Travel: Caldera Sun-Times

On The Road Again: The Jobaji Drop

by HowlinWolf

This week, as I sat on my favorite Leopard-print Chair by the fireplace in 318 Bourbon Street (a.k.a. HowlinWolf’s house; or Incognito 008; or the starting point of the “Winding Buggy Trail”) I sipped a mug of Hot Blues and pondered where the trail would lead me. There is full of so many places that can be easily missed by the unobservant eye… and I’m determined to find each one of those places.

So I reclined in my Leopard Chair and started perusing my bookmarked Places. I skimmed down the list once, noticing names of places that I frequent: the obvious (Duda, the Boneyard), the mundane (Karuna, Zephyr)… but my focus got stuck on one bookmark in particular… one that I haven’t visited in a while. The Jobaji Drop, also referred to as “The Cliffs of Insanity” (from The Princess Bride, one of my favorite movies.)

And just like that, I had my destination. So off I went, pen in hand, to get to the bottom of the Jobaji Drop. Actually, it would appear that there is no bottom to the Jobaji Drop; rather it is just a hole in the ground that seems to swallow you up if you get too close to the edge.

I arrived on the island of Jobaji, via the teleport function on the “Interactive There Map” (© 2003 HJSV - www.hjsv.com); Jobaji is the small island just north of Motu-Motu; the Drop is on the northwest part of the island. When you arrive, don’t look around for a big hole in the ground. The mouth of the drop is partially obscured by tall, stalagmite-looking peaks; in order to jump in you have to climb over those. Now, a word to the uninitiated: if you plan on a trip to the Drop, don’t plan on landing! You’ll need to teleport out, unless you are determined to ‘get to the bottom of it’… and if so, good luck! Legend has it that if you stay in the Drop long enough, you’ll eventually come out on the other side of There… perhaps in a yet-to-be discovered far-eastern land. Of course, such rumors are simply that: unproven myths.

I climb to the top of one of the stalagmites and peer down… if you look closely, you can see where the Drop becomes “weird.” If you’ve ever done the Drop, you know what I mean when I say “weird”… at a certain point, your avi no longer appears to be falling. Instead, he becomes a kaleidoscope of colors… images are broken apart and flashed around you in rapid succession. It reminds me of when I was a kid and the TV set had a knob called “vertical hold.” If you turned that knob, everything on the screen started fluttering like a Rolodex that’s been spun too hard. (Ok, I’m only 33… but when I was a kid, our TV’s had a lot more knobs than today’s models. In fact, I seriously doubt that a 21st century plasma screen television even has ONE knob!)

After a few minutes of looking down into the Drop, I decide that this time, I’m not going to jump. No, just standing here at the top is enough… I’ve seen the kaleidoscopic “vertical-hold effect” before. So, instead, I reach into My Things and pull out… none other than Herman (my Theredog.)

“Herman… fetch!”

He’ll get a kick out of that.


		On The Road Again: The Jobaji Drop by HowlinWolf This week, as I sat on my favorite Leopard-print Chair by the fireplace in 318 Bourbon Street (a.k.a. HowlinWolf’s house; or Incognito 008; or the starting point of the “Winding Buggy Trail”) I sipped a mug of Hot Blues and pondered where the trail would lead me. There is full of so many places that can be easily missed by the unobservant eye… and I’m determined to find each one of those places. So I reclined in my Leopard Chair and started perusing my bookmarked Places. I skimmed down the list once, noticing names of places that I frequent: the obvious (Duda, the Boneyard), the mundane (Karuna, Zephyr)… but my focus got stuck on one bookmark in particular… one that I haven’t visited in a while. The Jobaji Drop, also referred to as “The Cliffs of Insanity” (from The Princess Bride, one of my favorite movies.) And just like that, I had my destination. So off I went, pen in hand, to get to the bottom of the Jobaji Drop. Actually, it would appear that there is no bottom to the Jobaji Drop; rather it is just a hole in the ground that seems to swallow you up if you get too close to the edge. I arrived on the island of Jobaji, via the teleport function on the “Interactive There Map” (© 2003 HJSV - www.hjsv.com); Jobaji is the small island just north of Motu-Motu; the Drop is on the northwest part of the island. When you arrive, don’t look around for a big hole in the ground. The mouth of the drop is partially obscured by tall, stalagmite-looking peaks; in order to jump in you have to climb over those. Now, a word to the uninitiated: if you plan on a trip to the Drop, don’t plan on landing! You’ll need to teleport out, unless you are determined to ‘get to the bottom of it’… and if so, good luck! Legend has it that if you stay in the Drop long enough, you’ll eventually come out on the other side of There… perhaps in a yet-to-be discovered far-eastern land. Of course, such rumors are simply that: unproven myths. I climb to the top of one of the stalagmites and peer down… if you look closely, you can see where the Drop becomes “weird.” If you’ve ever done the Drop, you know what I mean when I say “weird”… at a certain point, your avi no longer appears to be falling. Instead, he becomes a kaleidoscope of colors… images are broken apart and flashed around you in rapid succession. It reminds me of when I was a kid and the TV set had a knob called “vertical hold.” If you turned that knob, everything on the screen started fluttering like a Rolodex that’s been spun too hard. (Ok, I’m only 33… but when I was a kid, our TV’s had a lot more knobs than today’s models. In fact, I seriously doubt that a 21st century plasma screen television even has ONE knob!) After a few minutes of looking down into the Drop, I decide that this time, I’m not going to jump. No, just standing here at the top is enough… I’ve seen the kaleidoscopic “vertical-hold effect” before. So, instead, I reach into My Things and pull out… none other than Herman (my Theredog.) “Herman… fetch!” He’ll get a kick out of that.