AlphaGazette #07: A Question of Scale | SC07 – A Brobdingnagian Conundrum

The scale of the map, the scale of the experience, the scale of the expectation. If not managed properly, any of these can ruin a travel adventure. Always plan ahead and research your destinations before you arrive to prevent potential heartbreak and disaster, and most importantly, know your universe!

When traveling to an unfamiliar, perhaps exotic destination, there's always preparation that needs to be done, from learning local customs, to understanding food options, language, and so on. It can be a lot deal with, especially if it's an adventure vacation, but don't forget to factor in the additional unknowns of this destination being in another timeline, with its own rules about how the world works. 

Are there deadly animals or other dangers you're not familiar with? A sweet bunny in your world could be a ravaging carnivore in another. Learn your enemies and bring anti-venom, if necessary. The stuff of your dreams and nightmares could be very real in another instance. Roving hordes of murderous zombies in your forecast? Then pack a weapon and Eau de Rotting Corpse to mask your scent.

How about you, are you in shape? Better know your limits before you try that ten-mile hike in 15% more gravity. Where are you staying? Are you near your destination or do you have to hike into town from a remote campsite because hotels don't exist? Don't take anything for granted.

Are you traveling alone or with a partner? Do you share interests or are they going to wander off looking for drug dens when you want to visit a museum? Perhaps you have a relative or a friend abroad you want to visit. Will they welcome you, or greet you with a shotgun, because they think you're their version, who happens to be a murderer? These are just a few of the myriad considerations you may need to consider on top of all the unforgettable experiences you already have lined up.

Some things, of course, are beyond your control. There is a race of giants living in the mountains of Japan, that up until recently were considered only legends, and have been integrated into society by essentially letting them be turned into a tourist attraction. In return, they are allowed to capture anything that strays out of strictly defined areas, including the tourists themselves. Hence the Brobdingnagian Conundrum, in which a giant weighs the pros and cons of eating the hand that feeds them.