Being a hermit

It's not too bad to be in hermit-mode for a while, which is what I have been doing. I have been at home for past weekends, working on publishing my film photo book about Marseille.

It's a childhood dream of mine to see a book being published, and I'm glad that there were so many kind beings each step of the way, helping me with film knowledge, travelers who showed me a new way to experience traveling and also hosting me, photography enthusiasts young and old who showed me what they knew. Writers and book authors who encouraged me while honing their craft. Finally, this is the final step - I have launched a crowdfunding campaign that would be a great way to validate the idea. I know crowdfunding campaigns are tough but I will put on an armor and fight for my dream!

I can understand a little bit now about the hard-won small successes by entrepreneurs and everyone who is fighting a different battle in life... ... it is not easy to build something for years... Having recently gone through an emotional upheaval, it was surprising that it became a catalyst for me, to really know what I want to try to do. Sometimes, I always get caught up in the hundred things I need to do in work, in my small daily needs that I lose sight of the mountains that are calling me over. I believe I can make it there, soon!

So, I need more support. Please spread the word far and wide about what I am doing, to photography enthusiasts, supporters of the arts, people who love travel.

Click here to watch the video and read more about the project:

www.pozible.com/myeverydaymarseille

=)

Last trip of the year: Onward to Da Lat, Vietnam

Sunrise near Mount Bromo with tourists, Feb 2013. Taken with a toy camera, Superheadz.




Dreams. 

It's nice to have them, isn't it?

Very early on in 2013, I made a small travel wish, a dream I kept to myself. That I would journey to these 2 South East Asian countries that are really, not that far away from Singapore, Vietnam and Cambodia. It's almost a shame that given my love for travel and interesting landscapes I've not been to these countries. Early on in 2013, somehow the budget ticket prices were really high, too high for me to make a purchase on these flights. I monitored the ticket prices throughout the year and finally got a great ticket price to Cambodia - booked in May, travel date October. I had also booked a ticket to Vietnam - to see the hill country of Da Lat and hopefully journey to the sand dunes of Phan Rang - but unfortunately wasn't able to make the trip as I was in Europe and it didn't make sense. 

It's actually amazing then, in a couple of days, I am journeying to Vietnam! My new boss gave us an unexpected vacation on the 30 - 31, so despite being new and really wanting to save my leave for something longer, I can go on this trip! It is really unexpected and my heart shines with joy just at the thought of this small wish being completed, surprisingly, at the end of 2013. And who knew that my boss would be the one to fulfil this dream, in a way?

The main plan is to go straight to Da Lat, with cooler weather, and then hopefully visit a couple of villages, the nearby mountain (1900 ft) by jeep, and make my way to the sand dunes at Phan Rang. I'm taking this opportunity to brush up on my film photography skills too, getting over my fear of using the large zoom lens. 

So far, the Tamron lens that I put usually at 50 mm did take quite nice photos. 

I'm glad always that people like what I photograph, part of the joy of travel photography is that I did inspire people to go on such trips - at least two people I knew of went to Mount Bromo after seeing my amateur shots, and that is a reward in itself. Fingers crossed for all the equipment to work smoothly, I don't like to carry anxiety on a vacation!

Bali in a weekend: Horse Riding and Shopping along Poppies Lane at Kuta

Relaxing in the late afternoon glow of the sun, I sat on this spot of Kuta, far from the madding crowd, enjoying a little isolation on the wet sands. A surfer in front of me had decided to do the exact same thing - he is nearer than he looks in this photo, because my camera was wide angled I looked to be quite far away. I think we both felt the same thing, that these 20 minutes or so (I had to get up after that duration, because I sunburn easily) that these 20 minutes was para, para Paradise. Oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh!

Rawrr! Be very scared!




I'm so proud of myself for organizing this trip. =)

How this trip came about - my Dad had wanted to go to Bali - his first time - last year, as he had a Singaporean-Danish friend who asked him to visit. I had ridden a small horse for the first time last month at Mount Bromo and really enjoyed the experience, later asking our guide about good places to ride horses, he suggested Sanur, Bali. So already knowing we have free acommodation and local friends; we planned for this trip; knowing that the cost would not be too high. We also had budget tickets for a steal, going on airasia and coming back on tiger airways for about $200.

It's also the first trip for my father to do trekking in places other than Singapore and Malaysia so he was very excited. I have to add that I also sponsored his outfit, a sport jacket and track pants (though he did not feel as cold as me to put it on!)

Simply artistic decor for just a pina colada... I was so surprised at seeing this! And later putting the flower in my hair holiday style.

And with proper planning it is possible to go to so many places in a very short time.

Basically the rough itinerary:


Friday
Morning ride to horse-riding, back to friend's house
Went to Uluwatu, there is really an interesting row of shops and bars on the cliff. It was raining often so we hid at a cosy bar. 

Saturday
2 am journey to the Batur Caldera area from Kuta - as you can see from the map it's not so close by
Started trek around 4:30 , 5 am, for sunrise usually happens at 6:20 am.
Went down and around the village to a hot spring for an hour.
Lunch overlooking padi fields and the journey back, able to stop at any place you wanted - we only stopped at a coffee plantation and I got to see the producers of Kopi Luwak, the civet cats!

After some rest I spent a nice late afternoon and evening, walked more than half of Kuta Beach, walked half of the shopping area around Kuta Beach.

Sunday
Went to some outlet stores and ONLY bought two pairs of shorts (one red, one yellow), a miracle!
Walked the other half of Kuta... =) Went for a massage and pedicure (flower on my toes!) at Poppies Lane, it was less than US$10, amazing. Became a shopaholic after getting over my initial reluctance to bargaining.

From the map you can see we really did go to so many places in this short time!


Horse Riding at Pantai Saba (Saba Beach)

(baliweathermap.blogspot.com)

 Here at the Badung Strait in between the two temples, we did our horse-riding =)
I was amazed by the black sands of the beach which glittered in the sunlight. But it was also broiling hot and it made a deep tan on my shoulders!


Dad's first time on a horse, and first time to Bali!

 
 The horse smiled for the camera. So funny!

On the black volcanic ash sands of Pantai Saba. It WAS hot!


 
 My horse suddenly became camera-shy.

Map from Lonely Planet

From this map it's clear to see the two mountains, Mount Agung (Gunung Agung) and Mount Batur (Gunung Batur).

We did the Batur Caldera trekking which went up and around the Toya Bungkah Village and Caldera Lake area, to about 1000m - at cloud level we could see the sunrise and the peak of the two mountains.


Village chicks.

We also explored these places:

At Uluwatu

At Saba Beach

At Kuta Beach

It was a good idea to have a not-so-planned itinerary. Usually when I travel I try to stay with locals or ask strangers what is a good thing to do in the area. This way, I will often have some interesting experiences. In Chiangmai an old lady told me about the flower market and it was an amazing afternoon walking through the blooms. I loved the horse-riding last month at Bromo so much that I asked my guide where else would we be able to ride horses. He was from Bali and suggested Sanur, so it was through my independent research that I found this activity.

I didn't think that I would like Kuta as I have read so many unfavorable things about it, and it is true that most of the sales people along the beachfront will quote exorbitant prices like $10 for a bottle of mineral water and a chair, or $35 for a straw hat. (I managed to get the straw hat Dad wanted down to $5, after impressing upon them that I bought a hat the day before for that price. I lied, but I saved $30. Don't judge.)

However, there are some ways to get rid of the annoying and really very friendly guys who desired to teach you surfing, let you sit on their chair and offer you rides, drag you into their shop for a manicure (yes, it happens)

I wanted to get a more even tan as the horse-riding only browned my shoulders, so I took off my dress and walked the whole stretch in a bikini - the bikini bottom was shorts, and I felt disguised by a hat and sunglasses. None of the guys dared to have any more aggressive approach after seeing the bright color striped outfit of mine, they became shy, and so I walked the stretch in peace.

I enjoyed walking in Kuta actually, both at the long stretch of beach, and also at the long stretch of shops -  there's such a great range of shops to explore and so many interesting things to see. So having an unplanned last day on Bali I immediately wanted to go back again. If you managed to walk past the annoying stretch  and into St Poppies' Lane, you will love this part of Kuta. It's filled with many people also wearing nothing much, bunches of young backpackers, cheap beer, food, massages. A massage for an hour (or a pedicure or whatever you wanted) would set you back $5 (45,000), it's nice to tip the masseuse and see their happy faces. There's graffiti, great shops where you can do relaxed, undisturbed shopping and quote the price you think is fair. Some temples, beautiful and funny looking exteriors of shops and hotels. I could walk forever in this place.

For more on the trek read the earlier post:
Trekking up Batur Caldera

All photos taken by me and Dad.
Film: Lomography 400, Agfa Precisa CT 100, Kodak Ultramax 400.
Camera: Superheadz Vivitar UWS, Minolta Riva Zoom, Contax
 
 Special thanks to Dad's friend, Emil Gerecke who kindly hosted us for the weekend in Kuta!

Photo Friday: Cloud Yoga

Cher contributeur et chercheur de midi,

Nous vous informons que votre photo «Cloud Yoga» se trouve désormais dans la collection «Personnages» et dans la série «Au bord de la mer» =)

Was really happy to receive the news at mid-week (a rather emotional week at that) that my photo 'Cloud Yoga' was added into the collection of Les Chercheurs De Midi, it is a photo compilation of Marseille and Provence, as this year in 2013, Marseille and Provence is themed as the capital of European culture.

There on the album of 'Researchers at Noon' are really great photos - vintage photos and people's memories at the beach front, boats, places or lands they know as paysages. It's really interesting how the French people are the original peoples of the land and everywhere you go there is a natural blend of the ancient and the new. I was able to find harmony in the old rocks and the dwellings carved into it. In the old church of Abbaye St Victor and the 'new' church that is built above it, a superb idea of moving on but not forgetting what is in the basement. There, in the basement, lies 4th century evidence of christianity, old sculptures and niches.

I really like this photo because it was accidental, it was at the end of the French Foreign Legion grounds and someone took off his clothes and climbed the rocks. As we made ourselves presentable and got ready to depart, along came a small little cloud, just appearing like a tiny fluffy thing! I screamed hysterically and told him to pose, 'holding' it. A little while later the cloud dissipated, and we left. I particularly like the rocks at the side.

The colors are pinkish and purplish because I used cross processed tungsten film.


http://www.mp2013.fr/chercheursdemidi/

Sukamade Turtle Beach

I was at Mount Bromo, Ijen Crater and Sukamade Beach located on the island of Java, Indonesia. We traveled there from Surabaya airport for our Lunar New Year vacation break.

This is day 3 (evening) and day 4 (morning) of the trip.

 Instinctively making their way to the ocean as they hear the surf of the waves.

Turtles!

The green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) we saw on the beach that night laid a total of 94 eggs.
We saw flipper tracks on the darkened beach made by other turtles who were seeking a safe place to lay their eggs. This beach is the laying ground for 4 types of sea turtles and we had a dreamy experience of seeing the eggs being brought to a safe house where they were re-buried in sand, seeing the turtle-lings appear, miniature flippers and all, a pale shade of gray with white bellies, they later turned into charcoal black and then finally jewel tones of blue-purple as an adult. (Not green!) Later the next day we helped to re-bury the 94 eggs (I did 40). The other eggs were mostly of the same species with one batch being from the Hawksbill Turtle. We were told that the Leatherback also made its way there though it was rarer.

On my birthday the next morning, we helped a bucketful of the month-old babies return to the sea for a greater chance of survival. Make a wish as you let the turtle go, said the guide; and I did wish upon a turtle. A birthday wish I will remember and I hope, comes true.

 
The eggs were dug up and reburied in the hatchery. The signboards behind shows the date buried, type of sea turtle, and the 'helpers' names. We got to write our names later and buried the 94 eggs we saw the previous night.

Reaching the beach
The drive through the planations of the Meru Betiri National Park was a fun one for us - not only could we see the different crops, rubber, robusta coffee, cacao, we also made river crossings - one larger river and two that were streams or rivulets. We were on a FWD jeep on the basically rocky trail. The path was a good long one made up of straight roads that looked like it could be drawn by a ruler, and it probably was, back in the good old colonial times by a Dutch surveyor. There were also small villages that housed the plantation workers and a small school, and a Dutch-style factory that processed the spices and coffee which looked like a rather foreboding place.

Our driver was a fine young Indonesian, lanky with skinny jeans to match, and guilelessly bright-eyed, looking like he enjoyed a good laugh from time to time. We had encountered a small problem when the only road was blocked by a large truck with its tire busted. It was not easy to maneuver around the large truck and between the muddy grasses/trees of the plantation; but he did it in calm precision, to my deep admiration! At each waiting point he waited happily for us with a childlike naivete. Both myself and the other female traveler felt a sense of loss when we had to part... ...

 


Perched on top of the 4WD for a view of the river crossing!

Stay
At the end of the plantation there was a simple homestay that seemed to have only 4 rooms for travelers, a rustic canteen and the place was mainly focused on keeping in line with nature, the room was sparse but it was very clean. Being so close to nature, however, had its bearbugs, literally. A large black hornbug (scarab beetle) was sleeping soundly in the pillow of a fellow traveler, he heard strange hissing sounds coming from inside his pillowcase and creepy crawling sounds as well adding to his fearful nightmare... The next day he found it (and took a photo of the beetle!) We also saw a large monitor lizard, local cats, hive of bees droning around sago palm flowers, a family of black gibbon monkeys with funky hairdos; atop trees, and down on the ground the scheming looking macaques looking as if they are plotting to steal every shiny thing you possess - now I know why there are bars on the windows!

From the doorstep of our place there is a trail through the untouched forest that led to the 3.5 km long beach. Apart from two small rock islets, the sea was unencumbered as it led out into the Pacific. The beach had to be totally shrouded in darkness and it was a different, almost fearful experience walking the 700m to the beach without seeing what lay on the path below.


Morning rays of sun on the uninhabited Sukamade beach.

I had seen the incredible scene of turtles coming on to beaches to lay their eggs before, when I was very little. My Dad had brought me to the shores of Pahang, Malaysia. That was more than 20 years ago and the eggs were available to be bought and usually eaten raw. Now of course, everyone would be made aware that the endangered turtles are meant to be conserved and taken care of. And of course eating such things now are illegal. I had tasted turtle egg before as a young innocent and till now I can still remember the taste of it - horrible raw taste with a gritty sandpaper texture, if you imagine exactly how a reptilian mucus tasted like.

One day when we are all older, I hope that I will be able to bring my children to witness the same scene of a majestic sea turtle, rising from the ocean, laying its eggs and heading back to the great Pacific. I count myself very blessed to have been able to see this twice in my life.
 
 
 Making a wish upon a baby sea turtle before sending it on its way in the Great Pacific. I hope my wish comes true!

 All Analog Photos are taken with an analog camera Superheadz (also known as Vivitar Ultra wide & slim). Film used: Agfa Precisa CT100 / Lomography Color 200. Processed by Shalom Colorlab.

All Digital Photos taken by Seth Weisel.

More information:
http://www.sukamade.com/welcome-aboard-to-sukamade-turtle-beach

Ijen Crater

This is the second day of the trip where I went along with 2 travelers to Mount Bromo, Ijen Crater and Sukamade Beach.

About a third of the way down from the crater, this quaint Dutch-built place was a usual pitstop for the sulphur porters- complete with a small canteen. It's the place where they weigh their sulphur of the day, and deposit them for a daily wage. I was told many of them eat 4 kg of rice everyday to replenish their strength. 



When I close my eyes, I can still picture the precise, perfect moment of being up the crater.
A real crater!
Beholding the turquoise heated lake in the crater. Fifty degrees of liquid blue.
Seeing sulphur porters carrying baskets of sulphur blocks up from the spewing, smoky corner of the ground near the lake that produces 20 tons of sulphur a day.
Misty skies that burned with the 'evil-smelling' sulphuric acid.
Having a muscular, smiling, man beside me. (Maybe a hallucination.)

And the mountains, the rugged, rocky hills that seemed to tell a story of its own.
The silence of these rocks with the precise, perfect weather.
Ooooooooooooh-la-la!

Being a non-hiker/climber, this trip was a big one for me.

It was a 3 km trek - winding and uphill on ground and trail for most of the terrain until the top of the crater, 2,400 m at its height. In pitch darkness to catch the early morning rays, I stumbled through, stopping to catch my breath around most turns, drinking water and eating some chocolate flavored energy gel. It did not help that I had a weak throat due to being sick with a month's-long pharyngitis infection. Not to mention that the day before, I did Bromo.

No excuses, I was determined to make it, though the distance proves unnerving for beginner hikers. Be warned! On the way back I mostly slipped and slided my way down with my silly peanut like soled Adidas trainers. I will be more prepared with super hiking shoes, super windbreaker and super hat for next trips of such kinds...

Snapshots at Ijen Crater:
While my friends bounded ahead I took a grandmother paced walk uphill and saw breaking dawn at about 3/4 way there. The heavy mist was caused by the wind blowing into the sulphur fumes produced.

 

 

 
The face of the Crater leading into the lake. Simply an amazing sight. Despite the people - sulphur porters working, guides and tourists from time to time, the place had a desolate feel, a silence shrouded by mist that makes you want to whisper. Some would find it unnerving, especially if you are being used to city noises - but if I had to choose between jungle sounds, city hubbub and mountain silence, I would choose the latter.



It was so fascinating to see the different colors and types of rocks. Most of the time seen under a layer of sulphur fumes but if you are patient, the wind direction shifts and the lake turns turquoise and you can see amazing ancient rock formations in the distance.

 

Craterman (CM): New Canadian superhero. Comes with powerful camera. Seemed to have materialized out from the rocks beside me...also wearing a suitable outfit for this photo. I don't usually take photos of strangers but it's Craterman!

My legs were trembly at this point from the walk. I tried not to fall off...
 

 The inner sartorialist in me halted the porter to stop and he gamely posed for me. Unlike the other porters in dirty looking, torn teeshirts and some with rubber slippers, he was chic in a plaid long sleeved shirt, red pants and rubber boots. His other accessory was 70 - 100 kgs worth of sulphur blocks.

 

Each of the 450 sulphur workers had to load 2 basketfuls' of sulphur per day and started as early as 3am as they were not allowed to work when it got too hot and dangerous. We were told they earned about $8 per day so that was pretty good salary as compared to the average East Java worker. However, it was a tough job, most working at the sulphur mines starting from 15 to 55 and many Javanese pitied them for not being able to carve out another niche - they were mostly uneducated. We were told some suffered from sulphur exposure, having loose teeth, yellowish pupils, weakened joints, but they all seemed in good health to us, and perhaps they are superhumans too!

Snapshots at Arabica Village:

Notes:
For physically fit hikers it is about 90 minutes trek to the top of the crater.
For me...well... it is more than that.

We stayed the preceding evening at Arabica Homestay, just a short walk away from our quaint chalet style accomodation there was a nearby commune-like village where I was told, the villagers never left the place - unless they stopped working in the organic plantations. Therefore the village was enclosed, very friendly to strangers and had an artificial waterfall, pipes for irrigation and a stream for bathing. The children crowded around us and practiced their English, as we walked past their residences the adults were also friendly and polite. It was a pleasant evening walk and possibly the most friendly village encountered.


Photos are taken with an analog camera Superheadz (also known as Vivitar Ultra wide & slim). Film used: 35mm Lomography Color 400. Processed by Shalom Colorlab.