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Cindy and I have been friends for about 2 years now. At first we weren't so close, but the past year she and I got a lot closer and we are best friends now. We share a couple mutual friends which is how we met, but they have been treating her not so great.
They have made fun of her looks/the way she acts all because they think she has a little extra weight on her. She used to be funny and outgoing, but she's shy and quiet now. In regards to that I cut off all those friends because I didn't tolerate them making fun of her.
When they saw how close we were they tried making fun of me for liking her ans they tried getting her to stop talking to me by telling her I thought she was ugly, etc (which is definitely not true at all. She didn't believe me when I tried to change her mind and it took me a while to get her to believe me.
Then I started really falling in love with her. I started complimenting her beauty and trying to be more flirty with her. She has the most beautiful sky color eyes and she is just my type. Her response is obviously "you're only saying that to be nice and make me feel better".
We hung out this past weekend and I borrowed a friends beach house and I took her on a little getaway together. I made my move and at first she was really shy since I was her 1st, but I gave her space and she got comfortable for the time and we had sex. The whole weekend she and I spent it in bed together just laying on each other and talking or just having sex.
After the fact, she asked why I chose to do that for her and I was honest. She said she felt too 'fat and ugly' for me and that I could do better. I got kinda bothered by her talking that way and I told her that I really thought she was beautiful and that I chose her because I like her and am attracted to her.
Now she's been acting kind of shy and she still doesn't fully believe I like her. She does flirt with me now, but at the same time she asked how are we gonna deal with being friends and sleeping together and she keeps doubting herself. How can I help her fully understand I chose her Because I love the way she is and that I don't want her to change anything?

Cindy and I have been feiends for about 2 years now. At first we weren't so close, but the past year she and I got a lot closer and we are best friends now. We share a couple mutual friends which is how we met, but they have been treating her not so great.
They have made fun of her looks/the way she acts all because they think she has a little extra weight on her. She used to be funny and outgoing, but she's shy and quiet now. In regards to that I cut off all those friends because I didn't tolerate them making fun of her.
When they saw how close we were they tried making fun of me for liking her ans they tried getting her to stop talking to me by telling her I thought she was ugly, etc (which is definitely not true at all. She didn't believe me when I tried to change her mind and it took me a while to get her to believe me.
Then I started really falling in love with her. I started complimenting her beauty and trying to be more flirty with her. She has the most beautiful sky color eyes and she is just my type. Her response is obviously "you're only saying that to be nice and make me feel better".
We hung out this past weekend and I borrowed a friends beach house and I took her on a little getaway together. I made my move and at first she was really shy since I was her 1st, but I gave her space and she got comfortable for the time and we had sex. The whole weekend she and I spent it in bed together just laying on each other and talking or just having sex.
After the fact, she asked why I chose to do that for her and I was honest. She said she felt too 'fat and ugly' for me and that I could do better. I got kinda bothered by her talking that way and I told her that I really thought she was beautiful and that I chose her because I like her and am attracted to her.
Now she's been acting kind of shy and she still doesn't fully believe I like her. She does flirt with me now, but at the same time she asked how are we gonna deal with being friends and sleeping together and she keeps doubting herself. How can I help her fully understand I chose her Because I love the way she is and that I don't want her to change anything?
Tldr: My best friend and I had a getaway for the weekend. We spent the whole time away having sex and laying in bed together. I love her, but she thinks it's too good to be true because she is insecure in herself. How do I convince her otherwise?

Chikmagalur is eminent for its serene environmental factors, verdant woods, and high mountains. It is now and again alluded to as the espresso area of Karnataka and is very notable for its espresso.
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Hello! I am having ACL reconstruction on 4/21 and a girlfriend and I are traveling internationally (from the US) five weeks later. This has been cleared by my doctor, who said I will be walking by then, though possibly with a brace and likely slowly. I asked about the beach/ocean specifically and he said that’s fine, so long as I stay out of rough surf.
So - where do you think I should go? Again, I’ll be comfortable doing some walking, but not as much as originally planned for this trip (we were going to hike 100 miles in Ireland! Not possible this year). I love outdoors and appreciate small towns and small-to-midsize cities. I’d love to go somewhere colorful and with a lot of soul.
Trip will be about 10 days. Happy to check out multiple places! Open to anywhere (that’s safe for two 30 y/o women travelers) that fits my request.
TIA!

The sound of ocean waves crashing onto the shore is one of the most relaxing and soothing sounds in the world. This natural music can lull you into a peaceful and restful sleep, easing your mind and helping you unwind after a long day.
The sound of ocean waves is a form of white noise, a type of noise that contains all frequencies within the range of human hearing. Unlike other noises, such as traffic or city sounds, white noise doesn't have any discernible pattern, making it ideal for masking unwanted background sounds and creating a sense of calm and tranquility.
In addition to its sleep-inducing properties, the sound of ocean waves has been shown to have other health benefits. Listening to the sound of waves can reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. It's no wonder that ocean waves are often used in meditation and mindfulness practices.
Moreover, studies have shown that being near the ocean can have a positive impact on mental health, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety. The sound of waves can help transport us to a more peaceful and serene state of mind, reducing the impact of stress and promoting relaxation.
Whether you live near the coast or not, you can still enjoy the soothing sound of ocean waves. There are many apps and websites available that offer recordings of ocean waves that you can listen to whenever you need to unwind. Alternatively, you can purchase a sound machine that produces white noise, including the sound of waves, to help you sleep more soundly.
In conclusion, the sound of ocean waves is a beautiful and calming sound that can help promote relaxation, reduce stress levels, and induce sleep. Whether you're listening to it on the beach or from the comfort of your own home, the sound of waves is an excellent tool for promoting better mental and physical health.

What is the best MPG I could get from a van around the $1k-$10k range? What about 10k-20k range? I'm searching on craigslist in the LA/SD areas.
Is 20mpg good on a van? And how much does it usually cost to fill one up? Especially if it’s like $4.50 per gallon.
Would solar panels help reduce any costs like generators or anything?
My thought process about converting a future van: I don't want to have an RV as i'm not necessarily trying to live in the RV/Van, but I do want to take it on out of town trips from say SD to LA when I go on a beach trip. That way I can still have a "room" per se right on the beach to enjoy the trip but also have a shower, temporarily resting spot, and spot to watch tv or smoke in my own comfort/privacy.

Hi!
I’m coming up from LA in April, and I want to take my toddler and husband to Muir beach. I’ve always wanted to stay at pelican inn, but I have been calling them for a week, and no response.
Does anyone know if there are hotels like that in the area?
Thx!

Alan sat underneath a tree, watching as the Atlantic waves splash and thrash on the beach. The air was thick with moisture; it felt warm on his face, but he had no need of the breeze for relief from the heat. His face burned and was red from the blazing Sun. He was sitting on the ground, his back against the trunk of an ancient palm tree. It was hard but dry, and it offered him some protection from the relentless rays. The sea water glistened like black glass.
There was not much time to rest, as the Spanish overseers were sure to come searching for him soon, but he just needed to sit awhile and gather himself. He would soon have to return to work, in the fields of sugarcane. The sun was very powerful today, perhaps more so than ever before. Brittany certainly never got this kind of sun.
He looked out onto the ocean, listening in closely and waiting for it to speak.
"Come out to me," a voice boomed in his head.
"Why?" Alan asked.
The voice laughed and repeated the same words: "Come out to me."
Alan lifted himself up from the palm and hobbled along onto the beach, towards that black glass sea.
"Do you want me to take my clothes off?" he asked.
The wind picked up, making his long red hair fly about wildly. Alan took it as a sign from the sea that it would have been wiser if he had stripped himself down to his skin. So he did. He began removing his clothing. First his shirt. Next his waistcoat, his breeches, then his boots. Then his socks. And finally, he peeled his tunic off from his body.
The ocean gusted. Alan thought it must have blown up a sudden swell and was making the most of the occasion by trying to break him. He caught hold of the hem of his tunic and pulled, lifting it high over his head and letting it drop into the water. The sea swallowed up the fabric with ease and he stood there naked as the day he was born. Alan held his arms out to catch the gentle breeze that was starting to blow, his nakedness in the breeze cooling him off immensely.
He felt the wind and stared off into the sea as he reminisced on his youth. For indeed he was baptized many moons ago now, and his childhood was becoming more of a distant memory. Alan was once a simple young lad, a fisher boy. Living with his parents in a small hut on the Breton coast. He was simply Alan then, not ar Morlaer or the Scourge of Biscay or El Azote or the Vicomte de Poudouvre… Alan's father Kaourantin was a fisherman just like himself, he preferred to cast his nets from the rocky shore and catch all manner of fish in the tidal pools. Alan would go out with his father, learning to fish and learning to sail. It was on his father's boat that Alan had first heard the ocean call out to him.
"Hear me, boy," the sea had said to him. The young Alan listened intently. "Hear my voice and heed it well, for I give you sound advice."
Alan had heard the voices and told his father, his father reassuring him that this was a gift from God. For the sea was run by one of God's angels, and this angel had decided to speak to Alan. As the boy grew, he developed a closer connection to the sea. He spent almost every day on the coast or on a fishing boat, waiting for the sea to speak to him. His family worried about him, for he would spend hours sitting at the end of the pier, just looking out across the water and listening to the seabirds cry to their mates. Sometimes they were concerned that perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him, but were quite sure it was indeed the ocean's angel speaking.
Alan's thinking was cut off by the sound of an angry Castilian, barking at him in his strange tongue. The man had obviously found him. The Spaniard commanded. He did not understand the man's words, but he understood their tone and their intent. And he could tell from the look in the man's eyes that he was clearly unhappy. The Spaniard picked up some of Alan's clothes that were strewn across the sand and pointed at them, clearly ordering Alan to dress himself. Alan had nothing to hide, so he stood up, gathered his clothes, and put them back on. He followed the Spaniard off the beach. The man took him to the edge of the settlement, where the slaves were working in the cane fields.
There was quite a large group of slaves there, and they all turned to stare at Alan. The Spaniard ordered him back to work, handing him a cane knife. The other slaves were mainly Moors and Pagans. They worked in the fields, cutting stalks of sugarcane. It was hard to communicate, as Alan did not share a language with any of the slaves. Alan could understand bits of Castilian solely from his knowledge of French, but certainly not enough. He made do by picking up various gestures and motions. Alan was able to make an acquaintance with a Spanish Moor, a man similarly red with burns as Alan is. The Moor had given his name as Zacarías Davídez. The two had become fairly close since Alan had arrived. While they first communicated with a simplified form of Castilian, to ensure their overseers could not understand, the two had begun teaching each other. Zacarías had taught Alan some of his native Arab tongue, while Alan taught Zacarías some of his Breton. Soon enough they were communicating rather comfortably in a strange mish-mash of Arabic, Breton, and Castilian.
Zacarías noticed Alan returning with the overseer from his rest near the beach and went over to speak to him. Alan heard Zacarías say something under his breath and then heard the man's rough Arabic curse. Zacarías turned to Alan. "The overseer is very displeased with you. I'm sure that's clear to you."
Alan nodded his understanding and returned to working in the fields. The day was hot and humid, as it often was in the Caribbean in the height of the summer. He would sweat profusely, his red hair clumped tightly to his head with wetness. It was a miserable way to spend a day. The sun beat down relentlessly, while the humidity hung in the air like a blanket. The slaves worked tirelessly, their backs bent and arms pulled taut in the effort. Zacarías helped Alan with his work. He had to show him what to cut, how to chop the cane properly and be easy to haul behind. The sun began to set, and the slaves stopped work to return to the huts for rest. In the darkness, the slaves would sit in groups and talk in whispers. Alan joined in and listened as the other slaves spoke of the land and sea spirits. They described to him their gods, the gods that were not Christian. Zacarías leaned over to Alan, whispering to him in the two friends' own language.
"There are many pagans here, they do not know of God and reject Him. They worship their idols blatantly. They will be punished for this in the hereafter."
Alan nodded quietly, understanding the importance of what Zacarías said. Indeed, it was good to have a friend who understood the importance of God, even though he may be a Moor.
—
It was not long before Zacarías introduced Alan to his friends. His friends were also Moors, and Alan was able to speak to them with his bits of Arabic and Castilian. As time went by, the men became his closest companions in the plantation, his only true brothers. Zacarías explained that he and his friends were rebels once, years ago. They had fought against the Spaniards to save their homes and families, but were captured and eventually sold off to slavery here in these islands of the New World.
Alan explained how he ended up here as a slave, and the Moors found it quite amusing that Alan was actually a nobleman, a man with estates and wealth!
"We are both here because we hate the Spaniards." Alan told Zacarías.
The Moor smiled. "Yes, we are. It is always good to find a brother who will understand."
They laughed together. This is when Alan learned about what Zacarías called "Islam", the religion of the Moors. Zacarías and his fellow Moors began to tell Alan of the Prophet Muhammad and of the Quran. Alan began to be fascinated by the stories of the Prophet Mohammed and the tales of battles waged against his enemies, eventually ending in victory.
Eventually, Zacarías told Alan that if he ever decided to convert, he should come to him for help, as Zacarías was a well-read scholar before his capture and life of slavery. Alan continued to listen to his new Moorish friends, learning the traditions and teachings of their faith.
Weeks later, Alan decided to convert in secret, afraid the Spanish overseers would discover it and beat him or kill him. In the darkness of night, he, Zacarías, and many other Moorish slaves had gathered to pray together, to honor their God.
They made their prayers silently. Then they would pray together and wait until the coast was clear to move back to the huts. Alan watched on, waiting for them to finish. When the Moors were done praying, Alan was approached by Zacarías.
"Are you ready?" Zacarías asked him.
Alan blinked, then nodded.
"Raise your finger and repeat after me. La ilalaha illallah Muhammadur rasulullah.''
Alan repeated the words that came out of the old Moor's mouth.
"La ilalaha illallah Muhammadur rasulullah." He said it aloud.
After a moment of silence, his companions nodded to him as well. Alan felt an immense relief. He had converted to Islam without the Spanish overseers knowing it. Zacarías grasped Alan's shoulders and smiled.
"Welcome to the fold of our religion, brother."
Alan bowed his head low, his face flushed with joy and gratitude for having been given a chance at redemption. All his sins were forgiven for becoming a devout follower of God, and his new friends would certainly give him much comfort and protection. Perhaps they would be able to fight the Spaniards together one day. They returned to the slave huts in the cover of darkness and fell asleep with smiles on their faces. Alan would hear the sea groan and moan, before speaking to him once again with words the Sea had told him before. These would bring him a sense of hope.
"West, my love, west. This is your destiny."

I'd like to find someone who captivates me. Someone who I can talk with effortlessly. I want to meet a person who I can include in my daily tasks, and talk with throughout the day. I just want to find someone I can be open with. Platonic conversation, friendship or romance. Whatever you are looking for, don't hesitate to message me. I hope to hear from you.
I love a number of things, and hate very little. I'm fairly open to trying new things, but some of the things I enjoy are as follows. I love the outdoors. I've never been camping, but I would like to try it with someone some day. I also love to fish. I mostly fish salt water. I do occasionally fish freshwater though. I like to check out new spots around me, but I mostly fish on the beach. Do you like to fish? What are some of your favorite places to go?
I also enjoy the shooting sports. I primarily target shoot. I take part in a little bit of everything, including rifle, pistol and shotgun. It would be nice to find someone who is into shooting or would like to learn/become more familiar. If you shoot, what do you like to shoot mostly? What's been your favorite gun to shoot so far?
PC games are also a enjoyable pastime for me. I have a variety of games, most of which are on Steam. I have other games on various other stores/services. I enjoy a wide variety of different kind of games, so I'm sure we can find something to play together if you game. What are some of your all time favorite games? What are you currently grinding on that you can't put down? One hobby I discovered later on in life is Magic the Gathering. I probably would never have found MtG, if it were not for my best friend. I play both online on MtG Arena, and with physical cards. Magic has become something I am particularly fond of. Do you play any kind of card/table top games? What's been your favorite so far? If you play Magic, what are some of your favorite deck themes?
Music has always been a part of my life. My tastes are varied, ranging from country, death and black metal, electronic, classic rock, folk, pop punk, and more. Do you have a favorite band? What has been your favorite concert you've been to?
I'm honestly an ambivert. I enjoy doing things outside, as well as spending time indoors. I can veg out all day under the covers curled up in my bed, or I can take a trip somewhere and experience something new. I think my personality is a mix of the best of both worlds. What would the perfect day consist of for you?
As far as my personality is concerned, I would say I am fairly relaxed and laid back. I feel like I am somewhere in the middle between loud and excitable, and shy and quiet. Around people I don't know, I tend to be fairly quiet and to myself. In the company of someone who I am close with, I am more open and free. Do you open right up to people, or does it take a while to become comfortable with someone new?
All I hope for is a connection. It could be platonic, or it could blossom into romance, and commitment. I'm not putting a limit on what I am looking for.
With the prior being said, I am single. I may be interested in changing that with the right person. The idea of commitment excites me. Monogamy is appealing to me. Do you feel satisfied with your social life? What kind of connection are you looking for?
Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I appreciate it. I hope you can identify with something I wrote. If you do, please reach out.
P.S. Please feel free to check my post history, and check out a few pictures of my cat if you would like.

Hi all, looking for recommendations for a 4 person tent.

generally 3-4 people (me, 2x 7yo kids, maybe the wife)
previous experience only with car camping with a giant 8 man tent, which is too much of a hassle to carry
will use it for backpacking or bike packing
in Hong Kong so depending on the season pretty mild temperatures (10-25 Celsius), possibly quite humid as it warms up, probably a lot of bugs
mostly campsites with reasonable soil, sometimes by the beach. Never had a problem pitching the big tent
I am a fairly minimal person but the wife likes a few bells and whistles.
in general I’m after something rock solid, low maintenance, and comfortable enough for overnighters with the family

Some options I’ve identified:

alpkit tarpstar https://alpkit.com/products/tarpstar-4-pyramid-tent looks nice and minimal and probably gets the job done
msr frontrange tarp+bugnet+footprint https://www.msrgear.com/ie/tents/minimalist-shelters-and-wings seems to be the equivalent of tarpstar but comes as separates
Tarptent Hogback https://www.tarptent.com/product/hogback/ have only heard good things about this brand. Looks good though and lots more features but comes at a price
big Agnes copper spur 4 https://www.bigagnes.com/collections/ultralight-tents/products/copper-spur-hv-ul4 also generally good reviews though apparently more flimsy and people who’ve had both prefer the Tarptent. Even more pricey.

Any advice, experiences, and alternatives welcome!

I live in Palm Bay, FL. Population around 130K. No local media. We have Florida Today, but they focus on the North end of our County where we have Kennedy Space Center, Port Canaveral, and Cocoa Beach. The only news coverage we get on TV is when something bad happens. There's no radio or TV stations in our City.
I grew up around South Bend, IN. A city much smaller than Palm Bay. Growing up in the 70's we had daily newspapers, 3 TV stations, and at least 10 radio stations.
I use the AI to write articles. See a piece of breaking news, google for other sources and back stories. Have AI scrape all the sites and give me 5 relevant points, take those 5 points from each to add to the prompt (You are an unbiased reporter. Write an article from the bullet points below. blah blah blah, give it a title and subtitle and use a professional tone, followed by all the the relevant points from each story. Check for accuracy, rewrite (awesome command in GPT4) with any changes if needed, Copy, Past, Post.
Each article takes about 5 minutes from start to finish. I produced more content on Sunday than the regional paper does in a week, and have much of it set to publish throughout the week. I also have a weekly podcast covering the prior weeks news, and the coming weeks events. Again, all AI with text to voice podcast host from AI generated scripts.
Tagline on my logo is "Brought to you by several AI bots, and one human"
You can see it at https://thepalmbayer.substack.com/

After a couple weeks of recovery, I've had some time to write up a trip report! This vacation was the best I've ever had and I'm excited to share some highlights here, along with some mistakes I made and travel tips. My plans were to meet up with two friends for the first 1.5 weeks of the trip, then to go solo for the last week. They would fly to Chicago to connect with me, then we'd all fly over together to Narita.
Pre-flight
- I filled out the Japan entry forms to provide proof of vaccination, declare for customs, etc. We saved a pretty good amount of time with that compared to people filling out paperwork on the plane.
- For phone / internet we went with pocket wireless and it was incredibly smooth basically the whole time. We got two units for times where we'd be separated as well as a pocket translator, which was an unnecessary expense. You're not getting any added value over Google Translate.
- For daily travel we all went with Suica and that was again a very simple, intuitive experience. I'd just periodically add on funds to my Apple Wallet and ended up paying for a bunch of stuff with that rather than cash / credit. My one friend went with the actual card instead of using his phone, which had one advantage: some ticket machines would only accept Suica via card and through the app.
- For the shinkansens we skipped the JR Pass and just booked tickets that day, which was mostly fine. The machines wouldn't accept my credit card so I'd need to go talk to a person, but I knew enough about where I wanted to go and what to do I muddled through. We did opt for the Hakone Free Pass as that would cover basically all the transportation for that area and saved a little money.
- I'm fortunate to have a friend living in Japan who helped arrange a couple events for us... if you don't have that option you can try to book some tickets at Lawson, or for restaurants you can try to go 1-2 days in advance and ask about reservations.
- I tried taking a language course ahead of the trip and learning a few key phrases... I was not able to hold a conversation but the little bit I did know helped I believe. One "caution" I'll give is that if you use Google Translate to construct a sentence for you in Japanese, you're likely to get a response in Japanese!
Part 1: Tokyo
2/15 + 2/16 - Friend B unfortunately overslept and missed his first flight, so Friend A and I met up in the morning at O'Hare. I did have to check one of my bags at the gate because it was over 10 lbs, but otherwise the trip was uneventful until we arrived at Narita, where I had a momentary panic when my checked suitcase did not show up on the carousel. I talked to an agent and for some reason, they had set my bag aside from all the others behind a sign. With that out of the way, we picked up the pocket wi-fi and on our way out the door, a film crew from "Why did you come to Japan" asked us if we would do a brief interview. I recognized their logo and thought it might be fun, but I wasn't prepared for a 40 minute conversation! I mentioned I was visiting a Game Center CX exhibit and they asked me a long line of questions about meeting the show's host (Shinya Arino), what I would say to him, what games we would play, etc. Finally I had to explain we were tired and would like to be on our way. I don't believe my interview was ever shown.
By the time we got tickets and were seated on the Narita Express, we could barely stay awake. Maybe because of the fatigue we had difficulty with exiting Shinjuku station: we eventually talked to an Australian family who showed us the fare exchange kiosk where we converted our Narita Express ticket into a regular train ticket for the gate. Once we settled that we checked into our hotel (Hundred Stay Tokyo Shinjuku), briefly went out to Family Mart for snacks, then crashed for the night.

2/17 - We got up around 7 and went to a Sukiya near our hotel for breakfast, then headed over to Akihabara. Things were still opening up so we stopped for Mr. Donut, then visited a couple stores before moving further east to Yokozuna Tonkatsu Dosukoi Tanaka where we had a lunch / sumo demonstration. This was very much a tourist thing: there was a brief explanation of the sumo ceremony and technique before they invited the audience to get in sumo costumes and step in the ring and have matches with the wrestlers. I (and about 90% of the attendees) went up: this was absolutely not a serious match and was closer to improv comedy than anything. Still, we had a good time and the food was fine.
Afterward, we went back to Akihabara for a reservation at an owl cafe. We got some cute photos but I admit those owls could not have been happy, as there were 30 of them in a small room. The handlers would let one perch on your arm but were adamant you not let go of their leash, because if you did... it wouldn't be pretty. At this point we had to return to our hotel to link up with Friend B who had just arrived, then we went back to Akihabara for dinner. Dinner was at Merino, an all you can eat place where we had lamb and beef tongue in a hot pot. Fittingly, there was a collaboartion with a lamb girl V-tuber. We were again pretty wiped out after dinner and retreated back to our hotel.

2/18 - After a quick stop at Family Mart we headed to Ueno for the Tokyo National Museum. Unfortunately the special exhibition was closed, but we enjoyed the historical artifacts that were available. We had a ramen lunch at one of the restaruants at Ueno Station, then head over to Akihabara (yes, again) and crawled through the shops in more depth. We were there on Saturday afternoon so there were people everywhere, so that only lasted for a couple hours. Our bags were full so we dropped things off at the hotel, then ate dinner at a Coco Ichibanya: we all kept our orders pretty low on the scale but as advertised, there's a kick even at "2". Finally we visited Star Club, a Super Mario themed bar located nearby. Despite the gimmick, the crowd appeared to be local aside from our group. We each ordered a couple of the themed drinks and bonded with the bartender over Cowboy Bebop through the language barrier, as he was playing the soundtrack for ambience.

2/19 - Our first stop in the morning was the Ghibli Musem. While my previous visit had been lackluster, this one went much better as there was a significantly smaller crowd so early in the day. Plus, while they are still largely not supporting English, the movie shown had no dialogue and they did actually provide an English guide for the special exhibit on Future Boy Conan! The merch shop was of course seductive and we ended up with souvenirs for ourselves and friends. Our lunch plans unfortunately fell through as our targeted spot (Chillmatic, a burger place) was closed for a building inspection. We opted for another random ramen place as we walked over to the PARCO mall in Shibuya. We visited all the character stores (Nintendo, Pokemon, Capcom, etc.), which were of course also mobbed on a Sunday afternoon. At this point I had easily outgrown the space in my luggage, so our next stop was Don Quijote so Friend A and I could each buy a duffel bag. To make up for earlier we visited Shogun Burger for dinner, which was fantastic.

2/20 - Our first travel day, but before heading out we did a little more shopping in Shinjuku: my friends and I really got into visiting every BookOff we could find. I also took the opportunity to stop at McDonalds for an early lunch and try their "exclusive" menu items. We then boarded the Odakyu line to make our way out to Hakone. In hindsight, I definitely should have forwarded a bag to our Kyoto hotel: I had a very uncomfortable trip moving between trains and walking uphill but after a couple hours we made it to Ajisai Onsen Ryokan. The building was in a traditional style but with modern furnishings: to paint a picture, our room had futons and an Amazon Fire Stick. We booked times to reserve some of the baths, then walked to a local gyoza place - and I mean local, a bunch of schoolchildren stampeded in with us as it opened - then headed back to the hotel for our evening bath. To cap the evening we enjoyed some sake and watched a few episodes of Spy x Family.

2/21 - We got an early start with our morning bath and quickly came to a realization. The previous night we had booked the "indoor / outdoor" bath, which had both an indoor and outdoor bath but critically kept the showers indoors. For the morning we were in the "outdoor" bath, which... had the showers outdoors. When it was right around freezing. Afterward we ate breakfast at the hotel, then went on the "Hakone Loop". We started by walking through Gora Park and participating in a brief tea ceremony, then took the rope car up to Owaukudani. We were lucky and there were clear skies so Mt. Fuji was very visible in the distance. Unfortunately part of the ropeway was out of service so we took a bus down to Lake Ashi, which we then crossed by boat. We quickly stopped for snacks then walked along Ancient Cedar Avenue before catching a bus back closer to our hotel. We unfortunately missed the last cable car for the day - they stop before 4:30 - but we managed to figure out the local bus line to get back. After a brief rest we found dinner at Pub Stop Pizza & Bar and took in some local entertainment (a TV was playing Fast and the Furious 7).

2/22 - Another bath, another hotel breakfast, and a quick stop at the Hakone Art Museum before we got on our way to our next destination. I asked / begged for us to take a cab back down the mountain to Hakone-Yumoto, which saved me from more luggage struggles. At the station we stopped in Eva-ya: I had only learned yesterday that Hakone is the setting for much of Neon Genesis Evangelion, but luckily they had some cover files and sweets ready for me to buy. After a couple hour trip on the shinkansen we arrived at Kyoto and with a bit of fumbling got to our hotel. The key here is that there is a second floor walkway that runs North - South through the station and doesn't require paying train fare. Our Kyoto hotel (Daiwa Roynet Hotel Kyoto Ekimae) had a very slick entrance way: it blended in with the building to the point you'd think you're walking towards a wall without signage. We did some laundry, then went next door to the Yodobashi to pick up a couple items (Friend A needed new sneakers) and literally got lost again. After again getting reoriented, we headed back to Kyoto Station where we got conveyor belt sushi. These places do technically exist where I'm from (US) but this was still one of my favorite moments on the trip.

2/23 - Kicked off the day at the Kyoto International Manga Museum. The bulk of the museum is an impossibly large manga library, which didn't serve me too well, but I enjoyed the history sections. One room was devoted to sculptures of the hands of famous artists, which was certainly a choice. They also had an artist there who would draw sketches of you for 1500 yen. I was a little worried I was paying for the equivalent of a carnival caricature, but the skill and detail were much better than that. Be advised, the artists are only available on holidays and weekends.
Afterward I took the train down to Osaka to meet a friend living in Japan for... you guessed it more shopping. We visited the Capcom Cafe first and checked out the rest of the nerdy stores at Daimaru Umeda. Unlike in Shibuya, we did need to get a timed entry ticket for the Nintendo store, so we went over to Mandarake to kill time. After finishing up in Umeda we hit up the Daimaru / PARCO at Shinsaibashi, then visited the Dotunburi Glico sign and walked the river. They took my picture and when I offered to take theirs they replied "no... I'm not a tourist". Oof. In the evening I met back up with my travel group and had udon at a spot in Kyoto Station.

2/24 - Slightly mixed things up here: we went to the Imperial Palace in order to get tickets for Katsura Imperial Villa. Unfortunately, same day tickets were not available as we expected, so we instead had to get them for Sunday 2/26. Still visited the palace, and in spite of the rain still had fun. Then back to Osaka where we ended up visiting Daimaru again - the other guys liked some photos I sent so much they wanted to see it too. Had takoyaki for lunch, then took the train to the Osaka Aquarium. The absolutely massive tank at the center was very impressive. Then stayed in the area and went to the park to wat a New Japan Pro Wrestling show. This was one of the first shows that allowed the whole audience to cheer: people were quiet but by the end of the night things were rocking. Interestingly they still only sat people in every other chair. Lastly while the other guys went to bed I had read on Twitter there was a party near our hotel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Star Fox. Stopped by there and while it was a little awkward at first once I found the more gregarious / drunk people there it was a good time. One guy insisted I get in front of a camera and talk for a second, and it showed up in a video they posted on Twitter.

2/25 - Went to Nara and saw the deer. The deer are docile if you don't have food, friendly if you do, and absolutely terrifying to children. The amount of "yada yada yada" and "kowai" I heard... At first we were giving whole crackers out, but we learned that we could break them up, leave them on our palm, get them to bow, etc. Headed over to Todai-ji and saw the huge Buddha. It was in fact very, very large. Doubled back and played with the deer a bit more, then took the train to Kyoto. I took the lull in the afternoon to visit the office of Edit Mode, a clothing maker that specializes in video game goods. They occasionally host an "open house" at their office and we were lucky enough to be there during one. For dinner we ate okonomiyaki at a restaurant in the Yodobashi building, then afterward took a trip to the nearest BookOff before hitting the hay.

2/26 - This was definitely our biggest mixup on the trip. We had been planning to go to Fushimi Inari in the morning but there were some scheduling issues:

We didn't take not of how long the hike would be (2-3 hours).
We overslept (woke up at 7:30 instead of 6).
We had a hard stop time to make the Katsura Imperial Villa tour we'd booked on Thursday.

We probably should've just not gone to Fushimi Inari at all but we did and ended up arriving with less than an hour to stay. We walked up the steps for about 15 minutes, turned back, checked out the start of the path, and left :( At least the Villa was a good experience: we had an English speaking guide (+ recording) which helped a lot. The context felt necessary to understanding how carefully the whole area was designed.
Next up was one last stop at our Kyoto hotel before taking a quick train ride to Osaka. We stayed at the Hotel Granvia Osaka, which is literally right above the station, so the location was certainly convenient. We ate sushi for lunch at one of the many restaurants in the building, took a quick nap, then went out for some taiyaki. Specifically, I forced my friends to go to a particular chain that was collaborating with a V-Tuber. back to the hotel where we checked out then hopped on the train to Osaka. Checked into our hotel and people napped for a bit before we headed out again. Got taiyaki (making my friends visit a chain with a Hololive collab). More shopping followed with a stop at Mandarake, then to Don Quijote where I bought another small suitcase. We ended up more or less skipping dinner and heading out for karaoke, where we had some snacks and drinks.

2/27 - For my friends' final day we went to Universal Studios Japan. This could be its entire own post but I recommend looking for tickets at least a month in advance, get the Express Pass, and get there early. The park is supposed to open at 9, and even though we showed up at 8:30 people were already pouring inside. Our main objective was Super Nintendo World but our timed entry wasn't for a couple hours, so we tried Jujutsu Kaisen 4D (okay), Spider-Man (good), and Jurassic Park the Ride (okay) first. As for Super Nitendo World itself... as long as you know it's intended for kids and has about a 4 hour lifespan you'll enjoy it. The Mario Kart ride was very good the AR game was interesting tech, and the restaurant food was alright. Really though, the Flying Dinosaur which went on afterward was incredible and easily my favorite ride. Unfortunately, Friend A became ill afterward so we ended up bailing to go back to the hotel and rest. After he felt better we grabbed dinner at a local ramen place: the gimmick was they lined the bowl with slices of pork, which you could then put in the broth to cook a little and season the whole bowl.

2/28 - My two friends left for America, so we checked out of our room and I checked into a smaller one at the same spot. This hotel didn't have laundry machines, just an expensive service (200 yen to clean one pair of underwear), so instead I found a laundromat nearby and caught up with family by phone while I waited. On the way back to the hotel I stopped at another Yodobashi, where I committed a gaffe: you're supposed to check out on each floor. Once I apologized a bunch and paid, I grabbed lunch at Wendy's and got settled into my new room. For dinner I went to another of the restaurants in the building, then took a train to Namba to see a retro video game bar. A couple drinks and a chat with the bartender later, I headed back for the night.

3/1 - A very nerdy shopping day in Osaka: first to the Daimaru character shops, then over to Parco character shops, then I just used Google Maps to hit BookOffs one after the other. I made my way south until I hit DenDen Town where I stopped in every store I saw until I had to break away for dinner. A local friend helped me book a reservation in Kobe Took the train out to Kobe where a friend had helped me make a reservation at a steak restaurant. I went for the "modarately" cheap option that was about $100 total and loved it from beginning to end. Also strangely this was the only restaurant anywhere I could tip: you had to tip individually and could only max it out at 500 yen. I tipped the two waiters, the chef, and the host / barker outside (who had good English so we talked a bit).

3/2 - My Fushimi Inari revenge trip! I got there around 9am so things were already pretty busy, but I did get the chance to chat with one of the tour guides while I had a morning coffee. The starting area was pretty busy and even as I went along, I ran into a lot of people but there was still enough space to take photos and see everything. I definitely paused at a few points: even walking 20,000 steps daily on the trip hadn't prepared me for all the stair climbing. I'd also suggest that you don't NEED to go all the way to the top: there's just a store up there that completely obscures the view, the better views are earlier in the hike. With that said, I still really enjoyed myself, taking a different route back down. I grabbed a couple of snacks and took the train back to Osaka, where I finished up exploring Namba and went with a friend for an unagidon dinner. I'd had broiled eel before as sushi but never as the full entree and found it delicious!

3/3 - After checking out of the hotel and forwarding two of my bags to Tokyo, I caught the shinkansen but made a detour while in Yokohama to visit the Gundam Factory. The Gundam is very impressive in person and I would definitely recommend visiting in the early evening to see it after dark if possible. I proceeded onto Shinjuku where I ran into another issue: I was staying at a capsule hotel and immmediately realized I was not comfortable there. Everyone's bags were kept in a locker room that was not closely monitored, there were signs everywhere advising the hotel was not responsible for any theft... I should have done more reading to understand where I'd be staying. I would have been better off in a hostel, at least that would've been cheaper! I did at least have a chance to visit Shogun Burger again for dinner, after which I booked a new hotel for the next night, then got a few hours of restless sleep as I heard every snore and cough from my neighbors.

3/4 - I rose early and walked to Shinjuku Gyoen Garden. You really can use Suica in a lot of places, they even accepted it here! Most plants weren't in bloom yet but I did spot a lone cherry blossom tree that had blossomed: as I passed by it later in my walk a dozen people had crowded around for photos. A lot of stuff was not in bloom yet but I did see one cherry tree had blossomed at least. After getting my fill of nature I ventured over to Nakano Broadway. Out of all the nerdy shopping I did, this spot was my least favorite: maybe if I knew Japanese I would've fared better but because I didn't, I found all the various specialty stores confusing to navigate. I stopped back at the capsule hotel to pick up my luggage, then headed to Nipponbashi to check into my backup hotel (S-Peria Inn Nihonbashi Hakozaki). This new spot was pretty out of the way so I opted to just grab some sushi from a nearby supermarket and park it for the evening with the hope of a strong start tomorrow.

3/5 - Checked out of my hotel and headed over to Shinjuku to check in to my final hotel (Kadoya Hotel) for the trip. Dropped off my bags and confirmed my other ones had shown up safely, then headed to Shibuya Parco for the Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary pop-up. Shopped there for a bit, then headed back to Chillmatic and this time they were open! It was a neat experience but I think I preferred Shogun Burger. Next stop was Meijijingu - I didn't leave a votive and instead just walked around, including a stop in one of the gardens. Then over to HMV Books where there was a 20th Anniversary Celebration for Game Center CX. However busy I expected it to be, it was not... at all. I was the only person who paid the 800 yen for the museum part in the 30-45 minutes I was there. But I did enjoy it and picked up a T-shirt. I also found a small pop-up gallery titled "9Days" on a lower floor that was interesting. It was getting late but I pressed onto Akihabara where I went to the Radio Kaikan tower. I stayed there until closing, then headed over to Tokyo Video Gamers, a bar. They had closed down last year but were in the middle of a soft re-launch when I stopped by. Finally, I headed back to my hotel and ordered some Dominos because I was tired of walking around.

3/6 - Checked out of my hotel, but left my bags so I could go eat breakfast at Eggslut at the station. Took the Narita Express to the airport, shopped a little bit at the airport shops, then the long sad flight back to the US.
That was a linguistic dreadnought so if anything is unclear let me know and I'll try to clean it up. Hope you enjoyed and it helps with your own planning: I'll answer questions as best as I can!

Heading there next week. Family of Four with two teenagers. Priorities are pool, beach access, relaxation.
Any preferences? Any hotel on this list that seems rundown?

Trying to figure out if a trip idea is a good one or not.
Last year husband and I went to La Paz and had a great time. Loved the calm warm waters at Playa Tecolote (Well, one day at least), and spent a ton of time lounging in the sand at the beach club at Puerta Cortes. Perfect combination of beautiful surroundings and friendly locals. Our ideal beach day is one with a bar nearby with good basic food, lounge chairs, and calm warm water. Not really into all inclusives, sportfishing, and are not party animals, but love to get in the water at a beach with some soft-ish sand(including some snorkeling and/or kayaking) and stay in a comfortable condo/hotel room at night.
I'm trying to see if there's other places a bit closer to the Cabo airport that can sort of fit the bill, and keep coming back to seeing Los Barriles. It looks like it's a big kiteboading/wavesurfing and fishing place, but are there any cons here that should push me away from that? We are a same-sex couple fwiw, though only mentioning it in case there are some issues with that in the area where it could become a problem for us.

Looking for recommendations for electrolysis based on personal experience that people have been happy and comfortable with. Preferably someone that offers package deals or discounts for X amount visits. Doesn’t have to be in Long Beach, surrounding areas are fine too.
*Not interested in laser, it doesn’t work for me
Thank you!!