up speed, making its ascent towards the runway. Frankie did look like he knew what he was doing -- heck, the man looked bored, even.  He barely even had to look at the dash controls as it moved forward, hands moving freely and easily to manoeuvre the plane down the runway. 

‘What are you staring at?’ Frankie glanced over at you. 

‘N-nothing.’ You replied.  ‘Shouldn’t you be focusing on the road-’

‘- that’s a runway.’ He cut you off. 

‘Whatever.’

You were thrown backwards in your chair from the momentum of the take off. The plane angled upwards as it went up in the air, tilting sideways as it balanced out. You felt your stomach drop as the ground disappeared from beneath you, the push of the engines pulling you up higher into the sky. There was a clunk, signalling that the landing gear had retracted. 

Well, the plane had fulfilled its first purpose: taking off. That was a good sign. 

‘So,’ Benny peered over at you. ‘What’s your callsign gonna be?’

‘My name, presumably.’ You quirked a brow at him. 

‘We have Ironhead, Catfish and Pope.’ He continued. ‘But Will and I were talking, and we thought Barbie was gonna fit well.’ 

‘Oh, really?’ You sniffed. ‘And why might that be?’

‘Because you’re young, and pretty hot-’

‘- so your call sign is Benny, right?’ You cut him off. ‘Short for Benjamin? That’s really clever. Did you come up with it yourself?’

‘Maybe Eye Candy will be beter-’

Benny was cut off when you reached across, leaning over Santi to smack him in the chest with your balled up fist. All four of them jumped in surprise at your action - clearly, you weren’t somebody to be fucked with. You hadn’t worked your ass for years to get your degree to get discredited like that. 

‘Make a comment like that again and I’ll drop kick your ass out of this plane.’ You jabbed your finger towards him. 

Benny thinned his eyes at you. ‘Frankie wouldn’t let you do that. Right, Cat?’

‘You heard ‘em.’ Frankie’s eyes didn’t move from the clouds ahead. 

--

To give credit where credit was due, Frankie was good at landing planes. 

Specifically, he was good at landing planes in places where planes should not have been landed. Not that he’d had much of a choice when the engines gave in half way through the journey, a couple hundred miles over the thick Colombian jungle. 

In short, you’d been right the entire time. The damn thing wasn’t safe. Of course, you weren’t going to say I told you so right then, since it felt like a little bit of a sensitive subject. 

Now, the five of you were standing next to a pile of what-used-to-be-a-plane, defeat plastered over every one of your individual faces. You were lucky to all have made it out okay - just about. Santiago had taken a hit to the head, Benny had bitten his tongue pretty hard when you’d collided with the ground (fitting) and Frankie had split his head open. You and Will were the only ones who hadn’t sustained any injuries. He had proven to be much more tolerable than his brother. 

‘Okay, we just gotta…’ you looked around, eyes taking in the debris around you. ‘We just gotta stay calm-’

‘- stay calm?’ Frankie cut you off. ‘You’re the reason the fucking thing went down! If you hadn’t taken all that extra weight-’

‘- do you ever shut up, Morales?’ You snapped. ‘And I’m no genius but I don’t think the engines catching fire was anything to do with me bringing an extra bag onto the plane!’

‘I’m the pilot.’ He reminded you. ‘I know what I’m talking about.’

‘Maybe it was the weight of your ego that made it go down.’ You chided. 

‘Hey - Patrick, Spongebob!’ Will finally yelled. Both your heads snapped in his direction, eyes wide. ‘Can you keep it in your pants for two minutes so we can work out how to make it through the night?’

‘Right, sorry.’ You nodded. 

You glanced around the crash site, brain calculating for a minute as you took in what little was left. The plan had landed on its belly and skidded for a few hundred metres; consequently, most of the luggage had come out on the way. That left you with the one remaining bag, the medkit you’d scared Santi into bringing and the strewn camping kit that had been ditched in the back of the fuselage. 

Pulling your phone out your pocket, you sighed when you realised that you had no signal. What had you expected? Four bars in the middle of the jungle? Probably not realistic. You did, however, have a compass app. That was something. You thought for a moment, glancing between the app and the sun’s position in the sky. It was splintering through the trees, washing heat over you like a bucket of cold water. There was a small stream a few metres away, which was a source of water at least. 

‘It’s just gone four, maybe five in the afternoon.’ You announced. ‘So we have about three hours till the sun starts to set. The water in the stream runs that way so if we follow it, we’ll find the source. People are more likely to set up civilization around a source of water.’ 

All four of them looked at you like kids who had lost their parents in Walmart.  Were they really ex-military? 

‘So, what?’ Benny frowned. ‘We...set up a new civilisation?’

‘Oh my days.’ You muttered under your breath. ‘I am spoon-feeding this to you! It means that there will be a town with people.’ 

‘That’s smart.’ Santi nodded. 

‘But before we do that, we gotta sort this out. Will, d’you know how to check for concussion?’ You asked, to which he nodded. ‘Okay, you check Santi and I’ll clean up Frankie’s head. Then we gotta gather those camping supplies and head east. Best case scenario, we find a town before sundown. Worst case scenario, we camp out for the night.’

‘Who put you in charge?’ Frankie asked.

‘Me.’ You replied. 

Taking the medkit from Santi’s hands, you quietly thanked him and led Frankie over to some rocks. He didn’t seem all that pleased when you forced him to sit on one - and he was even less pleased when you pulled his hat off. It revealed a tangle of dark curls, some of which you had to push back to get to the mark on his head. Some may have debated the importance of mentioning such a detail, but you couldn’t help but notice how soft his hair was. 

You knelt down in front of him, pulling the supplies out of the little medical kit. There weren't many, but there was enough to give him something temporary till you got to a proper hospital. If you got a proper hospital. 

‘It’s not too deep.’ You observed, running your thumb over the creases of his forehead. ‘Just a couple stitches at worst.’

‘Don’t you normally stitch up bodies?’ Frankie asked. His brown eyes were glued to the floor, following the outlines of the boot-prints that you’d left. 

‘Yeah, it’s the same kinda principle though.’ You laughed slightly. ‘Despite your attitude, I’m not gonna give you Y-incision stitches.’

‘Thanks.’

‘At least not in a place people can see them.’

Frankie snorted, but it translated to a hiss of pain as you dabbed an alcohol wipe at his forehead. Despite everything, you had a slight admiration for him. He’d managed to land the plane safely as the situation allowed and despite a few minor injuries, things could have been much worse. You didn’t quite feel like vocalising that to him when you were still stranded in the middle of the jungle, but if you ever got out? You might get Santi to pass the message on. 

‘D’ you think it’ll scar?’ Frankie quietly asked. 

‘Maybe.’ You admitted. ‘Just take a deep breath.’

‘Where did you even learn to do this stuff?’ He asked, letting out another small grunt of discomfort. ‘The stitches and the compass shit.’

You shrugged. ‘I’ve been around the block a few times. You kinda learn to be prepared.’

‘Really? As a morgue worker?’

‘Not a morgue worker.’ You grumbled. ‘Then again, I am stabbing a needle through your skin so I suppose I’ll allow the discrepancy.’ 

‘What is it you do then?’

‘I’m a forensic archaeologist.’ You explained. ‘So it’s my job to retrospectively work out how people died, whether it be because their body was found a long time after they died or because they had to be exhumed from their original resting place.’

Gently pulling the needle back from Frankie’s forehead, you cut the thread and dabbed it again with an alcohol wipe. You brushed his hair back down and placed his hat back on his head, offering him a smile. For the first time since you’d met him, he returned the gesture. 

You dusted off your knees and took a place on the rock beside Frankie, examining your handy work. Considering you’d been in a plane crash not quite an hour ago, it wasn’t too bad. At least if it did scar, it was in a place his hair covered up. And in your defense, scarring wasn’t usually something you had to worry about with your other...patients. They usually went back in the ground not long after you dealt with them. 

‘You’ll wanna sit down for a minute.’ You replied. ‘D’you feel dizzy at all? Sick?’

‘I was just in a plane crash.’

‘Me too, funnily enough.’ You rolled your eyes at him. ‘I s’pose it’s the most interesting job I’ve worked in a while.’

‘Same here.’ Frankie said. ‘I normally work for a flight school, so this is...something else.’

‘It’ll make me grateful when I get back to the office.’ You agreed. ‘Because it has four walls, air conditioner and co-workers who don’t give me ridiculous nicknames.’

‘Right.’ He snorted. ‘Benny can be...Benny. He doesn’t mean to be an asshole.’ 

‘Benny wasn’t the asshole.’ You quipped, nudging him with your elbow.

At least Frankie had proven now that he could talk to you without being insufferable. You couldn’t work out if you’d warmed to him or if he’d warmed to you, but doing somebody’s stitches was unarguably one hell of an icebreaker. He was just a little closed off; quiet and reserved, you figured. You didn’t know what him and the Delta guys had been through, but Santi had mentioned a few things in passing that pointed to a heavy past. That was something you could relate to - your job was no walk in the park either 

‘It’s not...personal.’ Frankie glanced off into the distance. 

Will had managed to salvage the remaining bag from the jet, meaning that Santiago could use it as a seat. Benny was sitting with them, talking amongst themselves. You would have to move soon, in order to find a suitable place to camp before sundown, but taking a minute to recover from the last hour was also important. You’d barely stopped to sit down since the plane had gone down, and now you had, the shock had hit you. Your suspicions about safety had actually been correct. Not that it mattered now, but at least you had a plan to get everyone back to civilization as soon as possible. 

‘So you being an ice cold bitch isn’t to do with me? That’s a relief.’ You joked. Frankie smiled in response; his first genuine one since you’d met. 

‘The witness that you were going to ID was from the last job we all worked together.’ He explained ‘It went bad. Really bad.’

‘From what Santi said, it sure did sound like it.’ You replied. 

‘I hadn’t seen anything as bad as we did then since I was stationed out in the war zones.’ He continued. ‘So being back here, and being with the guys, has just put me on edge. I’m sorry if I was an asshole.’

‘You don’t have to say sorry.’ You shook your head. ‘I mean...actually, yeah, you were an asshole but I get it.’

‘You do?’

‘Forensic archeology is no walk in the park either.’ You replied. ‘It’s my job to work out how people have died. Most of my work is on crime scenes or in war zones so I’ve seen some...dark stuff.’

‘It sticks with you.’ Frankie quietly murmured. 

‘Yeah, it does.’ You said. ‘I know you might not think it on the surface, because it’s the usual sort of job that leaves stuff weighing on your shoulders-’

‘- doesn’t matter.’ He cut you off. ‘Trauma is trauma. Regardless of how you got it or where it came from, it’s valid.’

You gave him a small smile. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. 

---

Later that night -- and after a few hours of walking -- you and the guys had settled down into a makeshift campsite. It was just at the edge of a clearing, not too far from what looked to be a small town glinting in the distance. You did offer to keep going, but between the injuries the group had sustained, it was easier to stop for the night. You had enough of a combined skillset to find some fruit growing to snack on and to start a fire.

Santiago, Will and Benny had long passed out. It wasn’t until after they had done so that you realised there was absolutely no room left in the tent. It was only built for two people, let alone five. Where that left you in terms of sleeping arrangements, you didn’t know, but the chances of even getting to rest felt low. Your brain was on full overdrive, tired eyes darting constantly around the distance. How safe was this place? You’d managed to convince yourself that the plane was secure, and that had gone down like...well, like the fucking plane. 

You were sitting on a log, drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick. It was just something to keep your brain occupied as you fought off the tiredness. The jet-lag from your flight to Colombia had hit in full force and you wanted nothing more than to crawl into your bed -- the bed that wasn’t there. 

‘So, are you keeping a look-out?’ 

You jumped at the sound of Frankie’s voice, twisting around to face him. ‘Something like that.’

‘I can take over if you want.’ He offered. ‘You should get some rest. You’ve saved our asses like three times today.’

‘Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t fit into that tent.’ You replied. ‘I can hear them snoring from here.’

‘Is it worse than the alternative of me keeping you company?’ He softly smiled, taking a seat beside you. ‘I’ll promise not to be an asshole anymore.’

‘We spoke about this.’ You reminded him. ‘I get it. It’s okay.’

‘I still feel bad.’ He sighed. ‘Especially after you stitched me up and led us through the jungle. We woulda eaten something poisonous and died if you hadn’t stopped Benny going near those mushrooms.’

You chuckled. ‘Don’t feel bad, okay? You’ve had bad experiences before and it’s natural to be anxious.’

‘I shouldn’t have taken it out on you-’

‘- Frankie!’ You cut him off with a groan. ‘I’m about to be an asshole if you don’t stop saying sorry.’

‘So we’re good?’ 

‘We’re good.’ You smiled. ‘Thanks for keeping me company.’

‘Santiago, in no uncertain terms, made it clear that he would come for our kneecaps if we left you alone in the dark.’ Frankie admitted. ‘I think he likes you.’

You chuckled, shaking your head. ‘I think you have the wrong idea. Santi is only so protective of me because he’s one of my brother’s best friends, and I guess by extension, that kind of makes him my brother too. They go right back to high school, and then they did the academy together.’

‘That’s a long time.’ Frankie nodded. ‘So you and Santi, that’s...nothing, right?’

‘Absolutely not.’ You snorted derivatively. ‘And if it was, my brother would probably end him.’

‘So,’ He took a stick from the floor, joining in with random doodles you were carving into the ground. ‘Be honest: if these stitches scar, d’you think I’ll look rugged and handsome?’

You peered over at him, eyes creasing as your smile grew wider. ‘Sure. Why not?’

‘Ouch.’ He dramatically grabbed his heart, shaking his head. ‘The correct answer was no Frankie, you already look rugged and handsome.’

‘Okay, it would make you look more rugged and handsome.’ You rolled your eyes. ‘Better?’

‘Better.’ He grinned triumphantly. ‘When was the last time you stitched up a living, breathing human?’

‘College, I think.’ You replied. ‘My roommate got into a fight and didn’t have insurance, so I did some makeshift stitches with a cheap sewing kit we found at a 24/7 corner shop.’

‘We’ve all done it.’ He laughed. ‘I’m glad the stitches you gave me were actual, professional ones...right?’

‘Obviously!’ You exclaimed. ‘You’ll probably want to get them redone when we get back to...y’know, civilisation.’

‘Naturally.’ He nodded. ‘I appreciate you stitching me up. The others would not have been able to do that if it had been just us.’

You shrugged. ‘It’s nothing, really.’

‘What if - and feel free to blatantly reject me for my earlier actions - I took you out for a drink when we got back? Y’know, if we ever get back to civilisation.’

‘Yeah, okay.’ You smiled. 

Normally, Frankie wouldn’t have been that bold -- and you would have absolutely rejected someone who had made such a terrible first impression. But, said impression had changed. He’d been an asshole but you could see why; you could reason with it, even. God knew that you also had a tendency to become withdrawn and irritable when you were retracting back to the darker corners of your mind. Bad days on the job were hard to shake. They stuck with you for a long time. 

The conversation continued, though you couldn’t recall exactly what it was about. Nothing and everything. Growing up and going to college - or for Frankie, the military. You compared stories of Santiago; Frankie’s were better, but yours were pretty good. He told you about how he’d got his piloting license back, and you in return offered a tale of the time that your brother had gotten a DUI. 

Between the warmth of Frankie beside you and the crackling fire in front of you, it became harder and harder to fight off your exhaustion. You would have been tired enough if you were from this timezone, but your body clock was hours out of whack. With your eyelids getting heavier and the dark sky above you, it wasn’t long before you’d flopped into the pilot’s side with defeat. 

‘’M sorry.’ You murmured. 

‘It’s fine, you don’t have to apologise.’ Frankie replied. He moved his arm around your shoulders to support your weight from falling off the log - also to give a sign that he was more than okay with it. 

You rested your chin on his shoulder, peering up at him. Now that his cold facade had slipped away, you could admire him a little bit more. Warm chocolate eyes, a strong jawline, and a face that just felt kind, even despite initial impressions. The warm glow of the fire illuminated his face with a soft hue, making the lighter tones of his eyes a little more visible. 

You were both still lingering from the adrenaline of the plane crash, hearts pounding in your chests and brains wrestling with the idea that you’d both made it out with minor injuries. Was that what had made you bold? The sudden reminder of your mortality? Because you never would have kissed him if it had been a normal night.

He met you halfway, lips gently capturing yours in a soft kiss. They were a little chapped from the humidity of the jungle air, but intoxicating and enchanting all the same. He tasted very, very faintly of tobacco and a little bit of mint -- had the bastard had chewing gum this whole time? Not that it was relevant. Not that anything else in the world was relevant. Not when Frankie Morales was kissing you.

Neither of you said anything after; he simply pulled you into his chest, resting his head on top of yours. Between the mental exhaustion and emotional ping-pong game that you were partaking in, you wanted to sleep. 

And sleep, you did; tangled together on the dirt of the jungle floor, not a worry in the world. 

---

Time passed. 

It passed quickly and slowly all at once. 

Once you’d found a little town and got on a coach to Medellin, you did what you came to do: identified the body, cleared their names and closed the case. Your duties at your actual job called you back home and less than a day later, you were on a plane home. 

After that, everything was a blur. You tried to keep in contact with everyone, but life was demanding as ever. Thanks to a promotion at work, you were being kept busy 24/7. Santiago finally retired from active duty and moved back to your hometown, near to his parents and to the guys. Even with the group chat he’d made - affectionately titled Plane Pals - it was hard to constantly keep up with everyone. 

You and Frankie had texted for a while, but it sort of faded out. Whenever you were able to make it back home to see him and everyone else, he was busy. You’d both tried to make plans a few times but they’d never come to fruition. You still texted each other happy birthday every year, but that was it. Like that night in the jungle, he quickly became a thing of the past. A distant memory that sometimes felt like a dream. 

It made a good dinner table story, especially for first dates. You told it on many actually, actually -- only one ever went well. So well, in fact, that you’d ended up in a four-year-relationship. A marine biologist called Simon; not boring, but not necessarily exciting either. He was nice...enough. Nice enough that you didn’t find a reason to leave. 

Looking back, you probably had a million reasons to leave. He was an asshole, for one. The last time he’d treated you right had been your first anniversary - and for some reason, you’d stuck around to celebrate your second and third and fourth. Everyone around you was settling down, and you felt that pressure too. 

Even Santiago fucking Garcia, the biggest flirt and bachelor you knew, was getting married. You’d RSVP’d a plus one - Simon, obviously - but the week before you were due to fly home for the wedding, things had finally reached a bitter end. You weren’t sad about him; more sad that you’d wasted four years of your life on the Walmart equivalent to Ned Flanders. 

On the brightside, your brother’s respective relationship had also gone through a shitty demise, meaning you could move your seats at the reception next to one another. Like Santiago, he had also retired from the military and was living his best life - even though it had taken six months for him to start speaking to his friend again. He hadn’t taken well to the idea of Santiago taking you on a job that left you in the middle of the jungle. 

‘People are gonna ask where Simon is, aren’t they?’ You muttered. 

‘Cheer up.’ Your brother nudged you. ‘I know what’ll help - let’s make a bet.’

‘What?’ You groaned. 

You were standing outside the church, waiting to be called inside. You’d waved at Benny and Will as they came in. The latter had kids of his own now, but Benny was focusing on his boxing career. He hadn’t called you Barbie again though, so that was something. 

‘I bet you twenty bucks that Santiago is divorced by the end of the year.’ Your brother grinned. 

‘No! That’s horrible.’ You slapped his arm. 

‘Whatever. That’s $20 you’re missing out on.’

‘I hate that we’re related.’

‘Me too.’

‘Shut up!’

‘You said it first!’

The two of you were cut off by someone clearing their throats.

You almost did a double take when you saw Frankie Morales stood in front of you. He didn’t look that different to his six-year-old Whatsapp profile picture; he wasn’t wearing his hat, instead wearing his hair pushed back, and rather than his old tac vest, he had a suit and tie on. You had a sort of vision of him in your head from that night, but it didn’t do him justice. He was even better in person. 

‘Catfish!’ Your brother jeered. ‘Ain’t you a sight for sore eyes!’ 

‘Says you!’ Frankie gave him a slap on the back. His eyes then fell to you, and his demeanour changed a little. ‘Hey.’

‘Frankie fucking Morales.’ You murmured. ‘How’re you?’

‘Thriving.’ He replied. ‘You?’

‘Also thriving.’ You smiled. 

‘I was sorry to hear about the divorce, man.’ Your brother, as clueless as ever, didn’t sense the sudden onset of tension. 

‘Divorce?’ You blinked in surprise. ‘Is that really something you should bring up-’

‘- you brought up your break up at dinner last week-’

‘- only because you brought up yours first-’

‘- guys!’ Frankie cut you off. ‘It’s fine, really. I appreciate you looking out for me but it was a while ago now. Besides, I’ve got Leya. She takes up all my time.’

‘Leya?’ your eyebrows shot up. ‘Is that your girl-’

You were interrupted by a bell ringing, signalling that it was time for the guests to enter the church. Did the universe hate you? What kind of fucking dreadful timing was that? 

‘I’ll see you guys at the reception, right?’ Frankie asked. 

‘Sure thing, dude.’ Your brother waved him off.

The pilot turned on his heel, giving you a smile as he headed for the church. He was the best man after all, and his presence probably was needed. 

‘You asshole!’ You have his shoulder another whack. ‘I was talking to him!’

‘Jesus, calm down! And why do you hit so hard?’ He huffed. ‘What’s so important?’

‘Who’s Leya?’

‘I dunno! Do I look like Gossip Girl?’

‘Yeah.’

‘You’re mean.’ He grabbed you by the arm, dragging you towards the church entrance. ‘And mum made me promise to make sure you wouldn’t play Doodle Jump during the vows.’

‘That was one time!’ You snapped. 

Thankfully, the actual ceremony passed quicker than you thought. Santiago’s new wife was beautiful -- you hadn’t met Yovanna before, but both her and Santi had greeted you with a bright smile as you entered the reception. It was in a large hotel room, decorated with strings of fairy lights and a large dance floor. A lot of thought had clearly got into it. 

It made you a little sad to think about. How many weddings had you been to in the last five years? How many times had people looked at you and your former boyfriend and said you’ll be next. You weren’t even sad about him. If anything, you were mad that you’d let yourself think about marrying him. You could do better. You were going to do better.

‘Is that girl over there eying me up?’ Your brother’s voice pulled you back to reality. ‘I swear she’s been giving me heart eyes since they brought dessert out.’

‘Which one?’

‘The one in the cute dress! Brown hair, dark eyes-’

‘- that’s Santi’s cousin.’ You rolled your eyes. 

‘And?’

‘Santi’s cousin who is a lesbian?’ You tried to suppress a laugh. ‘Who has been with her wife for 11 years and has three children?’

He groaned. ‘Why must you find such joy in my pain?’

‘It’s what siblings are for.’ You grinned. ‘I’m gonna get a drink. D’you want anything?’

He only let out another groan in response - you took that as a no, simply giving him a pat on the head as you stood up. 

You’d tried to ask around with a few mutual friends if they knew who Leya was -- either they hadn’t seen Frankie in a while, or they pushed to know why you were asking. You couldn’t exactly play that one as suave. Nobody took a casual interest in the personal life of somebody they barely knew -- even though you did know Frankie. Quite well, actually. He’d practically recounted his entire life story to you that night. Told you things that not even Santi knew. 

‘What can I get for you?’ The bartender asked. 

‘Uhhh…’ you glanced up at the menu. ‘Is it an open bar?’

‘If I had enough money for every time someone asked me that tonight, I’d be able to pay for all the drinks.’  She shot back. ‘So, no.’

‘Jeez.’ You muttered. ‘How much for a double rum?’

‘Fifteen bucks.’

‘Fifteen?!’ You spluttered. ‘How much is tap water?’

‘Y’know, I still owe you a drink.’

Like earlier, Frankie had suddenly appeared unannounced. You couldn’t help but grin when you saw him leaning against the bar beside you, a goofy smile plastered across his face and his undone tie wrapped around his left hand. Your eyes flickered up to his forehead, examining it for a minute. 

‘So the stitches didn’t scar?’ You asked. 

He pulled back his hair, shaking his head. ‘Nope.’ 

‘You lucky duck.’ You quipped. ‘So. About that drink?’

‘This shit is insanely overpriced.’ Frankie said. ‘I can steal us a bottle of wine if you’re willing to hide and drink it?

You glanced over at your brother, who was now crying to one of Santiago’s great aunts, piling cake into his mouth. 

‘Yeah. I’m down for that.’ 

--

Five minutes later, you and Frankie were out in the gardens of the hotel. It had been raining all day, but there was an undercover patio not too far from the main reception; the walls were made out of white wood, with red roses trailing up the side. The fairly lights tangled beside them illuminated the place in a gentle glow, blue evening sky providing a beautiful contrast. Even though the showers had stopped, you could still smell the rain in the fresh evening air. 

‘Wine?’ Frankie led you to a seat by the edge of the patio. ‘I stole it from the head table so it's the expensive shit.’

He tore the cork off, handing you the bottle. Neither of you had brought glasses, but you didn’t mind drinking from the same bottle. You’d kissed already - what was the point in formalities? 

‘I hate it to break it to you.’ You paused to wipe your mouth, recovering from the bitter taste. ‘But that’s champagne.’

‘Still alcohol, right?’ He took it from your hands, taking a swig. ‘And it’s free!’

‘You’re right.’ You chuckled. ‘So...I believe we have four years worth of catching up to do.’

‘D’you wanna go first?’ Frankie offered. ‘I heard you got a promotion.’

‘I did, yeah.’ You grinned. ‘It’s a thousand times more work but I get more control over what jobs I take, so that’s good.’

‘Anyone special in your life?’ He asked. 

‘Cut the shit, Frankie.’ You groaned. ‘I know that Santi updates you on every second of my life as it happens.’

‘You got me there. He mentioned a...Steven?’

‘A Simon.’ You corrected. ‘But Dickhead or Asshole works just as well.’

‘Damn, I’m sorry.’ Frankie gave your leg a light squeeze. ‘What happened?’

‘He didn’t deserve me and I stayed with him too long.’ You shrugged. ‘I didn’t think I had a reason to leave.’ 

‘Not having a reason to leave isn’t a reason to stay.’ He murmured. 

You didn’t know whether to bring up the D-Word. D-i-v-o-r-c-e. He hadn’t seemed that phase when your sibling had so eloquently and gently brought it up earlier, but you knew Frankie was good at putting on a front. It was why you’d clashed when you first met. 

‘Am I allowed to ask?’ You quietly said. 

‘It’s nothing bad.’ He shrugged. ‘I mean it is bad, terrible actually, but it was two years ago now. We only got married because she got pregnant and then left the minute our daughter was born.’

‘Leya.’ You didn’t mean to say the name out loud, but it made sense now. ‘Leya is your daughter.’

‘Yeah.’ Frankie warmly smiled. ‘I hate what happened but I’d do it all over again ten times if it meant having her in my life.’

He spent the next few minutes telling you about her. She was named Leya after a certain space princess, though Frankie had changed the spelling to make it less obvious (to which you had argued it was still quite obvious, but a cool name nonetheless). She was currently three years old, often got confused between Spanish and English words, and enjoyed Power Rangers. All in all, she sounded like a great kid. Above all, it was obvious how much she meant to Frankie. His whole face lit up when he spoke about her. Her mum was entirely out the picture, meaning he was doing the whole thing by himself. 

‘She sounds amazing.’ You beamed, peering down at the picture on his phone. ‘She looks so much like you.’

‘Thank God.’ Frankie murmured. ‘I dunno if it being a dad has made me more introspective, but I think about that night a lot.’

‘Me too.’ You replied. ‘Not the thing about being a dad. The other part.’

He laughed. ‘I got that.’

‘What do you think about?’

‘You, mostly.’ He admitted. ‘The fact I was an asshole. The fact you basically saved us all. The fact I never got to take you out for that drink.’

You took a swig of champagne, poking his arm. ‘We’re doing it now!’

‘I know.’ He grinned. ‘I just...I know it was only one night but we might not have been around to tell the story if you hadn't been there.’

‘You were the one who landed the plane safely.’

‘Which wouldn’t have mattered if you didn’t do all the stuff after.’ He reminded you. ‘The thing I think about most, though, is that kiss.’

You froze slightly, head slowly turning to look at him. He was peering down at you now, brown eyes intently gazing at you, not unlike they had the first time you’d been in this position. Now, you weren’t both beyond exhausted, or stuck in the middle of the jungle. You were safe and sound, right here with one another. 

‘It was a pretty good kiss.’ You edged slightly closer towards him. 

‘A very good kiss.’

‘Maybe we should do it-’

Frankie cut you off, meeting your demand before you could even finish it. He was just as you remembered; chapped-but-soft lips with a hint of mint. No tobacco this time. He gently placed a hand on the back of your neck, pulling you further up towards him. It was like you were both reliving the memory of that night in a dream - something you’d done many times. Your memory of it had faded over time but this? This was vivid and giddy and entirely consuming all at once. 

‘You know,’ Frankie pulled back for a moment, keeping his hand on the back of your neck and forehead pressed to yours. ‘I asked Santi about you a few years ago, pretty much the minute I realised I was ready to move on from...her.’ 

‘You did?’ You murmured. 

‘That’s when he said you’d been seeing Simon for a few weeks.’ He admitted. ‘I was gutted. Kept wishing I’d got there first.’

‘I wish you had got to me first.’ You lightly chuckled. ‘It would have saved me a lot of pain.’

‘If I were to ask out now, what would you say?’

‘Fuck yes, obviously.’

‘Good.’ He pressed a brief peck to your lips. ‘I admire the enthusiasm.’

That night - well, actually it had probably been the night in Colombia, depending on who you asked - marked the start of a fresh start for you both. What had initially started out as an attempt to seek solace in one another during a difficult time had led you to something more: something whole, something fulfilling. 

If someone had told you the first time you’d met Frankie Morales that the unfriendly pilot was going to become the best thing that ever happened to you, you probably would have slapped them. Or laughed, or cried, or all three. That night you met, you thought the emotions you were feeling were from the plane crash -- adrenaline and warmth and panic. 

As it would turn out, it was simply the feeling of knowing -- knowing that Frankie Morales was it.

[mybolivia]

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Where to Next?

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Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia - Where to Next?

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