Newcomer’s first question in SL: Why do I want to be here? That’s the same question as with any other software.  Do I really want to climb this learning hill?  (We geeks call it a learning curve to make it sound easy.)  The answer comes by exploring what you can do.  If you like what you find, you will probably want to climb that learning hill. 

The Hobo Helpers group is developing the HH Travel Service to make it easy for newcomers explore the parts of Second Life that appeal to them.     We want to help the newcomers will find what they seek.  

Who would be interested in HH Travel Service?

1.  Community Gateways, the Lindens and others who want to help newcomers find their Second Life destinies

2.  Destinations -- places that want to attract people, especially newcomers.  That would include

• Music venues
• Malls
• Role-playing estates
• Educational estates
• Business estates
• Museums
• Art galleries
• Others (TBD)

3.  People interested in rail and other transportation models in SL.

Rezzable has just opened its preview of its King Tut virtual exhibition.  This exhibition is not only about King Tut, but also a demonstration of Rezzable research into the best use of  virtual world technology.  As usual with virtual worlds, you really have to be there.  But I will give a picture tour here, by way of showing people why they might want to be there.

 You arrive by teleport at a landing pad high above a map of the area.  The pad offers an overview of the area and several docent signs with background information in spoken narration.   You also get a notecard with these credits:  

Sandro Vannini -- principal photography of King Tut artefacts

Lightwaves -- the ultimate prim-master and our hero

In the past, I've referenced myself as a grid wide explorer, striding from sim to sim with the desire to visit the unexplored, the new, the interesting. This time, dear readers, I have been sent on a mission to do just that. I have been sent on a mission to showcase to you some of my favorite places in Second Life from a fresh angle, and hopefully interest you in visiting them, because I honestly believe that trying out new places and exploring new locations is one of the greatest things Second Life has to offer. Join me now, looking at five places, hard-chosen, which I think you'll absolutely love.

 "Life on Life" is a 13-minute docu-narrative of one avatar's path through the metaverse--from  artificial lifeforms to  virtual suicide bombers, the real world plays itself out in virtual space and Life passes through with hope and wonder intact!  The film explores an intersection between the real and virtual worlds --the drawbacks and the potential.  A segment of the film was featured on CNN.com and IBM Smarter Planet and the full film was accepted into the Cambridge Int'l Film Festival, UK. 

Bring a raincoat for this rainy gloomy day.

Location media

Put your Flickr photos of this object into the Virtual World Directory group, and tag them with vwlocation-1249, to see them here!

Go on a safari in Africa to view the wild life.

An oriental village on the slopes of a steep mountain.

Location media

Put your Flickr photos of this object into the Virtual World Directory group, and tag them with vwlocation-1228, to see them here!

Want to visit everyone's favorite Linden?  Torley Linden's office is "Here" along with many helpful video tutorials.  Just follow the Green and Pink colors and you know you're on the right track.

This location is perfect for exploration, as it is a sort of maze puzzle where you take clues to continue to different areas.  Can take a few hours to complete or days depending on your wits.

Can't afford a ticket to china?  Don't like the tourist scene with all the hussle and bussle?  Go here to enjoy the Great Wall of China.