Archive for May, 2007

Sydney

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

May 29, 2007

18_sydney_1.jpg
One of the most famous city images in the world
Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 50 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/350
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 100

Sydney is a fascinating experience. The city is beautiful, the sights amazing, but we keep looking around and saying “this could be Vancouver.”

The similarities are stunning, and there is so much we can learn. (more…)

Surfs Up!

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

May 29, 2007

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Bondi beach

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 18 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/750
Aperture: F/5.6
ISO: 100

Today we saw part of the Australia you see in the tourist magazines, the surfing haven, Bondi — pronounced bond-eye — beach (the other part of Australia you see is, of course, the outback).

The day started off a bit rocky. We had breakfast, (more…)

The Blue Mountains

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

May 29, 2007

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The best looking tourists in Australia
Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 18 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/250
Aperture: F/9.5
ISO: 400

The tour of the Blue Mountains was fascinating, and reinforced that when you go to a place like this, you have to buy at least one guided tour — to get a local feel that you just can’t from books. This was our first really “Australian” experience (more…)

“Them’s cheeky bugger tucker, them is”

Wednesday, May 30th, 2007

May 29, 2007

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The Three Sisters, in the Blue Mountains
Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 18 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/750
Aperture: f/8.0
ISO: 400

Today we took a tour to the Blue Mountains, an area carved out by erosion, looking at 250 million year old rocks that Charles Darwin had stood on while surveying Australia.

This trip was completely overshadowed by our tour guide and driver, John, the quintessential Australian. (more…)

My feet would hurt if this weren’t so fascinating

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 27, 2007

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You know, they really taste too gamey

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 55 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/1000
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO: 400

We’ve now been 2 full days in Sydney, plus a 1/2 day when we arrived. We have spent somewhere around about 20 hours on our feet, which is a huge contrast to Fiji where we were on coach, taxi, or boat wherever we went. We are definitely getting tired. (more…)

Single Point of Failure

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 27, 2007

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Do we know if they are carnivorous?

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 25 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/125
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO: 400

On a trip like this, power is important. (more…)

Welcome to Australia, mate!

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 27, 2007

12_sydney_1.jpg

Sydney Opera House

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 55 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/10 (handheld with VR)
Aperture: f/4.0
ISO: 800

Like Fiji, Sydney knows how to greet tourists. There were signs that led us through the airport, when we got out to a point where we had choice, there was a booth labelled “Information” go to. That’s all we would have asked out of LAX…

We got to the hotel and checked fairly easily. After the two bedroom condo in Fiji, the room seems a bit small! I don’t want to know what renting a 2 bedroom in downtown Sydney would cost though!

We were awake, and decided to go for a walk through the city. (more…)

Xiaojun

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 25, 2007

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Lifelong friends

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 52 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/60 (fill flash)
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 400

Xiaojun and Ling are obviously lifelong friends. The kind that you can fly half way around the world to see when you haven’t seen each other for 12 years. That was obvious within 5 minutes of getting off the coach — they didn’t miss a beat. Friends like this are a rarity — Mom and Carole come to mind, I cannot think of another. I have good friends, but don’t have any friends like this.

She and Ling spent their entire university living together in a dormitory with 6 other girls. (more…)

We’ll be back

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 25, 2007

10_leaving_fiji_1.jpg

How long until Tim can support us

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Manual
Focal Length: 18 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/250
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO: 100

Well, that’s it, Fiji is done with. A lot of times when we leave a place on the route to the next one we feel ready for the next adventure. This time I have to admit we felt some regret — it was too quick, we wanted more time there.

Ling and Xiaojun were up until 2 AM on their last talk. (more…)

“It’s Fiji, Man”

Sunday, May 27th, 2007

May 24, 2007

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Lots of sun, and not many worries

Camera: Nikon D80
Exposure: Aperture Priority
Focal Length: 48 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/250
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 100

I keep talking about the Fijian people, but that’s because they really are amazing. We have never been to a place with such poverty, and yet such open-hearted genuine people.

Yesterday we went on a single-day cruise (more…)