My Round the World Trip

[pupuce]

Hi Pupuce, I've been glued to ur thread. A dream that probably wont come true for me, married with 1 toddler, 1 baby.. by the time i can be away from the kids for so such a long period of time, i'll be 50 already!! Mayb me and wife still can make it for extended trips, but i doubt we can handle those long treks and sleeping conditions! (i'll love to do that gorilla trek!) Im hoping we can at least to a 3 mth one when the kids grows slightly older...keep posting!!

Juzride, glad to know my photos are being put to good use rather than sitting in my HDD :lovegrin: Thanks for giving me the tips about photographing the Dark skin africans.. I will bear that in mind that with the sun on them will help lighten up the colour shade instead of casting further shadows on their faces and bodies.

You can still go away at 50-60yrs old as long as yous tay fit, so keep that in check. On the road, I met a 66 years old Indian American.. he is more fit than me in many ways.
On the hand, I met a South African couple on my cruise to Antarticam the wife already had knee problems and she had difficulties getting on the bobbing rubber zodiac boats, walking on the frozen ice and suffer from pain because of the cold. Even though she was in a continent that some many can only dream of going, she didnt enjoy it and was complaining most of the time. I understand her frustration and I keep this mind so that I will take better care of my body, especially back in this stressed environment.

** please note that you will need to be FIT for Uganda gorilla climb - it was very tough and half way through, I did question myself what the hell am I doing I heard Rwanda is less dense than Uganda and easier to photograph the gorillas so you might want to research that in the future.
Good luck and stay tuned.
Cheers

(ps - added new photos to the spain section in previous page - enjoy!)

 

[gnohz]

I love your photos of Alhambra! The designs and carvings are simply an eye opener And your descriptions look so pro too. Your real profession must be a photojournalist or something

 

[pupuce]

I love your photos of Alhambra! The designs and carvings are simply an eye opener And your descriptions look so pro too. Your real profession must be a photojournalist or something

Gnohz, thanks for your encouragement and responses to keep the thread going.
Le Alhambra is really gorgeous and that is one of the places I'd wish for an ultra wide angle lens.. (and also Sangrada Familia)So i forcused more on the intricate designs. I have snippets of information which i googled while travelling and recorded them in my diary. Now I share them so that we can learnt about the places through the photos.

For those who have PM me, thank you for your letting me know how much you are enjoying the photos..it is a great motivation for me to keep the photos coming, (not great tehcnical photos but I hope they tell a story to you the way I saw it)
I hope it will feed your thirst for travelling for the time being you are in Singapore :devil:

 

[pupuce]

New Series - MOROCCO​

Morocco and Western Sahara- occupied by Morocco ( this part of the joruney is way beyond the usual Morocco that most tourists know) I went through Western sahara to overland into Marintania, a long, tedious and somewhat dangerous segment (dont take the risk until you know what is involved in ehre)​

​

#1 Morocco - Chefchaouen,affectionately known as Chaouen by the locals
A very Hot day​

 

[pupuce]

#2 Morocco, Chefchaouen, The Blue Town
(Just for fun, I decided to use some effects from the PP7)
The countryside around it has a reputation for being a prolific source of kif (marijuana). The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco. Hashish is subsequently sold all over town​

 

[pupuce]

Subscribing into this thread. Reading your stories diligently.

Thanks I am also following on Your thread :lovegrin:

 

[intikhab76]

After reading, browsing, it's more of a dream come true...All the details well explained and shot just takes my breath away.
As someone had mentioned earlier, Photojournalist should be your profession, lols.
A big thank you for the heads up especially for those intending to travel akin to your itenary and keep the Pics & Stories coming, Time well spent traveling, planned executed in all justifications as in the Pics. God Bless...

 

[ManWearPants]

Spain - Granada, Sunset from roof terrace of oasis Hostel

I thought this is excellent. You are already competent enough. No need to eat the humble pie. Just keep the photos and the stories coming.

Somehow your Spain series is especially good. Why?

 

[alantkh]

all these came from practices. so it may not be applicable for you if u have not started using filters. filters are a hassle to apply, so they are used only if you bother. it will depend on how much u wanted to have control over your sky-containing landscape, versus how light and easy u want to be on the go. i have more or less already know i'm not for tripod, star trail and waterfalls, basically no long exposure.

I thought filter is really not just for star trail and waterfalls. I really felt the need for ND filters everytime I came upon a body of water (lakes, shore) which is quite often.

Even at sunset/sunrise I can only get my shutter speed to 1sec (f22 ISO200) which is still too short.

Zoosh, you have so many nics pics. Do you have any with lakes, seascapes, etc? I don't really know what to do to get a nice shots without ND filter.

 

[alantkh]

#2 Morocco, Chefchaouen, The Blue Town
(Just for fun, I decided to use some effects from the PP7)
The countryside around it has a reputation for being a prolific source of kif (marijuana). The Chefchaouen region is one of the main producers of cannabis in Morocco. Hashish is subsequently sold all over town​

the effect looks good but I think you need a person inside the photo. Maybe someone with ethnic dressing so people will know what sort of people live there... Because the picture makes me curious where it is taken and who lives there

 

[gnohz]

Gnohz, thanks for your encouragement and responses to keep the thread going.
Le Alhambra is really gorgeous and that is one of the places I'd wish for an ultra wide angle lens.. (and also Sangrada Familia)So i forcused more on the intricate designs. I have snippets of information which i googled while travelling and recorded them in my diary. Now I share them so that we can learnt about the places through the photos.

I agree, a UWA will be great in such situations. You'll also be able to capture the interiors of buildings.
It pays back to keep a diary and notes while travelling. Sometimes I find it difficult to find the names of some places because they do not have any! Especially when out in the wilderness, so I just use the nearest landmark as a reference ;p

 

[pupuce]

I thought this is excellent. You are already competent enough. No need to eat the humble pie. Just keep the photos and the stories coming.

Somehow your Spain series is especially good. Why?

Manwearpants, you have been quiet for a while. how come so fast ended your Jordan/Egypt series?

This is one of my favourite sunset photo. I didnt edit the colour or anything, its exactly as I saw it on the roof of my hostel. It was stunning.. As for the Spain series is indeed better.. i recall having a very relax time in Alhambra and truly savour every moment I spent in there. Could be I was in the mood to shoot.
In some countries I have more shots, some countries I have less. I didnt realise it then but when I'm back and i went though the photos, I saw that I put in more effort in some than others - it could be I was very tired at times and really dont feel like taking out the camera. Sometimes i dont feel safe. Sometimes its rushed especially if I happen to be travelling with non-photographers who tends to have less patience.
Towards the end of my journey, MY HDD was snatched from my bag in Chile and so I lost almost 8 months worth of photos.. i cried so hard at the bus station and the locals couldnt understand why I was crying so badly when I got back my passport and money and lost only my photos.

I blame myself till this day for being complacent halfway through my journey and procratinated about the backing up. I lost 8 months of photos and what I've left is taken out from facebook or some sent back to me by fellow travellers who took copies of my photos.
I am still waiting for my Israel series as the French Arabic guy took almost all my photos then, now I am so thankful I let him have them :lovegrin:

I think the Spain Series also looks good because of PS7... hahah!

 

[pupuce]

the effect looks good but I think you need a person inside the photo. Maybe someone with ethnic dressing so people will know what sort of people live there... Because the picture makes me curious where it is taken and who lives there

Thats true.. i didnt see it that way before.. in fact sometimes waiting for so long to make sure there is no one in my photos ))
Xie xie!

 

[pupuce]

After reading, browsing, it's more of a dream come true...All the details well explained and shots just takes my breath away.
As someone had mentioned earlier, Photojournalist should be your profession, lols.
A big thank you for the heads up especially for those intending to travel akin to your itenary and keep the Pics & Stories coming, Time well spent traveling, planned executed in all justifications as in the Pics. God Bless...

You are welcome IntiKhab..you know the pleasure is all mine
stay tune!

 

[asterixsg]

Hi,
Did you go to places around Madrid ? Toledo, Segovia ? How about Barcelona and Seville ?

Staying glued to this thread for updates. Travel stories are fascinating

Cheers

 

[pupuce]

Hi,
Did you go to places around Madrid ? Toledo, Segovia ? How about Barcelona and Seville
Staying glued to this thread for updates. Travel stories are fascinating

My first stop was (suppose to be) Barcelona, to meet 2 of my good friends who flew there for my birthday:lovegrin: but it was a funny story.
I missed my flight from Tel Aviv to Barcelona because I was late and their security checks are super stringent. With Singapore standard ,I wasn't really late since I got there 2 hours before flight time but in Israel,you need 3 HOURS to clear checks and customs. they empty everything in your bag and dust every single electronic gadget. When i was told that I can't check in and will miss my flight, i thought to myself "there must be something i can do!"
So,I used the damsel in distress method - nope, didn't worked
I used soft approach and explained I need to go Barcelona as my its my birthday and my friends are there - Nope.didn't work
I beg, I plead , I used anger, I Used tears - nope, nope,nothing worked .. These Israelis soldiers really cannot chiam shiong!

In the end, I had to go all the way back to town and go to airline office to get new flight. My friends were already in Barcelona and being met-up and hosted by 4 spanish girls whom I met in South Africa and who were perpetually strangers to my 2 good pals, while I flew from Tel Aviv to Madrid (as the next available flight to BArcelona is 3 days later and my birthday would have been over!) and then connects an next early morning flight from Madrid to BArcelona.. and of course, my friends had to send me a video mms of them having wine and dinner while i sleep on the cold hard restaurant bench in the airport

there after, I went back to Madrid, Granada, Seville and Tarifa

Sagrada Familia​

 

[ManWearPants]

Manwearpants, you have been quiet for a while. how come so fast ended your Jordan/Egypt series?

This is one of my favourite sunset photo. I didnt edit the colour or anything, its exactly as I saw it on the roof of my hostel. It was stunning.. As for the Spain series is indeed better.. i recall having a very relax time in Alhambra and truly savour every moment I spent in there. Could be I was in the mood to shoot.
In some countries I have more shots, some countries I have less. I didnt realise it then but when I'm back and i went though the photos, I saw that I put in more effort in some than others - it could be I was very tired at times and really dont feel like taking out the camera. Sometimes i dont feel safe. Sometimes its rushed especially if I happen to be travelling with non-photographers who tends to have less patience.
Towards the end of my journey, MY HDD was snatched from my bag in Chile and so I lost almost 8 months worth of photos.. i cried so hard at the bus station and the locals couldnt understand why I was crying so badly when I got back my passport and money and lost only my photos.

I blame myself till this day for being complacent halfway through my journey and procratinated about the backing up. I lost 8 months of photos and what I've left is taken out from facebook or some sent back to me by fellow travellers who took copies of my photos.
I am still waiting for my Israel series as the French Arabic guy took almost all my photos then, now I am so thankful I let him have them :lovegrin:

I think the Spain Series also looks good because of PS7... hahah!

Your thread is so popular with so many resident subscriber that I thot I'll just read quietly by the side The Egypt/Jordan trip was done some time ago. I have short attention span and am forward looking.

Ouch...8 months worth of photos stolen...that is so painful. I am always very wary of meeting something like this on trips which is why I think 2 is a good number to travel. Thank god you distributed some of your photos around. I would never have done that. So if that was me , I would have lost everything. Zilch chance of trying to slavage anything back. Seems like online storage is a good strategy for someone embarking on such a trip.

 

[gnohz]

It's really a great pity to hear that you lost so many photos!! Or we could have hundreds more photos to enjoy This serves as good advice to myself to back up often, especially when travelling. Thanks for sharing your experience!

 

[fudoushin]

eight months of photos stolen! :sweat:
Btw, really liked the shots of the Granada, amazing symmetrical beauty and love the colors of Morocco too. Do keep spare HDDs next time so you'll reduce the risk of losing all ur great shots next time!

 

[pupuce]

Seems like online storage is a good strategy for someone embarking on such a trip.

I think for long term travelling photographers, this is a biggest issue of all. I have contemplated ways and decided to get a HDD with screen. Bought a local manufactured brand from Sim Lim Sq that has a 160GB storage with direct card reader without a computer. This is raelly a great option because internet speed is a problem with using online library especially with the amount of photos and the size of each picture.
Example in Zimbabwe, the network is so bad, in one hour hour+, I managed to upload 2 pages - one is yahoo webage, the 2nd is to my email page which I can see who wrote to me and that's all.. couldnt even read a single email ior reply anything in that one hour, much less about uploading pics,, can forget it or I will be in the internet cafe for weeks and contribute all my travelling expense to them:devil:

Also , at times, I will be in some remote areas wher I dont get access to internet for days.. by then my memory card might be full or I would have change destinations and have to sort out photos later.

Bringing laptop is another option but a few days ago, I received an email from a Singaporean whom I met in Guatemala and she is still on the road (after 18 months) and her laptop was stolen in the dormitory of Argentina.. it is too stressful to have a laptop while travelling as dormitories are also thieves infested (including fellow travellers, be aware of this) and then also the weight issue.
It was my own fault.. Initially, I backup into CD for the first 5 months or so and thereafter, I became complacent because nothing happened to me. I recall telling myself and some fellow dormitory mates while in Argentina that I'll back up soon as I am arriving in Colombia and I am a little concen about safety issues there... NATO ... and then the S**T hit me faster than expected - In Santiago, Chile

Only can blame myself..