Wretched Hollow

Wretched Hollow is a dark, whimsical sim inspired by the love of Gothic Romance and Neo-Victorian things. As one of Second Life's best-kept secrets, Wretched Hollow is home to the Wretched Dollies store and has several places to explore, including a small town and a fishing inlet with dock.

The description and image in Showcase was enough to make me go and explore.

I only have one problem with the sim... it's set out so well I couldnt decide which windlight setting I wanted to use for pics LOL.

The feeling of the sim is eerie but not foreboding.

The little stores are in keeping with the theme and an interesting collection of items.

The use of off-sim reefs and islands added to the feel of the area and the general landscaping and terraforming is well done and is easily enhanced with a Foggy setting on windlight.

If you are a photo taking nut like me then this is a great sim.

Build is enabled with an autoreturn of 5 minutes.

Perfect to place some pose balls for the perfect pose.

For those who like to dance there is a club called Lucidity, in a castle perched on top of a rocky outcrop, though when I popped in there wasnt anything happening.

I was tempted to see what Zoltar had to say about my future so I clicked and he advised "[15:41] ZOLTAR: A good idea doesn't care who has it, and neither should you."

I did find the price of 10L a little steep however.

Overall the sim is beautifully done and I enjoyed wandering around seeing what surprises were in store for me along the paths.

I would thoroughly recommend a visit to this gorgeous sim.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Wretched%20Hollow/150/124/33

Calas Galadhon

The urge to explore swept over me again.

What caught my eye was the Spring Glass Pavilion in Calas Galadhon.

What a joy this exploration was to become.

The Glass Pavilion is just a small part of this spectacular region which is themed on the early American Coastal Countryside with various sims based on farm areas, a small town, and wooded sims.

Upon landing a feeling of serenity and relaxation radiated from the scenes before me.

The creators of these sims have provided this as a gift to the public.

The main sim (one of 9 in the group) as a gorgeous quaint town complete with clock tower and homes, and stores set in lucusious gardens. The interesting thing about this entire region you cannot buy anything as the stores are not real and the houses are not rentable but can be wandered through.

The scenery is breathtaking.

Look in the fields and under trees for strategically placed pose sets to enable you to dance to the quiet tunes or cuddle with a friend in peace and quiet.

The possibilities for photo opportunities abound but what struck me was the gorgeous landscaping.

There was a true sense of nature that will bring me back to this sim time and time again.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Calas%20Galadhon/21/211/2523

Valentine Town

This excursion comes with special thanks to Capo Freenote who mentioned the destination on his facebook.

Being a sucker for all things romantic, and taking a bucket in tow, it was off to Valentine Town I skipped to see what I could find.

The first thing that came to mind was the Chocolate River. Well I think it is supposed to be chocolate. It looks kinda like something else but ewwwwwwww I dont ever want to see a river of it like that in my lifetime.

Beside the landing point is "The Story of Us". A photo studio you can buy for $750 where you can take photos of you and your loved one. Can't say it's my cup of tea but someone out there will love it for sure.

Then there is the gorgeous red tree ($350L) that you can carve a message into with a knife. Not that I am suggesting you should multilate a tree but...



Now it was time to have a wander around the cute cartoon-like themed stores.  Sooo cute.  The stores available were Clothing, Sale items, Lingerie and Boxers (rawr), Full Perm for Builders, Decorations, Fun, Gag Gifts, Lights, Jewellry, Trees and Plants, Flowers, Balloons, Gifts and Cards, and finally Sweets.

Two items that particularly stood out for me, apart from clothing of course (well I AM female) was this little joy of joys (above) that was situated in the Gag Gifts store, and the "Make your own card" (below) that was in the Gifts and Cards store.

The sim and its concept is fantastic though a little bright LOL.  I would thoroughly recommend a visit.  Play in the ball pit and grab a gumball to float around on.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Elizabeth%20Town/173/78/1090

Alice in Wonderland.

After the Carnival of Clowns I decided to explore this sim a little more. I stumbled upon something I had been through before - The Alice in Wonderland ride. 

I called my daughter over, sat her on my knee and took her on the tour. 

You can play crochet if you have the urge, or step inside ... ummmmmm... well you can see what I mean.

It was time to rezz a gondola and begin the trip. 

The gondola rides have room for two and last about 3 minutes.

Change your settings to midnight for full effect. 

Now click on the clock face, sit back and enjoy.



Mad Hatter



Around the bend and the Cheshire cat comes into view.  Watch out for his claws. 

The scenery changes as you wind your way through the ride. 



Queen of Hearts



You will pass the Mad Hatter, avoid the playing guard guards, and come face-to-face with the Queen of Hearts.

As you move outside of the walls you may have a feeling you are being watched.

Around the corner you go.  Do you feel the need to avoid someone's grasp?

  

Then finally through the looking glass you go, floating down, down through a dream only to step back out where you began

There is so much to do here so take your time and explore.

 Perhaps you want to ride on a teacup, or see-saw on a banana (every woman’s dream) or play a game of chess.

Enter the Fun House of Mirrors and get lost in the maze of mirrors and doors. 

This is far more child friendly than the Carnivorous Clowns (not so scary) but still as disorientating as hell. 

Find your way through the maze without cursing.  I dare you!

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Black%20Pearl%20Beach/103/188/23

Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns - The Funhouse of Doom

While exploring Black Pearl Beach I happened upon a Funhouse with a difference. 

Called the Carnival of Carnivorous Clowns - The Funhouse of Doom I had to enter. 

I mean, seriously, how evil can a clown be right???

Being a total chicken at heart I needed the shoulders of a He-man to hide behind, and since the mystery monkey was nowhere in sight I looked down my list and plucked the first courageous person to answer the call, and so, down the clown's throat we went, Twisted Knickers leading the way.

As we gathered our thoughts and organised our supplies, we prepared to ascend the stairs to begin our journey in earnest.  Past the puppet show and into the depths of the "Fun" house we went.

Am I going to tell you everything there is to do?   Of course not, that would be giving it all away, but I will show you SOME of the obstacles you will encounter on your trip.

The obstacle course began with rotating clowns and then it was up the stairs if you can get up them. 

We bounced our way across the bouncing castle and into the Wall of Clowns. 

What is the trick to get through the maze?

We stumbled into a room with stripes and some poor guy clinging to a wall.  This is weird – no door.  Or is there?  Find the way to the next room and ... disconcerting isn’t it!  LOL.  Be nice – don’t wake the clown.

The twisting candy-cane-coloured poles and ball room were a bit of fun to fight your way through.

There are two areas coming up with platforms that either move or disappear entirely. 

Carefully pick your way through the course.  Don’t rush but don’t go too slow either.

The rotating ball ball room you have to pass through was really disconcerting.  Stop and take a breath and you might find your way out.



Evil Elevator



There is a rather evil elevator that you need to ride to take you to the next bit of fun and games, namely the morgue. *shudder*

Wander through the spike turnstiles.  Make sure you don’t end up like some of the other visitors, then it’s time for the tunnel of hands. 

Go up to the roof next but watch out for the guy at the top of the stairs... He nasty.  Now down you go into the drain and some sewers before ascending into a torture room.  Hope you aren’t a clown.  They don’t look too happy in here. 

It’s time to step into the bowels of hell.  Watch out for the sphincter. *laughs*

Around the carousel and into the room of mirrors.  Careful the ground isn’t quite as solid as it appears.

The end is nigh for you have now entered the circus arena with the ringmaster.  Careful you don’t burn as you find the right exit.

When you finally complete the Carnival of Clowns make sure you get a pic as a souvenir at the end.

This was great fun.  It drove us a little bit nutty but then I think we were before we went inside.

Had Knickers and I in fits of laughter.

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Black%20Pearl%20Beach/112/183/38

PANDORA'S HELIX - the ultimate slide

It was time for some fun...

so I dialled up the showcase and found - Pandora's Helix - the ultimate slide. 

I landed and it rezzed and
O.M.G... it's HUGE.

After being instructed by my daughter that my dress was not appropriate for a water slide, I quickly changed into a swim suit and away I went. 

I decided to walk to see the view and, boy, what a ride this is going to be.  I wandered to the top followed by Twisted Knickers and found the sleigh you ride down the slide at the top.

Multiple people can ride at the same time as the starting shoot changes with each sleigh rezzed.  I clicked on the rezzer, jumped on the sleigh and it began. 

The essential element of this ride is mouselook.  The ride twists and turns, sending you upside down and inside out as you slide around fast turns, steep slopes and through dark tunnels.

The ride is long and really gives you a sense of being on it.  I would definately ride this little baby if it existed in rl. 

When you get to the bottom you will be asked whether you want to ride again, ride continuously or get off.  If you ride continuously you will keep being teleported back to the start until you hit Stand to end the trip.

Top ratings to Shaelan Rechkalov for a fabulous ride and a mention to Redrach Faltal for the fabulous pic I used at the top. This experience was great fun. Loved every second of it.  It must be seen to be believed

http://slurl.com/secondlife/Surf%20Dancer/168/78/23

Firefly

It was time to live the dream.  Firefly - another Madpea adventure was in my sights.

As I landed I noticed, scattered on the ground, there  were pictures of a lady and a man obviously having the time of their lives. 

 At the base of a sign leaned a book. Of course I clicked to see what it was and so I received the diary and started to read.

It seemed it was to be my destiny to help these two strangers out of a predicament. I picked up the photos, clicked on the gate and so the journey began.

Before me was a dreamcatcher with words stretched on a cloth.  What significance did they hold?  Crystals were beside a pond and in the pond an apparition, begging for help.  I spied a rope on a hook?  Does it lead somewhere? Find out for yourself.  It seemed that some things needed to be collected and so I began to touch everything I saw.  The crystals were added to my collection.  Would there be more? 

To my right was a strange bridge - the word "dreamcatcher" spread across its span .... I was almost scared to find out what was beyond worm . As you will soon discover it seems you need to collect dreamcatchers - four in all - but they are harder to find and retrieve than one would think for there is a mystery you must solve each time to obtain each of them in turn.

Through a curtain of light I walked and found myself look at strange glowing pods with what looked like ramps. 

Being the inquisitive type I went inside to investigate.  More items to add to my collection.  Could I use the items I find elsewhere?

Up a spiral staircase more pods beckoned.  One contained a boarding pass.  Wait?  Wasn't there something about a flight in the diary? 

 At the top of the stairs some platforms, one on which were crystals like the ones I had collected.  A puzzle?  I wore one of them to see...

Up to another platform and there three monks circled and strange symbols and numbers floated out of the ground. 

What was their meaning?  A code perhaps? A phone booth, a webpage, a mobile phone.  Solve the puzzle and use the phone.

So what now?  Another platform contained a wormhole.  Should I?  I travel down and there I find a rock laying on which is the diary.  But i have the diary?  I hear the girl whisper, "Say my name". 

 A beam of moonlight, the diary?  How do they fit together?

 

Down further I go to a room of runes. A sequence I think might be the solution?  I have seen them before but where? Look at all the items you have collected more closely for the solution.

But what is this.  You were tp'd home?  You read the note and find you are given another lm.  And so the story ends with a gift for those intrepid enough to battle their way through. 

 Another fabulous adventure by Madpea Productions.

 

http://slurl.com/secondlife/MadPea%20Base/161/135/30