Anrad-The Ageran Travel Guide

[Gloibria]

Issue One- Travels in Dór
Anrad, the traveller's friend and your window to the world

PART ONE- Vúlo and Balveren

When you think of the Fysla of Dór in the very north of Ageros you think of serene mountains, gentle streams and towering intimidating, cliffs. You'd be right to think this. Its an accurate description. But few know just how remote the very north of the evergreen isle can get. My stay would take place in Dór over the course of three days, in a small cottage just outside of the Ókunreach forest where I would be living completely off grid. 

The village of Vúlo lay around a twenty minute walk from the small wooden cabin I was staying at in the foothills of the Dór mountains. Thick conifer forest enveloped all around the property. Finding it was difficult. The satnav that I was using to get there cut off in the middle of the road to announce that I had arrived. I was almost certain that the endless forest in front of me was not in fact my destination. So turning to go back again I discovered that I had completely missed a tiny dirt path to my left that brought me at last to my home for the next three days.

The view was stunning, mist in the early morning on my first day rose over the trees below and shielded the rest of the horizon from my view. The Ageran word for this phenomonon is 'Ándanadrail' which translates to 'spirit's breath'. 

I walked the twenty minute walk to Vúlo. It had rained that night and continued to drizzle but nevertheless I found it a wholly pleasant experience. In the village I got coffee in the local book store. This is common in Ageros. Book stores are a surprisingly common occurrence and all of them double up as cafés serving local cakes and pastry as well as coffee and tea. There is an Ageran hot drink called 'Strále' which I bought a cup of after my coffee. It is made among other things with meadow sweet and nettles. It is a yellow greenish liquid and is served in a small cup. I have to say it is an acquired taste but Agerans cannot get enough of it and it is consumed daily in most Ageran households.

I went on a walk then, to the ruins of the local monastery. It had been burned down by constitutionalist forces during the Ageran civil war to force out a batallion of men loyal to Prince Áinur within. Great effort and a government grant have been used to restore what is left of the ancient building and it now sits elegantly tucked away towards the south of the village. 

Artificial light is rare in this part of the isle. The northern parts of rural Ageros around the Dór mountains, Lake Haeferí and the Northern Upland are designated as dark sky areas. The stars at night here are awe inspiring. Nowhere is there a better place to stare into the heavens than northern Ageros. If you wish to take a closer look there is an observatory about an hour an a half to the east just outside of Sorfalinn in the Norká Fylsa.

On day two I recieved an invite from two friends to visit them at their new home. This was in Parvóy, the second most northerly of the two northern isles of Ageros. To get there I wouldd need to go and get the local island ferry from the village of Balveren. The Balveren ferry to put it mildly has a reputation. The sea between Balveren and Parvóy is rarely calm. I have heard plenty of horror stories about the contents of countless stomachs being projected into the turbulent sea below. If I thought any more about it the contents of mine would be on the floor of the cabin. Not wanting to be rude I accepted the invitation and my my fate.

I was greeted by a cheerful ferry captain at the pier at Balveren that afernoon. I asked him where the ferry was after handing him the 12,000 Kroná needed to board (That's around $12). He pointed to a small orange boat that looked like it would sink if the wind blew too hard directly at it. "That's it?!?" I said in sheer bewilderment. He replied with a curt nod, looking slightly hurt like I'd just gravely insulted a loved one. 

The following journey was something I wish to never, in my entire life experience again. I stayed on deck having been told my Jón and Marie my friends whom I'd be visiting on Parvóy that if I went into the cabin i'd get sick quicker. I was not sick but the rough waves and tumbling downpour soaked me through. None of the three man crew seemed phased and after what felt like an age, with a thanks to the captain and the other men. I arrived on Parvóy.

PART TWO COMING SOON- Involving a storm, a rescue and another awful ferry journey.