A brief (and dry) stay in Bangkok

In late October, while I was in Bangkok, I posted on twitter the following

Hot sticky temples gold hot buddha tuk-tuk monks massage Buddha hot #bangkokinanutshell

I think that sort of sums it all up!


We had the opportunity of stopping over in Bangkok on the way home, and while it was good to see Bangkok, we would rather have continued travelling.


However that didn't stop me taking lots of photos!


This belatedly brings the holiday blog posts to a close, normal (although more frequent) service should resume soon!

A strangers view of Sydney

There is a question that many Australians seem to want answered. Which city do you prefer, Sydney or Melbourne?

I found Sydney to be bright, bustling, brash and cocky…. and it appears to sprawl over the landscape for miles around. The city does have open spaces, but the design appears less ordered than Melbourne, leading to an impression of slight chaos…

Sydney is iconic in its setting, the harbour forms the focal point of the larger city, even those parts that seem to be nowhere near the centre! And quite rightly too. In a Scandinavian sort of way, the bay, inlets and islands greatly increasing the water frontage available. Also, the ferries make perfect sense as a means of transportation. Fortunately, although the ferry network reduced in size after the uptake of the car, the ferries remain today to allow the passengers to travel relatively stress free, and relatively "green"…..

Sydney is iconic… and it has plenty of them. Not least the Bridge and Sydney Opera House, which are both even more impressive than their reputations makes them to be. The many beaches fronting onto the Pacific Ocean (or is it the Tasman Sea…) are also impressive. Not that I ventured into the sea. That would be mean I would have to have bared my pale English skin, and needed to find a pair of budgie smugglers….

Two questions remain: Why on earth do all souvenir shops in Sydney assume that a visitor would want to buy a pair of Uggs?

and

Sydney or Melbourne?

I can answer the second question this way. Both cities definitely have many positives, and I enjoyed both of them very much. After a few days in both, my observation is that Sydney thinks it is the best city, but Melbourne knows it is.

Some icons...

A quick word about photos

My blog posts relating to my recent holiday contain photos taken on my iPhone (3GS) as I did not have the means to process my DSLR photos while on the holiday.

The Red Hot Centre

Uluru is hot... Uluru is red... Uluru is in the centre. Uluru (the rock and the place) tick all the boxes as advertised.

It really is out in the middle of nowhere, but fascinating all the same.

A special bonus was to be able to view The Milky Way. So many stars in the night sky when away from all the lights. Even though everything that I recognise is upside down. And most stars and planets I don't recognise :)

I'm really glad I came to Uluru. Definitely a pleasure to tick off my bucket list :)

Melbourne - wishing I could stay longer!

Well, I've moved on from a gorgeous few says in Melbourne. Weather nice and cool (not freezing....), although the sun did make an appearance on our last day, together with lots and lots of white flesh. It is a myth that every Aussie is sun bronzed :)

I was beginning to think that kangaroos were mythical beasts (just like Racoons are...) but finally groups/packs/swarms of them were noted on the side of the road, ready to leap out in front of the unassuming motorist.

Speaking of which, lane discipline on Australian highways is ummmm different. At least from the passengers perspective. Mind you, any driver who has mastered the peculiar manoeuvre, probably unique to Melbourne, called the hook turn, deserves respect. Imaging wanting to make a right turn. Now position the car in the left lane, so you'll be cutting across the traffic lanes. Why unique to Melbourne? Trams. Note for readers in North America and other countries that drive on the wrong side of the road, Australia drives on the left (i.e. correct) side.

Australia in general, but Melbourne in particular is sports mad. Just witness the Melbourne cricket ground (MCG) which also houses the national sports museum and hall of fame. Not just cricket and footy are celebrated, but any sport that Australia excels at (i.e. Most of them...) Even Melbourne museum gets in on the act with a stuffed horse taking centre stage... That would be Phar Lap.

All in all, a delightful stay in Melbourne, which really deserves a longer stay to do it full justice.

And I haven't even mentioned wine tasting in the Yarra Valley, and the Great Ocean Road, which will both get their own posts when time permits.

Random thoughts on Hong Kong

It will be good when it is finished...

Hotels seem to be built randomly in whatever space becomes available. This leads to some incongruous locations. Next to full service car repair places, in the middle of residential districts. Etc.

Everything new is built high. Very high.

New coexists right next to old
It seems English at times. Then the Chinese aspect kicks in and reminds you it most definitely isn't.

Fook seems to be a common family name ....

I'm reminded a lot of the similarities with Gibraltar buildings clinging onto any nook they can, English spoken here ( but not quite...), roads winding up and down, feeling of pride about the place...

A multi-storey car park. For double decker buses... Then I saw another! So that makes two :)

Constant hubbub and noise yet metres away, peaceful contemplation in city centre parks.

Two days is not nearly enough time to understand HK in full, and I didn't even start to explore over 90% of HK.

I leave Hong Kong with another picture .. Of the former legislative building in the heart of the banking district

A long walk...

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

In 2002 I moved from Bracknell, in the English home counties, to mid-Devon. In many ways - health, pace and quality of life- this move was for the better.

However, in the past day, I've been reminded of one significant downside of this move. Not for the first time, it has become obvious that Devon is so bloody far away from anywhere!

Today, I'm embarking on the longest journey of my life - to see a small part of Australia and to meet one of my very good friends. Yet before this journey can even start, I had a four qqand a half hour coach journey to Heathrow airport, before even starting the flight to Hong Kong. This is after the following attempts at moderating journeys over the last few years

A set of car keys lost by the hotel entrusted with the car, delaying the journey home by 90 minutes after a 8 hour flight.

A journey from hell in a blizzard following a return home from the Caribbean, that lasted almost as long as the flight.

Journeys tomand from London to meet up with other friends which does detract from those meetings.

The solution to all this? Well ideally much better rural travel options for one. But to be honest I will grin and bear it, until the next time of course...

In a few more hours I'll be in Hong Kong for the first time, before flying on to Melbourne to start our Australia visit. I'm anticipating an hectic stopover for a couple of days.

In the meantime, here's the plane I am on as I write this :)

One day....

The day was damp and windy, not unusual for late summer in the Far North of Scotland. We had spent the morning driving around Assynt, which has to be done very patiently due to the very narrow, very rough roads.


Before returning to our holiday cottage, my wife wanted to call into the local store in Achiltibuie, what passes as the largest local village, but in reality has a permanent population of less than 100. The store was tiny, so I stayed in the car, and fiddled with the store radio.


Then, at about 1.50 pm while I was still waiting...


"We are getting reports of a small plane crashing into the World Trade Center in New York" came the news report on Radio 5...


I instantly knew, without any further confirmation, or any visual evidence, that this was no small aircraft and was no accident, and remember that I felt all cold, despite the humidity.


A few minutes later, Margaret returned to the car, I told her what had happened and we drove back to the cottage in silence.


The rest of the afternoon was spent in front of the tiny portable television screen, doing the same as many millions of people around the world.


That day, even a tiny corner of Scotland was part of New York......

God of our fathers, known of old—
Lord of our far-flung battle line—
Beneath whose awful hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies—
The Captains and the Kings depart—
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called our navies melt away—
On dune and headland sinks the fire—
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe—
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard—
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding calls not Thee to guard.
For frantic boast and foolish word,
Thy Mercy on Thy People, Lord!
Amen.

"Lest We Forget" Rudyard Kipling

Another time....

The week before, from the Atlantic magazine

National Portrait Gallery: Glamour of the Gods

I recently visited London, and while there took some time to take in my favourite art gallery there, the National Portrait Gallery. The current main photographic exhibition is "Glamour of the Gods - Hollywood Portraits" photos are from the John Kobal foundation.


As the foundation is based on an archive of photographs of actors, it is hardly surprising that the quality is mainly very good. I say mainly because I felt the images from the 1920's were the weakest of the collection. Some of them were poor quality reproductions, but those that weren't seemed to have variable photographic quality - such as poor focussing.

Louise Brooks, by ER Richee, 1929

The exhibition came into its own when showing portraits from the 1930's onwards. There was a marked improvement in quality, in lighting, and in reproduction. I suppose at this time the studios became serious about publicity photographs, and before the stars themselves became aware of the power of keeping their image to themselves.

Marlene Dietrich By George Hurrell, 1937  

All in all, well worth a visit! If you are in London before 23rd October 2011, then try to pop along and enjoy this show and all the other excellent art that the NPG shows.


For more information, see the Glamour of the Gods pages at the NPG web site

Time is only relative

Yes, I know... way too long has passed since I last wrote. Yet what has changed? Still the same trials in life, only with a few more grey hairs. There have been ups, and downs, but I think, I hope, I know that I have emerged a bit stronger.

One thing that I wish I had learned long ago and remembered though.... getting sunburnt sucks! I was with my pbase friends in Hastings at the weekend, and instead of the normal meetup weather the day was glorious! So stupidly I had no hat, nor any sunblock. It is the middle of July after all. Result, one very red face, two very red arms. And now, lots of peeling skin! Arrrrgh!