uhhh sketches I did while reading three assassins

💀  * [ timothee chalamet + cis male + he/him ] —— have you met zigmund ‘shia’ ivan vanzin? they are a twenty  year old junior currently studying political science. they live on decker house, and word around campus is that this gemini is witty + charming, as well as manipulative + self destructive. i wonder if they’ll make it out alive. snorting lines off a priceless mirror, writing ancient runes in cigarette ash, the thrill of victory that accompanies a low ‘checkmate’. 

hello all, my name is pepper and i have never been on time for anything, ever, in my life so this is very on brand for me! that said, i am very excited to be here. shia is one of my favourite muses but because of his background it’s kind of hard for me to find places to play him, so i really jumped at the chance to be a part of this rp. that said, he is heathen so sdkjdsjk you’ve been warned, i suppose.

ABOUT THE MUN. fuck this *unfocuses my eyes*

fun fact about me, i’ve been working every day for the last ten days so i love that for me dkjdkj which is literally why me getting myself here was so chaotic honestly but i’m here i made it and we love to see it. honestly i am just a humble fergie enthusiast (patiently waiting for my girl to come back from her hiatus. any day now). i would die for a good aesthetic like pinterest owns my ass. i am big fan of the bachelor and specifically demi from the bachelor (demi from the bachelor if you are reading this i would like to hang out with you friday when i am free. please contact me if you’re able to hang out (on friday when i am free)). i am a huge superhero nerd. the first fanfic i ever wrote was a teen titans/danny phantom crossover and honestly? most ambitious crossover of all time, sorry endgame. i’ve never seen star wars or lord of the rings, and i’m okay with that. oh, and funnily enough i have never played chess which is about to be very ironic and i think that’s the perfect transition into shia’s bio.

BIO. child abuse tw, addiction tw, drug tw, and i think that’s it rip. 

(tldr literally just click the link in the second bullet point for a summary because that’s how shia grew up, with psychologist parents determined to make him a prodigy. he is technically a prodigy now as the youngest grandmaster in history. his family is weird and fucked up and cold blah blah blah takes a lot of drugs, drinks a lot of alcohol to cope with his messed up childhood blah blah blah went to boarding school for high school. oh, and there’s a meme of him. and that’s pretty much it.)

okay first of all here is shia’s pinterest board and here is his playlist, which is honestly just??? really messy and just filled with songs that remind me of him (like it doesn’t flow at all i’m pretty sure yk) so! yeah!

second of all, shia’s backstory is thoroughly inspired by a true story. like I legitimately found this (look at the early life portion to see what i’m talking about if you want but i’m about to explain it all below anyways) and was like !!!???? so yes, that’s how this mess was born (although i highkey think that gerard way got inspo from that family for the umbrella academy like??? that’s my little conspiracy theory. WHERE ARE THEIR ROYALTIES GERARD!)

Shia doesn’t remember life before he was adopted. Before he was Zigmund Ivan Vanzin, the fourth child of the carefully selected Vanzin 6. Honestly he’s not quite sure his life prior is of much importance, because things didn’t truly get crazy until after he was officially taken in by the Vanzin family at the tender age of two.

Shia and his five siblings were all part of an educational experiment carried out by their parents, Moira and Yakov Vanzin, in an attempt to prove that children could be trained to be prodigies if immersed in a specialist subject from a very early age. ‘Geniuses are made, not born’, was the tagline of their parents thesis, and the foundation on which Shia and his siblings’ entire childhood was based on. They would all be molded into prodigies, and they would be living, breathing proof of their parents achievements.

Because of the magnitude of their experiment, and Shia’s parents reputation (both of Shia’s parents was a very famous educational psychologists in their own right, and due to their fame, their experiment and their children were covered in magazines and newspapers worldwide. To this day a quick google search will lead you pictures of the Vanzin 6 growing up slowly on the covers of publications such as Times Magazine, Forbes, People, and of course a myriad of academic magazines as well.) they received heavy criticism at the time from some western media for ‘depriving the siblings of a normal childhood.’ But since all of the Vanzin children were born and raised in Russia, that criticism didn’t do much in the way of stopping them. Shia’s parents coolly ignored it all. They wanted to leave a mark. To change the future. And they both truly believed that their research would do that. They believed their work would completely revolutionize the way that children were educated, and that therefore, they would revolutionize the future.

And so the children were affectionately dubbed The Vanzin 6 by the media that wasn’t completely against the experiment. A cute little nickname smacked on what would normally be considered a child endangerment lawsuit. Sure, there were still those that protested, but their cries were quiet in comparison to the roars of the intrigued, of the curious, of the fans, because of course there were fans. So it goes without saying that Shia’s first photo op was when he was still in diapers. He smiled cheekily through the whole thing, in striking contrast to his siblings all staring empty eyed into the camera. Their lives were pretty much put on constant display from that point on, and honestly, at least in terms of Shia’s approach to photo ops, not much has changed on that front.

Shia’s parents educated their six children at home, each with their own specific subject to focus on. From the age of four, Shia, or Zigmund, as his birth certificate so lovingly displayed, (it should be noted that Moira and Yakov named all of their children after psychologists, and that Shia was simply unlucky enough to get Freud. So perhaps lovingly wasn’t the right word.) showed a talent for chess, and therefore that talent was ‘nurtured’. In other words, Shia was only allowed to live and breathe chess from the cursed day his chubby little fingers picked up a chess piece to, presumably, the day he died. If he wasn’t eating, sleeping, or doing his school work, Shia was playing chess. First he played against his father, and mother, and siblings and when that stopped posing a challenge, he got involved in official competitions. Those were somehow even less of a challenge, but granted, his siblings were being trained into geniuses. At first he played children his age, and then slightly older, and then much older, which Shia will admit, was the most fun. Even as a child there was just something about seeing a grown man go red in the face with frustration as he lost to a child. Something amusing. Something powerful. Admittedly, chess got old. But that specific red faced look never did.

Shia rose up the ranks slowly and steadily from then on, already creating quite a stir in the world of chess by the age of six. And considering this was what they wanted, you would think his parents would be proud. Thrilled even. However that was not completely the case.

For as long as Shia can remember his relationship with his parents had been more ‘professional’ than affectionate. To start, he and his siblings all called them both by their first names. Considering he was adopted, Shia would never know what his first word was, that memory was lost to him and kept only by the parents who didn’t want him enough to keep him in the first place. But even if he was born to Moira and Yakov, if the two were his flesh and blood, he knows with absolute surety that the first words to come out of his mouth wouldn’t have been ‘Mama’ or ‘Papa’. The two never referred to themselves that way, and they didn’t expect their children to either. Shia remembers with painful clarity first and only time he tried. Or rather, he remembers the stomach turning look of both confusion and contempt from Moira that followed the one time he tried. He never tried again.

His parents didn’t offer much when it came to what normal parents did he supposed. He didn’t receive much physical affection from them, or sugar coated words. They were their parents, yes, but they were also their handlers, and being raised with that emotional distance definitely had an impact on Shia’s psyche. All Shia wanted to do was impress his parents. Maybe get a good job, or a hug, or a smile. The kind of things he’d seen other kids get just for breathing, or using a toilet. But he knew his parents expected more. He knew they expected the best. So the only way he knew how to achieve his goal of attaining his parents affection was to work harder. To be the best he could at chess, the best anyone could at chess, and once he did that he knew his parents would reward him. He knew they would love him for taking the first step to make their dreams come true. When he was young he used to have dreams of that reward. Of how good it would feel to know they were proud of him. He imagined it feeling warm. And light, like he’d read in books. He imagined it feeling worth it.

Shia and his siblings were never the children that got asked that question, you know, the question that all children can relate to answering with bubbling wide eyed excitement. ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ The answer was laid out for them. It was decided before they even had a chance to think about it, and any time someone made the mistake of asking them the question, their parents  answered for them. She will be the world’s youngest prima ballerina. She will be a legend in the musical field. He will be grandmaster. No, dreams weren’t for the Vanzin children, so Shia’s kept his quiet. Kept it close to his heart where his parents couldn’t admonish him for being sentimental or fickle or any of the other large words they used that Shia was only instructed to look up in the dictionary. His dream of gaining their favour was his, and his alone. Shia learned very quickly in life to keep your cards close, and your heart buried.

And after years of hard work and dedication, and a lot of blood sweat and tears, Shia did it. He won. He finally beat everyone there was to beat, and at the youngest recorded age of ten to boot. Shia was officially the world’s youngest grandmaster. His record has still yet to be beat to this day. And that day, he looked to his parents, ready for them to run to him and shower him with the affection and praise he longed for. It didn’t take long for the ecstatic expression on his young face to fall.

The most Shia got was an approving nod from his mother from across the room. His father, for his part, was on a phone call. That was it. The crowd roared around him, and the audience clapped with the enthusiasm usually reserved for sports games and concerts. The reporters at the event stumbled over their words trying to communicate the record breaking event that they had just witnessed, from one of the lionized Vanzin 6. It was chaos, beautiful, celebratory chaos, all for Shia, but it was all a blur around him. He couldn’t see it. All he could see was Moira and Yakov, turning away from him and towards each other, whispering god knows what. He had their full attention for maybe all of a minute. They didn’t even smile.

(There is live video of Shia having his dream crushed right before his eyes. Recordings of it on youtube. How many people can say that, aye? The true power of celebrity. The gif of Shia’s shocked and empty expression amidst a crowd of ballistic celebration even became a meme at one point, a meme that Shia later bitterly used on occasion, because what was more powerful than using a meme of yourself? Than using your own pain for humour? Nothing, in Shia’s opinion.)

After Shia became grandmaster everything stopped. After all, there was nothing more to train him for. He had achieved his goal. He had won. And with his parents no longer focusing on training him and leaving him completely to his own devices, well, they stopped paying attention to him completely. Shia was all at once almost completely emancipated. The freedom of it all was freeing for all of a week. Then, Shia started to feel painfully invisible.

Prior to becoming grandmaster, Shia was quiet. Polite. Very calm, very observant, a bit distant and reserved for a kid, but no real red flags. Afterwards, however? After he felt like his parents no longer had any use for him, no longer had any anything for him, well Shia lashed out. Rebelled. Became louder, sharper tongued, more mischievous. He started acting out in hopes that they would give him some of the attention he so desperately craved, and while they did, none of it was positive. Shia quickly became the problem child of the Vanzin 6, somehow both his parents pride and joy as the first of their children to reach their goal, but also their greatest disappointment as the first one to turn against them.

Without chess to focus on, Shia turned to his siblings for entertainment. However Shia’s version of entertainment was never completely harmless. From a young age he had a habit of using people like chess pieces, of manipulating them and turning them against each other or towards each other for his own cheap entertainment. Shia could singlehandedly trick his siblings out of an argument when he was younger (or into an argument, when he was feeling particularly chaotic). He could trick the few peers he came across into simply giving him their toys or snacks, and trick bullies into leaving him alone a good amount of time too. It was both a gift and a curse, because people were never quite happy when they caught on. Most didn’t but the few that did were memorable in the violence of their anger. And besides, his parents never liked it. Shia would come home with an armful of toys that other kids ‘gave’ him and his parents would always force him to go bring them back, despite the fact that the Vanzin children were never really allowed toys of their own. The fact was, Shia’s moral compass was faulty. He never quite understood why what he was doing was wrong no matter how many times his parents tried to explain to him that people were not to be used as tools. Shia didn’t get how what he was doing was that much different from what they were. After all, weren’t Shia and his siblings nothing more than tools in his parents experiment? He asked them the question once. All he got for his efforts was a stinging cheek and a cold reminder from Moira not to be cheeky.

As Shia got older his rebellion got worse. In his defense, he was left unsupervised. While his siblings were busy with their training, Shia would be sneaking out to parties or bars or clubs. It was in those places that he was introduced to his first great loves. Drugs and alcohol. Moira and Yakov kept the Vanzin mansion dry as a monastery, so Shia had never even had a sip of beer before the age of thirteen. But the moment he did, he was a goner. Or rather the moment he got drunk he was a goner. There was something so beautiful to him about intoxication. So addicting, for lack of better word. When he was high, or drunk, or preferably, both, he felt happy. He didn’t remember his parents, or his responsibilities, or his failures, or even his successes. He was warm. And light. And content. Turns out he didn’t need his parents to make his dreams come true. Just a bottle of vodka and a line or two of coke.

After about a year of Shia coming home drunk or high or a combination of the two, eventually his parents couldn’t take it anymore (in the sharp words of Moira Vanzin, ‘Zigmund your behaviour is distracting your siblings from their training’) and sent him off to boarding school. Honestly, it hurt. His parents were basically getting rid of him because he was inconvenient, and he could never forget their out of sight out of mind approach to the whole thing.

Boarding school flew by in a mess of Riot Club like antics during which Shia did things like discover his bisexuality and somehow, against all odds, graduate. (TBH I wanna leave this pretty open in case there is any other boarding school kids who could have perhaps gone to the same school Shia did, so hmu if you have a boarding school kiddo.) He definitely attributes his acceptance to Holloway on his name completely, because honestly Shia was completely high when he wrote his college application, so high that he can’t even remember why he did it. He had no plans of going to college before that, but he figured... why not party in america and waste his parents money? What was stopping him?

So here he is, a whole mess in another country, and honestly he’s having the time of his life. Well, you know. Until people started dying. That isn’t ideal.

PERSONALITY. emotionally damaged, but make it sexy.

manipulative (we been knew) sometimes without really trying to be though. will manipulate people to get what he wants, but sometimes he just thinks of it like a nudge in the right direction. like he’ll manipulate a friend into talking to that girl they’ve had a crush on for half the year just because he wants them to be happy (and also he’s tired of hearing them talk about her)

selfish/self centered cause it’s just not?? his first instinct to think about other people’s feelings?? and it’s also kind of hard for him to empathize sometimes, especially if he’s never been in that situation or he doesn’t like KNOW and CARE about the person.

charming and charismatic, he’s got a great smile and he knows how to use it. also just very endearing if you don’t know him well, and even sometimes when you do. this is mostly a facet of him being very manipulative because he usually uses his charm to get what he wants, but still.

witty oof, this boy’s humour is inspired by klaus hargreeves and villanelle (what a duo,,, when will they meet) and he’s very rarely serious. always telling jokes, always pretty nudge nudge wink wink, even in very serious situations when he shouldn’t be. uses humour as a coping mechanism 100%, whether that’s at his own expense or someone else’s. honestly, can be kind of mean with it? like if anyone can go for the jugular with a joke it’s shia.

a big flirt honestly. will flirt with anyone he’s interested in, and will sometimes flirt without really noticing it? sometimes will flirt just for sport, or for fun, or to bug someone, or throw someone off. the type to flirt with his professor as a joke (why has he not been kicked out of here already) and has probably slept with a professor as a result. not really a player, but he enjoys physical intimacy and he knows how to get it. has been in more than a few relationships in the past, but is never very good at it because he’s almost constantly looking out for number one, aka himself. so? a mess basically.

vengeful, petty, spiteful, vindictive, all when angry or jealous or feeling as if he’s been wronged in some way but we been knew,,, we been knew.

rebellious !! still the type to suggest skipping town and partying instead of sticking around for exams. not really invested in school tbh. he has no idea what he’s going to do with his future.

a big superiority complex! cocky as hell! kind of acts like he’s the best thing since sliced bread because he was over praised as a child by like everyone but his parents. the type to think he ain’t shit deep down so he acts like he’s The Shit yk

craves love and intimacy but thinks romance is a sham. a big pessimist like ‘we’re all just floating on this rock life is meaningless we’re all gonna die anyways’ pessimist but kind of a realist tbh, he just doesn’t see the reason to sugar coat things unless ofc he’s manipulating someone then he’ll say whatever he needs to

trust issues, after his parents tbh. the only people he trusts 100% are his siblings and maybe a few close friends. i honestly may put in a wanted connection for his siblings at one point, but that’s for later.

HEADCANNONS. running for your life (from shia labeouf) he’s brandishing a knife (it’s shia labeouf)

a thick russian accent. speaks pretty impeccable english though because his parents tutored him in the english as a child. He also speaks a bit of french, german, and latin, and is currently taking mandrin chinese.

Is taking political science because he figures being a politician is just manipulating people on a larger scale, and he’d be right. However he’s not sure if that’s what he’ll actually end up going into. Honestly, Shia isn’t the slightest bit sure what he actually wants to do with his life.

His eldest sibling Jean was the one to give Shia the nickname ‘Shia’ after he confided in her that he’s always hated his name, and he’s gone by it ever since. His parents still call him Zigmund, and some of his siblings probably still call him Zig or Ziggy but like i said sdkdsk he has always hated the name (he does not want to be associated with the guy who invented the concept of the Oedipus complex). The only nickname he can stomach sometimes is Z, but other than that he’ll only accept Shia (or Shy to a select few).

was never raised with a television?? didn’t even go to a MOVIE THEATER until he was like fourteen??? so he has absolutely NO idea who Shia Laboeuf really is. People keep making jokes about it to him and he’s like ???? Honestly he googled him once and just gave up after thirty seconds, convinced people were fucking with him because this person couldn’t be real dlksdskld anyways yeah, knows next to nothing about a lot of pop culture, especially anything like before 2010, but has learnt a bit since coming out of his families little bubble. But there are still times where Shia’s like ??? what tf is that and someone’s got to explain what rolly polly olly is to him yk

Shia has a photographic memory, but honestly he doesn’t really care about it. In his eyes having a photographic memory doesn’t make you a genius, it just makes tests easier. Like to him it just means he doesn’t have to flip through his source material for quotes sdkjsdjk. It’s nothing exciting to him sdkdsk he skipped a grade because of it though but honestly?? All he really uses it for now is receipts like a little shit. Shia will legit be in an argument like “oh that wasn’t what you said in that text you sent to me at 4:45 on monday june 3rd 2017???” sdkjsdj. Occasionally he also uses it as a party trick, like if you give him a specific date he could probably tell you the newspaper headline on that day.

Has zero athletic skill. Absolutely none. Would one hundred percent lose in a fight, which is funny because he talks SO MUCH SHIT. He talks constant shit, and yet if you were to throw a punch at Shia he would go down like a rock. He doesn’t particularly care if he gets his ass beat though, so he continues to talk large amounts of shit, occasionally from a safe distance but usually not.

Honestly if you were to see him and his parents interact today it’d be wild, like you wouldn’t even know they were related. They literally act like strangers or acquaintances. Like it’s all like ‘Moira, Yakov, good to see you.’ and ‘You too Zigmund. I trust you’ve been well?’ and that goes on for like five minutes and then Shia has to hyperventilate in a corner for a bit. Like it’s so weird but it’s just been like that all his life. Normal healthy affection??? He doesn’t know her

Has a tattoo of a queen piece on the index finger of his left hand, as a little nod to what used to be his passion. Is also left handed.

Has a scar through his eyebrow that he got on a wild night out when he was thirteen. He got drunk and like passed out, and hit his head hit the edge of a table in the process. There was a lot of blood and a lot of panic, but in the end Shia only had to get a few stitches and he was very quickly back on his bullshit the moment he left the hospital. Literally, he went straight from the hospital to a house party (after all, it’s not like his parents even came to visit him and make sure he got home, so Shia simply did whatever he wanted to.)

Has a helix piercing in his right ear. It’s just a very basic silver hoop though.

His parents never really let the siblings have hobbies, but I imagine one of Shia’s siblings is a horse riding prodigy so he has some experience in that. One of them is a language prodigy, hence why Shia is conversational in so many. Jean, the eldest, is a musical prodigy and has lovingly taught Shia a bit of piano and violin. He is nowhere near as good at those things as he was at chess, but doing any of them reminds him of his siblings, so he tends to actually turn to them more often than chess. If I’m being honest I don’t think that Shia has played a game of chess since he became grandmaster unless forced to by his parents?

Mentally Shia knows he’s an adult now and that his parents technically have no control over him, but emotionally whenever they look at him he just… feels like that empty little kid again.

Tends to always have one of those travel sized bottles of vodka on him so if you’re feeling stressed hit your boy up.

Has honestly been rich since the day he was adopted, like literally has no idea how to function without copious amounts of money?

Shia is staying in the Decker dorms because he thrives on the chaos.

Definitely an addict, definitely high functioning though but also like? It isn’t a secret? I contemplated making it a secret but once again Shia has always got a travel sized bottle of vodka on him sdkjsd you can see him casually spiking his drinks if you’re ever out with him, he pops whatever pills he can find in his pockets in the morning. So yeah it is not a secret that Shia is an addict, he is rarely sober and that’s the way he likes it. Doesn’t consider himself an addict though, funnily enough.

WANTED CONNECTIONS. god we finally got here sjsdj if you got this far you’re the real mvp.

okay to start here is my wc tag for shia so i would absolutely love anything inspired by anything in that tag.

FRIENDS FROM BOARDING SCHOOL. i already talked about this a bit but i would absolutely love it so i’m mentioning it again sdjds i am really flexible about where shia went to boarding school, so literally wherever your muse went works for me. all i want is some dead poets society antics you feel me.

CHILDHOOD FRIEND. listen to me. i love childhood friend connections so much give it to me please and i will give you my first born child in exchange. again, shia grew up in russia, but it could be a long distance friendship if need be. we can make it work, i will literally change stuff around to make it work.

PREVIOUS ONE NIGHT STANDS. honestly shia would have multiple of these cause he’s a hoe. did he ghost your muse? did they mutually ghost each other? was it a one night stand gone wrong?

ENEMY. it’s so easy to hate him man. anyone who wants to hate him please feel free. did shia screw your muse over? did he manipulate them? did he i don’t know throw up on their shoes while particularly drunk? maybe shia was high when he did the thing they hate him for, maybe he doesn’t even remember but he just hates them cause they hate him. it’s the principle of the thing really. (me in my head: *junie b jones vc* princiPAL cause he’s your PAL). unreasonable completely baseless hate for no reason at all? 

FLIRTATIONSHIP. a fun ‘will they, won’t they’ kind of situation because why not. what’s stopping us. just fun banter on both ends. 

EXES. shia doesn’t date so he wouldn’t have too many of these but it would be fun. maybe their relationship was toxic because of shia’s toxic ass traits skjdsj maybe things were getting real and shia dipped like the coward he is. maybe it’s was a the colonel x sarah esque relationship where no one got it because they both seemed to hate each other the whole time and they very much did hate each other but were dating anyways. maybe it’s maybeline. 

FWB/EWB. honestly this is more shia’s speed, so he’d probably have more of these as well as ex-fwbs/ewbs, which is such a fun concept. did it stop because someone caught feelings? or did they just get bored of each other? some other reason? but okay, back to the point, yes sexy enemies. sexy friends. we love to see it. 

HIGH SOCIETY. someone he gets fucked up with! multiple people he gets fucked up with! they party together, drink together, do lines together. it’s a beautiful relationship of them all enabling each other. 

GOOD INFLUENCE. counter actively. someone who tries to get shia away from his self destructive tendencies. someone who’s door he comes knocking at when he’s black out drunk because he knows they’ll give him a place to sleep. Someone he calls when he ends up in butt fuck nowhere with no shoes after a crazy night. Also, as wild as it is, flip it, where Shia’s hypocritical ass cares about your muse enough to try and take care of them. High off his ass but still trying to stick his fingers down their throat so they don’t get alcohol poisoning. They text him when they’re ‘going home’ when they were pre-gaming at their house in the first place. Shia is very ‘you would die without me’ about this person.

BAD INFLUENCE. shia is the devil kronk on their shoulder. he tempts them to the dark side with promises of a good time, and he delivers thank you very much. 

A DRUG DEALER. i mean??? i’m ngl shia i very dependent on drugs, so he would probably keep this person close and do his best to keep them happy.

SOMEONE SHIA CHEATS FOR OR CHEATED FOR. maybe shia did their homework or took a test for them, all for an ominous ‘you owe me’?

SOMEONE SHIA SCREWED OVER. he does this all the time so yeah there can be multiples of this skjsdj shia is honestly like genuinely loyal to only a few people, so there are probably more than few people he left in the dust to save his own skin. maybe he saw the cops closing in on a party and left your muse for dead! or whatever else yk.

ANNOYANCE. it’s shia he’s the annoyance. 

okay i think that’s all i’ve got, and if you made it all the way down here you’re??? an icon??? wow, i really can’t believe. please like this if you want to plot and i will come running!

Gooooooood morning Vietnam

It’s actually over 3 years since I went to Vietnam, better late than never in writing up about it! This trip was March 2017.

I had a direct flight from London to Hanoi with Vietnam Airlines, an extremely reasonable flight price of around £450 return if I remember rightly. After a 12+ hour flight, I landed at 4.30am local time, and after swiftly clearing immigration (British citizens didn’t – at time of travel – require a visa for stays under 15 days) I had quite a long wait for my bag as it was basically the last one round the carousel – always a slightly worrying time! I’d arranged a transfer to my hotel in central Hanoi, and after arriving at the hotel at around 6.30am I took myself off to bed. Top tip, especially when travelling somewhere where accommodation is cheap by western standards – if you are arriving somewhere first thing in the morning, book a hotel room for the previous night so you can check in and either get some kip for a few hours, or freshen up before you start exploring. The hotel I was staying in was approx £30 per night which was worth every penny to be able to crash for a few hours.

As it turned out, I was absolutely knackered, the product of being in a job I didn’t enjoy (part of the reason I’d gone on sabbatical the year before), and at the time I’d actually just been successful in interviewing for another job in the same company which I would start shortly after returning from this trip. Much less stress and a better work/life balance, but that isn’t the topic of this blog, and as such I pretty much slept through the entire day. Fortunately I’d arrived a day early to join the trip so I didn’t miss out on that much, and it gave my body clock a chance to adjust.

After a long sleep, I awoke refreshed on the second day and after breakfasting in the hotel, I set off exploring Hanoi. One thing I had been warned about prior to this trip was that attempting to cross the street in Hanoi would be an interesting experience, certainly if you waited as you would in the U.K. for a break in the traffic, I’d still be stuck on the wrong side of the street now! It is a little unnerving basically having to walk out into traffic but, unbelievably, it works. Most people in Vietnam ride scooters as the taxes on (usually imported) cars are prohibitively expensive, and they are used to adjusting their speeds for pedestrians. After building up confidence to cross the street, I made my way to Hoan Kiam Lake and walked around it, enjoying the early morning sights including the locals enjoying some early morning yoga/meditation along the shores.

Hoan Kiam Lake, Hanoi

After some more wandering to a temple and to the market, I headed back to my hotel for some much needed air-con. After a short break from the heat, I ventured back outside and grabbed lunch – a delicious Bánh Mì from Banh Mi 25, one of the top-rated places for Bánh Mì in Hanoi. Bánh Mì are a delicious fusion sandwich, a baguette-style bread roll filled with pate, grilled meat, cucumber and pickled veg, and an absolute bargain with a Bánh Mì and bottle of water costing the equivalent of 75p!

In the afternoon I walked to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum complex and around the botanical gardens before retreating back to the hotel. In the evening I met the rest of the group (a G Adventures trip) and we headed out for dinner.

An early start the next morning as we headed to Halong Bay. It was a 4 hour drive punctuated by a stop at a project which creates employment for disabled people by teaching them crafts and needlework which is then sold. A very interesting idea.

We arrived at Halong Bay and boarded our overnight junk boat in time for lunch. As we set sail through the bay, the limestone karsts that we passed through reminded me a little bit of Milford Sound. I’ve since also been to Khao Sok in Thailand which was very reminiscent of Halong Bay. We sailed through the bay in the afternoon, stopping off in a couple of places including Ti Top Island where we climbed up 400 steps to take in the views.

Halong Bay

We had dinner on the boat, all freshly made on board and plate after plate of delicious food was served up. After enjoying the stars with a couple of drinks, I retreated to bed. Another early start the following morning with breakfast at 7am before we visited a Sung Sot Cave, the largest cave in Halong Bay, which had this amazing, wave-like ceiling.

Sung Sot Cave, Halong Bay

We then headed back to land and late morning got off the boat and headed on the 4 hour journey back to Hanoi. We were taking the overnight train south to Hue but had a few hours spare before then, so I went on a street food tour. If you haven’t already gathered, I absolutely loved the food in Vietnam. I think it’s the best food I’ve had anywhere, and certainly the cheapest. We wandered the streets of Hanoi, sampling lots of delicious food before ending up in Hanoi Food Culture where we had the Vietnamese speciality of egg coffee (or egg chocolate in my case as I’m not a coffee drinker)

Egg chocolate – an alternate version of the Vietnamese speciality egg coffee

We boarded the train in the evening, around 9pm. We were travelling in first class which comprised of 4-berth bunks with shared toilets/squats at the ends of the carriages. Second class was 6-berth bunks, followed by soft seats and hard seats (as you might recall from the Top Gear Vietnam special). I took a top bunk. The journey itself was very loud and the train was very shaky, and I don’t remember sleeping too much. The overnight train I’ve since been on in Thailand was a much more comfortable ride.

We arrived in Hue at 10.30am the next morning. It was noticeably hotter and more humid. Despite arriving early, we were able to check in to our hotel where I promptly showered before heading out for a quick wander before we went on our included trips in the afternoon. I ventured for a walk along the Perfume River before retreating to the air con ahead of our afternoon tours. Firstly we went to the Tien Mu Pagoda:

Tien Mu Pagoda, Hue

We then went to the main attraction in Hue, the Imperial Citadel. An imposing collection of buildings, and much, much larger than I imagined. The citadel was built in the early 1800s and was targeted during the Vietnam War. You can see the bullet holes from the Vietnam War in some of the walls.

Imperial citadel, Hue

We also squeezed in a visit to the Royal Tombs on an busy sightseeing afternoon.

At the Royal Tombs, Hue

The next morning I did a motorbike tour (as backseat passenger!) – an absolute must-do in a country where motorbikes/scooters are the primary form of transport. We were taken out to the countryside outside of Hue, seeing rice fields, monasteries and a colosseum where elephants and tigers once fought. We had an included vegetarian lunch at the monastery which was, once again, absolutely delicious.

Colosseum; Biker pose; River views

We arrived back in Hue after lunch and then headed south over the Hai Van Pass towards Hoi An. Unfortunately it was a bit cloudier than ideal which didn’t make for the best photos, but we still saw some great views.

Views on the drive to Hoi An.

We arrived in Hoi An in the late afternoon. Our guide took us on a brief orientation tour as we had 3 nights here to explore. We bumped into Jack Whitehall and his dad filming their Netflix travel series whilst we were wandering down tailors row – an unexpected sight! Hoi An is famous for getting cheap tailoring which can be ready in as little as 24 hours, but I didn’t partake on this occasion.

The following day we had an included excursion in the morning to Planeterra’s project here, Oodles of Noodles. This project taught local kids both the skills of cooking in a professional environment, as well as some English language. We learned to make rice pancakes, and then enjoyed a delicious bowl of noodles for lunch:

Lunch at Oodles of Noodles, Hoi An

We had a free afternoon where I enjoyed walking around Hoi An old town. Sincerely the prettiest place I’ve ever been.

Sights of Hoi An, the prettiest place I’ve ever been

The next day was a free day. The weather was a bit dodgy, grey with the occasionally downpour but still very warm, so after a relaxing morning at the hotel, I went for a hot stone massage in the afternoon. £20 for a 90 minute massage was an absolute bargain, even if I was a bit sore the following day! In the evening we enjoyed a walk (and some bargains) in the night markets.

The next morning was an early start for a flight from nearby Danang to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), formerly Saigon. Even hotter and more sticky than Hue. After checking in to the hotel mid morning, and then going for lunch to have pho (finally!), we then had a free afternoon. Ho Chi Minh City has some pretty spectacular architecture, including many remnants of the French colonial era:

Notre Dame Cathedral, HCMC; City Hall; The Post Office, HCMC

The following day we had an included trip out to the Cu Chi Tunnels, a network of tunnels built by the Viet Cong outside of Saigon during the Vietnam War. It was fascinating to learn about the guerilla tactics used by the Viet Cong, and amazing to see the size of the tunnels, which were utterly minuscule.

Cu Chi Tunnels, barely big enough for a body to fit through

We came back to HCMC for lunch and then had a free afternoon. I decided to go to the War Remnants museum which is is a sobering affair. Be warned – there are some very graphic pictures of the effects of the chemical warfare. It was also horrifying to learn that people still live with the effects having been exposed at the time, but also because some of the effects can be passed on to offspring. A sobering reminder of the legacy of war, and well worth a visit.

That evening was our final group dinner before I left the following day. More delicious food, this time Vietnamese barbecue.

Vietnamese BBQ – cook your own dinner!

I had most of the next day free before an evening flight back to London via Hanoi. It was extremely hot and sticky again, and after a walk in the morning to the Reunification Palace and a failed attempt to find the Jade Emperor Pagoda, I retreated back to the hotel and air con and a shower before heading to the airport in the late afternoon.

So, what were my impressions of Vietnam? Genuinely part of the reason I went was after I’d seen the Top Gear Vietnam show, it looked a beautiful and fascinating country. A few people I’d met on my previous travels had also been and talked about what a wonderful country it is. And it certainly was. Everyone was friendly, I didn’t feel afraid walking around by myself, a solo female traveller (albeit on a group tour). It was very cheap – obviously I’d paid for the trip and accommodation/transport beforehand, and so all I had to buy whilst there was food, drinks, excursions and souvenirs. I was there for 10 days and spent less than £150 – and that included a $40 motorbike trip and a £20 massage. The absolute best food I’ve had anywhere I’ve been either before or since (with Peru close behind). And a fascinating, and devastating, recent history. Would absolutely recommend, and when I do go back again to South East Asia, I wouldn’t think twice about going back.

from WordPress https://catsgreatadventure.wordpress.com/2020/07/25/gooooooood-morning-vietnam/

Health News Fitness | Top 15 Weight-loss Myths

There are numerous common weight-loss myths that individuals live by when it involves their health and wellness. It is hard sometimes to divide the weight reduction misconceptions as well as truth from what holds true. Many sound true while others are just absurd. I once reviewed someplace that if you drink water at night that you are going to put on weight or that if you damage your head too often you are mosting likely to shed your hair ... Fat burning Myth # 1

The even more weight that I need to shed the more extreme my exercise routine ought to be

  Weight Reduction Fact: Although having an extreme exercise regimen is fantastic, there are a few points you should think about: the very first being that everybody is at a various level when it comes to their health and fitness as well as how much intensity they can actually deal with. If you have actually been physically non-active for a number of years, an extreme exercise for you could be, walking half a mile a day. After you stroll that fifty percent mile you see that you are sweating bullets and that you are tired. However, for someone who has actually been literally energetic for years, walking half a mile can be done without a sweat. Every person has a different definition of what "intense" is.

  If extreme for you is exercising for a hr a day, however as a result of life's hectic timetable you just have time for 20 mins a day, then those 20 minutes will go a very long means. It might not always be identified as "extreme", according to your definition, yet those little cardio moments will certainly have positive health and wellness changing effects.

Health News Fitness

Fat Loss Myth # 2

Anxiety and also weight gain do not work together

  Weight Management Fact: This is one of those "absurd" myths. To get more information how stress and anxiety is adding lbs. to your life please download my free Electronic book, "Psychology of Releasing Weight"

  Weight-loss Misconception # 3

I can lose weight while eating whatever I desire

  Weight Management Reality: Sir Isaac Newton as soon as stated" What goes up have to come down." There are natural principles that regulate our lives. If you throw a sphere up airborne, it is going to come back down. You can sit on your couch as well as picture and visualize that the ball will surviving airborne, however all-natural concepts show us that it will certainly come down. Same goes when it pertains to our weight.

  This is among one of the most typical weight loss misconceptions available. It is not logical to believe that your wellness as well as weight are going to remain in balance if your nourishment consists primarily of twinkies, chips, as well as donuts. Sure you can shed it off by exercising, but many people whose diet plan includes mostly processed food are possibly not disciplined sufficient to stay with an exercise regimen. I do understand a few individuals who, from the outside, resemble they are in good condition, due to the fact that they are not "fat, yet that have high cholesterol.

Health News

Just because I sympathize with squashing the hearts of a lot of twinkie fans out there, I would state this. You can eat convenience food, cookies, chips, gelato, pizza, burgers ... All of those "soul pleasing foods", yet it should remain in small amounts. Anything over is never ever excellent.

  Fat Loss Misconception # 4

Missing meals is a great way to reduce weight

  Weight Reduction Reality: There are countless studies that reveal that individuals who avoid breakfast and also eat less times throughout the day tend to be a great deal heavier than who have a healthy and balanced dietary morning meal and after that eat 4-6 tiny dishes during the day. The factor to this could be the reality that they get hungrier later on in the day, and may have a tendency to over consume during other meals of the day.

  Weight-loss Myth # 5

I will certainly not drop weight while consuming at evening

  Weight Loss Fact: You can over enjoy food throughout the day as well as not consume a solitary thing at night as well as you WILL CERTAINLY gain weight. As is the truth that you can starve yourself throughout the day and consume all evening long as well as you still will certainly put on weight. The trick right here is balance. If your body is telling you that it is starving after that maybe you ought to listen to it. The fact is, that over consuming, while not exercising, will certainly create you to put on weight; whatever time of the day that you consume. Whenever I am hungry at night, as is my habit with various other meals throughout the day, I try to select something that is natural in nature. Something like fruits, veggies, or I might even make myself a fruit shake. Throughout those moments that I am yearning gelato or something wonderful, I allow myself to get some, and DO NOT feel guilty concerning it. Lots of people that are overweight live their life in regret and embarassment. I enable myself to get some, nonetheless, WITH SMALL AMOUNTS.

Health

Fat Loss Myth # 6

I'm not acceptable up until I lose weight

  Weight Loss Reality: The individual that does not really feel acceptable due to the fact that they are fat is due to the fact that they are not acceptable to themselves first. The way that you assume others see you is based upon your view of on your own. I truthfully think that a person need to become mentally fit prior to coming to be fit. I have experienced these self-limiting emotions before. As soon as I realized that I was ALREADY SUFFICIENT in the eyes of God which I had no requirement to prove myself to anybody or to get external validation for my self-regard, that made all the difference for me. Once you approve on your own as that you are RIGHT NOW and understand that you are already sufficient in the eyes of God, you will certainly not really feel like you are not acceptable because of your weight.

  Weight-loss Myth # 7

I require to reduce calories to lose weight much faster

  Weight Loss Truth: Cutting your calories down could be a great point, if you are considerably overeating and stuffing your face. Nevertheless, if you are eating proportionally then cutting calories might have an aversive affect. If you are cutting calories and also are starving your body, then that will certainly lower your metabolic rate, or to put it simply reduce it down, which might result in you really not shedding any weight in all, also if you are "cutting calories"

  Weight Loss Misconception # 8

Skipping dishes will assist me drop weight

  Weight Reduction Reality: Skipping dishes might in fact create you to gain weight! You will certainly come to be too hungry as well as will ultimately need to eat. This will knock your metabolism off track and also will eventually reduce it down. Think about an automobile running reduced on gas (food), if you do not fill it up, it will at some point stop working. Exact same opts for our body, we need to keep it sustained regularly.

  Weight Loss Myth # 9

I think I have genetic weight gain, it runs in my family members!

  Weight-loss Fact: Can a person claim E-X-C-U-S-E-S? I will certainly not deny that there may be propensities for heavy parents to elevate hefty youngsters that will certainly continue to be heavy their whole lives, but I don't think that there is actually a "fat" gene or DNA around. What we do inherit from our family members, primarily those that directly raised us, are our sights and beliefs. Your sights concerning food, money, religion, politics, education, etc. are based upon just how you were increased. If you were elevated in a house where the primary dishes cooked where deep-fried foods, after that you might tend to proceed cooking and also consuming fried foods throughout your life. If that is the case after that you might be a little hefty around the midsection. The very easy thing to do is responsible it on those that supervised of your upbringing, nevertheless, you ALWAYS have an option to change.

  Fat Loss Misconception # 10

Consuming healthy is also hard

  Weight Loss Fact: Eating healthy is the simplest point in the world ... once you have trained yourself to do it. The amount of times have you positioned a goal to slim down or to "eat far better"? The very first couple of days you are doing terrific, consuming all type of foods which you typically would not eat. Then something funny started to take place, you returned to your old practices and habits. This has actually occurred to you in other areas beyond your wellness. Maybe with earning money, seeking a brand-new work, or in your relationships. Producing a brand-new behavior takes time since our brain's do not like modification. Change to the brain is dangerous. Anyways, if you would like to learn more about how our mind attempts to sabotage us from developing brand-new practices then please download my cost-free Electronic book, "Psychology of Releasing Weight"

  Weight Management Myth # 11

You have to surrender your preferred foods to slim down

  Weight Reduction Fact: What would a globe without chocolate as well as without pepperoni pizza resemble??? I think it would certainly be a troubling globe to live in!! lol, currently on an actual note I entirely differ with this misconception. You are certainly able to eat your preferred foods. Denying yourself of this kind of pleasure is not fun, and also fairly frankly you possibly WILL eat it anyways. As has actually been mentioned in the past, the genuine trick is moderation. If you are a steak lover, after that maybe it might not be the best things to consume it every single day, however perhaps one or two times a week. Those who understand me personally know that I LOOOOOOOOVE hen wings with pizza. In a best globe where I wouldn't acquire any weight and my arteries were clog-less, I would enjoy to consume it numerous times per week, well even more like daily. Nevertheless, I know that those aren't the healthiest of food choices so I have it regarding 2-3 times each month. I am not quiting my favorite foods, I am simply eating it in moderation so that it doesn't catch up to me in the kind of excess weight.

  Fat Loss Misconception # 12

Over-eating is triggered by hunger

  Weight Loss Fact: Wonderful try there. If only we could criticize "hunger" for it. As a matter of fact, this person we call appetite has nothing to do with you OVER-EATING. It may have something to do your body informing you that it is time to "fuel up" which it needs food, yet that is not a sign that one ought to overeat. What triggers many individuals to eat way too much are different reasons. Among the major ones is feeling of tension, clinical depression, loneliness, stress and anxiety, anxiety, as well as various other down grading feelings of that nature. Often times food can be a method of satisfying your requirements. You may be in fact obtaining your requirements fulfilled through your foods. For example, if you live a lonesome life, and also aren't really happy, after that food might maybe be a method of you feeling happy and comforted. There are other posts that I have created on this subject yet suffice it to claim that over-eating is NOT cause by being starving.

  Weight Management Myth # 13

Only drastic diet plans work

  Weight Management Truth: There goes that word again ... DIEt ... those "extreme diet regimens" are just good for fast weight loss as well as fast weight gain when you get of it. These drastic diet regimens range from the "cookie diet regimen", lol ... All that way to "the water only diet regimen" ... I make sure you can reduce weight while on these Diet regimens, nonetheless the weight will be gained right back as well as usually with some added weight as a perk

  Fat Loss Misconception # 14

I am as well fat as well as also far down the roadway to start

  Weight Loss Truth: A long journey begins one action at a time. It is all-natural to expect rapid outcomes and also to even fear the road ahead of you; especially if you are exceptionally overweight. The key right here is to make SMALL step-by-step modifications. Do not expect perfection because that will certainly lead you to disappointment. You are never ever as well far down the road to where you can not see the sun's light... Fat Burning Myth # 15

I can not do it, I have attempted often times and have actually failed

  Weight Management Fact: The great Henry Ford as soon as said "Whether you believe you can, or you assume you can not- you're right.'"... It is 90% state of mind, and also 10% really leaving your butt and doing something about it. You fall down, you get back up ... you fall down once again, you return up once more. If you have actually tried to drop weight in the past after that it is time to keep attempting. Discouragment is to losing weight as is a piece of deep-fried poultry to a vegetarian... they DO NOT go together.

Top Ten Tuesday 15 September 2020

Welcome to this weeks Top Ten Tuesday. Originally created by The Broke & The Bookish, which is now hosted by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week it features a book or literary themed category. This weeks prompt is:

Cover Freebie:

(choose your own topic, centred on book covers or cover art)

So I have chosen to list my favourite MC (Motorcycle Club) Covers.

Baker (The Devil’s Disciples MC #1) by Scott Hildreth

ANDY: I got a job next door to a tattooed biker named Baker. He was an outlaw, a criminal, a biker, a bad boy, and a thief. I should have run as far and fast as I could. Instead, on the day we met, I let him have his way with me. I couldn’t help myself. His intensity and swagger lured me, but it was the crazy sex that kept me coming back, day after day.

His sordid ways scared me, but I simply couldn’t stay away…

BAKER: When she moved in next door, I knew I was in trouble. She was sexy. She was irresistible. She had spunk. She was also the manager of a bank my MC robbed six months prior. She didn’t recognize me, because we wore masks during the robbery. If she ever found out who I really was, there would be hell to pay.

It would be nothing like the hell I’d be living in if my MC found out I was fucking her.

We’d issued an order to kill her on sight. She was off-limits if anyone ever was.

So far, the men in the MC hadn’t seen her. But, I couldn’t keep her hidden forever.

Beyond Reckless (Lost kings MC #8) by Autumn Jones Lake

Marcel “Teller” Whelan, Treasurer of the Lost Kings MC, has always been two things—honest and responsible. At ten years old, he was already taking care of his baby sister. At eighteen, he patched into the Lost Kings MC and took a major role in shaping the club’s future. Three years ago, he thought he’d met the perfect woman, only to have her reject everything he is—a Lost King. One bullet is a lifetime supply. Now, after an accident that left a girl dead and Teller almost crippled, he’s struggling through the darkest time in his life. His niece, sister, and Lost Kings MC family are the only things holding him together, but his reckless actions are bound to drive everyone away. Then, in the most unlikely place, he crosses paths with her again. The woman he once thought might be his perfect match. Love soothes our inner demons. Sparks fly for both of them. She’s the ride-or-die woman he needs, able to calm his many demons and bring the light back into his life. But she has a secret—one that forces him to lie to his brothers. In chaos we trust. When Teller’s brothers find out who he’s falling in love with, it will create a storm of chaos for the Lost Kings MC. But if there’s one thing Teller’s turbulent life has taught him, it’s that sometimes love is worth the chaos. Beyond Reckless is the 8th book in the popular Lost Kings MC series, but can be read as a standalone.

Big (Satan’ Fury MC #6) by L Wilder

How much would you risk to save the one you love? From NYT and USA Today Bestselling Author L. Wilder comes book six in the Satan’s Fury Series, a standalone MC romance.

Big: I don’t use a knife or a gun to get the guy I’m after. I find that my weapon of choice has a much longer, more crippling effect. With just a few keystrokes, I can have him scrambling for his life. I’ll take everything he’s ever worked for, everything he’s ever loved, and I’ll destroy it. That’s what I do.

My brothers don’t ask questions. They don’t want to know what I do behind the closed door. They know I bring results, and that’s all that matters. It’s my job to protect the club, and nothing is going to stand in my way–not even Josie Carmichael.

The girl with the tantalizing curves and emerald green eyes is an unexpected threat, but a threat nonetheless. It’s my job to take her down, but there’s just one hitch. I can’t get the smart-mouthed beauty out of my head. She’s trouble. The kind of trouble that would turn my whole world upside down, but I don’t give a damn. I want her.

Josie Carmichael will be mine, even if that means I’ve got to break her first.

Big is book six of the Satan’s Fury MC series. This book is a full-length standalone novel that’s intended for mature audiences due to the explicit language and violence. Reader discretion is advised.

Bull (Kings of Mayhem MC #6) by Penny Dee

She could be the end of me BULL: I lost my wife on a rainy night almost two decades ago. Since then, my heart has been a barren wasteland. It only knows love for family and the club. And for revenge. Then I meet Taylor and I know I’m doomed. Because she’s everything I didn’t know I wanted. Everything I’ve denied myself for years. But my club is about to storm headfirst into a war and I can’t afford the distraction. Yet I can’t get her out of my head. We both say we’re not interested. But we are both liars. TAYLOR: For years we’ve been running from my past. My kid brother and me. Hiding in the shadows. Now we have a chance for a new life in a new town … far, far away from trouble. I crave freedom and a quiet, simple life for us both. The last thing I expect is to fall for the enigmatic biker king, Michael “Bull” Western. He is magnificent. White-hot and scorching. With the touch of an angel and eyes of the devil. He could be the love of my life. But I have a secret. A very big secret indeed … Bull is book six in the Kings of Mayhem MC series. For mature readers 18+.

Claiming Mine (Unforgiven Riders MC #1) by Amy Davies

Sex, secrets and motorbikes.

When Ana starts working in a small but quaint café, after running from her old life, she never expects to be surrounded by sexy as sin men… Little does she realise they belong to the local motorcycle club. She’s had more than enough of controlling alphas in her life, but can she keep away from them?

Ace is the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Unforgiven Riders and yet another controlling alpha. He sees Ana’s reluctance to him, but Ace always gets his own way, and he wants Ana. Will Ace be able to prove his feelings for her and break down the walls of protection Ana has built around her heart? Can she let him in?

When secrets of Ana’s past are revealed and her life is threatened, it’s Ace’s job to save her. But will he be too late? Will Ace still want her when he finds out about her past?

Compass (Valiant MC #1) by Mary B Moore

Piper: When Hunter left, he cut me out of his life with no explanation. I sent him letters, but each time they were returned back to me. I had no choice but to raise my son alone and move on with life. I love being a mother, but every day I miss the other half of my soul.

Hunter: Four years ago, I joined the Marines. What I did for my country changed me. I saw my buddies, men that I’d fought alongside return home and set up their lives. Seeing them settling down, I took a risk and returned home to the woman that I’d left behind.

War changes a man. A majority of our military come home scarred inside and struggle to return to the civilian world. Learning from my friends in Piersville, I’ve established an MC called Valiant. Our training and military contacts will help assist the government with tackling the ongoing issues of human, drug, and arms trafficking along North and South America. Those responsible are like the mythical Hydra – cut off one head and two replace it.

I’m willing to fight that war, but more importantly, I’m going to fight the battle to get Piper back and become a father to my son.

Link’d Up (Dead Presidents MC #1) by Harley Stone

President Tyler “Link” Lincoln of the Dead Presidents MC, runs a club dedicated to helping military vets readjust to society. When his sergeant at arms is arrested for the attempted murder of a prominent Seattle figure, Link’s search for a lawyer brave enough to fight for justice leads him to an alluring defence attorney with a bleeding heart and a steel backbone.

This isn’t the first time Emily Stafford’s commitment to defending the falsely accused has put her in harm’s way. Smart, cautious, and independent, she knows how to defend herself. At least, she did until she joined forces with one sexy, overbearing, tattooed MC president.

Flames run hot as Link and Emily seek shelter in the club’s converted fire station, working against the clock to uncover the truth and save a somewhat innocent man.

18+ for language and sexual situations…

Primal Howl (Primal Howlers MC #1) by Piper Davenport

Orion: I’m the oldest son of MC royalty. My father founded the Primal Howlers and he expects me to wear his patch one day. The problem is, I don’t know if that’s what I want. Lately, I couldn’t give two sh*ts about anything.

Until her.

Raquel: I moved to Monument, Colorado to write my thesis and get some much-needed distance from my overbearing family. What I didn’t expect was to find is myself hung up on a biker who appears to have nothing to lose.

I, however, have everything to lose and I’m worried Orion just might be my downfall.

Stitch (Satan’s Fury MC #2) by L Wilder

From New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author L Wilder

Stitch: As the club Enforcer, Stitch is the man chosen to protect the club. There are no limits to his brutality, no lines drawn in the sand. The club is his life, and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his brothers safe.

He’s a man who keeps to himself, guarding the walls that he secured so long ago. Then, one moment, one chance meeting, changes everything.

Wren: Life for Wren and her son, Wyatt, isn’t exactly easy. Yet, Wren faces each day with determination and courage. Wyatt is her joy and motivation; for him, she will find a way to make their lives better, even when obstacles are continually thrown in her path. The last thing she needs is another complication, but what is life without complications?

Stitch appears when they need him the most, protecting them when no one else can. Wren can’t understand it. She should feel threatened by his bulging muscles and menacing tattoos, but she’s somehow able to see past the mysterious biker to the man inside. She is drawn to him for reasons she can’t even begin to comprehend. All she knows is that her body craves his touch.

Can Stitch let his guard down and allow these two strangers into his heart? Can Wren see beyond the scars of her past long enough to let him in, or will her fear drive him away?

** This book is intended for readers 18 years or older due to bad language, violence, and explicit sex scenes.

Stitch is a standalone romance, but you may also be interested in reading Maverick: Satan’s Fury MC #1.

The Diary of Bink Cummings Vol #2 by Bink Cummings

Note: Must Read The Diary of Bink Cummings Vol 1, previously.

When changing life’s course you never consider what twisted curve-ball fate might dump in your lap. Growing up in the MC, then gaining my own personal independence was not only a curse, it was a blessing. So when I decided to say fu*k my past and embraced my future, away from the only place I called home, I tried to re-invent myself, by becoming the woman I am today. Until one day, fate reared its ugly head, forcing me to return to the place I ran from. The place where I had no choice but to face HIM. And hide the biggest secret of my life as I wallowed in silent fear, of the insurmountable repercussions it would evoke when anyone found out the truth.

Steamy Adult romance Warning: Contains Mature scenarios, and mass quantities of profanity. For Ages 18+

-This is not a Standalone.

I’m sure that some of the men on these covers are the same person! What do you think?

*** This majority of these books are intended for readers 18 years or older due to bad language, violence, and explicit sex scenes. ***

Until next Tuesday

#BikerErotica, #BikerRomance, #Bikers, #JustForFun, #MC, #MC-Erotica, #MCRomance, #Top Ten Tuesday, #TopTenTuesday, #TTT

The O’Keefe Challenge - Half Marathon Recap by Kate Dull

They say that the event is the culmination of a lot of hard work and dedication during the training phase. This is very true. Every marathon, half marathon and other big event (50kms, Trailwalker etc) I’ve done, have been exactly that.

It’s also hard to understand exactly how an event can mean so much to someone without understanding the backstory and there’s quite a backstory to this one, probably my 25th or 30th half marathon. If you’d rather cut to the chase of the actual event, please scroll down, otherwise, sit tight and I’ll walk you through some of what it took me to get to the start line in the first place…

The O’Keefe Challenge is an event that is special to those at LRC, being the first event where the members took part wearing their new club shirts in 2017. Held on the O’Keefe Rail Trail from Bendigo to Heathcote, it consists of various distances from marathon down to a kids’ dash and also includes a 7 person ‘Ekiden’ marathon relay. In 2018, I was fortunate enough to take join in one of the LRC Ekiden relay teams but chose the shortest leg as I had just found out that I was pregnant with our first child. Even though I only ran about 3km in the second last leg of the relay that day, Chantell and I had great fun helping ferry and cheer on participants of all the LRC teams at the start and along the way at the various changeover points before it was our turn to run. It was a great atmosphere and I was hooked. So much so, that my husband I returned to Bendigo to ride the entire O’Keefe Rail Trail on our bikes when I was 25 weeks pregnant!

Fast forward to 2019 and I now have a baby boy of a few months. I’m sure most new parents will relate but it hasn’t been an easy road. Despite running up until and including the day I was induced (hello Studley parkrun in the rain at a time of 41:01 and at 41 weeks and 1 day pregnant) unfortunately my recovery wasn’t as smooth sailing as the gestation. I’d returned to parkrun at 13 days postpartum, walking it in 44mins [??] and then set out for another walk the next day…but something ‘went’ in my pelvis. I couldn’t walk without sharp pain for the following fortnight. The physio (Adam) said it was pelvic girdle pain but that I had a good outlook with the right management. Being immobilised and unable to be the active mum I had thought I would be had me asking “why me?”; I thought life as I knew it was over! But, I did my rehab, hoped for the best and things seemed to improve, slowly.

A couple of weeks later, I found out that I’d got into the Chicago Marathon in October. That same day, I had an assessment for things that didn’t feel quite right and also found out that I had a bladder prolapse. Everything Dr Google returned said that prolapses didn’t get better and it was incompatible with running (amongst other things). My world crumbled.

Thankfully, I sought a second opinion than the original ob/gyn who assessed it as being quite bad. It wasn’t going to be easy and there were certainly no guarantees, but my women’s health physio (Hillary) was confident that I would be able to return to what I loved. I was now back at my regular twice weekly clinical Pilates classes and had a great team around me in support.

I took a few months off (as much as one can with a newborn) and focussed on getting me back together – no more than 5km walking at a time (this killed me), a small amount of bike riding to get around (I don’t drive), clinical Pilates and lots of pelvic floor exercises.

After 3 months, Hillary fitted me with a pessary (think of this as an ankle brace for females to keep their organs in place) and I was given the green light to start working through the Couch to 5km (C25K). Adam was happy with how my pelvic girdle pain had progressed with all the rehab and said to go for it but if I was in agony, stop and reassess.

I kicked it off with the long course of the Pink Tri – I was not match fit (except for the bike riding) but I was so happy to be back! I continued to progress through the C25K and was feeling good. My confidence grew. I re-engaged with the running community. With parkrun. With everything activity related. I started to believe that maybe my world wasn’t as broken as I thought it was. My mood continued to improve. I had already entered in Sharpy’s Beer Run 10km before all of this had happened but I now began entering other races again for motivation, starting with the Sole Motive Sunset Series.

O’Keefe? Wasn’t this about O’Keefe?

Yes, hold tight.

My husband and I were set to travel to the UK in May to take our son around to meet his family – this is where I am currently typing this (finally!). There’s a half marathon in Liverpool that’s a part of the Rock’n’Roll series that I had aimed to do in previous years. It was at the end of May. Could I really be up for a half marathon by then? I decided to go for it and entered before the price rise. I put together my training plan and noticed that I needed to do a half marathon distance long run about the time that O’Keefe was on. I toyed with the idea of playing it conservatively by entering the 10km but the 10km route didn’t seem to be run on the actual rail trail that I was keen to run on, so, after some consultation with my husband, I decided to enter the half and we’d make a weekend of it.

Training was going well; I was gaining confidence and feeling good. The prolapse was staying put, Hillary was happy and my pelvis hadn’t bothered me at all – Adam had discharged me from my physio as my Pilates was keeping everything as it should be. But then it all changed. A few weeks prior to O’Keefe, I went back to work, we were both stressing out about getting everything done before O’Keefe and flying to the UK (we hadn’t realised when we’d booked our flights to the UK that we’d booked to fly out just a couple of days after our weekend away in Heathcote!) and then I developed pelvic girdle pain in the other hip! I was barely running or walking at all for fear of making it worse (although I managed to do the long course of Run for the Kids and pulled up ok) and felt like everything was starting to slip away. Thankfully, some myotherapy got me back on track. I needed to move, so, a fortnight out, I managed four runs in just under a week, including a 10km in the heat on the Sunday one week before the event. The following morning, I woke up at 3am feeling terrible, including a shocking headache, pain and lumps in my left breast and the chills – mastitis. It wasn’t too bad yet, but it has a reputation for turning nasty very quickly, sometimes requiring hospitalisation. Talk about timing – half marathon on the weekend, work and packing to be done and then 24 hours of flying with a 6-month-old in just over a week. Could this get any worse?

The time to travel to Heathcote arrived and I’d managed to avoid having to take antibiotics through several visits to a women’s health physio for ultrasound treatment along with many home remedies. This also meant that I was bra-free for most of the week and definitely not wearing my super compressive sports bra that I suspected may have contributed to the mastitis! I felt like I dodged a bullet and that maybe, just maybe, I might be able to pull it off, although I feared that this might be at a cost.

I opted to walk, rather than run, Bendigo parkrun on the Saturday morning with my husband and our 6-month-old, meeting Paula and Jim there for a chat before and after. Things were feeling good.

Race morning finally arrived and although I was feeling a bit anxious about how the day might pan out, things were mostly pretty relaxed given the later start at 8:30am. We were all fed, baby included, and then we piled into the car to drive to the start at Knowsley. I then got wind from Sarah that there had been some incident with a bus going to the marathon start which was delaying everything. Upon arriving at Knowsley, it was soon revealed that we would now be starting at 8:50am instead. We milled about with Milly and co, killing time. This gave me even more time to deliberate on how I was going to approach the run. I had been toying with different Jeffing intervals lately, as well as running non-stop, but eventually decided on doing 4min run:1min walk (which had served me well on other half marathons when I was pregnant) and just taking it easy to keep the bigger picture – UK trip and Liverpool Rock'n'Roll half marathon – in mind. BUT, if it looked like I could come in under 2hrs 25mins then I thought I’d just go for it and finally qualify for the 20km Wonderland Run in the Grampians later this year (now that they have lifted the qualifying standard from 2:15 to 2:25).

Finally, it was race briefing time…and then, just like that, we were off!

Rather than run directly to Heathcote along the rail trail, we were to first run 2.3km towards Bendigo, turn around and then run back through Knowsley before continuing onto Heathcote. I’m not keen on out and backs (hence the appeal of running from A to B on the rail trail) but at least it wasn’t too far.

I started off well and was feeling good. It wasn’t a super busy race (only around 800 in total across all the events I think) and I was enjoying the countryside. I was also on pace to run sub 2:25, bonus. Hit the turn around point and was on my way back when I saw a lady (Christine) sat on the side of the trail around the 3km mark – she didn’t look so good. I sung out to her, “Are you ok?”, to which I heard back, “No”. I plonked down beside her and asked what was going on. She wasn't doing so good – dizzy, felt sick and had the sweats. This was despite her having been well prepared, fuelled, feeling well in the lead up and having completed several other similar events previously. 

I called for help and stayed with her while we waited. I also thought to call my husband who was waiting with our 6-month-old at Knowsley, ready to cheer me on, to let him know that I’d be a while and that everything was ok …and not to panic!

A couple of other runners came by and offered water, as did Milissa, who joined us while we waited. The water seemed to help Christine and she felt like walking, so we set off towards Knowsley before we eventually met the first aiders and they took over.

I resumed my Jeffing but qualifying for Wonderland was now out of reach. I was disappointed and the mental battle was real. I knew I had to snap out of it. There was no way I’d have left Christine on the side of the trail! I instead focussed on enjoying myself and my surrounds in what was to be my longest run since my son was born, reminding myself of how far I'd come since I developed all the postpartum issues and how well I'd done to even make the start line!

I passed through Knowsley and was cheered on by my husband and our 6-month-old. My husband even acted as my personal photographer! As the event went on, there were many drive-bys along the McIvor Highway (hooting loudly) and they met me along the trail with support and supplies at several locations, even walking with me a couple of times. This, along with the support I received when passing through the various changeover points which all seemed to be manned by other members of LRC supporting the Ekiden relay members or waiting to run their legs, made the kilometres just tick on by!

I had looked forward to running past Lake Eppalock and having an awesome running photo such as Vula’s from last year but unfortunately, when I got there, there wasn’t a lot of water to be seen. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the downhill on the approach and marvelled at the big dry that has been gripping Victoria this year.

Along the way, I also enjoyed running and chatting with a lady (Amelia) for a good while – she was local and using today as her training for the Adelaide Marathon in 4 weeks. I’m not sure how long we ran together, but it had to be quite a few kilometres!

Having ridden the trail on my bike last year, parts of it were familiar. The outskirts of Heathcote were nearing…and my watch was on around 17km! I did a mental re-take – had I just run 17km and I was still feeling ‘fine’?! I started to feel quite proud of myself. The longest run I’d done since my son was born was Run for the Kids at 12.7km. Then, my husband and son popped out. At all the other times, my son had been quite content but this time he was not happy…and then he saw me – he was hungry (probably partly as a result of the delayed start) and wanted boobie. Except, I still had the last part of the half marathon to finish and I couldn’t feed him in my sports bra. My husband pushed him alongside me in the pram for a while but the tears were increasing, so he peeled off and said he’d meet me at the finishing line.

Typically, those last few kilometres seemed to take forever! Except the part where a helicopter towing a giant round thing (wtf?!) went overhead…talk about distractions. I was now in town and headed for Barrack Reserve. I couldn’t remember which way we’d approach it and this part seemed to take forever. Perhaps mentally, I was now flagging. I felt like I was under pressure to finish because the baby needed feeding, so I stepped it up a notch.

When I finally entered Barrack Reserve, I reeled in the person in front and easily overtook them to fly across the finishing line to cheers and high fives from fellow LRC members. I’d done it! I was handed a medal, bottle of water, SIS gel and banana.

Now, where’s that baby?

Before I could stretch, eat the banana or even drink any water, I pulled my LRC shirt off, pulled the bra over my head (supposedly hidden by my husband’s coat but I actually ended up flashing some poor bloke behind him – the expression on his face was hilarious!) replaced the LRC shirt and sat cross-legged feeding our son on the ground while chatting with Julia and John. Everyone was happy.

I ended up coming in around 2:45. Did my time matter? Of course not. This was a training run for Liverpool. But it was also much more than that. It was a huge confidence boost because it felt relatively easy. Oh, and for the record, Christine finished, as did Milly, who, despite stopping to assist, ended up taking 5mins off her PB!

Once all the other LRCers had finished and the presentations were over, it was off to the Commercial where Ciaran had booked out the pub for some much-needed nourishment and chin-wagging.

Completing the event was one thing but my recovery over the following days was another…and I’m pleased to say that I pulled up really well, which was hugely reassuring.

Can’t wait to come back and do it all again next year! 

One Simple Method to Learn Any Language | Scott Young & Vat Jaiswal | TEDxEastsidePrep

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/one-simple-method-to-learn-any-language-scott-young-vat-jaiswal-tedxeastsideprep/

One Simple Method to Learn Any Language | Scott Young & Vat Jaiswal | TEDxEastsidePrep

Translator: Alina Siluyanova Reviewer: Denise RQ Scot young: We wish to start off with a question for you. Via a exhibit of fingers, what number of of you’ve put in effort and time into finding out one more language? Probably you took a high college Spanish type, or possibly you took quite a few Rosetta Stone, however you are not able to confidently converse that language right now. Vat Jaiswal: ok. That is most of you here. Some of you are elevating each of your hands. So, now we have tried studying just a few languages ourselves, we’re going to talk about it in a minute. But let’s speak about what is the drawback, what’s the main predicament that is conserving every body again from studying languages. Might or not it’s that you’re utilising the fallacious software of gain knowledge of, and when you were to make use of a ultimate application or the application, you then’d be ready to study the language? SY: well, right here the monitor document is not too excellent. Out of the 1,000 american citizens who replied to the final Social Survey, only 7 claimed that they could communicate a different language very well, and had truely realized it in school.And if you happen to take into account self-be taught programs, like Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur, well, they may be able to work some of the time, however they have another drawback: huge drop out premiums. , at the university of Maryland did a be trained that took an enthusiastic crew of volunteers and found that best 6% put in additional than 100 hours with the application, which is far not up to what you’d need making use of these packages to grow to be fluent in any language. VJ: good enough, good, perhaps then the drawback is that you do not live within the nation that makes use of this language, and in case you were to maneuver there, you’d be competent to be taught it.SY: right here I must believe you, Vat. Residing in the nation that speaks the language, definitely helps. It supplies motivation and an possibility for immersion. But it surely’s not the answer to all your problems. In case you go to the nation and you don’t yet speak the language, what are you going to do? Are you going to rely on different expats and locals who converse English to support you to get by means of? And that’s going to create a bubble of English, it’s going to isolate you from immersing your self. So, we all know an extreme instance. We all know of an American businessman who went to Korea, married a Korean girl, had youngsters in Korea, lived in Korea for two decades, still could not have a tight dialog in Korean. So, living within the different nation helps, but it’s not a silver bullet that will reply your whole problems on its own. VJ: ok, well, eventually maybe the crisis is that you are simply too ancient, and you will have to’ve tried learning the language as a child when you consider that youngsters study the languages turbo, correct? SY:this is surely a pervasive myth.Steven Brown of Einstein college and Jennifer Larson-corridor of Qiushi university reviewed the literature and found adults absolutely gain knowledge of languages rapid than children in the quick run. It’s only when we talk about reaching native-like phases of pronunciation and grammar where kids to exhibit an higher give up an adult. So, without doubt, if you want to simply be capable to be in contact with humans, have conversations, there’s no reason you cannot study a 2nd language at any age. VJ: If those are usually not the core disorders, what’s the core issue? We now have a utterly exceptional speculation, and to give an explanation for this idea i would like you to appear at this picture of the ocean.Now, when you look on the water, you’re going to look 2 distinctive zones: zone at the bottom the place the waves are breaking, an the zone at the top the place the water is quite calm. Now, i want you to suppose you’re standing on the shore, and you wish to have to swim out into the ocean. Whilst you first start swimming out into the ocean, you will be on this first zone where the waves are breaking. And swimming on this zone is tremendously problematic, you feel this exquisite resistance, the waves come crushing down on you, and so they constantly attempt to push you back to the shore.However, when you had been to push by way of this zone and get to the 2d zone, all of the sudden, swimming turns into quite a bit simpler and more importantly, the waves are usually not looking to push you again, you’re now not consider this superb resistance. So, we suppose that language studying works very similar to this. Whilst you first begin finding out a language, you are going to be in this first zone which we call ‘the zone of fear’ or ‘the zone of frustration’, for the reason that this is where you fear making use of the language, that is where you fear making errors, that is where you fear embarrassing yourself.And finding out a language in this zone is very difficult: the waves represent this terrible feedback and this continuously tries to push you again to the shore. However, in the event you have been to push prior this zone and get to the second zone the place the waters are calmer, suddenly language finding out becomes so much easier, and much more enjoyable. Intellect you, i’m no longer pronouncing that you are perfect whilst you reach the second zone, or possibly you best know just a few words, however you’re ready to use them confidently, might be you’re equipped to have some easy conversations. And language only goes from being continuously irritating to now being rewarding, more often than not. So, the core problem, we suppose, that a lot of the men and women have is that folks get caught in this zone of worry and frustration for longer than they have got to, and for some humans, endlessly.And if all you see is bad suggestions, it can be very tough to motivate your self to be trained additional and strengthen your self, and gain knowledge of the language that you just relatively want to gain knowledge of. So, ideally, you’d use another procedure, a procedure that enables you to get previous this zone very swiftly and very effectually, so you could get to the phase where language finding out is enjoyable and convenient as quickly as that you can. SY: We suppose we have this system, a approach that cuts through the waves and will get you to the easier part of language studying as rapidly and successfully as feasible. It can be quite simple. Do not communicate in English. And, that would sound a little bit obvious or simplistic, but it’s clearly really robust. Whilst you force yourself to communicate the language you’re trying to be trained, and you learn words and phrases by using necessity, now not the order it comes up in the textbook that means you automatically gain knowledge of probably the most general vocabulary and the fundamental phrases on your obstacle. Subsequent, due to the fact you don’t know many words and phrases, you’re going to overuse what you do comprehend.This results in results psychologists call overlearning which allows for you to access that expertise routinely. You don’t must get your tongue tight or hesitating when you’re making use of general phrases and phrases. And in the end, since you are now not allowed to speak in English you’re going to effectively develop conversational work-arounds to manage circumstances which can be above your level. That is going to be from studying easy phrases like: "What does this imply?" and "How do you say this? In the language, rather early on, to being competent to effectively use matters like Google Translator and dictionaries to integrate new words and phrases into your conversations while you are having them. VJ: So how do we know that this process works? Well, we know that this process works because now we have tried it for ourselves. So, last 12 months Scott and i did an experiment. However we tried to be trained four specific languages, and we went to four special international locations to gain knowledge of these languages over a year.And we used the identical no-English rule to learn the languages. So, first we went to Spain to be taught Spanish over three months, then we went to Brazil to be taught Portuguese over three months, then over to mainland China to learn Mandarin over 3 months, and subsequently over to Korea to study Korean over 3 months. And we discovered that this no-English rule labored particularly well. If truth be told, close the top of our travels in each country, we have been confidently equipped to have conversations with native speakers mostly about any field, and going with the aid of our every day lives, utilizing the language that we have been trying to gain knowledge of. So we truly have a short video that we would like to exhibit you that captures the type of development that we had been capable to make utilising this no English rule just below 3 months for each and every country. So, take a appear. (Video) SY: This could look a bit bit severe. In the end, would it not be lots less difficult to communicate some English when you are seeking to gain knowledge of the language although it is not really as rapid as this no-English rule? We simply think that this is a false impression.And to argue that why it’s a misconception, i would prefer to reference an expertise that I had. You see, years earlier than we did this undertaking, I had one other possibility to learn a 2nd language. I was within the college and i had an opportunity to be trained overseas for a 12 months in France. And like this trip, I used to be very keen to study the neighborhood language. I bought books, I downloaded podcasts, I rather desired to end up fluent in French. The one change that I had no targeted rule in opposition to speaking in English. I figured, "i’ll go there and i’ll communicate as so much English as I must, and i’ll just try to apply French each time i will." And after a yr of dwelling in France, and pushing myself to learn each day, I did get to a factor where I might have a dialog, but it surely was on no account convenient, it always felt complex, it consistently felt like I was once a little out of place.And distinction that to that of my more up to date experience in Spain. As soon as again, we now have the motivation and possibility, however this time we have the no-English rule. From the very first day we came to Spain, we decided we had been most effective going to converse in Spanish. And, as that you could most commonly assume, with constrained Spanish talents it was very complex within the commencing. We had to be in contact to each other nearly completely by means of our dictionaries for these first few days. However after 2 weeks anything converted, it began to get a little simpler.After a month even easier. And by the 0.33 month we had been in Spain, it would turn out to be so convenient, that residing our lives absolutely in Spanish was computerized. We did not ought to think about studying or practising, it was fully invisible in our lives. And what’s more, after simply 3 months in Spain, our Spanish, each of our Spanish, was once much better than my French was once after a 12 months of living in France and intentionally learning it. And so, when you’re evaluating the challenge of a method, principally in studying languages, it’s no longer fairly fair to seem at that initial sliver of difficulty given that you ought to look at how so much effort you’re going to be striking in not just within the beginning, but every day, month after month in order to in the end being able to be taught this language. And what we found will not be even just that the no English rule is faster, but that while you take it over this longer view, it is honestly simpler than any other procedure we’ve got tried for studying a language.VJ: And i might prefer to communicate about one more misconception that a number of humans have is that you simply’d come what may be equipped to totally avert making mistakes when you first studying a language. And that is readily now not true. Sincerely making errors is superb when you consider that it way you’re utilizing the language and eventually it helps you to gain the arrogance that you simply must converse the language. When Scott and that i were doing this venture, we made errors day-to-day certainly within the opening, everything we said was mistaken, however that’s adequate.And in China and in Korea, in view that chinese language and Korean are a lot harder than the ecu languages we tried to be taught, we slipped up and broke the no English rule a few times as good, but it surely did not topic on the grounds that it is not about making errors, how many errors you’re making, it’s more about that at any time when you’re making a mistake you are trying once more. So, remember that the entire purpose of this system and this approach is to push previous this zone of frustration and fear so which you could get to the section the place language studying turns into enjoyable and effortless. Ideally, the way in which you’d do that is you would transfer to the country that speaks this language and go 100% immersion from the primary day and commit to the no English rule.However undoubtedly, that’s slightly severe and a number of you here might now not have the opportunity to do that. However i might like to point out that the fantastic thing about the no English rule is that it doesn’t must be 100% no English at all times with all people. It can additionally work in a limited context. So let me offer you an illustration. If you’re looking to be trained Spanish and you have a co-worker or colleague that speaks Spanish, might be you commit to the no English rule each time you see this character.So, at any time when you are going to see them you simplest decide to talking in Spanish. So should you have been to bump in them on the water cooler and you want to make small speak, and you need to say – let’s consider you had been busy at work – and you want to say: "Oh, i am so busy today," it’s adequate to drag out your dictionary, and translate the complete sentence. You do not need to believe capable to say this, the purpose is to simply attempt to try. And what this particularly lets you do is that it helps you out with two quite essential things. The first one: it helps you to get rid of the anomaly of which language will have to you utilize, for the reason that if with this co-employee, let’s assume, which you could speak in Spanish, and that you would be able to communicate in English, obviously you’re going to default to talking in English for the reason that it is so so much simpler.However with the aid of committing to the no English rule, you are saying: "whenever I see this man or woman I know it is observe time, there is no doubt in my mind that now I must communicate Spanish although I must pull out my dictionary." And the second thing it helps you out with is it helps you advance a dependancy of speaking the language even at the very low degree of ability.This relatively helps you out to build the confidence that you ultimately are going to need when you’ll talking this language to the greater degree of capacity. SY: So you’ve gotten heard about our undertaking. Now we would like to dilemma you one. And no, we’re not asking you to sell out your stuff and go to live in a some distance away nation. We will ask you to do whatever a lot simpler but should you comply with by means of on it, it’s going to nonetheless be very robust if you wish to subsequently begin having conversations in that language you’ll been learning all of your life.Simply three steps. Step 1: to find one individual. It could be a native speaker of this language, or it could be an extra language learner, it would be someone you realize, a buddy, a colleague, a spouse, or it would be any one you in finding online. There are services like italki.Com and livemocha to seek out conversation companions online. So in case you can not to find this man or woman for your existence right now, there are handy tools for locating them online. Step 2: commit to the no English rule with this person. Each time you see them just converse in this language that you’re looking to be taught. Tell them that, you realize, despite the fact that you are not too satisfactory on the language yet, you are going to have got to use Google Translator and dictionary lots within the commencing, that’s good enough.Step three: speaking. As soon as again, it’s not anything you must be ideal at. You could slip up and destroy the "no English" rule, simply are trying once more. Pull out your cell, down load the Google Translator app, that you can type in the entire sentences for those who don’t consider comfy yet speakme the language. The purpose is to get you to start talking, to start building that capabilities of the words, and begin practising those core phrases. What we’re hoping is that by showing you this process we’re encouraging you to get began with whatever, to not be best, and might be even in these days to come to a decision to seek out that one character and start this rule, and subsequently speakme that language.Chinese have an expression: (chinese language) "A excellent is a half of success," which means that: "A excellent is a 1/2 of success." (Applause) .

One Simple Method to Learn Any Language | Scott Young & Vat Jaiswal | TEDxEastsidePrep

New Post has been published on https://hititem.kr/one-simple-method-to-learn-any-language-scott-young-vat-jaiswal-tedxeastsideprep/

One Simple Method to Learn Any Language | Scott Young & Vat Jaiswal | TEDxEastsidePrep

Translator: Alina Siluyanova Reviewer: Denise RQ Scot young: We wish to start off with a question for you. Via a exhibit of fingers, what number of of you’ve put in effort and time into finding out one more language? Probably you took a high college Spanish type, or possibly you took quite a few Rosetta Stone, however you are not able to confidently converse that language right now. Vat Jaiswal: ok. That is most of you here. Some of you are elevating each of your hands. So, now we have tried studying just a few languages ourselves, we’re going to talk about it in a minute. But let’s speak about what is the drawback, what’s the main predicament that is conserving every body again from studying languages. Might or not it’s that you’re utilising the fallacious software of gain knowledge of, and when you were to make use of a ultimate application or the application, you then’d be ready to study the language? SY: well, right here the monitor document is not too excellent. Out of the 1,000 american citizens who replied to the final Social Survey, only 7 claimed that they could communicate a different language very well, and had truely realized it in school.And if you happen to take into account self-be taught programs, like Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur, well, they may be able to work some of the time, however they have another drawback: huge drop out premiums. , at the university of Maryland did a be trained that took an enthusiastic crew of volunteers and found that best 6% put in additional than 100 hours with the application, which is far not up to what you’d need making use of these packages to grow to be fluent in any language. VJ: good enough, good, perhaps then the drawback is that you do not live within the nation that makes use of this language, and in case you were to maneuver there, you’d be competent to be taught it.SY: right here I must believe you, Vat. Residing in the nation that speaks the language, definitely helps. It supplies motivation and an possibility for immersion. But it surely’s not the answer to all your problems. In case you go to the nation and you don’t yet speak the language, what are you going to do? Are you going to rely on different expats and locals who converse English to support you to get by means of? And that’s going to create a bubble of English, it’s going to isolate you from immersing your self. So, we all know an extreme instance. We all know of an American businessman who went to Korea, married a Korean girl, had youngsters in Korea, lived in Korea for two decades, still could not have a tight dialog in Korean. So, living within the different nation helps, but it’s not a silver bullet that will reply your whole problems on its own. VJ: ok, well, eventually maybe the crisis is that you are simply too ancient, and you will have to’ve tried learning the language as a child when you consider that youngsters study the languages turbo, correct? SY:this is surely a pervasive myth.Steven Brown of Einstein college and Jennifer Larson-corridor of Qiushi university reviewed the literature and found adults absolutely gain knowledge of languages rapid than children in the quick run. It’s only when we talk about reaching native-like phases of pronunciation and grammar where kids to exhibit an higher give up an adult. So, without doubt, if you want to simply be capable to be in contact with humans, have conversations, there’s no reason you cannot study a 2nd language at any age. VJ: If those are usually not the core disorders, what’s the core issue? We now have a utterly exceptional speculation, and to give an explanation for this idea i would like you to appear at this picture of the ocean.Now, when you look on the water, you’re going to look 2 distinctive zones: zone at the bottom the place the waves are breaking, an the zone at the top the place the water is quite calm. Now, i want you to suppose you’re standing on the shore, and you wish to have to swim out into the ocean. Whilst you first start swimming out into the ocean, you will be on this first zone where the waves are breaking. And swimming on this zone is tremendously problematic, you feel this exquisite resistance, the waves come crushing down on you, and so they constantly attempt to push you back to the shore.However, when you had been to push by way of this zone and get to the 2d zone, all of the sudden, swimming turns into quite a bit simpler and more importantly, the waves are usually not looking to push you again, you’re now not consider this superb resistance. So, we suppose that language studying works very similar to this. Whilst you first begin finding out a language, you are going to be in this first zone which we call ‘the zone of fear’ or ‘the zone of frustration’, for the reason that this is where you fear making use of the language, that is where you fear making errors, that is where you fear embarrassing yourself.And finding out a language in this zone is very difficult: the waves represent this terrible feedback and this continuously tries to push you again to the shore. However, in the event you have been to push prior this zone and get to the second zone the place the waters are calmer, suddenly language finding out becomes so much easier, and much more enjoyable. Intellect you, i’m no longer pronouncing that you are perfect whilst you reach the second zone, or possibly you best know just a few words, however you’re ready to use them confidently, might be you’re equipped to have some easy conversations. And language only goes from being continuously irritating to now being rewarding, more often than not. So, the core problem, we suppose, that a lot of the men and women have is that folks get caught in this zone of worry and frustration for longer than they have got to, and for some humans, endlessly.And if all you see is bad suggestions, it can be very tough to motivate your self to be trained additional and strengthen your self, and gain knowledge of the language that you just relatively want to gain knowledge of. So, ideally, you’d use another procedure, a procedure that enables you to get previous this zone very swiftly and very effectually, so you could get to the phase where language finding out is enjoyable and convenient as quickly as that you can. SY: We suppose we have this system, a approach that cuts through the waves and will get you to the easier part of language studying as rapidly and successfully as feasible. It can be quite simple. Do not communicate in English. And, that would sound a little bit obvious or simplistic, but it’s clearly really robust. Whilst you force yourself to communicate the language you’re trying to be trained, and you learn words and phrases by using necessity, now not the order it comes up in the textbook that means you automatically gain knowledge of probably the most general vocabulary and the fundamental phrases on your obstacle. Subsequent, due to the fact you don’t know many words and phrases, you’re going to overuse what you do comprehend.This results in results psychologists call overlearning which allows for you to access that expertise routinely. You don’t must get your tongue tight or hesitating when you’re making use of general phrases and phrases. And in the end, since you are now not allowed to speak in English you’re going to effectively develop conversational work-arounds to manage circumstances which can be above your level. That is going to be from studying easy phrases like: "What does this imply?" and "How do you say this? In the language, rather early on, to being competent to effectively use matters like Google Translator and dictionaries to integrate new words and phrases into your conversations while you are having them. VJ: So how do we know that this process works? Well, we know that this process works because now we have tried it for ourselves. So, last 12 months Scott and i did an experiment. However we tried to be trained four specific languages, and we went to four special international locations to gain knowledge of these languages over a year.And we used the identical no-English rule to learn the languages. So, first we went to Spain to be taught Spanish over three months, then we went to Brazil to be taught Portuguese over three months, then over to mainland China to learn Mandarin over 3 months, and subsequently over to Korea to study Korean over 3 months. And we discovered that this no-English rule labored particularly well. If truth be told, close the top of our travels in each country, we have been confidently equipped to have conversations with native speakers mostly about any field, and going with the aid of our every day lives, utilizing the language that we have been trying to gain knowledge of. So we truly have a short video that we would like to exhibit you that captures the type of development that we had been capable to make utilising this no English rule just below 3 months for each and every country. So, take a appear. (Video) SY: This could look a bit bit severe. In the end, would it not be lots less difficult to communicate some English when you are seeking to gain knowledge of the language although it is not really as rapid as this no-English rule? We simply think that this is a false impression.And to argue that why it’s a misconception, i would prefer to reference an expertise that I had. You see, years earlier than we did this undertaking, I had one other possibility to learn a 2nd language. I was within the college and i had an opportunity to be trained overseas for a 12 months in France. And like this trip, I used to be very keen to study the neighborhood language. I bought books, I downloaded podcasts, I rather desired to end up fluent in French. The one change that I had no targeted rule in opposition to speaking in English. I figured, "i’ll go there and i’ll communicate as so much English as I must, and i’ll just try to apply French each time i will." And after a yr of dwelling in France, and pushing myself to learn each day, I did get to a factor where I might have a dialog, but it surely was on no account convenient, it always felt complex, it consistently felt like I was once a little out of place.And distinction that to that of my more up to date experience in Spain. As soon as again, we now have the motivation and possibility, however this time we have the no-English rule. From the very first day we came to Spain, we decided we had been most effective going to converse in Spanish. And, as that you could most commonly assume, with constrained Spanish talents it was very complex within the commencing. We had to be in contact to each other nearly completely by means of our dictionaries for these first few days. However after 2 weeks anything converted, it began to get a little simpler.After a month even easier. And by the 0.33 month we had been in Spain, it would turn out to be so convenient, that residing our lives absolutely in Spanish was computerized. We did not ought to think about studying or practising, it was fully invisible in our lives. And what’s more, after simply 3 months in Spain, our Spanish, each of our Spanish, was once much better than my French was once after a 12 months of living in France and intentionally learning it. And so, when you’re evaluating the challenge of a method, principally in studying languages, it’s no longer fairly fair to seem at that initial sliver of difficulty given that you ought to look at how so much effort you’re going to be striking in not just within the beginning, but every day, month after month in order to in the end being able to be taught this language. And what we found will not be even just that the no English rule is faster, but that while you take it over this longer view, it is honestly simpler than any other procedure we’ve got tried for studying a language.VJ: And i might prefer to communicate about one more misconception that a number of humans have is that you simply’d come what may be equipped to totally avert making mistakes when you first studying a language. And that is readily now not true. Sincerely making errors is superb when you consider that it way you’re utilizing the language and eventually it helps you to gain the arrogance that you simply must converse the language. When Scott and that i were doing this venture, we made errors day-to-day certainly within the opening, everything we said was mistaken, however that’s adequate.And in China and in Korea, in view that chinese language and Korean are a lot harder than the ecu languages we tried to be taught, we slipped up and broke the no English rule a few times as good, but it surely did not topic on the grounds that it is not about making errors, how many errors you’re making, it’s more about that at any time when you’re making a mistake you are trying once more. So, remember that the entire purpose of this system and this approach is to push previous this zone of frustration and fear so which you could get to the section the place language studying turns into enjoyable and effortless. Ideally, the way in which you’d do that is you would transfer to the country that speaks this language and go 100% immersion from the primary day and commit to the no English rule.However undoubtedly, that’s slightly severe and a number of you here might now not have the opportunity to do that. However i might like to point out that the fantastic thing about the no English rule is that it doesn’t must be 100% no English at all times with all people. It can additionally work in a limited context. So let me offer you an illustration. If you’re looking to be trained Spanish and you have a co-worker or colleague that speaks Spanish, might be you commit to the no English rule each time you see this character.So, at any time when you are going to see them you simplest decide to talking in Spanish. So should you have been to bump in them on the water cooler and you want to make small speak, and you need to say – let’s consider you had been busy at work – and you want to say: "Oh, i am so busy today," it’s adequate to drag out your dictionary, and translate the complete sentence. You do not need to believe capable to say this, the purpose is to simply attempt to try. And what this particularly lets you do is that it helps you out with two quite essential things. The first one: it helps you to get rid of the anomaly of which language will have to you utilize, for the reason that if with this co-employee, let’s assume, which you could speak in Spanish, and that you would be able to communicate in English, obviously you’re going to default to talking in English for the reason that it is so so much simpler.However with the aid of committing to the no English rule, you are saying: "whenever I see this man or woman I know it is observe time, there is no doubt in my mind that now I must communicate Spanish although I must pull out my dictionary." And the second thing it helps you out with is it helps you advance a dependancy of speaking the language even at the very low degree of ability.This relatively helps you out to build the confidence that you ultimately are going to need when you’ll talking this language to the greater degree of capacity. SY: So you’ve gotten heard about our undertaking. Now we would like to dilemma you one. And no, we’re not asking you to sell out your stuff and go to live in a some distance away nation. We will ask you to do whatever a lot simpler but should you comply with by means of on it, it’s going to nonetheless be very robust if you wish to subsequently begin having conversations in that language you’ll been learning all of your life.Simply three steps. Step 1: to find one individual. It could be a native speaker of this language, or it could be an extra language learner, it would be someone you realize, a buddy, a colleague, a spouse, or it would be any one you in finding online. There are services like italki.Com and livemocha to seek out conversation companions online. So in case you can not to find this man or woman for your existence right now, there are handy tools for locating them online. Step 2: commit to the no English rule with this person. Each time you see them just converse in this language that you’re looking to be taught. Tell them that, you realize, despite the fact that you are not too satisfactory on the language yet, you are going to have got to use Google Translator and dictionary lots within the commencing, that’s good enough.Step three: speaking. As soon as again, it’s not anything you must be ideal at. You could slip up and destroy the "no English" rule, simply are trying once more. Pull out your cell, down load the Google Translator app, that you can type in the entire sentences for those who don’t consider comfy yet speakme the language. The purpose is to get you to start talking, to start building that capabilities of the words, and begin practising those core phrases. What we’re hoping is that by showing you this process we’re encouraging you to get began with whatever, to not be best, and might be even in these days to come to a decision to seek out that one character and start this rule, and subsequently speakme that language.Chinese have an expression: (chinese language) "A excellent is a half of success," which means that: "A excellent is a 1/2 of success." (Applause) .

How To Become A Professional Hunter In Africa | eBook

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How To Become A Professional Hunter In Africa | eBook

Product Name: How To Become A Professional Hunter In Africa | eBook

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Description:

“An informative book by someone who has “been there and done that” which any prospective professional hunter would do well to read.

If you are thinking of a career in professional hunting, then this book would be a great place to start. Steve tells it like it is. A brutally frank discourse on a profession as rewarding as it is challenging.”

John Harris – Former President KZN Hunting and Conservation Association

“Wow, Steve. I have been hunting professionally for 14 years and I can honestly say I have learned a lot from ‘How to Become a Professional Hunter in Africa’.

Well done, it was well overdue in the industry and will not only put new Professional Hunters on the right track, but will also be used as a reference for those of us that has been hunting for some time. If there was a book like this when I started it would have made my first few years a lot easier, you say it the way it is! A book that will be referred to as the future Professional Hunter’s ‘bible’.”

Jason van Aarde – Professional Hunter in Tanzania, Mozambique & South Africa

I was very lucky indeed in that my first few years’ experience which counted as my, somewhat unusual, Professional Hunting apprenticeship was in a more relaxed generation.

By chance I met and become friends with the now late Vivian Good who kindly gave me that Professional Hunting apprenticeship. He was not only an excellent PH but also a good man who gave unstintingly of his advice, encouragement, hospitality and friendship.

I struck lucky again when I went along to undergo my first formal Professional Hunter training and examination with Ian Goss of the Goss Estates Professional Hunting Academy in Kwa Zulu Natal.

“It feels like I am doing my PH career all over again.

A lot of flashes back into my life, if you know what I mean. It reads easily, it’s clear and very understandable. I can even use some of it in my life right now. The only problem with this e-book is that I should have had it about ten years ago!!!

I can see that it will be the bible for first time and up coming Professional Hunters. Well done!!”

Wikus Groenewald – Professional Hunter – South Africa, Tanzania & Mozambique

“I have had the good fortune to have been on three African Safaris with Steve Robinson as my PH. On each occasion his camps, conduct, knowledge and expertise have been a revelation and, having read his eBook on how to become an African Professional Hunter, I can see why.

The scope and depth of knowledge required of an African PH is astounding and it’s something you don’t fully realise until you’ve read this book.

If I were a youngster and looking to become an African PH, this book would have to be essential reading, indeed, without it, the aspiring PH would need to spend a long time gathering the information contained therein by not only research but also by actual experience, and that sort of experience can take years to obtain.

Additionally, a client reading the book can get a most illuminating and useful insight into the business, gaining an appreciation of just what goes into organising an African Safari and the role of the PH. This will, undoubtedly, give the client a better understanding of what goes on, leading to a better, more enjoyable, safari.”

Peter Lang – Veteran African Hunting Client – UK

“Good, practical advice in this eBook on bushcraft, camp management, arms and ammunition, the ins and outs of running a safari business, and the law as related to hunting (and don’t forget here that trophy hunting usually involves legislation from more than one country, and African governments tend to regard change as being as good as improvement and are forever fiddling with their laws).

The material herein is well-presented, and from the standpoint of on-the-ground experience, Steve Robinson is more than qualified to write it – it worked for him!”

Ira Larivers – Editor ‘African Hunter Magazine’

Chapter 1 – How To Get Started

Chapter 2 – The South African Professional Hunter Training Syllabus

Chapter 3 – Advice on how to tackle the SA hunter training course

Chapter 4 – ‘Back To School’

Chapter 5 – Getting your first Professional Hunting Licence

Chapter 6 – Hunting Legalities

Chapter 7 – Getting Operational

Chapter 8 – Firearms and Ammunition

Chapter 10 – Building A Hunting Camp

Chapter 12 – Developing A Hunting Area

Chapter 13 – Hunting Trucks

Chapter 14 – Marketing your Hunting Safaris

Chapter 15 – Hunt Management

Chapter 18 – Top Tips and Hints

“Steve, I recently purchased your ebook, I am a Professional Hunter from South Africa. I am also hunting the Zambezi Valley.

The reason for writing you is although I am an experienced hunter this ebook is the best resource I have come across, very informative and as the saying goes “you are not to old, or too clever to learn something new” this book contains valuable information and tips even to an experienced hunter. The “I know it all” guys can buy this book and find out that they do not know it all there is people, like you, that know more.

Thank you for an excellent resource, and I wish you the best with your safari hunting career, if you treat your clients like you have compiled this book they are surely in good hands and your mentors can but only be proud of you.”

Theo Verster – Professional Hunter, South Africa

“Possibly the most concise,comprehensive, and relevant book ever written on African Game Hunting.

Steve Robinson’s book will provide essential guidance to the newcomer, and will also be a useful remedial guide to the more experienced hunter that may be experiencing some problems.

His passionate and non-apologetic approach to African Game is relevant throughout the book, as he concentrates on the subject of hunting rather than it’s continual justification.

I think you will need two copies, one for the hunting truck and one for the bookshelf.”

Shaine Derrick – UK hunter

This book is loaded with proven strategies, tips, and years of experience that you won’t find anywhere else!

I’m certain the information in this book will do a lot to increase your chances of becoming a Professional Hunter in Africa.

“Unique is a much used and an often inappropriately applied word, but it certainly describes this fascinating e-book by Steve Robinson .

Written in a light but authoritative style the author takes you through the trials and tribulations of becoming part of (and being successful in) the African Hunting Safari industry. Well illustrated with colour pictures and peppered with his experiences as an Englishman who came to Africa some thirty years ago and made a success of life as a Professional Hunter and Safari Operator, the book really is an invaluable asset to anyone thinking of a career as an African PH.

But in truth it is more than that, it is an up to date insight into the world of Professional Hunting in Africa and will be of as much interest to clients and African hunting buffs as to prospective Professionals.

The book is entertainingly structured featuring not only the authors work but contributions from others, either directly or through links to the extensive Shakari Connection website.

From Cites to cisterns, buffalo to bullet performance all aspects of life as a PH are covered. Steve does not pull his punches and quickly dispels romantic illusions that some might have of the industry.

If you ever wanted to know how to construct a top quality wilderness hunting camp, manage staff and clients and the thousand other things that are required of the modern African PH then this is the only readily available source.

Whilst there has been (and still is) much published from the Safari client perspective no previous work has addressed the ‘other side of the campfire’. I certainly wish it had been available when I started my recent path to PH status. Steve and Susan are to be congratulated on an original and innovative contribution to the industry.”

John Wilkes – PH Student – Australia

Just click the button below and you’ll be taken to a secure shopping cart to place your order, where after you’ll be advised how to download the book, without any delays or mailing costs.

Immediately after your purchase, you can download your ebook and start learning how to become a Professional Hunter in Africa within minutes.

Order Now and receive a complimentary copy of the eArticle ‘Ethical Lion Management In The 21st Century’ by Steve Robinson

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BEST OF CHINA 7 NIGHTS 8 DAYS

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Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing

On arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel by the local guide. After a good rest, you will take dinner at Indian Restaurant. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 2: Beijing – Sightseeing

Depart from hotel in the morning to visit the biggest public square in the world, Tian’anmen Square conquers you with its grandeur at the first sight. Then you are leaded to Forbidden City. It is the imperial palace for 24 emperors during Ming and Qing Dynasties and the biggest ancient architecture complex in the world. You walk in the museum to see with your eyes, to touch with your hands and fell with your hearts. In the afternoon, you continue your trip to Summer Palace. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, it was designated, in 1960 by the State Council, as a Key Cultural Relics Protection Site of China. Containing examples of the ancient arts, it also has graceful landscapes and magnificent constructions. Overnight stay in Beijing.

Day 3: Beijing – Great Wall of China & city sightseeing

In the morning drive 75km to visit the Jade factory and Great Wall at Juyong pass which is the symbol of China and the wisdom of Chinese people. It is very unbelievable that Chinese succeeded in building such a great architecture with simple tools in ancient time. You will have a short stop and take photos in Beijing Olympic Park, where you can see the outside view of the National Stadium – Bird’s Nest and National Aquatics Center –Water Cube Overnight stay in Beijing.

Day 4: Beijing – Sightseeing – Xian

In the morning, you will visit the Liulichang which is a famous district in down-town Beijing that is known for a series of traditional Chinese stone dwellings housing that sells various craftwork, artistry, and antiques. It is one of Beijing’s traditional old quarters. Then visit Da Shi Lan, one of Beijing’s most famous old-fashioned streets, has a history dating back 570 years. It was built in 1430, the 18th year of Emperor Yong Le’s rule during the Ming Dynasty. Da Shi Lan is 375 meters long and is home to 26 shops from nine types of trade. Then you will take flight/bullet train to Xian (not included). Overnight stay in Xian.

Day 5: Xian – Sightseeing

Breakfast at hotel, then depart for a Full day tour with a visit to the China’s Richest historic area, which is recognized by the UNESCO as the eighth wonder of the world, amazing Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors which is very famous for the great underground army of the First Emperor of China, buried together with him 2200 years ago and discovered only in 1974. It is the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Then you will visit Special art lacquer work shop, free time shopping at Ancient Style Street. Overnight stay in Xian.

Day 6: Xian – Shanghai

Morning you will visit the Ancient City Walls , It is the most complete city wall that has survived in China as well as one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Bid Wild Goose Pagoda which is a well-preserved ancient Building and a holy place for Buddhists. Afternoon you will take flight to Shanghai (not included). Overnight stay in Shanghai.

Day 7: Shanghai – Sightseeing

Today you’ll find a Buddhism shrine – Jade Buddha Temple, located in a crowd of Shanghai City. It is named for its two bejeweled white jade Buddha. Carved from a whole piece of white jade, the sitting jade Buddha statue is translucent with a solemn expression, displaying the excellent skill and extraordinary art of Chinese people. Yuyuan Garden has many scenic courtyards decorated with baroque rockery, pools, and flora that are all connected by corridors and passageways. Then visit Pearl Factory, the shopping trip will begin in Nanjing Road which is starts at the Bund and runs westward, with People’s square in the middle. Renowned for its bustling and modernization, Nanjing Road earns its reputation as the ‘First Commercial Road in China’, which is the good shopping heaven for your trip as the same as the Fifth Avenue in New York and Avenue des Champs-Elysées in Paris. Some of the traditional food and handicrafts of Shanghai can be found here. Then we come to the Bund, The renowned waterfront district is the city’s most famous landmark. The word BUND is of Anglo-India origin meaning embankment on the waterfront. It is also the popular site to enjoy the night view of the city. Standing at Pudong New Area at the east side of Huangpu River, Oriental TV Tower was completed on October 1, 1994. It has a height of 468 meters. With multi-functions of sightseeing, catering, shopping, amusement and accommodations, this tower has become the symbol of the city and a popular tourist attraction in Shanghai. Overnight stay in Shanghai.After breakfast it’s time to check out. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight or back home.After breakfast it’s time to check out. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight or back home.

Day 8: Shanghai – Departure

After breakfast it’s time to check out. Transfer to the airport for your onward flight or back home.

City Standard Deluxe Beijing Beijing longdinghua hotel or similar Beijing Plaza hotel or similar Shanghai Shanghai huajing hotel or similar Shanghai Ramada wujiaochang hotel or similar Xian Xian golden flower by shanri-la or similar Xian golden flower by shanri-la or similar

  Price Per Person in Indian Rupees.

    Hotel Start Date End Date Twin Single Standard 01 Apr 2018 30 Sep 2018 APPROX. INR 77970 APPROX. INR 132242 Deluxe 01 Apr 2018 30 Sep 2018 APPROX. INR 81753 APPROX. INR 138830

Inclusions

3 Nights in Beijing with breakfast

2 Nights in Xian with breakfast

2 Nights in Shanghai with breakfast

Beijing :  Visit Tian an men Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Jade factory, Great Wall at Juyong pass, Beijing Olympic Park, Liulichang, Da Shi Lan

Xian : Visit Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors, Special art lacquer work shop, shopping at Ancient style street, Ancient City Walls, Bid Wild Goose Pagoda

Shanghai : Visit Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden, Pearl Factory, Nanjing Road, Bund, Oriental TV Tower

Shanghai : Visit Jade Buddha Temple, Yuyuan Garden, Pearl Factory, Nanjing Road, Bund, Oriental TV Tower

Beijing airport to Hotel transfer

Shanghai hotel to airport transfer

All sightseeing & transfers on Private

Exclusions

Airfare & Taxes

Visa & Insurances charges

Any up gradation in hotel room category

Any meals other than specified above

Any sightseeing other than mentioned above

Any Entrance fees or Fees for video or camera permit

Any item of personal nature like tips, laundry, telephone calls, etc.

GST will be applicable on total invoice

Terms & Conditions

The given prices are valid for travel till 30th September 2018

High season surcharges will be applicable

The Rate of Exchange (R.O.E) will be the prevailing rate on the day/date of booking

Rates are subject to change without prior notice

Rooms/Seats are subject to availability at the time of booking. Kindly note that the drivers are not guides

Confirmation of Hotels and other services is subject to availability

International hotel check in is 1400hrs and checkout would be 1000hrs

Early check in and late checkout subject to availability. Itineraries are subject to change

Cancellation charges applicable as per company policy 

Early check in and late checkout subject to availability. Itineraries are subject to change

In case we are not able to provide the same hotels as mentioned, then we shall provide similar alternate properties, change in the cost if any will be advised

Passport copies of all the passengers are must to initiate the booking

We will not be liable for claims or expenses arising from circumstances beyond our control such as accidents, injuries delayed or cancelled flights & acts or forces of nature

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT FOR ANY CUSTOMIZED PACKAGES AT:

+91 9343369109 / 9986858009

OR YOU CAN WRITE AT:

  BEST OF CHINA 7 NIGHTS 8 DAYS BEST OF CHINA 7 NIGHTS 8 DAYS Itinerary Day 1: Arrive in Beijing On arrival, you will be met and transferred to hotel by the local guide.

6 proposals to reduce gun violence and how they work

WASHINGTON — Politicians from the president down are talking about new legislation and executive action after a gunman murdered 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The mass shooting has prompted the most intense sustained debate over gun laws since another school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut killed 26 people, 20 of them children, in 2012. Here’s a look at some of the biggest ideas that President Donald Trump and lawmakers have put forward, what they would do, and their chances of being put in place.

There are several major bipartisan bills drawing renewed attention in the Senate this month that aim to expand background checks for gun sale. The first is the Fix NICS Act, which was introduced last year by Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Sen.Chris Murphy, D-Conn.

The White House has signaled its interest in the bill and the NRA is not opposed, removing two big obstacles to passage; Senate leaders are planning to move ahead with a vote. Like a lot of proposals being discussed, it was crafted as a response to a prior shooting.It aims to correct failures in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System that allowed the shooter who killed 26 people at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, in 2017 to legally buy a gun despite a domestic violence conviction in the Air Force that should have come up in a background check if it had been properly updated.

The bill also would provide more funding to states to improve their background check system and penalize political appointees at federal agencies if they don’t take steps to maintain their records. But gun safety groups are much more interested in a second bill that would make more fundamental changes. Manchin-Toomey, introduced in 2013 after the Sandy Hook attack, would have required background checks on online and gun show sales of firearms, closing what critics call the “gun show loophole,” while exempting private sales between friends and family.

One study by researchers at Northeastern University and Harvard University estimated that 22 percent of gun sales occur without a background check under the current system.Facing opposition from the NRA, the bill secured 54 votes in 2013, but fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.Both Sens.

Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Pat Toomey, R-Penn., have talked about reviving it since the Parkland shooting. The Fix NICS Act is much more likely to pass in the short term, but could become tripped up by politics as well.The House passed its own version of the bill in December, but it contained a major pro-gun provision that ensures it has no chance in the Senate: Forcing states with stricter gun laws to recognize concealed carry permits from other states.

Democrats also could be wary of passing a background check bill that falls short of Manchin-Toomey.”If we only pass Fix NICS, we’ll be right back here after the next shooting in nearly the same place,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a floor speech on Monday. Another bipartisan proposal that’s gained some renewed attention: The “No Fly, No Buy” bill by Sen.

Susan Collins, R-Maine, which would restrict firearm sales to people on a terror watch list while giving them the ability to appeal.The Senate and House have previously rejected both the Collins bill and related legislation amid concerns from gun rights groups and civil liberties groups like the ACLU, who complained that it would violate due process by using broad watch lists in ways they were not intended. Trump and Florida Gov.

Rick Scott have both called for raising the minimum age to buy rifles like those used in the Parkland attack from 18 to 21 years old, where it currently stands for handgun purchases through licensed dealers.Sen.Jeff Flake, R-Ariz..

is working on legislation with Sen.Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., that could restrict AR-15 sales for nonmilitary buyers under 21. Gun rights groups are generally against the idea, however, with the NRA’s top lobbyist calling it “gratuitous gun control,” and some key senators have also expressed skepticism, making a federal law an uphill climb.

After a series of high-profile mass shootings, President Bill Clinton signed the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban, which restricted features on semi-automatic pistols, rifles and shotguns.It expired in 2004 and the odds of it being passed again in Congress are remote, but the use of an AR-15 rifle or similar model in Parkland and Sandy Hook and other major attacks, have continued to prompt calls for new restrictions. Rep.

Brian Mast, R-Fla., who lost both legs as an Army soldier in Afghanistan, came out for a new assault weapons ban last week, saying civilian versions of military rifles like the AR-15 gave mass shooters “the best killing tool the Army could put in my hands.” The rifles fire at a higher velocity than handguns, which doctors who have treated mass shooting victims say produces much deadlier wounds. Gun-rights supporters say the bills would unnecessarily restrict popular firearms and that the original assault weapon ban required only minor tweaks for gun manufacturers to produce broadly similar weapons. Experts say there is one element of an assault weapons ban that could make a concrete difference in mass shootings: Restricting large-capacity magazines, which the original bill limited to ten rounds.

The shooter who killed 12 people and shot 58 others at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012 used a 100-round drum magazine, for example, which prompted Colorado legislators to ban magazines that carry over 15 bullets.Louis J.Klarevas, who researched five decades of mass shootings for his book Rampage Nation, concluded that “the factor most associated with high death tolls in gun massacres is the use of a magazine holding more than ten bullets.” The White House and Congress are looking at measures to restrict the sale of bump stocks, an attachment to semi-automatic weapons that can increase the rate of fire to more closely resemble an automatic weapon.

This is yet another proposal that gained bipartisan momentum after a previous mass shooting only to quietly fade into the background.In this case it was the 2017 Las Vegas massacre, in which the killer fired hundreds of rounds into crowds at a country music festival and used guns outfitted with bump stock modifications. Lawmakers in both parties expressed interest in banning bump stocks in the aftermath, complaining they violated the spirit of existing bans on automatic weapons.

The NRA came out for letting the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms regulate bump stocks rather than passing a new law, however, and momentum faded.The agency had previously concluded it did not have authority to address the issue in 2010. Trump has asked Attorney General Jeff Sessions to develop regulations to ban them and it’s possible that legislation will gain momentum if the regulatory ban fails to make headway.

In the meantime, some state and local governments have advanced their own bump stock bans. One proposed approach is to give courts more authority to confiscate weapons from people who are considered a threat to themselves and others.Five states have “red flag” laws that allow a judge to issue an extreme risk protection order that temporarily restricts a person from owning a gun if family, household members and police can convince them they’re a danger.

Gun safety groups say they hold the potential to reduce suicide rates and contain potential violence early on. This proposal has gained special attention after the Parkland attack, where authorities identified prior complaints about the suspected shooter warning he was a possible threat.With a red flag law, they could take the evidence to a judge and seek immediate action rather than go through the more difficult process of committing someone or prosecuting them for a crime.

Both Sen.Marco Rubio, R-Fla., and the White House have expressed interest in red flag laws since the shooting, among others, though it’s more likely they would be pursued at the state level in the short term.”It seems to be working in certain areas,” White House spokesman Raj Shah said at a briefing last week.

Some pro-gun conservatives have argued they’re a promising alternative to new gun laws, since they target individual behavior rather than restrict firearms themselves. But they could face resistance: The NRA opposed a red flag law in Oregon last year, warning it would “deprive someone of their Second Amendment rights without due process of the law.” Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat, told reporters on Monday that the law helps them confront people at “extreme risk of harming themselves or others.” Trump’s most unique contribution to the gun debate is his proposal to encourage teachers with proper training to carry a weapon in order to deter or foil potential mass shooters.As an incentive, he suggested offering bonus pay for armed educators.

The National Education Association is strongly opposed to the idea and public policy experts have raised numerous concerns. So far there’s no specific legislation or executive plan to implement it at the federal level and it’s attracted some Republican criticism as well.”That is really a question for local governments, local school boards,” Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., told reporters on Tuesday.

While no states have issued blanket permission to teachers carry concealed weapons, according to a report by the nonprofit Education Commission of the States, a handful do allow schools to authorize staff to carry guns in certain circumstances.In Florida, Republican State Sen.Dennis Baxley has proposed legislation that would allow school principals to designate certain staff or volunteers to carry a firearm, but legislative leaders and the governor oppose arming teachers.

Source: NBC News.

6 proposals to reduce gun violence and how they work was originally published on NewsVomit

Peace is the only way

I woke up from my Pod around 5:30am. What is a Pod you may ask? Well a few years ago the Japanese, short on city space but large on wacky inventions, decided to upgrade the tired hostel into a morge-like experience. Basically, it's a cheap place to sleep where they maximize space by giving guests small boxes to sleep in - the dark death reference comes from the fact that they are often stacked as was the case in Ginza. After I got my key card and bag lock I headed down to the women's floor which was only accessible with my key card (step in the right security direction). There was an anteroom where you changed your shoes to slippers and left your large bags (hence the lock) and then the sleeping room where you had to use your key card again for entry. They must have seen that I was an "older" traveler because they took pity on me and placed me in a bottom bunk so I didn't have to use the little ladders. Behind a little red curtain was my bunk with a super fluffy bed pad and comforter, a pull out TV, shelf, cubby and safe deposit box - everything you need! To the other direction of the anteroom was the WC with the nicest toilets I've seen so far and the sink and shower rooms, the latter of which I would compare to a nice gym or Soul Cycle locker room with tons of thoughtful toiletries. Although I wouldn't call it the most comfortable place I've ever stayed, nor would I want to stay there for multiple nights, for a super-conveniently located place that I wanted to crash for 6 hours and at about $40 a night, it was a great deal! I donned the pjs they give you to use (because I kind of felt like it was part of the experience) and woke up at 5:30 with my alarm, very well rested and ready for a big day. After 5 days exploring Tokyo it was time to head South to see what many have told me is the true heart of Japanese culture. One of the men at the Meet Up that I went to on Friday night suggested I use my Japan Rail Pass (basically unlimited rail for tourists for 7 or 10 days) to go all the way down to Hiroshima. The trip was almost 5 hours but given how moved I was by the Korean War Memorial, I decided to commit a day to see the infamous place the US dropped the first atomic bomb. To be fair, I didn't know that much about Hiroshima before I went their today -- funny how our history books tend to breeze over the sections that paint the US poorly (Side note: I'm pretty certain this is true for most countries, perhaps with the exception of Germany which does an incredible job educating their youth about its horrific past). I did a little research on my way down and read that this was President Truman's last ditch effort to get the Japanese to surrender as he was scared that the kamikaze missions were reflective of a people who would literally fight until their last man had perished - and after many more Allied casualties. History though does not look favorably on this decision however, stating that there are some that believe the Japanese would have surrendered if the Allied forces had agreed to let them keep the emperor in place. We will never know though because at 8:15am on August 6, 1945 (almost exactly 72 years ago) we dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, instantly killing the ~70,000 inhabitants of the city. I later learned, and believe it is important to note, that similar to London moving many children out of the city during the Blitz, Hiroshima was a military stronghold for the Japanese and many women and children had left in months prior. Still, the "Little Boy" bomb that hit the city did kill innocent civilians - and in my mind, that's enough to mark the action contrary the ethics of war, however tough it is to define any justified killings. Another side note: I did some research on how this is similar / different to what is happening today with North Korea and learned that the atomic bombs of the 1940s (which both the US and Russians were developing and testing) were fission bombs that split unstable radioactive atoms. The nuclear bombs we talk about today, especially in the context of North Korea, are fusion bombs that compresses hydrogen (the "science" is similar to what the sun does) and have 1,000 times the power that the former fission bombs. If that doesn't scare you, I'm not sure what will. OK, back to the day. I arrived in the beautiful Shinkansen (bullet train) station with my backpacker's pack, backpack, purse and canvas bag (all my luggage during my almost 5-week long trip) and prayed I would be able to find a locker large enough and I did! Then I headed towards the food hall to try okonomi-yaki. If you've been reading carefully you may note that I had that last night at dinner - but the kind served in the South is very different. It is a crepe base, topped with cabbage, then tempura batter, bean sprouts, pork, lard, Chinese noodles, egg, okonomi-yaki brown sauce and finally green seaweed flakes. It is made at what I can best describe as a diner short-order grill, which with the same light-colored wood diner seating, reminded me of a Denny's. While I waited in the 30-minute line I took out a paper map to plan my day and I could almost feel my dad looking down on me smiling. It was absolutely delicious, though I had to laugh when I passed another restaurant later that described it as also being "healthy." I guess it's all relative right? Fueled up and ready to explore I headed out of the station and into the suffocating heat. It was 95 degrees / feels like 104, so I took a page from the Japanese and used my umbrella for shade. My first stop was the Shukkeien or sunken garden which was established in Hiroshima around 1620. Although it was completely demolished by the A-bomb (save one ginko tree that survived, though slanted), they rebuilt the garden shortly after. At the entrance I was greeted by a super friendly tour guide who asked where I was from and then explained to me that although they only give tours in Japanese, she wanted me to have something. In any other country this would be a cue for someone to distract you so they could rob you, but not in Japan. She pulled out a beautiful handmade paper crane and told me it was a present from Hiroshima to me and mentioned how significant it was that President Obama came to visit - the first sitting president to do so. She then insisted on taking about 20 pictures of me with her and the other guides. It was so hot that I look terrible - but I'm laughing and smiling because it was one of the kindest random encounters I've ever had. The garden was lovely and will certainly be on my must-do list for anyone that visits. Next I started my walk to the epicenter of the blast but on the way was struck by a huge modern art image of the US and Japanese flags superimposed on each other, with a final nuclear warning overlay. There were side pieces of Trump and the Japanese PM Shinzo Abe. I stopped to speak with the artist and he told me that both men embody their people; Trump embodying the power-hungry American. The piece in its entirety represents that first the US brought the A-bomb to Japan and now it's looking for support in the region (and many would say Japanese puppets) to keep hold of its nuclear bomb. To say this piece was gripping would be an understatement and for a second I wished I had told him I was Canadian. Instead, I used my sign language to say 'Trump' + crossing my hands over my chest + 'Americans' = to say "Trump is not most Americans." He laughed in a friendly and knowing manner and I remembered that part of my responsibility as a traveler is to be an ambassador for Americans. The next step along my tour was the old castle ruins. Prior to the A-bomb there was a castle that had been in Hiroshima for hundreds of years and in the late 1800s had been used as military headquarters during the Sino-Japanese War. After the A-bomb, they had only rebuilt the main gate. Within the castle moat and walls there was a gorgeous shrine which I stopped by to say a little prayer for peace. Outside of the shrine they also had umbrellas for you to borrow - for rain OR shine - so apparently the unbearable heat is commonplace! I walked a bit further and finally arrived at the Peace Dome. This had once been an exhibition hall in Hiroshima and then during the war was taken over by the Interior Ministry and given that the A-bomb exploded above the hall with the blast moving outwards (vs downwwards) much of the structure remained intact. For a long time there was debate whether this should be a memorial or whether it was a brutal reminder, though the former support won out. It was really moving and I must say I got a bit choked up thinking about it. If that wasn't enough, the next stop was the Children's Peace Monument, inspired by a girl who survived the blast but then died 9 years later from leukemia. While she was sick she made tons of paper cranes (like the one I received from the tour guide), with the hope they would protect and heal her. Now, people make and send paper cranes from all over the world in support of this site and their mission to end the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Now I was really tearing up... I ended my day at the beautifully renovated museum where I learned a lot more about the city before, during and after the blast. They also had many first-hand accounts of that day. To me, the most moving was a man who was 13 and in school in Hiroshima. He saw a B-29 out the window and realized it was flying really low, and then the blast was "like a flash of pale lightening." Only 10 of 45 of his classmates survived the attack and immediately after they started singing the school song as a sort of call for help -- until they realized no one was coming to help. There were also some artifacts that were eerily close to life like a melted tricycle which belonged to a 3-year old boy and a watch that is forever stopped at 8:15, the time of the bomb. One thing that bothered me, was that they painted the US in a very very bad light - mostly in the past, which is completely fair and warranted, but also to some extent in the modern day, which bothered me. It is too much to write here, but I would be happy to share more pictures and findings from the museum - or better yet, you should go check it out yourself. Needless to say, it was one of the most touching exhibitions I have ever been to, along with the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam. "Hiroshima is a testimonial for all humanity and a warning never to repeat such a tragedy. We must promise to be builders of peace in the world." - Adolfo Perez Esquivel I then walked back, through the city center, which had a covered arcade of shops that seemed to go on forever. It was incredible to see that only 72 years later Hiroshima is a bustling metropolis of more than 1.1 million people (about 1.5 times the size of SF). About a block away from the station my favorite sandals (which I've repaired twice) broke again -- I'm going to call it serendipitous that they lasted me through over a month in Asia and almost 8 miles today and thank them for getting me (almost) back to my bag. Back at the train station I easily found my locker, changed my shoes and started looking for a train snack. I finally ordered a matcha smoothie and to my delight it had sweet beans in it; sounds weird but it was delicious. As I was waiting for the train an American family came upstairs, super confused at how everything worked, and asked me for directions on where to go and wait. With my backpacker's bag and super "tired" looking from the hot day I must have looked like someone who had been traveling forever. That said, I've always been known as the directionally-challenged one and this proves that when left to my own devices I can figure anything out. I took the train to Kyoto, where I'm staying the next few days. At a crossover I bought a bento box -- though it was not the tastiest meal I have ever had, I'm starting to feel like Sosch from Girls -- I'm getting a handle on this Japan thing! Jokes aside though, today was one of those transformative travel days where I learned a ton about history and culture and was forced out of my comfort zone in more ways than one. There is a lot of drama back in SF at work but every time it pops into my head I am reminded of how incredibly lucky I am, in spite of all the little problems that take up my normal mental space. Om.

American Badass. Medal of Honor Recipient, Roy Benavidez.

up everyone? welcome back to It’s 1700 Somewhere and as always, I am Athen and today I have for you the story of Medal of Honor Recipient Master Sergeant Roy P Benavidez. This man is and was THE definition of what being a badass is, for context, 3 years prior to the events that earned him his MOH he was wounded in combat, told he would never walk again and the process of him being medically retired was started. Instead, he recovered the use of his legs, became a Green Beret and was awarded the MOH.

    MSG Benavidez was born near Cuero, Texas on August 5 1935 to Salvador Benavidez who was a Mexican American Farmer and Teresa Perez a Yaqui Indian  He learned early on life was going to be a struggle, having to deal with racism on a near daily basis, and having lost both of his parents early on in his life.  When he was two years old, his father died of tuberculosis, and when he was seven his mother died from tuberculosis as well. MSG Benavidez and his younger brother then moved to El Campo, where their Grandfather, Aunt, and Uncle raised them along with several cousins. He dropped out of school at 15 and began working as a migrant Farmer to help support his family.

    In 1952 when MSG Benavidez was 17 he decided to join the Texas Army National Guard during the Korean war. Then in 1955 at the age of 19 he then enlisted in to the Regular Army and in 1959 attended Military police schooling in Georgia.

Interestingly enough, I can't find any information as to when he attended Ranger School but I would be willing to assume it was somewhere between 1959 and 1965 as in 1965 he was in Viet Nam with the 82nd Airborne as a Military Advisor for the Vietnamese Army. And this is where the story begins to get interesting, because in 1965 while in Viet Nam on a patrol, MSG Benavidez, unfortunately, stepped on a landmine causing serious damage to the bone and cartilage in his spine. his doctor’s concluded that he would never walk again and began the process of having him medically discharged. This diagnosis didn't sit well with him, however, and he wanted nothing other than to get back over and help his brother’s. So... he started his own training regimen and from the research I have found, he was doing this on his own, in secret and against his doctor’s orders, and ultimately about a year later he walked out of the hospital with his wife and apparently right into Special Forces school. Because upon returning to Viet Nam in January of 1968 he was there as a member of the 5th Special Forces Group and the Studies and Observations Group (SOG).

This is where the story gets real interesting, I have read a few different accounts of it but generally, the story is the same with a few minor differences.

MSG Benavidez, was off duty and heard about a unit of 12 Green Beret’s that were pinned down, and taking heavy fire from approximately 1000 enemy troops, all of whom were either wounded or dead. At this point ther are acouple different stories, one say’s armed only with his knife he jumped aboard an extraction helicopter and the other say’s he grabbed his rifle and boarded an extraction helicopter. Either way, he boarded an extraction helicopter and upon arrival realized the team’s dire straits. he told the pilot to land in a safe clearing about 80 yards away, jumped from the hovering Helo and sprinted the 80 yards, through heavy small arms fire and grenades, being wounded in the right leg, face and head, having been shot in the leg, and reportedly a bullet having gone through both cheeks, and having either suffered a bullet graze his head or having been hit in the back of the head by grenade shrapnel. after this, he then helped the Helo to land, and began loading the wounded and dead into the helo, then he made another round of the battlefield making sure he had retrieved all of the dead and wounded and collecting any classified documents and radio equipment, while retrieving the classified documents, he was shot in the stomach and hit by another Grenade. at this point he returned to the helo, as the pilot was mortally wounded causing the helo to crash, Benavidez (while being SERIOUSLY wounded) then assisted in getting the wounded and dead off of the helo, and called in tactical air support while waiting for another extraction helo and rendering medical assistance, and giving water to the injured.

   When the second extraction chopper got there and finally landed he was carrying a badly wounded man over his shoulder and was clubbed in the back of the head with a rifle by an NVA soldier a fierce bit of hand to hand combat ensued in which Benavidez was stabbed through the forearm with a bayonet, and killed the NVA soldier with his own Bowie Knife... some of the accounts I read say he actually decapitated this man. Benavidez continued on to the helo and killed 2 additional NVA soldiers with an AK-47 he recovered from the battlefield. Remember, all of this happened while carrying a severely wounded man over his shoulder. After he dropped the wounded man off  at the chopper, he then made one more pass over the battlefield and recovered an interpreter and then while holding his intestines in his hand finally decided to board the Chopper. It wasnt until he had decided the Helo was safe that he finally passed out due to loss of blood.

   Finally, the chopper got back to base, and they were sorting the dead from the wounded, Benevidez was thought to be dead, un able to speak, cause his jaw was broken and locked shut, unable to see cause his eyes were caked shut by dried and drying blood, and unable to move due to what was most likely pure exhaustion and having been injured a staggering 37 times... to include many shrapnel wounds, bayonet wounds, blunt force wounds and gunshots the results of just having fought a 6 hour battle 9 vs 1000.  Benevidez could only hear what was going on around him, and what he heard was a body bag being zipped closed on him. One of his friends Recognized him and got a Doctor  to take a look at him, the Doctor placed his hand on his chest to check for a heart beat and at this point, Benevidez did the only thing he could, he spit blood in the doctor’s face.

   Benavidez was initially awarded the distinguished service cross because he wasnt expected to survive, and the mission was Classified.  He was released from the hospital in 1969 after a year of intensive medical treatment and therapy and was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. In 1972 he was transferred to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, where he remained until he retired on  September 10, 1976.

    in 1980 he met all of the requirements to have his Distinguished service cross upgraded to the Medal of Honor and was presented his medal by President Reagan  On February 24th 1981. Benavidez went on to speak at many military functions, schools, and things like that he also wrote several books. Benavidez died on Nov 29 1998 at Brook Amry medical center at the age of 63 due to complications from Diabetes.

Resources

http://www.psywarrior.com/benavidez.html

https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/fbetq

http://www.mishalov.com/Benavidez.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Benavidez

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oUtJxE4sjs