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Tag: Birds
Gratitude for all my travel
“I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train.” ― The Importance of Being Earnest
I feel the same way about my photographs. I’m never bored as going through them I get to travel the world yet again and for that, I’m really grateful.
I feel sorry for those, in these times of the Covid -19 pandemic, who have saved and planned for years and who have had their one big dream travel trip cancelled – mostly with their money down the drain. I too have had trips cancelled, but at least I’ve had years of travelling the world, mostly solo, and have accumulated numerous memories. My photos are merely prompts – I even have a box of photos for friends and family, or dementia ward staff, to use to prompt me. Just a little forward planning for something I don’t think will happen is luckily for me, there has been little cognitive degeneration and my family. Here’s hoping that continues.
I look at my walls and my living area and see photos of, the salt plains of India, a Buddha in a tree trunk rubbish bin, sunrise over a river in central India, a promiscuous monkey at a national park in Malaysian Borneo, and finally, post 2010/11 quakes in Christchurch, a huge bronze bull on top of a bronze grand piano. The stories behind each of these photos, like Oscar’s diary, give me sensational memories.
Here are some more photos, each which have a story behind them, and right now, in fact, especially now – in lockdown, I can write a story in my mind as I wandered down my memory lane of travels. I’m grateful for the life I’ve had, the places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, the things I’ve seen, and all my memories.
Post Covid-19 travel: when and where will you travel – or not!
When will you start travelling once we have COVID-19 under control or at least contained? Check out the map below-the world is a huge place.
If you’re a kiwi you’ll soon be able to travel all over New Zealander again. What will be your destination, and will it be to visit friends and family or as a tourist or traveller? What about a trans-Tasman bubble? Will you go to Australia? (or NZ)
If you’re not resident in New Zealand, when and where, will you start travelling to?
My belief is that tourists will stay home for quite some time however, as always, solo travellers, nomads, and backpackers, in general, will be the first onboard planes heading to exotic destinations. Backpackers, of course, are a state of mind – it’s nothing to do with their luggage or the amount of money in their bank account. They are the explorers who want to learn new things, to meet new people, see new things and of course, taste new food!
So what places are on your travel list my bucket list is so long that at my age I know I will not be able to tick many off
Unless of course, I meet a tall dark handsome stranger who is happy to fund my travels – I’m open to that!
How do you choose who to follow on social media?
How do you decide who to follow on Instagram or other such media?
When I have someone follow me, and Instagram suggests I follow them back, I have a quick look at their photos and almost instantly make a decision – are these photos I want to see or not?
Life is too short to engage with photos that don’t interest me for many reasons. It may sound judgemental, but it’s nothing to do with the person posting, making a judgement as to how I want to spend my time. So, here are the photos I do like to see.
- Travel photos that show the culture that person is exploring; travel photos that are natural – that is, no filters or colour enhancers – I want to see what your eyes saw – not a camera adjustment! Selfies, or photos of you, doing yoga or muscle poses, (for example) in exotic places – for me that does not make it a travel photo. It is self-promotion, and although I’m sure many people love to see them, it’s just not my cup of tea.
- I don’t follow Instagram pages that have numerous quotes, sayings, homilies, and the stream. If I see one or 2 that’s fine, but not screeds of them.
- If they are family photos and I don’t know you, I’m not interested.
What a curmudgeonly old woman I sound, but one of the beauties of life is that you don’t have to, and I don’t have to, follow or please everybody by posting the photos they want to see. We all take and post the photos we want to post
- So what photos do you like to see,
- What ones don’t you want to see
- Or, do you just follow everybody if they are following you?
It’s not about right or wrong, it’s just about our taste – or lack of taste you might think 🙂
I’m looking forward to hearing how you choose who to follow or not on Instagram, Facebook, or any other social – let’s face it, each of our opinions is totally valid. Is that old adage says, one man’s meat is another man’s poison – or your junk is my treasure.
What’s your junk? Your treasure?
Oruapaeroa-Travis Wetlands, Christchurch,New Zealand
On a recent trip to Christchurch, I again visited the Travis Wetlands. when I was a child we just called it ‘the swamp’ where my maternal grandfather grazed his cows and then sold milk by the billy from the back of a horse and cart!
I’m glad a remnant of that swamp remains – you can get there by public bus. Check out the sights on this slideshow.
Post-quake road trip to Kaikoura – seals, shags, and slips
Early January 2019 I went to Kaikoura on a camping holiday-road trip from Wellington, NZ. It was my first trip there post the 2016, 7.8 earthquake – here are a few of the hundreds of photos I took. more blogs and pic to follow.
protective barriers continue to be erected
the repaired road is great
do not collect shellfish – let then recover
Slips evident everywhere
more slips
Oahu Point has great parking now
much easy to enjoy the seals from here now
and we thank you for your work and patience too
What’s not to love about seals – except perhaps their smell 🙂
Shags (Kawau in Māori, or cormorants in other countries) always seem to be posing
Kaikoura means to eat crayfish – and what a great spot to get some. Crayfish are large and in the lobster family – not the little crawfish of USA. (although that’s what many Americans hear when we Kiwi say ‘crayfish’. Nin’s Bin has been here for years and years!
the gulls are always hopeful
perfect spot to eat and admire the view
make sure you get tomato sauce for your chips
Encounters with creatures in Udaipur, India
In India, architectural heritage is often linked to the major religions of the country: Buddhist stupas and monasteries; Hindu and Jain temples in many styles – many share structural characteristics such as stone columns and horizontal blocks carved with sacred imagery or decorative motifs sculptures of the vast pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses are everywhere the various deities have many manifestations which becomes confusing as their names, like many Indian cities, are interchangeable.
Udaipur, Rajasthan, is a fairy-tale city with marble palaces and lakes – and I will blog about them later. In the meantime, here is a slideshow (23 pics) some of the local wildlife.
Birds of Northern Kerala – while at the Kannur Beach House
Just some of the birds I enjoyed watching during my week at Kannur Beach House, with Thalassery Beach, a river, plus a brackish lagoon makes it ideal for birdwatchers.
Darter enjoying its catch
egret
egret
kingfisher
darter
kingfisher
kingfisher
kingfisher
Birds, squirrels, and a monkey in New Delhi
With a couple of free days in New Delhi, and having already visited many of the tourist sites on a previous visit this time was pretty laid-back, relaxing before I went to a conference. But first I have to check out the wildlife!
I left my hotel (and will write a blog about all my various and diverse accommodations I used in India later) and went to Lodi Gardens. My Uber driver got lost despite his GPS and when he dropped me off said ‘I was here last weekend and you will see black swans whites swans – they are beautiful.’ I had not imagined what sort of birds or animals I would see in New Delhi so assumed the swans were left over from colonial days.
Here are the photos of the birds and creatures I saw:
. . . as you can see, not a swan in sight!
Away from Lodhi Park I also saw one monkey, and a gaggle of geese at the cricket grounds at a private school.
Birds bathing in spring waters
It’s fun to sit and watch some common birds bathing in a natural spring beside the Avon River in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens (New Zealand)
And if you prefer to slowdown your viewing . . .
Kiwi Travel Writer talks food, travel, and tips 