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13. September 2014 17:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open Studio Day - Taylia Lopez

13. September 2014 17:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Model: Taylia Jordan HMUA: Donna Kalasho Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney Photo: Rene PallesenHar
Model: Taylia Jordan
HMUA: Donna Kalasho
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen




Hard to believe that this is the same girl/model who during the last shoot was in this extravagant hair and makeup. I almost didn't recognise her.

13. September 2014 14:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Open day photo shoot - Michaela

13. September 2014 14:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

First of many from the photoshoot I did two weeks ago. Model: Michaela Baranov HMUA: Roxanne Cahill
First of many from the photoshoot I did two weeks ago.

Model: Michaela Baranov
HMUA: Roxanne Cahill
Lighting and Sets: Studio 1A Sydney
Photo: Rene Pallesen



21. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Golf after 5 years

21. July 2014 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Kim and I found a couple of hours to play 9 holes of golf on a short (mostly) par 3 course.It was ni
Kim and I found a couple of hours to play 9 holes of golf on a short (mostly) par 3 course after not playing for 5 years.

It was nice getting out again after that long time even though it was very windy and freezing.

20. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Cabramatta

20. July 2014 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Last weekend we went to Cabramatta to have my car services and also make a bit of a day trip out of
Last weekend we went to Cabramatta to have my car services and also make a bit of a day trip out of it.

Kim had a haircut while the boys has ice cream.



She also went past the show shop where they sell boots in her size.




Aiden got a new Lightning Mcqueen pyjamas that he was very excited about.




Lots of street food about to make you hungry.










So Lunch we had...





All very tiring.


19. July 2014 14:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden recovering

19. July 2014 14:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One of the last days when the kids were still a bit sick we though we'd get them out of the house an
One of the last days when the kids were still a bit sick we though we'd get them out of the house and go to Darling Harbour.

Aiden wanted to go on the tea-cups even though he was still suffering a bit.


18. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Hospital again

18. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

A few weeks ago I was in Melbourne for work.On the way back Kim called and said that Aiden had a rea
A few weeks ago I was in Melbourne for work.

On the way back Kim called and said that Aiden had a really high fever (41+ degrees) and that she was going to get him to the hospital because she was afraid that he'd collapse like he did last time.

I jumped on an earlier flight and went straight to the hospital and spent the night with him. He was really miserable and it took 5 days (fortunately not in the hospital) before we got the fever under control.



After that Lucas got sick and then Kim as well....what a week!!

17. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Various play photos

17. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Here is some photos that I have taken from various places including work.They don't really belong an
Here is some photos that I have taken from various places including work.

They don't really belong anywhere but it is a pity to not share them.

One day walking from the train station I walked past this pair of sandals under a tree. I don't know the story behind them or the reason why one was taped up.

Did the owner climb the tree and then vanish? Did he (I assume it was a male) walk away bare feet? Where did he come from (Bata is a big brand in Africa and India)?



This next one was taken on the train. I was bored and notices this girl with a small swallow tattoo.




One day I was at Warriewood for a work meeting a dropped past Narrabeen beach (where I used to live). It was a beautiful day to have a play with the panorama function on the iphone.



Here is another panorama. This time from Town hall in Sydney.

We had our annual conference there and couldn't resist getting some photos of the beautiful architecture with my phone.





A couple of weeks ago I went to Melbourne for work. On the way we flew over the Snowy Mountains and I could see the snow there.




Here is another one from work that I took ages ago. When we all moved to the Campus from the city we were invited to hand our own avatar on this wall (mine is hanging somewhere in the top left hand corner).




Here is a photo from the campus itself. It is a cool place to work. Just a pity it is so far from the city.


16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Aiden Painting

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

It is not often that I see Aiden engaged in painting at daycare (he used to be reluctant to get dirt
It is not often that I see Aiden engaged in painting at daycare (he used to be reluctant to get dirty, but now he loves it).

Here he is working on one of his masterpieces.


16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Lucas Reading

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Lucas loves reading books...he can sit and look at books for hours if he is allowed.One day at dayca
Lucas loves reading books...he can sit and look at books for hours if he is allowed.

One day at daycare all the other kids were playing loudly in another room and I found him in a separate room sitting quietly sitting in a small cardboard box reading by himself.

16. July 2014 13:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Anything Thomas

16. July 2014 13:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The kids are really excited whenever they get something with Thomas (the tank engine) on it.Latest i
The kids are really excited whenever they get something with Thomas (the tank engine) on it.

Latest is Aiden's new Bath rope. He was so excited that he asked me to take a photo.


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29. November 2021 17:12
by Rene Pallesen
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Struggling

29. November 2021 17:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I was struggling a lot this year, through a combination of things ranging from self worth, lack of s
I was struggling a lot this year, through a combination of things ranging from self worth, lack of support, dealing with the boys, work and other things.

Mid-year during the lockdown it hit hard.



7. April 2021 22:04
by Rene Pallesen
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Camping Glenworth Valley

7. April 2021 22:04 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Over easter we went to Glenworth Valley for Camping. This location is about an hours drive north of
Over easter we went to Glenworth Valley for Camping. This location is about an hours drive north of Sydney in an easily accessible but beautiful little valley.

It is private propoerty, so you have to book beforehand and it does get very busy. We were very lucky that we were located down at the end of the property where it was more quiet.

In the evenings there were beautiful sunsets.





In the morning it was a bit more misty in the valley.






The owners also put on a great easter egg hunt for the children. There were hundreds of children with 20,000 chocolate eggs hidden in a field and there was an easter bunny riding a horse.









We also spend time playing some ball sports. I'd brought a baseball bat and ball. Because we were four families, we had plenty of people to form two teams. It got very competitive and the bat took a bit of battering, so I had to go a buy a more solid wooden bat.





In the evenings we had the normal campfire and baked dampers on sticks, marshmellows and baked potatoes in the fire.













There are also lots of walks witin easy driving distance, including some walks with beautiful waterfalls.













Also, people come to the valley for horse riding, so there are lots of horses in the surrounding paddocks.

And wildlife such as Kookaburras!


And going for a short stroll in the mornings was a beautiful experience with the mist and light changing.

Because of lots of rain, the whole area had been flooded just weeks earlier. Where we were camping would have been a meter under water, but because of the river running through the area the water had fortunately receeded.








21. March 2021 13:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Karate 3rd Kyu

21. March 2021 13:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

I reached a significant milestone in karate this week. I graded for my 3rd Kyu (Brown belt) and at t
I reached a significant milestone in karate this week. I graded for my 3rd Kyu (Brown belt) and at the same Kim graded for her 5th Kyu (Blue belt).

On the occation I treated myself to a new dogi (karate uniform).


I was so nervous and tense - and screwed up a few places. There is now a lot of hard work ahead to get to the 2nd Kyu which is at least another half a year away.

Here are some photos from the grading. The ones from the dojo are a bit blurry because they weren't taken from my camera and I don't have the full resolution photos.












20. March 2021 14:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Karate bruises

20. March 2021 14:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Last year was a tough year with Karate.First the lockdown meant that we had to go online for trainin
Last year was a tough year with Karate.

First the lockdown meant that we had to go online for training, but even in the dojo I managed to get a lot of injuries.
Some of them visible and some of them not so visible...I have a whole stack of scans and x-rays as souvenirs from this year.

Some could have been avoided, but most are just part of the training.






I even earned an award for it...


The worst one was a kick to my chin. I dont have any photos of it, but I do have the indentation it made on my mouth guard I was wearing at the time. If it hadn't been for the mouthguard I am certain that I would have lost some teeth. This injury could have been avoided.


I have now gone out to buy a new and way cooler mouthguard (I created the design myself). It is thors hammer in the middle surrounded by the Fenrir wolf and Midgaards Serpent.


Even Kim got a few bruises.


13. March 2021 18:03
by Rene Pallesen
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My Burmese Dha swords

13. March 2021 18:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Back in the late 90's I visited Laos. In the northern corner of Laos I acquired two old swords from
Back in the late 90's I visited Laos. In the northern corner of Laos I acquired two old swords from a local.

Through some forums I have tried to find out as much as I can about them and this is what I have been told:

  • The swords are of a Burmese style called Dha (Means sword in Burmese).
  • They are of museum worthy pieces
  • I should NOT EVER attempt to restore them. This would degrade their value significantly.
  • The flower script design on the swords are reserved for the rulers and officers of those days.
  • အဲဒီဓားတွေကငါတို့ရဲ့ဗမာဓားတွေပဲလာအိုဆိုတာအရင်ကဇင်းမယ်လို့ခေါ်တယ်အင်းဝခေတ်မှာမြန်မာတွေတက်သိမ်းခဲ့တဲ့နိုင်ငံပဲဓားကိုငှက်ကြီးတောင်ဓားလို့ခေါ်တယ်ဓားကဓားကောင်းပဲ အခုငါပြတဲ့ဓားဟာလည်းသမိုင်းဝင်ဓားပဲငှက်ကြီးတောင်ဓားပေါ့ (Translation: These swords are our Burmese swords. Laos was formerly called Zin Mae, a country that was conquered by the Burmese during the Inwa period. The sword is called the Sword of the Bird. The sword is a good sword.).
  • It's a Ngat kyee daung Dah the sword that was once used by Burmese warriors and Thai during the dark age of Konbaung (1765–1767).
  • This Burmese Empire was destroyed during the English colonized to the East and totally wiped out by the English cannons kind of like a scene from the last samurai movie in the end! They were like charging to the enemy where they were being shot at.
  • These are also antique pieces in a good state of preservation! Swords, even if they are in such good condition, belong in the museum. You have to take a look at the Malaysia Sword Museum! They are great specimen
  • One would have to analyze the material metal wood winding fibers would certainly be very interesting! You don't see such a bundle every day
  • The handle on the smaller sword is made from wound rattan fibres.
  • The larger sword is made from silver and wound silver threading (I believe it is the typical not so pure silver/tin that was used).
This means that it is likely that the swords are up towards 250 years old and that the long one belonged to someone of a high status.

The area they are from is a place that has been ravaged by war for several hundred years right from the wards beween Burma and Siam (Thailand), conquer by the English empire, the Second World War, the Chinese civil war through to the Laos Civil/Vietnam war.

It is highly likely that the swords have seen some action. Although a bit rusty, the swords are still very sharp. Given that the blade on the longer sword is narrower at the hilt it is likely that it has been sharpened several times through history. Again this probably means that it had a practical use/purpose and wasn't just for display.








22. January 2021 01:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Newcastle

22. January 2021 01:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Between Christmas and New year we made a trip to Newcastle with the family.They had this beautiful l
Between Christmas and New year we made a trip to Newcastle with the family.








They had this beautiful little animal park that is maintained by the council and is free to visit.











Just outside Newcastle is fighterworld, which is an aircraft museum next to an active air strip.










Newcastle museum was also worth a visit on a rainy day.





One evening we went to the games arcade...no idea how Aiden managed to get a first place in racing.




21. January 2021 18:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Karate 2020

21. January 2021 18:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Karate during 2020 was challenging to say the least.I was devastated when everything moved online. I
Karate during 2020 was challenging to say the least.

I was devastated when everything moved online. I love the partner work and couldn't see how this was going to work through video conferencing.

The boys and Kim were okay with the new format and I hung in there. I was so happy once we were able to get back in the dojo again.






Just before the lockdown I had purchased a punching bag, so at least we were able to do some outdoor contact punching.









During the lockdown there was a kata competition and other programs, and we did get a few prices.




...but dojo definitely rules...







We have managed to go to gradings...












And I have kept all the grading certificated we have gotton...





















21. January 2021 14:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Tennis Award

21. January 2021 14:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Another encouragement award for Aiden. This time in Tennis...
Another encouragement award for Aiden. This time in Tennis...





31. December 2020 14:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Covid

31. December 2020 14:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

2020 was definitely a bit different because of Covid.Australia managed to get through with very few
2020 was definitely a bit different because of Covid.

Australia managed to get through with very few outbreaks because of very early and sever lockdowns.

This let people to panic buy. We spent the time to chill out and solve lots of puzzles in the evenings, do lots of exercise in the parks (which was still allowed), Karate online and work moving fully to conference calls.


















31. December 2020 13:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Challenging year

31. December 2020 13:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

The last couple of years has been super challenging for Aiden all around.He is struggling all around
The last couple of years has been super challenging for Aiden all around.

He is struggling all around and this photo tells it all.


For myself I have been struggling equally, and had it not been for the release of karate I don't know where things would have been at. I often wish I had my own bucket to hide under. I don't think this year will be any easier unfortunately...

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9. January 2014 11:16
by Rene Pallesen
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Malua Bay

9. January 2014 11:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

malua bay


Over the new year we went with the family to Malua Bay Beach down south.

The house was beach front with great access directly to the beach.







The big wrap-around balcony was great for the kids to play on and they spent hours running around.





And it was great for the family to be together.





There were also lots of chicadas and Ethan found a dead one.



25. December 2013 05:12
by Rene Pallesen
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New bike for Aiden

25. December 2013 05:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

new bike for aiden


Aiden got a new bike and helmet for Christmas. He was very proud as it was the biggest present under the tree.



The helmet is a combined bicycle and climbing helmet (cost more than the bike) so will see if I can also find an opportunity to take him climbing in the new year.

25. December 2013 05:09
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Day 2013

25. December 2013 05:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas day 2013


As usual we celebrated Christmas Day with the whole family.

There was a lot of Christmas presents this year, so the kids must have been good.




Even Father Christmas paid us a visit...



It was a big group this year.

24. December 2013 05:05
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Family Photos 2013

24. December 2013 05:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas family photos 2013


Every year I do a family photo. This year we decided to use the gingerbread village and the tree as a backdrop.

Merry Christmas.





23. December 2013 05:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Gingerbread Village

23. December 2013 05:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

gingerbread village


Over the Christmas period Aiden and I have been building a Gingerbread village.



It has been good fun for me to put the houses together and for Aiden to help with sticking on the kandy.

16. December 2013 12:56
by Rene Pallesen
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More Christmas Photos 2013

16. December 2013 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

more christmas photos 2013


Tonight I did some more photos...



The plan was to get a photo of Lucas and Aiden together wrapped in christmas lights. It turned out to be impossible to get especially Lucas to sit still, so we eventually gave up and tried to do some individual shots...the photos below are the best of the lot...not great but will have to do. To be honest the best shot of the evening is the one above of Aiden which I took after we gave up with the chain.






16. December 2013 05:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Boys best mates

16. December 2013 05:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

boys best mates


Lucas is growing up really fast and him and Aiden are now best mates doing almost everything together (including fighting).

16. December 2013 04:57
by Rene Pallesen
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Garage Lizard

16. December 2013 04:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

garage lizard


The other day I found this in our garage.



I had to look it up...but it turned up to be a blue tongue lizard but without the stumpy tail we normally see.

I asked Kim if the kids could keep it...but she screamed and said no, so I released it into our garden.

16. December 2013 04:55
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Banana

16. December 2013 04:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

christmas banana


You can tell that Christmas is approaching when Banana's in Pyjamas is wearing a Christmas hat...oh and then there is the cute Santa's helper.


15. December 2013 07:42
by Rene Pallesen
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Kims dads birthday 2013

15. December 2013 07:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

kims dads birthday 2013


Yesterday it was Kims dads Birthday and we celebrated with a big lunch party with cake and good food.








And Kim was beautiful as ever and Lucas was very handsome...




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26. December 2020 16:12
by Rene Pallesen
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Christmas Photo 2020

26. December 2020 16:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Keeping with tradition we did another family photoshoot this year.This time we wanted to try somethi
Keeping with tradition we did another family photoshoot this year.

This time we wanted to try something a bit more ambitious with a boxed setup where the individual boxes tell a bit more of a story.


I couldn't find an existing box that was big enough to fit me as well as the boys together, so I had to build one myself. I decided on the dimensions 90x90cm (as this was one of the dimensions that I could buy and also transport). I then had to cut it, paint it and nail it together. I had to do all this inside the house as the box is too big to fit through a door.

26. December 2020 14:03
by Rene Pallesen
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New bikes

26. December 2020 14:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

For Christmas the boys got new bikes from us and my dad (bedstefar).The old were getting too small,
For Christmas the boys got new bikes from us and my dad (bedstefar).

The old were getting too small, so needed something bigger....






22. December 2020 01:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Bowling

22. December 2020 01:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One day we went playing bowling...I had a dream round where I played my best game ever (including a
One day we went playing bowling...I had a dream round where I played my best game ever (including a turkey - three strikes in a row).


22. December 2020 01:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Boys Soccer

22. December 2020 01:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

This year both the boys played soccer for the first time.They made some good friends while playing a
This year both the boys played soccer for the first time.

They made some good friends while playing and did pretty good considering it was the first time.

Lucas' team won the competition in his age group. Aiden made a great effort considering he is a head shorter than all the other boys in his age group.

















22. December 2020 01:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Kims dads 90th

22. December 2020 01:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Kims dad celebrated his 90th(we think) Birthday this year.He is mostly bedridden these days, but we
Kims dad celebrated his 90th(we think) Birthday this year.

He is mostly bedridden these days, but we managed to get him downstairs to celebrate on this day.

22. December 2020 01:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Painting - date night

22. December 2020 01:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One evening we were invited on a double date with one of Kims friends.The theme was painting and we
One evening we were invited on a double date with one of Kims friends.

The theme was painting and we were to make an abstract painting of eachother.





Next day the boys tried to draw their versions.



22. December 2020 00:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Various kids activities

22. December 2020 00:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Strange year indeed, and other than a few things, it is remarkably the same.The kids have still done
Strange year indeed, and other than a few things, it is remarkably the same.

The kids have still done a lot of activities and here are some of them.

Aiden hanging out with his friend Jake at the beach.



Mini golf with Sammi.


Doing puzzles at home.


Aiden had patience to do one of the simpler ones.


Me trying to teach them how to use photoshop...not a bad result for a first try.


Painting the old way.


One of Aidens favourite drawings. It got soaked by accident and he was absolutely devastated. I managed to rescue it somewhat and take this photo.


He went through a phase where he was obsessed with the Titanic.


He was also into Harry Potter and made a drawing of the sorting hat.

I took Aiden out for a run and he did 4.5km without a break...very proud.


Ice skating with friends


Backyard tennis


Ice cream


Karate - Lucas got to wear a black belt after doing a 3 minute plank.


Their Kumite (sparring) gear.


Aiden reading a bit. Reading is really difficult for him. He can read all the words and sentences perfectly, but it is hard for him to comprehend the stories he reads (almost like he is unable to visualise and imagine the story as he reads it.).





21. December 2020 17:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Covid backyard camping

21. December 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

During the lockdown we spent a lot of time in our backyard having a firepit on the weekends.One week
During the lockdown we spent a lot of time in our backyard having a firepit on the weekends.

One weekend I put up my old tent and I camped in the backyard with the boys...they had a blast.








21. December 2020 17:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Coastal Walk - Kamay national park

21. December 2020 17:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

On the other side of Botany Bay is Kamay national park.On a very stormy day we went for a walk over
On the other side of Botany Bay is Kamay national park.

On a very stormy day we went for a walk over there to experience the wild weather.













21. December 2020 13:03
by Rene Pallesen
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Harry Potter

21. December 2020 13:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Aiden likes to dress up, this time like harry potter...
Aiden likes to dress up, this time like harry potter...





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14. November 2004 01:45
by Rene Pallesen
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Karnak - "the Most Perfect of Places" - Part 1

14. November 2004 01:45 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

karnak the most perfect of places part 1

14. November 2004 01:44
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Horus - the Most Complete of Its Kind Part 3

14. November 2004 01:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of horus the most complete of its kind part 3

14. November 2004 01:40
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Horus - the Most Complete of Its Kind Part 2

14. November 2004 01:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of horus the most complete of its kind part 2

14. November 2004 01:39
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Horus - the Most Complete of Its Kind Part 1

14. November 2004 01:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of horus the most complete of its kind part 1

14. November 2004 01:38
by Rene Pallesen
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Horses

14. November 2004 01:38 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

horses

14. November 2004 01:37
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Hatshepsut - Egypt's Only Female Pharaoh Part 2

14. November 2004 01:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of hatshepsut egypt s only female pharaoh part 2

14. November 2004 01:36
by Rene Pallesen
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Temple of Hatshepsut - Egypt's Only Female Pharaoh

14. November 2004 01:36 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

temple of hatshepsut egypt s only female pharaoh

14. November 2004 01:07
by Rene Pallesen
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Bedstemor's 85th Birthday Fest - Part 3

14. November 2004 01:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

bedstemor s 85th birthday fest part 3

14. November 2004 01:01
by Rene Pallesen
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Bedstemor's 85th Birthday Fest - Part 2

14. November 2004 01:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

bedstemor s 85th birthday fest part 2
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22. February 2017 19:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Penguins at Boulders Beach

22. February 2017 19:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Going to Boulders Beach was a fun experience for the boys. There were lots of nesting penguins and t
Going to Boulders Beach with all the penguins was a fun experience for the boys.





There were lots of nesting penguins and they are more agile than you think, jumping between the rocks on the beach (notice how the penguin below is airborne).



They sit on their nests until the eggs hatch.



and they stay with the young ones after they hatch too.



And once in a while a seagull gets lucky and steals one of the eggs.




There are hundreds of them on the beach.





And they are right next to the path.





The whole area was covered in smoke from a massive bush fire up in the hills, so our eyes were watering and hurting by the end of it.



Despite the smoke I still managed to get a good photo of this beautiful flightless bird.

21. February 2017 20:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Cafe Africa Cape town

21. February 2017 20:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

In the evening we went to Cafe Africa. This is a nice little cafe serving authentic African cuisine
In the evening we went to Cafe Africa. This is a nice little cafe serving authentic African cuisine in the middle of Capetown. The menu was a 16 course degustation type menu with all you can eat of food from all over Africa.

They came around to do a bit of face painting and later there was drumming and dancing from the staff.












21. February 2017 19:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Bo Kaap

21. February 2017 19:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

On the way down from Table Mountain we visited Bo Kaap.This is a predominantly muslim neighbourhood
On the way down from Table Mountain we visited Bo Kaap.

This is a predominantly muslim neighbourhood with some very colourful houses.



Great as a backdrop for photographing the most beautiful girl I know.



And also the most handsome boys.







21. February 2017 19:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Table Mountain

21. February 2017 19:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

After Kruger we flew to Capetown.The first day we went to Table Mountain. The mountain is often cove
After Kruger we flew to Capetown.

The first day we went to Table Mountain. The mountain is often covered in clouds, and with a beautiful hot day we though we'd make the most of it and head up there when we had the opportunity.

The queue getting up there with the cable car was massive, several hundred metres. We quickly learned that the queue for people who had pre-purchased tickets was shorter and also moved faster than the other queue. We quickly jumped across to the other queue and using my mobile I purchased tickets while we were still waiting.



The view from up there is amazing and the top is actually a lot flatter than I though it would be.


























20. February 2017 20:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Shangana Village

20. February 2017 20:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One evening at Hazyview we went to a local cultural village of the Shangana Tribe.First we went to t
One evening at Hazyview we went to a local cultural village of the Shangana Tribe.





First we went to the village itself and were introduced to local food and customs.





The local witch doctor showed us some of the local medicines they used for stomach pains etc.





Afterwards we were entertained by local drumming and dancing in a large hut. Beforehand they had to warm up the drum skins to make them the right tune.



But first we were greeted by the chief of the village.















One of the dances was the boot dance which they danced in the mines of South Africa during the Apartheid.



After the show we had a very traditional and yummy communal dinner as guest of the chief.





20. February 2017 20:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Moholoholo car museum

20. February 2017 20:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

At one of the private game reserved the owner maintains a little car museum with some very cool cars
At one of the private game reserved the owner maintains a little car museum with some very cool cars.



Especially this Ferrari 335S is interesting. If it is the real thing then it is one of only five ever made where the last one sold at an auction was sold for more that 30 million pounds.

20. February 2017 19:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Hazyview Reptile park

20. February 2017 19:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

One morning when it was raining at Hazyview we went to the local Reptile Park.They had a large displ
One morning when it was raining at Hazyview we went to the local Reptile Park.

They had a large display of snakes and other reptiles, and also some interesting talks such as about Poisonous snakes.

One of the snakes they showed us was the African Puff Adder, which I remember as a really vicious snake from my days in Kenya. The snake handler certainly convinced me that it is not as aggressive as I thought by walking bare feet past it when it was all curled up really to attack.














19. February 2017 17:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Moholoholo wildlife rehabilitation

19. February 2017 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

Towards the northern end of Kruger there is a wildlife rehabilitation centre where injured animals a
Towards the northern end of Kruger there is a wildlife rehabilitation centre where injured animals are cared for before returned to the wild.

Some are unfortunately in a condition where they can never be returned and these are used for educating visitors on wildlife issues.

The guide on our tour around the centre was truly amazing, very funny and very knowledgeable.

Angry Lioness:



Leopard:


Cheetah:


Chevel Cat:


Lion:


Lion with Snack:


Painted Dogs:


Hyena:


Southern Ground Hornbill:


Eagles:








Voltures:




Honey Badger:


18. February 2017 15:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Kruger National Park

18. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

In South Africa we did two days in the Kruger National Park.The first day we hired a private guide t
In South Africa we did two days in the Kruger National Park.

The first day we hired a private guide to take us around in a 4WD and the second day we did a self drive.

With the guide we were lucky enough to spot all the Big 5 (Elephants, Lion, Leopard, Buffalo and Rhino). The advantage of a guide is that they are in constant radio communications with all the other cars and therefore can track the animals. On this day it was very hot and a lot of the animals were hiding in the bush and it seemed that we spotted all the animals and called it in to the other cars.



Having the private guide was a massive advantage as we could spend the time as we wanted, so we didn't spend much time on say elephants, but we did spend 45 minutes stalking a lion hoping it would get too hot under a bush and get out into the clear.

The second day we went it was raining and a lot more challenging, but we still spotted some that we didn't see the first day.

Camera wise I knew it would be a challenge to get good photos with a normal lens and didn't have the budget or justification to spend on a fast long lens. Instead all the photos in this post were taken with my 80-200 f2.8 with a 2x teleconverter. I used my tripod as a monopod and the guide was great at moving the car into spots where I had a clear line of sight (another advantage of not having to consider other passengers).

Here are the Big 5 we spotted.

Leopard:



Lion:



Rhinos:





Elephants:













African Buffalos:





And here are some of the others such as Zebras:







Hyenas:





Giraffes:





Impalas:





Kudu:





Waterbucks:



Wothhogs:





Baboons:





Monkeys:



Guinea Fowl:



African Fishing Eagles:



Storks:



Marabous:



Turtles (These ones are predators):



Weaver birds:



Chameleons:




17. February 2017 16:02
by Rene Pallesen
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South Africa - Panorama Route

17. February 2017 16:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments

On the first day in northern South Africa we drove the Panorama route. This is a beautiful drive up
On the first day in northern South Africa we drove the Panorama route. This is a beautiful drive up through the mountains and is full of scenic views of the Blyde River Canyon and waterfalls.

The most famous place is Bourkes Potholes.







And the Pinacle







But everywhere is full of beautiful scenery