cheating (25)

i didn't actually take this photo myself but i did instruct mands in a fair amount of detail (she is reluctant to take photos for me, probably understandably) how i wanted the shot framed and taken (mini tripod, timer, multi-shot) so it kind of counts? mands claims to come from a family of non-photographers, so if i don't request photos of myself then they'd never be taken, and then years from now when i'm gone what evidence would there be that i existed and did things? although to be honest i hope it'd be more than photos as evidence of that.

nothing like a torrential downpour (24)

the weather when i got home was hardly conducive to photography, let's not forget there was a waterfall in the kitchen just a few days ago. and here i was thinking the most extreme and sudden magnitude of rain i've experienced so far has been in the wet seasons of tropics like featured in this file shot of cambodia (on the south coast just out of sihanoukville) but the weather this summer in canberra has been mad. sunny and fine when i ride into work in the morning, and thundering and pelting down like nothing else in the afternoon when it's time to go home. so much for living in a rain shadow!

history with no closure (18)

in case it isn't obvious from the photo or tags, here's my admission that i didn't take this photo today. it's a file photo from our 2009 trip to cambodia because i am too hot and tired at the end of this day for heading out and being creative. this photo is the view from a balcony of one of the buildings in S21, a high school which was converted into a horrific political prison during pol pot's regime in the late 70s and early 80s. it is just one site in the country complete with an unspeakable history of torture and executions. to this day few of the khmer rouge lead culprits have stood trial or been sentenced which has obviously left the cambodian people with a justifiable outrage and disbelief at the lack of justice. very very sad. do we ever learn?

amber lighting, amber fluids

the light swinging gently in the breeze above me as i sat in the open window at the front of the little creatures brewery on brunswick street, fitzroy on a roasting hot november afternoon enjoy some amber ales. bliss and relaxation.

i would like to come back as a tree in the next life

and spend my days swaying in the wind, providing a perch for chirping birds, a playground for possums, dripping rain down over and off my leaves, and growing reaching stretching up towards the sun. how lovely that would be.

no sign of miranda

an outing or event that fulfills a lifelong dream or wish is always charged with some excitement or emotion. i finally got to walk around and up into hanging rock in victoria last year. and the sight of it struck a real chord in me. it felt truly truly eerie. so quiet, no noise except the wind through the trees and an occasional bird. we were the only ones there at the time. it was easy to imagine being a schoolgirl wandering through the ancient rock formations....

علاء الدي

always less than a thousand words, but oh that it could have been a thousand and one nights. this lamp adorned the entrance to our room - not a cave - in siem reap at the delightful golden banana. i will return to magical siem reap in the future.

ວຽງຈັນ

looking up through buddha at pha that luang, the great golden stupa representing both buddhism and symbolising lao nationalism in its capital vientiane. could've done with a lick of fresh paint if you ask me. no disrespect intended.

a different study of kamasutra

mands and i are involved in a constant quest to source excellent indian food the world over. we have experienced a great degree of success, and have found the top 3 restaurants abroad in some of the most unlikely places, this photo features the exquisite kamasutra in siem reap. the other 2 were in hoi an, vietnam, and amsterdam, netherlands. nothing like a hot aloo palak and some buttery garlic naan. haven't made it to india yet ironically.

a fairly impressive nightlight

i wonder if everyone else with their bedroom looking out on this sparkling glittering view falls asleep every night with the curtains wide open like we did. i couldn't keep my eyes off it.

2 tall buildings in a single lens

two gleaming towering twin towers of steel dominating the KL vista both day and night from both ground and sky. truly a modern architectural and engineering marvel. our hotel room at the renaissance looked right out onto them for spectacular night views.

stone dragon

a grand dragon bannister on a set of stairs leading up to another vietiane wat, which was chockers full of buddhas. there is a plethora of buddhas and wats in laos. by the end of an extended trip it has you thinking that there is possibly an over-saturation, similar to that of churches and museums in europe. i wonder if there is an equivalent in australia - that has tourists going "oh here we go, another - ".

wooden dragon

i'm 'dragon' out the dragon theme a bit. boom boom. this wooden carving was in the wat which was featured in the previous post. so wat? i just like dragons, and i'm providing some context. that's wat.

unhidden dragons

ornamental wat roofing in vientiane. there were dragons on the roof and (not shown in photo) eaves support struts which were carved to look like elephant head and trunk. mands couldn't see the elephant head and trunk but i am still convinced of it. maybe it's like how some people can't see those stupid magic eye pictures. personally, i could only see them inverted while giving myself a massive headache going cross-eyed. anyway this is not the point. the dragons are obvious and indisputable are they not.

butterfly orgy

i don't know what was in this muddy puddle of water but these laos butterflies were going crazy for it! there was a literal cloud of them above it and they littered the ground as they bustled for pole position, taking little notice of me even when i reached out to touch them. we came across this amazing sight by a natural spring after hiking for hours through the beautiful countryside just outside of luang prabang.

where's the bird?

i put seed and fruit out in the front courtyard for the variety of birds that live in the area. their presence provides lexie with infinite amusement. he is an indoor cat so has never caught a bird but he knows he would like one, judging by his trembling meows as he gazes out the window at them. personally, i don't think he'd know what to do if he actually caught one!

it was as cold at it looks

as i have said before, one of the things to love about canberra is its distinct 4 seasons: fresh new springs, colourful cool autumns, blasting hot summers, and freeeeeeeezing icy winters. we get hardcore frosts on some mornings and this morning was no exception. this is a closeup of the outdoor setting in our back courtyard with a spikey front layered over it.

steps and silohuettes

this shot captures perfectly our touring of the angkor temples. lots of really steep sets of carved stone steps. and stopping at the top to rest with your hands on your hips after climbing the buggers. while drinking in the majestic view over your kingdom!

nancy hazell

gramma, my mum's mum, at rebecca and ali's wedding. she is 87 and going really well. the female genes in the familial line are very strong - my mum has 5 sisters and 1 brother. and of the 15 cousins, only 4 are boys. girl power!!

what the hell

another giant khymer face. just because i want to.