Are You Going to Silk Road Hunt VII in Second Life?

The traveler was active; he went strenuously in search of people, of adventure, of experience. The tourist is passive; he expects interesting things to happen to him. He goes sight-seeing.

Daniel J. Boorstin

          The pages have turned on the calendar, winter has become spring (for some), and Perryn Peterson, the Mayor Mieville in Second Life (SL), has called to invite me to one of the great annual events in Second Life (SL)!

          And, that would be Silk Road Hunt VII: Xanadu!  

          Like clockwork, this is being brought to us again by Perryn and his merry band! 

          As the title implies, this year’s theme is Xanadu legendary home of the great Kublai Khan, made famous by Marco Polo (A Real Life (RL) hero of mine) and one of my favorite poems.  We won’t mention the movie with Olivia Newton-John.  (Significant Other cringes when I mention that.  Significant Other is a big Olivia fan.)    

          Many forget that while the Real Life (RL) Silk Road in ancient times started in Xanadu, China and went through to the Middle East with its ultimate destination being Rome, capital of the Roman Empire which was the theme of last year’s Silk Road Hunt.    (Clever how Perryn ties these altogether, huh?) 

          As usual, the Hunt has dozens of merchants on hand with fabulous gifts based on the Hunt’s theme for the bold and daring hunters who pursue these across the Grid.

          In particular, I’d like to call out Mountain Rose this year.  Now a member of the Hunt’s organizing committee because of their extensive help in preparing for the Hunt, they have outdone themselves this year!  

          Sebastian Tiogar Resident (“Sebby”), who is the youngest member of the family who runs Mountain Rose (And who also made the trophies for this year’s Hunt) was kind enough to give me a tour of Mountain Rose and the mini-hunt that they have planned for this year.  

          Sebby takes me through the mini-hunt which must have been inspired by The

Travels of Marco Polo.  We hike along a seaside pathway to steps leading to a rope climb (Significant Other says good thing this was virtual.) which leads through a doorway to the Khan’s palace.  The throne room is impressive and displays several of the gifts available to hunters who brave the perils.  From here, we use the magic words to open the entrance to the Sacred River.  (Sorry, can’t tell you what they are!) Following the riverbed to the Sunless Sea, we pass three caves containing more gifts. The river empties into the sea where more gifts are on the sea bottom and where we exit to go back to the land of the living and the final gifts of the mini-hunt.

          Mountain Rose is the third stop on the Silk Road Hunt and well worth pursuing.  Sebby’s mother, Meadow Copperfield, did the landscaping and magic, and his aunt, Sophia Kennocha, did the furniture.  Sebby did the outfits and the palace.  Viewing their

handiwork alone is worth the trip!   

          Silk Road Hunt VII runs from June 1^st to 30^th. 

          The kick-off party will take place on the evening of May 31st!

          Inworld, the Silk Road Hunt begins as it did in previous years at the Asian Victorian Garden in Mieville.   (Before going into the pavilion and starting the Hunt, take some time to stroll the beautiful gardens created by Mike Olbracht, Mieville’s floral wunderkind.  His garden layouts have to be seen to be believed!)

The Mountain Rose mini-hunt can be found here.  

          There are sixty-eight stops in this year’s Hunt and the merchants’ gifts can be viewed here.            

          Several notable merchants are Peterman Ltd., by Nabila Nadar, who runs an excellent Steampunk shop, and Frolic Poses by Friday Farstrider.   In addition, Mikki Miles and his musical instruments return to the Hunt after an absence of few years.  As Perryn describes Mikki’s work, “They're utterly fantastically accurate.”

          Perryn’s purpose with hunts like the Silk Road Hunt is to showcase the merchants of

SL and their wares, to help residents (hunters) meet merchants, and to get out onto the Grid and have fun!         

          Hunter information is available here.  

          I heartily recommend all dropping by and having some fun!

          Who knows?

          You might set the record for completing the Hunt!  (Or, ever run into me!) 

          I’d like to thank Perryn for his time and assistance in helping me to prepare this story, not to mention, his choreographing another spectacular event inworld!  

           I’d also like to thank Sebby for taking the time from his busy schedule to show me around! 

          Additional pictures of the Hunt can be found here.  

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives!

My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here. 

          Open roads and kind fires!  

Are You Enjoying Yourself in Second Life?

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

Eleanor Roosevelt  

         

          Significant Other asked me a question the other day. 

(For those of you who may not be one of my three loyal followers, Significant Other is my Real Life (RL) partner who exercises what little adult supervision is still left in my life.) 

The question was, “Do you really enjoy yourself in Second Life (SL) for all the time

that you spend there?”  

Which was followed by two more questions, “Why do you enjoy yourself there?” and “How do you enjoy yourself while there?”

(Significant Other has been very happy that I no longer travel away from home in RL as I once did and limit my peregrinations to the Metaverse.  This means that home based tech support is now available on an immediate basis.) 

The questions got me thinking (Significant Other is pleased that I do pay attention.) about not only me enjoying myself inworld but other residents as well. 

What follows are some of my ramblings about enjoying ourselves inworld.  

      

First, for the record, my answer is an emphatic “Yes” that I do enjoy myself in SL and

always have!  

Next question, why do I enjoy myself in SL?

I enjoy the unknown that exists there.  The challenge of getting into SL in the first place and then struggling to get by and becoming accepted by other residents.  Then there are the communities inworld.  I have many friends (Not to worry, I won’t out anyone.) and even family.  (Why L’il Sis was willing to admit that she not only knew me but was willing to be family still mystifies both Significant Other and myself.  Although Significant Other has a theory that it could be professional curiosity.) 

Third question, how do I enjoy myself inworld?

I explore SL with three purposes in mind.  I look for new places to wander about in, new people to meet, and new experiences to try out.  (Check out my stories if you want the

details!)  Then there is my writing which happens in this blog.  

I look forward to all these activities and they make my SL experience very enjoyable. 

Then what about everyone else in SL, are they enjoying themselves?  

Here, I only have anecdotal evidence and no metrics but given how long I’ve been inworld and how much I’ve blogged about SL, I think it’s valid. (If you disagree then tough.  It’s my blog!)  

In my inworld experience, most people are enjoying themselves.  I’ve met some people who’ve come into SL because they can’t enjoy themselves for whatever reasons in RL!  

Be honest, who does something they don’t enjoy doing unless they have to?

Their how’s and why’s vary just as they do in RL where everyone’s idea of a good time is different.  

So, as far as enjoying ourselves in SL, let the good times roll!  

SL is different from many other online experiences.  It’s not a game.  There are communities of real people here with real feelings just as in RL.  If we can enjoy ourselves in these in RL then why not in SL?

Do you enjoy yourself in SL?

Whether you do or not, why not share your experiences with us in the comments below?  

Look forward to hearing from you!  

As always, I’m grateful to all inworld for their kindness and time in stopping to talk with a stranger who was passing through their lives!  

          My Twitter handle is @webspelunker.  Please feel free to follow me and I’d be happy to follow you.

I can be found on Google+ as webspelunker Ghostraven.

My flickr Photostream is located here.

On Skype I’m webspelunker Ghostraven.

I welcome feedback from readers, please either comment on my blog or e-mail me at webspelunker@gmail.com . 

          If you would like to read about my other adventures in Second Life please click here.

          Open roads and kind fires!