Pictures of Wonderland

Good news everyone.  Last week I had a unique opportunity.  It turns out that the fashion designers in Wonderland may want to sell their wares to the rest of the Nether Realm again. I was asked by my scroll mason, Edward, to go to Wonderland and scout out locations for a photoshoot.  A scroll mason is the Nether Realm equivalent of a newspaper editor in the Earth Realm. 

Lituous Trees

Since the 19^th century, Wonderland has kept its gates closed to all beings including mystics, humans, aliens and even gods.  This is because of an incident that involved two humans coming into the Nether Realm.  For months, a man and a little girl kept coming to Wonderland.    No one knew how these two humans got in but there are theories.  I think they both were astral projectors to be honest with you.  Because they kept coming, they discovered Wonderland’s deepest secrets.  Both of these humans wound up telling everyone in the Earth Realm about Wonderland.  The residents saw this as a threat and took drastic action. 

Rappin Sticky Roses

Now that is beginning to change and I got to be one of the first outsiders to go there in about 200 years.  I was quite honored.  I had an anthropomorphic squirrel named Tula to serve as my guide to show me around and tell me about this land.  Anthropomorphic means a creature that is not human but takes on human traits.  Wonderland is a magical place full of fantastic and wondrous oddities.  It is a land shrouded with mystery. 



My big responsibility in being there was to make a good impression on the residents.  So I had to play by their rules and show them that they could trust outsiders again.  I had to get special permission from both the proper authorities of Wonderland and the Ambassadors of Nether Realm Relations to show you my pictures and tell you my story.  Luckily for me they approved of this post.



One of the first things that happened was a frog in a trim grey suit and boulder hat approached Tula and I.  He said to us, "Logging for a haren, milady." I had no idea what that meant which is not surprising because Wonderland has its own unique language.  But my guide looked rather alarmed.  She told me to ignore him so that is what I did but because of her expression, I was not completely comfortable about it.

Bulbut Lightingales

During the two days I was there, I met some interesting anthropomorphic animals that I had a cuckoo, high tea with.  Apparently, logging means looking and haren means high tea.  The tea and cakes were wonderful and beautifully presented.  The company that I kept gave me some hints of what to look for.  Then they decided to talk in the Wonderland language for about ten minutes.  Before I knew it, my companions dumped their teas over their heads, jumped up on the table and did some break dancing on the food.  The high tea ended rather oddly.  Tula and I made an abrupt departure.  No wonder Tula was a bit concerned about going to a high tea.



Early the next morning, we began the search for locations.   We went to the areas that were suggested to us at the high tea and what I saw was awe-inspiring.  We came across trees that had small, glowing growths.  They looked like stars arranged in a pattern on the tree’s bark.  Tula told me that these trees are called the lituous trees.  They were very cool.  Next we came across an unusual vine that had

bright red pointed flowers.  They are called rappin sticky roses and they are highly poisonous.  From a distance you can smell their musky seductive scent but if you get too close, they will knock you unconscious for a week.  I am told not even the bulbut lightingales would wake you up.  The bulbut lightingales grow wild but they also grow on people’s houses and they are the brightest things I have ever seen. They shine their brightest at night when the sun is completely down.  It brings a whole new meaning to a nightlight. 

Stilfalin Waterfall

I saw a lot of beautiful things in Wonderland but what captured my heart was the Stifalin Waterfall.  It was a waterfall that has been frozen in time.  At one time there was a war between two kingdoms.  Both sides suffered great loss and many people died.  The conflicting royalties called a truce and froze this waterfall as a symbol of this truce.  However the war was not ended and I got the sense that they are still on shaky ground.  A beautiful symbol to remind them that war has terrible consequences that should be avoided.  A frozen waterfall is unnatural and so is war. 

To be able to go to Wondeland and get some pictures

 of possible locations for a photoshoot was a chance of a lifetime.   Although I was happy to go, it was not an easy trip.  People speaking in a language I don’t understand and engaging in some really bizarre behavior can be off putting.  However, I am happy that Wonderland is looking to trade their fashions again.  Wonderland has always had beautiful and enchanting clothes.  I’ve seen them in my Mom’s old scrolls and I wished I had some of those dresses.  Luckily, I might be able to buy one now.  Hopefully, Wonderland will hold to their decision to trade.  Only time will tell.      





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Screamfest is the Best!

Screamfest Entrance

The First and Best Haunted House

October is a great time for mystics. It is one of the few times we get to travel freely between the Nether World and the Earth Realm. Most of us try to get home to the Nether Realm to enjoy our huge party “Centennial Celebration”. Unfortunately, this year I was not able to be there.  Three of my dearest friends in the Earth Realm invited me to go with them to “Screamfest”. They told me that Halloween themed fun included games, rides and haunted houses. From what they said, I thought it might be a little dark but I was so homesick and feeling sorry for myself, I decided to give it a try.

Dragon Monster Truck Ride

The Magician

This is a very popular event and line ups are typically quite long. General admission is $25 but my friends recommended that I spring for the extra $20 to purchase a Speed Pass. So I did and received a bracelet and 16 tokens to use as I pleased. No waiting in line for me!

We entered the grandstand building and had a quick look around. We decided that we would explore the six haunted houses that were included in the price of admission first so headed outside where they were located. “What Lies Beneath” was the first house we toured and we were very impressed. At the end of the day, we decided that this was our favorite attraction.

 

As we explored the outdoor attractions, we found the “Monster Truck Rides”. Although it cost a whopping 12 tokens, we decided we had to give it a try. After a brief wait, the four of us climbed into the very front of the large vehicle. Immediately after buckling our seat belts, we began one of the most exciting rides of our life. The spins, skids, donuts and the speed are not something we encounter in our everyday lives. It was like riding a dragon except we did not actually fly. It only felt like it. I ran into an unexpected visitor from the Nether World.

Andromeda, Princess of Dragons

Shape-shiftng Gorilla Woman

Andromeda, the Princess of Dragons, is a minor celebrity in our world. She is named after Andromeda, daughter of Cepheus and Cassiopeia and the wife of Perseus. Andromeda was chained naked to a rock near the port city of Jaffa and Perseus rescued and then married her. She had a long life and many children. After her death, she was placed among the constellations in the northern sky near Perseus and Cassiopeia. Her namesake, the Princess of Dragons, is a bit of a loner but every now and again she does briefly visit the Earth Realm to walk anonymously and explore this world. We did get to speak to her and shake her hand but she had to leave rather quickly. She did not enjoy the crowds and all the noise. It was a thrill for me to meet her.

Mad House and Buried Alive

We went back into the grandstand building to experience the games, more rides and haunted houses. I tried the “Witches Brew Game” and the “Archery Game”. No prizes for me but I did have fun. We tried a couple of rides. “The Screamer” is an aptly named orbital apparatus that spins in every direction so fast that you feel you have entered another dimension. “Neighbors from Hell” was a 3D ride that required you to flee from hellish demons that are definitely out to kill you.  We toured the haunted houses “Mad House” and “Buried Alive”. We also saw zombies, a shape shifting gorilla woman, and a magician. We made it out alive.  Will you? 

 

The Screamer

In the 4 ½ hours we were there, we did not take in all the available attractions. This is not an inexpensive evening out. Admission plus 16 tokens cost $45. Visiting the outdoor haunted houses was included in admission and did not require tokens. The two indoor haunted houses cost 4 tokens each. Monster Truck Ride cost 12 tokens and other rides were 8 tokens each. Games were generally 4 tokens each. Food services were limited and costly so I did not indulge. I estimate my total cost to be $70.

Neighbors From Hell Ride

 

To enjoy the experience, it is necessary to leave your “grown up, responsible, judgemental, adult” self at home. Come prepared to laugh, scream, jump, and defend yourself and your friends with your purse if necessary and you will have a wonderful time. We all certainly escaped our real world and left with smiles on our faces. Will I go back next year? Absolutely.  It was Spooktackular!

Zombie Smiling

The Oracle's Adventures on Vancouver Island: The Adventures

My First Bungee Jump

Vancouver Island is a very memorable place but what I am going to remember the most is the adventures.  There are many adventurous things to do on the island but this time I decided to indulge in three things.  Hiking, Bungee Jumping and Ziplining.  Two out of these three activities are for fun but one is essential. 

First, I will start with the bungee jumping that I did at Wildplay in Nanaimo.  The cost for this is $136.49 for your first jump and I thought it was worth that price especially since there is nothing like it in our world unless you are a spider demon.  So out of curiosity, I decided to try it and I loved it!  First is the anticipation, then comes the nervousness, then the fear and finally as you jump, the release.  You're as free as a flying fairy on a clear sunny day.  It feels nice to have the feeling of my wings again.  I'm not allowed my wings when I'm in this realm.  Exposure can be deadly to Mystics, so be very careful.  Now back to the bungee jumping.  What happens is they tie a cord around your ankles.  Then you have to waddle (Yes waddle because this cord is tight) to the platform and wait for a moment or two as the instructors tell you what to do.  Then you jump and enjoy the ride.  You will feel like you are flying again.

View from a Zip-line

Zip lining is a lot like flying as well. You are attached by a harness onto a  long cord that goes from one platform to another.  As you soar from one platform to another you will notice that the views are breath-taking.  We are not allowed to bring cameras or cell phones for good reason but I snuck mine out to take the picture that you see to the right.  I'll never forget the sight of the misty mountains that I saw when I was 1000 feet in the air.  The place where I did the Ziplining was called Adrenaline which is near Victoria.  You go on Eleven Ziplines for $88.  That is a pretty fair price in this world when you want to fly through the trees in the mountains.

Now I'm sure you all have figured out what is the most essential of all these activities is hiking. Some of the most beautiful of all sights of this island are captured when you are walking in nature.  Vancouver Island is rich with trees, wildflowers and mountains.  It's hard to miss these things when you go searching for them.  Like the bridge you see in the picture below.  It leads to a forest full of different trees, wildflowers, little animals (squirrels, hummingbirds, etc) and a small spring that some people swim in on hot days.  This particular place did not have a name but it's popular there and you don't have to pay for it. Let's face it; free is the best price for an activity.

Hiking Across A Bridge To A Forest

I sense there is a great deal of magic on this island. I say this because it's crackling with energy, the land is rich with natural beauty, and everything here is so bright that it glows.  Not to mention that this place allows a mystic to feel the joy of flight again when we can't fly in this realm.   I guess the real question is, how can this island not be magical?