Egypt

I have been to Egypt twice. Yes, as a tourist, but I have covered a significant amount of the country. It is an assault on all the senses. I love it! Favourite locations, in no particular order:

• Abu Simbel - yes, it has been relocated due to the flooding of Lake Nasser, but the sheer scale of the work involved is awesome... Remember that all this work is thousands of years old.
• Temple of Abydos - Off the beaten track, simply stupendous in its scale and lighting
• Great Pyramids of Giza - not overrated at all. The site is so vast that it is possible to become lost away from the tourist-trap parts of the area. Take your time and drink the history in.
• Any of the lesser Pyramids! - The area along the Nile between Cairo and Luxor is not part of the normal tourist trail. However, there are about 100 pyramids scattered across the desert, that were built before the Giza pyramids and vary in design and size
  
• Floating above the West Bank at Luxor in a Balloon
• Mt Sinai - an exhausting slog before dawn but so atmospheric
• Red Sea at Ras Mohamed - Awesome coral reefs and marine life, learn to snorkel!
  
• Drifting down the Nile, sipping tea and taking the country in. The Nile is Egypt

Church Candid

Norwich, Norfolk

Monday Stuff

I am full of a cold still - very sore throat and lots of coughing and spluttering - I really will spare you all the gory details. The damp winter we are having doesn't really help me either - sometimes I wish it would either be very cold, or we could leap straight to errr say June straightaway. That is, weatherwise, I am not wishing my life away!

I am currently discussing with a friend of mine buying options for a DSLR. I have to say the choice is much of a muchness for someone who isn't bound to any particular system. I know everyone has their favourites, but there really isn't much to distinguish one model from another. I think it will really come down to a "in the hand" test.

Congratulations to Helen Mirren - a long overdue Oscar won!

Holsworthy Window Shopping

Holsworthy, Devon

A good night out...?

Okehampton, Devon

Recovery

Okehampton, Devon

Catchup Mode

Last weekend I went up to London to meet up with a load of wonderful friends from the Pbase community... eat drink and be merry for all! Saturday was spent in Camden Town and Sunday covering the Chinese New year celebrations. Memo to self, take a longer lens next time!

See here for my photos from the weekend.

However since then I have been struggling with a huge dose of man-flu.... coughing and spluttering and oh I will spare you the details! I'm getting a bit down about it because I can't get out much at the moment, without sneezing all over the place...

Self Portrait

Welllllll I think the likeness is uncanny!

Bought to you by http://www.sp-studio.de/

Rain

It is meant to be traditional for us English to moan about the rain, especially here is wet Devon. However, having spent two weeks soaked to the skin some years ago in Costa Rica, then following it up a couple of years later by another two weeks going mouldy in Borneo, I can assure you that we have nothing! Even on the greyest of days, the weather is moist, not wet, in comparison.

Lambing

Bondleigh, Devon

Devon

Devon can be very wet - this I admit. But it can be so beautiful as well, very green too! It isn't all Ponies and Clottled Cream, nice that they are, but the size of the county makes for incredibly diverse landscape and industry. The pace of life is slower than the south east of England, something for which I am so grateful for.

Meldon Viaduct

Meldon, Devon

Remember...

Paul Young? Singer in the 1980's?

Well, he is hanging around with a few of his mates in a band called Los Pacaminos and are appearing in Tavistock tonight.... I plan to have fun :)

Tequila anyone?

Songs of Praise

Sourton Church, Devon

Postings

I don't think I ducked early enough before I was annointed as the webmaster for Okehampton Camera Club. My thoughts when I took this on, were that many such websites are not visual enough - by that I mean the photos are a poor second. As a showcase for the camera club, and to attract new members, I constantly try to update, especially with images. Of course I may not succeed! Today I've managed to complete a gallery for the winners in our last competition...

Now all I need to do is remember to make sure that people can find it!!