The Colossi of New Rhodes 7/25/3132
INN - Interstellar News Network
“Rocks,” he said. “We’re going to see rocks?”
My husband, while an experienced traveler, doesn't seem to get out much. Headed to
New Rhodes III to see the famed Colossi, he couldn't imagine a thing to do. “I can
look at rocks here,” he said. “What is there to do there?”
A fair bit, as it turns out.
The Colossi of New Rhodes III have been wonderland of geological study since the
formations were discovered in 2259. For much of its inhabited life, the Colossi were
scientific oddities: huge rock formations in a line across most of a continent, shaped
like abstract art splashed with colors that you’d swear don’t belong on rocks.
You might even be right. Our guide, Alphonse Longo, who holds two degrees in
geology, informed us that much of the substance of the Colossi arrived when meteors
from outside the galaxy impacted the planet roughly 2 million years ago. The meteors
brought chemicals and minerals completely foreign to New Rhodes III. The Colossi
were formed after millennia of wind erosion mixed and revealed the minerals trapped
in the ground.
For most of its 900-year human habitation, New Rhodes III has been home to families
of nomads and a small but voracious scientific community. The recent boom of
scientific tourism, however, has suddenly made New Rhodes III one of the Republic’
s most popular and lively destinations.
The vacation begins at the landing pad, with a 5-piece band playing traditional New
Rhodesian folk music. A quick carriage ride later, we arrived at our hotel, the Broken
Rock Cottages (C169 per night), a series of cottages carved out of boulders near the
Broken Rock formation.
By day, guides lead half- and full-day expeditions to see the Colossi from different
altitudes and angles. There are about 350 formations in the Colossi chain, in every
color you can imagine: neon greens, vivid blues, and yellows that would shame a
canary. You’d need to stay here two weeks to even see them all, unless you toured by
helicopter. Don’t do that. Instead, pick an area and spend some time there. The rocks
change colors in different light, and subtle gradations are revealed at different
altitudes. We found it much better to get to know one area in depth, and attend the
geological lecture-lunch offered every day. Studying one set of formations helped us
understand the entire chain better than a scattershot tour might have done.
At night, festivals occur every weekend from February to July, locally known as the
cool season (in the hot season, temperatures hover around 40 degrees Celsius). Under
double moons, the Colossi light up with a starkness you couldn't find by day. We
went during the New Flowers festival, traditionally the time of year when the
temperature cools enough for flowers to bud. Music and revelry goes on until
daybreak. Learning traditional New Rhodesian dances is practically a requirement for
visitors. My husband, reluctant to say the least, was nearly dragged by three locals to
the fire to learn the steps. But 30 minutes later, he was smiling and hoofing it with
everyone else.
Watching my husband dance around the fire under the looming Firebird formation, lit
up to reveal its shocking orange color, I thought, Yeah. We’re just here to see rocks.
INN - Interstellar News Network
“Rocks,” he said. “We’re going to see rocks?”
My husband, while an experienced traveler, doesn't seem to get out much. Headed to
New Rhodes III to see the famed Colossi, he couldn't imagine a thing to do. “I can
look at rocks here,” he said. “What is there to do there?”
A fair bit, as it turns out.
The Colossi of New Rhodes III have been wonderland of geological study since the
formations were discovered in 2259. For much of its inhabited life, the Colossi were
scientific oddities: huge rock formations in a line across most of a continent, shaped
like abstract art splashed with colors that you’d swear don’t belong on rocks.
You might even be right. Our guide, Alphonse Longo, who holds two degrees in
geology, informed us that much of the substance of the Colossi arrived when meteors
from outside the galaxy impacted the planet roughly 2 million years ago. The meteors
brought chemicals and minerals completely foreign to New Rhodes III. The Colossi
were formed after millennia of wind erosion mixed and revealed the minerals trapped
in the ground.
For most of its 900-year human habitation, New Rhodes III has been home to families
of nomads and a small but voracious scientific community. The recent boom of
scientific tourism, however, has suddenly made New Rhodes III one of the Republic’
s most popular and lively destinations.
The vacation begins at the landing pad, with a 5-piece band playing traditional New
Rhodesian folk music. A quick carriage ride later, we arrived at our hotel, the Broken
Rock Cottages (C169 per night), a series of cottages carved out of boulders near the
Broken Rock formation.
By day, guides lead half- and full-day expeditions to see the Colossi from different
altitudes and angles. There are about 350 formations in the Colossi chain, in every
color you can imagine: neon greens, vivid blues, and yellows that would shame a
canary. You’d need to stay here two weeks to even see them all, unless you toured by
helicopter. Don’t do that. Instead, pick an area and spend some time there. The rocks
change colors in different light, and subtle gradations are revealed at different
altitudes. We found it much better to get to know one area in depth, and attend the
geological lecture-lunch offered every day. Studying one set of formations helped us
understand the entire chain better than a scattershot tour might have done.
At night, festivals occur every weekend from February to July, locally known as the
cool season (in the hot season, temperatures hover around 40 degrees Celsius). Under
double moons, the Colossi light up with a starkness you couldn't find by day. We
went during the New Flowers festival, traditionally the time of year when the
temperature cools enough for flowers to bud. Music and revelry goes on until
daybreak. Learning traditional New Rhodesian dances is practically a requirement for
visitors. My husband, reluctant to say the least, was nearly dragged by three locals to
the fire to learn the steps. But 30 minutes later, he was smiling and hoofing it with
everyone else.
Watching my husband dance around the fire under the looming Firebird formation, lit
up to reveal its shocking orange color, I thought, Yeah. We’re just here to see rocks.
| July 25, 3132 |