After the queer quiet of outer space it was the sounds of the Chemist and Cat's second destination which hit them first ahead of the sights. There were regular and random chirps and growls, the slop of disturbed water and the low hum that could mean only one thing: the time travellers had reached the jungle!
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| Overview of Stop #2: The Animal Kingdom |
It appears that this second stop is also measuring millions of years into the past, with humans still trying to find their way in a world dominated by the Animal Kingdom. It was with some trepidation that our explorers glanced around at the many vivid colours taking advantage of the freedom from human interference. The first feature they locked eyes upon was a beautiful scene:
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| Sea turtle lake |
There was a great lake of swirling Tranquil Waters, itself full of flourishing life. A family of happy Sea Turtle Tables could be seen paddling in the cool lake, with some congregating at their Lily Pad Table hangout. They look to be a cheery bunch, and are clearly content to be able to enjoy the serenity of the waters in contrast to the dense jungle.
There are also Flamingos chilling in the lake, and they're clearly absorbed by the drama taking place on the Jungle Tour. You'll notice that the girl in the green dress has her mouth wide open in fear - she's understandably distressed that her Lake Dog has been left behind on the Spring Meadow banks.
With the concept of language not yet discovered, the boat's captain is having to communicate using flags, although I don't think he's interpreting her distress at all well. Will her dog be left abandoned in this dangerous place?
The reason this is a dangerous area is because of what lies within the jungle:
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| Lion's den in the jungle |
There is a convenient Stepping Stone path can be found on the outskirts, but it's only so useful as it leads straight to the lion posing atop the Zoo Gifts. The self-proclaimed king of the jungle, the lion is taking his rightful place above the various other animals that roam the lands, and has decided to take residence in a den flanked by Athens Pillars and Lion Statues (how vain!)
The other critters in the jungle are obliged to look up with admiration at their leader, be it the habitants of the Panda Pen, the numerous Rustic Turkeys or the Honey Bear. They can all be found within this portion of the vegetation and are apparently more friendly than the pretentious lion.
But they're not the only animals running amok in the jungle. To the north are some creatures which have the Chemist very excitable:
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| Dinosaurs in the jungle |
The Dino Daycare is the natural habitat of the dinosaurs, who are currently having a good play. Their lurid colours are as good an indicator as any that we are very far away from home, but the smiles all round suggest that this particular group aren't the fierce force the dinosaurs are often portrayed to be. They're just enjoying themselves in a rich surrounding.
And what a rich surrounding it is! There's a Parrot Tree, Lemur Log and Christmas Reindeer all in the vicinity, and those with a keen eye may even spot a Toucan Tree, perched at the top of a Fallen Tree. This is clearly a wonderful place to be, and so it doesn't come as much of a surprise that humans have managed to settle deep in the flora:
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| Humans in the jungle |
It must have taken a long time to construct, but a couple of people have managed to put together the Action Dining. A large structure built on a pool of water, this puts the residents right at the heart of the action. With its raised foundations the risk of creepy crawlies paying a visit is minimised, while a straw roof will keep out the worst of the tropical storms.
By keeping a fire roaring inside and the Tropical Torches burning at the entrance, the pair staying at this most enticing of joints will hopefully be able to stave off any of the dangerous animals lurking, and instead will be able to observe from afar. Although there is a Hanging Monkey looks like he may be looking for an opportunity to prepare a fried banana!
After a lengthy venture into the foliage, the Cat emerged with a new recipe worth bringing back to The Garlic Tree:
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| Time Machine including addition of Dinosaur Nuggets |
The Dinosaur Nuggets becomes the third dish positioned around the Time Machine. and will serve as a reminder to the adventurers that they walked with dinosaurs. And after some forensic analysis the Chemist is pretty certain that no dinosaur was harmed in the making of the nuggets - it's just the shape of them folks!
You'll also notice the Train Conductor from the galactic crossroads has sneaked on board. I did ponder whether he'd grow tired of directing interstellar traffic, and it appears I wasn't far off! So it looks like our voyagers are not only going to be bringing new foods back to the present day but also new friends!
When the ideas for this big journey started floating around in my head, a prehistoric stop like this was right at the forefront. I think it may even have been around the time of the Dino Crate's release that the metaphorical light bulb popped into being above my head. A box which has rightly been ridiculed for its dreadful theme and lacklustre contents was suddenly at the centre of my plans!
With this being the only source of dinosaurs in the game (and my gem budget limited) I knew I had to expand the theme to include the animal kingdom as a whole, and quickly found that there was plenty in the market to do so. And yet the Zoo Crate was still too attractive to turn down. There's not a total dud in there in my view, so I decided to take a couple of dips, and was satisfied with the results.
The Chemist, the Cat and the Time Machine
Then came the Dino Crate. I had budgeted for two openings, and sat with dread as I tapped for the first. When the first prize Dino Daycare flashed up on my screen I must admit I flung my iPad away and danced a little jig in the middle of the floor. This was my first ever first prize in Restaurant Story, and what a time to get it! In contrast to the richness of the Zoo Crate, the Dino Crate has more than enough booby prizes, so to obtain a super rare 4x4 decoration on the first attempt was exhilarating.
I unsurprisingly called it quits there and then, thus giving myself a surplus of gems to utilise elsewhere in the coming weeks. There was more than enough flora and vegetation to allow me to really go wild, and I couldn't be happier with the final result. I tentatively suggest this will be the pick of the stops, but I guess my box luck will play a significant role in that.
One last thing - did anyone notice the presence of the Fallen Trees? They're not exactly a sight befitting a prospering environment where nature is blooming. It's almost as if the winds are changing out there...
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