
(What? Did I place the wrong image in the post?)
I usually find new places through three different methods: a) reading about them in blogs, plurk or getting a reference from a friend; b) shopping sprees; b) sim hopping.
Nuuanu Hale was a discovery of the third kind. By mere chance, jumping from one sim to another in the neighbourhood. At first, it was the exotic name that drew my attention, after some disappointments over the previous landings. Oh, I know I am growing more and more demanding in terms of quality. Not only quality of furniture, clothing, hairs (there’s a whole bunch of things from my early days that I really must delete once and for all, just because what at the time looked amazing, makes me puke these days), but quality in terms of landscaping, organisation and lay-out of the islands. As I learnt myself how to do a few things, whenever I get to a place that brings me nothing new I tend to have a look around, nod in approval (or amaze in horror, lol) and head to the next one. What am I looking for ? Most of all, as with everything I do, I am searching for… knowledge. Food for the mind and the imagination, if you prefer me to be that explicit.

(But… but… this is NOT the in-world!)
Mmm, back to the point. Nuuanu Hale is a combination of hawaiian words, country home of Rabit Minotaur, the owner and builder of the place: Nu’uanu is one of the primary valleys on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, and “Hale” is the local word for “house”. I had the chance of meeting Rabit there, a really friendly guy who at first purchased the sim and started to build it as a place to settle his home and hang out with his friends. As time went by, he decided to open up the place to everyone – and it is a shame there’s so few visits, for this is like a huge surprise box.

(Looking up, I could swear that’s FL sky!)
In fact, when you first get there, you see a small pleasant tropical island, about the size of half a sim, with one of my favourites tree-houses and a Baron Grayson’s pirate ship. Totally worth a visit, the details of Mr. Grayson work never cease to marvel me. But then, after a while, you start looking around and realize you’re at a full-prim sim. You start making some accountacy… now, even if the ship and its contents were hosting something like 2000 prims – where in the goddess name would be the remaining 13000 ?
THEN you find a teleport! AH! And you start applauding Rabit’s ingenious idea! In fact, it looks like he actually built five different sims there! They are displayed at different heights, so that each “level”, as he called them, has its own environment and particular feeling. Now… how simple is that and why couldn’t I think of that before ? LOL

(Then you look down and notice your avatar’s feet are on firm planet-earth-ground)
I am not going to be exhaustive and will let you guys have your full hand of surprises as well. But as far as I am concerned, I would advise you not to miss levels two and three. On this last one, you can find a really fun car racing track that will enable you to set up races with your friends not risking running over someone – and a nicely flavoured saloon with some addictive arcade games. Did I already told you they are addictive ? Well, you can’t complain I didn’t warn you, right?

(Suddenly, you’re not too sure where you are anymore)
My favourite surprise, as a wanna-be in-world photographer, however, was the second level. There, besides Rabit’s nightclub “Serenity”, you will find a awesome Virtual Room, which can be used by anyone. All you have to do is choose amongst 79 different panoramic scenes and enter the room – and believe me, you will instantly forget where you are!!! Ah, you thought you were in a box ? Have a closer look, then ! You can watch any direction, up your head or below your feet and you will know what I mean. The set of backgrounds includes indoor and outdoor scenarios, all of them shot in FL and carefully placed inside a cube. Did I say carefully ? I should have said perfectly instead. Because once the pictures are rezzed, it will be really difficult to identify the corners where the pictures come together. In fact, you will not notice them, for the assembly work is indeed brilliant!

(Well… now you know where you are – and why I was posting these pictures here)
In each level you will also find a detailed notecard with full information on the whole place. And since the owner is often around, you’ll probably have the opportunity to congratulate Mr. Minotaur personally.
Then again… don’t take my word for it. Tp there, watch for yourself – and careful with the addictive gaming tables !! hehehe
Have fun!
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