His face was leering into mine, uncomfortably close, his ugly grin accentuated by a thin greasy moustache. The discomforting, slightly theatrical effect was complemented by an odd looking suit and a tango hat - but then we were in a tourist bar watching tango lessons. He seemed very earnest, determined that we had some information for him. The fact that we could not speak Spanish didn't seem to bother him - he just spoke faster and louder. The two women with him look sullen and miserable. Suddenly the penny dropped - "Kim, get the bag". Kim, nearer to our camera bag [View Full Entry]

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Ok, so I couldn´t find a rhyme for "Being". If you are a fellow creative and have some serious financial backing, seek out a good IPR lawyer and try to obtain what is called an "Artistic License". Clearly reality is often too boring (Big Brother) and hence to create interest one must focus on a particular aspect, and, well, exaggerate. Hence the worthy writers of the "tall and slender, lean and lovely" Girl from Ipanema might, but for a license more easily obtained in days of yore, have more accurately written ... "Short and stubby, fat and ugly, the guy in [View Full Entry]

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This (non-direct, as I don't have the original to hand) quote from "Stories of Eva Luna" by Isabel Allende has always stuck in my mind for two reasons; first, it is a fascinating example of the power of self-delusion, secondly, it brought home that Southern Patagonia must be a bit of a grim place. And of course it is. Grim, but stunningly beautiful. And lets face it, I used to live in Crookes, in Sheffield, perched on a hilltop where the wild westerly winds came thundering across the barren Peak District moors, and where for weeks on end the streets are [View Full Entry]

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Some things can never be forgiven. Never. When it comes to the issue of the many deaths that occured during the Malvenas conflagration, whilst I have no historical knowledge to draw on I am quite prepared to persuade myself that the wonderfully moral and righteous British Democracy is at least as culpable as the murderous dictatorship that ruled Argentina at the time. Johnny Foreigner invading our turf can, after time, be passed over, at least by those who didn´t suffer directly or indirectly at the time. However, Maradona´s outrageous cheating that led to England´s exit from the 1986 World Cup and [View Full Entry]

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A visit from the sponsors is always a tricky affair. Do you shower them with Champagne or impress them with your cunning frugality in the spending of their money ? Ideally both, which with good wine in Chile available cheaply seemed to be entirely possible. For this section of our trip we have been joined by Kim´s Dad Steve and his newly betrothed Margaret. Both have just retired this summer and so far their feet don´t seem to have touched the ground. After periods touring Italy, Scotland and Italy again, plus moving house, they decided on their own mini Round-the-World jaunt [View Full Entry]

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Arriving in the small village of Copacabana, nestled on the shores of Lake Titicaca, in landlocked and underdeveloped Bolivia, Kim and I both experienced a strong sense of culture shock. Too many tourists. Too many backpackers. Too many travellers, uniformly dressed, sporting local alpaca headgear and huge rucksacks, wandering around looking unsure and lost. Che Guevara, whom quite a few of these people seemed to be trying to resemble, would be spinning in his grave. Tourists. Tourists everwhere. Tourists, just like us. In China, tourists and travellers are overwhelmed by the land and the people. Even when the numbers of tourists [View Full Entry]

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After the Irish, New Zealanders must be the friendliest people in the world. I was going to add the caveat 'English Speaking' but to be honest they are probably near the top of all nationalities in the being open, chilled and pleasant to newcomers stakes. With that in mind we found the strange South Island policy of denying access to those desperately in need of toilets all across the South Island very bemusing. To keep people awake on New Zealand’s long and often empty roads, a charitable organisation offers free tea and coffee and a roadside chat. I attempted to stop [View Full Entry]

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As long as the good people of Japan keep up pressure on their leaders to buy woodchip from sustainable plantation forest rather than the beautiful and ecologically unique old-growth forests, unlike Europe, Tasmania may be saved from itself. Finally export revenues from exploitative forestry are under threat and are starting to be replaced by tourism. Apple museums and jam factories are springing up everywhere, along with boutique wineries and gourmet restaurants. The forestry industry that effectively controls Tasmania (at least according to Mark Latham, the opposition leader recently defeated in the national elections, and now doing a damn good job at [View Full Entry]

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In 2004 Melbourne repeated the feat that must have startled somewhat anyone who was listening in 2003, that of being ranked the best city in the world to live in. As mentioned in a previous blog the survey was carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit, whatever that is. This time Melbourne only narrowly retained the lead which it now shares with Vancouver and Vienna (H'mm, I'm wondering if Scrabble score might have been used as one of the criteria). It pipped the other major Australian cities on account of its weather, which I have to say is really rather good. [View Full Entry]

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Part II of my various vague ramblings on travelling with a camera. Some links to good photographers near the bottom of the page, so if you just like looking at pretty pictures try out this section. A section on underwater photography with digicams is included at the end. I would add the major caveat that I am self-taught and no expert, and so the opinions offered here are entirely my own and may well not be correct. Also, please don't assume I'm religiously devoted to Canon or Nikon or whoever, or to film or digital. I just want to take nice [View Full Entry]

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