Imagine living inside someone else's body. A slightly jarring
thought, eh?
But that's what they do on this month's NOT Your Home Planet
selection:
Trill! Now, I realise the idea of going beyond physical appearance to
discover the being within is, shall we say, foreign to some people
(calling all adolescent males!), but let's keep an open mind, eh? The honest
truth
is, Trill is a surprisingly excellent and popular vacation spot, with
attractions and views rivaling any planet within warp distance.
Something to keep in mind when in contact with Trill inhabitants:
while
speaking with someone, you're not really speaking with them in the
traditional sense. You're speaking with a small vermiform symbiont
inside
of them, which could be older or younger than its humanoid host. For
those
familiar with esoteric Earth entertainment, just think of "Invasion of
the
Body Snatchers," but without all that malice. The partnership between
host
and symbiont is a peaceful and voluntary one.
Now, with that out of the way, we can move on to the juicy stuff. As
soon
as you exit your transport, head right over to the Baths of Trill.
Peaceful
and elegant, they're a great spot to just hang out and enjoy the view.
Better yet, bring a friend and some nosh and have a picnic! Don't
forget to
chat up the Trill; as long-lived as the symbionts are, they're sure to
have
plenty of wisdom to dispense.
After the Baths, take a transport underground to see the illustrious
Caves
of Mak'ala. A sub-surface series of interconnecting pools, they also
hold
the breeding environment for Trill symbionts, which is sadly
restricted to
off-worlders. But that doesn't mean you can't enjoy the remaining
Caves;
it's not often that you get the opportunity to be completely
underground
with only rock and soil separating you from sky. Claustrophobics
beware!
At dusk, you can't miss one attraction: the Teneran ice cliffs. Now,
the
journey there might take a short while. They are, after all, located
at the
coldest reaches of the southern hemisphere! But it's well worth it to
see
the ice lit up in brilliant colors just as the sun goes down. At 200
feet
high, their beauty is almost overwhelming; they stretch before you,
looking
aflame, like a massive and perfect crystal. Breathtaking.
Well, after all that awe and spectacle, you've got to be hungry.
Never
fear: just visit the Interplanetary Bar and Grille. Serving up
specialties
like Kohlanese stew, Maraltian seev-ale, and white chocolate fondue,
they've got offworld cuisine down pat. Hankering for some Earth
lasagna,
flaked blood fleas or even gagh? Anything you like, they've probably
got
it. It makes homesickness a thing of the past... well, at least as far
as
food is concerned.
As the world grows darker and the stars come out to play, you'd do
best to
find the Selipsis, the most popular hotel on the planet. You've made
reservations, right? If not, you'll most likely be left with no room.
Yes,
it's that busy! But that's only natural: it's the oldest and largest
beach
resort, nestled right next to one of the world's purple oceans.
Needless
to say, that violet hue is quite disconcerting at first for Terrans
like
me, but once you've adjusted, it's incredible. And if you think the
way it
looks is strange, try swimming in it!
So if you're still looking for the non-traditional vacation spot,
give
Trill a try. And remember not to judge a book by its cover: while the
cover
might be new, the pages could be ancient!
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