Location, Location, Location

There are three things that make long trips abroad worthwhile. There’s the planning. There’s the going. And there are the great memories that make you want to do it all over again. Coming back does suck though.

The planning

What I love most about going away is all the excitement I get from the build up. The delirious sense of the unknown that comes with planning a big journey is enough to keep anyone daydreaming through the most mundane tube journey. You’re not just paying for a holiday you’re affording unlimited feel good moments as at any point you can cast your mind forward to adventures ahead and transport yourself to wherever you want to be.

In some ways the planning is the best part. I absolutely love the feeling I get when I type a country or city name into Google and find out it’s absolutely nowhere near where I thought it was. I can’t think of many better ways to spend a day than working out the best route from Wellington to Napier, researching where to spend a five-day stop off in Kuala Lumpar, paying for internal Aussie flights six months before you leave England, keeping to yourself the fact that you thought Auckland was the capital of New Zealand, working out exchange rates are nearly always favourable to the pound, typing out an itinerary and spending weeks filling in the blanks, and it’s pure daydreaming heaven when you can lean back in your chair and let your mind boggle at the prospect of all those hilarious moments and laughs you’re going to experience along the way.

The going

Looking over my top ten photos from Australia I’m struck by how few of them feature examples of the numerous mind-jolting & wondrous landscapes on offer throughout the country. Instead of Uluru I’ve gone for a photo of Tom jumping into a swimming pool. Instead of a picture of the Opera House I’ve chosen one featuring three mates asleep at the cricket.

http://fourmoretotheengland.blogspot.com/2007/04/top-ten-photographs-0607.html

And the same is pretty much true of the photographs I’ve selected from my New Zealand/Australia trip. Of the ten, six were taken in New Zealand, four in Australia, and only one is taken in any of the stunning locations I visited whilst away.

And here it is. It’s a close up of the ‘Champagne Pools’ in Wai-O-Tapu, Rotorua.



I suppose the next photo could be classed as part character based part location. It was taken on rocks that separate Manly beach with Freshwater. Tom’s nephew Dave was forever scrambling up and over slippery rocks that the rest of us were gingerly trying to navigate. Giving me the opportunity to take this photo.



Posing with a ciggie, a beer and with my pasty bod on show is as close to the edge as I get. This photo was taken before I had met up with Billy Corgan, seen the Smashing Pumpkins and only moments after meeting up with Cara for the first time in twelve years. It was also taken on perhaps my favourite day of the holiday on Tamarama Beach for Fe’s welcome home party.



And on the subject of Billy Corgan



Most of the photographs I choose in these ‘Top Ten’ sections aren’t down to the aperture or clever use of filter. This one, like many others, just captures a moment in time that makes me smile. It was taken on the same day in Wellington as the one with Billy Corgan and is equally as memorable as I celebrated my first ever away day win with Mark and Nathan.



And the good times continued into the next few days as trout fishing replaced cricket as the competition of choice. Fe took this photo as I reeled in one of eight trout we caught that day.



Just call me ‘Hunter’.



Back to Wellington again for this snap. Wildlife photographs always seem like a good idea at the time but are so boring when you look back at them. But this one is just about worthwhile.



And to finish off the collection here’s two photographs taken in the Blue Mountains. But instead of capturing the majesty of the location I’ve picked these two. Because a view’s not worth seeing if you haven’t got people around to enjoy it with.