Optimistic

Round 23: Spring 2017

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Joanna Gottlieb is 22.

Dear Mum and Dad,

I never told you this before, because I knew you'd freak out (especially you, Dad) but I guess now that I'm finished and managed to not get robbed or murdered, I can tell you. Up until now, all through my trip, I've been camping out.

But you'll be happy to know that I'm in Takemizu Village now and am staying in an actual hotel. I kind of wanted to rough it the whole way but there are no camping places around here.

It's been really nice to be able to sleep in a bed every night now. The hotel is the cheapest I could find but it's comfortable and very safe. It's also meant I have somewhere to leave all my things during the day, so I've finally been able to ditch my backpack.

Onto the important stuff: food! Everything here is delicious, especially the chirashi. I've been practically living on the stuff!

Except when I order room service. It's such a waste of money but after so long living outside, I'm taking pleasure in little luxuries.

They give these really great massages here too. It's called acupressure. I have to admit to being terrified when I heard all those cracking sounds but once the masseuse was done, it made a real difference. I felt so energised!

I've already done all the tours Takemizu has to offer and haven't been too impressed with them, to be honest.

I seem to get soaked, or injured in some way every time I take one. I took a walking tour and ended up with the worst case of poison ivy I've ever had (and I've had a lot on this trip!)

I thought a soak in the hot springs might soothe it but that only worked for a little while.

This itching was getting really old.

I felt like people were staring every time I had to reach down and scratch. They probably were,
I must have looked like a freak.

So I headed back to the hotel room instead, where I could scratch myself in peace and hang around in my PJs for the afternoon. Caught up on my reading too. It feels like forever since I've actually read a book!

You guys know I'm a bit of a hermit at home, at the best of times, but I guess I'm missing people because I've actually been socialising! Most of the people I talk to seem pretty nice, although I don't know what excuse you have to be so smelly in a hotel with showers and baths! I avoid the stinky ones!

I even met some locals and they taught me the gestures people around here use. They'll come in handy eventually.

I even participated in a tai chi lesson. It seems like it's a pretty relaxing hobby but I don't know if it's something I'd want to do a whole lot of. It's a bit new agey for me, I guess!

And just like every other place I've been, I've run into people from home here. The latest was Max, Olivia's brother. We had some tea together and I got up to date with everything back at home.

I'd heard about this old guy who hangs around his house telling some ancient tale and I wanted to hear what the fuss was about, so I went along. He told me the story, which was cool, but he was such an asshole!

I tried to tell him about all my recent adventures and he was just so damn rude about it.

I told him so too!

It's not like what he had to say outside of the story was so interesting!

So I'm not really superstitious but everyone talks about the shrines and making a wish at them, so I figured I'd give it a shot anyway.

Yeesh, that didn't look good!

Maybe there's something to that shrine after all. It seems like a pretty weird coincidence that it glows red and then I'm swarmed by bees, right? But why me? What'd I do?!?

Honestly, people talk a lot of crap around here. This weirdo told me he knew how to teleport. Um, okay. Whatever you say!

He told me he'd teach me the secret if I answered his question correctly. I played along and he whispered something in my ear that didn't really make much sense! I doubt I'll be zapping myself around Sullivan any time soon, let's put it that way!

But I will be back home soon! I have a few more places to visit but the first day of the new year, I'm flying into Lachance International. Rose is going to be there, of course but I have a feeling you guys might make an appearance too! I can't wait to get back and see everybody again. This trip feels like it's gone so fast and so slow at the same time!


Joanna's trip - the end result:

So I am proud to say that I did complete all 45 of the vacation memories (except the Big Foot one, which I cheated with in SimPE - no Sasquatches in Sullivan, thank you very much!)

The last memory was Become a Frequent Traveler. I thought that required three good vacations but it actually requires five, so Joanna went on a quickie beach holiday as soon as she got back from Takemizu. She'd already been to the beach once as a kid, so that made it five.

Instead of listing everything, I screen capped Joanna's vacation panel.

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Doesn't that look cool, all filled up like that?

I am very sad to report that there seems to be NO surprise or reward at the end for completing all the memories. No special memory, no plaque that would sit in her inventory until death, no congratulatory message. Dammit Maxis! That SUCKS!

So I guess what I'm saying is if you want to complete the vacation memories as a little challenge for yourself, go ahead because it can be fun. But don't expect any reward for it.

Notes:

• The title is from Optimistic by Radiohead.
• So Joanna was supposed to stay in a youth hostel I'd built but when I took her there, she got the pop-up about being charged about 6 times. I figured I'd done something wrong in building or zoning it, so I moved her to the el cheapo hotel but I got the same problem there. It only happens on the first day but I'm still not sure what's up.
• I've never seen Joanna react as negatively to anyone as she did to the Wise Old Man! She has only one nice point but for her, it manifests itself into not really hanging around people much at all (she's not shy, so that's the only explanation I can come up with). It's not often that I've seen her autonomously tease or argue but she really didn't like the WOM.
• Speaking of the WOM, he's a Fortune Sim! That makes me laugh because you'd think he'd be an ascetic. But no, his LTW is to earn $100,000. He should probably start charging people to hear his dragon legend.
• I'm so crazy excited about using the airport for Joanna's homecoming. It's really quite sad. I'll do that update along with the Summer 2018 birthdays.