A Pastel Colored Time Capsule: Returning to the ‘New Horizons’ Archipelago

After the workday wrapped up, I collected all of my things in my bag. Fishing rod, net, ax, shovel, slingshot, watering can, outfit wand, diving suit, and vaulting stick. Standard tools for island life. I wasn’t planning on doing anything when I got to the island, but it didn’t feel right to go back after all these years without the usual suspects.  For the better part of the early pandemic back in 2020, I worked remote from the island. Nothing quite says isolated community bubble quite like a random island that needed to be cultivated. They asked me to name the place, which was weird, but who was I to say no to the honor. Named it Bicolano, after the same region of the Philippines that my mom was from. Ended up doing a lot more than naming it. For whatever reason I was also responsible for all urban development and even some terraforming. I tried to keep the general layout of the island the same. Didn’t mess with the existing elevation too much. There was an existing island within the island though, and I did clean that up a little bit so my house would have a nice little plot of land. I tended to place for about year and then one day, I went back stateside and then… just never went back. It’s not like I didn’t like it, I just… didn’t feel like I needed it as much as those early days of isolation.

But after a few years, it’s hard not to be curious about the places you used to live. So, I booked a flight to the coast and called Redd to sneak me into the island. I shee…