The Darién Gap is a place of legend. The only break in the Pan-American highway, which runs from Alaska to the tip of South America, it is an almost impregnable strip of swamp, jungle and cloud forest between the vast landmasses of North and South America. Stories of abduction and murder there are rife and in recent years more people have successfully climbed Everest or trekked to the South Pole than have crossed the Darién Gap. In 2000, Tom Hart Dyke, a young botanist, set off to Central America with one thing on his mind: orchids. He knew that in order to find the rare and beautiful species he so fervently admired, he would have to visit some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Unbeknown to Tom, another young explorer, Paul Winder, was backpacking through the area at the same time. Though he sometimes worked freelance in the City of London, Paul was a fearless and intrepid traveller, happier scaling volcanoes than lounging on beaches. In every bar and café along his route, rumours abounded of the Darién Gap - and the more he heard, the greater became his desire to make the journey. Pure chance brought Paul and Tom together in northern Mexico; they formed an instant bond and their fate was sealed. Ignoring a final, succinct warning from the Lonely Planet guide - 'Don't even think about it!' - Tom and Paul set off into the Darién: Tom in search of orchids, Paul in search of adventure. They would find plenty of each. For six days they made good progress. Then, just hours away from Colombia, the dream ended and the horror began. Paul and Tom were ambushed by FARC guerrillas who were to hold them hostage for the next nine months. From that day on, their survival was a matter of extraordinary endurance, incredible ingenuity and not a little good luck ...

She was said to have married a living king of hell — ugly, cruel, and feared by all. On the day of her teleportation, she was pointed at by a man with a knife and unable to move. With her super strong desire to live, her face was as red as a peach. "Prince, I'm so beautiful, are you really willing to part with your knife?" The man smiled, his sword rippling. "Why aren't you willing to part with it?" ... .... She was a modern doctor who had been transported in a car accident. He was the favored king of the living underworld. They had originally thought that they were a fake couple that looked like they were together, but they didn't expect that ...

He was the high and mighty emperor of business in Peace City. She was the thorn in his side, the apple of his eye. It was a conspiracy. He had forgotten about her and everyone was laughing at her. She was full of anger! She had just returned home and accidentally bumped into his car and entered the hospital. She did everything she could, but he only said, No! No! Nonsense! Finally, he recovered his memories and she left! The truth that he had been hiding came one after another, torturing him to the point that his heart and liver ached ... Ps: She burst into laughter hit the face, torture in a smile, with tears in favor. The final text of "Married Wife Decided"

Introducing "Sweet Dreams Delight: 30 Bedtime Short Stories" – a whimsical collection crafted to transport young readers into a world of enchantment and imagination before drifting into the land of dreams. This delightful anthology, filled with thirty captivating tales, promises to make bedtime a cherished adventure for every little dreamer. Each short story within this magical compilation is carefully tailored to captivate young hearts, offering a delightful blend of fantasy, friendship, and valuable life lessons. From talking animals and mystical lands to courageous little heroes and bedtime wonders, every narrative is a small, enchanting journey that encourages creativity and sparks the imagination. As the sun sets and the stars twinkle in the sky, "Sweet Dreams Delight" becomes the perfect companion for winding down. The 30 carefully curated bedtime short stories promise to ignite smiles, spark conversations, and create memories that will linger in young minds long after the final page is turned. With its charming narratives and colorful characters, this collection is designed to bring families together during the quiet moments before sleep. Immerse your little ones in tales of joy, whimsy, and bedtime delight, fostering a love for storytelling and planting the seeds of a lifelong appreciation for literature. "Sweet Dreams Delight: 30 Bedtime Short Stories" is not just a book; it's an invitation to embark on a journey of shared imagination, creating a nightly ritual that both children and parents will cherish. So, snuggle up, open the pages, and let the magic of these short stories weave a tapestry of sweet dreams and lasting memories for your little ones.

Building with earthquakes is a familiar yet persistent design problem for resilient construction on all continents. This book elaborates on various factors for earthquake-resilient architecture in six thematic chapters that explore the design strategies of lightness, quickness, exactitude, visibility, multiplicity and consistency. These factors allow designers to develop contextual solutions that marry technical know-how with social and cultural understanding, ranging in scale from buildings to furniture and urban master plans. 120 case studies from roughly 30 countries, including some highly prestigious buildings, provide a comprehensive overview of the different design strategies.

An epic, heart-wrenching story of a mother and daughter's journey to their destiny. Lotus Feet. He would give his daughter the dainty feet of a courtesan. This would enhance her beauty and her price, making her future shine like a new coin. He smiled to himself, pouring fresh tea. And it would stop her from running away... When the young concubine of an old farmer in rural China gives birth to a daughter called Li-Xia, or "Beautiful One," the child seems destined to become a concubine herself. Li refuses to submit to her fate, outwitting her father's orders to bind her feet and escaping the silk farm with an English sea captain. Li takes her first steps toward fulfilling her mother's dreams of becoming a scholar—but her final triumph must be left to her daughter, Su Sing, "Little Star," in a journey that will take her from remote mountain refuges to the perils of Hong Kong on the eve of World War II.

With a single thought from an expert, the color of the sky and earth changed. Above the ninth heaven, dragons and phoenixes soared. Shattering the Heavens with his palm. The fist shook the galaxy. When the sword struck out, the world collapsed. Fiendgods and Fiendgods were unstoppable, and so the Ten Thousand Blessings were forced to give way. At the peak of martial arts, only by reaching the peak could one look down upon all living things! Close]