Tag: Exploring SL Archives

Life has been pretty hectic over the last few months for me in the physical world, with much of it coming to a head over March 2024 (hence the lack of blogging most recently). Fortunately, things are now getting back to normal, so it’s time to resume my SL travels once more – and where better to start than my annual springtime trip to Luane’s World and the always picturesque Le Monde Perdu (The Lost World), the public Full region designed by LuaneMeo and Gorba McMahon.

Sitting at the southern extreme of the six private residential regions of Luane’s World, Le Monde Perdu always offers a sense of openness and nature’s warm embrace to visitors. A Full private region boasting the additional Land Capacity afforded such regions, Le Monde Perdu is open to visitors from across Second Life as well as those who opt to live within the estate’s rental regions.

For this iteration, the landing point sits well to the north-east, close to where the region connects to the rest of the estate via a wooden footbridge. Note that visitors are free to wander the paths and tracks of the rental regions, but as asked not to trespass onto the actual homes and gardens therein.

The landing point sits on a shady, grassy knoll overlooking the footbridge to one side, and which is home to a greenhouse converted into an information kiosk on the estate’s available rentals. Two clearly marked paths descend from the knoll, one to the footbridge and the other, longer path gently riding the slope down to the southern half of the region. Both paths have horse rezzers located close to their respective ends, offering visitors the chance to hitch a ride around the setting if they prefer not to walk.

A third route away from the landing point takes the form of a boardwalk stepping down the hill on its west side, presenting visitors with a choice of route onwards as they reach its lower half. One of these leads by way of a clematis-draped wall, to the shaded banks of the region’s lake, which can be easily circumnavigated on foot, with various waypoints on the route around it taking the form of various places to sit and pass the time. These include a little boat out on the water itself, a deck extending out over the waters and a charming little shoreline cottage. A deck adjacent to the latter provides access to a swan boat pedalo rezzer for those who fancy a little ride out on the water under their own power.

Behind the little lakeside cottage, the land rises to a broad, flat-topped hill, home to a much more substantial house that offers itself as a faux watermill. If the wheel once drove any machinery, it’s long been removed and the room it occupied converted for more modern living than a place of work, whilst the water channel the wheel dips itself into looks to be now more decorative than functional, running as it does around three sides of the house. Which is not to say the structure is not in any way graceful or delightful – it most assuredly is, thanks to both the décor and its inherent multi-level design within its two main floors.

Whilst the house is raised above both the lake to its north and curving beach to its west and south, it is not sitting on the highest point within the region; that honour goes to a little greenhouse and garden area located on the flat head of the island’s almost central plateau, which rises above the shoulder of land on which the house sits. It is easily reached from the house on foot, the greenhouse and garden looking as if they are intended for little spring / summer time soirees, once the heat of the day has dissipated a little.

The path leading to the little plateau also offers access to the region’s south-eastern headland by way of a broad, stout bridge. The lighthouse on the headland appears justified, given the bleached bones of a wrecked ship lying of the shoreline below, whilst the placement of the bridge and the small size of the lighthouse in turn suggest whoever lives at the big house has a responsibility for maintaining the latter.

The bridge is required as the lighthouse is separated from the house by a narrow, sheer-sided gorge which forms one end of a finger-like inlet pointing inland almost as far as the southern path down from the landing point. Here again, the water’s edge is marked by multiple places to sit and pass the time, whilst a little canoe presents the opportunity to sit out on the water and enjoy the peace and quiet.

In fact, if there is one thing that this iteration of Le Monde Perdu is not short of, it is in places to sit and tarry – and rightfully so. They are scattered across the setting with a care that ensures they do not feel they are trying to crowd one another out, but to rather encourage people who visit to spend a little time decompressing and just enjoying the natural lie of the land and watch to local wildlife (and the various cats and dogs waiting to be found!). In fact, such is the bucolic peace evoked within the setting, you might spot one or two of the wildlife citizens of the region also chilling out and catching a few Zees!

Finished with a subtle sound scape and offering multiple opportunities for photography, Le Monde Perdu remains one of the must-see / re-visit regions within Second Life. And don’t forget, there’s also Le Monde Magique – Magical World – sitting overhead and wating to be explored as well! I’ll be heading there once more in the near future.

But for now, given all the hustle and strife of the last few weeks in the physical world, Le Monde Perdu is exactly what the doctor ordered by way of recuperation and a return to my SL explorations 🙂 .

SLurl Details

• Le Monde Perdu (rated Moderate)

In May 2022, I visited Tilheyra, a Full region leveraging the private region land capacity bonus and designed by Teagan Lefevre as a means to showcase her TL Designs brand. It’s a place blogged about here – but that was spring 16 months ago; time has marched on, and those of us in the northern hemisphere are watching autumn stride towards us, and Second Life being what it is, Tilheyra has also marched forward.

I was recently made aware of this by Teagan herself, who invited me to re-visit the region and view its latest redressing. In particular, the estate has been extended with the additional of a Homestead region, which Teagan and her team have called Kuulua. It has been combined with Tilheyra to form a continuous landscape modelled after US swamplands.

Fall unfurls its colours in such splendour, we are but forced to take notice of it. Tilheyra, welcomes you to wade through the everglades, tour the swamps by foot or by boat, and taste the delicious flavours that autumn in the bayou brings.

– Tilheyra About Land

Given this description, and as one would expect, both of the regions present a low-lying landscape rich in trees and cut through with water as it forms natural channels and pools. Some of the latter are open, others increasingly choked by reeds and wetlands grasses, the greenery providing – if any were needed – perfect cover for local alligators as they prowl the shallows.

Sitting solidly towards the centre of this setting is a town. It is a place of indeterminate age; some of the buildings within it have the appearance of belonging to a grander setting whilst others – well, perhaps not so much; however all are showing signs of being past their prime. Roads, tracks and trails spread outward from the town, some of them crossing the water by means of bridges, all of variable designs and solidity – including one which started life as railway carriage! It a network of trails and paths which might be seen as a web spreading out through the swamplands, the town being the spider so often at the heart of a web; only rather than waiting for prey, the town awaits visitors to get caught in the unusual beauty of the landscape and itself.

During my May 2022 visit to Tilheyra I noted that while most of the region was open to the public, it also presented a number of rental properties. This is still the case with this latest iteration, with houseboats and cabins available for rent. All are clearly signed as private, so the risk of trespass should be minimised.

Those wanting to explore will find a lot to see, from places to eat to hangouts for passing the time – there’s even a corner memorial to pets that have passed on, tucked away in a corner. For the more adventurous, there’s a small dock on the shoreline of Kuulua, offering rowing boats and little Culprit speed boats for those who wish to explore the waterways.

Caught under the reds, greens and golds of autumn and framed by a sky in which both the Sun and the Moon might be found, the Tilheyra wetlands avoids the clichés often found within swamp-themed regions (such as an over-abundance of alligators or a “haunted” cabin or two), and instead presents an engaging and very natural setting, available for those seeking a home, and a destination for explorers and photographers.

My thanks to Teagan for the invite!

SLurl Details

• Tilheyra (rated Moderate)

Under the Northern Lights is the title Carrie Lemon Rogstad (LemonPuss) has given to her winter-themed Homestead region, currently open to visitors this December 2022.

As the name suggests, this is a snowy setting, largely open to the public to explore, although it has twelve small rentals around its edge. Available at L$700 a week, these present is simple geodesic dome (the GeoDome by Ria Bazar, a unit I’ve used myself in laying out region designs), with basic furnishings of bed, fireplace and décor elements, all of which is set out on a deck with each of the units.

The landing point sits towards the middle of this snowy, icy setting, caught within the arms of the surrounding mountains. This mid-point sits over frozen water as they cut into the region. A rutted track, dusted in the snow – which is more-or-less constantly falling – offers a short walk to a miniature golf area, with many of the holes themselves dressed for the season.

Come explore a Northern Winter Wonderland underneath the Northern Lights! Dome rental, Madpea mini-golf, Santa … ice skating, sleds [and] hangout.

– Under the Northern Lights About Land

Follow the track in the other direction and it runs past and around the local skating rink to loop back to the landing point, passing by way of a mobile café offering plenty of hot drinks for those who need warming up. Beyond this, multiple bridges and a couple of paths provide access to the outer parts of the region and the little rentals. At the time of my visit, several of the latter were rented and so obviously off-limits to casual explorers, but three were still available for those looking for something a little different to rent for the holidays.

Two of the bridges lead to a further public area, a setting fully of seasonal cheer, from Santa awaiting visitors to a roaring fire in a hearth and cost seating to be enjoyed; and – for those in need of them, some essential winter supplies and the opportunity to purchase a Christmas tree. Walk down the snowy slopes on the north side of this little winter market setting and you’ll come to another café. Brick built and  with an inviting interior, it is far more permanent than the one up by the skating rink.

With polar bears playing on the ice, and deer and horses scattered around, the setting keeps to the “Northern” in its name by only allowing penguins carved from snow to inhabit it.

Easy on the eye and presenting a gentle chance of exploration and multiple opportunities for photography, Under the Northern Lights makes for an easy-going visit.

SLurl Details

• Under the Northern Lights (Tesoro, rated Moderate)

Following a suggestion from Suzie Anderton, I jumped back to Vivian Ewing’s Where Our Journey Begins, which I last visited back towards the start of the year to catch its 2022 wintertime dressing once more.

Back in February, the setting was blooming into an early spring and offered an engaging mix of places to explore among the trees and flowers as they threw a rich palette of colour across the region. Now, with the closing of the year, the setting is very much folded in a blanket of winter snow and seasonal elements in readiness for the coming holidays and celebrations.

Visits commence at the main landing point in the south-east corner of the region, the land stretching away to the north-west, a large ribbon lake crossing it diagonally from south-west to north-east. The latter is shouldered at its northern extremes by a curtain of rock to one side, similar to the curtain cliffs backing the landing point and possibly part of the same upward thrust of rock, and on the other by a plateau crowned but winter cabins.

From the landing point beneath the great iron gazebo in which it sits, visitors have a choice of exploration routes by which to discover the rest of the setting. Turn right a short walk from the gazebo, and the path leads to snowy box hedgerows enclosing an small terrace. A path from here runs down to the water’s edge to one side of the region, whilst a second points north, passing a corral where horses are held and a rezzer is available should you wish to explore the region on horseback, before the path branches once more.

Take the left arm of the fork, and the way is clear to wander along the southerly shore of the lake and even reach its icy surface. Places to sit and rest can be found along this route, ranging from a little campsite through water’s edge gazebo warmed by a log fire to a cosy little hut standing within sight of a high bridge spanning the lake – of which more anon.

Meanwhile, the right arm of the fork quickly crosses a covered bridge spanning the banks of a little stream – also frozen – to reach a fenced trail which also skirts the lake as it runs up and around the north-east head of the waters.  From here, it runs onwards and westwards, passing over steps and between gates to reach the local (and festive!) village snuggled under the aforementioned plateau. Rides and seasonal kiosks have been set out on the village square, the lights of the houses glowing brightly beyond before the sheer face of the rocky highlands intervene between village and hilltop cabins.

The latter are reached via a further route of exploration leading away from the landing point. It sits beyond the snow-frosted gates at the end of the path leading outwards from the landing point gazebo, and a snow-dusted path meanders upwards through hoar-frosted trees to where an unexpected sight awaits: Santa’s cabin, complete with the jolly old man sitting outside, his elves keeping things moving. Flagstones arc their way around the cabin to lead to the bridge mentioned above and, across it, a single-track road providing access to the cabins.

Fully furnished and separated from the rest of the region as they are, these cabin offer their own setting and opportunities for photography both indoors and out.

This latter point is what makes this iteration of Where Our Journey Begins; while the region comes together as a single setting, it is laid out in such a way as to offer multiple little vignettes offering their own opportunities for enjoyment and photography, all rich in detail and with enough space between them so as visitors needn’t feel as if they are tripping over one another as the explore.

As with previous iterations of Where Our Journey Begins, Snowtide – as this version has been called – is a genuine delight to visit. My thanks to Suzie again for the pointer.

SLurl Details

• Where Our Journey Begins (Eternal Hope, rated Moderate)

Exploring Second life – particularly the Mainland continents – can be thirsty work. Fortunately there are often spots along the way that people have provided for the enjoyment of refreshments and a little sit-down.

Coffee is often the beverage of choice (although with the northern hemisphere winter and the holiday season approaching, hot chocolate is liable to start rivalling it as an option!), and that’s just fine with me, as I’m a genuine coffeeholic / coffee snob in the physical world :).

Take Heterocera as an example. Like all of the mainland continents it has plenty to see, particularly along its road and rail network – although the former is generally the easier way to spot public places awaiting visitors. I’m not going to try to offer an extensive review of all the cafés across the continent in this piece, instead, I’ll cover a trio I’ve enjoyed dropping into on occasion.

The first comes on the north side of the continent and, given its latitude and the time of year, is appropriately dressed for winter. Snuggled against the southern side of Route 3’s north-eastern curve, Le’eaf and Tinsel is reached via a short climb up a set of stone steps from the side of the highway.

Snow crunches softly under your feet as you wander the white dusted trails. Among the trees and gently falling snow you will find a winter wonderland and of course… Coffee. Le’eaf&Bean Coffee truck is onsite for your caffeine and cocoa fix.

– Le’eaf and Tinsel About Land

The work of T Lefevre (Teagan Lefevre), this 2,800 sq metre parcel sits under her Le’eaf portfolio of parcel and regions designs. Like her other work, the parcel forms a part of the Mainland Preservation Society & The Nature Collective – with Teagan working with Emm Vintner (Emmalee Evergarden) – and there will be more on this in a moment.

Small the parcel might be, it nevertheless offers an engaging visit, the path from the step meandering to the left between rocks, trees and shrubs to reach a little wooden bridge. Following the path offers hints of more to be found beyond the hedges: the walls and roof of a building and the top of a van. However, as the shrubs extend along the side of the path all the way to the bridge, visitors need to make a right turn at the top of the steps and follow the right arm of the path.

This also meanders somewhat, but leads to where a skating rink sits beyond a picket fence to the right (touch the sign alongside the rink for skates), and to the left is a fire pit warming outdoor seating. The building – a converted barn – and the van sit on the south side of the parcel; the former is home to a little bakery, the latter the Le’eaf & Bean coffee wagon; both lie alongside a winding boardwalk and have further outdoor seating snuggled between them.

The wooden bridge within the parcel spans a narrow stream, the path beyond passing through a set of high gates and into the next parcel and the second of the café destinations I want to talk about – the Winter Wonders of Comelia Street and the Toe Beans Cat Café and Rescue.

Both are the work of Emm Vintner as a part of her Nature Collective brand, with the former offering an almost winter-streets-of-New-York-meets-Dickens’-Victorian-England vibe. The cobbled street is lined to one side by tall apartment buildings and a cosy bookshop. With more snow falling from above, the north side of the street offers winter seasonal elements that help with the more timeless feel to the parcel – an outdoor hot chocolate stand, a snowman, and tall street lamps that might be a gaslight, together with a little place selling fir trees for the holiday season – complete with a modern machine for netting them to allow easier transport.

The far end of the street from the gate to Le’eaf and Tinsel provides access to the café, assuming you’re following my footsteps through he parcels.

As its name suggests, the Toe Beans Cat Café and Rescue is a place for both humans and cats – and particularly the latter! Kitties of all ages await visitors, with some also helping themselves to the café’s offerings! A novel aspect of the café is the ability to help toward local tier by “adopting” a cat from the board just inside the door to the left. L$25 will bring you a copy of one of the offers cats (just right-click and PAY the photo of the cat you desire).

The square outside the café is warmed on one side by a propane heater for those who would like to  sit outdoors, and one of the tables includes a game of draughts which might be enjoyed while munching on the roasted chestnuts available from the little vendor cart in one corner of the yard. Or visitors can sit on the bench next to the cart, which is also warmed by another of the propane heaters.

The final destination for this piece lies on the south-western side of Heterocera and is a place – again possibly befitting the more southerly latitude – which is snow-free for those looking for somewhere warmer to visit. It also, again if you’re following in my footsteps, continues the kitty theme found at the Toe Beans Cat Café in that there is a certain moggy presence to be found here.

The work of Hitsu Ruby, the Hi-Café sits alongside the Atoll Road and sits within a cosy 1536 sq m parcel. The café itself sits adjacent to the cobbles of the Atoll Road, a tall brick-built building watched over by the aforementioned moggies and with an inviting, modern décor.

Caught in the shades of Autumn, the setting offers the café, with a span of a canal behind it cutting through the parcel to separate the café from Hitsu’s modest store, where she sells prefab buildings. Both the store and the café are also Hitsu’s own designs, but they appear to be custom builds rather than units she sells.  Those interested in her commercial builds can obtain demos through the store, or take a peek at the neighbouring parcel to the west, and her Store #11 on display.

The canal itself is bordered on either side by paved footpaths complete with wildling flower beds, places to sit (allowing for the cats laying claim to portions of them!), the two halves of the parcel spanned by a pair of bridges. The rest of the parcel is peppered with little details – the bus stop (/landing point) alongside the road, the little second-hand bookstall / newspaper stand, a Parisienne-style kiosk, a fountain – all of which add character to the setting.

Those wishing to rez props for photography can do so by joining the local Group, and there is a 30-minutes return time for objects that are rezzed; however, if you avail yourself to the opportunity, do be sure to pick up your items hen done, so that other can rez without having to wait.

All three locations are equally attractive, offering their own points of attraction. They are not the only such places to be found in Heterocera or SL as a whole, but I offer them here as a small selection, and may well do more pieces like this one in the future.

SLurl Details

• Le’eaf and Tinsel (Muslin, rated Moderate)
• Winter Wonders of Comelia Street and the Toe Beans Cat Café and Rescue (Muslin, rated Moderate)
• Hi-Café (Itame, rated Moderate)