Drinks with minds of their own, talking shrubs and unknown entities that made me want to run for the seaplane!
The White Holes of Kerajaan
Part One
They have accused me of visiting only the most beautiful places on Blissdaine Naive and to that I say—guilty as charged. My latest jaunt will not deviate from this characterization of my past travels. From the moment I emerge from a fiery red seaplane, I know I am in for a spectacular treat. The jungles surrounding the sea port are just a tease to what lays ahead for me. And with that said, I must once again ask for your forgiveness as I wander off the travel path into a more unreal journey.
Kerajaan is a country formed from two islands that sit north of Adanac Brit and just to the south of Andaqesh. In the past, Kerajaan incorporated Rajska Island to create one country. It is unknown when or how this union occurred. No document or story told verifies the union, but there is evidence of a war. The likely culprit for this lack of information is the time anomaly. Today, the country of Kerajaan is a prosperous island nation with cultural wonders, natural beauty, amazing delicacies and of course, mysteries. Oh, so many mysteries. On this trip I will tackle one mystery; the White Holes of Kerajaan.
I arrive at the *Kalah Waktu’s Skyport Seaplane terminal on a balmy morning with a slight gray sky overhead, and judging by the ground’s shimmer, those gray clouds have dropped a shower earlier. Fortunately for me, I’m wearing a light shirt, and some vented shorts. The forecast warned of heavy humidity arriving around midday. My shoes are inadequate or my feet are too small. No complaints otherwise.
Greeted by a host of locals eager to welcome me to their beautiful islands, I am soon off and running to explore this magical place. They classify the Kerajaan islands as tropical rain forest but this is an anomaly because rain forests are always near the planet’s equator. Kerajaan is well over 4,000 miles north of this imaginary line. It is in a climate of its own sharing no similarities with its neighbors to the north or to the south. This is the first mystery.
And thus begins my exploration of the two islands. From the Hotel Mollir Azur in Kalah Waktu, I am driven to the coast by my guide, Tnetnu Frmanoos, where we board a ferry. Once we complete the short ferry ride to Rajka Island, Tnetnu drives the jeep deep into the rain forest where legend has it white holes exist. Tnetnu is a tall thin man with tree bark colored skin and paper white teeth. He’s driving fast and wild, and I believe the ragtop jeep will flip. He says he’s taking me to see Dr. Cah Rea Lyar, and I pray we make it there alive. As for white holes, Tnetnu isn’t too chatty on the subject.
“Dat layjan is so very troo,” he says in his heavy Kerajaan accent.
We are driving at breakneck speed and if Tnetnu had hair, it would fly behind him like a motorboat’s flag. As loud as I need to be, I ask him if he’s seen a white hole. He turns and with an ominous scowl says, “If you believe—I have. And I care not to see another.”
I let Tnetnu focus on driving and drop the subject. He seems keen to do the same. We drive for almost an hour until we reach a soupy place. The trees, vines, shrubs, flowers and more trees are all soaked in humidity. Oppressive and beautiful, I feel excited. Jumping out of the jeep, my legs are weary. We set out on foot and minutes later I see a woman sitting on the ground reading a map or some large paper document.
I stop for a moment to adjust my ill-fitting shoes. Tnetnu continues towards Dr. Lyar when something catches my attention. I hear something. Someone speaking. At first I think an insect buzzed by my ear. Insects don’t speak... do they? I look around. Tnetnu is just a few paces ahead of me. I stand and continue on to catch my guide when it occurs again. It’s a whisper and I turn to a shrub that shivers. I stop. This shrub speaks to me. I am certain of it, but that’s just not normal. I start off again.
“Don’t do it...”
I stop. I can hear it clearly. But who is it? The shrub then turns to me. It does, and I hurry off to catch Tnetnu.
“Dr. Lyar,” shouts Tnetnu. She turns as we approach, stands and heads for us. Dr. Lyar is young, which surprises me. That she is beautiful, enchants me.
“Dis is Sir...” Tnetnu turns to me. He forgot my name.
I approach her. “Timit Garz,” I say and shake her hand. “Are You There Yet, travel blog?” I say it as a question, believing she’s likely not heard of our little travel operation.
“Ah, yes. AYTY travel blog.”
She smiles, and I feel much better about my career.
“Malen Diviti’s blog on the kraken fruit had my juices flowing. She writes well.”
Good feelings gone.
When she tells Tnetnu that she will bring me back to Kerajaan and he leaves, I knew my chances at a pyretic adventure had just increased.
Dr. Cah Rea Lyar is an environmentalist who studies the effects of Blissdane Naive’s encroachment on the natural world. The Kerajaan government commissioned her to study the rain forests on the two Kerajaan islands. “We are losing 1,000 acres of rain forest a month and it seems our need to build in these pristine areas is destroying a critical component to the planet’s climate,” she said.
I look around and see nothing. There are no buildings or communities. I shrug inwardly. An over the top statistic, I think to myself, but she’s the expert. Our conversation continues on this topic for well over ten minutes. And though I care about the plight of our rain forests, I am eager to discuss the white holes.
“Dr. Lyar, do you know anything about the white holes of Kerajaan?”
She glares at me for a few seconds and I think maybe my pyretic aspirations were on the verge of burning to ashes and my adventure shifting to a scream for survival.
Allow me to divert us to a more tropical cheerful place. Maestro, cue the steel drums!
On Rajka Island, at the Hydeeng 5 Hotel, I meet a bartender eager to introduce me to what he calls the Pompin Circus Dance. It’s a drink that leaves all tropical drinks flat on the bars of vacations past. (Take that, Malen.) I bring the drinks to the table I am sharing with Dr. Lyar. We sip our drinks after a halfhearted and silent toast. The fizzy, chartreuse drink glows in the dark and stirs itself as I lift the glass. My hand on the book, it does! It makes us both smile. I wait until the drink decides the stirring is adequate and the drink ready to consume. What I experience next is the antipodal of a brain freeze, which leaves me in a state of floating bliss and quiescence. More, I cannot say. What more can I say?
“Oh. That’s why you’re here,” Dr. Lyar says with great disdain.
While I consider weeping in my pants, her fists hit her hips, and she stares me down. I have to stand my ground. “Dr. Lyar, while I care for your work, let’s be honest, I don’t write for Scienteering Digest. I am a simple blogger who writes light journals about visiting odd and wonderful places on the planet. My readers seek these places.” She now crosses her arms. “Okay,” I say. “Yes, they’d likely rather climb into a tight fitting swimsuit and drink expensive cocktails than read about the environment but they will read what you reveal today regarding the peril of rain forests.” I await her reaction. “Or not.” This is my last ditch effort to get her to show me a white hole. My gambit pays off. When her lip turns up into a smirk, I know she will help me find the so-called, white holes. But not before a warning.
“Okay,” she says. “I’ll take you to where the Princess disappeared centuries ago.”
“Thank you,” says I.
“But I warn you.” She pauses for effect. “They say these phenomena alter the minds of those who witness them. And although I don’t believe the stories, some have reported seeing people taken by...” She hesitates.
“By what?” I ask.
“By... the little people.”
Part One
They have accused me of visiting only the most beautiful places on Blissdaine Naive and to that I say—guilty as charged. My latest jaunt will not deviate from this characterization of my past travels. From the moment I emerge from a fiery red seaplane, I know I am in for a spectacular treat. The jungles surrounding the sea port are just a tease to what lays ahead for me. And with that said, I must once again ask for your forgiveness as I wander off the travel path into a more unreal journey.
Kerajaan is a country formed from two islands that sit north of Adanac Brit and just to the south of Andaqesh. In the past, Kerajaan incorporated Rajska Island to create one country. It is unknown when or how this union occurred. No document or story told verifies the union, but there is evidence of a war. The likely culprit for this lack of information is the time anomaly. Today, the country of Kerajaan is a prosperous island nation with cultural wonders, natural beauty, amazing delicacies and of course, mysteries. Oh, so many mysteries. On this trip I will tackle one mystery; the White Holes of Kerajaan.
I arrive at the *Kalah Waktu’s Skyport Seaplane terminal on a balmy morning with a slight gray sky overhead, and judging by the ground’s shimmer, those gray clouds have dropped a shower earlier. Fortunately for me, I’m wearing a light shirt, and some vented shorts. The forecast warned of heavy humidity arriving around midday. My shoes are inadequate or my feet are too small. No complaints otherwise.
Greeted by a host of locals eager to welcome me to their beautiful islands, I am soon off and running to explore this magical place. They classify the Kerajaan islands as tropical rain forest but this is an anomaly because rain forests are always near the planet’s equator. Kerajaan is well over 4,000 miles north of this imaginary line. It is in a climate of its own sharing no similarities with its neighbors to the north or to the south. This is the first mystery.
And thus begins my exploration of the two islands. From the Hotel Mollir Azur in Kalah Waktu, I am driven to the coast by my guide, Tnetnu Frmanoos, where we board a ferry. Once we complete the short ferry ride to Rajka Island, Tnetnu drives the jeep deep into the rain forest where legend has it white holes exist. Tnetnu is a tall thin man with tree bark colored skin and paper white teeth. He’s driving fast and wild, and I believe the ragtop jeep will flip. He says he’s taking me to see Dr. Cah Rea Lyar, and I pray we make it there alive. As for white holes, Tnetnu isn’t too chatty on the subject.
“Dat layjan is so very troo,” he says in his heavy Kerajaan accent.
We are driving at breakneck speed and if Tnetnu had hair, it would fly behind him like a motorboat’s flag. As loud as I need to be, I ask him if he’s seen a white hole. He turns and with an ominous scowl says, “If you believe—I have. And I care not to see another.”
I let Tnetnu focus on driving and drop the subject. He seems keen to do the same. We drive for almost an hour until we reach a soupy place. The trees, vines, shrubs, flowers and more trees are all soaked in humidity. Oppressive and beautiful, I feel excited. Jumping out of the jeep, my legs are weary. We set out on foot and minutes later I see a woman sitting on the ground reading a map or some large paper document.
I stop for a moment to adjust my ill-fitting shoes. Tnetnu continues towards Dr. Lyar when something catches my attention. I hear something. Someone speaking. At first I think an insect buzzed by my ear. Insects don’t speak... do they? I look around. Tnetnu is just a few paces ahead of me. I stand and continue on to catch my guide when it occurs again. It’s a whisper and I turn to a shrub that shivers. I stop. This shrub speaks to me. I am certain of it, but that’s just not normal. I start off again.
“Don’t do it...”
I stop. I can hear it clearly. But who is it? The shrub then turns to me. It does, and I hurry off to catch Tnetnu.
“Dr. Lyar,” shouts Tnetnu. She turns as we approach, stands and heads for us. Dr. Lyar is young, which surprises me. That she is beautiful, enchants me.
“Dis is Sir...” Tnetnu turns to me. He forgot my name.
I approach her. “Timit Garz,” I say and shake her hand. “Are You There Yet, travel blog?” I say it as a question, believing she’s likely not heard of our little travel operation.
“Ah, yes. AYTY travel blog.”
She smiles, and I feel much better about my career.
“Malen Diviti’s blog on the kraken fruit had my juices flowing. She writes well.”
Good feelings gone.
When she tells Tnetnu that she will bring me back to Kerajaan and he leaves, I knew my chances at a pyretic adventure had just increased.
Dr. Cah Rea Lyar is an environmentalist who studies the effects of Blissdane Naive’s encroachment on the natural world. The Kerajaan government commissioned her to study the rain forests on the two Kerajaan islands. “We are losing 1,000 acres of rain forest a month and it seems our need to build in these pristine areas is destroying a critical component to the planet’s climate,” she said.
I look around and see nothing. There are no buildings or communities. I shrug inwardly. An over the top statistic, I think to myself, but she’s the expert. Our conversation continues on this topic for well over ten minutes. And though I care about the plight of our rain forests, I am eager to discuss the white holes.
“Dr. Lyar, do you know anything about the white holes of Kerajaan?”
She glares at me for a few seconds and I think maybe my pyretic aspirations were on the verge of burning to ashes and my adventure shifting to a scream for survival.
Allow me to divert us to a more tropical cheerful place. Maestro, cue the steel drums!
On Rajka Island, at the Hydeeng 5 Hotel, I meet a bartender eager to introduce me to what he calls the Pompin Circus Dance. It’s a drink that leaves all tropical drinks flat on the bars of vacations past. (Take that, Malen.) I bring the drinks to the table I am sharing with Dr. Lyar. We sip our drinks after a halfhearted and silent toast. The fizzy, chartreuse drink glows in the dark and stirs itself as I lift the glass. My hand on the book, it does! It makes us both smile. I wait until the drink decides the stirring is adequate and the drink ready to consume. What I experience next is the antipodal of a brain freeze, which leaves me in a state of floating bliss and quiescence. More, I cannot say. What more can I say?
“Oh. That’s why you’re here,” Dr. Lyar says with great disdain.
While I consider weeping in my pants, her fists hit her hips, and she stares me down. I have to stand my ground. “Dr. Lyar, while I care for your work, let’s be honest, I don’t write for Scienteering Digest. I am a simple blogger who writes light journals about visiting odd and wonderful places on the planet. My readers seek these places.” She now crosses her arms. “Okay,” I say. “Yes, they’d likely rather climb into a tight fitting swimsuit and drink expensive cocktails than read about the environment but they will read what you reveal today regarding the peril of rain forests.” I await her reaction. “Or not.” This is my last ditch effort to get her to show me a white hole. My gambit pays off. When her lip turns up into a smirk, I know she will help me find the so-called, white holes. But not before a warning.
“Okay,” she says. “I’ll take you to where the Princess disappeared centuries ago.”
“Thank you,” says I.
“But I warn you.” She pauses for effect. “They say these phenomena alter the minds of those who witness them. And although I don’t believe the stories, some have reported seeing people taken by...” She hesitates.
“By what?” I ask.
“By... the little people.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
*Due to the Kerajaan Island's sensitive and vulnerable rain forests, the government has not allowed a land based airport to be built. There is but one sky-port that services the two islands.
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