My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

A Winter Staycation in Chicago

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When I used to think about staycations, I’d think of staying in your own home and doing nothing. This never sounded fun to me because I’m someone who can always find something to do – dishes, laundry, organizing, etc. I can’t just sit in my own home and do nothing.

When my sister suggested Vishnu and I go on a short trip in February (she even sent me dates that her and my BIL could watch K), I hesitated at first because who wants to travel in February in the Midwest…? Not me!

But then Vishnu suggested we do a staycation in Chicago, but instead of staying home, we stay at a hotel in the city for a couple of nights. Now that was something I could get on board with.

I messaged my sister to double check that the weekend we were thinking would work for her and Adarsh, and then I told Vishnu to pick a hotel.

He choose the Langham Chicago. A little pricey (but still 1/2 the price of what it would be), but his logic (which I agreed with) was that if we were going on an actual vacation, we’d be paying a lot more. Given that we’re not going on an actual vacation for a while, this felt like the perfect little splurge.

So here’s the thing about doing a staycation during Covid…it’s super relaxing because you can’t do much anyways.

On Friday, we got to the hotel around 4 pm. We checked in and then literally watched TV and talked until it was time to figure out dinner. I have a ton of Lettuce Entertain You dollars, so we ordered in from RPM (also my fav restaurant in the city). We watched Crazy Rich Asians before passing out for the night.

Saturday morning started later than it ever has. I didn’t sleep well the night before, so I stayed in bed until 11 am! UNHEARD OF! We then ordered breakfast from Wildberry (Vishnu’s fav). Next up, a lonnnnng walk around the city. Thankfully, the weather was great, so we ended up covering close to 6 miles. We walked mostly along the lake, which was literally a white winter wonderland. We can home, legs aching, and opted to watch TV and chill. When hunger hit again, we ordered in from Small Cheval (I got a delish lettuce wrapped veggie burger!). We ended the night with the Netflix movie The White Tiger.

Sunday…time to go home. I woke up early, squeezed in a quick workout, and showered, while Vishnu ran and got us coffee. We then hung out for a bit in our room before picking up lunch for the gang back home.

In some ways, it feels like we literally did nothing. In my eyes, that was the best part. Vishnu and I haven’t had time like this together in a very long time (like so many couples), and we’re so lucky to have my sister and BIL closeby and the resources to do something like this.

If at all possible, I highly recommend it, even if for one night. Although, we did spend a lot of our time watching videos of Kaiden, and then FaceTiming with them back at home! Ha! That’s just how it goes I suppose.

As for K, he had a blast with his masa and masi. I was a little worried because when I talked to him about the weekend and what he could expect, he told me that he didn’t want them to come over and that he wanted to go with mama and dada. But of course, like with everything else, he had so much fun. In fact, he was super sad when Aekta and Adarsh left our place on Sunday. Breaking my heart all over the place!

Overall thoughts on the Langham – We said we give it a 4/5. It’s a beautiful hotel, in a great part of town, but I’m sure we could’ve found a comparable property for much less than what we even paid. I will say though, if you’re going to use all the facilities and eat at the restaurants, this could be a worthwhile investment.

Cabo 2019 – A True Family Vacation

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Over a week ago, I was in a beautiful pool overlooking the most stunning ocean views of Cabo.  Take me back!

But in all seriousness, our family vacay to Mexico was unforgettable and a really good time overall.  I think I can truly say that all seven of us enjoyed our time in paradise!

WHY CABO

Like I always do with these kinds of travel posts, let me provide a little context as to why we chose Cabo.  First of all, my parents have wanted to go on a family trip with both my sister and I and our significant others and of course Kaiden for a while now.  When the stars aligned (as in everyone’s schedules), we all sat down and seriously started brainstorming locations.  We threw out ideas like the Caribbean, Florida, Mexico City, etc.  But then Vishnu threw out Cabo – the weather is near perfect, no threat of hurricanes, it’s far enough to feel like a vacay, and there’s lots to do. Done deal!

WHERE WE STAYED

Then we started looking at Airbnb’s.  We went down this path versus hotels/resorts because we wanted a lot of space since we were going for five nights.  My mom also has some strict dietary restrictions, so having our own kitchen and the opportunity to buy our own groceries made more sense.  Also, this wasn’t the deciding factor, but we wanted to try and give Kaiden his own room – to help with the whole sleep thing. 

With all of our preferences being taken into account with what was actually available and in our budget, we settled on a 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home in the Cabo Del Sol neighborhood.  You guys.  This house was big, beautiful, AND it had a private pool overlooking a golf course and the ocean.  A real winner in so many ways! 

The one downside to this particular area was all the construction.  It’s very much under development, and even though we couldn’t see or hear a thing while in our house, we came across it every time we left the neighborhood.

The only other thing, that probably has nothing to do with our house and is more just Cabo itself, was all the bugs.  We saw quite a few creepy crawlies in our five days.  By the last day, I was ready to be in my Chicago condo!

HOW WE GOT AROUND

Our car rental experience in Cabo was strange…in the best way possible!  We rented a huge Suburban from Cactus Car Rental, and everything from booking online to transferring to the airport to actually picking up the car was seamless.  They were so nice, there were no gimmicks…it just felt so easy. 

WHERE WE ATE

So in terms of food, I think we struck a nice balance between eating at home and trying a few restaurants.  In terms of Cabo restaurants, I asked my trustworthy IG followers for their recs, and they definitely came through…

Macca – This is a create your own pasta/pizza bar that’s located in a quiet little strip mall type place.  My sister and I shared a pasta and really ended up liking it.  Everything tasted quite fresh.  We really enjoyed our outdoor table and the fact that this place wasn’t crowded.  This was a fun dinner!

Café de Ciudad – We came across this small family-owned joint after a hike.  We were hungry, so I just Yelped the neighborhood and came across this 5 star rated restaurant.  I warned everyone that it looked and sounded like a hole-in-the-wall, but because we were close and hungry, we went with it.  And thank goodness we did.  The service, the food, the authenticity…it was perfection!  I’m so glad we ate here because we wouldn’t have gotten to try such authentic dishes otherwise.  Everything was so simply made, yet it was so so flavorful and delicious.  I wish we could have eaten here more than once.  Even if you’re staying at an all-inclusive resort, I highly recommend making the trek to this place.  You won’t regret it!

Flora Farms – This was the #1 recommended place on IG, and I totally see why.  The remote location and ambiance made it very IG worthy.  Personally, I loved the farm-to-table concept, and it didn’t fail in that regard.  The food was carefully curated, including all of the flavors.  I also loved that they accommodated to my mom’s diet.  If you decide to dine here, be sure to do two things – 1. Go early and book a tour of the farm, their culinary kitchen, etc. and 2. Save room for ice cream – the chocolate was heavenly!

WHAT WE DID

One of the things that my sister, BIL, Vishnu, and I all wanted to do was go on a hike somewhere in Cabo.  After much internet research, I came across a hike led by a gentleman named Ernesto.  Essentially, you meet him at his dog kennel, and he guides you up Mt. Solmar (with like 10 dogs) to a stunning 360 degree view of Cabo.  This one stood out to me because everyone said it was a must do (some people even did it twice in one trip).  Through a stroke of luck, I found Ernesto’s number online and texted him about the hike.  He confirmed the timing (he leaves exactly at 8:30 am) and told us not to be late!  The hike itself wasn’t too hard.  You definitely have to be in decent shape to climb up and down certain parts but I feel like most people could do this.  Other than that, wear some bug spray, dress lightly, and definitely wear sneakers.  This was probably one of my favorite experiences of the trip, so put it on your list for sure!

We also had a beach day one of the days because while a pool is nice…there’s nothing like the ocean.  Unfortunately, the ocean conditions in Cabo are not safe for swimming or even wading.  The current was super duper strong and pulling inwards on the day we went.  So we opted to build sand towers and let the water come to us.  Still fun!

My sister and I went on a run one morning in our neighborhood.  So fun and tiring given that I haven’t run outside in ages!  If you’re in a runnable area, I highly recommend bringing your gear.  The views are not to be missed!

My BIL went golfing one day and said it was a really cool experience (near/at the Secrets resort).  If you have any golfers in your group, this could be something fun.

And finally, we had family photos taken on our last day.  After a friend recommended Flytographer to me, I decided to book our session through them.  This is essentially a service that gives you a few options for the city you’re visiting (photographer, location, etc.).  You pick who you want based on their profile and where you want to take your pictures.  Your photographer meets you, takes your pics, and sends them to you within five days.  I LOVED this service and would do it again when we travel abroad.  It’s a cool way to capture your family’s vacation memories.  As reference, we had to pick the 60 minute session because we had more than six people in our group.  Totally worth it!  And if you decide Flytographer your photo shoot in Cabo, I HIGHLY recommend Fernanda.  She was so fun to work with and took incredible pictures!

MISC

Since we went the Airbnb route, we went to both Costco and Walmart to stock up on kitchen essentials.  Both were fairly close to where we stayed, and it was cool to go to a Costco in another country.  So similar to the states but everything is in Spanish (as expected!).

OVERALL THOUGHTS

To be honest, I had no expectations for this vacation.  All I wanted was to relax as much as possible and spend time with my family.  But in the end, Cabo really exceed my expectations.  If you’re looking for a fun family vacay destination, this should definitely be on your list.  There’s really something for everyone! 

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments or email me at myinnershakti@gmail.com.

Adios!

Time at Home + Q&A with Ba and Dada

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We are back in Chicago after a fun week in Atlanta where we spent time with my parents, my grandparents, my in-laws, and my brother-in-law and his girlfriend.  We also got to squeeze in a little friend time here and there.

We also attended my best friend’s baby showers, both of which were so special and fun.  Well, the official shower on Saturday was not so fun for me because Kaiden was being a stage 11 clinger.  But it was nice to see so many old friends. 

We played, we ate, we slept (!!), and now we’re back to the grind!

One of the other things I made time for was ‘deep’ conversations with my grandparents.  I wanted to take advantage of the one-on-one time I had with them to ask questions about their childhoods, their families, the marriage, motherhood, fatherhood, etc.

To be honest, I think they had more fun with this than anyone else.  Their faces lit up whenever I’d ask a question.  Makes me wish I had started doing this sooner!

I thought I’d share some of the more interesting things I learned.  And hopefully, this inspires some of you to do the same with your grandparents/older aunts and uncles. 

My grandmother’s overall message was that when you get to be her age you won’t remember the hard times. Only the love and fun you experienced.  And this is coming from someone who’s had her share of not-so-good times.  She said she honestly doesn’t remember the bad times in detail because she chooses not to focus on that.  “At this age, what good does that do me?”  Love my ba!

Growing up, neither my grandfather or my grandmother lived lavish lives.  There was always one person in the family who worked and brought home money to take care of everyone else.  My grandfather is one of 13, and my grandmother is one of five.  However, cousins and other relatives often lived with them too.  Essentially, the money coming in had to be stretched to feed everyone.  In fact, my grandfather recalled the days where they studied by candlelight.  Electricity was a want and not a need in those days!

With that being said, I also learned that ba’s father worked in a fabric mill, and my dada’s father owned a small restaurant in their village.

My ba loved to study, but when it came time to further her education, the decision was made for her that she would stay home to help with the upkeep of the house.  Personally, I found this to be really sad because I know how smart my grandmother is.  She could’ve done so much if she was born in a different time.  I also know from previous conversations with my mom that my ba also wishes they had travelled more.  She wanted to see the world, and while they have been to London and different parts of the US, she knows there’s more than just that and wishes she could’ve experienced it. 

In that same vein, my grandparents had an arranged marriage.  They were introduced through an uncle or something, and while it wasn’t love at first sight, I think they both same something in the other which led them to agree to the union.  My ba did say that she didn’t feel like she really could’ve said no if she wanted to because of the way the introduction was made.  Again, it makes me so mad that women in that time had so little control over their own lives.  GRR!

Even though there is some regret for the things not done, I think my grandparents have had a pretty good marriage.  Their marriage advice to me was to compromise and approach my marriage with understanding and patience.  If you can do that, you’ll be ok.

They also said to always live within your means.  And finally, don’t ruminate on your past because you can’t change it.  You can really influence what’s happening right now.

So thankful for the time I spent with ba and dada and can’t wait to see them again so that I can bombard them with more questions!

Tips/Tricks for Flying with a Two-Year-Old

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Flying with Kaiden up until now has been fairly easy.  I say fairly because of course we’ve had our shares of ups and down.  But this is how it usually went– get on plane, let him crawl around and play with whatever, K passes out in my arms as soon as plane takes off.  See, fairly easy.

So you can imagine how nervous I was flying with him for the first time since he turned two.  Why nervous?  Because after kids turn two, they get their own seat.  And my Kaiden isn’t one to sit for prolonged periods of time.

Thankfully, the flight time from Chicago to Atlanta is only about 1.5 hours.  A good testing ground I suppose.

Given this was my first time flying with a two-year-old, I’m certainly no expert.  But here are a few tricks/tips that worked for me. 

TIP/TRICK  1 – Now that Kaiden understands what we’re saying, I tried my best to hype up our ‘airplane’ trip a few days before we left.  That excitement helped us get through security, to the gate, and on to the plane. 

TIP/TRICK 2 – One word – snacks…and lots of them.  I brought so many snacks, including apples, a PB&J sandwich, cereal, freeze dried fruits and veggies, etc.  He didn’t eat much of it, but I did have peace of mind knowing I was prepared.

TIP/TRICK 3 – Don’t be afraid to ask for and/or accept help.  For example, when we were standing in line to board, the man in front of me asked if I wanted him to carry our stroller on to the jet bridge.  He carried it out for me as well.  I could’ve easily said no and looked like a crazy woman trying to wrangle her toddler, carry two bags and a stroller. No thanks!  Example number two happened when Kaiden wouldn’t sit in his seat.  I quietly asked the kind man sitting next to me to tell K to sit down and put on the seatbelt.  At first, he was like, “You want me to tell him that?”  And I said, “Yes, please.”  He did it and guess what…K sat down and let me put his belt on!  

TIP/TRICK 4 – The things that saved me this time around in terms of toys/activities were the Crayola Color Wonder Markers and Paper.  This kept Kaiden entertained in some form or fashion for longer spurts.  And because these markers only work on the special paper, they didn’t transfer on to the seats, our skin, our clothes, etc. 

I also brought two brand new little trucks and a pack of stickers for K as ‘surprise, be good now!’ treats.  They entertained him for a little bit.  Ha!

TIP/TRICK 5 – Forget about everyone else and do what you have to do.  Flying, in my mind, is grounds for going into survival mode.   Anything and everything goes.

That’s all I have in terms of tips/tricks.  I’m hoping to build my toolkit as we travel more with K.  We have our trip back home to Chicago on Sunday, as well as a trip to Cabo and the Bahamas coming up.  Cross your fingers for us!

I will say that Kaiden did relatively well for most of the flight, excluding the last 20 minutes.  He was pretty much over it at that point and wanted to sit in my lap.  I sang him songs and distracted him as much as I could, but boy, those 20 minutes felt like 2 hours!

Please share your best tips/tricks for travelling with kids!

Anguilla – Stayed, Ate, Did

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I honestly can’t believe our trip to Anguilla is behind us! As all good things do, it went so fast.

Before I get into where we stayed, what we ate, and what we did, I have to say that the island of Anguilla is absolutely gorgeous. The people are also incredible friendly. On the flip side, everything is so darn expensive! I totally get why (tourism is the #1 industry and they import almost everything), but it didn’t make the sting burn any less!

Also, in terms of how we got to Anguilla, we started with a flight from Chicago to Charlotte. Then we went from Charlotte to Sin. Maarten. And then from there, we took a ferry (through Funtime Charters) to Anguilla, where we took a cab to our resort. Phew! A lot of travel but totally worth it.

WHERE WE STAYED

This was a total splurge vacation for us, so in the name of go big or go home, we opted to stay at the Four Seasons Anguilla.

First of all, holy moly! What a gorgeous property. Everything from our room to the landscaping to the pools to the restaurants to the BEACH (in all transparency, we only spent time on Meads Bay Beach – less rocks and more space)…it was perfect! We loved everything about our stay.

Our room in particular was a one-bedroom studio with a sitting area, beautiful ocean facing deck and plunge pool. I liked having the extra space since we were there for 5 nights. One other thing of note was the bed. SO COMFORTABLE! I slept like a freaking baby!

WHERE WE ATE

Sunset Lounge at the Four Seasons – We ate here twice – sushi the first day for me and a noodle bowl the second time. The food was great, but what I really enjoyed was the live music and ambiance. You could hear the water crashing on the rocks. Loved that we had this option right on property!

Coba at the Four Seasons – A fine dining restaurant where we ate breakfast every morning (DELICIOUS!) and had dinner one night. The veggie options weren’t all that plentiful, but the pasta I got was quite delicious. Vishnu enjoyed his fish entree as well – said it was very fresh. The best part of this meal had to be the chocolate lava cake. We literally licked the plate clean.

Bamboo Bar & Grill at the Four Seasons – This on the water restaurant was the perfect lunch spot after a day in the hot sun. We got the guac and chips with a Margarita pizza to share. And again, loved the water views!

Blanchard’s Beach Shack – I LOVED this place and highly recommend it if you’re staying on the western part of Anguilla. It totally has a shack like vibe (pretty affordable) but the food is delicious with more veggie options that I could ask for. I loved the on the sand seating, and the brownie sundae was to die for!

This one wasn’t on property, but it was a beautiful and quick 12 minute or so walk from the Four Seasons. We ended up going two different days for lunch.

Picante – Again, if you’re staying on the western end of Anguilla, I highly recommend this Mexican restaurant. The food was tasty – umm…corn on the cob with queso fresco! – and the environment was casual and fun. I got the veggie enchiladas and pretty much cleaned my plate, and Vishnu highly recommends the seafood enchiladas he had. A must try place!

Sharky’s – According to the staff at the Four Season’s this is THE up and coming restaurant in Anguilla. So many create seafood dishes on the menu! I didn’t feel too great the night we went here, so I opted for some hot tea and soup – pumpkin coconut! Vishnu had the lobster stir-fry and declared it the best thing he ate! Not the cheapest place, but if you’re a seafood lover, probably one worth splurging on!

WHAT WE DID

Our big plan was to go to the beach everyday and take it from there. We were successful because instead of packing any part of our days with activities, we waited until we arrived at the resort to think about this. In fact, the two things we did end up doing, we booked the day of!

The first thing we did was a sunset painting class on the Four Seasons property. Honestly, it was fun because it was Vishnu’s first time, and we did it together. Would I do it again? Probably not.

The second thing we did was an hour long sailing excursion. This was amazing! All we had to do was let the guys on the beach know that we wanted to do this and when. They gave us a time and a guide and off we went. The water was a bit choppy the day we went out, so it was extra fun! Poor Vishnu sat on the ‘crazy’ side every time because I didn’t want to get too wet. I love my guy!

Reliving our trip through this post is bittersweet – I’m so glad to be back home in our routine with my sweet Kaiden, but I can’t help but miss the beach, the relaxation, and the unlimited time with Vishnu!

Until next time!

How We Almost Booked the Wrong Vacation

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Vishnu and I are fairly intelligent humans.  In some ways, he makes up for what I lack and vice versa.  Nice little balance we have going on here.

Well, you would think that two smart people would be able to book the right vacation…

Let’s start from the beginning.

Vishnu has a week off after he takes the boards, so we decided to take a relaxing trip to celebrate.  My parents are flying up to watch Kaiden, so this is ultimately our time to recharge.  Originally, Vishnu wanted to go to Bora Bora.  Well, turns out a week isn’t enough time for a vacation on the other side of the world. I asked Vishnu if we could go to a Caribbean island instead.  Maybe pick a smaller one and splurge a little on where we stay.  He was disappointed but agreed that was the best plan B. 

We then went back and forth on where to go.  We recalled a conversation we had with a couple while honeymooning in Turks and Caicos.  They told us all about this must-visit, remote island that you have to take a ferry to, etc.  We both took mental notes and said we would definitely visit one day.  Well, one day was June 2019 and we were going to…Antigua…

I started looking at options and resorts, but something didn’t feel quite right.  First of all, you can fly directly to Antigua, and I didn’t see anything about ferries.  Also, Cheap Caribbean and Costco both have vacation deals there, so how remote and exclusive is the island really.  But I still went ahead and found a beautiful place for us to stay in Antigua.

Anguilla

That night, as I was showing Vishnu the property, I noticed a link for Anguilla on the Cheap Caribbean site.  Hmmm.  That sounded a bit more familiar, so I did a quick Google search.  Lo and behold…the island that fit the description we were basing our whole vacation on is ANGUILLA!!!  He looked a little confused, so I explained the feeling I had this whole time and how I think Anguilla was actually the island that couple talked to us about.  It’s like a light bulb went off in his head because that’s what he remembered too.  After a bit more research and learning that the link on Cheap Caribbean is outdated as they don’t currently have vacation deals there (but a true blessing for us!), we changed courses and booked a trip to Anguilla (on our own and not through a site or agent).  

When I think about how we almost ended up going on the wrong (yet still very beautiful) vacation, I’m equal parts amused and horrified!  Lesson of the year – TRUST YOUR GUT!  That nagging feeling is there for a reason.  Listen to it!

I can’t wait to go on a tropical beach vacation and do nothing but eat, read, drink, sleep, lay on the beach, and spend time with my hubby!

Final thought – don’t ever ask us to plan your vacation.  You will likely end up in the wrong place! HA!

Flying Solo with a Toddler

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Before I share more, let me set the context for my personal toddler travel situation. Firstly, Kaiden was almost 18 months the first time we flew solo and almost 22 months the second time around. My BIL dropped us off at the airport the first time, which helped immensely. I took a Lyft on my own the second time. A bit of a different experience, but we survived!

I should also share that a lot of how your experience goes depends on your kid. Kaiden is a pretty good traveler. He doesn’t fuss much while we go through the check-in/security/waiting to board processes. He also sleeps pretty easily on planes. The noises lull him to sleep. Ha!

Ok, with all of that being said, I definitely planned and planned and planned for this most recent trip. We were traveling from Chicago to Philadelphia/New Jersey for a family wedding (a 2 hour flight). In retrospect, I thought waaaaay too much about this, but hey, that’s how I prep myself for anything that seems daunting.

Flying solo with a toddler

I am by no means an expert at traveling with a toddler, but I do have a few tips that could possibly help another parent, so here we go…

  1. Plan out the logistics of your trip well in advance. I thought about everything from how I would get all of our stuff from our apartment to the Lyft to how I would carry everything, including Kaiden, into the airport. You may think I’m crazy, but I also thought about available restaurants in case of a delay. For example, where would I go to get some milk. In my defense, MDW is a fairly small airport!
  2. Choose a family friendly airline (when possible). Personally, I love Southwest because they offer family boarding, and the people are generally nicer and more helpful.
  3. Scale back and bring only what you need with you onto the plane. I brought one backpack/diaper bag, and it was filled with 2 toys, 2 books, diaper/wipes, a few snacks, an extra outfit for K, and my wallet. I find that the more we bring for Kaiden, the more he acts up. Out of sight, out of mind works best for him and us!
  4. Ask for help! I talked to my doorman a few days before our flight and asked if he could come up to help me bring down the suitcase and stroller. I had no shame asking our Lyft driver for extra help. And even though I didn’t need extra help when boarding this time around, I’ve asked strangers in line to help me in the past. No shame in this game!
  5. My final tip is easier said than done, but be confident! You know what you’re doing. It’s scary but not rocket science! And know that there are some scenarios you can’t plan for, so leave those be. Do what you can with what you have! You will eventually reach your destination, so have fun if you can.

I also think the kind of gear you travel with makes it easier (or harder) to navigate the airport. We love this stroller and stroller bag and this car seat and car seat travel bag. These things make everything 100x easier in my opinion. I like that I can carry either item on my back.

So there you have it! Like I said, I’m no expert, but these tips definitely help me prepare for solo travel with K!

No portion of this post is sponsored.  However, affiliate links are included. There is no extra cost to you, but I do receive a small commission on anything you buy through my links.  Thank you for reading and supporting My Inner Shakti!

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