Con-Versation

 Our second stop on Safari this week was to meet up with Frans Charming and Lyr Lobo of Avacon grid. Frans is the grid's tech guy, and Lyr is a consultant and Koshari Mahana: Hi Lyr, thank you for having us.

Thirza Ember: I think that we are all here

Spax Orion: Nice to see another operator running YETI mono

Lyr Lobo: Welcome, everyone. This is AvaCon grid. AvaCon is a nonprofit organization devoted to encouraging community in virtual worlds. Frans here is our amazing mastermind behind the Web and scripted content on the grid.  Itis a joy to share with the HG Safari 

Frans Charming: We use this grid, sometimes for new users, in education or professional settings, so having some plain default avatars, is useful for that.

Spax Orion: I love building with prims

Francisco Koolhoven: Hi Lyr!

Lyr Lobo: I do too *grins*

Thirza Ember: how old is this grid?  and how many residents?

Frans Charming: Close to those 14 years, i would say. We dont really have residents. The grid is mostly used as an introduction area, for non profits. Or used as a teaching platform.

Lyr Lobo and, with his steaming brew, Frans Charming

Lyr Lobo:  Today is the kickoff of our OpenSimulator Community conference call for proposals. AvaCon sponsors and hosts the OSCC. This is our 14th year. You can submit a proposal for a talk here. Then we will go on to Primland, the documentation for that is here  

Into the Hidden Vale

 Govega Sachertorte invited Safari to come over to Neverworld to sample a recently completed build called Hidden Vale, by Nexus Storm. On arrival, we were welcomed by Gov, Joshua and Alba who guided us around this lush landscape during the first hour of this week's trip. The HG Address is at the end of the post, as always.

Govega Sachertorte: Hi everyone, welcome to Hidden Vale

Thirza Ember: Joshua is armed, so no jokes about his outfit

Sven Ingersoll: we all have arms... legs too - no big deal

Spax Orion: am I here?

Alba Puca: Hello all

Cherry Manga: hello

Arriving on Neverworld

Sven Ingersoll: if you're not here...where would you be?

OSFest Countdown

This year, OSFest is in October, for the two weeks from Monday, October 12 through Monday, October 26 and the theme of the event this year is fantasy and science fiction. 

Principal organizer Shelenn Ayres gave an informative interview about the motivation and the philosophy of the event when she was a guest on Inworld Review, you can watch that show here. 

Shelenn Ayres on Inworld Review

It's not just Shelenn of course; and she would be the first one to thank the volunteers and helpers, new and old, who have come forward to help with the organizing and publicity.  

WolfFest26

Over on Wolf Territories Grid it's almost time for WolfFest 2026, a showcase of the creativity of the residents and a chance to party. The festival is a weekend affair, on October 4 and 5 and the event begins at 8 am Grid time. You can find the program of events here on the WTG website.

Luna Stormfeather's Ferris wheel

The fairground is organized on a grid system with parks, a lake, and various sized parcels stretching as far as the eye can see, and with lots of places to party and relax

Chelly Stewart's Rocking Sands music Venue

I really like this building, a music venue, and was swept away inside the aquarium experience. 

Herding Cats on 2nd Sanctuary

Arriving on Second Sanctuary grid is a bit like arriving at a beautiful Carribbean resort. A pirate ship, gorgeous beaches, and a relaxed atmosphere are the hallmarks of this small but beautifully landscaped grid. On hand to greet us when we arrived on the region called Vanaheim were Pete Taylor and Naomi Volturi, you may remember them from a recent blog post called... what else,  Second Sanctuary.  Pete and Naomi had invited us to go cat hunting - for some very sophisticate cats! as a way to explore this island where anyone looking for a beachy pied-a-terre in the metaverse. HG Address as always at the end of the post.

Naomi Volturi: Hello all, nice to have you here

Pete Taylor: It might be a good idea to reduce the draw distance. Otherwise, you’ll have a lot to load.

Alex Salamander: Hallo und guten Abend :-)

Koshari Mahana: I see everyone naked lol

Thirza Ember: our clothes travel second class,  it's economy rates

Angelic Kisses: hahaha

Jojo Apple: lol

Koshari Mahana: Hi Naomi, Hi Pete

Bink Draconia: hello

Naomi Volturi: hello Bink long time no see 

Pete Taylor: welcome all

Pete Taylor and Naomi Volturi, owners of Second Sanctuary

Forest Azure: ah James, sitting again? you have been sitting on a horse all the time!

James Atlloud: I know, but I have a walk AO that just won't stop, so I think this is better.

Pete Taylor: thirza, are all guests here?

Thirza Ember: Yes, I think we are all here... maybe not all our textures, but in spirit we are all here... we may smell of horse, sorry about that

Burn Story

Dee Zee, Doc Indy, and the great Herbie Haven were kind enough to meet up with us this week on our first stop when we went to visit Burning Man in Groovyverse. The trip included a mix of very RL places, and a few little virtual flourishes, but so neatly inserted into the reality of the build that they feel perfectly integrated. 

Herbie Haven

The group was pretty big this week, about 28 people at our first venue Black Rock Desert, and though almost all of us experienced a leetle touch of lag and disorientation... again, that was completely in harmony with the feelings that Burning Man can cause to real world burners... so it was very much a voyage of exploration, and inspiration.

Vastness is a key ingredient here. Take a look at the map and you'll realize just how large the canvas on which this masterpiece is drawn. Based on the topography and ecology of California and Nevada, the preferred term is Left Coast, and there are plenty of maps and teleports to help a visitor find their way around.

Dee Zee by the Left Coast map

Jade Serenity: Burning Man? I watched the livestream of the RL one... there were a few sand storms

Spax Orion: both destinations are a complete surprise to me... I could look them up but...

Forest Azure: oh, burning man time?

Thirza Ember: i think it's a little different from the last time Forest, there are more horses

Forest Azure: no train or bus? :)

Spax Orion: Who is getting burned?

Lovely Mexico Lindo

Our second stop this week was on OSGrid, to visit a Spanish speaking community that is as vibrant as it is various.

 Lina Kahlo [es→en]: Everyone is welcome to Mexico Lindo, your visit coincided with a very important date in the history of Mexico, we celebrated 216 years of independence

Lina and Niko

Niko Stone [es→en]: With a lot of effort and dedication she achieved this cultural meeting for everyone. We are just in the main square. The plaza you are visiting here in Mexico Lindo Virtual represents this historical place and allows us to experience, in a virtual environment, one of the most important national traditions of Mexico. The plaza you are visiting here in Mexico Lindo Virtual represents this historical place and allows us to experience, in a virtual environment, one of the most important national traditions of Mexico. 

Ayla Alvarez: ♥.;:+THUNDEROUS  APPLAUSE+:;.♥

Ayla Alvarez: so that would be independence from the Spanish

Niko Stone [es→en]: If you want, you can join us where independence was proclaimed. In the early morning of September 16, 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla called on the people of Mexico to rise up against Spanish rule. The call began with the ringing of the bell of the church of Dolores, Guanajuato, gathering people in the town square. Hidalgo then gave a passionate speech in favor of freedom, encouraging the people to fight for independence.