The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism

Introduction Hospitality management is a complex, wide and extremely diverse field. This field is exceptionally challenging in terms of anticipating the needs of clients and guests. Besides, it is not a profession for everyone. It needs creative people, able to identify the needs of clients, ready to work with the public, and people who can think quickly when it comes to solving problems (Barrows and Powers 99).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to The Food and Beverage Industry in Taiwan, this industry has grown tremendously over the last one decade. This paper looks at the food and beverage industry, which is an important field in hospitality management and one that lies at the center of the tourism industry. The essay begins by looking at the food and beverage industry in general, and then proceeds to look at the main s ectors of the industry. The essay also reviews some of the reasons behind the growth of the industry. The remaining parts include elements of the industry, market assessment, and consumer needs, kitchen and dinning room designs, menu planning, cost control, food processing, and market technologies. Food and Beverage Industry Over the last few decades, the food and beverage industry has tremendously flourished in the business market from serving few individuals to international corporations. There is an increasing number of people having their meals in hotels and buying packed food when travelling or going for picnics. This growth in the food and beverage industry has also resulted into the growth of several companies such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks. Main sectors of Food and Beverage Industry The food and beverages industry falls into two major sectors, viz. commercial and subsidized/welfare. As a commercial entity, the industry further falls into two sub sectors, viz. restricted mar ket and general market. Restricted market includes transport catering, clubs, workplace catering, and institutional food and beverage preparation. General market comprises of hotels, restaurants, snack bars, pubs, vending machines, and fast foods. Subsidized food and beverage industry also falls into two sectors, viz. institutional catering and employee catering. Institutional catering applies to the operations in schools, universities, colleges, hospitals, prisons, and any other institution where they offer similar services (Davis, et al. 83). Reasons behind blossoming of the Industry People choose to go out, for instance, to celebrate a special function like graduation or when one gets job promotion. People also eat out when they are meeting friends. Hotel setting is a good place to meet new people or people that one would not want to meet at home. People could also eat away from home to commemorate an event. It could be a birthday or an event that positively influenced an individ ual or a group.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More There are also people who eat out just to have a change from the family routine. Food and beverage operation centers are equally good locations to have meetings. Moreover, people eat out while travelling, especially on long journeys. In addition, people eat out when they are at work, attending a workshop, or in school. All these reasons are driven by the fundamental fact that the food and beverages industry is specifically designed to satisfy the demands of the consumers. Elements of Food and Beverage Industry There are eight elements of food and beverage industry. The first element is monitoring the needs of consumers for consumer satisfaction is very necessary for the existence of the industry. The second component is production and service aspects, which are perhaps the most important factors in the industry. They are two-wa y, viz. the owner gets the profit and the consumer gets quality service. The third element is monitoring of costs and revenues. The other elements include consumer and market, formulation of policy, interpretation of demand, provisioning, and convergence of facilities. Market assessment and Consumer Needs Market assessment and consumer needs are two great factors to consider when setting up a food and beverage establishment. After analyzing the food and beverage industry through market research, one can prosperously decide to establish the business. Therefore, it is important to employ market research skills (market information, questionnaires, and sales-analysis among others) to map out the industry framework (Haverkamp 81). Apart from market research, there is also market-segmentation. Knowing one’s clients and especially the food they eat is equally essential. People from different places may prefer different foods and drinks. Idea generation is also important in market as sessment. Even as one thinks about venturing into the food and beverage industry, factors such as prices, product quantity, concept development, and market competition should provide good sessions for brainstorming (Enzing 23). Service Operation System There are three important services in the food and beverage industry. The first service is acquiring raw materials, in what is called the â€Å"input service† in the food and beverage industry. Once the unprocessed materials are available, the second service is processing them into food. The last service is the â€Å"output†, which entails serving the food to the customers. Format of food and beverage production Usually the format of food and beverage production begins with the store. Once the raw materials are gathered, they should be kept in a clean and neat store. Equipments such as refrigerators should be in good condition. From the store, the next step is preparation, which could be done by either cooking the food o r simply cleaning up in the case of fruits. It is also important to pay keen attention to methods and recipes during food preparation. Besides, food flavor must be kept consistent in all meals, and that aspect requires close monitoring.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Before serving the food, the dining room should be neatly prepared. Clients may put up with other weaknesses, but cannot compromise tidiness. When customers are through with eating, the table should be immediately cleared. The last step is washing of dishes, cleaning of debris, and disposing stuff that cannot be re-used. This last step is imperative in food and beverage industry. Designing Dinning Room/Sitting Area Be it in a hotel, pub, club, restaurant, or any other outlet in the food and beverage industry, the sitting area/dining room should appear in a manner th at is easily accessible to customers. Inasmuch as the owner may want to accommodate many people as he or she can, the arrangement should be in a way that allows free flow of customers in and out without pushing and shoving. In addition, the arrangement should be in a way that clients are can have some sort of privacy. For example, people on one table should be in a position to discuss their private issues without having to worry about other people on the next table. Therefore, it should be in a way that the serving staff can easily access the clients in the shortest time possible. The host may also consider fixing some form of music speakers around the room. Soft music, for instance, adds to the environment of hotels and restaurants. Clubs and pubs are exceptional in terms of volume and music they play (Lentz 85). Designing Kitchen Although customers do not go to the kitchen or even access its location, it is equally important to design it in a way that adds to the overall productio n of the industry. The kitchen is partitioned into several areas. The store, for example, should have enough shelves and refrigerating facilities. The washing area, which also includes sinks, should be spacious and kept clean all the times. There should be a set area for processing raw materials. Peeling and chopping, for instance, should be done in this section. Cooking should occur in a clean separate area with proper ventilation. There should also be a post-preparation area for keeping the prepared food before serving the customers. The other important part is the storage area utensils and pans.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Menu Planning The menu is extremely important when it comes to the food and beverage industry. It underscores what the customers look at when they visit a hotel, and interestingly, it is behind the fall of many businesses. However, in planning the menu, several critical factors stand out conspicuously. They include food preferences, customer food habits, prestige of the customers, economic factors, nutritional factors, tastes of the food, cultural background of the expected customers, and emotional aspects. It is also important to consider the availability and ease-of–use of products to be processed into food and beverages. Lastly, the management can upgrade the existing menu by paying much attention to the customers’ demands (Ojugo 35). Cost Control Businesses exist primarily to make a profit and thus the food and beverage industry is not exceptional. Possibly, the first path to this goal is cost control. This aspect requires evaluation of spending and maximization of profits. As of today, there are three approaches to cost control. The first approach calls for the management to supervise the personnel directly to ensure maximum production. The second approach is by rationalizing the costs based on performance (Guler 161-170). The latter is mostly popular in the food and beverage industry. The management should establish goals and then weigh them against service operations. It also means coming up with ways to measure performance. In addition, given that it hinges on performance, the management compares the actual results with the expected goals. Lastly, cost control could be managed by corrective action. When necessary, the management may also consider reshuffling the staff or getting professional personnel. The third approach is menu pricing. Paying attention, for instance, to how the customers perceive menu pricing is extremely important. The menu pricing also holds the demand of guests (Ojugo 180). Food processing Food processing refers to t he method of transforming unprocessed products into ready products for consumption. In food and beverage industry, food processing occurs in fours ways. The first method is a one-off production, which is used when clients request for special food and drinks with their own specifications. A good example is a wedding cake, which is made for specific customers only. The second method is batch production, which is used when the demand of the product is not consistent. The management prepares food based on an estimated number. The third method is mass production, which is applicable on products that are on demand. The last method is just in time. In this method, customers choose what is to be included in their food before preparation (Davis, et al. 74). Food and Beverage technologies Computer technology is an important element of in the food and beverage industry. Computers speed up paper work, especially in the field of data recording. They also find a wide application in the area of im proving customer service. Moreover, computers are useful in increasing sales revenue by enhancing personnel productivity. In addition, computer networks have eased bookings analysis and daily work schedule (Seric and Saura 7-38). Media and marketing technologies are also important elements in increasing production in food and beverage industries. Both of these technologies help in keeping consumers close to the products, especially during changes or new products in the market (Xia 93). Conclusion The food and beverage industry is an extremely complex, wide, and diverse market. When people eat out while travelling, go to clubs, have their meals and drinks in hotels and restaurants, spend a night in a hotel, or go watching movies/cinemas that are routinely marked with snacks, they are simply patronizing the food and beverage industry. This field can be interesting, but can also be exceptionally challenging. It requires people who are creative, able to identify consumer needs, willing to work with the public, and can think quickly when it comes to solving problems. Over the last decade, this industry has tremendously blossomed and has improved the tourism industry. Works Cited Barrows, Clayton, and Tom Powers. Introduction to Management in the  Hospitality Industry, Study Guide. New Jersey, NJ: John Wiley Sons, 2008. Print. Davis, Benard, Andrew Lockwood, Ioannis Pantelidis, and Peter Alcott. Food and  Beverage Management. 2nd ed. Burlington, MA: Routledge, 2008. Print. Enzing, Christine. Product Innovation in the Dutch Food and Beverage Industry;  A Study on the Impact of the Innovation Process, Strategy and Network on the Product’s Short-And-Long-Term Market Performance. Wageningen: Wageningen Academy Publication, 2009. Print. Guler, Emre. â€Å"Prioritization of Revenue Management Factors: A synthetic Extent Analysis Approach.† Ege Academic Review 12.2 (2012): 161-170. Print. Haverkamp, Derk-Jan. Environment Management in the Dutch Food an d  Beverage Industry: A Longitudinal Study into the Joint Impact of Business Network and Firm Characteristics on the Adoption of Environmental Management Capabilities. Wageningen: Wageningen Academy Publication, 2007. Print. Lentz, Linda. â€Å"Sheraton Milan Malpensa Airport Hotel Conference Centre.†Ã‚  Architectural Record 199.12 (2011): 85-92. Print. Ojugo, Clement. Practical Food Beverage Cost Control. New York, NY: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print. Seric, Maja, and Irene Saura. â€Å"New Technologies and Information Management in the Hospitality Industry: Analysis between Upscale Hotels in Italy and Croatia.† Acta Turistica 24.1 (2012): 7-38. Print. â€Å"The Food and Beverage Industry in Taiwan†. Taiwan Trade Biztube, 21 August 2009. Web. Xia, Yin. â€Å"Factor Use and Productivity Change in the Alcoholic Beverage Industries.†Ã‚  Southern Economic Journal 70.1 (2003): 93-6. Print. This essay on The Food and Beverage Industry Role in the Tourism was written and submitted by user S1lkFever to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Criminal Insanity essays

Criminal Insanity essays "Some traits or dispositions are inherited, but the continuity of behavior, including antisocial activity, is maintained by social contexts and other aspects of the Criminal insanity is a topic which sparks much heated debate. What causes insanity? Is insanity a physical or psychological problem? Is insanity actually a disease, or just a figment of a persons imagination? Groliers Encyclopedia describes insanity as "a mental defect or disorder sufficient to prevent a person from knowing the difference between right and wrong conduct or from understanding the nature of his or her actions." This definition is one which would seem to be a good representation of what insanity truly is. Insanity applies to criminals in an interesting way. If a criminal does not know the difference between right and wrong then can they be held accountable for the crimes they commit? If they don't understand that what they are doing is a crime then should they be punished as if they were criminals or treated as patients with a disease? This problem is one that has plagued courts, lawyers, juries and defendants for a long time and does not appear to be any closer to a solution. A common belief as to why people first become criminally insane is because of the way they were treated as children. Many examples to support this theory can be found throughout history. One example is the infamous Charles Manson. Charles Mansons' home life was anything but normal; he was, in fact, the son of a "teenage, bisexual, alcoholic prostitute, and was once traded for a pitcher of beer" ("Charles..."). Another example is Henry Lee Lucas, a famous serial killer, who "as a child, lost an eye after a severe beating from his mother" ("Serial..."). Finally, Pedro Alonso Lopez, believed to be the key player in over 300 murders was "kicked out of his house when only 8 years old" ("Serial..."). These cases, as well as many oth...

Homo Erectus Colonization in Europe

Homo Erectus Colonization in Europe Geoarchaeologists working on the coast of the North Sea of Britain at Pakefield in Suffolk, England have discovered artifacts suggesting that our human ancestor Homo erectus arrived in northern Europe much earlier than previously thought. Homo Erectus in England According to an article published in Nature on December 15, 2005, an international team led by Simon Parfitt of the Ancient Human Occupation of Britain  (AHOB) project has discovered 32 pieces of black flint debitage, including a core and retouched flake, in alluvial sediments dated to about 700,000 years ago. These artifacts represent the debris created by flintknapping, the manufacture of a stone tool, possibly for butchering purposes. The flint chips were recovered from four separate places within the channel fill deposits of a stream bed which in-filled during the inter-glacial period of the Early Pleistocene. This means that the artifacts were what archaeologists call out of primary context. In other words, fill in stream channels comes from soils moved downstream from other places. The occupation site- the site where the flintknapping took place- may be just a little upstream, or quite a ways upstream, or may, in fact, have been completely destroyed by movements of the stream bed. Nevertheless, the location of the artifacts in this old channel bed does mean that the artifacts must be at least as old as the channel fill; or, according to researchers, at least 700,000 years ago. The Oldest Homo Erectus The oldest known Homo erectus site outside of Africa is Dmanisi, in the Republic of Georgia, dated to approximately 1.6 million years ago. Gran Dolina in the Atapuerca valley of Spain includes evidence of Homo erectus at 780,000 years ago. But the earliest known Homo erectus site in England prior to the discoveries at Pakefield is Boxgrove, only 500,000 years old. The Artifacts The artifact assemblage, or rather assemblages since they were in four separate areas, include a core fragment with several hard-hammer percussion flakes removed from it and a retouched flake. A core fragment is the term used by archaeologists to mean the original hunk of stone from which flakes were removed. Hard hammer means the flintknappers used a rock to bang on the core to get flattish, sharp-edged chips called flakes. Flakes produced in this manner may be used as tools, and a retouched flake is a flake that shows evidence of this use. The rest of the artifacts are unretouched flakes. The tool assemblage is probably not Acheulean, which includes handaxes, but is characterized in the article as Mode 1. Mode 1 is a very old, simple technology of flakes, pebble tools, and choppers made with hard hammer percussion. Implications Since at the time England was connected to Eurasia by a land bridge, the Pakefield artifacts dont imply that Homo erectus needed boats to get to the North Sea coastline. Neither does it imply that Homo erectus originated in Europe; the oldest Homo erectus are found at Koobi Fora, in Kenya, where a long history of earlier hominin ancestors is also known. Interestingly, the artifacts from the Pakefield site also do not imply that Homo erectus adapted to a cooler, chillier climate; during the time period in which the artifacts were deposited, the climate in Suffolk was balmier, closer to the Mediterranean climate traditionally considered the climate of choice for Homo erectus. Homo erectus or heidelbergensis? The Nature article merely says early man, referring to either Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis. Basically, H. heidelbergensis is still very enigmatic, but may be a transitional stage between H. erectus and modern humans or a separate species. There are no hominid remains recovered from Pakefield as of yet, so the people who lived at Pakefield may have been either one. Resources and Further Reading Parfitt, Simon L. The earliest record of human activity in northern Europe. Nature 438, Renà © W. Barendregt, Marzia Breda, et al., Nature, December 14, 2005. Roebroeks, Wil. Life on the Costa del Cromer. Nature 438, Nature, December 14, 2005. An unsigned article in British Archaeology titled Hunting for the first humans in Britain and dated 2003 describes the work of AHOB. The December 2005 issue of British Archaeology has an article on the findings. Thanks to members of BritArch for their additions.

LensCrafters Case Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

LensCrafters Case Study - Essay Example These factors, together with the chain’s value chain and potential challenges are the principal focus of this paper. LensCrafters’ operations strategy and sustainability based competitive advantage LensCrafters was the first optical vendor to promise its customers quality eyeglasses within a short duration of one hour. The chain is able to attain this challenging feat by introducing autonomous onsite optometrists, fully equipped optical laboratories, as well as, a broad range of glasses’ frames at every outlet. LensCrafters’ operations strategy is guided by its mission, which explicitly states that the chain focuses on being the world’s best optical outlet. This happens through creating a loyal customer base, by promoting formation of a dynamic team of leaders and associates, who craft high quality eyewear in just one hour, and deliver superior services that meet customer’s personal needs and preferences (Collier & Vans, 2011). It is clear th at LensCrafters is a distinctive optical chain in marketplace, since it offers full laboratory analysis onsite and is also able to provide the customers with quality eyeglasses or contacts within one hour or even less. This service is coupled with a ninety day guarantee, which allows customers to return their spectacles unconditionally or exchange them, if they do not meet specifications. Additionally, the optical retailer offers an extended protection scheme and optometrists to give customers’ a comprehensive eyes’ examination, while offering them the chance to pay later. This allows them to broaden the customer base, since everyone can afford services provided (Collier & Vans, 2011). In terms of sustainability, the company has a broad range of strategies that give it competitive advantage over rivals in the optometric industry. For instance, LensCrafters has focused extensively on its philanthropic efforts in the diverse societies in which its service outlets are loc ated. An excellent example is the optical retailer’s partnership with Lions Club’s branches to facilitate recycling of used spectacles, in order to help those individuals that do not have enough money to purchase new eyeglasses. This distinctive service is provided not only in the chain’s American domicile, but also in developing countries like South America’s Puerto Rico. This philanthropic act enables the optical dealer to provide its immense expertise to needy individuals. The strategy has brought the company a lot of goodwill among customers, since they know that associating with LensCrafters allows them to reach out to the underprivileged in society. Humanitarian efforts, therefore, gives LensCrafters competitive advantage over other global optical companies. For specificity, the company has programs like â€Å"Give the sight gift†, in which the company offers vouchers to needy customers, for them to acquire free eyeglasses. There is also the â€Å"See more† program, whereby official company vans travel to public schools locally and internationally giving free eye care to kids (Collier & Vans, 2011). Another important aspect is that, LensCrafters’ staff work for longer office hours. This allows them to cater for many customers, in an economic environment characterized by extremely busy work schedules and little free time. The firm also upholds environment protection efforts, an action evident from its eyewear recycling program. All these efforts clearly depict LensCrafters’

Describe Fingerprint photographic technique you would use to recover Assignment

Describe Fingerprint photographic technique you would use to recover such marks following U.K. guidance - Assignment Example In general we have three types of fingerprints mainly latent, plastic and patent prints. Latent prints are formed from oils and sweat from the skin surface. They are invisible to un-aided eye, therefore; they require additional treatments. Patent fingerprints are made from ink, grease, dirt and blood. They are visible to the naked eye. Finally, the plastic fingerprints are in three-dimension, and they are made after pressing the hands on fresh soap, wax or paints. The prints are visible to the naked eye (Houck and Siegel, 2010, p. 29). To improve the visibility of latent fingerprints various lighting techniques can be used to obtain the invisible surfaces. According to Chaikovsky, Argaman, Batman, Sin-David, Barzovski and Yaalon (2005, p. 574), digital multiple exposure technique is applied. The process is simple and productive. Digital photography and computerized image processing with application of layers methodology produce many images that are easily controlled by computer programmes. Production of many images that are combined into a single image enables improved visualization of the selected portions of the latent print without affecting the rest part of the image. According to SIRCHIE (2013, p. 1), Crime scene photos are important in the crime scene inquiry. The photographs complement the investigator data in the form of data. A camera can be used to capture every object of importance within the crime scene. Warren (2014, p. 1), conducted a research to determine usage digital photography for forensic purposes. It was found out that digital imaging devices with spectral filters are very effective in the identification of untreated latent fingerprints in that it is viable and non destructive. According to the National Law Enforcement (2011, p. 6), it is believed that every individual has different body parts hence comparison of the measurements can be used to distinguish between two individuals. The method was developed by

Edgar Allen Poe Essay example -- Biography Biographies Poe Author Essa

Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe was born at 33 Hollis Street, Boston, Massachusetts, on January 19, 1809. Poe’s parents were struggling actors. His father deserted him, and his mother died of tuberculosis when he was three years old. Young Edgar was taken in by a wealthy tobacco exporter by the name of John Allan, from whom he took his middle name. Most of his early life was lived in Richmond, Virginia, with the exception of a five-year period when the Allan family lived in England. His life in England was described as rather uneventful. Poe, even in his early years, had a proficiency for writing poetry. When he moved back to Virginia, Poe grew attached to young girl in his neighborhood named Sarah Royster. They frequently visited, where they sang songs and drew pictures. They were secretly engaged at the time, although their intentions were not made known to the adults of either household (Allen 9). His mid-life began when Poe entered the University of Virginia in 1926. He withdrew less than a year later. Initially, his grades were brilliant, but soon thereafter they began to deteriorate. It is reported that Poe gambled heavily and owed large sums of money to various shopkeepers (Benet 34). He also began drinking quite heavily. Mr. Allan refused to pay Poe’s debts. He also broke off Poe’s engagement to Sarah Royster. Without any visible means to support himself, Poe left for Boston. In the spring of 1827, he arrived penniless and enlisted in the army under the name of Edgar A. Perry. In 1829, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant major. At his own request, was honorably discharged in April of 1829 (Gullete 5). Temporarily reconciled, Mr. Allan secured Poe an appointment to West Point. But still refused financial support. After six months, Poe purposely got himself discharged from West Point, by purposely neglecting his military duties and for disobedience of orders (Encarta [CD-ROM]). Poe then moved to New York, and with the help of some money raised by his West Point friends, he published his first poems in 1831. Poe next took up residence in Baltimore, with his widowed aunt, Maria Clemm, and her daughter, Virginia. He turned to fiction as a way to support himself. The Philadelphia Saturday Corrier published five of Poe’s stories. In 1883, one of his pieces won a fifty-dollar prize given by the Baltimore Sunday advisor (Regan 2,3). In 1... ...il in a story should contribute to the story. Words must not be wasted. Poe’s life was short. He died at the age of forty. He did not appear to waste a moment of his life. He moved from Boston, to Philadelphia, to New York, and to Richmond in the early 1800’s. He even spent five years in London, England. All of these experiences shape his odd life. All of his experiences in his lifetime, including the bad memories, reflected how he wrote his literature. The reader had to understand every aspect of his life to better understand his stories and poems. His writings have been teachings and inspirations for the authors today. Poe is one of the most famous authors in today’s world because of his odd tales, and his eerie life. Works Cited Abbey-Cormier. Magill’s Survey of American Literature New York Marshall Cavendish Corporation Benet, Laura. Young Edgar Allan Poe. New York Dodd, Mead and Company, 1966 Gullete, Alan. â€Å"In the Valley of the Shadow† http://www.creativnet.net/~alang/lit/horror/poebio.htm Microsoft Encarta. â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† http://owleyes.org.htm Regan, Robert. â€Å"Poe, Edgar Allan {poh}† 27 March 2000 http://baud.ubik.ac.at/sg/poe/Bio.html 14 December 2000

Branch and Palm Trees Essay

It was raining, I didn’t like rain. In fact, I didn’t like any kind of weather. That was why I only left my house when I had to. I was just heading to my bed so I could relax and finish the book that I was currently reading, it was about†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦wait, I forgot the name†¦..it was something about a girl who volunteered for her little sister to fight to the death†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.wait! It was called The Hunger Games! Then It was all a blackout and I was sound asleep. I woke up to the sound of crashing waves and the taste of salt and sand grains in my mouth. I opened my eyes, and at first I thought I was dreaming. Somehow, after a while, I could tell it wasn’t a dream. It was real. All I could see was blue salt water crashing on the sand shore in front of me. I stood up and touched the water, it felt fairly warm so I could tell I was somewhere besides California (where I lived at the time). I look over the horizon to see only blue skies. This worries me. I am still in my pajamas that are yellow with green palm trees. I turn around and see a fairly sized island with mostly all palm trees packed together into groups. I start walking to the palm trees, my feelings to what has just happened were kind of jumbled and I was confused. I’m halfway to the closest palm tree when I hear the bushes on my left side rustling. It could be my imagination or it could be the ocean breeze. I didn’t know which. To my surprise, it was neither. I push aside the bush only to see a huge lizard lumber out. I shook that off and continued walking towards the palm trees again. I reach the edge and start walking in. The farther I went in the darker it would get because of the dense vegetation. I had nothing else to do, so I continued walking farther and farther in. I tried carving lines into every tree trunk I passed so I could possibly find my way back. Eventually I gave up on that (It was to much work). The sun was going down and now all I was thinking about was where I was going to sleep. I came up with the idea to make a cushion of some kind and then put it up in a stable tree branch. I took the most comfortable looking leaves, stacked them on top of each other and hoped for the best. I woke up in the morning dazed and I could feel the sun rays beaming across the side of my face and my shoulders. The sun is out, but it’s still freezing. I started looking around for food because my stomach was growling, and to my surprise there was a pile of mangos piled neatly at the foot of a tree trunk. At the moment, I wasn’t thinking about how they got there like that, I was thinking about how delicious they looked. I reach over, grab the best looking one I can find, and shove almost half of it in my mouth and I dropped the second half. There was a haggard looking man walking toward me with a knife pointed toward me. At first he was yelling at me saying things, like it took him 3 days to get the mangos. Then he was questioning me, asking, How did you get here? Where are you from? and what do you want? I told him that I didn’t know how I got here, I was from California, and all I wanted was to go home. He told me that if I was hungry he could provide me with some, but very little food. I thought it was better than nothing so I followed him. He stopped in front of a fairly sized hut made out of palm tree branches and bamboo sticks. It sure did look a lot better then the leaf ‘†bed† I made. He pushes aside the seaweed curtain and proceeded to lead me in. There is no kind of furniture, but I am not surprised. I sit down around the fire he had going. He walks back to the fire with a dead, skinned monkey on a stick. Doesn’t look very appetizing but it’s better than nothing. He holds over the fire and slowly turns it until it is done cooking. He rips off a leg and hands it to me. I reach for it reluctantly. Right away he bites down into the monkey. He must have been very hungry, but so am I. I bite down into the thigh and it tastes a lot better than I thought it would. I am alarmed by the sounds of a helicopter. I rush out to see that helicopter landing on the open beach. Once it had landed I ran toward the window and started banging on it. All I wanted to do was return home. After a while of speaking to the men from the helicopter they told me they actually weren’t looking for me but for the haggard man I was with. He had been on that Island for 4 years! Then they tell me that they will only have room for him. They say that they will have to come back for me later. But how much later? Great.