#thrifty travel

[thriftx]

Inspiring Others with Affordable Adventures: A Guide to Sharing Budget Travel Experiences

Introduction :

Embarking on budget-friendly adventures not only enriches your own life but also offers the opportunity to inspire others to explore on a dime. This guide explores effective ways to share your budget travel experiences on social media, provides insights into starting a budget travel blog or vlog, and encourages others to embark on their own affordable adventures.

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[wheelsbedsplateschronicles]

Navigating Opaque Websites: A Guide to Finding Affordable Hotel and Car Rental Deals

Travel planning can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to finding affordable accommodations and car rentals. Opaque booking sites, such as Hotwire and Priceline, have become increasingly popular for their unique approach to offering discounted rates. In this blog, we'll delve into the world of opaque booking sites and share some best practices for finding cheap hotel and car rental deals while ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable journey.

Opaque websites operate on a "blind booking" model, where you don't know the specific hotel or rental car company until after you've made a non-refundable reservation. While this might sound risky, these sites often offer substantial discounts—sometimes up to 60%—compared to booking directly. The element of surprise can be a trade-off for substantial savings.

To make the most of opaque booking sites, it's important to be flexible with your travel dates and locations. Opaque sites work best when you're open to exploring different areas within your destination or traveling on various dates. By being flexible, you can take advantage of the best deals available.

Before you start booking, it's important to do your research. Research the general areas or neighborhoods you'd be comfortable staying in, and check travel forums and reviews to get an idea of the potential hotels or rental agencies available in those locations. Opaque sites often use star ratings to indicate the quality of accommodations, but don't get too hung up on exact star numbers. Focus on the amenities that matter most to you, such as free Wi-Fi, breakfast, or a fitness center.

Use multiple opaque sites and compare their prices. Different sites may have varying offers for the same location and dates. Additionally, compare the opaque prices with prices offered on other travel websites to ensure you're getting the best deal. Some opaque sites allow you to bid on hotel or car rental prices. Start with a reasonable bid that's lower than the standard prices you've seen. Keep in mind that if your bid is accepted, you're committed to the reservation.

Opaque bookings often come with specific terms and conditions, so it's important to read the fine print. Pay close attention to cancellation policies, additional fees, and any restrictions that might apply to your booking. Some opaque websites offer package deals that combine flights, hotels, and car rentals. Bundling these services can lead to even more savings.

Finally, consider loyalty programs or memberships offered by opaque sites. Joining these programs could give you access to even better deals.

Opaque websites like Hotwire and Priceline can be valuable tools for finding cheap hotel and car rental deals, allowing you to save money while enjoying your travel adventures. By following the best practices outlined in this guide, you can navigate these platforms with confidence, make informed decisions, and unlock significant savings for your next journey. Remember, while the element of surprise is part of the experience, the thrill of discovering a fantastic deal can add an extra layer of excitement to your travels.

[qazastra]

and ofc because i decided not to go to 5 or 6 shows this year im like 'oh this is fine' ignoring that i went to 8 and travelled for multiple of them... come on qaz...........

[hrpphilippines]

The Story of Thrifty International Travel and Tours: False Job Offers in Japan

A recent case involves Thrifty International Travel and Tours Inc., a travel agency that was recently shut down by the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) in the Philippines. The agency involved illegal recruitments activities, as it in was offering false job opportunities in Japan and Italy, luring unsuspecting victims into their trap. In recent years, the promise of lucrative employment…

[beingjellybeans]

Stay Cool, Save Cash: Your Guide to Budget-Friendly Summer Living from Home Credit

As the scorching summer sun makes its presence known, it seems we can only brace ourselves for rising temperatures and, unfortunately, rising expenses. However, with a little ingenuity and some strategic planning, summer doesn’t have to burn a hole in our pockets. Home Credit, a trusted name in consumer finance, is here to guide us through the season with savvy tips and hacks to keep our cool…

[wisdomandroyalty]

Unlocking Thrifty Adventures: Unveiling Budget Travel Gems

Unleash Memorable Journeys without Breaking the Bank! 🌍💰 Discover practical tips for budget-friendly adventures. #BudgetTravelTips #AffordableAdventure #WizBlog #Travel

Summary: Who says traveling on a budget has to be boring? Don’t worry, my friend! There are plenty of amazing and affordable options out there that will give you the best experiences. In fact, sometimes these budget-friendly choices can actually create the most unforgettable and fulfilling memories. So get ready for an incredible adventure without breaking the bank! Budget travel is more than…

[ahleckss]

Hi, I went to outside lands in San Francisco this weekend. It was incredible. There’s nothing else good in my life so I’m going to really draw out this experience, starting with the hotel I stayed at.

The monte cristo bed and breakfast by the presidio. Idr how much I paid per night, I don’t remember paying for it at all (I use hotels.com for the rewards and uplift or klarna for payments) but with the way I choose my hotels it was likely a very good balance of price vs ratings vs reasonable proximity to venue.

It did NOT disappoint. If anything, my weekend would not have been as great as it was if I had stayed somewhere else. It was small and the building was obviously very old but it was sooooo cozy and cute. The room felt soooo luxurious. There was a bidet and a rainfall shower head. The bed was super comfy. And most importantly, free breakfast which I REALLLY took advantage of especially with how GOOOOD it was.

Since you’re allowed to order meals for two people per room, on Sunday I ordered two meals and saved one for when I got back that night. It was the smartest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It really helped as I made a rule that I could only have one meal every day of the festival.

[astonmartinii]

tight knit | charles leclerc social media au

pairing: charles leclerc x reader

spa 2021, where a knitting hobby comes in handy

yourusername

liked by scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc and 401,874 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: hello spa !! one of my fave tracks and i'm so excited for this weekend AND for those who asked, here's my current project, it's a sweater :)))))))

view all comments

user1: oh to receive pics of charles like that

user2: i love how she's like here's my fine ass bf but more importantly here's my update on my knitting

danielricciardo: is the man on the second slide single?

yourusername: HE'S MINE BACK OFF (p.s. i love you dan, but don't joke about that shit i have approximately 200 teenagers in my dms threatening violence everyday over him)

charles_leclerc: cherie, i didn't know that :(

yourusername: i'd fight all of them and more for your hand

charles_leclerc: my knight in shining armour

danielricciardo: okay i was trying to make a joke, it was not an invitation to prove how in love you guys are we get it

user3: i too wish i had a bf rich enough that i could travel and knit full time

pierregasly: have a day off for once

yourusername: keep on like that and you'll never get that panda

pierregasly: but you promised !!!!!

yourusername: be nice then

charles_leclerc

liked by pierregasly, yourusername and 1,208,760 others

tagged: yourusername

charles_leclerc: calm before the storm at spa

view all comments

user4: now where does y/n get all of these cut head accessories?

yourusername: vinted babes

user5: we love a thrifty queen

user6: storm meaning driving the ferrari shit box

yourusername: wow you look great, banishing me to the row behind you just to take this photo was defo worth it

charles_leclerc: you were there for two mins max then you sat with me stop these false narratives

yourusername: lies it was five minutes cause you didn't like the angle

charles_leclerc: i want to look handsome is that too much to ask

yourusername: you're always pretty baby

user7: can they stop like i am so lonely i can't see this

carlossainz55: let it be known that the only way charles can beat me in chess is with y/n's help

yourusername: nooooooo i never helped i was knitting

charles_leclerc: i wasn't cheating !! y/n was just being nice to me

f1

liked by scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc and 708,954 others

tagged: yourusername

f1: well, that's one way to spend qualifying's red flag. y/n y/ln spent her time in the ferrari garage working on her knitwear.

view all comments

user10: she said in her spa post it's a jumper i hope it's for charles

yourusername: it is, lord knows that boy needs all the help he can get in the wardrobe department

charles_leclerc: rude !!!! you never say anything

yourusername: you're always so proud i can't tell you it's bad

charles_leclerc: life ruined

yourusername: but you're so pretty no one cares about your criminal trouser collection

charles_leclerc: back handed compliment, but a compliment nonetheless

user11: she's so unbothered i love her

alexalbon: okay but when is my jumper coming @yourusername i ordered it last month

yourusername: it's coming i swear !!!

alexalbon: you let charles skip the line again didn't you

yourusername: maybe ...

yourusername

liked by lilymunhe, charles_leclerc and 481,056 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: hoping for a drier sunday, drowned rat is definitely not my aesthetic

view all comments

user12: the first picture i am going to rip my skin off

charles_leclerc: is this the appropriate time to say save a horse ride a cowboy?

pierregasly: this is why ferrari is a red flag

yourusername: howdy

pierregasly: you people are gross

charles_leclerc: you talk about ur dick at any give opportunity

yourusername: and no one actually calls you tripod

user13: damn.... couples that drag together stay together

pierregasly: ok. i will refrain from talking about your sex life publicly.

user14: i love that y/n posts about knitting just as much as she posts about charles.

yourusername: charles is the side chick

charles_leclerc: it's true i've been told to roll over in bed to make more room for the yarn

f1wagsupdates

liked by user15, user16 and 2,304 others

tagged: yourusername

f1wagsupdates: appreciation post for my favourite wag !!

view all comments

user17: i want to be her when i grow up

user18: i need her hair care routine asap

user19: can we stop putting these women on a pedestal for like no good reason?

user20: usually i'd agree but y/n has nothing but kind and a good role model, so if you idolise one wag it might as well be her

user21: her style is so underrated

user22: i need the jacket in the third slide

scuderiaferrari

liked by carlossainz55, yourusername and 770,984 others

tagged: yourusername, charles_leclerc

scuderiaferrari: there's two types of people during a red flag at spa

view all comments

user23: they're so precious to me

charles_leclerc: i wish i could relax that much in the ferrari garage

yourusername: i am not relaxed, i am actually the most stressed, i just hide it well

charles_leclerc: maybe we'll confiscate the needles for the actual races

yourusername: probably the only wise strategy in that garage

user24: i love how y/n keeps going for ferrari's neck and charles just can't reply

carlossainz55: it's so cold can i get my christmas jumper order early @yourusername ?

yourusername: that's a big queue to skip chilli i'm not sure i can comply with that

carlossainz55: if i changed my name to charles would this change?

yourusername: maybe 🤔

user25: the sky camera is obsessed with her and i am exactly the same thank you for the content

yourusername

liked by oscarpiastri, charles_leclerc and 508,673 others

tagged: charles_leclerc

yourusername: it's a bit cold in spa so charlie's new jumper (just finished) is coming in handy straight away

view all comments

user26: LORD PLEASE I HAVE SEEN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR OTHERS

user27: okay this is cute and all, but DAMN that jumper is so fucking cute y/n is so talented

charles_leclerc: i think the phrase is: came in clutch

yourusername: you're welcome baby

charles_leclerc: i retract my previous statement about confiscating the knitting needles and i will give up more space in bed for the yarn if this is what i get

yourusername: not us having a polyamorous relationship with KNITTING

user28: so like i need y/n to open up a shop

alexalbon: i hope mine comes next

yourusername: i'm on it already albono

lilymunhe: on his jumper or the one for me that he asked for

yourusername: yours obvs

alexalbon: mugged off again

charles_leclerc

liked by landonorris, yourusername and 1,409,874 others

tagged: yourusername

charles_leclerc: words cannot describe how much i love you (and your knitting). as george would say i am snug as a bug in a rug and it's all thanks to you

view all comments

user29: SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG CHARLES WHO ARE YOU

yourusername: can they start the race so we can go be snug as a bug in a rug back at the hotel?

charles_leclerc: omw to the fia hq rn

yourusername: thanks baby

georgerussell63: i thought this was my job but thanks charles i guess

charles_leclerc: man of the people and the cuddles

user30: lord i am so lonely

danielricciardo: y/n x enchante collab when?

yourusername: coming to mclaren rn

charles_leclerc: so my cuddles mean nothing?

yourusername: have you seen this man's pricing we'll be rich baby

charles_leclerc: we are rich baby

note: pls enjoy, requests may take a while cause your girl managed to break her finger lol

[sunnycanvas]

Hello, can you make one of what Baldwin would be like as a husband, boyfriend or during married life and as a father?

As a lover:

Baldwin IV already has very low expectations when it comes to love. You might also call it non existent

In case he has a crush on some one Baldwin IV would be quite about it and perhaps give prolonged glances to his crush.

Unless he gets a push or you don't approach him. The king will likely won't approach you as well preferring to stay in solitude not wanting to bring you in his "curse"

In case he gets a push to talk to you or you talk to him. Baldwin IV would be happily chatting with you. Trying anything and everything to prolong the conversation as long as he can, he will try not be obvious about his intention

Baldwin IV would reluctantly let you go once your conversation is over and will go back to how it was, so mainly as his s/o you has to take initiative to talk to him

Once you start getting close Baldwin IV would be very fond of your company. Which certainly won't go unnoticed by others and they will try taking advantage of it.

Baldwin IV would try to make time for you out of his tight schedule. Although leprosy has taken away his sensation he will still adore holding your hand or try trancing his fingers on your skin.

Baldwin IV believes he is unfavoured by God so he will have conflicting emotions about being in relationship on which he will confide in his s/o . Once assured Baldwin IV would be very grateful to finally have some one. Who loves him for who he is, doesn't judge him or use him for power. The king surrounded by ambitious people can be lonely at times

Being thrifty Baldwin IV will give expensive gifts to his s/o but upto limitation. His s/o being demanding will quickly turn him off.

He will certainly gift jewelry, dresses etc but his gifts will mainly be personal. Handwritten love letter with passionate declaration of his love for you. Baldwin IV will certainly cherish his s/o handwritten leters treasuring your declaration of love and keeping it safely

Whenever he feels lonely and you don't happen to be there, Baldwin IV will read your letters gently stroking your handwriting. He will also carry small gifts from you. When he leaves for battle or has to travel outside where you can't accompany him

Baldwin IV is aware that people wish to overthrow him and take away his crown so an ambitious s/o trying to find position in court won't won't be helpful. He might get paranoid that his s/o is using him for power or have others get him paranoid about his s/o

However, that doesn't mean Baldwin IV dislikes intelligent women. In fact he loves them. Baldwin IV would love to depend on his s/o about the matters of Kingdom and be his closest adviser but try not be ambitious about power.

Baldwin IV believing that he was cursed by God might feel guilty in being in relationship and will start having thoughts that his s/s deserves better. So he might try to push himself away or slowly form distance with you

You will have to very patient in relationship and be his biggest emotional support. Despite his attempts Baldwin IV will end up failing miserably. He can't see you upset after all. He thinks he is being selfish asking for your company but he can't help it

Baldwin IV loves hugs and kisses. You will find yourself often cuddling him or have him in your arms as he sadly talks about his duties and how he wishes he could retire and run away with you.

You both will often talk about "intelligent conversation". Baldwin IV absolutely adores learning lots of new things from his s/o.

Baldwin IV would love a s/o who would be dependent on him especially when it comes to physical strength. He loves feeling powerful and dominant one in relationship

Husband:

Baldwin IV would be absolutely be expected to marry someone in west or in Byzantine for aid

In case court agrees for him to marry someone else and Baldwin IV would have given up altogether about marrying a noble lady then he will marry you

As his wife Baldwin IV will feel even more open about showing his vulnerabilities. He is a strong commander defending his army but he will be a soft husband who cuddle you at night describing his insecurities and burden of his kingdom

Amount of declaration of love you will be getting would be limitless. He will constantly remind you of it day and night. Even send you handwritten letters about it

Since, he is married to you. His trust for you will be greater. He no longer worries about some random women who might leave him. You are now married to him

Baldwin IV might ask you to accompany him to court meeting and even ask your decision regarding the matter. He might even ask you to join him in military campaign

However he mainly prefers you to stay and protect the kingdom while he is out for military. He will ask you to be regent for the kingdom while he defends it. You will have the maximum amount of time command the kingdom in his absence and even when he is back you will certainly have strong influence on the decision on who gets to stay and who gets what position

Baldwin IV knows people hate you because of how much power you hold as his consort and won't take kindly to anyone talking ill about you. One complain from you will be enough for him to find someone and find an excuse to demote that person. After all an insult to you will be insult to him and Baldwin IV doesn't take well to disrespect

Baldwin IV would now openly gift you from whatever he gets from spoils of war

Both of you will often have books you both share with both of your initials with it

Baldwin IV loves hearing stories be it historical, literature etc. After war when he comes back he will be delighted to find his s/o waiting for him outside. Baldwin IV will go on fondly talking about his military expenditure

He will like talking about historical events or have his s/o talk about historical events or anything else informative and interesting

Baldwin IV would love to fight in your name and honour. He will often carry your favour with him. Your favour be it handkerchief or small personal item gives it immense strength. He will fight for his god, kingdom and you

You will often take care of his health. Many times personally participating as well. Baldwin IV will look at you with absolute adoration as you apply medicine and help him get better believing that God is finally showing him favour by winning war for him and by giving you to him. You will often find Baldwin IV often giving you an intense state while you take care of his wounds

Father (contains slight NSFW):

Baldwin IV really wanted a family with you

His nephew being sickly. He knew he might not survive for long after his death

With your patience and encouragement also with his health drastically improving he will believe in plans of God and have sex with you

His favourite position will be missionary and doggy style

He either gives orgasm denial or overstimulation since he loves you begging him. He loves when his s/o is absolutely submissive in bed moaning and begging him

In fact he loves your moan . Purposely stimulating you to moan and scream his name despite your embarrassment

He will never hurt you of course and will often be gentle but with your permission and can go super rough. You will end up wondering if this is the same man

Once you are pregnant Baldwin IV will over the moon. He will try to come off reserve but will easily give himself away

As a father he will be strict and expect obedience from his children

With his son he will more strict about his education since he will heir to the kingdom. With his daughter, although she will be educated he won't be as strict with her as he won't have much expectation. After all her main job is to marry and secure alliance.

He will absolutely gush about his children in private and public. Any children from you will be absolutely loved by him. He will strive to provide best for the children.

He won't take well if his kids or their mother are being ridiculed for being related to leper. As as result he ends up feeling guilty about starting his family and will end up confiding his s/o about it. He might also try to purposely marginalize the nobleman who dared to upset his family. You might end up intervening, Baldwin IV values your opinion a lot. So he will stop

He absolutely trust you about you taking care about everything including education about his children so he often doesn't intervene unless his s/o asks for it. You mainly need to ask what you need regarding children and he will provide without a second thought. Perhaps one or two questions but that's it

Baldwin IV would often take the main part of scolding the kids especially if they disrespect you or him

Overall he will try to be strict parent

[thriftx]

Staying Healthy and Safe on a Budget: A Comprehensive Guide for Budget-Friendly Travel

Introduction : 

Prioritizing health and safety is essential for every traveler, even those on a budget. This guide explores practical strategies for maintaining well-being during budget-friendly travel, covering aspects such as affordable travel insurance, staying safe in budget accommodations, and incorporating budget-friendly health tips on the road.

Read More

[hollowtones]

my month-late PAX West post (& a catalogue of some things I saw and did and bought in September / late August)

PAX West was very fun this year. It was my first ever PAX and it was my first convention at all in maybe a decade. Any excuse to see friends is a good one & I love hanging out with the RTVS crew whenever I have the time and money to travel. ^_^ I even got to see some friends I've never seen in person before!!! (Thank you to Jill and Evan for the "Petal Crash" pin & thank you to Taxi for stealing my name tag by accident.)

I am very shy, and I have very severe social anxiety that causes me a lot of problems in my day-to-day life, so I almost didn't go to the RTVS meetup. People there were very sweet, though, so I'm glad I did. It feels very heartening to have people come up to you and tell you what the things you've made have meant to them. It was very hard to not cry. LOL

If you stopped by to say hi, thank you very much. I've been thinking about it through all of September and smiling a lot about it. ^_^

The rest of this post is largely pics of things Puzz and I picked up for ourselves. (And a little bit of talking about some other things we did.) I thought it would be fun to catalogue them. I tend to be a little thrifty, so I got to splurge on my wife. LOL

These were mostly things we got for Puzz because I didn't want to worry about lugging things home in a suitcase. But she keeps telling me they're our things, which makes me smile every time I think about it. Some of the pins are for me. I'd like to put them on my backpack... Hopefully they don't fall off. Jackie and Dodogama are friends.

The "Chicory" bag is a bit of a funny story. Puzz and I saw the "Beastieball" booth in the corner of the indie section. Very fun demo. Very cute booth. They have cool merch! I thought I saw Lena Raine working the booth, and I got really shy & nervous about making a poor impression, so I just kind of hid behind my partner. (I wish I had said hi, in retrospect... but we live and we learn...) So we just kind of shuffle off to the merch desk and talk to a very nice man there while we pick up some things. I work up the guts to say that I really like these games and that they mean a lot to me!! The guy says, well thank you, that means a lot to me and the team. Wow! Real swell guy, I'm thinking to myself. A day or two later Puzz and I are out to lunch with some friends and I just suddenly go eyes wide & mouth agape because I put two and two together in my head and realize Oh holy shit that was Greg Lobanov wasn't it. LOL

Puzz found a cheap copy of "999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors" for the DS at a retro game store's pop-up. They also had "A Bug's Life" for Game Boy Colour and a strategy guide for "Gex 3", both of which I wish I had picked up.

Mr. Basculin was a gift from Jake. Good news! Mr. Basculin is still alive.

This is all stuff that was given to me as gifts. (Aside from the con badges. They make you pay for those.) You've probably already seen the Bibi that Jake made me. "Chicken Run" was also from him. "Zapper" was from Puzz and the Gumby game (& the Bad Boe sticker) was from Scorpy. These games fuckin suck asshole!!!!!!!!! I'm obsessed with them & I'll cherish them forever. I also got a little rock and a human dog keychain.

I think Scorpy said a fan gave this to him at PAX East to pass to me eventually. I'm having a hard time reading the @ on it, but on the off-chance you see this: thank you so much. Every time I think about it I get a little teary-eyed. I want to get myself a little picture frame for it. (This is the first time someone's given me fanart like this before, and it made me very emotional. LOL)

Puzz and I only got 2-day passes for PAX, so we spent the rest of our time in Seattle hanging out with friends and seeing the sights. I don't feel like digging all the photos out right now, but we went to a really fucking nice jazz club (Dimitriou's Jazz Alley - great ambience, really good food, we saw Keiko Matsui live which was life-changing), we visited MoPOP (I hadn't been in years! It was alright! Puzz had some capital-t Thoughts about the whole place which was fun to listen to!), we rode the trains, I got a big bag of Dicks, we walked around downtown. There was this really nice coffee shop that I keep having dreams about, so I hope I can go back to Seattle soon. (Or at least eventually, next year.) Then we went to Portland for a day to say hi to a friend because the state was nearby.

Then we went back to Puzz's place in California. Then there was a major heatwave & a bunch of wildfires nearby... So we didn't have the chance to get out much in September. But that's okay. We've both been tired lately & I think we both badly needed some dedicated Not Doing Things time. It's just a shame that it was enforced by Dangerous Weather Conditions.

We got to visit some local friends and I got to try out more Bog-Standard Mediocre American Food. (Dunkin Donuts is just Tim Hortons. Olive Garden is kind of scary but the salad was really good and the breadsticks were fine. I had a middling hamburger from Jack In The Box tonight. Their milkshake was very good. I'm sure I'm forgetting others.) I went to a Macy's for the first time and the layout of the store made me have a panic attack. We went for nice walks and saw lots of nice critters and plants. I got to swim! I watched a mediocre PlayStation presentation! I turned 30 years old! Puzz took me to a very fancy and really nice Italian place for my birthday, in case you were worried that I was only eating garbage here. LOL

We got a lot of books.

Maybe too many. Also a Miles Davis vinyl for myself & some Gunpla as an early birthday gift for Puzz. And also the cookbook was a gift from family. But I'm very excited to tuck into more of these, hopefully soon. Some were for me and some were for Puzz but knowing us we're going to go "hey, I liked this one, you check it out" or "hey, I didn't like this one, but maybe you will" for a lot of them. I'm gonna start with "Annihilation" and the game essays book. ("House of Leaves" is a second copy for us, because my copy was originally Puzz's and I wanted them to be able to read it too.) I don't have room in my bags for much more than what I came here with, so we're gonna ship some of the books to each other when we're done reading.

It's been a very nice month... I feel very thankful to have a life full of love like this. I don't think I have anything else to add to this post! Thanks for reading.

[judysxnd]

Hi.. can I request a pedro×reader please?

I want board game night with pedro. One where it things get hot and heavy 💋❤

Oh yes pleeeaaaase, I absolutely LOVE the idea.

I wanted to wait before publishing it, so that I could write others and plan them, but I was so proud of it (for once), that I couldn’t wait!! I love it so much, I was inspired!!!!!

Minors, please do not engage!

Warnings: smut, oral, unprotected sex

Summary: game night took a turn when you end up loosing

——————————————————————————

You were coming home a little bit late tonight, you had an emergency at work. You were a little bit worried that Pedro would be mad, since Friday nights are designated to be your game night. Unfortunately this time you couldn’t get out of work early.

When you entered the house, you saw the games on the table, and you smelled the pizzas in the oven. After putting your stuff to the side, you entered the living room, to see Pedro reading a book with the tv on with music.

“Hi” Pedro said, lifting his head, smiling

“Hey, I’m sorry for coming home so late” he put his book on the coffee table and got up

“It’s okay, don’t worry, I warmed the pizza and the games are ready” once in front of him, you put your arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. “Aaand, it’s not that late” he added, looking at his phone

“I don’t deserve you” you said, kissing him lightly again

“I know I know” you both laughed

“Are the pizza ready?” You turned your face towards the kitchen

“They should be” you both walked to the kitchen. While Pedro checked the pizzas you set up the table. “What game do you want to play tonight?”

“Hm, I don’t know.. Are you in a mood for a long game or a short one?”

“Whatever you want”

“That’s not helping” you joked

“When you ask this question it’s because you want to play a long one, since the only long one we have is monopoly, let’s do it then” you stood still, staring at him, blushing a little

“It’s not even funny, you know me too well”

“I’m the perfect boyfriend I know” you both laughed

“Don’t get too cocky”

“I should say that to you with that attitude, when you are the one who came home late” you gasped

“How dare you! I work to put food on the table!” you laughed

“And what do you think I’m doing? I stay home waiting for you!” Pedro continued the joke “and when you come home, the first thing you ask is what’s for dinner? How do you think it makes me feel!” You couldn’t stop laughing

“Alright alright miss pascal, I’ll set up the game, you can serve the pizzas”

“Right away ma’am” you chuckled “but still you’ll have to make it up for coming home late”

“Yeah yeah” you smirked as you sat. Pedro put he pizzas on the table, and gave you a piece of it, before taking one for himself.

After almost thrifty minutes, you were well into the game, music still playing in the background. There were almost no piece of pizza left. In the game, Pedro was winning. He bought a lot of places, the expensive ones, while you only had the cheapest ones.

“That’s not fair” you said as you ended on his place, the most expensive one. You looked at the two piece of paper that showed “50” on each.

“You do have to pay though” he smirked, proud of himself

“I regret choosing this game” Pedro laughed. “Can I take money from the bank?”

“Nope, you already did it twice, they refuse to lend you more money”

“Why? You will end with the money either way”

“You’re going to have to find another way to pay” he had a big evil smile on his face. You stared at him, thinking.

“Can I pay.. maybe.. in kind?” Pedro’s smile dropped a little, his eyes starting to travel on your body.

“Depends, what do you have in mind?” You slightly got up from your chair and leaned over the table. You put your hand under Pedro’s chin, pulling him closer to you. Once he was, your hand wandered on his body, before ending on his crotch. Pedro didn’t dare to move, his eyes never leaving yours.

“I was thinking, you know.. this kind of stuff.” You bit your lip. You slightly tilted his head on the side, getting closer to his ear. “Like maybe you could take me right now on the table” you whispered. Then suddenly you sat back down. “I don’t know, only if you want to, I can pay you later with money if you prefer” you were smirking, Pedro got all serious, but more specifically speechless.

“I’d like option one” he finally said. He put both his hands on the table, and pushed the board further on the side of the table. Once it was all empty in front of him, he tapped on the table, signaling you to come sit in front of him. Smiling, you got up, walked around the table, before sitting on it, right in front of Pedro.

You are wearing a pair of dark blue jeans with a simple white shirt. Well, you were wearing them. Because in soft motions, Pedro unbuttoned your jeans, and slowly took them off of you. Kissing your thighs as he got closer to you, his hands arrived on your waist and grabbed your shirt, taking it off. You were already moaning as you felt his lips on your body.

“It better be worth it, because you own me a lot of money” he softly said as he got up and started to kiss your stomach, then your neck. You couldn’t help but chuckle. One hand on the table, the other on your back, in just a snap he unclipped your bra. You took it off and threw it somewhere in the room.

Your hands were slowly going down under his shirt. Before he could kiss you again, you slightly pushed him, and started to take his shirt off. Once it was off limits, with your legs you pulled him closer to you again. Staring at him for a few seconds, this time, you were the one kissing all over his body, as your hands found and squeezed his butt.

“Do I never treat you right?” You asked, breaking the silence. You saw in Pedro’s eyes that he didn’t expect it, but that he didn’t dislike it as well. He smiled and kissed you roughly but not too much. He started to go down, going from you neck to breasts, making sure to take care of your boobs, before ending on your stomach, and a little bit lower, your right hand in his hair.

He looked at you, his hands on your waist as they grabbed the fabric of your panties, and started to slowly tug them down. You moved a bit so that Pedro could take them off. He threw them away, not really caring right now. On his knees, he brought you a little more on the edge of the table, and kissed your thighs again, before going down on you.

You immediately moaned when you felt his tongue working perfectly on your skin, his beard tickling you at the same time. All of these sensations were already sending you to heaven. You were arching your back, your left hand holding you still on the table as much as you could. Pedro was also holding you still with his right hand, while his left was curled up around your thigh, sometimes squeezing it.

In matters of minutes you were getting there, your moans getting louder and louder. Your legs naturally wrapped themselves around Pedro, it was too good. Grinding a little bit, you were finally on the edge. After you hit your orgasm, you were breathing heavily, laying on the table. You released Pedro from your legs. He got up, and kissed you all the way up to your lips. He pulled you up so that you were sitting again. Without saying anything, you stood up, and turned, pulling Pedro where you were.

“It was supposed to be the other way around” you said as you pulled down his pants.

“Can’t help myself” he said as he wiped his mouth with his thumb. You chuckled. “You taste too good” you pulled his underwear down, exposing him entered to you. You lightly pushed him so that he would sit on the table. Not saying anything, you kissed him passionately while you wrapped your hand around his dick and started to move up and down. He moaned in the kiss.

You lowered yourself, your left hand going down on his body too. Know on your knees, what your mouth started to do what your hand was doing before. Pedro threw his head back, moaning and groaning. You knew what you were doing, your tongue making it feel just right. You were also using your hands, each touch was essential. That’s actually his weakness.

His hand grabbing your hair tightly, he came in your mouth. Swallowing, you got back up. Neither of you said anything, you just looked at each other. It was now incredibly hot in the room, you were both panting, but you were far from done. After a few seconds, Pedro grabbed your thigh, quickly turned and put you on the table again. Here comes the best part.

He roughly kissed you again, his hand down, working on your clitoris, stimulating you again, and preparing you for what’s about to come next. You squeezed his ass, earning a moan from him. He parted your legs more, and centered himself with you. You pumped him a little, before putting his dick in front of your entrance and started to slide it inside. You put both of your legs around his waist, making him go even closer to you, making his dick going further and deeper inside of you. You both moaned at the feeling.

Then the motions started. In and out. Grinding accordingly to the thrusts. Your hands were either on his back or butt, squeezing what you could find, as the feeling was very intense. Pedro was kissing your neck, his hands on your breasts and holding you at the same time. He always preferred keeping you close to him. He loves the feeling of your skin of his way too much. You were starting to get close and Pedro was not far away from you. The thrusts were getting faster and deeper, making you both moan and scream.

Your orgasm both hit you almost at the same time, him a little after you as he kept going on a little bit as you were flooded with the most intense feeling. Pedro’s head rested on your chest, both of you breathing heavily. You pulled his head up, kissing him passionately.

“Did I pay my debts?” You both laughed

“I don’t know, the bank hasn’t made a decision yet” you hit him playfully before kissing languorously, still a little bit feeling the adrenaline and rush from the moment. You parted, gathering your clothes, leaving in the bedroom to change.

You eventually came back in the living room, well, you didn’t finish your game yet. You went back as nothing happened. Both smirking, you went on, knowing that it would all happen in a few minutes.

[galene-gothic]

What do you need to hear right now?

PAID SERVICES

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Pile 1

Just because the person you love doesn't love you doesn't mean you're unloveable. I'm getting a very sad energy from this pile. I feel like majority if not all of you are going through a major heartbreak. I'm getting that whoever you lost, the loss was meant to happen. If you're blaming yourself for anything, I don't think that it's your fault even if you do think that way. This person would've left even if you didn't make any of the mistakes that you made. Some of you might have gotten bullied, made fun of or humiliated by someone which affected you pretty deeply. The amount of love you seem to hold towards the person that you lost is genuinely admirable, they seem to have put you through a lot, they changed you in a way, perhaps, even enlightened you. This person made you really happy, didn't they? Even though this person hurt you very deeply, you seem to be really worried about their well-being and want the best for them. You're not a terrible human being, you are very much worthy of love. I'm getting you tend to hurt over them to the point you get physically ill. You can feel your guts twisting and your heart knotting because of them right? I feel like no matter how difficult it is, you need to accept the loss and try to form a proper routine, don't ignore your emotions but try to keep yourself busy. You likely felt really left out in the cold. This person really hurt your pride and broke your trust but I'm getting a deep sense of loyalty that you have towards them. For most of you, it's pretty recent, however, for some of you, it's a past energy, you might seem like you're over it but I feel like it still affects you a lot. I feel like you feel so much guilt towards them that whenever you feel like you're forgetting them, you find a way to remember them again. You always find a way to hold onto them. I feel like you're really loved, even if you don't feel like it. You're not a rude person, I'm infact getting that you're really compassionate but people like to provoke you and when you get upset and lash out, they act like you're the bad person. I'm getting scandals for some of you. I think it's past energy but it might have affected you a lot. Please try to be easy on yourself and take care of yourself. You are worthy of love, even if you don't feel like it. Some of you need to stop skipping meals. Forehead breakouts anyone? Get enough sleep please. If you were attracted to pile 2 please check it out.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Pile 2

I'm getting that for some of you, you have to choose between two paths or you're thinking about a career/major shift, I think grass is greener on the other side. Spend time planning stuff out properly though especially if you're moving or travelling. I feel like you guys struggle with committing and want to try various different things. You guys are discovering a lot of stuff. Don't be afraid of changes and new beginnings whether it be a career shift, relocating, moving schools or simply just meeting new people with different perspectives. Regardless of whether or not you feel progress, you are making a lot of progress. I'm also getting that you need to raise your standards when it comes to dating and keep them high. If you're struggling with money, try to be thrifty with money but don't stress over it too much, I know it's not as easy as it sounds but I feel like some of you need to save up money. You need to let go of the poverty consciousness. A truth of some sort was revealed to you and you learnt a lot of lessons, you infact still are. I'm getting that some of you might have lost a lot of people in within the past few months or years. If yes, those people weren't healthy for you and the universe just threw the poisoned drink from your glass to fill it with something better, something actually good for you. You might get into a love triangle soon into the future and I think something even more heartwrenching is coming your way but yeah good days are definitely guaranteed after a final blow. If you haven't lost anyone yet, I'm getting some sort of a heartbreak here. Someone here is going to fracture some bones soon. I'm getting something very valuable is going to be revealed to you in the future, it's going to crush your soul but you're going to build up stronger than ever. Some of you might have some snakes around you, please watch out. A conflict is a possibility in the near future.

˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚ Pile 3

You can read this until the end but if nothing resonates, try to choose another pile. You fear new things however weirdly enough, you still manage to act overly optimistic and tend to leap before you look. I feel like some of you might joke around and end up acting really unserious. I'm getting that you should try to be a little bit more serious and less jokey for the next few weeks because you might end up getting into trouble of some sort possibly because you didn't look before you leapt. Are some of you dealing with friend group problems right now? for someone the girl/guy with T as their first initial (can be first or surname) dislikes you, I'm getting that you're probably already suspicious, if not let it fly. I'm getting that if you're holding onto something or someone, possibly a friend circle, you're just setting yourself up for failure. You'll grow so much after you finally let go of them. You'll realise that not everything was your fault and they were simply just insecure. I'm getting that you are prideful, you're a winner, you'll win no matter what. You definitely have atleast one snake around you. If you do physical activities, try to be more careful as you might injure yourself (if you haven't already). You seem to have a lot to let go of but you'll first need to let go of whatever it is that you're holding onto so dearly. You'll really get the chance to explore new dimensions of yourself once you've let go of what's holding you back. You might feel like you don't have options or no one wants you (maybe most people don't shoot their shot when it comes to you) but many people do. I'm getting that so many options in all different aspects of life are coming for you once you let go. Letting go and starting anew seems to be the theme of your life right now. You are not the problem. You might have gotten accused of thinking that you're the center and treating others like shit. I'm getting that whoever accused you is ignoring all the good things that you've done cause I'm getting that you've definitely done a lot for them. You're sticking with them even though they treat you that way, you deserve so much better. Your best friend started hating you? It's not you problem. I'm getting a jealous friend group for most of you but it might be something different that you're having to let go of. Try to talk about your emotions more seriously but if the other person doesn't take it well, cut them off. It's not me, it's the universe. So many other people care about you, you're not alone. If your relationship with your mother isn't good, it's okay, I'm getting that things might have turned too bitter to turn back from but you're definitely not the problem here. Don't blame yourself please. You deserve the world, please don't settle for less.

[princessanneftw]

The Princess Royal interview: ‘I’m not sure that rewilding at scale is necessarily a good idea’

With conservation close to her heart, HRH explains what’s needed to save animals under threat and how the monarchy plays its part

By Jessamy Calkin for The Telegraph

Inside St James’s Palace there is a bit of a flutter about the weather. Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal has several engagements today, and things are not looking good; due to wind, the helicopter might not be able to land at the designated sites, which will make travelling times to and from events longer.

The staff are waiting to be informed by the police, who are in touch with the helicopter pilot. HRH, as everyone seems to call her, has not yet been told.

She has a lot to fit in: directly after our interview, she is off to a meeting about Gordonstoun school, in London, by car, then by helicopter to give a speech at an English Rural Housing Association conference in Bedfordshire, followed by a visit to the Aircraft Research Association, where she will unveil a plaque, then back to St James’s Palace to change for evensong at The King’s Chapel of the Savoy, where she will be reading the lesson for the Royal Victorian Order.

Her day will finish at about nine, when she will be able to eat. Quite often she has a dinner engagement as well. Next week she is going to Mumbai for four days.

Not for nothing is she known as the hardest-working royal. She is involved with more than 300 charities, organisations and military regiments, and last year carried out 200-plus engagements – more than any other member of the Royal family.

Her first official engagement was at the age of 18; shortly afterwards, in 1970, she became president of Save the Children – a position that led to her being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize – and her work with that charity continues to this day.

Early on, her father, the Duke of Edinburgh, advised her to pick the charities she was interested in – and her interests have multiplied.

But one charity that is particularly close to her heart is the Whitley Fund for Nature, which is why I’m here. Started by Edward Whitley OBE as the Whitley Awards, WFN is now celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the Princess has been a patron for 24 years.

The annual ceremony takes place at the Royal Geographical Society in London and is colloquially known as the Green Oscars; WFN distributes grants totalling around £500,000 to worthy international winners.

So far, £20 million has been awarded to 200 conservationists across 80 countries. And the Princess has never missed a single ceremony, presenting the awards and delivering heartfelt speeches.

HRH is quite probably the most respected member of the Royal family. Her lack of pomp and ceremony and the low-key dedication with which she carries out her duties is much admired. There is no whingeing. She refused titles for her children, Peter and Zara.

She is well known for her dry sense of humour. She is an exceptionally accomplished horsewoman and in 1976 became the first member of the Royal family to compete in the Olympics; she had won Sports Personality of the Year five years earlier. She famously resisted an attempted kidnap in 1974.

She has also become an inadvertent style icon, often rewearing outfits she first wore decades ago, which is both charmingly thrifty and impressive in that she can still fit into them, and she seldom buys anything that is not made in the UK.

She recently made a good-natured appearance on her son-in-law Mike Tindall’s podcast The Good, the Bad & the Rugby and she seems like an all-round good egg.

She has both gravitas and spirit – there was some very moving footage of her accompanying her mother’s coffin on the long journey from Balmoral to Westminster Abbey.

Back in St James’s Palace, Charles, her private secretary, is arranging the chairs, anticipating where she might like to sit. HRH arrives in a striking bright-green suit over a striped silky shirt and heads smartly for a different chair than the one offered.

How did she first get involved with Whitley? ‘That’s entirely Edward’s fault,’ she says in her crisp voice. ‘But the common denominator is Gerald Durrell.’

The Princess grew up reading Durrell’s books and became patron of his zoo in Jersey, part of what is now the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, in 1972. ‘He very kindly asked me to become involved in the zoo – as it was then – in Jersey, and Edward [later became] one of Durrell’s trustees.

‘He and I had similar beliefs in what Gerald was doing. Apart from the fact that Gerald wrote very good books, during his travels he seemed to understand better than most the impact on the populations in which animals lived and the relationship between them and their animals.

‘Being told you have to save this, that and the other is all very well but have you been there? Have you ever tried living in that environment to find out what that means to them? Because the fundamental point is that unless the conservation comes from the local area, it won’t be sustained.’

No one is going to save an animal just because they’re told to. ‘You’ve got to work out how the animals are going to survive with the people who live there, who will be the ones who make sure that it works.’

What was Durrell like? ‘Every bit as entertaining as you would think. His humour but also his understanding of the relative importance of things in other people’s lives was absolutely fascinating – and he was spot on.’

Durrell said he felt ‘sympathy for the small and ugly; since I’m big and ugly I try to preserve the little ones’. He was an expert on captive breeding, with a view to releasing into the wild, and he tended to select animals that were close to extinction, or those that could best be helped, or just ones that were not very charismatic.

‘Yes, not the sexy ones,’ says the Princess. ‘Or the obvious ones. His approach was very holistic. He understood the impact of habitat – not just on one species but how all of the things that lived in that habitat related to each other and that you couldn’t replicate that instantly somewhere else – it was very specific to an area.’

Gerald Durrell died in January 1995, of septicaemia. He was an alcoholic and had successfully received a liver transplant but died of complications it gave rise to. ‘He told me that there was no point doing a transplant because his old liver had got used to being fed all the things he’d been given to eat and drink in order to make deals as he went round the world,’ the Princess says, smiling.

Durrell’s legacy is long. One of his innovations was to establish training for conservationists from around the world. The first trainee went on to become the first director of the National Parks and Conservation Service in Mauritius, and thousands of students from 151 countries have since attended the centre, whose graduates became known as Gerald Durrell’s Army.

This became the title of a book by Edward Whitley, who travelled round the world to assess the progress of some of the trainees and the animals they were conserving – such as the largest eagle in the world in the Philippines and Alaotran gentle lemurs in Madagascar.

To launch the book in 1992, Whitley was invited to give a talk at the Royal Geographical Society, and he asked the Princess to come along. It was at the book launch that he decided to set up the charity.

‘I sat down with Nigel Winser, who was the deputy director of the RGS and a long-time friend, and we designed what became the Whitley Awards on the back of a napkin,’ he tells me. In 1999, Whitley asked the Princess to become a patron. By then, ‘Attenborough was already on board, which encouraged her to think it wasn’t a fly-by-night organisation which would crash and burn’.

The awards focus on community-based conservation projects around the world. In order to qualify, each project has to be up and running – it cannot be a pipe dream. Initially there was only one award; this year there were six – of £40,000 each in project funding – plus a Gold Award of £100,000, given each year to a past winner in recognition of their outstanding contribution to conservation.

‘The reason WFN is so effective,’ says Alastair Fothergill, whose company Silverback made the acclaimed TV nature series Wild Isles, and who like Attenborough is a WFN ambassador, ‘is because its grants are awarded at the very cutting edge of conservation, where relatively modest funds can go a long way. Over the years, the fund has kickstarted the careers of many pioneers who have become leading lights in conservation.’

This year’s projects included safeguarding seabird nesting sites in Mexico; establishing ‘lion guards’ promoting coexistence in Cameroon; and protecting pangolins in Nepal, lemurs in Madagascar, freshwater fish in Lake Victoria and saiga antelope in west Kazakhstan. Each one heavily involves local communities.

In addition, WFN provides continuation funding for award-winners. To mark the 25th anniversary of Whitley, Kate Humble, also an ambassador, and Attenborough hosted an event at the Natural History Museum to help raise £1 million for continuation funding.

‘It was the first really big fundraiser we had,’ says Humble. ‘And one of the donors underwrote the entire cost of the event – so everything raised went into the continuation fund.’

The RGS ceremonies are joyous events. In addition to being presented with their award by the Princess Royal, each winner has a short film made of their work, narrated by Attenborough, screened at the event. ‘I’ve been going for 20 years,’ says Humble, ‘and every year I’m blown away by the winners – what they’ve overcome, what they’ve achieved.

‘You hear so much bad news, and you think, you know what? The world can be OK because people out there are doing this stuff – it’s demonstrable, it’s scientifically rigorous and it’s working. [It’s] an incredibly uplifting and inspiring evening.

‘And every year I watch Princess Anne speak and she never sounds like she’s reading someone else’s words. She cares deeply about what this charity does and what these people who win the awards have achieved – she is not a figurehead just trotting out nice words and providing a photo op. She could run the charity, she knows it so well and cares about it so deeply.

‘I’m not anti-royal,’ says Humble, ‘but neither am I someone who would go and wave a Union Jack. But when I see her I think, frankly you’re worth whatever it is we pay.’

HRH talks with fluency and knowledge on every subject. ‘She’s like a sponge – it’s unbelievable the information that’s stored in her brain,’ said her daughter Zara in an interview for ITV’s Anne: The Princess Royal at 70. ‘It’s quite annoying as well.’

She needs to know a lot because she works with a diverse range of charities, taking in early years, healthcare, microfinance and animal welfare. Promoting collaboration between charities is key. ‘I do a lot of that,’ she says now. ‘I have meetings bringing them together which they all seem to enjoy, though sometimes it’s a bit illogical.

‘Knitting together all the international NGOs is important, but we need to look slightly outside the box – can we do this better, are there ways of helping people to be more sustainable?’

The Princess does occasionally discuss conservation with the King, she says, but she won’t say if they always agree. And her grandchildren? How does she teach them about conservation? (She has five, four girls and a boy.)

‘I don’t see so much of them but making the point that they live in an area which they shouldn’t take for granted is important I think; both my children are aware of that.’

Gatcombe Park in Gloucestershire, where the Princess and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, live in an 18th-century manor with 730 acres of parkland, has some beautiful trees – ‘the ones that survive – quite a lot don’t, we live on Cotswold brash which is not popular with plants; but having said that we have beeches.

‘You’ve just got to live with what’s there and make sure it doesn’t get overwhelmed. I’m not sure that rewilding at scale is necessarily a good idea – it probably is in corners, but if you’re not careful you rewild all the wrong things because they are just the things that are more successful at growing.

‘My biggest row at home is ragwort. Lots of people think that ragwort is absolutely brilliant because butterflies love it, but it’s not good for the horses [it is toxic]. I would say don’t take all the ragwort out, just where the horses are – but it’s quite a delicate balance.’

There are, she says, ‘quite a lot of horses at home, but they’re other people’s as well’. She rides whenever she can. ‘It’s a very good place to observe nature from.’

The Princess supports several horse-related charities, and became patron of Riding for the Disabled in 1971, and president in 1985. ‘It was just becoming a national body when I was invited to become a patron – at that stage I knew nothing about disability but the concept that ponies or horses could make a difference was obviously interesting and I knew about them. No matter what the disability was, the answer was, if they’d like to ride, we’ll give it a go. The commonality of the experience was important.’

Essential things for running a charity, she says, are evaluation and thinking of the long term. She cites the influence of Eglantyne Jebb, founder of Save the Children, ‘who constantly evaluated programmes to see if they were making a difference, whether they were doing the right things and whether people were invested’.

And it’s important to keep projects focused and manageable. ‘I’ve come to the conclusion that scale is the thing that defeats any good idea, because it can get to a size where people can’t cope.’

She has spoken in the past about the huge value of long-term commitment, in terms of the constitutional monarchy as well as in charity work. ‘Seeing things in the long term is a challenge,’ she says now, ‘but maybe part of our [value] – as a family – is long-term continuity, because the long-term view is quite hard to come by. And I think we can do that.’

May I ask what she might have done as a profession in another life? HRH laughs and looks vaguely impatient. ‘You can ask but I’ve no idea.’ Does she ever think about that?

‘Not really, and it’s way too late to have those concerns – in a way the fortunate part of my life has been the broad spectrum, to see so much. Not having a very specific interest has been a bonus, I suppose. We all have ways of doing things and with Whitley it is the practical aspects of what they do, and how to support them [that has been my focus].’

Edward Whitley, a member of the wealthy Greenall Whitley brewing family, set up Whitley Asset Management in 2002, alongside its finance director Louise Rettie, to serve a small number of clients. But there had always been animals in his life – his great-grandfather founded a small charity called the Whitley Animal Protection Trust; his great-great-uncle Herbert was an eccentric animal breeder who started Paignton Zoo.

In Edward’s office is a stuffed cockatoo that belonged to Herbert and a photograph of Mary, his favourite chimpanzee. Mary was famous for riding around on her tricycle and walking the dogs, or taking visitors by the hand and leading them round the zoo.

Edward studied English at Oxford then went into banking, joining NM Rothschild & Sons in 1983. He left in 1990 to write: Gerald Durrell’s Army came out in 1992 and he also co-wrote Rogue Trader, the autobiography of disgraced banker Nick Leeson, and worked with Richard Branson on his memoir.

Whitley is a tall, gentle man who doesn’t like talking about himself but is full of unbridled enthusiasm for WFN, and in particular its royal patron. ‘She transformed the charity – we never would have had the success we’ve had without her involvement. She saw what was possible and really helped us to achieve it, and she inspires the winners to do more. The winners are always pretty amazed at how she cross-examines them and cuts to the chase so quickly when she meets them.

‘She has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the world, and a phenomenal memory, and she is also very funny… And think of her father and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award – she’s seen what a lifetime of work can achieve.’

In her speech at the Whitley Awards earlier this year, the Princess Royal cited her father, Gerald Durrell and Edward Whitley as the inspirations for her work with WFN. Among winners and their communities, she said, ‘it’s the global ambition to truly make a difference that has been astonishing’.

The awards, she continued, are for ‘the people on the ground, they’re the sharp end… It’s all very well to be here and understand what we think are the challenges, and want to make a difference, but when you meet the people who are actually out front and can turn that into a reality, it’s a real inspiration.’

Over the years, she has visited some of the winners’ projects, when her charity work takes her to those countries, ‘but not as many as I would like’, she says. In Uganda, for example, she met Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, who was working on improving hygiene in local communities after viruses had spread to gorillas she was managing in Bwindi national park. And in 1997, before she became a WFN patron, she travelled in a boat up the Amazon to see pink dolphins.

‘She was in Colombia for Save the Children and she asked the British embassy to include a visit to the Amazon in her trip – she was very interested in the dolphins,’ says Dr Fernando Trujillo, who went on to win an award in 2007.

‘The British embassy contacted me as an expert on rivers and dolphins. I was a little bit intimidated, and it was raining and I was worried we wouldn’t see any dolphins, but in the end we counted 32 – and she was so excited, every time she saw one she would jump up and down with excitement, and then rein herself in as if she suddenly remembered she was a princess. I could see her love for the environment was very genuine. From that day she was my favourite royal person.’

Another winner, Pablo Bordino, whose picture with HRH had been in the paper in Buenos Aires was flying back to Argentina. One of the flight attendants recognised him and when he arrived at the airport there was a television crew waiting to meet him. It raised the profile of his NGO - which protected marine life and habitats in Argentina - enormously and enabled him to generate further funding. ‘That’s the effect HRH has,’ says Whitley. ‘You can’t quantify it.’

Several award-winners went to the Princess’s 60th-birthday celebrations, including Claudio Padua, a successful businessman from Rio who gave it all up to pursue conservation, training at Durrell in Jersey and moving to a forest in Brazil with his wife, Suzana, and three children.

HRH had been to see them at their headquarters outside São Paulo and had taken an interest in their efforts to conserve the black lion tamarin, a monkey. They had no idea her visit would be such an ordeal, with all the security arrangements. ‘We had a call to ask what kind of security we had,’ says Claudio. ‘I said, “I have an old dog, that’s all.”’

‘She turned up with a security detail and entourage,’ Suzana adds. ‘They wanted to go into the forest to see the monkeys in our Land Rover and her security team asked, “Has this car been checked?” I said it hadn’t and they became very nervous but she ignored them and just got in anyway.’

Years later, the Paduas were invited to Buckingham Palace for her 60th. ‘It was a beautiful opportunity for us,’ says Suzana, ‘and as she came down the stairs she spotted us and said, “Oh how nice to see you. How are the monkeys?”’

The Whitley Fund for Nature is hosting a #PeopleforPlanet biodiversity summit on 6 and 7 November at London’s Royal Institution, where members of the public can hear live from Whitley Gold Award-winning conservationists from Africa, Central and South America, and Asia

[cassiefairy]

The ultimate guide to honeymooning in Greece

Advertisement feature Likewise, if you’re planning your summer vacation with your friends, partner or family, I hope that this travel guide will also inspire your summer adventures. It covers when to go, how to travel, places to visit and the best food and drink to enjoy while you’re away. Greece is the perfect honeymoon destination. Couples have long visited the islands of Mykonos, Crete and…

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