Since the monsoon season is over and the waves have died down - the main purpose of this trip which is surfing, did't last long. On the first day, I spent half the afternoon paddling myself out into the sea, falling off my board and getting my nose burnt. In my last attempt to surf, I pretty much fell over and the surfboard slapped me right in my jaw - making a *crack* sound - nothing broken but I did have to reposition it a little.
As night came, the girls and I would spend our time at the surf-shack where we'd have dinner and a few beers. We'd discuss "36 Questions That Lead To Love" and share our own opinions and stories. It was nice to get to know everyone a little deeper. We also did our own version of a "moon cleansing", where we walked to the beach in the dark, dipped our bodies into the sea and meditated - absorbing the energies from the full moon - such a great way to re-energized!
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I must have a thing for freezing my a$s off because almost every trip I make is in the dead of winter. I'm not crazy about it, I can tell you that! Some people love the cold, some people love the heat...
I stand in neither category. I realise a long time ago, my body does not adapt well to either! This was what our itinerary was like: Day 1 - 3 : Brisbane, Queensland Day 3 - 5: Main Beach, Gold Coast Day 5 - 7: Melbourne, Victoria Day 7 - 9: Great Ocean Drive Roadtrip Day 9 - 11: Back to Melbourne Day 11 - 14: Perth, Western Australia We rented a car in Melbourne and took a drive down the Great Ocean Road where I stopped almost every few miles to photograph the amazing sceneries. It was breath-taking and so much more relaxing to hire a car and drive then follow a tour bus. I recommend doing this to anyone who wants to check out the non-touristic spots of the Great Ocean Drive. I'll be uploading the photos up for this trip slowly, so be sure to come by again! Spring in Japan is truly magical. The moment you walked down a street or enter a park, you're greeted with Sakura (Cherry blossoms), swaying back and forth as though saying "Konichiwa! Welcome to Japan!"
This trip I went to a town called Aomori (Northern Japan), four hours away from Tokyo by the Shinkansen. A small town, but nevertheless, a beautiful town filled with the friendliest people who are willing to help you find your way, even if you can't speak a word of Japanese! If you're like me and love small towns where people are friendly, sceneries are breath-taking, and the crowd isn't overwhelming, Aomori is definitely a place to visit. Kyoto is definitely more touristic. It's a pretty city with lots of culture in their buildings but the crowd can be overwhelming. I really enjoyed learning about the Japanese Tea Ceremony in Kyoto though. It was such a great experience. I was reminded of being mindful throughout the whole process, something I think everyone takes for granted once in a while. Tokyo. A place of fashion, tall buildings, and lots of suits. What I love about Tokyo is that, you can find yourself in a busy train surrounded by men with suits and ties, crowding together like sardines in a can one minute, and then find yourself in the middle of the cast of Super-Mario & Luigi driving go-carts on the main road the next. During my birthday this year we boarded a plane to Phuket, hopped onto a speedboat and embarked on a journey to The Racha Island in Thailand.
The resort was beautiful. The people were friendly. The scenery was breathtaking. The food was decent. On my birthday itself, we went Deep Sea Fishing. I've never done it before so it was a lot of fun for me (besides being seasick half way through!) We set sail at about 10am, and managed to reel in about 3 tuna's, 15 inches each! Which for me is a really good achievement, considering I've never done this before. So, guess what we had for lunch? Yep! Tuna Sashimi - fresh from the boat. We had our meal as our boat was anchored by a quiet island, where we jumped into the ocean and swam til our fingers wrinkled and skin toasted. And pretty much had tuna for the next few days of our stay at the resort...cooked all kinds of ways - sweet & sour...fried...tomyam soup... I must say, this is one of the best places for a romantic getaway. Everything about this place just whispers; romance & serenity.
From the moment you step inside and every second after, you'll constantly be falling in love with the views, and how peaceful it is. (Hence, the reason I chose to whisk my amazing partner here; away from busy city lives.) One of the worst things a photographer can do is, travel to a country (one you may never travel to again) and forget to bring a camera. Yes. You read that right. I forgot my camera on my one trip to Russia and Uzbekistan! *Face palms* It was a nightmare.
They always say the best camera is the one you have with you...well, the only one I had was my iPhone 6s +. Apparently, the camera is supposed to be pretty good. Right. It would have been great if my phone didn't freeze as well. The battery depleted, and my phone automatically switched off 89% of the time I took it out and turn the camera on due to the cold. What I did take.... I reveal to you...like all 5 pictures... Spring is ending, Summer is calling. It's time to pack a bag and head on a fairy tour!
Through the streets of Edinburgh, into the castles we go... Up the highlands we climb, listening to the tales of time of Kelpies and Selkies, of Nessie and Storr... Come with me! Here we go! Here we go! "The Cheesy Gay Trip", that's what it was called!
We ate lots of cheese, drank wine, hung out with the gay best friend, went to LGBT parties... got kicked out of a Girl Party, tripped in the middle of the road from drinking too much wine and drove to Gondwana to recollect ourselves... And of course when I say "we", I actually meant me. My best friend was merely entertained by the wild rebel child she had to babysit. By the time we flew to Dubai and Seoul, I was much more calm and became my usual self again. *Phew!* The best memories can never be caught on camera. But the camera does capture beautiful moments which leads back to those memories. Back in January, 2014 I was asked to join an expedition for Borneo Ala Carte to photograph the life of the Iban people in Banting, Sarawak.
This series of photographs represent the lives of the elders living in Banting and their daily routines, as well some of the sceneries there. |
PHOTO-BLOGA photography series of different places or genres I have captured as a travel-grapher and my daily life with my camera. Archives
April 2018
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