"So, when do we enter the portal?" I inquired. "We just did," Keru responded, "And we appear to be in a garden."
It took me a second to realize it, but I was in fact in a garden. We were standing near the entrance, an unremarkable wooden gate.
"So, how can you tell the difference between the normal world and the magical realm?" Keru thought for a moment and answered "Well, if you look closely, there are subtle differences. Colors tend to be brighter, trees are more fantastic, and mountains are far taller than the ones in your world." She chuckled, and said "Or, y'know, you could just look up at the sky."
I turned my gaze upwards to see that the sky was no longer blue, but a beautiful pink, like something out of a sci fi movie. To the south it turned a shade of orange, and the north was covered by a rich, dark, purple.
"Well, I suppose we should get started."