Markham park campground map

Hi everyone! This forum was very helpful in the last few weeks prior to my trip. My trip was from May 22 to June 2.
This was a trip 3 years in the making and then Covid happened in 2020 and we had to cancel almost everything. Rebooked everything last year and resumed.
Our itinerary was ambitious but doable and we decided to rent a car and drive around the country/ring road with stops at the major sties that interested us. Here are the details and notable memorable things for those interested:
- We noticed about 90% of people who drive around the country go counterclockwise. When researching I wasn't sure what the reasoning was. We decided to go Clockwise and 100% would recommend it for us; given the time of year we went. For every 25+ cars we saw going the OPPOSITE direction, we had 1 on our direction. Which meant less cars to deal with for us. Having said that, we chose to do Golden Circle last and by then it was "underwhelming" as I had read and agree after going to the rest of the country.
- We rented from Blue Car rental and they were amazing. Loved the service, the car was great, pick up and drop off was a breeze and they had almost the cheapest price for us.
- AVOID GRAVEL ROADS AT ALL COSTS! Google maps base it on speed limit and most are 80km/hr but I don't think anyone does it and we ended up driving 50km/hr for most and it felt like we wasted more time. If I could find all paved roads instead and take a longer route I would recommend. SOme pothole IMO were way too large even for our car.
- We were WELL prepared for clothing; waterproof out shells, fleece inner and layers. BUT I'd suggest getting the lightest waterproof shell cause during hike I took off all layers and my "parka" was heavy. It the only waterproof shell I had. My husband had a light one and was fine.
- Never need merino wool base layers, walking sticks etc. Brought them for no reason.
- I didn't care too much about precipitation nor temperature but the WIND is the true enemy. It is insane and really determines your success. Some spots I originally thought (we can picnic with our own lunch) and that never happened. Decided early on to just eat in the car due to weather and wind.
- We brought granola bars, protein powder for breakfast, instant noodles and then just bought bread/ham/PB and Jelly at grocery stores. Food was reasonable in grocery stores and we ate most meals there. To be honest, Bonus was so hyped when I researched that in the end, I preferred Netto and bought most grocery items from Kronan. WAAAAY more selection, better quality and to be honest I barely noticed the difference in price. The real difference in price is gas stations and small town "stores" for food.
- I researched pumping gas but it was still a bit confusing at first. Getting receipts and other items is odd to me but we managed near the end
- Yellow and wind days are scary and it nearly ruined 2 days and it basically cancelled most excursions. Snafellsness was cut short due to wind and it was insane and it was our first day out of Reykjavik. It was beautiful though and Arnarstapi was my favourite of all stops even though we had a ton of places planned. We basically skipped the beaches as the weather got bad.
- Stay flexible, all of my planned stops had a "mandatory" or "optional" so I can figure what to do if thigns came up. If an excursion cancelled; we had a backup. I'd basically say minimize (unless you REALLY want to) any water-related activity; whale watching, kayaking etc because wind is a huge factor. To be honest whale watching when on my last was OK. We saw whales and dolphins but the waves were "calm" but nnot for me so after a while I was fine heading back. But I'm glad I did it.
- Favourite places: Arnarstapi, Studlagil Canyon (when I went we walked entirely from further paking lot on east side, anyone car can get to the closer parking lot to save 1hr of extra walking), Puffins in Borgarfjardarhofn, Hverir and Hverfell (impromptu hike and it was amazing), Myvatn in general was a favourite of mine, Jokulsarlon Glacier and Diamond Beach, Black Sand Beaches, the drive in North Iceland when it was all snowcaps and Gljufragui.
- Most waterfalls up north were not that impressive (Godafoss and Dettifoss) tbh. And south waterfalls somehow felt more attractions than natural wonders imo.
- When we did eat out the food quality was excellent for what it was but the prices for many things were hard to justify; so we ate out minimally. Sad to say I personally don't think Scandinavian food in general (sorry to generalize) isn't for me for long term; I really missed other flavours like spices etc.
- We loved basically all of our stays; guesthouses, hotels, apartments etc. We had a mix. Grund I Grundarfirdi for Snaefellsness was great! K16 apartments in Akureyri was excellent! Hotels down in Hofn and Kirkjubaejarklaustur were also very nice.
- 1 day max in Reykjavik is more than enough
- We had to skip a few places due to weather: hike saxholl crater, Raudfeldsgja gorge, beaches, Asbyrgi (it was between puffins or this and it was a no brainer), Seydisfjordur, Hvalnes, Vestrahorn, top side of Dyrholaey, Kvernufiss, Reykjadalu hot springs, Bruarfoss
- We went to Myvatn Hot springs and Laugarvatn Fontana. Myvatn was amazing. Laugarvatn was alright; more like a fancier local swimming pool. We did not do any other hot springs.
- Thingvellir to be honest is skippable. Wish we did the Reyjadalu instead.
- I felt the time or yeaday we went or maybe direction we headed, I expected WAY more tourists; especially southern coast. The busiest day was at Thingvellir and it was busy but not unbearable. All other places were quite quiet and pretty decent imo. Even north Iceland felt a little busier at Godafoss and Hverir vs the Southern coast.
- All in all I enjoyed my trip but felt I did what I planned to do and being sick the last few days (best not to eat mystery cold fish during a breakfast buffet) didn't help either as I spent a lot of time worrying about the restroom situation when I went. All locals and people we were met were friendly, nice, helpful and made our stay welcoming and fun. All tours and excursions we did end up doing (horseback riding in Vik, Kayaking in Stokkseyri and whale watching in Reykjavik (last minute booking since the Akureyri one was cancelled) were all well done. Oh and ice cream here is amazing! I'm glad I tried it as often as I could!

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---Esme’s perspective---
---Saturday, 11th of November, 2682 Terran Calendar---
---Southern England---
Fucking Sussex!
‘Can you send me to the Forth Valley?’
‘Oh, we can try… On an unrelated note, how’s your standard English? No problems in communicating?’
I should’ve just said ‘No, I have great difficulty in communicating in anything but Lallans Scots!’ instead of putting on my poshest English speech register to say ‘Marjorie dearest, would you be a lamb and pass another buttered scone… hold the raspberry jam, it’s far too spicy for me!’ which she told me she’d take as a ‘Yes.’
“This is an English language barracks. If you have been directed here in error, please make yourself known to barracks staff for reassignment.” plays a loud, prerecorded Welsh language announcement, over speakers.
They’re fucking rubbing it in!
“This is an English language barracks. If you have been directed here in error, please make yourself known to barracks staff for reassignment.” it repeats in Scots Gaelic.
“Ceci est une caserne Anglophone. Si vous avez été assigné ici par erreur, veuillez vous faire connaître auprès du personnel de la caserne pour une réaffectation.” it says in what I’m 90% sure is a French version of the same announcement (I can’t be certain, though, as that’s not one of my languages).
Looking at the crowds, queuing to get in, makes me regret asserting that I didn’t need transport here.
‘You shouldn’t be sending someone to War that you don’t trust to navigate themself from Galloway to Sussex!’ were my exact words.
I brushed off the recruitment officer saying that I’d be processed faster if I arrived on Military organised transport.
Well, standing here’s not gonna get me to the front of the queue now, is it!
I walk forward to join the massive throng of people, almost all of which look to be about my age.
It’s astonishing how short you feel, being an average height girl in a crowd of people!
178cm really isn’t all that much when you’ve got a not insignificant number of +2m guys here!
Even guys who are the average 188cm can make a girl feel short when their packed too close…
I see a few Neanderthal hunks… perhaps conscription won’t be all bad(!)
When I make it to the front of the line, the guy just stares expectantly at me like I’m supposed to already know what to do.
“Y’awright?… Err… mah nam’s Esme Reid…?” I say, hesitantly, in perfectly comprehensible speech.
“I’m sorry, would you repeat that?” he answers, looking at me like I just spoke to him in fucking Chinese!
“Greetings, gracious sir! You may kindly refer to me by the name ‘Esme Reid’!” I say, affecting my supercilious Southern English gentlewoman accent.
“Alright, Ms Reid. Please present your draft papers and identification.”
The balls they have to ask me to prove who I am when they’re the ones asking me to go off and fucking die for them!
I think about quipping that I should ask him to show me some proof that this is a legitimate Military installation sanctioned by the government of Sol… but think better of it…
Instead, I pull out my draft papers and my holopad, quickly getting up my identification app.
The man scans the code with his own holo and spends a few seconds glancing from his screen to my face and back.
Seeming satisfied that I’m not attempting to enlist under a false identity (for whatever strange reason a person might want to do that) he glances at my papers, says “Everything seems to be in order.” and waves a hand in front of a machine which whirs for half a second before spitting out a simple chain necklace with two little metal rectangles hanging off of it.
He hands it to me and says “This is your identification tag. Please check that the information on it is correct and, if it is, put it on and never take it off.”
I check the tag.
“You’ve got my name and birthday right…” I say, making a conscious effort to keep my speech register in that that a standard English speaker would consider acceptable “…don’t know about the regiment and serial number.”
“Those will be correct.” he says with a ‘move along’ tone.
I shrug, raise the dogtag over my head and drop it around my neck.
I walk on and he’s serving the girl behind me before I’ve even rounded the counter.
I’m ushered through the barracks, herded by the staff, until I reach a building labelled ‘Billet House 279’.
It doesn’t really look like I expected soldiers’ digs to look.
Definitely prefabbed but sort of has more the look of a uni hall than anything else… though I think it’s probably a bit much to expect that I’ll get a room to myself(!)
I follow the throng of draftees through to a wide open room, on the ground floor, that looks like it’s normally a cafeteria.
The camp attendants (who I’m guessing were in the same boat as us, not too long ago) direct us to stand along the left, right and nearside walls, keeping the back wall and centre of the room clear.
Everyone in place, there follows a few minutes of silence broken only by people whispering to one another.
Then, she enters the room.
Dark skinned and clad in green camo clothing, her scalp is easily visible between her cornrows with nary a hair out of place.
Her expression looks absolutely indifferent with just the slightest hint of a curled lip.
From the broadness and flatness of her facial features as well as her single mauve eye, she is clearly half Tshwane… though, you’d never guess that from her stature!
Female Tshwane average nearly 2m… the men are more like 2.2m!
She’s shorter than me!
She’s also built like a Sapiens, not the willowy thinness typical of Tshwane
I guess genetics interact in funny ways sometimes…
Based on her age, her Tshwane parent would probably have to have been one of the very first to be cloned back!
The other eye seems to have been ripped out at some point because in its place is a bionic and there’s a patch of hypopigmented scar tissue, forming a tear shape, at the right corner.
“Recruits… Welcome to the United Terran Coalition Infantry Trainin’ Camp, Graffham… My name is Warrant Officer Simone Sands… and I’ll be your drill instructor…” says the woman, cooly, speaking in a rough sounding, London accent.
The surname ‘Sands’ probably means her dad was the Tshwane (though not necessarily… she might have been given her mum’s surname… or it might be a coincidental English surname).
“…You all know why you’re here… Most of you’ve prob’ly already lost loved ones to this War… You are here to defend our right to exist… and I can’t think of a more worthy reason to fight than that…”
I’ve decided I like this woman… She may be English but I’ll try not to hold that against her(!)
“The first thing I need to tell all of you is that, by the end of your trainin’, you will NOT like me…” she says, as if reading my mind “…that’s OK. My job ain’t to be liked, my job ain’t to make friends… my job is to make soldiers!”
She casts her biological and bionic eyes around the room, letting her words hang in the air.
“Note… that I said ‘soldiers’… This ain’t Full Metal Jacket. This ain’t the 20th Century. There’ll be no Pvt Piles here!… I ain’t aimin’ to destroy your minds or your individuality. I ain’t goin’ to physic’ly and psychologic’ly abuse you into becomin’ robots or killers… I am makin’ you into soldiers… Regardless… this process will not be easy! In fact, it may well be the hardest thing you ever do!… As the face of this process, you will come to hate and resent me for it!… I hope for it! The more you hate me the more-DO YOU HAVE SOMETHIN’ TO SAY, PRIVATE?!”
Everyone in the room is startled by the authoritative woman breaking herself off to shout angrily at someone on the other side of the room.
“STEP FORWARD AND SPEAK SO EVERYONE CAN HEAR YOU!”
The boy that steps forward is tall, bulky and muscular with a handsome, half Neanderthal face… just my type!
Then he has to go and ruin it by opening his mouth.
“I was just saying… that I find it somewhat difficult to take you seriously as a commanding officer… You just seem a little bit… little.” says the boy in the poshest, smarmiest English drawl I’ve ever heard!
The woman does not shout, she does not scream, she doesn’t snarl or even purse her lips!
She just nods, as if considering his words, then asks “What’s your name, Soldier?”
“Rupert Forest.” responds the boy, proudly.
“And, how tall are you, Pvt Forest?” responds the woman, unimpressed
“195cm.” he answers.
“And, what’s your mass?” she asks.
“110kg.”
“I see, I see… So, by your logic… you’d make a better drill sergeant than me, would you? You’re 25cm taller and 35kg heavier, afterall!”
He smirks “I wouldn’t presume to say so, Ma’am…” in a way that definitely suggests that he thinks he would.
She seems to consider that for some moments before answering “Alright then, fight me for it!”
“I’m sorry…?” responds the poshboy.
“You heard me… Clearly, you got no respect for skill and experience but it seems like you must respect power… so fight me for it! You win, you get to train this lot, I win, you never question my authority again!”
Is this woman mad!?
She may be a soldier but this boy she just challenged is a half Neanderthal giant!
She’s gonna lose!
I do not want to be drilled by some snotty, privileged English brat who got here at the same time as I did and just couldn’t keep his fucking mouth shut!
Then again, I don’t really want to be drilled by a woman so delusional that she felt the best way to squash insubordination was to challenge a man she has no hope of beating, either!
The guy is clearly salivating over the power that’s just been slapped on the table in front of him as he answers “I accept your terms, Ms Sands…” with faux magnanimity.
There’s no way they’d let a Private run drills, is there? When he wins, someone just needs to go and complain and they’ll give us another (less stupid) drill sergeant… right?
He strips off his jacket to reveal a pair of thick, muscular arms that (in spite of his repulsive personality) are a thrilling sight.
He has to go and ruin it by flexing and posing, clearly revelling in the room’s worth of gasps he got when he revealed his arms… He obviously likes being the centre of attention.
“Done?” asks Sands, drily.
“If you still want to do this…” he says, smugly “…you could just concede defeat and I’m sure no one would hold it against you!”
Her lip curls as she answers “But… if I did that, no one would learn nothin’, now would they…”
He shrugs before launching himself at her without waiting for her to give the word to begin.
She whirls out of the way and he snatches at her, unsuccessfully, as his momentum carries him past.
“Lesson 1:…” she shouts while snapping into the space behind him and kicking out his knee “…size does not determine victory, strength does not determine victory…” levelling another powerful kick between his shoulderblades to bring him to the ground.
She backs off, allowing him to scramble to his feet and turn to face her, hunched in readiness and scowling.
“…Pvt Forest here looked at me with contempt on account of my small size and, though he didn’t say so, I’d guess that my rough accent, my lack of a graduate epithet and my lack of a penis also played a roll in his judgin’ me as less than!… He thought he could beat me, he probably still DOES, and, ’causa that, he didn’t respect my ability to lead…!”
Forest makes another lunge for the smaller woman, misses and is punished for it by being knocked back to the floor.
I’m agog as I watch this little woman… there’s no other word but toy with the giant man!
“…but victory does not care how big you are, how strong you are, how classy or educated you are or what’s in your pants or panties…!”
She dodges around his arm and pins his chest to the floor with her knee.
“Discipline and trainin’ determine victory!… Things that I have and Pvt Forest LACKS!… Things that ALL of you will acquire, over the next 8 months!!!” she turns her head down to the mountain of man she’s pinning to the floor “Concede, Private!”
The man shakes his head, trying in vain to leverage himself up.
“Alright then… Lesson 2: When faced with a resistant individual, compliance can be effectively enforced by the expedient of lockin’ their joints to induce PAIN!!!”
She grabs his thick arms by the wrists and pulls them backwards in a way they are not meant to bend!
He screams in agony!
“CONCEDE!!!… Don’t make me send you to the Medical Officer! It’d be inconvenient for BOTH of us if your pride makes you miss your first week of trainin’ while your arms heal!!!”
He holds out for two more seconds before screaming “I concede! I CONCEDE!!!”
She releases him and stands back up.
“On your feet, Soldier…” she growls down at him.
He stands back up, his face beet red.
“Are you ever goin’ to question my fitness to instruct again, Private?” she glares up at the humiliated giant.
“No.” he answers, gracelessly.
“No…?” she says as if waiting for something else.
Forest looks as confused as I am about what she’s expecting.
“No, Ma’am!” she snarls.
“No, Ma’am.”
“Good, we’ll work on your attitude, movin’ forward. Now, get back in line!”
The humiliated man picks up his civvy jacket and returns to the place he was called out from.
“Now, I don’t think I need to prattle on anymore about how you’re gonna hate me by the end of our time together, do I?… I think Pvt Forest helped me prove that point quite well, so I’ll move on… You will sleep in this buildin’, six to a room. Your rooms will be gender segregated. If you wish for a place to be… intimate with people of the opposite gender, you may request use of one of the conjugal rooms… I suggest you do the same if you want to be intimate with a same gender partner but that’s between you and your roommates! You will eat in this room at 0700hrs, 1200hrs and 1800hrs. Diet’ry requirements will be accommodated but, bare in mind, this ain’t your mummies’ and daddies’ kitchen! ‘This food is forbidden by my religion/personal ethics’ is a diet’ry requirement. ‘I am allergic to this food’ is a diet’ry requirement! ‘I don’t like how this food tastes’ is not(!)… In the mornin’s, you will be receivin’ lessons in lecture theatres, workshops and the like…”
“Oh great… just what I wanted after leaving school(!) More classrooms(!)” I mutter to myself.
Her head instantly wheels to me with unnerving precision.
“Someone else with somethin’ they’d like to say!?” she says, locking eyes with me, terrifyingly.
“No, Ms Sands!” I answer, instantly.
“Miss?! I’m not your bloody schoolteacher girl!!!”
Everyone laughs. Even Pvt Forest, like he wasn’t just humiliated himself, 2 minutes ago!
“Ma’am… err… Ma’am, no, Ma’am!!!” I say, doing my best to emulate the tone I’ve seen soldiers use in films.
She rolls her eye (it’s difficult to tell if the bionic rolls too) and says “Better… What’s your name, Private?”
“Ma’am, the Private’s name is Esme Reid, Ma’am!!!”
“Do you remember me tellin’ you this ain’t Full Metal Jacket?… You don’t need to scream when you talk to me, you don’t need to refer to yourself in third person and one ‘Ma’am’, when you’re done speakin’, is enough, Reid!”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
She points to her single, mauve eye, then to me and says “I’ll have my eye on you, Reid!”
Somehow, her tone sends a chill up my spine but I do my best not to show it.
She turns away and I release a silent sigh of relief.
“As I was sayin’… In your lectures you will learn the ins and outs of military theory; tactics, strategies, logistics etc. You will learn as much as we can tell you about the nature of the species we are fightin’; their capabilities, tendencies, political organisations and known weaknesses… bear in mind that First Contact weren’t much more than 4 years ago and we’ve been at War for almost all the intervenin’ time, so a lot of what we teach you will be little more than guesswork and hearsay from prisoners we’ve interrogated… The mornin’s’ll also be where you learn the particulars of the equipment you’ll be expected to be proficient with in the field. This includes firearms, plasmaweaponry and durasteel armour, as well as the tech you’ll likely encounter from the opposite side; kinetic pulse weapons, laser weapons, field emitters etc… I strongly suggest that no one allows word to get back to me that they’re not takin’ these classes seriously!… A stupid soldier is a dead soldier!”
She glares around the room, her eyes resting on me four a quarter of a second.
“…In the afternoons and evenin’s, you’ll be doing PT… that’s ‘Physical Trainin’’… soon to be every one of your two least favourite words in the English Language(!) “
I notice a wry smirk twist the mouths of a few of the camp attendants.
“In PT you will be drilled in agility, endurance, close quarters combat and coordinated marching… Five times over the comin’ 8 months, you and your trainin’ partner will be dropped into a remote bit of wilderness, somewhere on Earth, for five day practical survival experience. You will be given a beacon, to summon retrieval, but these are only to be used in cases of actual threat to life or bodily integrity… not because you’re feelin’ miserable!”
She takes a second to pause for breath.
“You get an allowance of 12 days off, over your time here… that’s two a month… These are subject to my approval and I may deny them for any reason, including no reason… so don’t piss me off!… You may not take more than 2 consecutive days leave at a time! Certain classes are mandatory and leave will not be approved on days they occur. If your allowance is spent, no more leave will be approved, barring a real emergency!… Now, for today, you are going to line up to have your maps and room keys downloaded onto your holos when your name is called, then you are going to have your bodies scanned for your armour measurements… at that point everyone with no uterus has the rest of the day free to settle in… If you have a uterus, you’ll need to report to medical to get your cycle paused! This is, I’m afraid, nonoptional… You are not prohibited from engaging in relations with your fellow recruits but you cannot be a soldier while you’re able to get pregnant. Attempts to circumvent this requirement in any way will land you in the Stockade!… After your cycle pause has been given, you’ll also have the rest of the day to settle in… Enjoy it! It’ll be the most downtime you get for a while!… Finally… I believe we have a 17 year old with us here… Pvt Taylor?”
A few people put their hands up, most looking confused.
“Pvt Oskar Taylor! The 17 year old?” she says, exasperated.
All but one of those with their hands up put them down.
The one remaining Pvt Taylor with his hand in the air has pale skin, black hair, brown eyes and a sharp featured face wearing a dour expression.
He stands even taller than Forest… Nearly 2m tall!
Though he’s not quite as heavily built, he’s certainly a good looking piece of boycandy!
“Pvt Taylor…” says Sands, her mouth breaking into a smile for the first time I’ve seen “…couldn’t wait to go off to War, could you(?)”
He mutters something but, while I can hear the power and deepness of his voice, I can’t make out a word he says.
“You’ll have to speak up, Taylor! Nobody’ll be able to hear you if you mumble.” points out Sands.
“I said I had some personal circumstances that made this the most sensible course of action for me, Ma’am.” says the tall, dark haired man, looking over her head rather than down at her and speaking in a grim monotone. He definitely loses boycandy points for the poshness of his accent, unfortunately…
“I see… I won’t pry into that but… you didn’t think of Officer Training? That’s the route that most people take when volunteering ahead of their conscription.”
He shakes his head “I thought of it and decided against it, Ma’am.”
“Oh? Why’s that, Pvt Taylor?”
“I didn’t believe I would make a good officer, Ma’am.” he answers simply.
She laughs “I wish every soldier could be as introspective, Taylor! I like you!… Unfortunately, bein’ a minor does mean that you can’t be put in a room with others… Sooo, that means you get a room to yourself… for the moment. Might sound cushy but before anyone else gets too jealous, bare in mind that privacy is the only advantage! His room will be a sixth the size of yours so its basic’ly a broomcupboard… the disadvantage will be severely reduced opportunity to socialise!… If that doesn’t sound doable, you can leave and come back when you turn 18, Taylor.”
“It’s acceptable, Ma’am.” he says without hesitating.
Yeah… it’s official… I don’t like him…
---later---
I rub the spot on my arm where the serum was thunked into me about 15 minutes ago.
Like with everything else about conscription, I get it… I understand the point…
But seeing the sense doesn’t mean I have to like it!
It’s not like I want to get pregnant (getting a nine month reprieve from service would be a fairly shitty reason for me to bring a child into the world) but it does feel like one last slap in the face to my personal autonomy that I’ve just had a cycle pause fucking mandated upon my body by the government!
As I draw near, door 1512 detects the key downloaded on my holo and unlocks
I open it and am greeted by a blonde girl, smiling broadly and instantly identifiable as brimming with ADHD energy.
“Hey there! My name’s Charlotte, it’s lovely to meet you!” says the girl, wrapping me in a hug without asking if I’m OK with that.
Her accent makes me wonder if everyone I meet here is going to be a posh toff!
She makes three of three of my fellow draftees!
“A pleasure, Charlotte… the name’s Esme…” I say, speaking Scottish accented standard English and gingerly patting her back.
“Oh, you’re Scottish…?” she says pulling herself off me with an expression that suggests meeting a Scottish person is just the most wonderful thing she could have imagined “…My great grandmother was from Edinburgh, where are you from?”
“Stranraer.” I answer.
She frowns “I don’t know it, I’m sorry!”
“I won’t hold it against you… Southwestern tip of Scotland? Where it nearly touches Ireland and the Man Peninsula?… ’Bout two and a half million people?”
“Oh, wooow! I don’t think I’ve ever met someone from a village before!” she says, seeming entirely oblivious to how that might be taken as an insult.
“Yeah… I guess it’s not that big.”
“Well…” she wraps me back in the hug and continues “…we’re the first ones to the room and that has to mean we’re going to be best friends!”
“I’m afraid my best friend’s name is Tamsin… the position is not open.” I say, firmly setting a boundary.
“I meant best bootcamp friends, silly!” she says, as if that should have gone without saying.
“Alright… I guess that positions open… but you’ve not got the job yet(!)” I quip, warming up a little to the ball of posh English energy.
She pulls back and beams at me “Alright then, for my first act as best bootcamp friend candidate, let me show you the view!… That should earn me some points!”
She says, leading me into the room that’s so small it makes me doubt that that goody-two-shoes 17 year old can possibly have one a sixth this size!
She leads me to the window and spends a few moments making sure I’m positioned just right before she draws back the curtain.
The view is quite breathtaking… rolling hills of snow blanketed mammoth steppe, lit by evening sun, with barely any of the sprawling military camp visible.
Though, you can see one of the tallest structures ever built by Humanity… the Sussex Space elevator… several times the Earth’s own diameter, the ‘top’, if you can even call it that, is a fifth of the way from here to Luna! …And… in 8 months, I’m going to be riding it, all the way up, to get on a troop transport.
“Look! See! There’s a herd of aurochs over on that hill! You know this place used to be a national park, before even Unification or the Reset! It’s called the South Downs! My mum told me we had family from here… obviously I never met any of them because they would have left hundreds of years ago!…”
The bubbly girl talks and talks and… just keeps talking… but I don’t particularly mind.
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TWBS Previous Next First

Got a new car last week. Since then the parked car waypoint complication on my watch has stopped working. I've deleted my old car from my Bluetooth devices. On maps on my phone the waypoint is displayed correctly, but nothing on my watch.
Anything that can be done to fix this?

So I'm looking to go outback or secluded sight camping with friends this season but we lack access to a car and are pretty strapped for cash (we got gear but can't afford more than $2-300 per head). We did some research on the park bus and I don't understand... why is it so terrible? It seems like the only 2 transit trips are either 2 days or 2 weeks which doesn't work for us at all. We were looking at a 4-6 day stent in Algonquin (we live in the GTA) and we checked every single campground on access from the park bus and nothing works for anyone except the Awenda stop and the bloody park is all booked out which is the entire thing we are trying to avoid...
Am I missing something here? Some way to make any of our plans feasible? we just want stars, swimming, and no people, but the more research I do the more car-dependent this seems... it sucks.

Hey TO Redditors. So I read that post re: $42 popcorn combi and $35 parking for Cirque. Utterly disgusting if you ask me!
Anyway, some pointed out the underground parking by Metro but I used to live in this area and visited for years and would like to point out the Green P just walking distance.
Pin is here: Dropped pin https://maps.app.goo.gl/h4N4AHNyPN8RyzyP8
It's green P. 24 hours for $6. The Green P code is 533 and it's right on Lakeshore. Yes it's about a 10-15 min walk but if you're able bodied and it's nice out, totally worth it. Stop by Shoppers near Metro (or Panago or LCBO lol) just before Park Lawn and enjoy some candy before the show. The congestion in the area and the price gouging of this event is so disgusting that I didn't bother wanting to spend my money there.

Rays (41-19) @ Red Sox (30-28)

First Pitch: 1:35 PM at Fenway Park

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Rays	Taj Bradley (3-2, 3.60 ERA)	BSSUN	WDAE, WQBN (ES)
Red Sox	Tanner Houck (3-4, 5.30 ERA)	NESN	WEEI, WAMG (ES)

MLB	Fangraphs	Baseball Savant	Reddit Stream	IRC Chat
Gameday	Game Graph	Strikezone Map	Live Comments	Libera: ##baseball

Line Score - Scheduled

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E	LOB
TB										0	0	0	-
BOS										0	0	0	-

Box Score

Posted at 8:00 AM. Updates start at game time.
Remember to sort by new to keep up!

Hi guys, I'm visiting Trenčin for Rammstein on 14.06. I have a few questions about the city: 1)Does anyone recommend certain parking lot there? Is it better to leave my car at the designated area next to the airport or on a paid parking in the center? 2)Is the Trenčin Airport in a walking distance from the city center (Google maps says betwen 30 and 50 minutes, but sometimes it's not correct)?

Decided to recommend a mod I have not heard a single other person mention here, but which I have had a lot of fun with, Thorny Way. It is a small story mod for Call of Pripyat, and doesn't do anything fancy with more survival-oriented approach or flashy graphics, only really story and some minor mechanics to accompany it. You play as Dan, a retired merc living in the Noah's Ark in Zaton, when an old associate contacts you for a big job one last time. Thanks to your current free stalker status, you can help them work through loners and achieve their objectives better as everyone knows loners and mercs aren't exactly best buds. You meet the team, all of which are familiar to you, and get to work.
Now we get to why I think the mod is such a must play. From the get-go, you have main missions and side missions, you see familiar faces like the crew of Skadovsk, the Yanov standoff factions and the egghead near Volkhov. Yet there are also new characters to be seen, and while they're nothing groundbreaking, there are fun and interesting bits of dialogue to be had with many of them.
Similarly, you get many intertwined missions with the characters, most notably early on you get a mission from Beard to deal with bandits at the Ranger station. Obviously, you can go in guns blazing and kill them all, or you can bargain with them so they leave. The bandit leader tells you to get him a Goldfish, which is near impossible at the start because you only have an Echo detector and no way to get a better one. Fret not, though, as following another questline, you can get a Goldfish without dipping your toes into anomalous areas too much.
This isn't a single time occurence either. Many missions allow for multiple paths to be taken, and you can get various items needed for other quests by completing some missions. There are also interesting concepts for missions, for example a quest of a corrupting artifact that turns regular stalkers into vicious killers. In general the mod just adds a ton of new life to the CoP maps, and while it is very down-to-earth, it feels like an expansion of the side content we saw in CoP. If you've played Another Zone Mod, it's quite close to that in terms of content, but imo the main story is better at pacing itself. I have not completed Thorny Way yet, but what I've seen so far points to a very cool story unfolding.
Now, bit about the gameplay. It has some new things included, for example radioactive and chemical rains, similar to Spatial Anomaly (I think it's a feature from AtmosFear mod), and new models for the guns. These are interesting, as they are not vanilla guns or from the most used mods like StCoP or Arsenal Overhaul. Interestingly enough, they are like vanilla models but retextured and slightly changed, so they have that vanilla feel but look better and different. Not sure if it's a proprietary feature but I like it.
There's also some new mutants, cats being what I've encountered so far, and you can also skin mutants in the mod, which is good for some extra revenue. You also have hunger and thirst to look after, but it isn't super hard to keep on top of these. As for difficulty, the mod is nice enough to give you all sorts of cool things but you can't really just breeze through it to get best gear immediately. I'm like a dozen hours in and still running a merc suit with a Sphere helmet, so it isn't a walk in the park but neither a full-blown Misery experience. The difficulty is tough but fair, enemies aren't tanks but neither are you, yet everyone also isn't a fragile little flower either. The translation is also good, haven't ran into any issues with it.
Now to the negatives. First, there is a very nasty exploit with one of the mercs of your squad, which you could use to gain hell of a lot of money early on. Secondly, something which is admittedly more of a CoP problem, knowing stash locations means you become very OP early on since the mod didn't remove those. Thirdly, the mod has waypoints for the tasks, but often you end up drifting a long way from the waypoint to find the actual task thing, and some of the descriptions are a bit vague. You need to find a missing loner and you find him dead, and the mod tells you that you can take revenge on his killers yet never specifies who or where they are. So I killed the entirety of Shishak's crew, yet the mission did not update, so I think I may have missed who they were looking for. Some missions are also pretty close to what we saw in CoP proper, which is a shame as reruns of old missions are quite boring.
Overall though, the mod is excellent. I recommend it wholeheartedly, and I do hope rest of it holds up as well because I am on the process of getting through it as fast as I can. If I were to give it a score, I'd give it a solid 8/10, it lacks the mystery of AZM's side missions but does interesting stuff with its own ones. The mod is available at least in the C-Conciousness Discord server, but you can probably find it on the web as well.

yes indeed, wtf. I'm driving around the north of the map in Watson at night time, currently 2am in game time, and I found an NCPD job marker on the minimap as I was driving past. it was yellow though so it stood out because I don't remember seeing yellow ones?
anyway I stopped to investigate, and it's a parked cop car, with a cop sitting in it on his own, and sex noises playing over the radio or a phone or something. I walk up to the car, he says "beat it!" so I go away. I walk back up (even tried this with optical camo, he still sees you) and he says "I'm not going to warn you again".
upon going up a third time, he exits the car and enters combat mode. no police wanted level unless you harm him though.
wtf. I can't find anything about this even on the subreddit or youtube or google.
it's just north of the northside apartment, and is immediately south of the Goldsmith Street fast travel point on the map.
has anyone else come across this? I made a video of it and can post it later on

Adventure land
​
Introduction:
Are you ready for an adrenaline-fueled escapade? Look no further than Adventureland—the ultimate destination for thrill-seekers and explorers. Packed with excitement, mystery, and endless possibilities, Adventureland promises an unforgettable experience for adventurers of all ages. In this blog post, we'll delve into the heart of Adventureland, highlighting its captivating attractions, hidden gems, and the key elements that make it a must-visit destination. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready to discover the wonders that await you in Adventureland!
​
The Essence of Adventureland:
Adventureland is more than just an amusement park—it's a realm of discovery and imagination. Here, the boundaries of reality fade away, and guests are transported to a world where excitement knows no limits. The park's theme is inspired by exotic locales, ancient civilizations, and daring adventures, creating an immersive experience like no other.
​
Iconic Attractions:
Adventureland is home to a plethora of iconic attractions that will leave you breathless and craving for more. From heart-pounding roller coasters that defy gravity to immersive dark rides that transport you into fantastical worlds, there's something for everyone. Get ready to scream your heart out on the thrilling "Jungle Fury" coaster, explore ancient ruins in the enigmatic "Lost City Expedition," or take a magical boat ride through the mystical "Enchanted Lagoon."
​
Hidden Gems:
While the headline attractions steal the spotlight, Adventureland also boasts hidden gems that are waiting to be discovered. These lesser-known experiences offer unique thrills and moments of awe. Venture into the uncharted corners of the park to find secret paths, hidden caves, or interactive treasure hunts that will add an extra layer of excitement to your adventure.
​
Live Shows and Entertainment:
Beyond the rides, Adventureland offers a diverse array of live shows and entertainment that will captivate and mesmerize visitors. From breathtaking acrobatic performances to captivating storytelling sessions, these shows bring the park to life, enchanting audiences with their talent and creativity.
​
Dining and Cuisine:
All that adventure is bound to work up an appetite, and Adventureland has you covered with an array of dining options to satisfy every craving. Indulge in mouthwatering international cuisine that reflects the theme of the park, whether it's savoring exotic flavors at the "Tropical Bites" food court or enjoying a delightful feast at the whimsical "Pirate's Galley" restaurant.
​
Conclusion:
Adventureland is a realm where dreams and adventure intertwine, offering an unparalleled experience that will ignite your imagination and leave you with memories to last a lifetime. Whether you're a thrill-seeker, a curious explorer, or simply someone looking to embrace the magic of the unknown, Adventureland is the place to be. So, grab your map, gather your courage, and embark on an extraordinary journey into the heart of Adventureland—where extraordinary adventures await at every turn.

I passed couple of weeks ago on my first attempt and trying to buy a car now. Went for a test drive and boy, was it a shit show!
I have no friend or family who is an experienced driver so I took a non driver friend to accompany me. The car did not have bluetooth navigation so my friend used his phone for google map.
Unfortunately my driving was really bad as this was an unfamiliar car in an unfamiliar road and I was driving after a gap of 2 weeks. I drove in the middle of the road, braked harshly all the time (took some time to get used to the new brake, my instructors brake was falling apart), bumped into the kerb once, completely forgot to adjust my mirrors so could not see anything, parked somewhere to adjust mirrors but parking was horrible as I could not see much. At one point the navigation stopped working in my friends phone so I parked (was nowhere close to parking position) and took the phone and restarted google map. Now I am scared that someone saw me with the phone and would report me for using phone while driving? Also scared that there will be some damage and the dealer will make a claim against my insurance? My friend said I was lucky that I did not kill anyone and I feel the same. I am scared to go for any more test drives. I have come this far so I don't want to give up but I also do not want to be a dangerous driver. 😞 What do I do?!

Rays (41-19) @ Red Sox (30-28)

First Pitch: 1:35 PM at Fenway Park

Team	Starter	TV	Radio
Rays	Taj Bradley (3-2, 3.60 ERA)	BSSUN	WDAE, WQBN (ES)
Red Sox	Tanner Houck (3-4, 5.30 ERA)	NESN	WEEI, WAMG (ES)

MLB	Fangraphs	Baseball Savant	IRC Chat
Gameday	Game Graph	Strikezone Map	Libera: ##baseball

Google is telling me (using the 'Depart at' feature on Maps) that a commute from West LA (as an example, Sawtelle/Rancho Park) to Hawthorne or basically anywhere south from there has essentially no traffic during morning rush hour compared to travelling in the other direction (AKA travelling Northbound on the 405). Conversely, during evening rush hour, travelling from Hawthorne to Sawtelle/Rancho Park, there is almost no traffic compared to the other direction (Southbound on 405).
Is Google telling me the truth? Can any locals confirm to me if living in the Northern parts of LA and travelling South is a way to beat the commute? Is it really just people travelling North in the morning and South in the evening that get screwed? Or is there about equal traffic in either direction, and Google is just straight up lying to me?
Thank you!

I tipped $8. something on a 8 mile order, which was 90% highway, the order was a sealed drink (not the kind with just tape over the lid) and a cardboard box. It was a 15 minutes drive according to apple map. The driver left my stuff outside of my building instead of the requested drop off at unit door.
The driver had a 95% rating with almost 20k deliveries, and picked up multiple orders on the way here -- nothing wrong with it, but my food wasn't in the best condition when it arrived.
What makes me confused is the choice to dismiss the delivery notes. He texted after arriving, I asked him if he minds dropping off at door, and he drops it off outside the building door saying that there's no parking. No other driver has been unable to complete a delivery because of a lack of parking, even in the morning hours when there may be trucks unloading packages. I have the following theories:
--Driver is from the suburbs and really didn't feel safe leaving the car without parking in a designated spot.
--Driver is tired and just want to go home
--The tip is actually still too low because of zoning (ik DD does this, but not sure about uber eats. I assume that the time was worth the money, since my order got accepted very quickly by an experienced driver.)
What do you think? Just a one-off thing or should I tip more?