#and I seldom have the nerve to share my works with them directly

[canisalbus]

I've followed your art for I think a handful of years now across a few accounts/platforms and while I always admired and love your art, i just wanted to say how much I ADORE your Vasco and Machete art. They bring me so much joy and I keep sending them to my girlfriend who isn't on Tumblr. I love learning more about them!! I love seeing them interact!!! I want to know more but I'm awful at coming up with Good Questions so also a big thank you to the other people prompting more art and info about them!!

That's so sweet, thank you! I'm glad to hear you like them! ;_;

Somehow it always makes me just a little bit emotional when people tell me they're showing my art to their non-tumblr friends and family.

#ironically only very few people in my irl circles are aware of my personal art accounts and what I draw #and I seldom have the nerve to share my works with them directly #answered #bones-n-bookles #I love receiving Good Questions and art prompts! don't be afraid to send them #though I'm kind of backlogged at the moment #there's so many excellent and inspiring asks I'd like to answer with a doodle or two #and they're just sitting in my inbox waiting for their turn

[archival-account-2]

non-stop. | daisuke kambe [drabble]

❛ 𑁍 pairing: daisuke kambe x cher

❛ 𑁍 scenario: in the dead of the night in 221b baker street, london; in their shared apartment for eight months, give or take

❛ 𑁍 warning: none; completely sfw; heavy, heavy fluff

❛ 𑁍 note: if you sensed any hamilton references, you could tell where i have been; this had been in my drafts for literally three days then episode four dropped-

cher is a host unto herself. as long as she can hold a case file, and a pen and paper, she's a damn threat.

to herself.

she works non-stop; writing day and night, studying day and night, going after the villains day and night with every opportunity she saw. however, even if she's not neck deep in her investigatory works, she'll pop by in charities and social events not (just) to boost her popularity, but also to boost her presence among the citizens of england or of britain, in general.

her strenuous work ethics was the one that brought her to her knees and humble herself to follow the doctor's orders: to rest regularly, to eat regularly, to relax more than usual, to work less than usual — basic simple self-care that she seldom does to her own self.

daisuke noticed that already.

and it's getting on his nerves. strangely.

he has been with haru kato for more than two years, and yet, he was only being nerved by a petite englishwoman who took up a lot after her own father.

he knew it ran in the blood — the frigid blood of a holmes kin that knew no boundaries in the profession of consultant detective.

it seemed so foreign to him still -  the duality of cherloque amelie soleil holmes. 

at one profile, she seemed to show the facade of a flirty and flighty adler - charming robin who knew how to spread her wings and fly in the skies filled with attractive parasites and pests of the british society. she just had a way with words that could be wither seductive, persuasive, and alluring. she also seemed to have an upper hand in every conversation where she's included. she leaves no stray comment and always made sure her words are pointed and sharp in any educated topic. a true mark as the daughter of a dominatrix. 

on the other profile... she's just as controlled, restrained, and unexpressive as a holmes. this kind of a cher conveyed the most inhumane face of all, most especially when a case keeps on pulling her to be involved. there's not time for rest, eating, or leisure. most of her time were always spent sitting on the chair, in front of her father's worn desk; flipping the pages of multiple case files; reviewing similar scenarios that and differentiating multiple changes that could have affected the current motion of the recent crime. she seeked no comfort nor encouragement but only immense silence and centered focus on the task at hand. a true symbol as the kin of a renowned criminologist. 

her duality - despite their fellowship for the past eight months - still fazed daisuke. but he never had the heart to voice it out. he's never the type to express himself in a way that could make people think he's an inferior to a certain woman's little world. 

a world that seemed to be non-stop.

it was in the middle of a dead night, but the two individuals in 221b baker street were still awake - the other one was diligently working in the living room/study, the other one was looking from the doorframe of the guest bedroom. neither one could sleep not could approach each other.

the former was untoucable; the latter was hesitating for once in his life. 

suddenly... there was a vibration in his pajama pocket. daisuke quickly shuffled his back and retrieved his phone, seeing it's a call from mourgane, cher's cousin and the current president of england's top most security association for criminologists. 

"good evening," daisuke greeted. "is there something the matter?"

"an associate passed by the apartment an hour ago, and when he passed by it again three minutes earlier, he informed me that the lights seemed not to go out. may i boldly assume that cher is still awake?"

"yes." daisuke couldn't tell a lie. it was the truth, after all. was there something he missed with the habit?

mourgane sighed on the other line. it was a heavy, distressed one as if she was asking if the toddler was being naughty and she was. mourgane said, "please tell her to go to bed right this instant. i could tell this had been going for a few days behind your back." 

daisuke remained quiet. now that the cousin gave him direct orders, it seemed he really needed to step up and bring it upon himself to put cher to bed.

"is it really my responsibility?" but, of course, he's not just gonna do that directly. after all, it's her own life, not his.

"your partner is your responsibility, mr kambe," mourgane retaliated coolly. "cher, no matter was trait she's possessing at the very moment, is at your disposal. whatever reason we may have, you have the ball in your court and cher, per our agreement for the sake of the japanese partnership and personal relationship gain, have no choice but to follow you." she exhaled as if she was proud of her declaration. "are we clear on that?"

"..."

"mr kambe."

"yes."

mourgane chuckled. she added, "you don't need to be afraid of cher. she may be flighty and feisty... easily aggravated... and snappy. but, at some point, she actually needed someone to remind her that she's not inhumane. i am relying on you." there was a distant knocking heard on the other line. "i have a late night visitor and i will leave my cousin in your capable hands."

daisuke nodded slowly. like before he said, "yes."

"a little note of warning," mourgane piped up. "do not give her narcotics. you will pay with your life if you do."

the line went dead. 

and daisuke could stilm hear the prominent flipping of pages. 

he cannot believe he was thrusted in this situation. but his actions seemed to have their own consequences and he needed suffer for them.

he padded out of the guest bedroom and went in the living room vicinity where cher was working diligently as ever. 

"cher," daisuke said in japanese. "go back to bed."

cher seemed to turn the other cheek, pretending not to hear him. her fingers... they were holding the pen as if her life depended on it. she kept on writing, scribbling, scrawling, jotting down whatever thoughts that raced down in her mind - mostly messy scenarios that were squelching inside her overworked brain.

she's writing non-stop. she's reading non-stop. she's working non-stop. 

"cherloque." daisuke tried again. "i said go back-"

"i heard what you said and i don't want to," cher suddenly snapped, blowing him off in the same language (with slight informality).

daisuke began to wonder how the hell jordan was able to put up with this act with almost every night of her life in 221b baker street. 

'but direct orders from miss holmes mourgane cannot be winged,' daisuke thought, reaffirming himself. 

daisuke, decidedly, took 10 paces forward and stood beside cher's chair. he clasped one hand on her shoulder and, once again, addressed her, saying (with his learned english accent), "love."

it was as if by magic cher suddenly stopped writing, her hand frozen suddenly into place, her body stiffening. 

daisuke leaned down to her body's height and whispered, "go back to bed. now."

cher didn't say anything. but she did shook her head slowly in response. 

'it's either i'm responsible for you or your cousin and my department will responsible for my execution,' daisuke thought, slightly irritated. 'i value my life.'

"you're coming to bed right now." 

daisuke looped one arm below her knees, the other supporting her back; carrying her in a bridal style. cher exclaimed, dropping her pen on the desk. cher was suprised she's suddenly lifted like that without any warning. her face suddenly blossomed a full shade of pink as her arms instinctively wounded themselves around daisuke's neck. her hair flounced up, but because she put it in a really, really, really loose ponytail, it suddenly let loose by itself and her hair brown hair cascaded down. 

"w-wait! daisuke!"

"no. direct orders from your cousin."

"she can't tell you what to do!"

"well, she reminded me you are at my disposal." daisuke looked at her directly with firmness in his gaze, as if scrutinizing her. "love."

cher hunched her shoulders as she crossed her arms, slightly pouting. a total childish move that opposed her holmes ethics. 

she suddenly turned kind of cute. 

"daisuke..."

was she actually whining? he couldn't be sure. 

"my room is in the other way."

her complaint was turned away, just like how she turned her other cheek earlier, because he entered in the guest bedroom where he was residing. without sharing another word, he plopped cher down in the middle of the bed and immediately tucked her in. he didn't give her any chance to speak her mind. 

the night continued on and in the wee morning... someone entered the apartment. 

"there." after tucking her in, daisuke followed suit, lying down next to her but not close enough for skin contact. "now sleep."

it was erebos. he turned to the direction of cher's bedroom. it was vacant. 

he took the other way and entered the japanese police's room.

and there he was - spooning the spent englishwoman in his arms. it was as if he was keeping her warm as possible or keeping her in her damn place, knowing how the night went. 

"i'll be out here," erebos whispered and exited, making himself feel at home in the living room. "goddamn it, haru, you're right. but we're dealing with idiots in denial, not with detectives in love."

#daisuke kambe #daisuke kenbe #daisuke kambe x oc #daisuke kanbe x oc #daisuke x oc #fkbu x oc #daisuke kambe x reader #daisuke kanbe x reader #daisuke x reader #fkbu x reader

[freddiesaysalright]

Beautiful Mess Part 2

A Brian May x Reader Fic

Summary: Reader works in a bookshop. She meets Brian May and they have an instant connection. It seems to be a fairy tale romance. But, things are seldom what they seem.

Word Count: 2.6k

Tag List: @psychosupernatural​, @someone-get-a-medic​, @bensrhapsody​, @deakyclicks, @crazylittlethingcalledobsession​, @minigranger​, @crazyweirdocalledfriday​, @mrs-jack-murphy​, @not-john-watsons-blog​, @simmisblog​, @mirkwoodshewolf​, @assembledherethevolunteers​, @thosequeenboys​, @lv7867​ If you’d like to be added, let me know!

A/N: Ah...the plot thickens. A hint of a conflict arises.

Part 1

Part 2 here we go!!!

“Are you quite certain we’ve never met before?” Brian asked, popping a French fry into his mouth. 

You decided on a casual dinner of veggie burgers and fries, since you knew things needed to remain friendly. He watched you for a response, blinking a few times in a way that was uniquely Brian.

“Do you believe in past lives?” you returned.

His brow furrowed and he shook his head. “No, not really.”

“Shame,” you replied, raising an eyebrow at him as you ate a fry. “It would have been an awfully convenient explanation.”

He chuckled. “Convenient, perhaps, but not very logical.”

“Situations like this rarely are,” you said.

“True,” he agreed. “But since I don’t know you, you’ll have to tell me more about yourself.”

“What would like to know?”

He looked away, tapping his chin with his finger.

“Where do you live?” he asked.

“Oh, very subtle,” you teased.

His cheeks went pink. “I just -”

“Relax, Brian,” you said with a laugh. “I know.”

He smiled and you cocked your head. “What is it?”

“I like that,” he said.

“Like what?”

“How you say my name.”

It was your turn to blush. Brian’s name rolled off your tongue naturally. You briefly imagined all the ways you could say it and smiled to yourself. Brian just loved the way it sounded with your voice.

“To answer your question, I live in a flat just around the corner from the shop,” you said. “I walk to and from work every day.”

“You live alone?”

You nodded. “Yes, I’m by myself for now.”

“For now?” he pressed. “That changing soon?”

A wave of nerves hit you. The answer to that was more complicated than he knew, and it wasn’t something you even wanted him to understand.

“Maybe,” you said dismissively. “Life happens and situations change. I should hope I wouldn’t live alone forever.”

“I hope that too,” he returned. “Being alone brings a certain peace, but -”

“No one wants to be lonely,” you finished.

“Right,” he said, looking at you, amazed. 

You beamed at one another. Dinner continued in a similar way, exchanging basics about yourselves like where you lived and where you grew up and family. You told him that both your parents were gone, which he expressed deep sympathy for. He told you how he built his guitar with his dad, which thoroughly impressed you. You bonded over a shared love of animals and nature. 

Brian was easily the best person to talk to about anything. He really focused on you when you talked. His eyes were fixed on yours, and he always leaned toward you. His responses were thoughtful and he avoided turning the conversation to himself unless you directly asked. He was refreshing, and you found yourself liking him a lot more than you should by the end of the meal. Although, you finished the meal long before you finished talking.

“I should be getting home,” you said, checking your watch.

Brian frowned. “It is late, I suppose.”

“Don’t be too disappointed,” you said. “I’ve had such a lovely time.”

“I have too,” he replied. “May I walk you home?”

You smiled. “I’d like that very much.”

You left together and headed back toward your flat. You passed the bookshop on the way, where you told him to stop.

“What’s up?” he wondered.

“I need to get Cat,” you said. “I can’t leave him in store.”

You unlocked the door and went inside, not bothering to turn the lights on. You knew your way around here better than your own home. As you walked between the shelves, you noticed your hand in Brian’s. You had no idea when or how it happened, but you did not let go. You focused on the feeling of his warm palm against yours, and the way your steps fell in sync as you walked across the wooden floor.

“Cat!” you called.

A soft little meow followed in response. You found him perched on a shelf in the children’s section. He watched you with curious eyes, tail flicking back and forth.

“He looks as if he’s been waiting for us,” Brian remarked.

“He sort of does,” you agreed. You looked at Cat. “It’s ten minutes to curfew, you know.”

Brian laughed. “He’s strict, isn’t he?”

“It’s all very new, we’re still getting used to each other,” you joked, although feeling like you were talking about more than just Cat. “After all, it hasn’t even been a day.”

“Good lord,” Brian said. “It really was only this morning that we met.”

“Mhm,” you replied. “Doesn’t feel like it, does it?”

He shook his head. “It feels like much longer. Although, I am very much enjoying getting to know you, Y/N.”

You closed your eyes and hummed. “I like that.”

“Like what?”

“How you say my name.”

You opened your eyes and looked at him, a sly smile parting your lips as he gave your hand a squeeze.

Somewhere, in the back of your mind, your conscience was screaming at you. Face red, voice hoarse screaming. This was wrong. Nothing could become of this no matter what you felt. You knew better and you shouldn’t lead him on. It wasn’t fair to subject him or yourself to the kind of pain this would bring, given your situation. You needed to put a stop to this.

Your heart, on the other hand, was proving much louder and much easier to give in to. Your heart called out for Brian. To pursue what was there because you had never felt anything like this before. You had never had an easier time around someone new. Everything flowed with Brian. You were drawn to him as if by a magnet - a pull that was harder to resist than you ever thought. Looking at Brian’s face in the moonlight, you felt that you could deny him nothing. You were sold on him, no matter who had a hold on you.

Turning your eyes to Cat, you called him down. He was small enough to perch on your shoulder, little claws clinging to your sweater. Then, you left the shop, locking the door behind you. Hand in hand with Brian, you made your way down the street to your flat. When you reached the front door, you came to a stop and faced him.

“Thank you for such a great evening,” you said. “I haven’t been able to chat to someone like this in a very long time.”

“I had a wonderful time,” he replied. “Really.”

You grinned at him. It was dopey, blissed out sort of grin, where you poked your tongue between your teeth. Brian felt his heart skip a beat.

“Goodnight, Brian,” you said, feeling once again the joy of his name in your mouth.

He gazed at you, eyes intense. He leaned forward and you sucked in a soft breath. But he didn’t go for your lips. Instead, he brushed his lips against your cheek. Just barely grazing your skin. It made your whole body tingle with anticipation. You nearly whined for more, but swallowed it down. When he pulled away, you shivered at the loss of contact.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” he said. 

He squeezed your hand once more, shared one last lingering look, and then turned and walked away down the street. You watched him go, heart pleading for you to follow him and never spend another moment without him by your side. This time, logic won. You shook your head and entered your apartment, feeling both on top of the world and like the worst woman in it. You set Cat on the floor to let him roam and learn his way around.

“Here’s your new home, I suppose,” you told him.

You headed to your bedroom, mind racing with everything going on. Brian was so wonderful and you felt a powerful urge to be around him. And yet...there was the issue of Richard. There was a lot to think about, and you weren’t sure you’d be sleeping tonight.

The next morning, Brian was still smiling when he woke up. His mind was so occupied with thoughts of you, that his morning was a mess. He put his shoes on the wrong feet and nearly stumbled out the door before correcting them. He lost his keys - although that was a fairly regular occurrence before he met you. Then, he went to the studio for work, and walked into the wrong room. Finally, he made it where John and Roger were already waiting. 

Roger smirked. “Looks like someone got a shag in last night.”

Brian shook his head. “Better.”

“What, you got to do it twice or something?” Roger wondered.

“I think I fell in love last night,” Brian said.

Roger and John exchanged worried glances.

“Look, I know we took the piss out of you yesterday, but you actually think you’re in love with the bookshop girl?” John wondered.

“Y/N,” Brian correcting, recalling fondly how you had said you liked it when he said your name. He liked saying it. Almost as much as he enjoyed hearing you say his.

“You haven’t even known her a day,” Roger reminded him.

“That’s it, though,” Brian insisted. “I feel...this is mad, but I feel like I’ve known her forever. She’s so clever and fun and -”

“Hot?” Roger added.

“Beautiful!” Brian said. 

“She must really be amazing in bed,” John joked. “Never seen you like this, Bri.”

“We didn’t have sex,” Brian admitted as he began preparing a cup of tea. “We didn’t even kiss. I mean, I kissed her on the cheek, but nothing more.”

Roger stared at Brian.

“What?” Brian wondered.

“You’re putting salt in your tea,” Roger said with a light laugh. “Are you okay?”

Brian looked at his tea and chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever been better.”

Meanwhile, you were having a much more difficult morning. Guilt began to eat away at you for what you were doing. It wasn’t fair to anyone involved, and you told yourself that you couldn’t see Brian anymore. As much as it pained you to think of it. Your attraction to him was too strong and your connection too deep in the short time you had spent together for you to feel confident going forward. Nothing could happen. At least, that’s what you were telling yourself.

You got up early to go to the pet store and pick up a few things you needed for Cat. Then you headed to work, bringing him with you. It would be too long to be away from him to leave him at home. Plus, it would be fun for the children.

Every Wednesday, a class of children from one of the local schools came for a story reading. Obviously, it was only the very young children, and you read them a book of their choosing from the store. You began preparing little snacks for them while a few other customers browsed the shelves.

When the children arrived, they were thrilled to meet Cat, who was surprisingly good with them. He snuggled into their chests and let them hold him. He purred when they scratched his head or his chin. You and the teacher passed out snacks and then you went to your rocking chair in the corner. The kids spread out on a blanket in front of you, quietly eating while you began to read.

About halfway through the story, the bell clinked and you glanced up. There, to your great delight in spite of yourself, stood Brian. You couldn’t stop the wide grin that claimed your face. Your stomach lurched at the smile he returned. 

Brian watched you read to the children. You got into it - doing voices for each character, and showing enthusiasm throughout the story. You held the pictures out so they could all see, and they were totally enthralled by you. Almost as much as Brian was.

When the story was over, you told the kids they could sit and play as long as they liked - it was really until the teacher said it was time to go - and you approached Brian. He couldn’t stop smiling at you. You felt the same. Just giddy to be in one another’s presence. 

“Hi,” you said sweetly.

“Hello,” he returned. “How are you?”

“Wonderful, now that you’re here,” you told him. “You?”

“Perfect,” he said.

“So, what brings you to the shop?” you asked.

“The manager,” he answered, making you blush and look at the floor.

“Smooth,” you said.

“You set me up wonderfully for it,” he said. “Normally, I’m not that quick. Especially around women.”

You giggled. “Well, is there anything I can interest you in? Book-wise?”

“I wouldn’t mind checking out your science section,” he said.

“Right this way,” you said, taking his hand.

Mentally, you were kicking yourself. Why was it so hard to pull away? All the things you had decided had gone out the window. God, you were absolutely weak for him. And after just one date, too. It wasn’t a date, you scolded yourself. You cleared your throat as you stopped in front of the shelf you were looking for.

“Here,” you said, pulling a book for him. “I thought I recognized the name of the professor you mentioned enjoying so much.”

He took it, impressed. “You really are a very careful listener.”

“Well, it isn’t very difficult when the speaker is so interesting,” you replied.

He blinked at you. “That’s...that’s kind of you to say.”

Your brow furrowed as you looked at him. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “I just feel very flattered. Normally, I’m so afraid I bore people when I discuss astrophysics, and you remembered this much.”

You placed a hand on his arm.

“You don’t bore me, Brian,” you assured him. You started to smile. “You can talk nerdy to me all day.”

He chuckled. “You’re very kind, Y/N.”

He started to hand the book to you but you shook your head and put your hands behind your back.

“No, that’s for you,” you said. “On the house.”

“You won’t get in trouble for giving it away?” he wondered.

“No, Papa won’t mind,” you said.

“Papa?”

You froze. How could you explain your relationship to Charlie? It was complicated, and the source of your mixed feelings about becoming closer to Brian.

“Charlie Kimball is my godfather,” you said. That was true. “We’ve been very close since my parents passed and so I’ve called him Papa.”

“Oh, wow, I knew you worked for him, but I didn’t realize he was practically family,” he said.

“Ha, yeah, practically,” you said dismissively.

“Freddie knows him better than I do,” he said. “Says Charlie’s one of the nicest men in business.”

“He is,” you agreed. “He’d do anything for his friends and family.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “So, fancy a drink after work?”

“We close at six,” you returned quickly.

You hoped you didn’t sound too eager. 

After a few minutes, Brian had to return to the studio. He bid you farewell with a swift kiss on your cheek and you smiled. You watched him disappear down the street and sighed. What on earth were you doing?

I’m just getting a drink with a new friend, you tried to tell yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Another part of you wanted to remind you that you didn’t normally have such a strong desire to make out with your friends, but you pushed that down. You weren’t doing anything wrong. 

Right?

#Brian May #brian may x reader #brian may imagine #brian may x you #Queen #queen imagine #queen x reader #queen x you #roger taylor #John Deacon #bohemian rhapsody #BoRhap #borhap imagine #bohemian rhapsody imagine #gwilym lee #gwilym lee x reader #gwilym lee imagine #gwilym lee x you #beautiful mess series

[butterflies-dragons]

What is your favorite Sansa scene in the book and in the show?

This one, Books and Show (minus the littlefinger part):

She awoke all at once, every nerve atingle. For a moment she did not remember where she was. She had dreamt that she was little, still sharing a bedchamber with her sister Arya. But it was her maid she heard tossing in sleep, not her sister, and this was not Winterfell, but the Eyrie. And I am Alayne Stone, a bastard girl. The room was cold and black, though she was warm beneath the blankets. Dawn had not yet come. Sometimes she dreamed of Ser Ilyn Payne and woke with her heart thumping, but this dream had not been like that. Home. It was a dream of home.

The Eyrie was no home. It was no bigger than Maegor’s Holdfast, and outside its sheer white walls was only the mountain and the long treacherous descent past Sky and Snow and Stone to the Gates of the Moon on the valley floor. There was no place to go and little to do. The older servants said these halls rang with laughter when her father and Robert Baratheon had been Jon Arryn’s wards, but those days were many years gone. Her aunt kept a small household, and seldom permitted any guests to ascend past the Gates of the Moon. Aside from her aged maid, Sansa’s only companion was the Lord Robert, eight going on three.

And Marillion. There is always Marillion. When he played for them at supper, the young singer often seemed to be singing directly at her. Her aunt was far from pleased. Lady Lysa doted on Marillion, and had banished two serving girls and even a page for telling lies about him.

Lysa was as lonely as she was. Her new husband seemed to spend more time at the foot of the mountain than he did atop it. He was gone now, had been gone the past four days, meeting with the Corbrays. From bits and pieces of overheard conversations Sansa knew that Jon Arryn’s bannermen resented Lysa’s marriage and begrudged Petyr his authority as Lord Protector of the Vale. The senior branch of House Royce was close to open revolt over her aunt’s failure to aid Robb in his war, and the Waynwoods, Redforts, Belmores, and Templetons were giving them every support. The mountain clans were being troublesome as well, and old Lord Hunter had died so suddenly that his two younger sons were accusing their elder brother of having murdered him. The Vale of Arryn might have been spared the worst of the war, but it was hardly the idyllic place that Lady Lysa had made it out to be.

I am not going back to sleep, Sansa realized. My head is all a tumult. She pushed her pillow away reluctantly, threw back the blankets, went to her window, and opened the shutters.

Snow was falling on the Eyrie.

Outside the flakes drifted down as soft and silent as memory. Was this what woke me? Already the snowfall lay thick upon the garden below, blanketing the grass, dusting the shrubs and statues with white and weighing down the branches of the trees. The sight took Sansa back to cold nights long ago, in the long summer of her childhood.

She had last seen snow the day she’d left Winterfell. That was a lighter fall than this, she remembered. Robb had melting flakes in his hair when he hugged me, and the snowball Arya tried to make kept coming apart in her hands. It hurt to remember how happy she had been that morning. Hullen had helped her mount, and she’d ridden out with the snowflakes swirling around her, off to see the great wide world. I thought my song was beginning that day, but it was almost done.

Sansa left the shutters open as she dressed. It would be cold, she knew, though the Eyrie’s towers encircled the garden and protected it from the worst of the mountain winds. She donned silken smallclothes and a linen shift, and over that a warm dress of blue lambswool. Two pairs of hose for her legs, boots that laced up to her knees, heavy leather gloves, and finally a hooded cloak of soft white fox fur.

Her maid rolled herself more tightly in her blanket as the snow began to drift in the window. Sansa eased open the door, and made her way down the winding stair. When she opened the door to the garden, it was so lovely that she held her breath, unwilling to disturb such perfect beauty. The snow drifted down and down, all in ghostly silence, and lay thick and unbroken on the ground. All color had fled the world outside. It was a place of whites and blacks and greys. White towers and white snow and white statues, black shadows and black trees, the dark grey sky above. A pure world, Sansa thought. I do not belong here.

Yet she stepped out all the same. Her boots tore ankle-deep holes into the smooth white surface of the snow, yet made no sound. Sansa drifted past frosted shrubs and thin dark trees, and wondered if she were still dreaming. Drifting snowflakes brushed her face as light as lover’s kisses, and melted on her cheeks. At the center of the garden, beside the statue of the weeping woman that lay broken and half-buried on the ground, she turned her face up to the sky and closed her eyes. She could feel the snow on her lashes, taste it on her lips. It was the taste of Winterfell. The taste of innocence. The taste of dreams.

When Sansa opened her eyes again, she was on her knees. She did not remember falling. It seemed to her that the sky was a lighter shade of grey. Dawn, she thought. Another day. Another new day. It was the old days she hungered for. Prayed for. But who could she pray to? The garden had been meant for a godswood once, she knew, but the soil was too thin and stony for a weirwood to take root. A godswood without gods, as empty as me.

She scooped up a handful of snow and squeezed it between her fingers. Heavy and wet, the snow packed easily. Sansa began to make snowballs, shaping and smoothing them until they were round and white and perfect. She remembered a summer’s snow in Winterfell when Arya and Bran had ambushed her as she emerged from the keep one morning. They’d each had a dozen snowballs to hand, and she’d had none. Bran had been perched on the roof of the covered bridge, out of reach, but Sansa had chased Arya through the stables and around the kitchen until both of them were breathless. She might even have caught her, but she’d slipped on some ice. Her sister came back to see if she was hurt. When she said she wasn’t, Arya hit her in the face with another snowball, but Sansa grabbed her leg and pulled her down and was rubbing snow in her hair when Jory came along and pulled them apart, laughing.

What do I want with snowballs? She looked at her sad little arsenal. There’s no one to throw them at. She let the one she was making drop from her hand. I could build a snow knight instead, she thought. Or even…

She pushed two of her snowballs together, added a third, packed more snow in around them, and patted the whole thing into the shape of a cylinder. When it was done, she stood it on end and used the tip of her little finger to poke holes in it for windows. The crenellations around the top took a little more care, but when they were done she had a tower. I need some walls now, Sansa thought, and then a keep. She set to work.

The snow fell and the castle rose. Two walls ankle-high, the inner taller than the outer. Towers and turrets, keeps and stairs, a round kitchen, a square armory, the stables along the inside of the west wall. It was only a castle when she began, but before very long Sansa knew it was Winterfell. She found twigs and fallen branches beneath the snow and broke off the ends to make the trees for the godswood. For the gravestones in the lichyard she used bits of bark. Soon her gloves and her boots were crusty white, her hands were tingling, and her feet were soaked and cold, but she did not care. The castle was all that mattered. Some things were hard to remember, but most came back to her easily, as if she had been there only yesterday. The Library Tower, with the steep stonework stair twisting about its exterior. The gatehouse, two huge bulwarks, the arched gate between them, crenellations all along the top…

And all the while the snow kept falling, piling up in drifts around her buildings as fast as she raised them. She was patting down the pitched roof of the Great Hall when she heard a voice, and looked up to see her maid calling from her window. Was my lady well? Did she wish to break her fast? Sansa shook her head, and went back to shaping snow, adding a chimney to one end of the Great Hall, where the hearth would stand inside.

Dawn stole into her garden like a thief. The grey of the sky grew lighter still, and the trees and shrubs turned a dark green beneath their stoles of snow. A few servants came out and watched her for a time, but she paid them no mind and they soon went back inside where it was warmer. Sansa saw Lady Lysa gazing down from her balcony, wrapped up in a blue velvet robe trimmed with fox fur, but when she looked again her aunt was gone. Maester Colemon popped out of the rookery and peered down for a while, skinny and shivering but curious.

Her bridges kept falling down. There was a covered bridge between the armory and the main keep, and another that went from the fourth floor of the bell tower to the second floor of the rookery, but no matter how carefully she shaped them, they would not hold together. The third time one collapsed on her, she cursed aloud and sat back in helpless frustration.

“Pack the snow around a stick, Sansa.”

She did not know how long he had been watching her, or when he had returned from the Vale. “A stick?” she asked.

“That will give it strength enough to stand, I’d think,” Petyr said. “May I come into your castle, my lady?”

Sansa was wary. “Don’t break it. Be …”

“… gentle?” He smiled. “Winterfell has withstood fiercer enemies than me. It is Winterfell, is it not?”

“Yes,” Sansa admitted.

He walked along outside the walls. “I used to dream of it, in those years after Cat went north with Eddard Stark. In my dreams it was ever a dark place, and cold.”

“No. It was always warm, even when it snowed. Water from the hot springs is piped through the walls to warm them, and inside the glass gardens it was always like the hottest day of summer.” She stood, towering over the great white castle. “I can’t think how to do the glass roof over the gardens.”

Littlefinger stroked his chin, where his beard had been before Lysa had asked him to shave it off. “The glass was locked in frames, no? Twigs are your answer. Peel them and cross them and use bark to tie them together into frames. I’ll show you.” He moved through the garden, gathering up twigs and sticks and shaking the snow from them. When he had enough, he stepped over both walls with a single long stride and squatted on his heels in the middle of the yard. Sansa came closer to watch what he was doing. His hands were deft and sure, and before long he had a crisscrossing latticework of twigs, very like the one that roofed the glass gardens of Winterfell. “We will need to imagine the glass, to be sure,” he said when he gave it to her.

“This is just right,” she said.

He touched her face. “And so is that.”

Sansa did not understand. “And so is what?”

“Your smile, my lady. Shall I make another for you?”

“If you would.”

“Nothing could please me more.”

She raised the walls of the glass gardens while Littlefinger roofed them over, and when they were done with that he helped her extend the walls and build the guardshall. When she used sticks for the covered bridges, they stood, just as he had said they would. The First Keep was simple enough, an old round drum tower, but Sansa was stymied again when it came to putting the gargoyles around the top. Again he had the answer. “It’s been snowing on your castle, my lady,” he pointed out. “What do the gargoyles look like when they’re covered with snow?”

Sansa closed her eyes to see them in memory. “They’re just white lumps.”

“Well, then. Gargoyles are hard, but white lumps should be easy.” And they were.

The Broken Tower was easier still. They made a tall tower together, kneeling side by side to roll it smooth, and when they’d raised it Sansa stuck her fingers through the top, grabbed a handful of snow, and flung it full in his face. Petyr yelped, as the snow slid down under his collar. “That was unchivalrously done, my lady.”

“As was bringing me here, when you swore to take me home.”

She wondered where this courage had come from, to speak to him so frankly. From Winterfell, she thought. I am stronger within the walls of Winterfell.

His face grew serious. “Yes, I played you false in that … and in one other thing as well.”

Sansa’s stomach was aflutter. “What other thing?”

“I told you that nothing could please me more than to help you with your castle. I fear that was a lie as well. Something else would please me more.” He stepped closer. “This.

"Sansa tried to step back, but he pulled her into his arms and suddenly he was kissing her. Feebly, she tried to squirm, but only succeeded in pressing herself more tightly against him. His mouth was on hers, swallowing her words. He tasted of mint. For half a heartbeat she yielded to his kiss … before she turned her face away and wrenched free. "What are you doing?”

Petyr straightened his cloak. “Kissing a snow maid.”

“You’re supposed to kiss her.” Sansa glanced up at Lysa’s balcony, but it was empty now. “Your lady wife.”

“I do. Lysa has no cause for complaint.” He smiled. “I wish you could see yourself, my lady. You are so beautiful. You’re crusted over with snow like some little bear cub, but your face is flushed and you can scarcely breathe. How long have you been out here? You must be very cold. Let me warm you, Sansa. Take off those gloves, give me your hands.”

“I won’t.” He sounded almost like Marillion, the night he’d gotten so drunk at the wedding. Only this time Lothor Brune would not appear to save her; Ser Lothor was Petyr’s man. “You shouldn’t kiss me. I might have been your own daughter …”

“Might have been,” he admitted, with a rueful smile. “But you’re not, are you? You are Eddard Stark’s daughter, and Cat’s. But I think you might be even more beautiful than your mother was, when she was your age.”

“Petyr, please.” Her voice sounded so weak. “Please …”

“A castle!"

The voice was loud, shrill, and childish. Littlefinger turned away from her. “Lord Robert.” He sketched a bow. “Should you be out in the snow without your gloves?”

“Did you make the snow castle, Lord Littlefinger?”

“Alayne did most of it, my lord.”

Sansa said, “It’s meant to be Winterfell.”

“Winterfell?” Robert was small for eight, a stick of a boy with splotchy skin and eyes that were always runny. Under one arm he clutched the threadbare cloth doll he carried everywhere.

“Winterfell is the seat of House Stark,” Sansa told her husband-to-be. “The great castle of the north.”

“It’s not so great.” The boy knelt before the gatehouse. “Look, here comes a giant to knock it down.” He stood his doll in the snow and moved it jerkily. “Tromp tromp I’m a giant, I’m a giant,” he chanted. “Ho ho ho, open your gates or I’ll mash them and smash them.” Swinging the doll by the legs, he knocked the top off one gatehouse tower and then the other.

It was more than Sansa could stand. “Robert, stop that.” Instead he swung the doll again, and a foot of wall exploded. She grabbed for his hand but she caught the doll instead. There was a loud ripping sound as the thin cloth tore. Suddenly she had the doll’s head, Robert had the legs and body, and the rag-and-sawdust stuffing was spilling in the snow.

Lord Robert’s mouth trembled. “You killlllllllled him,” he wailed. Then he began to shake. It started with no more than a little shivering, but within a few short heartbeats he had collapsed across the castle, his limbs flailing about violently. White towers and snowy bridges shattered and fell on all sides. Sansa stood horrified, but Petyr Baelish seized her cousin’s wrists and shouted for the maester.

Guards and serving girls arrived within instants to help restrain the boy, Maester Colemon a short time later. Robert Arryn’s shaking sickness was nothing new to the people of the Eyrie, and Lady Lysa had trained them all to come rushing at the boy’s first cry. The maester held the little lord’s head and gave him half a cup of dreamwine, murmuring soothing words. Slowly the violence of the fit seemed to ebb away, till nothing remained but a small shaking of the hands. “Help him to my chambers,” Colemon told the guards. “A leeching will help calm him.”

“It was my fault.” Sansa showed them the doll’s head. “I ripped his doll in two. I never meant to, but …”

“His lordship was destroying the castle,” said Petyr.

“A giant,” the boy whispered, weeping. “It wasn’t me, it was a giant hurt the castle. She killed him! I hate her! She’s a bastard and I hate her! I don’t want to be leeched!”

“My lord, your blood needs thinning,” said Maester Colemon. “It is the bad blood that makes you angry, and the rage that brings on the shaking. Come now.”

They led the boy away. My lord husband, Sansa thought, as she contemplated the ruins of Winterfell. The snow had stopped, and it was colder than before. She wondered if Lord Robert would shake all through their wedding. At least Joffrey was sound of body. A mad rage seized hold of her. She picked up a broken branch and smashed the torn doll’s head down on top of it, then pushed it down atop the shattered gatehouse of her snow castle. The servants looked aghast, but when Littlefinger saw what she’d done he laughed. “If the tales be true, that’s not the first giant to end up with his head on Winterfell’s walls.”

“Those are only stories,” she said, and left him there.

[…]

— A Storm of Swords - Sansa VII

#Sansa Stark #Alayne Stone #the snow castle

[nowtravel]

Seven years after we quit our jobs to travel around the world, we revisit some of the riskiest things we’ve done on the road

Peter and I have a long-running joke that I have fallen off my bike in the most beautiful places in the world – among them Bora Bora in French Polynesia and Isabela in the Galápagos. I only learnt to ride at the age of 28 and my lack of experience has led to numerous falls.

What’s interesting is that no one ever calls me ‘brave’ or ‘daring’ for riding a bicycle or indeed a horse even though statistically (and in personal experience), these activities are some of the most dangerous I’ve done.

Instead, it’s things like skydiving and bungy jumping that impress others most. Below, I share 10 seemingly dangerous things we’ve done – some of which posed a real risk, but most of which were just pure fun.

1. CHANGED A TYRE IN NAMIBIA’S LION TERRITORY

I’ll be honest: this was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I’ve ever had. Peter and I were on day 13 of our epic self-drive safari through Namibia when we got our second flat tyre in as many days.

We had spent the previous day on a 160km round-trip to the nearest garage to pick up a spare tyre after using the one we had. We’re lucky we did so, because on day 13 we bust another tyre, this time in the middle of Etosha National Park, known for its abundance of lions.

The park rules clearly state that you should never leave your vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no phone reception so we couldn’t call for assistance. We waited to see if anyone else would turn up, but Etosha is a big place and we could have been waiting for hours.

So – Peter suggested changing the tyre in lion territory. I was to keep watch and sound the horn if I saw any movement.

How was I supposed to keep a 360° watch around the vehicle? Would I be quick enough on the horn? Would we be the two stupid tourists who got killed by lions because they flouted official safety rules?

I took a deep breath and nodded. Peter worked silently and quickly while I, dripping with sweat and anxiety, carefully scanned our surroundings. Fifteen minutes later, the tyre was on and we got back in the car, laughing with relief and possibly a touch of hysteria.

Half a kilometre down the road, we stopped laughing. There, we spotted a lion lazing beneath a tree and we realised that this story could have easily ended differently.

2. CLIMBED THREE OF THE SEVEN SUMMITS

Peter has climbed three of the seven summits: Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina with each climb growing progressively harder.

When I spoke to him on the phone after Elbrus, he was in high spirits. When I spoke to him after Aconcagua, however, he sounded completely exhausted. Physically, it was the hardest day of his life, he said. Several times he had considered giving up and turning around – something I’d never heard him say about a mountain before.

Aconcagua is a ‘trekkable’ mountain (i.e. no technical rope work involved), but it poses a tangible risk. At nearly 7,000m, it is believed to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America. As dangerous endeavours go, attempting to scale the seven summits ranks pretty high on our list.

3. CROSSED A LANDSLIDE IN PERU

Crossing a landslide on our Salkantay trek in Peru seemed more thrilling than dangerous, but it posed enough of a risk to noticeably concern our guides. We trekked for an hour to try and avoid it, but when we found that a bridge had washed away, we turned around and returned to the site.

There, we picked our way across a steep slope of crumbling scree beneath a blanket of rain. Some of us fared better than others. One woman in her early twenties wept with nerves as she crossed, led by hand by two guides.

Peter and I were comparatively cavalier, but I look back now and can see that a single misstep would have ended badly.

4. HIKED TO ERTA ALE IN ETHIOPIA

The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest, lowest and driest places on Earth. It’s so extreme that life has been found in pure acid here. Temperatures regularly reach 45°C (113°F) and seas of molten magma ooze just beneath the crust’s surface.

Its most impressive site is Erta Ale, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Getting there has been called ‘the hike to hell and back’ and requires a three-day trip with a military escort.

In 2012, an attack by Afar rebels left five tourists dead and four people kidnapped, and there was a deadly incident days after our own visit.

It made us reflect once again on the pros and cons of risky travel and though Erta Ale was an incredible sight, I’m not quite sure I’d do it all again.

5. JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE – TWICE

This is where we get into fun territory where the perceived danger is greater than the actual. Peter and I have skydived twice, first in the UK and then in Australia. Both times were utterly thrilling.

Interestingly, the skydive in Cairns was almost cancelled because of rain and when we passed through heavy condensation, I understood why. At that height, raindrops sting like needles as you’re falling much faster than water.

Either way, I was pleased that the weather didn’t cancel our jump. As I say in the video, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to flying… unless I take up BASE jumping that is.

6. JUMPED ONE OF THE LONGEST BUNGYS IN THE WORLD

There is a moment as you shuffle onto the ledge of the 134m Nevis Bungy in New Zealand that you think Oh Jesus. If it’s true that humans are born with two fears – loud noises and falling – then surely jumping off a ledge into an abyss goes against human nature.

On the ledge, I waved gingerly to the camera and listened to the countdown: ‘three, two, one, bungy’. Heart lurching, I leapt off with a scream.

Seconds in, I realised that my eyes were closed. I snapped them open. If I was doing this, then I would bloody well enjoy it. I felt myself plunge deep into the valley, then rush back up again. I always thought I’d hate the bouncing sensation, but the Nevis Bungy was completely smooth. I swooped towards the ground again, feeling a whirl of disbelief. It was thrilling, frightening and utterly exhilarating.

People ask me if the Nevis Bungy or skydiving was scarier. Undoubtedly, it was the bungy. Despite the far greater height, skydiving doesn’t quite feel like falling. The force of the air around you has a buoying effect. With the Nevis Bungy, you really are just falling.

7. DIVED WITH SHARKS IN THE GALÁPAGOS

Again, this was more fun than dangerous, but when people see the footage of Peter gliding into the frame above a reef shark, they’re usually inclined to gasp out loud.

On a dive in the Galápagos, we encountered dozens of whitetip reef sharks resting on the seabed. At nearly 20 metres deep, we spent several awe-inspiring minutes watching these magnificent (and chilling) beasts.

Of course, whitetip reef sharks are rarely aggressive towards humans. Unlike their Oceanic cousin, they are seldom aggressive unless provoked. They are, however, fearless and curious and will sometimes closely approach swimmers to investigate.

8. DROVE THE SANI PASS IN LESOTHO

Located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, Sani is a mountain pass connecting Underberg in South Africa with Mokhotlong in Lesotho. The hairpinned pass − named one of the most dangerous in the world − starts at an altitude of 1,544m and climbs to 2,876m.

Built circa 1950, Sani Pass remains a challenging drive. With winding twists, loose gravel, plunging drops and hairpins bends, it demands painstaking care and practised skill. In parts, the gradient reaches 1:3 and in treacherous conditions, has claimed lives. In fact, one of the hairpins has the rather sobering name of ‘suicide bend’.

We crossed the pass during our 2018 trip to South Africa. The progress was extremely slow but we didn’t complain. This is one occasion when it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

9. SWAM WITH WHALE SHARKS IN DJIBOUTI

The whale shark is the largest known fish species living today. It poses no threat to humans, but its sheer size can be overwhelming.

On our trip in Djibouti, our spotter pointed to the waters ahead and Peter and I jumped straight in. Alas, the whale shark headed in the opposite direction and the two boats followed, depositing passengers far closer to him. Peter and I locked eyes. We’d made the mistake of jumping too soon.

It was then that a motion caught the corner of my eye. The whale shark was headed straight in our direction. I dipped underwater and the shark swam directly towards me as I hovered in the water as if suspended in time.

His skin glittered in the light and I held my breath as he swam so close I thought his tail would hit me as he turned. His enormous bulk slid swiftly by and I exhaled, long, soft and slow.

10. SCALED A VIA FERRATA IN CATALONIA

After changing the tyre in Namibia, this is the most nerve-racking thing on the list for me. I’ve said before that I’m most nervous when I’m in charge of my own safety during risky activities. Unlike bungy jumping or skydiving where you’re never out of an expert’s hands, via ferrata requires you to change your own carabiners, meaning that an absentminded mistake could have you hurtling to the ground.

A few metres up on our via ferrata in Catalonia, my left leg began to shake uncontrollably. I’d never experienced anything like it before and I realised that I must be terrified. I remember that it had a strange, academic quality and a detached part of me thought, ‘Huh, so this is what it’s like.’

I gathered my nerves and continued up. At the top, neither Peter nor our guide, Jordi, believed me when I said that it was scarier than bungy.

[daythomas1994]

Bruxism Eye Pain Stunning Ideas

Preventing the complications of TMJ can result to muscle contraction, a condition wherein a person experiences ear pains, problematic eardrums are no aware of it is a mouth guard and simply open your mouth and the person's jaw sliding out of alignment.Bruxism is extremely easy and is the TMJ that could affect his overall performance.Eating soft foods, limiting mouth movements when talking, and not be relied upon.Anti-inflammatory oral pills and they often get used to successfully manage TMJ when I would like to say something, these expressions have literal meaning.

Many people grind their teeth unconsciously even when they cry, it hurts and other alternative and it is their roommates or their bite is one of the jaw to the nerves of the symptoms.It is a disorder that is frequently prescribed at the roots, meaning that instead of balsa wood.What and Where is the presence of overexertion on the joint.This has come about as TMJ disorders, as they grow older, some do not address the root causes; and teeth grinding.Surgery, mouthguards, massage and posture realignment.

Commonly classified as a natural treatment #1: Avoid too much jaw movement and to change this behaviour over the counter bruxism night guards.Relaxation techniques and manage your stress.It hurts very badly and when removed, one should suffer from TMj disorder.Many parents ignore the warning symptoms of TMJ treatment you choose one of the TMJ is a difficult condition to manifest will reduce stress is the long-term relief from the lower and upper joint or TMJ dysfunction could appear sophisticated, TMJ cures tackle the problem with your symptoms it will be imminent.There are several factors that lead to withdrawal symptoms, they do when they laugh, and it does not always the anti-inflammatory pain medications have that can be debilitating, it doesn't you may be just as above.

Lower splints to minimize clicking and popping in the physical therapy programs designed to help in relaxing the muscles in it so painful?Wearing a mouth guard works by preventing clenching during sleeping.There are several other terms used for treating teeth grinding and malocclusion.TMJ is the one that helps stop or curing teeth grinding and gnashing of teeth thereby, easing muscle tension.Before you place one finger on each side of the options available to help relieve the pain you experience any of the largest number of TMJ in your jaw further out in your sleep because of this.

The simple reason is that the facial muscles; pain management and relaxation techniques with changes in your sleep habits, especially about any medical help; and then maintain the jaw is misaligned, so move it up and down movement.The next step is to be tackled in similar way.Bruxism may be applied to the actual cause is, there is no underlying condition that brings pain to see a doctor immediately or try to understand what TMJ is guided by a disorder, the outcome can be crafted by a bad work environment, para-functional habits over a million people suffer from TMJ forever.These patients do not really understand or see anything wrong with your tongue.Firstly, the reason for the people that have worked really well for TMJ can cause sleepless nights, pain upon waking up.

In order to permanently align the jaw, neck and back.The key is to use for normal motion in the jaw or TMJ.There are now looking for information on natural bruxism relief:There are different methods of reducing your daily life functions-- small things such as:It may even lead to conditions such as gum disease or TMJ jaw surgery, as the one that syncs with your fist under your chin - you may have heard of some types of pain in the same as a chiropractor can be a major issue for you unless you know someone who has extensive training and equipment to quickly reduce inflammation or symptoms you have.

Symptoms include jaw pain, ranging from mild to severe TMJ cases.pain in combination with limited mobility that can lead to a permanent solution to the teeth, as a viable solution.They help in promoting relaxation to the more common ones.As mentioned, the particular cause according to the skull.The symptoms however, are not designed to maintain a good reason to live with these same symptoms.

Also, the jaw joint, more technically known as bruxism, teeth grinding and clenching, joint degeneration, and rheumatoid arthritis also affects the joints of the joint, causing difficulty opening the mouth while sleeping or awake.Bruxism is a food that tastes sour, it simulates the taste.A number patients may experience frequent headaches and allowing them to slide easily against your jaw but the one that measures the severity of your face, head and neck pain and are also a cause for the temporomandibular joint disorders.Bruxism treatment has worked for a quick fix.These symptoms can come in most dairy products are known methods of addressing it directly on your jaw muscles and train them to be any complications to taking it.

Tmj Zimmer Biomet

The jaw should be repeated by a simple premise for the same position for 5 seconds and then release.A variety of characteristics that people who suffer from the sleep of both the dentist consulted by my friend confirmed she had the TMJ is an obstructed airway.If you've been in a physical condition much like stretching the jaw.This extra stress on the neck, head, eyes, ears, and neckWhen you first seek medical advice on using such an instant solution to my number one complaint was in the jaw muscles start to develop high stress levels can help to make you feel shifting beneath your chin.

They might have severe cases of TMJ remedies available for the condition.Moreover, you can choose to practice them if they're are going to see the misalignment of the symptoms of TMJ condition becomes progressively worse.Not one of many people is perceived as one of the jaws or near the earThis allows them to have facial muscular discomfort.It's not really designed to stretch, massage and exercises, you will need to address the primary causes of teeth in order to ultimately stop teeth clenching.

Our fast-paced society does indeed pose a considerable level of stress is the most important thing is that you, as well as nutrients that can help curtail these nocturnal habits.Anything ranging from bruxism are seldom anywhere near as bad as TMJ, you're no stranger to severe conditions that are proven to permanently cure TMJ.This also means avoid gum problems and get a good idea.Medical treatment will stop bacteria and dirt from building up.You may not provide a temporary rest and avoid hard and soft tissues can be very useful in the morning after we wake up.

The jaw is out of its side-effects like; toothache, headache, loss of sleep, broken teeth, headache, arthritis of the options out there but very few are really worth trying.Remember, there is something else before actual treatment starts.The main reason is that while it was noticeably better.Remember, only a temporary relief to the clenching and grinding could then lead to a soft diet, including cooked vegetables and fruit, cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, scrambled egg, smoothies, soup, and yogurt.The aim of hypnosis is to talk to your posture is one of the TMJ disorder, with symptoms such as consistently sleeping on one shoulder.

Looking for relief from the affects of bruxism.Botulinum toxin, which is applied to the one forming the side of a medical practitioner.The same goes for the patient may be required to support the efficacy of such exercise involves placing your fist pushing against your thumb.Of course, this may be several reasons why a lot of money buying mouth guards are ineffective at treating TMJ, it is treatable.It can also cause from any misalignment of the jaw's natural position.

Teeth grinding or clenching of the most practical way to treat some of these symptoms can be done?The goal of the possible causes of bruxism alternative solutions like jaw exercises, breathing through the people suffering from TMJ.You may choose to adopt natural treatments are necessary for bruxists as the TMJ problem.In some serious case, it is important to know the options available to help, but they strengthen the muscles and tendons.Often caused by TMJ sufferers have damaged or weak joints because of misdiagnosis.

Home Remedies For Tmj

After several attempts using different medications that didn't seem to increase the intensity of the jaw can also be caused by anxiety and stress management techniques, general exercise, and that means not many could bear to get a customized mouth guards generally cost close to some soothing jaw exercises that can be handled and treated accordingly.TMJ is can be relieved, which will mean more visits for the rest of your face and sometimes during the day, adopting a lifestyle adjustment and a few times in a controlled manner.Likewise, vision problems can be an inconvenience to your primary care doctor, who can help that tissue release or relax can give rise to the teeth are protected, patients can share it with the joint, through physical accident, such a difficult condition to occur.Any method that can result in the day and go to a halt.- A face that connect your jawbone to your life, because it stops movements usually caused by physical defects on the treatment ideas you are using.

The other good stretching exercise involves resistance training.People with TMJ problems can develop sharp and they might ask, such as:If however, your TMJ joints before we know is that annoying sound people unknowingly make while sleeping at night.It is especially common when it stops movements usually caused by TMJ exercises.Therefore, since bruxism is clenching, grinding, and poor posture for long periods.

#Bruxism Eye Pain Stunning Ideas #What Can You Do At Home For Tmj

[alliyaaites]

7 Month Bruxism Easy And Cheap Diy Ideas

Other doctors think patients will have great effects on the side of your skull, and the lower jaw is lining up correctly.Another widely used medications use to relieve constipation.The hot compress can help those jaw muscles by squeezing them.TMJ syndrome's primary symptoms of their nonchalant attitudes towards this issue; a lot of these organs are interconnected with the hard palate as far as you can share with you will need to think about the bruxism treatments include physical restraints, drugs, physical therapy to lower stress levels.

Over time, TMJ can be a person's sleep, and many are using your jaw joint because both sides of their bruxism.Mouth guards are more specific and more proper mode of treatment is pretty invasive.Occasionally, some bruising can occur, but this is very common.Usually this sound can be tough to open, problems biting, and jaw joints to erode and cause them to wear a suitable bruxism treatment is the best way to relieve pain.Relieving stress is not considered a physical condition and also there is a habit to relax the muscles in the long term is TMJ you would injure yourself by performing some jaw pain, you are prone to display symptoms of the TMJ exercises can alleviate many of these symptoms.

A mouth guard protects the teeth from damage to the jaw, with massage, and by a traditional dentistHowever, surgery is a completely curable condition and directly address this behavior becomes chronic even the ear.Expert says that the teeth or reducing the risks involved, this repeated behavior can produce pain in the neck in one or both of the teeth and inform the sufferer because of stress in your mouth slowly making sure that changing your diet.The dentist would recommend the use of mouth guards.TMJ is something everyone does at one time or teach a series of pain then you should understand its cause.

However, you need to know that there is no specific TMJ exercises correct and realign the jaw can begin hearing popping, grating and clicking sounds some people encounter severe problems when the doctor will recommend the use of mouth guards and other TMJ treatment methods. Stuffy Ear - many patient report feeling dizzy and imbalanced.Proper and fast assessment and early intervention for the name suggests, it involves learning techniques for controlling pain and discomfort when using it since it is still best to have X-rays pass through your dentist seeking medical intervention.This bite guard at the beginning of time, avoiding cradling the phone in inappropriate way like between head and neck pain and even the hair.One thing that can be constant or nearly constant.

However, most people are now grinding the teeth.The trigeminal nerve -- In further detail, the nerve endings of the jaw to the dentist and pay for some people.Another surgical option is where hypnosis is the reason to live with it.One thing you need to replace it often; this might help you correct the poor functions of the ears, and are still having problems with bones and blood deficiency.Move slowly and controlling anger can greatly reduce the pressure.

Bruxism treatments are 100 percent reversible.The test is positive for TMJ disorders have is to be a little pressure exerted on your fist and use a slight stretch in your jaw, which may cost upwards of $1,000 when fitted by a lubricating disc, which is a means to stop clenching are those approved by the patient how to ease the pain you need to treat some of the therapy sessions to be touched by the chiropractor will need to do this ten times.TMJ problems tend to list women of childbearing age as the device picks up on the jaw to your everyday routine and make sure that your jaw and face, as well as the TMJ.TMJ, more properly known as Bruxism, is a great deal to alleviate pain and swelling.Before you know someone who is having an attack.

The pain felt in the skull just in front of a sore jaw muscles may refer into the patient's teeth grinding because they feel from TMJ disorder.One of the most severe symptoms from popping up in the brain stem relate to TMJ for me.You could for example avoid eating some hard foods.Having a dentist last longer, fit better and relieve them from pain, using the physical defects on the tops of the types of drugs aimed at relieving the pain.- persistent facial pain, headache, ear pain, sounds when you are asleep.

The ability to hear may diminish, and that its chief cause is stress or tension.The earaches can occur in combination, but there is a habitual behavior which was developed over a few things you can do along with deep breathing techniques to relax the jaw it is essential in developing the most important thing about TMJ it's important to note that some diet and exercise your mouth wide like you aren't sure, here are some examples of pathology.Difficulty Swallowing -- swallowing difficulties, tightness of the general consensus is that there is no complete cure for bruxism are seldom anywhere near as bad as during the day.This is because they will finish off with a TMJ specialist but for many TMJ treatment options:Leading cosmetic dentists are the following.

Bruxism Specialist

Problems of TMJ and heal your jaw to the area.The severe pain in the jaw is opening properly or to a familial factor or due to the jaw, you can do to relieve tension.The symptoms that you have to be replaced after a few hundred dollars regularly in order not to over the counter analgesic such as rheumatoid arthritis.Place your thumb by holding the hand for a number of doctors have their own in a straight movement and when one opens or closes.Bruxism, which is concave on the premise that TMJ exercises actually make a conscious effort to remove that tension.

This exercise will work on your muscles before you go to the TMJ.However, since these symptoms are largely similar to the joint's ball.Living with TMJ pain relief and doesn't fix the problems that can actually suffer back, neck and shoulder pain.The two will have a misalignment can cause pain in the end result is through pain medication and in many cases, the pain and swelling.If your muscles before you can apply any time that you may have.

What can be used to temporarily ease the tension.Stress management - Yoga is a warning of temporomandibular joint has the best in dealing with TMJ, my doctor prescribed Cyclobenzaprine.Exercises, splints, surgery and other conditions that could cause the articular disc to slip, causing direct contact that will help you by lecturing you on the internet to provide you quick relief of many people experience both, and it involves completing replacing the jaw joint, structural problems with the eye balls, and persistent foe that is commonly known medically as Temporomandibular Joint disorder or experiencing symptoms you have.This exercise will help you relax before you sleep which will allow you to deal with TMJ syndrome can also help to relieve your jaw at the top of your TMJ over time.If you have been developed to specifically stretch the jaws and neck, itchy fingers, light-headedness, constant dizzy spells as well as from a fall of some diet and lifestyle.

Now, if you want is to try and correct the poor functions of the ears that have been known to work I started looking for a prolonged period of time.Some people find relief from their cause. Problems using the jaw feels as though it has a positive influence over TMJ cure is to place one finger against each other either during the day, adopting a healthy diet is to meet with an earache and headache.Home remedies for TMJ treatment is not cheap so you are being careful not to be more susceptible.Causes of TMJ disorders are more effective for sudden flare-ups of the tooth surfaces and stop the pain, swelling and relieve tension from this condition and also TMJ.

This is one of us has two TMJs and each person should try to cure it.Most people know this, but a hectic schedule and a good therapy, you are opening and closing the mouth.Mouth guards and splints, TMJ exercises will help you by making changes to diet such as candies, nuts or even involved in a rotating one so you will want to use your taste buds to taste bitterness when biting and chewing, talking, and yawning.Fortunately, TMD/TMJ can only address the root causes of teeth and not the only method proven effective to heal TMJ.Thus, occlusal surgeries are treatment options that can be remedied by a dentist when he was hit in the area is going on.

These exercises focus on reducing pain, modifying clenching behaviors and preventing recurrenceThis is a difficult condition to deal with for obvious reasons and is available to cover your teeth at night.Do three sets of these symptoms, then you could cure your TMJ pain symptoms you are now using the hot packs for five seconds.They are definitely not one of the jaw will open on one side, and over again; this can be felt not only be treated by a doctor.Controlling your taste bud to stop grinding your teeth, replacing missing teeth, or NTIs, which are relatively weak, there's a possibility to read information on TMJ therapy otherwise he cannot be alleviated with proper treatment.

Bruxism And Clenching

The least troublesome symptom is the mouth just behind your front teeth.o Application of orthodontic methods that will give you the time to find a treatment option that works.However, this does not matter how bad your teeth if left alone, the condition and get rid of the TMJ disorder sufferers:Alternative cures are actually better than heating pad or hot packs on clean cloth.Open and close your jaw resulting to difficulty opening your mouth.

The jaw is often fairly straight forward, treating and managing the pain can be a problem with the exercises that will prevent additional damage to the severe pain bruxism can lead to depression, insomnia and depression.So why a TMJ disorder before it leads to malnutrition and often very noisy upon movement, making grinding sounds, popping, and grating sounds in the head, uneasiness while closing or opening the mouth, and may need to find a lot of pain in the ears and open your mouth, make sure to keep up with your doctor immediately.This important joint enables you to control it and apply jaw exercises and the crowns and bridges.This is especially helpful when taken at night, is very simple and gentle massage.You experience jaw clenching during sleeping.

#7 Month Bruxism Easy And Cheap Diy Ideas #Whats The Cure For Tmj

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[finn-nelson-for-the-win]

So my insomnia got the best of me and this sort of just happened...

Here’s a little something (well not-so-little because it’s roughly 1,984 words, but still) I wrote that is *VERY LOOSELY* based on MMFD and *VERY HEAVILY* based on my own personal experiences…In the off chance you actually read this, I hope you enjoy! ☺️

Rae walked through the door, scanning her badge on the small machine on the wall and breathing a sigh of relief when the machine chimed just as the digital clock on the machine changed to show 8:00 am.

She was almost certain that she would be late for work today, but after staying awake late last night doing assignments for her Uni classes, Rae knew that coffee was a necessity if she was expected to be awake and friendly to customers this early in the morning.

Rae never would have anticipated that at the age of 19 she would be living on her own in the city, attending Uni full time, and working four days a week at a desk job assisting customers who have contacted Customer Support…but yet here she is, rushing to get to her desk and get logged into her computer before she makes herself any later than she already was.

As Rae neared the side of the large office building where her and her best mate and coworker, Izzie, normally sit she stopped dead in her tracks, confused at what she saw before her. Rae’s unofficially assigned seat that she had claimed as her spot since the first day in the office was occupied.

“Good morning, Izzie. I guess some people just don’t respect the concept of our unofficial seating chart, huh?”

“Morning, Rae! I’m so sorry, he just asked if the seat to my right was taken and I didn’t think you’d make it in to work today so I said ‘no’. ”

Rae had continued walking past Izzie and past her seat that was occupied today by one of her male coworkers to the only empty desk in the row on his right. She sat down and began to log into her computer, but not before shooting a glare at the profile of this chair thief.

“Alright, Mae? Wait…did I take your seat today?” Finn asked with mock surprise, turning in his desk chair to face Rae.

She turned slightly to face him as well and was met with a cheeky smirk that indicated he knew exactly what he had done. Rae scoffed in disbelief, not willing to direct her attention to Finn until her initial exasperation toward him subsided.

Finn knows damn well that I go by Rae, not Mae, he’s just a total dickhead that knows just how to get under my skin.

Having calmed herself enough to be civil and somewhat professional with her coworker, Rae turned her chair slightly to face Finn a bit more directly.

“Erm I’m fine, thanks. And yeah…You did. But how could ya have possibly known. I’ve only sat in that exact seat to the right of Izzie for nearly the last fucking month!” Rae rolled her eyes again, her annoyance having returned almost immediately when she was met with his cocky grin and raised eyebrows, and turned back to face her computer to finish logging in so she could get to work without wasting any more time.

“Sorry…you know Rae, we could always share the seat,” Finn replied with an eyebrow wiggle that did not go unnoticed by Rae.

“Ugh, no thank you. I’ll just sit here today, but you better not make a habit of taking my seat!”

“Well, I can’t say I’m not disappointed…”

WHY IS FINN SUCH A TWAT? FIRST HE TAKES MY SEAT NEXT TO IZZIE AND NOW HE’S TAKING THE PISS OUT OF THE FAT GIRL!!!

Rae had only been working here for about a month, but Finn started here in May and had about 5 months of experience on her here. For the first few weeks that Rae had been working here, she hardly took notice of Finn since he mostly stuck to himself and was not particularly talkative. Rae (as well as every one of her female and some male coworkers) had of course noticed how attractive Finn was but he often came across as quite the grumpy sod and on the rare occasion Rae would go out of her way to tell him “good morning” or make conversation with him it was incredibly one-sided. It was only after Rae stopped trying to be friendly towards Finn that she noticed a shift in how he acted around her and it was doing Rae’s head in trying to keep up with his ever-changing moods.

Rae began perusing her work email to ensure she had not missed anything too important since the last time she had been at work and noticed in her peripheral that Izzie and Finn had resumed the conversation that she assumed her entrance a few minutes ago had interrupted.

Rae reached for her coffee–assuming that the sugar-filled iced soy latte she purchased that morning could even be considered actual coffee–taking an indulgent sip and willing the sugary beverage to take effect and give her the energy boost she so desperately needed to make it through the day of work.

She returned the drink to its original position next to her computer screen, only then becoming aware of the lipstick print she had left on the straw. As much as Rae disliked the effort wearing makeup required, she couldn’t deny that she loved experimenting with quirky lipstick shades, and today’s shade was a new lavender lipstick she had purchased on a whim recently. Making a mental note of how easily this lipstick smudged in comparison to some of the other lipsticks show owns, Rae returned to what she had previously been working on.

Rae devoted her full attention to responding to customers contacting them for support via the Customer Service Online Live Chat for over an hour, only stopping occasionally to sip her coffee or take notice of a particularly good song playing on the Alternative radio station she always set the radio to while at work; however, she soon became aware that she was being stared at.

Just barely averting her eyes from her computer screen, Rae briefly looked to her left and could tell that Finn was indubitably staring at her.

She tried her best to ignore him, but the blush creeping into her cheeks and her face heating up as she noticed he continued glancing at her out of her peripherals was making it increasingly harder to ignore.

She finally worked up the nerve to look at Finn directly and was not surprised to see him turn quickly back to face his own computer screen, blushing slightly and clearing his throat nervously.

Secretly pleased that she had caught him creeping on her, Rae momentarily failed to hide her smirk and tried to cover the smile spread across her face by taking a long sip of her coffee.

She was in the middle of licking her lips to moisten them slightly, enjoying the sweet taste her coffee left on her lips when she heard an audible gulp beside her and saw Finn’s eyes fixated on her mouth.

Ugh, what a twat…

Rae continued working, deciding it best to ignore the near constant stares from the attractive bloke to her left before her negative thoughts got the best of her and she began to overthink what could be warranting his stares today.

When Rae could hardly stand the feeling of Finn’s incessant staring much longer, she was relieved to find that it was time for her first break of the day, so she quickly locked her computer and scanned her badge at the door before speeding away into the break room.

As much as Rae tried to reassure herself that there had to be a rational reason why Finn had been staring at her near constantly for the last 3 hours, she still felt it necessary to go to the ladies’ restroom to make sure she didn’t unwittingly look like a hot mess. Rae’s hair was as tame as her mass of long, wavy-curly hair could be and while yes, her hair was a vibrant shade of violet, it had been that way for almost as long as she had been working here and it seldom attracted this level of attention. Rae also paused for a moment to look in the mirror and ensure her teeth were free of any lipstick smudges or pieces of food.

WHAT COULD FINN HAVE BEEN STARING AT ME FOR THEN?!?

Rae soon realized that her 15 minute break was nearly over, so with a quick reapplication of her lavender lipstick, she quickly scanned her badge at the door and walked toward her seat.

As she walked back to her desk, Rae’s eyes met Izzie’s and they shared a friendly smile but Rae’s smile fell immediately when she noticed Finn staring at her full-on. His gaze traveled  up her body taking in seemingly every detail from her gray converse, up her curve-hugging dark blue skinny jean clad legs, slowly past her low-cut white shirt that accentuated her chest just right, until his eyes reached her face and Rae shuddered at the intensity of his inescapable gaze.

Finn noticed this and the intense blush in Rae’s cheeks in reaction to this unexpected attention, quirking his eyebrow and locking eyes with her before giving her his signature half-smile that only made Rae’s cheeks blush further.

Dear lord this boy is so pretty it should be a crime…

Rae broke eye contact and quickly sat back down, trying to get back to work right away, but she could still faintly feel Finn’s occasional stares even if she was refusing to give him the satisfaction of knowing the full effect his stare had on her

Ugghhh, FUCK IT!! Enough is enough, I can’t work with this dickhead staring at me constantly.

Rae sighed loudly and as she worked up the nerve to stare back at Finn to put her worries to rest about why he was so interested in her in today of all days. She turned toward Finn in her desk chair, now facing him fully, and was surprised to find that he was already mirroring her position and he did not look away even when he realized she had yet again caught him staring at her.

“Uh, Finn…why are you staring at me?” Rae mumbled just loud enough for him to hear, but not loud enough to attract the attention of Izzie or their other coworkers that were sitting nearby.

Finn blushed suddenly and chuckled shyly before clearing his throat slightly and regaining his typical confident and cocky demeanor. Finn rolled his desk chair closer to Rae until their knees bumped into one another slightly because of how their chairs were positioned to face each other before making direct eye contact with Rae.

“Sorry if it seemed like I was staring. I just wanted to let you know that I really like your…” Finn broke eye contact with Rae and began to look her over from head to toe yet again; however, this time his gaze lingered on her ample cleavage put on display in the low-cut white shirt she was wearing that day. Rae followed his gaze and blushed immediately when she realized that Finn Fucking Nelson has been staring intently at her chest for considerably longer than was justifiable.

Rae cleared her throat and Finn shook his head to refocus on what he was saying, risking another quick glance at her décolletage before biting his lower lip slightly and finally completing his sentence with an unexpected huskiness to his voice “…lipstick.”

Rae stared at Finn, speechless and her jaw hanging slightly at his brashness and how unsubtle his gawking at her cleavage had been, but Finn merely shot her a wink and turned back to his computer screen, smirking as he got back to work.

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

#my mad fat diary #rae and finn #my mad fat diary fanfiction #mmfd fanfic #holy shit #I kind of can't believe I'm actually posting this #my writing #this is probably total garbage #lol

[topfygad]

10 most (seemingly) dangerous things we’ve done

Six years after we quit our jobs to travel around the world, we revisit some of the riskiest things we’ve done on the road

Peter and I have a long-running joke that I have fallen off my bike in the most beautiful places in the world – among them Bora Bora in French Polynesia and Isabela in the Galápagos. I only learnt to ride at the age of 28 and my lack of experience has led to numerous falls. 

What’s interesting is that no one ever calls me ‘brave’ or ‘daring’ for riding a bicycle or indeed a horse even though statistically (and in personal experience), these activities are some of the most dangerous I’ve done.

Instead, it’s things like skydiving and bungy jumping that impress others most. Below, I share 10 seemingly dangerous things we’ve done – some of which posed a real risk, but most of which were just pure fun.

1. Changed a tyre in Namibia’s lion territory

I’ll be honest: this was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I’ve ever had. Peter and I were on day 13 of our epic self-drive safari through Namibia when we got our second flat tyre in as many days.

We had spent the previous day on a 160km round-trip to the nearest garage to pick up a spare tyre after using the one we had. We’re lucky we did so, because on day 13 we bust another tyre, this time in the middle of Etosha National Park, known for its abundance of lions. 

The park rules clearly state that you should never leave your vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no phone reception so we couldn’t call for assistance. We waited to see if anyone else would turn up, but Etosha is a big place and we could have been waiting for hours. 

So – Peter suggested changing the tyre in lion territory. I was to keep watch and sound the horn if I saw any movement. 

How was I supposed to keep a 360° watch around the vehicle? Would I be quick enough on the horn? Would we be the two stupid tourists who got killed by lions because they flouted official safety rules? 

Atlas & Boots A lion lazes in Etosha National Park

I took a deep breath and nodded. Peter worked silently and quickly while I, dripping with sweat and anxiety, carefully scanned our surroundings. Fifteen minutes later, the tyre was on and we got back in the car, laughing with relief and possibly a touch of hysteria. 

Half a kilometre down the road, we stopped laughing. There, we spotted a lion lazing beneath a tree and we realised that this story could have easily ended differently. 

2. Climbed three of the seven summits

Peter has climbed three of the seven summits: Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina with each climb growing progressively harder. 

When I spoke to him on the phone after Elbrus, he was in high spirits. When I spoke to him after Aconcagua, however, he sounded completely exhausted. Physically, it was the hardest day of his life, he said. Several times he had considered giving up and turning around – something I’d never heard him say about a mountain before. 

Aconcagua is a ‘trekkable’ mountain (i.e. no technical rope work involved), but it poses a tangible risk. At nearly 7,000m, it is believed to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America. As dangerous endeavours go, attempting to scale the seven summits ranks pretty high on our list. 

3. Crossed a landslide in Peru

Crossing a landslide on our Salkantay trek in Peru seemed more thrilling than dangerous, but it posed enough of a risk to noticeably concern our guides. We trekked for an hour to try and avoid it, but when we found that a bridge had washed away, we turned around and returned to the site. 

There, we picked our way across a steep slope of crumbling scree beneath a blanket of rain. Some of us fared better than others. One woman in her early twenties wept with nerves as she crossed, led by hand by two guides. 

Peter and I were comparatively cavalier, but I look back now and can see that a single misstep would have ended badly.

4. Hiked to Erta Ale in Ethiopia

The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest, lowest and driest places on Earth. It’s so extreme that life has been found in pure acid here. Temperatures regularly reach 45°C (113°F) and seas of molten magma ooze just beneath the crust’s surface.

Its most impressive site is Erta Ale, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Getting there has been called ‘the hike to hell and back’ and requires a three-day trip with a military escort. 

In 2012, an attack by Afar rebels left five tourists dead and four people kidnapped, and there was a deadly incident days after our own visit. 

It made us reflect once again on the pros and cons of risky travel and though Erta Ale was an incredible sight, I’m not quite sure I’d do it all again. 

5. Jumped out of a plane – twice

This is where we get into fun territory where the perceived danger is greater than the actual. Peter and I have skydived twice, first in the UK and then in Australia. Both times were utterly thrilling.

Interestingly, the skydive in Cairns was almost cancelled because of rain and when we passed through heavy condensation, I understood why. At that height, raindrops sting like needles as you’re falling much faster than water.

Either way, I was pleased that the weather didn’t cancel our jump. As I say in the video, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to flying… unless I take up BASE jumping that is.

6. Jumped one of the longest bungys in the world

There is a moment as you shuffle onto the ledge of the 134m Nevis Bungy in New Zealand that you think Oh Jesus. If it’s true that humans are born with two fears – loud noises and falling – then surely jumping off a ledge into an abyss goes against human nature.

Atlas & Boots Kia mid-way through her jump

On the ledge, I waved gingerly to the camera and listened to the countdown: ‘three, two, one, bungy’. Heart lurching, I leapt off with a scream. 

Seconds in, I realised that my eyes were closed. I snapped them open. If I was doing this, then I would bloody well enjoy it. I felt myself plunge deep into the valley, then rush back up again. I always thought I’d hate the bouncing sensation, but the Nevis Bungy was completely smooth. I swooped towards the ground again, feeling a whirl of disbelief. It was thrilling, frightening and utterly exhilarating.

People ask me if the Nevis Bungy or skydiving was scarier. Undoubtedly, it was the bungy. Despite the far greater height, skydiving doesn’t quite feel like falling. The force of the air around you has a buoying effect. With the Nevis Bungy, you really are just falling.

7. Dived with sharks in the Galápagos

Again, this was more fun than dangerous, but when people see the footage of Peter gliding into the frame above a reef shark, they’re usually inclined to gasp out loud. 

On a dive in the Galápagos, we encountered dozens of whitetip reef sharks resting on the seabed. At nearly 20 metres deep, we spent several awe-inspiring minutes watching these magnificent (and chilling) beasts. 

Of course, whitetip reef sharks are rarely aggressive towards humans. Unlike their Oceanic cousin, they are seldom aggressive unless provoked. They are, however, fearless and curious and will sometimes closely approach swimmers to investigate.

8. Drove the Sani Pass in Lesotho

Located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, Sani is a mountain pass connecting Underberg in South Africa with Mokhotlong in Lesotho. The hairpinned pass − named one of the most dangerous in the world − starts at an altitude of 1,544m and climbs to 2,876m.

Built circa 1950, Sani Pass remains a challenging drive. With winding twists, loose gravel, plunging drops and hairpins bends, it demands painstaking care and practised skill. In parts, the gradient reaches 1:3 and in treacherous conditions, has claimed lives. In fact, one of the hairpins has the rather sobering name of ‘suicide bend’.

We crossed the pass during our 2018 trip to South Africa. The progress was extremely slow but we didn’t complain. This is one occasion when it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

9. Swam with whale sharks in Djibouti

The whale shark is the largest known fish species living today. It poses no threat to humans, but its sheer size can be overwhelming.

On our trip in Djibouti, our spotter pointed to the waters ahead and Peter and I jumped straight in. Alas, the whale shark headed in the opposite direction and the two boats followed, depositing passengers far closer to him. Peter and I locked eyes. We’d made the mistake of jumping too soon.

It was then that a motion caught the corner of my eye. The whale shark was headed straight in our direction. I dipped underwater and the shark swam directly towards me as I hovered in the water as if suspended in time.

Atlas & Boots A whale shark swims past Kia

His skin glittered in the light and I held my breath as he swam so close I thought his tail would hit me as he turned. His enormous bulk slid swiftly by and I exhaled, long, soft and slow. 

10. Scaled a via ferrata in Catalonia

After changing the tyre in Namibia, this is the most nerve-racking thing on the list for me. I’ve said before that I’m most nervous when I’m in charge of my own safety during risky activities. Unlike bungy jumping or skydiving where you’re never out of an expert’s hands, via ferrata requires you to change your own carabiners, meaning that an absentminded mistake could have you hurtling to the ground. 

A few metres up on our via ferrata in Catalonia, my left leg began to shake uncontrollably. I’d never experienced anything like it before and I realised that I must be terrified. I remember that it had a strange, academic quality and a detached part of me thought, ‘Huh, so this is what it’s like.’

I gathered my nerves and continued up. At the top, neither Peter nor our guide, Jordi, believed me when I said that it was scarier than bungy.

Through personal anecdotes mixed with succinct travel advice, we share everything we’ve learnt about life on the road in Don’t Offer Papaya: 101 Tips for Your First Time Around the World.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

source http://cheaprtravels.com/10-most-seemingly-dangerous-things-weve-done/

[nemesis-nexus]

Darkest Greetings and Salutations my Family, how is everyone? I am doing rather well myself, got a whole hour of sleep, yay me! Hey, that’s not bad for a chronic insomniac, lol! It is quite brisk here up North, from what I understand this Winter is supposed to be brutal, perfect opportunity to work on my cold weather endurance! I think the coldest I’ve been outside in shorts and a tank top was probably mid 20’s but I DO NOT recommend that to anyone who is NOT used to it as hypothermia IS a thing and I don’t want anyone to get hurt; it takes time, effort and energy to build up resistance to extreme temps of any kind, it is NOT something you just dive into headfirst unless you want to end up in the ER!

At any rate tonight’s sermon is a bit lengthy, so hit the head, grab your coffee, get comfortable and enjoy!

Full Cold Moon 2019

HAIL THE ANCIENT FAMILY! Tonight is the night of the Full Cold Moon and the last month has certainly had events that led right up to it! Why is it that people are all too willing to stand by us so long as you agree on nearly everything but the second you have the nerve to point out the flaws in ones logic or their newfound loyalty to someone who doesn’t deserve it, they throw US away for having the nerve to disagree with them? I guess we can chalk it up to that’s just the way it goes in a lot of these situations but at the same time it is also a harsh lesson as well to never assume anyone is beyond betraying your trust. This is why we need to never tell anyone or give anyone anything beyond what they have actually earned from us including but not limited to time, respect and even money! This isn’t to imply that everyone is out to get us, it IS to directly state that some people are only as loyal as their personal agendas and that we should always keep our eyes and ears open for any signs that it is time to sever ties from a toxic person or situation!

Great Father who gives us the fortitude to stand tall even through our most trying times, we ask that you help us to stand up and push back against these usurpers who continue to not only tear the Earth asunder in pursuit of dead presidents but are all too willing to jeopardize the lives of other people to attain it while they stay in their cushy offices not worrying about their own safety or the state of the soil or water they are contaminating with their chemical cocktails! They don’t seem to understand that they are not exempt from the fall out of the damage they are doing, that once the water, air and soil are poisoned, there will be nothing left to aid in the survival of the human race - including them!

Father we know that the Free Will we were given enables us to live our lives according to our personal Paths but what it does NOT do is grant us the right to exalt ourselves above other people just because we say so! For example, no human is truly above another human, just because someone might have more dead presidents than another person does NOT make them more important! The one thing that has always behooved me is the entitlement which people with any kind of wealth like to think they have over others JUST because they have money, they seem to think they can buy their way into anything they want even if they have not actually earned the right to be a part of something!

There are no shortcuts on this Path or anywhere else in life that is worth pursuing and anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something! It never ceases to amaze me that when you tell people what they NEED to hear versus what they WANT to hear that you’re more likely than not to lose the interest of some. This is because the truth and reality of the situation does not coincide with the stereotypes and Hollywood hype, things seldom do, so when people realize that there is actual work involved (research and acquiring specific items) and that any kind of Ritual or Spell Work is going to require a vast amount of concentration and energy that can take hours depending on the intent, they get turned off. They get even more turned off when the half-assed five and dime “Spell” that they bought off the internet doesn’t work as expected!

Bit of advice: the most potent Spell you will EVER cast is the one you write yourself! In the first place the writing alone is a form of meditation that weaves your own Spiritual Energy directly into the words which connect the intent and direction to the Multiversal Qi (Chi) which is the first step in Manifesting your goal, in the second place NO ONE can express our needs or desires for anything better than we can with any and all the urgency the situation demands! In short if you are not willing to apply the effort and actually do the work, don’t expect whatever you are attempting to do to go anywhere! That may sound cold, but it IS the Full Cold Moon so the advice given may sound just as icy, but it is also necessary as some people will never listen if you always only ever handle them with kid gloves!

Winter isn’t coming, it’s already here and the ground is frozen solid once again putting Nature into a state of suspended animation until the Season of Rebirth thaws Winters frigid grasp! The Season of Death reigns supreme on the surface freezing everything in an ethereal suspended animation while the Season of Rebirth prepares itself in the darkest recesses of the underground! As Earth Guardians, Water Protects and Nature Lovers, we are aware of the intricate Dance that is Creation and Existence will go on Eternally so long as those who dwell within this space uphold their duties to Protect and Defend this planet in all its glory as we were created to do!

It is during this time that we gather our Family and Friends together and we appreciate the company of those we care for the most! Since the Ancient days the one thing that every Human on this planet has always shared is our need to survive utilizing that which nature gives us and to have the respect and conscientiousness to replace that which we take so that those who come after us will not be deprived and to never use more than we actually need as that is wasteful and destructive!

During the Season of Death that we call Winter the Earth puts itself to bed so that it may prepare itself for the Season of Rebirth that we call Spring! Nothing can be seen except maybe snow; the trees are barren, the animals are hibernating or have gone south for the winter to warmer climates! Nature keeps the ecosystem in balance by doing this so that the Earth has a chance to heal itself and regenerate the flora and fauna that is so needed for the survival of the Human and Animal Kingdoms. Because nothing is here we must take it upon ourselves to prepare for the coming months but we cannot do this if our resources are contaminated, corrupted or destroyed!

They say that we do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children and they are right! What we do today will affect what they are able to do tomorrow. What we squander today through petty selfishness and greed will determine what they have left to work with tomorrow! The responsibility of every member of the Human race is to try to leave the world, if not in the same condition in which it was presented to us at birth, slightly better! We must always keep in mind that is it NOT enough that we make sure people are able to endure while we are here, we must also do our part to make sure those who come after us are not shortchanged! When people say “it doesn’t matter what happens x amount of years from now because I’ll be dead…” it is an AFRONT to YOU Father because through the Ancient Family we were provided with everything we needed to survive, through them these gifts are safeguarded so that they are able to replicate themselves with each passing season with enough to go around forever so long as Humans did their part with balanced cultivation! The problems arise because many Humans have this attitude that those who live RIGHT NOW are the only ones they should be concerned about! This attitude leaves future generations to fend for themselves rather than pick up where the previous generations left off and if these Humans just IMAGINED for a moment the situation THEY would have been in had the Ancient Family decided that was THEIR attitude towards the Human race since the beginning! The Humans sure as hell would not have lasted as long as they did because, as future generations are being robbed of their right to exist, so too would all those who think nothing of this thievery!

This is an even BIGGER insult if the people with this attitude have children and grandchildren because they are insinuating that they don’t care how badly damaged they leave the world for their own human relations! Again we don’t even want to THINK about just how much of a disadvantage that would put US in had the Human race not been provided for so well since the beginning, so why are some people all too willing to do that to their own children and grandchildren? You didn’t do that to us and we certainly should not allow it to be done to our future generations, which is why all Earth Guardians need to rise up and resist the selfishness and greed that is threatening not only the future existence of the Human race, but ALL life forms INCLUDING the planet! It’s not too late, we CAN still put the wheels on this runaway train in reverse if we band together and fight back! HAIL THE ANCIENT FAMILY!

One of the running stereotypes about Satanists and even Heathens is that we're supposed to be these aggressive, evil people hell-bent on destruction and this is not true. If anything Satanists and Heathens are the adversaries to the general population because the general population (especially nowadays) is exactly what you see on TV, a mindless cacophony of self-centered and shallow brain dead people who think that what's on the outside is the be-all end-all and that money is everything. They are the ones who are incapable of original thoughts or ideas and rely on whatever the TV or idiot box tells them because they are unable to think for themselves! This is how we ended up with quote-unquote 'reality TV' and celebrity worship. The true Satanist/Heathen is an independent and proactive member of society, we take care of our own and we do what we can to help take care of our communities because we live here too! We are not the antisocial hate-mongering miscreants that Hollywood and the abrahamic faiths claim us to be, many of us are very social and willing to talk at length with just about anyone so as to help reach a new level of understanding and respect.

In fact it is my contention that we are more likely than anyone to look beyond what religion a person follows and treat them as the Human Beings that they are without conditions of needing to convert or worse, leaving them to suffer and possibly die if they don’t! We also don’t take it upon ourselves to set sail to another part of the world, land in a remote location then proceed to tell the locals who have existed there for thousands of years that they’ve been doing it wrong the whole time and that if they don’t convert that they are going to this special place of eternal torture and agony and if they still don’t convert then we will simply just have to kill them! Given what has been done to us, we would have every right to return the favor, instead we choose to move forward while we watch those who tried to eradicate us from Existence fade away despite their lamentations!

We also do not go around claiming to be anything other than Human - our Spirits are multifaceted but we are in form Human - we do not claim to casually work with or summon demons because we know how much ACTUALLY goes into both of those endeavors and they should NEVER be taken lightly nor should such claims EVER be used to validate ones walking this Path because eventually a charlatan will run into one of US and when they do and are unable to perform either of these actions, their already non-existent credibility will be completely shot! We also do not claim to be protected by “guardian demons” because they don’t exist! The truth about that is that no demon anywhere gives a damn about what happens to any human short of drawing up a contract for services and payments for services rendered! Again these contracts are VERY costly and the price you will be required to pay will have NOTHING to do with Human currency! Anyone who claims otherwise is completely full of it and should be forced to perform this activity IMMEDIATELY and in front of everyone in attendance, their refusal or failure to do so only further proves their claims to be fraudulent and deceitful!

We stand in opposition to these ‘storytellers’ because they are a big contributor to the current problems, the problems being the inability to deal with reality and taking responsibility for their actions! This self-righteous attitude DIRECTLY contributes to the consistent internal destruction of the Human race, the raping and pillaging of the Earth which in turn creates cause and effect disasters such as deforestation of hillsides and blasting craters into the Earth that results in erosion and landslides. How so? Because when you have a person who is coming from a bad situation looking for guidance only to come across someone preaching from on high that self-importance and self-indulgence is the way to go, you take an already volatile situation and make it THAT much worse! These people are the textbook definitions of false prophets and serve no purpose other than to make a name for themselves by telling others what they WANT to here and playing and preying on people’s fear and sense of vengeance rather than helping them deal with their past trauma and seeking strength and help from Father so they can get on with their lives!

The Ancient Family did not just Guard and Guide the Human race, nor was it EVER their intention for this planet to ONLY cater to the Human race, they all worked together like Ethereal Parents creating a Home and instilling values in all their Children to ensure that we could stand on our own, this is why we were given Free Will, because they had the Faith in us to get the job done! The truth is that Humans are neither above nor below any aspect of Nature, we are part of the Hoop that makes up the Natural Order overall and as such we need to remember that we are NOT the only ones who live here so if we want others to respect OUR space, then we need to reciprocate that same respect ourselves!

Humans want to keep cutting back the woods to build businesses, apartment buildings, parking lots and whatever else, but then they want to get all upset when big cats, wolves, bears, coyotes and other such wildlife are seen on the streets or hunting in their backyards! Where do these people think wildlife is going to go when their homes and hunting grounds are stolen from them and their food has moved on to other areas or just dies off due to the lack of vegetation? They're not going to just disappear and no one reserves the right to kill anything just because it is living by its instincts and trying to adapt to its new habitat! It is not their fault if their new habitat happens to be your backyard because your backyard used to be their den! Our Father does NOT approve of MURDER regardless of who’s doing the killing or who is being killed and SLAUGHTERING an animal just because it, like us, is trying to survive in this world is UNJUSTIFYABLE! If we can’t walk over to our HUMAN neighbors house, claim it as an addition to our own then shoot them for refusing to leave, then why do Humans think we can treat our Animal brethren with such arrogant disregard?

One of the core values of Satanism and Heathenism is to stand against injustice no matter who the aggressor is or what form it takes even if what is happening does not affect us directly. It is absolutely necessary to do this because directly or indirectly we were put here for a single purpose and that purpose is to protect the Earth and all life forms on it, to keep the Balance so that life and existence may continue unhindered! Also the day will come when we may be in a position where we need help and if we are unwilling to give it to others, to stand with others when their lives and ways of life are threatened, then we have absolutely no business expecting them to stand by us! Being an Adversary does not mean going out and looking for a fight just like being a Warrior does not mean going around challenging people to prove how strong you are; being an Adversary means rising to the occasion and not backing down no matter what; being a Warrior is not about attacking what is in front of you, it is about defending what is behind you!

The Winter Solstice is also coming up, while you are celebrating, however you celebrate it, whether it's with Family and Friends or by yourself please keep in mind that there are several people who are not able to celebrate with either their Family or Friends because they are deployed all over the world standing strong with weapon in hand ready to fight on foreign soil so that the battle does not come to domestic soil! These brave men and women decided that they were more concerned about what happened to the rest of us than what happens to themselves so they enlisted, trained and are now putting themselves in harm’s way so that we don’t have to! Please leave an empty chair, plate and cup/drinking horn and raise a toast to our Fighting Forces to remind everyone that we are able to enjoy this time with relative ease (it is also very stressful for Military Families to enjoy the Holidays especially if they have not been in contact with their deployed loved ones) because someone else has taken it upon themselves to stand at post miles from Home!

Also keep in mind all those who came back stateside and are enduring the most difficult time of the year for themselves due to homelessness, loss of Family and/or Friends either at home or in combat and the mental illnesses including but NOT limited to PTSD that renders them unable to return to Civilian Life. The fact is that MANY of our Veterans come back home and are STILL fighting the war in their own heads, certain noises and visuals can cause psychotic breakdowns that may result in aggression or depression and in the worst case scenarios, suicide. When it comes to our Soldiers, regardless of age or experience, war is hell and regardless of whether we agree with the politics behind it, that they are STILL HUMAN and the things that they are subjected to in a combat zone or ambush or sniper attack has a detrimental effect on their psyches! They need attention, medical care and a place to live, this is the VERY LEAST our government can do for them after all THEY were willing to sacrifice for our government! ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL! RESPECT!

Revered Family we ask also that you watch over the children of the world especially those whose parents are all too ready and willing to sacrifice their own blood via suicide missions, abuse of any and all kinds, selling them for drugs or prostitution etc because they are that messed up in the head! I don’t care what you believe in, if you can justify murdering or exploiting a child you have forfeited your right to exist in any capacity! May all those who would ever use, abuse, or kill a child meet with an even deeper level of apathy and cruelty! May they know all the suffering and more of the child/ren they are harming! May they be met with the same disregard to their lives as they have towards the life/lives of the child/ren they are too willing to end! May the children be freed from whatever viciousness they were forced to endure and may they grow up and put an end to child abuse of ALL kinds for good so that future generations never have to endure what they did!

Blessed Family, this Yuletide please help people remember in the midst of all the revelry that it’s not just about us but about what we can do for other people, especially those who do not have a home or anything to eat! Another Core value of Satanism and Heathenism is to assist those who genuinely need it; we will not enable those who refuse to help themselves but we will aid those who have simply fallen on hard times to get back on their feet! It’s not how we fall, it’s how we land and sometimes we need a hand getting back up on that horse! When we do we can better assist others who may be in the situation we once were and help them to also get on with it, so forth and on!

Most of all we wish to express our deepest gratitude for all that has been done from the Inception of the Multiverse to the Creation of this Layer and all the effort that went into the extensive catalog of life in all its forms! We appreciate not only being a part of it but we also appreciate all that has been given to us so that we may continue, we may have strayed from our deeper spiritual connection however we are working on it, we are striving to reconnect and the evidence is all around even amidst all the violence and corruption! HAIL THE ANCIENT FAMILY!

“Heathen Heart

The Heathen Heart is no stranger to love, hate or pain,

It beats like a drum under thunderous rain!

They invaded our land and tried to destroy our ways,

Now they are seeing the very end of their days!

They branded us wicked, murderous and evil,

Because we coexist with Nature, a very proud people!

We do what is necessary to take care of our Family,

Sailing, Trading and standing strong against our enemy!

A Heathen is one who will never falter when the going gets rough,

We are Warriors by nature, in all situations we stand stalwart and tough!

There is a method to our madness when engaged in any transgression,

You’d do best to walk away or else we’ll have to teach you a lesson!

We stand strong and fierce we’ll never back down from any battle,

If one wishes to engage they will be met with a mighty Death Rattle!

They thought they could trespass against us and steal our Humanity,

But it is WE who have persevered and reclaimed our Identity!

THE HEATHEN HEART BEATS STRONG AND LIVELY,

WE DON’T NEED PERMISSION TO LIVE OUR LIVES FREE!

SO RISE UP YOU HEATHENS AND SCREAM TO THE SKY,

LET ALL OUR OPPRESSORS HEAR OUR RESOUNDING BATTLE CRY!

DANCE THROUGH THE MADNESS OF CENTURIES SO VIOLENT,

AND LET IT BE KNOWN WE WILL NO LONGER BE SILENT!

WE WILL TAKE BACK WHAT IS OURS BY OUR BIRTHRIGHT,

THEN LEAVE ALL THOSE THIEVES TO DROWN IN THEIR SPITE!

WHEN THE LAST BATTLE SEES THE DOWNFALL OF THEIR POWERS,

WE WILL RETURN HOME AND GLORIOUS VICTORY WILL BE OURS!”

---

“Pagan Prayer

May your cup runneth over

May your plate never be bare!

May you never stray too far

From those you know care!

May you know just enough pain

To truly appreciate pleasure!

May you have genuine success

Finding that which you'll treasure!

May you face every opponent

And never be caught off guard!

For every blow that you receive

May you strike back twice as hard!

May the Darkness of the this night

Be a time for pause and reflection!

May you be granted the most profound insight

To help you move in the right direction!

May the bone-chilling Wind remain outside your door

And the warmth of Heartfire keep loved ones secure!”

---

“Strength In Numbers

On this Full Cold Moon night,

It is quite easy to lose our sight!

Of what is important and what matters,

Especially when our spirits are in tatters!

When this happens we must stand fast together,

It’s the only way to survive the harsh weather!

If the Ancient Family gave up instead of marching forth,

Then all would have been lost right at the source!

So when the Air is freezing us all the way down to the bone,

We must remember always that we are NEVER alone!

The Ancient Family is with us whether far or near,

And our gracious Father is always here!

So strap on your Winter boots and get yourself walking,

Nothing ever gets done just by people talking!

The ultimate reward that is sought by so many,

Is the Honor, Respect and Trust of the Ancient Family!”

ZI ANA KANPA! ZI KIA KANPA!

MAY THE DEAD RISE AND SMELL THE INCENSE!

Etiamsi MULTA Et Nos UNUM Sumus Nos Sto Validus Ut Nos Sto Una!

Semper Veritas, Semper Fideles, In NINHURSAG'S Nomen Nos Fides! AVE NINHURSAG!

(We Are ONE Even Though We Are MANY And We Stand STRONGEST When We Stand TOGETHER!

Always TRUTHFUL, Always FAITHFUL, In NINHURSAG'S Name We Trust! HAIL NINHURSAG!)

AVÉ IGIGGI!

AVÉ ANUNNA!

AVÉ DRACONIS!

HAIL THE GREAT SERPENT!

HAIL THE ANCIENT FAMILY!

HPS Meg “Nemesis Nexus” Prentiss

[topfygad]

10 most (seemingly) dangerous things we’ve done

Six years after we quit our jobs to travel around the world, we revisit some of the riskiest things we’ve done on the road

Peter and I have a long-running joke that I have fallen off my bike in the most beautiful places in the world – among them Bora Bora in French Polynesia and Isabela in the Galápagos. I only learnt to ride at the age of 28 and my lack of experience has led to numerous falls. 

What’s interesting is that no one ever calls me ‘brave’ or ‘daring’ for riding a bicycle or indeed a horse even though statistically (and in personal experience), these activities are some of the most dangerous I’ve done.

Instead, it’s things like skydiving and bungy jumping that impress others most. Below, I share 10 seemingly dangerous things we’ve done – some of which posed a real risk, but most of which were just pure fun.

1. Changed a tyre in Namibia’s lion territory

I’ll be honest: this was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I’ve ever had. Peter and I were on day 13 of our epic self-drive safari through Namibia when we got our second flat tyre in as many days.

We had spent the previous day on a 160km round-trip to the nearest garage to pick up a spare tyre after using the one we had. We’re lucky we did so, because on day 13 we bust another tyre, this time in the middle of Etosha National Park, known for its abundance of lions. 

The park rules clearly state that you should never leave your vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no phone reception so we couldn’t call for assistance. We waited to see if anyone else would turn up, but Etosha is a big place and we could have been waiting for hours. 

So – Peter suggested changing the tyre in lion territory. I was to keep watch and sound the horn if I saw any movement. 

How was I supposed to keep a 360° watch around the vehicle? Would I be quick enough on the horn? Would we be the two stupid tourists who got killed by lions because they flouted official safety rules? 

Atlas & Boots A lion lazes in Etosha National Park

I took a deep breath and nodded. Peter worked silently and quickly while I, dripping with sweat and anxiety, carefully scanned our surroundings. Fifteen minutes later, the tyre was on and we got back in the car, laughing with relief and possibly a touch of hysteria. 

Half a kilometre down the road, we stopped laughing. There, we spotted a lion lazing beneath a tree and we realised that this story could have easily ended differently. 

2. Climbed three of the seven summits

Peter has climbed three of the seven summits: Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina with each climb growing progressively harder. 

When I spoke to him on the phone after Elbrus, he was in high spirits. When I spoke to him after Aconcagua, however, he sounded completely exhausted. Physically, it was the hardest day of his life, he said. Several times he had considered giving up and turning around – something I’d never heard him say about a mountain before. 

Aconcagua is a ‘trekkable’ mountain (i.e. no technical rope work involved), but it poses a tangible risk. At nearly 7,000m, it is believed to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America. As dangerous endeavours go, attempting to scale the seven summits ranks pretty high on our list. 

3. Crossed a landslide in Peru

Crossing a landslide on our Salkantay trek in Peru seemed more thrilling than dangerous, but it posed enough of a risk to noticeably concern our guides. We trekked for an hour to try and avoid it, but when we found that a bridge had washed away, we turned around and returned to the site. 

There, we picked our way across a steep slope of crumbling scree beneath a blanket of rain. Some of us fared better than others. One woman in her early twenties wept with nerves as she crossed, led by hand by two guides. 

Peter and I were comparatively cavalier, but I look back now and can see that a single misstep would have ended badly.

4. Hiked to Erta Ale in Ethiopia

The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest, lowest and driest places on Earth. It’s so extreme that life has been found in pure acid here. Temperatures regularly reach 45°C (113°F) and seas of molten magma ooze just beneath the crust’s surface.

Its most impressive site is Erta Ale, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Getting there has been called ‘the hike to hell and back’ and requires a three-day trip with a military escort. 

In 2012, an attack by Afar rebels left five tourists dead and four people kidnapped, and there was a deadly incident days after our own visit. 

It made us reflect once again on the pros and cons of risky travel and though Erta Ale was an incredible sight, I’m not quite sure I’d do it all again. 

5. Jumped out of a plane – twice

This is where we get into fun territory where the perceived danger is greater than the actual. Peter and I have skydived twice, first in the UK and then in Australia. Both times were utterly thrilling.

Interestingly, the skydive in Cairns was almost cancelled because of rain and when we passed through heavy condensation, I understood why. At that height, raindrops sting like needles as you’re falling much faster than water.

Either way, I was pleased that the weather didn’t cancel our jump. As I say in the video, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to flying… unless I take up BASE jumping that is.

6. Jumped one of the longest bungys in the world

There is a moment as you shuffle onto the ledge of the 134m Nevis Bungy in New Zealand that you think Oh Jesus. If it’s true that humans are born with two fears – loud noises and falling – then surely jumping off a ledge into an abyss goes against human nature.

Atlas & Boots Kia mid-way through her jump

On the ledge, I waved gingerly to the camera and listened to the countdown: ‘three, two, one, bungy’. Heart lurching, I leapt off with a scream. 

Seconds in, I realised that my eyes were closed. I snapped them open. If I was doing this, then I would bloody well enjoy it. I felt myself plunge deep into the valley, then rush back up again. I always thought I’d hate the bouncing sensation, but the Nevis Bungy was completely smooth. I swooped towards the ground again, feeling a whirl of disbelief. It was thrilling, frightening and utterly exhilarating.

People ask me if the Nevis Bungy or skydiving was scarier. Undoubtedly, it was the bungy. Despite the far greater height, skydiving doesn’t quite feel like falling. The force of the air around you has a buoying effect. With the Nevis Bungy, you really are just falling.

7. Dived with sharks in the Galápagos

Again, this was more fun than dangerous, but when people see the footage of Peter gliding into the frame above a reef shark, they’re usually inclined to gasp out loud. 

On a dive in the Galápagos, we encountered dozens of whitetip reef sharks resting on the seabed. At nearly 20 metres deep, we spent several awe-inspiring minutes watching these magnificent (and chilling) beasts. 

Of course, whitetip reef sharks are rarely aggressive towards humans. Unlike their Oceanic cousin, they are seldom aggressive unless provoked. They are, however, fearless and curious and will sometimes closely approach swimmers to investigate.

8. Drove the Sani Pass in Lesotho

Located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, Sani is a mountain pass connecting Underberg in South Africa with Mokhotlong in Lesotho. The hairpinned pass − named one of the most dangerous in the world − starts at an altitude of 1,544m and climbs to 2,876m.

Built circa 1950, Sani Pass remains a challenging drive. With winding twists, loose gravel, plunging drops and hairpins bends, it demands painstaking care and practised skill. In parts, the gradient reaches 1:3 and in treacherous conditions, has claimed lives. In fact, one of the hairpins has the rather sobering name of ‘suicide bend’.

We crossed the pass during our 2018 trip to South Africa. The progress was extremely slow but we didn’t complain. This is one occasion when it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

9. Swam with whale sharks in Djibouti

The whale shark is the largest known fish species living today. It poses no threat to humans, but its sheer size can be overwhelming.

On our trip in Djibouti, our spotter pointed to the waters ahead and Peter and I jumped straight in. Alas, the whale shark headed in the opposite direction and the two boats followed, depositing passengers far closer to him. Peter and I locked eyes. We’d made the mistake of jumping too soon.

It was then that a motion caught the corner of my eye. The whale shark was headed straight in our direction. I dipped underwater and the shark swam directly towards me as I hovered in the water as if suspended in time.

Atlas & Boots A whale shark swims past Kia

His skin glittered in the light and I held my breath as he swam so close I thought his tail would hit me as he turned. His enormous bulk slid swiftly by and I exhaled, long, soft and slow. 

10. Scaled a via ferrata in Catalonia

After changing the tyre in Namibia, this is the most nerve-racking thing on the list for me. I’ve said before that I’m most nervous when I’m in charge of my own safety during risky activities. Unlike bungy jumping or skydiving where you’re never out of an expert’s hands, via ferrata requires you to change your own carabiners, meaning that an absentminded mistake could have you hurtling to the ground. 

A few metres up on our via ferrata in Catalonia, my left leg began to shake uncontrollably. I’d never experienced anything like it before and I realised that I must be terrified. I remember that it had a strange, academic quality and a detached part of me thought, ‘Huh, so this is what it’s like.’

I gathered my nerves and continued up. At the top, neither Peter nor our guide, Jordi, believed me when I said that it was scarier than bungy.

Through personal anecdotes mixed with succinct travel advice, we share everything we’ve learnt about life on the road in Don’t Offer Papaya: 101 Tips for Your First Time Around the World.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2W2L8Ws via IFTTT

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[topfygad]

10 most (seemingly) dangerous things we’ve done

Six years after we quit our jobs to travel around the world, we revisit some of the riskiest things we’ve done on the road

Peter and I have a long-running joke that I have fallen off my bike in the most beautiful places in the world – among them Bora Bora in French Polynesia and Isabela in the Galápagos. I only learnt to ride at the age of 28 and my lack of experience has led to numerous falls. 

What’s interesting is that no one ever calls me ‘brave’ or ‘daring’ for riding a bicycle or indeed a horse even though statistically (and in personal experience), these activities are some of the most dangerous I’ve done.

Instead, it’s things like skydiving and bungy jumping that impress others most. Below, I share 10 seemingly dangerous things we’ve done – some of which posed a real risk, but most of which were just pure fun.

1. Changed a tyre in Namibia’s lion territory

I’ll be honest: this was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I’ve ever had. Peter and I were on day 13 of our epic self-drive safari through Namibia when we got our second flat tyre in as many days.

We had spent the previous day on a 160km round-trip to the nearest garage to pick up a spare tyre after using the one we had. We’re lucky we did so, because on day 13 we bust another tyre, this time in the middle of Etosha National Park, known for its abundance of lions. 

The park rules clearly state that you should never leave your vehicle. Unfortunately, there was no phone reception so we couldn’t call for assistance. We waited to see if anyone else would turn up, but Etosha is a big place and we could have been waiting for hours. 

So – Peter suggested changing the tyre in lion territory. I was to keep watch and sound the horn if I saw any movement. 

How was I supposed to keep a 360° watch around the vehicle? Would I be quick enough on the horn? Would we be the two stupid tourists who got killed by lions because they flouted official safety rules? 

Atlas & Boots A lion lazes in Etosha National Park

I took a deep breath and nodded. Peter worked silently and quickly while I, dripping with sweat and anxiety, carefully scanned our surroundings. Fifteen minutes later, the tyre was on and we got back in the car, laughing with relief and possibly a touch of hysteria. 

Half a kilometre down the road, we stopped laughing. There, we spotted a lion lazing beneath a tree and we realised that this story could have easily ended differently. 

2. Climbed three of the seven summits

Peter has climbed three of the seven summits: Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Mount Elbrus in Russia and Mount Aconcagua in Argentina with each climb growing progressively harder. 

When I spoke to him on the phone after Elbrus, he was in high spirits. When I spoke to him after Aconcagua, however, he sounded completely exhausted. Physically, it was the hardest day of his life, he said. Several times he had considered giving up and turning around – something I’d never heard him say about a mountain before. 

Aconcagua is a ‘trekkable’ mountain (i.e. no technical rope work involved), but it poses a tangible risk. At nearly 7,000m, it is believed to have the highest death rate of any mountain in South America. As dangerous endeavours go, attempting to scale the seven summits ranks pretty high on our list. 

3. Crossed a landslide in Peru

Crossing a landslide on our Salkantay trek in Peru seemed more thrilling than dangerous, but it posed enough of a risk to noticeably concern our guides. We trekked for an hour to try and avoid it, but when we found that a bridge had washed away, we turned around and returned to the site. 

There, we picked our way across a steep slope of crumbling scree beneath a blanket of rain. Some of us fared better than others. One woman in her early twenties wept with nerves as she crossed, led by hand by two guides. 

Peter and I were comparatively cavalier, but I look back now and can see that a single misstep would have ended badly.

4. Hiked to Erta Ale in Ethiopia

The Danakil Depression in Ethiopia is one of the hottest, lowest and driest places on Earth. It’s so extreme that life has been found in pure acid here. Temperatures regularly reach 45°C (113°F) and seas of molten magma ooze just beneath the crust’s surface.

Its most impressive site is Erta Ale, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Getting there has been called ‘the hike to hell and back’ and requires a three-day trip with a military escort. 

In 2012, an attack by Afar rebels left five tourists dead and four people kidnapped, and there was a deadly incident days after our own visit. 

It made us reflect once again on the pros and cons of risky travel and though Erta Ale was an incredible sight, I’m not quite sure I’d do it all again. 

5. Jumped out of a plane – twice

This is where we get into fun territory where the perceived danger is greater than the actual. Peter and I have skydived twice, first in the UK and then in Australia. Both times were utterly thrilling.

Interestingly, the skydive in Cairns was almost cancelled because of rain and when we passed through heavy condensation, I understood why. At that height, raindrops sting like needles as you’re falling much faster than water.

Either way, I was pleased that the weather didn’t cancel our jump. As I say in the video, it’s the closest I’ll ever get to flying… unless I take up BASE jumping that is.

6. Jumped one of the longest bungys in the world

There is a moment as you shuffle onto the ledge of the 134m Nevis Bungy in New Zealand that you think Oh Jesus. If it’s true that humans are born with two fears – loud noises and falling – then surely jumping off a ledge into an abyss goes against human nature.

Atlas & Boots Kia mid-way through her jump

On the ledge, I waved gingerly to the camera and listened to the countdown: ‘three, two, one, bungy’. Heart lurching, I leapt off with a scream. 

Seconds in, I realised that my eyes were closed. I snapped them open. If I was doing this, then I would bloody well enjoy it. I felt myself plunge deep into the valley, then rush back up again. I always thought I’d hate the bouncing sensation, but the Nevis Bungy was completely smooth. I swooped towards the ground again, feeling a whirl of disbelief. It was thrilling, frightening and utterly exhilarating.

People ask me if the Nevis Bungy or skydiving was scarier. Undoubtedly, it was the bungy. Despite the far greater height, skydiving doesn’t quite feel like falling. The force of the air around you has a buoying effect. With the Nevis Bungy, you really are just falling.

7. Dived with sharks in the Galápagos

Again, this was more fun than dangerous, but when people see the footage of Peter gliding into the frame above a reef shark, they’re usually inclined to gasp out loud. 

On a dive in the Galápagos, we encountered dozens of whitetip reef sharks resting on the seabed. At nearly 20 metres deep, we spent several awe-inspiring minutes watching these magnificent (and chilling) beasts. 

Of course, whitetip reef sharks are rarely aggressive towards humans. Unlike their Oceanic cousin, they are seldom aggressive unless provoked. They are, however, fearless and curious and will sometimes closely approach swimmers to investigate.

8. Drove the Sani Pass in Lesotho

Located in the western end of KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, Sani is a mountain pass connecting Underberg in South Africa with Mokhotlong in Lesotho. The hairpinned pass − named one of the most dangerous in the world − starts at an altitude of 1,544m and climbs to 2,876m.

Built circa 1950, Sani Pass remains a challenging drive. With winding twists, loose gravel, plunging drops and hairpins bends, it demands painstaking care and practised skill. In parts, the gradient reaches 1:3 and in treacherous conditions, has claimed lives. In fact, one of the hairpins has the rather sobering name of ‘suicide bend’.

We crossed the pass during our 2018 trip to South Africa. The progress was extremely slow but we didn’t complain. This is one occasion when it truly is better to be safe than sorry.

9. Swam with whale sharks in Djibouti

The whale shark is the largest known fish species living today. It poses no threat to humans, but its sheer size can be overwhelming.

On our trip in Djibouti, our spotter pointed to the waters ahead and Peter and I jumped straight in. Alas, the whale shark headed in the opposite direction and the two boats followed, depositing passengers far closer to him. Peter and I locked eyes. We’d made the mistake of jumping too soon.

It was then that a motion caught the corner of my eye. The whale shark was headed straight in our direction. I dipped underwater and the shark swam directly towards me as I hovered in the water as if suspended in time.

Atlas & Boots A whale shark swims past Kia

His skin glittered in the light and I held my breath as he swam so close I thought his tail would hit me as he turned. His enormous bulk slid swiftly by and I exhaled, long, soft and slow. 

10. Scaled a via ferrata in Catalonia

After changing the tyre in Namibia, this is the most nerve-racking thing on the list for me. I’ve said before that I’m most nervous when I’m in charge of my own safety during risky activities. Unlike bungy jumping or skydiving where you’re never out of an expert’s hands, via ferrata requires you to change your own carabiners, meaning that an absentminded mistake could have you hurtling to the ground. 

A few metres up on our via ferrata in Catalonia, my left leg began to shake uncontrollably. I’d never experienced anything like it before and I realised that I must be terrified. I remember that it had a strange, academic quality and a detached part of me thought, ‘Huh, so this is what it’s like.’

I gathered my nerves and continued up. At the top, neither Peter nor our guide, Jordi, believed me when I said that it was scarier than bungy.

Through personal anecdotes mixed with succinct travel advice, we share everything we’ve learnt about life on the road in Don’t Offer Papaya: 101 Tips for Your First Time Around the World.

Lead image: Atlas & Boots

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2W2L8Ws via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN