7. November 2010 02:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden 5 Months 7. November 2010 02:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden 5 monthsShareToday it is Aidens Birthday....he is now 5 Months old (when you are less than 6 months old you get to have birthday every month).He is a good/easy little boy. He is now able to keep his head up, but still unable to sit or roll around onto his tummy. He sleeps through the night and wakes up around 7.30 to get a feed. On weekends he is happy to go back to sleep so his Mummy and Daddy can sleep in.He is very quiet when in crowded places and likes to just sit and observe (Kims dad is saying that he has got that after me). It has taken me a long time to get this photo done. I had to wait for him to keep his head up and even then it was pretty hard to get hime to look in the right direction.
3. November 2010 11:50 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water Portrait 3. November 2010 11:50 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater portraitShareI have now finished the second portrait in the series of the four elements...just Fire and Air left. This one is "Water". The yellow blob is a Weedy Sea Dragon....Really helping my Photoshop skills. Not sure if anyone else thinks these photos are cool...but they are cool to make and are different from what I'd otherwise be doing.
1. November 2010 09:50 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Fame - the musical 1. November 2010 09:50 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfame the musicalShare This weekend Kim and I went to see the musical Fame at Capitol theatre with a couple of friends Audrey and John. Most of the cast was made up of dancers from “So you think you can dance” so there was a potential for a really good performance with some excellent dancing. Our friends had organised a babysitter for the night and Aiden was being looked after by Kim’s dad and sister. The performance was good (but not great). I think we were expecting more singing and dancing (It was a musical) and less dialogue. The second half of the play was a lot better than the first half with more dancing. Unfortunately our friends missed this part as she was worried about their kid left alone with the babysitter (that is kinda the point of getting a babysitter) and left during the intermission. At the end they got everyone in the audience up from their chairs for the famous "Fame" song. Kim and I however had a good night out…and she looked smashing!
20. October 2010 11:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Self Portrait 20. October 2010 11:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetself portraitShareLately I have been playing around with Photoshop a lot more going through different tutorials.Main purpose is to enable me to manipulate photos and add a different dimension to these photos. I have especially been trying to create some interesting profile photos that I can use of facebook and the like.The portraits don't necessarily mean anything...mainly created them to see if I could do something out of the ordinary.The plan is to see if I can make a series Earth - Water - Fire - Air following the four basic elements.It was really hard to get the starting photo right in my studio. It is almost impossible to do a photo of one-self and have it in focus...eventually Kim had to step in a help me (which I am very grateful for). In total it took me about 2-3 hours from start (taking the photo) to the finished result.
18. October 2010 09:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Maroubra 18. October 2010 09:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetmaroubraShareYesterday we went to the beach to have a coffee with a couple of friends. While Kim was catching up on all the gossip I went out to see if I could get some good photos of the surfers (The surf was pretty good that day).
18. October 2010 09:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Where to...Daddy??? 18. October 2010 09:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwhere to daddyShare On the weekend I had a bit of fun with Aiden. I bought a world map on email just so that I could take the following photos of him... And this last photo I call "Is this where you grew up daddy??" He is now 4 months old and still doesn't like being on his belly...so I had to be pretty quick with the setup.
18. October 2010 08:46 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Family Portaits 18. October 2010 08:46 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 15. September 2000 11:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments New Car in 2000 . . . 15. September 2000 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetnew car in 2000ShareIn September 2000, just after I returned from my trip to Borneo, I had to buy this new car because my girlfriend had written off my car whilst I was away! *smile* I did not look forward to hunting around for a new car, but I found a good buy locally. This car is a 1997 Ford Futura, with 4.0 litre, 6-cylinder, 220-horsepower, power-steering, central locking and electronic windows (I think I am starting to sound like a car advertisement...) It is pretty much the same colour as my old car, and it feels so nice to drive! As you can see, pretty similar, but I also really miss my old car! It had a lot of computerised features - from a digital odometer, to adjusting the internal temperature of the car. It was a pretty cool car and wished I could have kept it for another few more years. A huge contrast to my first car! It is a red hatchback that I bought early 1998, a few months after I arrived in Australia. But someone wrote it off a few months after I bought it. It was a pretty bad accident, but luckily I was alright. I was only covered by Third Party insurance, and to go through a lot of paperwork just to get reimbursement for the car! 15. August 2000 10:43 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Away from Headquarters . . . 15. August 2000 10:43 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaway from headquartersShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageAway from Headquarters . . .I managed to explore the villages at Silam. The people here wore this white stuff on their faces - I guess their form of sunscreen. These people were refugees from the Philippines. The kids were fighting to fit into the photo! The kids here were really cute.These kids here, had caught a monkey and was trying to sell it at the camp for 5 ringgit (AUD$2.50). No-one wanted to buy it because they knew if they bought it, and set it loose, the kids would just catch it again, and try to sell it. In general, there were lots of great photos at Silam village. One of the helicopter pilots was driving through the jungle roads, took a corner too fast, and had a minor mishap.We headed into Lahad Datu to get some seafood! An escape from camp food. Camp food was disgusting. There were live worms in the vegetables (yes, after cooked). Most of the food was not fresh, and was pretty boring. The seafood was fantastic here. Whenever we had the chance, we ate lots of seafood. Yum... Paul did not get to eat all of the crabs - all of us had a portion of it. Yummm... they were huge, but we did not eat them. They were too big for us to eat, pretty impressive though. They were the biggest lobsters I have seen in my life. We saw these at the same place we ate our seafood and frogs (below). We had this frog for dinner about 2 min after I took the photo. This was actually when I went out with Glen in Kota Kinabalu - he asked me to pick some food and to surprise him. I did not tell him till a year later that he ate frog meat. He asked me what it was, because he reckoned it tasted funny, but I did not tell him at the time. I think he will only eat it again. Only if he really had to. Petronis Towers - the tallest twin towers in the world. Actually, they are the tallest buildings in the world, followed by the Sears Towers in Chicago. The towers are joined by some sort pedestrian platform. These towers are located in Kuala Lumpur. I went to Kuala Lumpur to pick up my Permanent Residency for Australia. Woohoo!!! After 2 years of lots of paperwork, and correspondence back and forth with Berlin, I finally managed to get it! The inconvenience of it all, was that I actually had to leave Australia ie collect my PR before re-entering Australia. Below, is the only photo I have of the Lateral Linking Team that I worked with during the race. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Helicopters . . . 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweethelicoptersShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageHelicopters . . .The radio communications team had to arrive a few days before that because we had to hand out over 2,000 pieces of radio equipment. We had problems getting the necessary approvals for helicopters so they were grounded! I ended having to hand out most of the equipment as Glen and Paul had to sort out our use of the helicopters. We had to fly all the equipment to Silam before the start of the race, and our team managed to fly to Silam the day before the race started. Do you believe that Paul managed to take a photo of me whilst I was flying the chopper? He was standing to the side of me, and took the photo at night time, with the door open ... Just kidding. A couple of days before the race started, I was at the airport most of the day. We had some problems with the radios in the helicopters... I must have been in and out of those helicopters at least 200 times. I did manage to get someone to take some photos of me in a helicopter, looking very much like the pilot! I had hoped that I had the time to explore Kota Kinabalue, but we were so busy, it had to wait. Here is the 212 or "Huey" - a twin-turbine Vietnam helicopter taking off. It is a hell a lot more powerful than some of the other helicopters we were using, which were 206s. Here are the medical guys practising abseiling out of the helicopters (Aussie style)! At the start of the race, I was sitting there listening to the first rescue on the radio. 3 hours after the start, four boats had capsized... helicopters and boats were very busy! The competitors were due to arrive at Silam (another checkpoint) the next day (21st Aug). For the first few days after the race started, I had to help organise to get the fuel to the top of the mountain. After that the helicopter came in useful. It brought up 100 litres of fuel on the 4th day so I did not have to ferry fuel anymore! At the end of the race, we had to sling-load the repeaters, to get them off the mountain. That means we had to strap them onto the helicopters, and pull them off the mountains that way - quite effective really. Repeater station finally airborne! You can see a pole in the right photo. My girlfriend asked me what it was for - it helps balance the load so that it does not keep swinging whilst airborne. Below, you will see some pretty good photos from the chopper. Towards the end of the race, we had to scan the rivers for the last competitors coming in - to make sure they had completed this section of the race course. It was low-altitude flying of the river-bed. The photo on the left shows the chopper approaching Silam Village. This village was located just outside of Silam HQ. Glen liked wanted to have a photo of the back of my head - and I ruined the photo by turning my head as he took it... Here's a sunset shot of the helicopters flying around. I had to put in this fantastic photo - the lighting gives a really nice feel to the photo. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Wildlife in Borneo . . . 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe wildlife in borneoShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageThe Wildlife in Borneo . . .The jungles in Borneo are really dense, dark and humid. You will find that some of the photos look as though they have been over-exposed, but in reality, it is just the humidity in the air. I have a photo of this at home - Glen enlarged it for me, and framed it! Don't ask me why - I think I look rather wasted there. Glen and I tried to race through the jungle. The climb to the top of the mountain is rated as a 1.5 hour climb... Glen and I have done it in 26 minutes... actually I was confident that I could do it in less than 20 and so I did! I held the record of taking 17 minutes to race to the top of Mt Silam, covering a distance of approx 4 kilometres through the jungle, up a mountain. I was getting really fit (My girlfriend was proud of me). This photo shows how dense and dark the jungle can be. It was so humid there... no, not because I hadn't cleaned my lenses. You can see how muddy it is in the jungle - I became quite dirty after many trips into the jungle. I think these trees are just as big as the Californian Redwoods. They might not be as old, but definitely just as big. This was taken with a 300mm lens, from 1.5 metres. The most amazing thing about them, is when they are scared, the curl up into little "marbles". It looks like a small bug, but it is actually at least 7cm long, which is actually quite big. I noticed in Borneo, most of the insects there were huge. The wingspan of the brown moth was about 15cm wide - huge! They are mostly active at night, which is quite common for creatures in the jungle. A couple of the girls stationed in the jungles, was stationed here. Not a wise decision, considering these girls were paranoid about the insects. (Note: in the photo below, I still had conjunctivitis) I had the red eyes for most of the trip. Big and beautiful, don't you think? You can see how big the black moth is compared to the size of the telephone. These plants were kind of special because each branch split into two, so by the end of it, they formed a hexagonal pattern. Below, are plants known as the "pitcher" plant. The pitcher plants are meat-eating plants - you have watch out not to fall into them because they will swallow you whole. If you just believed that, you are very gullible! *laugh* The pitcher plant, like other carnivorous plants, feed on insects. They have sweet-smelling nectar that attract the unsuspecting insect to it. When the insect lands, it finds the surface slippery and fall straight into the “pitcher”, where the plants juices drowns it and is digested by the plant. You may have heard of other type of carnivorous plants such as the Venus Fly Trap, and the Sundew plants. Yes, you see me holding the snake with a leaf. It was a poisonous snake, and I was worried about it's venom getting on my skin. For example a puff adder, contact with the venom numbs the skin. I was not familiar with the snakes in Borneo, and was not about to risk it. The tarantella was sitting inside the catering tent hunting. Everyone was looking at it and admiring it, which was pretty amazing, considering I know many people who would willingly kill a spider in sight. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Repeater Stations . . . 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetrepeater stationsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageRepeater Stations . . .Here, you see Paul and I transporting some of the repeater stations by air. From Silam, we flew down to DFVC. We stayed there for three days before going back to Silam. I am at one of the repeater sites. Here, the top of one of the mountains was cleared, so we could safely land a helicopter there. Oh... did I forget to mention that I almost chopped one of my fingers in half at the repeater site? On top of my infected eye, I had another thing for the medical team to look at. The fingernail had been chopped in half and there was not much I could do about it except clean it up and try to avoid infections. The medical team was great there... they were extremely good. We had a few problems with some of the communications gear. Paul and Glen were handling it, and at times I tried to assist. The first few days had been really tough. The top of Silam is covered in clouds for most of the afternoons, so the solar panels are quite useless. A survey of the conditions made prior to the race was useless. If you ask any of the locals, they would have told us that the peak is always covered in clouds... but apparently no-one asked them!!! We had problems keeping the generators running - they were using more power than predicted and there was no sun on the top of Silam to recharge the batteries. The generator itself was a re-built petrol engine with a car alternator on it. We basically tried to use a system where we used a jerry can, cut holes into it, and relied on the force of gravity to transport the fuel to the generator. This design ended up working best for us. Our helicopter pilot sitting on the side there, just grinning... On the third day of the race, I hiked up the mountain three times. I was really tired and all I could think of was getting a bit of a rest and some food. I managed to get a bit once I got to Danum. In Danum I managed to get 6 hours sleep before someone woke me up and told me that the repeater had died in Silam... again all the cars had to leave in a convoy... so rush, rush to find my driver and managed (just) to get into the convoy! The road to Danum closes at 6.30pm and all the cars had to go in the convoy. The helicopter flew all of us to the top of the mountain, and waited there for us till we were finished. Glen quite often told the pilot, "You don't have to shut down, because we'll only be here for 5 minutes." Well... quite often, we were there for as long as an hour and half! (Don't worry, the pilot was sensible enough to shut down immediately... he got to know Glen very well.) I went up there often make sure that it was still running. It is much better getting a helicopter to fly me up there so that I can bring some fuel with me ! Glen has mostly been on top of the mountain getting the generator back online. We have to keep the generator running 24 hours per day until the end of the race. On the third night after the race started, one of the repeaters went dead. I had to hike up the mountain on the previous day as the generator had died. I did not leave the mountain until it was dark, so I had to climb down through the jungle in the dark! Fortunately I had my torch with me! Paul later gave me strict instructions to make sure that I leave the mountain so that I could be back at HQ while there was still light! I found out that I did not have any problems navigating at night... I even offered Paul to go back up when the repeater died! Anyhow, we ended up having to send the airborne repeater up! Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Competitors . . . 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe competitorsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageThe Competitors . . .The competitors did not rest... three of the teams were half way through the 600 kilometre course after only three days... pretty amazing! Two of the teams were Australian. 18 teams were out of the race. At least 10 of these were due to medical problems. Hardly any people around here get enough sleep... the place is active 24 hours per day because there are always competitors coming in! I was keen to find out how the Danish team would turn out. At the beginning of the race, they were not very sociable. But by the end of the race, I think the tension of the race had gone, and I managed to have a chat with them. By the third day, the Danes are doing pretty well... they had a 22nd place! This was the mountain-bike leg of the race. The guy you see being transported to hospital in the helicopter (photos below), was doing this part of the race. He was rounding a corner on his bike and rode straight into a large branch. We had a lot of medical urgencies... we almost lost a guy with a punctured lung ! I got some great photos and helped getting the guy into the mobile hospital. There was a lot publicity on the website and through the media about it. Fortunately, he was only 15 minutes away from HQ, so it was possible for us to get him to the helicopter very quickly, and to the nearest hospital. Another leg of the race involved rowing in these “sampans”, a Malay term for “boat”. At some point, the teams in the race had to also split up - some of them swimming, some of them rowing, to complete the water leg of the race. Below, the competitors had to use a flying fox to cross the canyons. I managed to have a go at it - compared to rock-climbing... well, I found it pretty boring *smile*. I imagine most people would find it quite fun though. There are no places to climb here. I had hoped to take one of the helicopters to Madai Caves to check out the 200 metre abseil. The road to the Madai Caves lead directly through the tiny village of Gua Madai - a small cluster of homes, their wood bleached grey. The town’s main sources of income are tourism and birds’ nests. The nests are found high up the walls of the cave, tucked away in cracks and crevasses, and can command thousands of dollars. They are harvested about three times a year. My girlfriend mentioned trying "bird's nest soup" whilst I was there. She said normally the bird's nest they use belong to the swallow. It is a delicacy to many Asians, and similar to shark's fin soup - that is if you have tried it. Normally the nests are made out of the birds' saliva. There was so much rain at Silam that HQ was often flooded. Many of the competitors took the opportunity to get some sleep and the slept on whatever they could find. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:40 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Silam and Jungle Ops . . . 15. August 2000 10:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsilam and jungle opsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageSilam and Jungle Ops . . .It is so bloody hot in Silam! It must have been at least 40 degrees and 100% humidity! Silam was the overall headquarters, and Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC) was referred to as Jungle Ops. Jungle Ops controlled all radio communications and conducted the race through the the jungle. From Kota Kinabalu, we flew to Lahad Datu and drove the rest of the way to Silam. Silam was the site of one of the repeater stations. We had to set up a HQ a few kilometres from this station... heaps of opportunities for a few walks in the jungle. The operation at Silam was huge!... I had never seen such a busy place before. The place was crawling with energy. It was bigger than any military operation I had ever seen! You would be amazed to see the logistics involved in this project ! At the time I did not have the time to take a lot of photos. We had many army trucks transporting the competitors' equipment - very good cooperation from the military. They helped out with the preparation and set-up of HQ, and with the transportation of fuel. This is the headquarters on the left. The whole Ecochallenge race is governed from this office. The map in the background contains the position of all the checkpoints at which the competitors have to go through. Both of the above photos are aerial shots of HQ and were taken from a helicopter. I managed to get a nice aerial shot of Silam HQ. The big white patch in the middle is where the competitors stored all their equipment. Just to the left are the containers from where the race is controlled. The 4 'finger-like' white pads on the right are the heli-pads. The long rectangle to the left is the eating area, and just above it is the hospital. Approaching DVFC in helicopter. This is actually a research centre in the middle of the jungle - commonly known as DVFC (Danum Valley Field Centre). DVFC is not normally accessible the tourists and the general public, only to researchers. DVFC is concerned about contamination into the jungle. Outside Jungle Ops HQ. The green boxes contain bottled drinking water. By the time the race was over, most of this had been consumed - quite amazing really, considering there were really only 10 people at Jungle Ops. During the competitors were not allowed any help from us, and that included the provision of drinking water. Paul with some of the radio equipment at Silam. He is standing next to the HQ matrix, which contained all the communications equipment for headquarters. Paul is also standing next to the only 2 beds in the HQ building. These were used by the radio operators to nap in between shifts. Below, you see me sitting in the catering tent at Silam. I think it must have been a good day, to have been sitting there, smiling... I am just guessing here, because obviously I did not take the photo, and I cannot remerber the place. Bad hair day? I did not have a shower for a very long time, and to hold my hair in place, I adopted various techniques, such as the sunglasses-hairband... This place is a breathing ground for tropical diseases! As you can see, my right eye is really red. I somehow managed to get conjunctivitis and did not know it was contagious. I did not want to trouble the medics as they were pretty tied up with the competitors. When my vision on the left eye was getting blurry and I had problems seeing what was in front of me, I was ordered to get it checked. Just as well I did! In Kota Kinabalu, I had the same problem on the other eye... at one point both my eyes were infected. It started on my left eye on the way to Kota Kinabalu in the plane ! It then spread to my right eye. The nurse at Silam told me that I should be careful because it could re-infect to my left eye. It started to look and feel a lot better after using the eyedrops that they gave me. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Preparations at the Magellan Hotel 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpreparations at the magellan hotelShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillagePreparations at the Magellan Hotel ( Kota Kinabalu ) . . .All the Ecochallenge teams gathered together at the Magellan Hotel in anticipation of the race, which was due to start on 20th August. During our stay at Kota Kinabalu, we were staying at the most extravagant hotel - as pictured on the right. It is huge! It has 3 swimming pools, and takes us an hour to walk around the perimeter. The radio communications team had to arrive a few days before the start of the race because we had to hand out over 2,000 pieces of radio equipment. We had problems getting the necessary approvals for helicopters so I ended up having to hand out most of the equipment whilst Glen and Paul sorted out the issue of the helicopters. We had to get all the equipment and our team to Silam before the the race started. Glen and Paul checking all the equipment and re-programming some of the radios. Behind me are all the radio equipment, ready to be handed out. I am standing here waiting for the competitors to arrive as I have to sign out the equipment as I give them out. We had to improvise a lot of the furniture, using old crates to set up tables. After the race, Glen and I decided to make most of the luxury and just veg... aaahhh... bliss! Created: 7 Dec 2001 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Ecochallenge ( Sabah 2000 ) 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetecochallenge sabah 2000ShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageEcochallenge in 2000 was held on the east coast of Borneo, in the jungles of Sabah. It was an extreme race where the competitors taking part have to endure 10 days of running through the jungles; kayaking and swimming many kilometres offshore; and mountain-biking for 150km on dirt roads. All in all, the fastest competitors travelled 600km in a space of just over 5 days! I had the privilege of being there, being the developer of software that was used by the radio communications team. I also helped out with the setting up of all equipment and made many trips to the repeater stations. Being in the jungles of Sabah, let alone part of the Ecochallenge preparations, has proved to be a challenge and an experience worth remembering, and hope to be part of any future Ecochallenge events. As shown in the map, the red trails are where most of the competitors either ran or walked. The purple trail was the kayaking/canoeing leg. The orange trail was the mountain-bike leg and the blue trail was where the competitors had to swim with all their equipment. Back to TopReturn to Contents pageCreated: 7 Dec 2001 4. March 2000 11:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chilli Festival ( 4th March 2000 ) . . . 4. March 2000 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchilli festival 4th march 2000ShareOn this particular Saturday, I drove to Terrigal to see the Mexican Chilli Festival... it was excellent. I shot two rolls of film up there. Some of these pictures have turned out beautifully! A couple of my Mexican friends were doing the entertainment there. Victor is very good at playing the mexican harp. His wife, Shiraz, is an excellent dancer. I took a series of shots in colour and a series in black & white. I shall first show you the ones in colour and then in b&w, as the b&w ones are very artistic! Victor plays the harp like a dream! I was once at Lance's place - Lance was helping Victor record his music onto CD. The harp does not look like your ordinary orchestral harp. It was ornate and somehow different. It is was a very beautiful instrument. As you can see, these women are gorgeous! Something about silk stockings, I think... Shiraz is the photo in the middle. She did quite a few numbers, and this was one of them. All 3 girls danced in a colourful combination! Here you see Shiraz dancing in a duet. I have seen her do this dance at a similiar concert May last year, here in Lindfield. Victor and a couple of guitarists provided accompaniment to the dancing. Shiraz moved so fast that at times, all you could see was this colourful wave of skirts. Her partner's costume reminded me of the costumes the Spanish toledos wore (except without the cape). As you can see, Shiraz danced a number of dances that day. It takes a lot of energy to do those dances! << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...84858687888990919293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Various of the boys 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kims old photos 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetKims dad has some old photos hanging of Kim when she was little.This is Kims mum when she was young.ShareKims dad has some old photos hanging of Kim when she was little.This is Kims mum when she was young.This is Kims dad when he was young 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Malabar headland 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetMalabar headland is now open to the public. We have been there a few time now taking the kids walkinShareMalabar headland is now open to the public. We have been there a few time now taking the kids walking.Here are some photos from various walks. 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas 2016 - family photos 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetHere are some more photos from Christmas 2016ShareHere are some more photos from Christmas 2016 9. October 2017 11:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Gerringong Family trip 9. October 2017 11:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the October long weekend we went to Gerringong 2 hours south of Sydney.The kids loved playingShareDuring the October long weekend we went to Gerringong 2 hours south of Sydney.The kids loved playing in the sand and water.We also visited one of the few vineyards in the area.It was Chong's birthday while we were there.One morning I made a stack of pancakes - they were all eaten.On the last day we went to Minnamurra rainforest.We also went to the Kiama blowhole - but not much action. 19. September 2017 17:09 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Illawarra airshow 2017 19. September 2017 17:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis year the airshow was on - we went there with the boys, highly recommended and will definitely fShareThis year the airshow was on - we went there with the boys, highly recommended and will definitely find time to go there next time. Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Birthday Party 10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbirthday partyShare Because Kim and I was busy travelling we never really managed to hold a birthday party where friends were invited along. So, in mid august we held a small party celebrating Kim's, Luke's and My birthday. Kim and Luke has got birthday on the same day and I was out travelling at that time, and on my birthday we went skiing in the Snowy Mountains. It was a fun evening at a nice Thai restaurant in North Sydney. Click here to see more pictures from: Birthday party 11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Gold Coast - Microsoft TechEd 11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe golf coast microsoft techedShareThis week I went to The Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) to work on our stand at TechEd. This is our biggest marketing push of the year and gives us a chance to talk to more than 2000 people over the 4 days of the conference. To attract people to our stand we had hired to girls to hand out brochures regarding our price draw. This turned out to be really effective. They managed to hand out 1500 brochures in just one hour so we had to get more printed for the second day. And a lot of people came to visit our stand to see what we were all about. It is pretty hard work. Most days start at around eight in the morning and generally didn't finish until around nine at night..and during this time there is a constant flow of people through the stand and constantly people to talk to. On the last evening Microsoft hosted the TechEd party at MovieWorld...free rides, free drinks and lots of actors dressed up at star wars and star trek characters. None of my colleagues wanted to go, so I went by myself and did some of the rides and alng the way I bumped into various people I knew at the conference. And it was a pretty good fun evening and I took a lot of cool photos, so I recommend you see the rest of the photos in the gallery...just click on one of the photos or on the link provided below. But tell you what...it is really nice being back in Sydney where Kim is. Click here to see more photos from: The Gold Coast 11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing Golf at The Coast golf club 11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetplaying golf at the coast golf clubShareSunday Kim, Luke, Sasha and I went to The Coast to play golf. It is a beautiful course located along the cliffline of Little bay. I had just received my new golf clubs (Cobra S9's) and that needed some adjustment so I didn't play particular well, but I had a good day out nevertheless.A lot of the shots on the course are over the water which can be a bit intimidating if you play the course for the first time...but once you have played it a few times then it is not so bad.The day before I was climbing with Andy at Berowra. It is normally difficult to get him outside climbing, but since he went climbing at Krabi in Thailand during his holiday he's been hooked. Berowra is one of the local Sydney Crags located about 30 minutes drive north of the city centre. It is not a tall cliff line, but a lot of the climbs are very crimpy and there is a lot of variation in the climbs. 30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Skiing Australia 2007 30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetskiing australia 2007Share This weekend it was my birthday and it also happened to be the ski peak season here in Australia. (click here for more photos) A group of us rented a house in Cooma not too far away from the ski fields and apart from a few mechanical problems with my car we had a blast of a time. On the Saturday we went to Perisher. The snow was perfect and a lot of the runs hadn't been groomed so it was still deep powder snow that we were skiing in. Kim, Luke and Karen took lessons in the morning and later in the afternoon I went for a couple of runs with Luke (Soeren didn't make it to the ski area that day). In the evening we were watching a video (I fell asleep 15 minutes into it), and we had birthday cake and wine/beer. The day after all of us went to Thredbo (which in my opinion is much better) and I was skiing with Soeren all day. The girls were having fun skiing down in the beginners area and Luke was skiing by himself higher on the mountain. We left Thredbo at around 3.30pm and arrived back home in Sydney at around 10.15pm....a long drive. I took a couple of videos of Soeren and myself skiing: Video of Rene Skiing #1 Video of Rene Skiing #2 Video of Soeren Skiing #1 Video of Soeren Skiing #2 Click here to see more photos from: Skiing in Australia/SlideShow 11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Denmark 2007 11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdenmark 2007ShareOk, it is not just in Holland that they steal with arms a legs. I am not proud to admit that the same seems to happen in Denmark (my birth country)...but more about that later. After Holland I flew a quick trip to Denmark. On the way there in Heathrow Airport I met up with Kim who had spend a couple of days in London with a couple of friends. I was really looking forward to introducing her to my parents. My flight arrived a bit late in London so we arrived to Copenhagen without my luggage which turned up the following day. All the time while in Denmark it was pouring with rain, but we did have one good day in Copenhagen where Kim got to see the sights Fredriksborg Slot, The Marble church, Amalienborg, City Square and City Hall, Stroeget, The little Mermaid, Runde Taarn, Tivoli and Gefion Springvandet. We had lunch at Kultorvet and here Kim got her handbag stolen by a very professional bag snatcher (Latin American or Eastern European looking, dark short hair, wears a dark green suit and will sit down at the table next to you and talk on his mobile. When he leaves he will take your bag). We also spent a couple of days at my grandmothers place where we we had a look at Koldinghus and Trapholt. Kim got to meet most of the family in Jutland (The family on my Dads side). My cousin had a child recently and the christening was taking place while we were visiting, so it gave us an excuse to visit my grandmother. On the way back from Jutland we visited my Uncle and Auntie Eli and Henning on their farm and also had a look at their windmill. One day we went also sailing up through Guldborgsund with my dad and we also went a quick trip to Germany one afternoon with the ferry. It was good to see my parents again, but I also realise that apart from them there is not much left for me in Denmark and I would never be able to live the same lifestyle in Denmark as I do in Sydney Australia. I took a number of videos while in Denmark and also a lot of photos. I can recommend that you click on the following links to see more from Denmark. Video of my Uncles Windmill #1 Video of my Uncles Windmill #2 Video of my Uncles Windmill #3 Video of Kim and my dad picking strawberries Video of sailing with my dad #1 Video of sailing with my dad #2 Video of sailing with my dad #3 Click here to see more photos from:Denmark/ Slideshow 22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Holland 2007 22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetholland 2007ShareAfter my stay in Athens Greece I am now in Vianen in Holland where our European office is. The purpose with my stay here is to do a bit or coordination and do some planning. Vianen is about 45 minutes drive south of Amsterdam not too far from Utrect. I am staying at the only hotel in Vianen which is located 3-4 kilometers from the office, but fortunately I have been able to borrow one of the company cars.Vianen really is in the middle of no-where. It is a sleepy little town with no major attractions.The hotel here is really weird. None of the floors meet and the numbering system of the rooms is all over the place. It is generally faster to get from one room in the hotel to another by always taking the lift to the ground floor, exit the hotel, enter it elsewhere and then take the lift up again...at least the ground floor is always on the same level.The room itself is nice enough. When I wake up in the morning i wake up looking at a cow paddock with a couple of horses wandering around...did I say that this is out in the sticks? People in holland steal with their arms and legs. Yesterday I asked to get an ironing board and an iron brought to my room.They told me that they could not do that (could be because of the mile long walk from the reception but I don't think so, because the room also don't have an alarm clock and the tv is bolted to the table) and they told me that they now had a special ironing room. The iron and ironing board was bolted with a big chain to the wall.The only positive thing about the hotel is that the breakfast is pretty nice (dinner isn't) and the internet is reasonably priced at 25 Euros for a week. Its is nice to catch up with colleagues although the schedule is pretty busy here. I interviewed a couple of people for the office here and we are going to give an offer to one of the guys.Also a couple of the restaurants in Vianen itself are fairly decent and the fact that I could borrow a car meant that I could get around a bit. 12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Greece 2007 12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgreece 2007Share Here in mid June I am in Greece assisting one of our partners on a project involving our software. I arrived Sunday evening and started working Monday morning with the partner. One of my colleagues Karsten is also here and last night we went to this fantastic restaurant called moorings. It is the most fantastic setting right next to the sea, and the food was fantastic. My starter was goats cheese wrapped in prosciutto ham baked in the oven and then served on a bed of wild mushrooms. For mains I had Grober (a fish) and it was really nice. The servings were massive so no chance of leaving hungry. It was a pity that Kim wasn't there joining me...she would have loved the place. The whole dinner including a bottle of wine, pre-dinner drinks for two people amounted to approximately 135 Euros which is really cheap considering the food and the setting. During the week Karsten and I have been pretty busy assisting the partner on the project. Later in the week they requested to get some more of my time to assist them. Since Athens is a nice place to be (more interesting than Vianen anyway) I as happy to stay. This means that my stay will ten days in total before continuing to Holland. During the weekend I had time to do some windows shopping along Ermou street and in the Athens Flea markets as well as visit the Unknown soldiers grave. After that I continued up to see the Acropolis. I was in Greece and Athens about 15 years ago and managed to see a lot of things, but it was nice with a bit of a refresher. One of the things I particularly remember from Acropolis is the Porch of the Maidens. One evening around sunset on the weekend I walked up this hill close to the hotel that has a small chapel on top. There were also a couple of restaurants up there so I decided to sit down and have dinner. The evening view from the hill was fantastic with a view of Acropolis lit up as well as all of the lights of Athens all the way to Pireus. Click here to see more photos from: Athens / Slideshow 21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Golf at Wakehurst Golf Course 21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgolf at wakehurst golf courseShare Sunday afternoon Kim, Luke and I went playing golf at Wakehurst Golf Glub near Manly. It was the first time on this course and it was in perfect condition and a very scenic course. Luke joined us and managed to loose a fair amount of balls until he figured out that he should keep his head down to be able to hit the ball. After this he was able to play a fairly decent game...which was excellent, because I had been giving him a bit of a hard time until then (especially after being 30 minutes late for the game). I think I managed to play the first none holes 7-8 strokes over par. After the first nine holes Kim and I continued on our own and managed to play an additional 6-7 holes before it got to dark to play (and Kim was starving). I recorded a couple of videos of us playing. Click on the links below to download them: Me playing golf (first movie) Me playing golf (second movie) Kim Playing golf Luke playing golf 17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Australian Drought 17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaustralian droughtShareSince 1998 we have had a drought in Australia. The water supply in Sydney has been declining ever since and early may 2007 the supply was down to around 30% with only about 8 months supply left.On the 17th of May it started raining in most parts of NSW and in many areas the drought now seems to be either over or at least less serious. Here is a radar photo from that day:Our water supplies in Sydney are now up to 57% and still rising. It would be fantastic if we could reach 100%, but we would need a fair bit of rain still.It also means that there is snow falling in the Snowy Mountains, so the skiing season has already kicked in with plenty of natural snow. 15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Romantic Dinner 15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetromantic dinnerShareA couple of months ago I took Kim out on this really romantic dinner. She was really impressed with my ability to choose the best places in town. I am writing this post so that all you other blokes (or Sheila's) out there can do the same for your loved ones. The place I took her to is this really romantic waterfront restaurant placed on some of the most expensive realestate in Sydney. The cousine is traditional Australian but this place is famous throughout the world and regularly appear in magasines.The food is very reasonably priced and it is almost always possible to get a seat right next to the water. In the evening the waterfront seating is dimly lit and has got enough privacy for some kisses and some cuddles. A lot of famous people have visited the restaurant and they have got photos of some of the people such as Richard Branson (Virgin), John Travolta (Actor,Grease) and many more. The restaurant has got a rich history and has been in this area for many decades now. The service is quick and polite. The restaurant is BYO so I can recommend bringing a good Australian wine or even a couple of chilled beers on a warm summer night. The restaurant doesn't even charge corkage like other prime restaurants do.On valentines day this restaurant still does a-la-carte at their normal prices where other restaurants either have set menus or inflate their prices. Being on a tight budget is no excuse not to go to this place. They have got food that will fit in any budget and I find it hard to believe that you will leave the place hungry. After dinner go for a romantic stroll along the water and you will have won the heart of your loved one (I did). Click here to see where the restaurant is << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...747576777879808182...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Photos 2013 - Candles 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas photos 2013 candlesShareChristmas is approaching fast. The Christmas tree is up and Kim is busy shopping for presents for the various people.The other night I managed to slot in 10 minutes for the first set of Christmas photos of Aiden and Lucas.I was shooting these with a 50mm f1.4 lens to get the nice blurry Christmas tree lights. This also meant that I didn't have much room to play with when it came to focus...almost impossible with two moving kids whily trying to get the right mood with facial expressions, tantrums etc. Aiden couldn't sit still and Lucas refused to wear his hat. What do they say...never photograph wild animals and children! 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Concert 2013 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas concertShareThe other day it was Aiden and Lucas Christmas concert with their daycare centre.This year they were supposed to dress up in some country's national clothes. We borrowed some Chinese clothes from KC and they looked very cute in it.The concert went very well. We were especially impressed how well Aiden was able to follow the instructions and the moves to the various dances.It was especially funny when they were singing this song with Konitchiwa...Namaste....BULA!!!! Lucas was also in the first part of the concert sitting down the front with one of the carers. 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big foot playing soccer 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig foot playing soccerShareAiden is still playing soccer once a week. Last week he insisted on wearing my shoes instead of his own.Maybe he was hinting that his old shoes are getting too small. 6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Fun on a rainy day 6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfun on a rainy dayShareWe have had a lot of rain lately. On one of the days I was showing Aiden and Lucas how to make a pair of funny glasses out of an egg crate and a piece of string.They got to paint the glasses afterwards. 6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A helping hand vacuuming 6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweeta helping hand vacuumingShareThe other day I picked up Aiden and Lucas pretty late from daycare.They were in the process of cleaning and Aiden was eagerly waiting for them to turn on the vacuum cleaner so he could play with it. 20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 007 20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 007ShareI have already gone out too far. I cannot return and jump over the stream because it is growing inside of me and is becoming a roaring river.What are these strange thoughts I am having?Were these free farmers in the hills above Varde Aaa more free at year 900 than they were in year 1100?The only difference was christianity.Off to the libraryThe landowner at NoerholmThe Herredfoged.The Bishop in RibeIt is all written hereI start thinking about huntingA good hunter makes sure that they keep a healthy game on the property. He will feed the game during tough winters and make sure that the the overall health is there and have to most productive game survive.No, it is not right to have these thoughts here in the library when it is the farmers I need to find information on.Queen Margaret..Make a claim on Noerholm..Maybe there is something here..Wasn't it the landowner of Noerholm that owned Noerholm?Has he just built up Noerholm and then put his filthy hand on every surrounding piece of land and property?Which the church was claiming that it should own?Or was it the Bishop in Ribe?This was not what I was supposed to find here at the library. It was the farmer - farmers!Hunting...What rubbish was that. I must get rid of these thoughts, this has nothing to do with hunting. 20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 006 20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 6 de knokledeShareIt wouldn't have been the lord who was out there beginning to move large boulders.And not the bishop -Christianity had just been introduced but building that many churches required a lot of workforce.My thoughts are diverted.Has this big change in faith based activity created communities, something in common because surely it was the farmers who built the churches.This introduction was it something that made the existence easier for the farmers, my old roots.It must have been, a lot of other things to believe in has been forgotten and the church is now a gathering place.You should never start researching your ancestry.You encounter one surprise after another and will never finish. There is always more.There is changes in ones beliefs for every new discovery.Of cause it was the farmers who built the churches. Who else would have?They probably started with the words; "On the day of honour I am with you".My thoughts are again left astray.Russia build the aswan dam in Egypt.Yes, I saw it myself with my own eyes. I drove in my car along the large canals they were digging.How was it that they explained it to me?This canal was to be dug 5 metres deep, 100 metres wide and should extend 800km out into the desert.There were thousands of workers, it all looked like a large ants nests.Men with baskets full of soil on their heads. There was not a single Russian in this ants nest.- Who actually built the Aswan Dam? - 20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 005 20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 5Share Farmers My grandads memoirs. - My Memoirs. - But there has to be something before us. Our family of farmers from Kongeaaen at Toboel to Lyngbakkerne across Varde Aa - Mejls - Hornelund - Sig. How did they live in the last 1000 years? I rush to the library but it feels like hitting a miss in the lottery. Have my ancestors, the farmers, not accomplished anything that made it worthy for a couple of pages in the danish history? Yes, they have of cause not walked about killing each other to get hold of their neighbors possessions. Rather the opposite, from the looks of it, it was the farmers that were killed. And for this the killers deserved a rather prominent mentioning in the history. Yes, there was built a number of churches in the 1100's, but my relatives, the farmers are not mentioned. I start to think. - Who actually built these churches? -. 20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De Knoklede - page 009 20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 009Share..as a couple of cows and a bull out on the feeding grounds. Something that can work and reproduce.There is an old say like this - The devil looks after his own.Let me immediately point out that the Devil didn't look after the farmers in the area around Varde and it was obvious that it was the met in power that were looked after by the Devil.Here I would like to jump forward to 1300-1400 in the Danish history (Queen Margaret I). It is like my ancestors roots here start sprouting quickly. It is not quite clear who owns then, the church or the landowner at Noerholm.Queen Margaret interfere in the argument and this gives the farmers a bit of breathing space.A few farmers become more established and become independent (owns their land).How should all these farmers see all the trouble ahead? Yes, even the Danish history has forgotten them.It is only all the bad evil, power hungry people that are written about.The more bloodthirsty the more pages they get in the book.How mush is described about the farmers fight for independence against Kristian the 3rd?The farmers at Varde invaded the river fortres at Varde and destroyed it but then had to retreat north with Captain Clement pursued by Johan Rantzau the kings right hand. The farmers were at last defeated at Aalborg so that they would not appear in the history books. Not even crying and mourning by women and children behinds the hills at Varde river.Honour becomes he who should be honoured. 20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 008 20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 008ShareI am stuck.There is something peculiar about this study.Why do I still return to - in a time of hunting?Right! I remember, there is a book by that name.I tell myself to think about something else - And he thoughts saw wide views. And the neighbours wife said to her mum - That decease looks just like...No, this is enough...Were the farmers the hunted game or not?Were the king, the lords, the church, the bishop the hunters?Were the farmers the game and the hunting so good that the hunters couldn't agree on splitting the game?Was it like that all over Denmark? Of cause it was. the Varde area was no exception.It is something strange you are getting involved in when you study your ancestors.The farmers had to live, otherwise there was nothing to hunt, but when the land owner was about to loose his hunting rights then the hunting escalated to the point where the game was about to go extinct.The hunters would then loose interest and start hunting elsewhere.Here we can mention the war against Sweden with its following plague as well as Napoleon with his Spanish troops in Denmark.The farmers always recovered, because they were the lifeline for Denmark.Children are born and new generations grow up between the marshes and hills without knowing whether they in years to come will be valuable as game and hence again be hunted to extinction.It is the owners of the hunting grounds, their mentality and actions that is written into the Danish history. They have been lifted onto the podium for their dishonest behaviour.On the contrary is just mentioned as an afterthought... << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...353637383940414243...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden pedalling his bike 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud anShareThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud and keen to get out riding. 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing at the park 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shoShareThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shots of Lucas on the swing. He was so tired that he almost fell asleep on the swing. I also managed to get a couple of great photos of Aiden. 20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Super hero 20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsuper heroShareThe other day Aiden came back from daycare with face paint around his eyes proudly saying that he was a super hero. 19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Serenpidity canyon 19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetserenpidity canyonShareLast year I received a gift voucher through work and decided to use it for a canyoning trip in the blue mountains before it expired.one of the companies were doing Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Watersports 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the rShareAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the river back to Vang Vieng and having the entire river to ourselves.The three kids were all in a kayak with our guide sitting on top of their life jackets - fortunately they can all swim.Kim and I was in one Kayak and Sacha and Mavis in another.Just where we started out there was a rapid with water flowing over a large boulder but with plenty of flat water on the sides. Kim was little impressed when I headed straight into the rapids and with perfect skills paddled us through them...her being soaked and the kayak being full of water may have had something to do with it.She's later said that the kayaking trip was one of her favourite and most fun activities on the trip, so maybe she was somewhat impressed with my brilliant paddling skills!!Along the river are still some of the remains of the bars and zip lines - but all very quiet now. Approaching Vang Vieng we went past some really scenic locations with bungalows etc.The experience at the end got and all thumbs up!Another water activity that Mavis and I did was tubing through one of the caves. You essentially sit in an inflated car tyre and then pull yourself along a rope inside a cave. It was fun for the kids, however this place was packed with Koreans trying to do the same thing.Aiden initially didn't want to go, but I am proud that he eventually managed to get the courage to do so.We also went to one of the lagoons. There are a number of them and some of them are very popular. We organised with a driver to drive us to one of the less popular ones. It was still scenic and it had platforms of the trees to jump from and you could see why some travelers would have killed themselves jumping off them.There were also a couple of rafts which reminded me of the first time I went to Laos and paddles across a local river on a raft. It got on one of them in the lagoon and the whole thing literally sunk under me - I only just managed to get off in time before getting soaked.The second one was able to hold my weight and I took the boys for a little paddle. 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A silent prayer - Laos 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but ShareAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the diffused light was falling onto the statue itself and through the entrance to the cave. We were there all by ourselves and I asked Kim to sit and offer a little prayer in the ray of light coming in through the cave.I didn't bring a tripod with me to Laos, so everything had to be shot handheld which was tricky as there wasn't much light there. 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Caves 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this wShareIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this was just because no one else were interested or because we went there at a time when everyone else were doing other activities.The caves are in fairly pristine condition, they are dark, moist and other than descending a makeshift ladder walking through them gives a feeling of exploring the caves for the very first time. Some passages were really narrowAnd other parts of the caves were massive.Overall the caves are beautiful and again it was amazing having them to ourselves. 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tribes - Laos 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traShareThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traditional costumes but it is possible to glimpse the occasional traditional head wear or dress in one of the shops.It is especially sad to see the Hmong tribal wear gone as worn below by Mavis and Kim. The Hmong traditionally lived in the mountains. The government has forced them down into the lowlands where they can be controlled and 'integrated' into the the rest of Laos. 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng Countryside - Laos 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some oShareOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some of the villages around Vang Vieng. Hiking through the countryside in Laos is partly magical and at the same time an eye opener. It is not until you get into the country side that you get a glimse of the real Laos and its people, the way of living and their beliefs.Walking into the first village a group of boys came walking towards us. One of the kids was holding his head with blood dripping down his face. The other boys were taking him home to his parents. I couldn't help but notice that there was a green substance smeared across the wound and asked our guide is he knew what it was. He went over to some bushes and plucked a couple of leaves and said that if you crush them then they will help stop the bleeding. This is when you realise that a lot of the plants in the villages serve a purpose as natural herbal medicine or for eating.The village was a HMong village and at one of the houses we spotted the little girl above standing in a door opening with her grand mother. There are very few of the traditional bamboo shacks still standing and instead being replaced with brick buildings.A bit further up the road we heard a sound. Someone was hitting a gong and chanting. Thinking it might be a monk we went to investigate. The sound was coming from one of the local houses. At the back of the house the family was in the process of preparing food, but we couldn't see where the sound was coming from. Our guide asked them and was told that they had a newborn (possibly sick) child and that the Shaman was in the house talking to the 'other world to' attract the good spirits and chase the evil spirits away.As we walked on we could see him through the opening of the door and I snapped the above photo which is one of my favourite photos of the trip.In the village people go about their normal life such as this woman removing lice from her daughters hair.As we walked on we had to walk through the local school. It happened to be recess and the kids in the smaller classes were outside playing. There was a small stand selling them lunches who also sold lollies, so Kim got the idea to spoil the kids with lollies - but also turned out to be a great opportunity for our kids to interact and see what a classroom in Laos looks like.The area is still very un-developed. Although there seems to be electricity, this is mainly used for lighting. Cooking is still done by collecting wood and done on wood fired stoves and people still wash their clothes in the rivers and streams.Although there are still a number of water buffaloes these are mainly used for eating along with any other non-human living animal - such as pigs, dogs, birds etc.It was very healthy for the boys to see where their food 'potentially' comes from and understand that this is part of life.The area is full of rice paddies, but these are now worked with mechanical tools rather than buffaloes.The government has built bridges across the large river to allow access to the villages.But the smaller streams have bamboo bridges - in this case wide enough to drive a motorbike across, others just a single bamboo to allow a person walk across.At the far village (Lao and not Hmong) there was a limestone cliff with a small cave in it. This was called elephant cave and inside there was a small shrine along with some bizarre images.The whole area is spectacular - I can only imagine what it would be like during rice planting season - yes it would be muddy but also stunningly beautiful.During this whole hike we saw no other travelers. Other than at the cave we didn't get a sense that there frequently came any groups through and I think the feedback from all of us was that this was one of the highlights of the trip - no adrenaline required. 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Laos 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of reShareVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of re-inventing itself.When I first visited for an overnight stopover it was a sleepy little town with maybe a handful of backpackers going tubing (more on that later). I also remember the deserted airport runway from the 'secret war' going through the sleepy little village (Lima site 6) and the stunning mountain scenery in the background. Other than that there wasn't much there.Ten years later my mum and dad visited the place and told me stories how the place had transformed. It had grown and was full of drunk backpackers with loud rave music and parties throughout the night. During the day they were floating down the river in car tubes again with beers and drinks in their hands.Then again about 5 years ago, Laos appeared in the Australian news media with stories of young backpackers breaking their necks doing somersaults off the tree branches on the river and lagoons and hitting the rocks. Stories of high highly available drugs were also emerged.The Lao government stepped in and closed the majority of the bars along the river, stopped the parties and the drugs and implemented a number of other safety restrictions. It worked, the parties stopped and the young party seeking backpackers fled.A new crowd has now moved in - this is bus loads of adrenaline seeking Koreans. They go there to go kayaking, zip lining, tubing, buggy riding etc. They eat at the Korean restaurants and stay at the same hotels, but otherwise mostly keep to themselves. This also means that some of the same old sleepy feeling has returned to this town. It also meant that is was easy (or just plain luck from our side) to avoid the tourists.The airstrip is still there, but I recon most visitors would walk across it and not notice and definitely wouldn't know the history behind the secret war in Laos, let alone the American involvement and the little airstrips around the place. It is a fascinating story and has very much shaped Laos into what it is today.The area is just absolutely stunning with steep limestone cliffs and rice paddies. I could easily have spent more time there taking photos in the surrounding area. 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Pha That Luang - Laos 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proudShareA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proud of it.Unlike Buddha Park it is surprisingly quiet when it comes to tourists. The majority of people visiting seems to be either Laos or Thai people offering a prayer. The correct way here is to get the insense and flowers and then walk clockwise around the Stuba on the inside of the covered corridor (mostly to keep out of the sun I assume).Although it is not particularly old (The original 1st century structure was mostly destroyed and has undergone a number of more recent restorations), it is stunningly beautiful and impressive in size.For me to get some of the panorama photos here with the selection of lenses I'd brought along I had to take multiple photos that I then had to stitch together.Outside there is a temple that is equally interesting, although nothing compared to further north in Luang Prabang.There are also street vendors selling cage birds that are supposed to bring good luck and prayers to anyone releasing them. 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Buddha Park - Laos 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossingShareOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossing back into Thailand).Trying to figure out the most comfortable way to get there we settled on taking the local bus. There aren't any taxis as such in Vientiane and we weren't keen taking a tuk-tuk for 30 kilometers. Most of the tuk-tuks are in an extremely poor shape with failing brakes, wobbling wheels and thick smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. They are perfectly fine for shorter trips inside the city (such as hotel to bus station), but not recommended for longer trips.The bus turned out to be easy to find and we were early enough to all get a seat. The bus was later packed with passengers going to Thailand and it would have been tough to stand up for the one hour bus ride.The bus is also really convenient in that it stops right outside Buddha Park which is the last stop before the bus turns around and heads back to Vientiane. Buddha Park itself was apparently established by a Monk building the statues for religious purposes as education of his religious beliefs. It is actually a nice little area and quite interesting with lots of (to us) weird statues showing bizarre things.The most obvious is the massive 'pumpkin' at the entrance that you can climb. Each level inside the the sculpture itself represents hell, earth and sky.The entrance is a head with a clock above it - meaning swallowed up by time?There is also a massive reclining buddha.And my favourite was the large centre sculpture carrying the body of a woman...no idea what this is supposed to represent. 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vientiane - Laos 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with peoplShareVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with people, cars, motorbikes and shops everywhere.The once neglected colonial buildings have all been renovated and the red dust flying everywhere is long gone as the roads have been paved. In the outskirts of the city high-rise office towers have started shooting up and I think that given another decade this city will look like any other East Asian capital. The most striking difference was the banks of the Mekong River. Last time I was there it was really just a dirty path and following it north long enough there would be a string of wooden shacks with local restaurants that would serve some beautiful local dishes, fish and other seafood. The water then would come right up to the bank and the boats could pull up and during the day the local kids would jump from the trees and swim in the river. The old path has been replaced by a modern walk way (which actually is really nice) and the shacks have been replaced by some bars closer to the centre catering more for a western clientel - still with some nice seafood on the menu. The water of the Mekon has receeded and there is now a massive sand bank moving the river 2-300 meter back from the city.Although Vientiane doesn't have a massive amount of things to see, it is definitely worth a visit. The Wats are beautiful and the vertical runway (local Arc de Triumpe - called so because they used cement intended for building an airport) is worth the climb to get a view of the city (and the main road which used to be the only paved road). There is certainly plenty to do for a couple of days.About 100 meters from the Arc down a side street we had what was probably the best noodle soup of the whole trip. It was just a local mum, dad and grandma run place and it met the critia of being busy having locals eating there which means that it is likely that the food is good and relative fresh.Even with it being in the middle of the city there was no access to gas or running water, so everything was cooked over wood fired stoves with the broth for the soups likely cooking overnight and the rest cooked fresh on the spot.On the first afternoon we were sitting in a local coffee place and I started speaking to the girl working there. I asked her for local places to eat great authentic Lao food - not touristy. She recommended a place up neat That Dam (the black stuba) called Soukvinam and she showed me some photos. It looked more like a fine dining place, but the food looked delicious so we decided to give it a go. It was a quiet place with a nice ambience. We were sitting outside in the courtyard which was ideal with the kids. We ordered a lot of food sticking to specialties we had never tried before such as stuffed frogs, fermented fish eggs etc. and it was all really nice.By Lao standards it probably wasn't cheap, but for the whole group of us the entire meal ended up costing approximately $100 AUD. On that 'note' it is easy to be an instant millionaire as a foreigner in Laos - change $150 Australian dollars you are there.We also celebrated New Years Even in Vientiane which was fairly low key with a couple of late night drinks. 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Returning to Laos 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetReturning to Laos ShareThis year our holiday was going to a country in South East Asia called to the Laos with the boys and some close friends. I went there almost 20 years ago. I had just migrated to Australia and was going on my first holiday. Laos which had only just been opened up by the communist regime, was very much undeveloped after two decades of isolation and happened to be one of the first places I visited in Asia and it was a country that I immediately fell in love with. It wasn’t the things to see and do in the country that I fell in love with - but the people. I loved the smiles, how welcoming everyone was, and I especially loved the joy of the dirty kids playing in the streets. Everyone was living at very simple lifestyle and yet everyone had what they needed and were happy. Back then I had no firm plans, but made them up as I went along. I traveled light, caught local transport, I met locals and other travelers along the way on a budget of less than $10/day, and still remember the sticky rice sold to passengers when passing through towns. I had some incredible experiences in an amazing country. I managed to have a full busload full of locals break down laughing from me trying to read up sentences from my little pocket Lao phrase book. Through this I was invited to visit families and join their local celebrations through festive events. The only local I met up in Northern Laos who could English was a girl working for an NGO. She invited me to join her visits to remote local villages where we had to cross the rivers on bamboo rafts to get to them and experienced the local dragon boat racing. Since this distant time I had heard and lots about the country from other travelers including my Mum and Dad who visited the country ten years ago. I heard how the country had changed and how mass tourism had ruined the experience. I had heard about the young backpacker rave parties, the drugs and adrenaline junkies in Vang Vieng. I heard about the modernization, cars and traffic in Vientiane. Going back with family and friends I was worried that they wouldn’t see the country that I saw so many years ago. There isn’t a lot of historical sites to see in Laos other than in Luang Prabang where there are lots of Temples due to many wars destroying major parts of the country. More worried was I that I would be disappointed by the country and the people I saw back then being no more. When we got there it turned out that, yes, the country has changed a lot. Lots of roads have been paved, there are lots of cars everywhere, the old colonial buildings have been renovated and all the houses are now built in brick and mortar instead of being wooden bamboo shacks. People are on mobile phones, the kids are watching youtube videos, every hotel has wifi, you can buy everything, and major investments are flowing in from neighboring Thailand, China and Vietnam. There are a lot more tourists in the country, especially in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, but they are a different type of tourists than the ones I was dreading.The backpackers have been replaced with mainly adrenalin loving Korean tourists or wealthier middle-aged Europeans and the era of party fueled backpacker tourism is largely gone. And most importantly getting outside the towns, the Laos I loved back then still very much exists if you go look for it. The modern tourists are surprisingly easy to avoid. They all stay in the same places and visit the same top ten sites or visit the same restaurants that Tripadvisor recommended they go to. They go back home and tell everyone that they have experienced Laos, not knowing that their comfort has eluded them of the real magic of Laos. The Lao people everywhere are still very loving, smiling and friendly, there are dirty kids, chickens, cows, dogs and cats roaming the streets everywhere and the remnants of the old tribes that I saw back then still exists through their ancient traditions although the traditional costumes and houses are largely gone now due to government policies. Had we gone even further afield that we did on this trip, I’m convinced that little has changed in those villages I once visited two decades ago. Prior to going I was scared what I would find there, but now I feel blessed that my family and friends have experienced some of the glimpses of ‘my’ Laos together with me…Laos still has a big place in my heart. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...111213141516171819...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coppelia 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetcoppeliaShareLast night we went to the Sydney Opera House to see the ballet Coppelia with The Australian Ballet.It may be the last time for a while that Kim and I get the chance to go and see a performance together for a while.It was a great show and I can highly recommend it...the story is nicer and easier to follow than The Nutcracker. Coppelia herself doesn't dance much (she is a doll), the story line if mainly centered around the other characters in the story...no one dies (come on...it is not an opera). It is just a nice love story where the right people get eachother in the end. 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chris & Yvonne's wedding 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchris yvonne s weddingShareYesterday we went to Chris and Yvonnes wedding. The wedding itself was a traditional catholic wedding held in one of the churches in North Sydney. Kim was having a bit of a cold so to save herself (and the baby) we decided that I'd go to the wedding ceremony alone representing both of us. Chris asked me if I'd video the ceremony using his new camera...I hope it turned out alright as I'm not all that familiar with taking video. I did manage to take a couple of photos (using my spare hand) during the ceremony. Later in the evening the reception was held at Wolfies at Circular Quay at the Rocks in Sydney. After resting in the morning Kim was fortunately able to join me at the reception. It was a really nice evening and we got a change to meet some of their friends who'd flown in from the US. During the evening the photographers did a slideshow with some of the highlights from the wedding. Needless to say that I was pretty hung over the next morning. I didn't take a lot of photos, but above you see a couple of the ones I did take. 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Car Fun - Take 2 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcar fun take 2ShareI borrowed some more toy cars from my nephews (A bit more willing this time). This time I wanted to do the shoot entirely using light painting. All the following photos are created using a single LED torch with CTO and blue flash gels in front of it. No photoshopping has been done to any of the photos.They have all been shot at 15 seconds @ f22. The base is a glass chopping board (the writing on the board shines through in a couple of places). 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover. One of the days there we did a number of walks within the park and around the lakes. Kim is 7 months pregnant and did really well although walking a bit slower than normal. We also did some walks to some of the lookouts and waterfalls in the park. I did have some time to experiment with some photos along the way. I really wanted to see some of the wildlife in the park, but unfortunately most of the animals are nocturnal (only out at night). The park had a bus going through the park at night time costing $50 for the two of us. We spoke to the driver and he said that we would not be able to leave the bus at any time. I really wanted to be able to get off the bus at take some wildlife photos so we instead decided to drive our rental car through the park late at night. We wouldn't have the luxury of the nighttime lights and the local knowledge of where to spot certain animals but we thought that the bus would be staying on the same road as we did anyhow. It turned out to be a really good idea. We managed to spot lots of Possums, Wallaby's (a small Kangaroo) and Wombats. We even spotted Quolls and a Tasmanian Devil. May has later told me that the frog in the photo is a 'Southern Brown Tree Frog' and that she keeps one of them as a pet. Below is photos of the animals we spotted: (The closeup photos of the Tasmanian devil and the Quoll I've borrowed, but the rest are my own photos.) After this we drove to Freycinet national park on the east coast. Along the way we stopped at a few scenic spots and wineries. One of the places we stopped was a place called Devils Gullet. It would have been really spectacular had it not been for the dense fog. It was a fairly long drive getting there and I was pretty buggered by the time we arrived to the B&B after driving most of the day with just a few stops on the way to rest and take photos. The sun started to set and I rushed Kim down to the beach in from of the place we were staying to take some portraits using some creative lighting. She wasn't too keen as the wind was a bit cold and we missed the actual sunset by just a couple of minutes. I did however manage to take a couple of photos of her. In the evening we went to a very nice restaurant called 'The edge' very close to the B&B. This turned out to the be highlight in terms of meals during the trip. It was very nice. On the way to the restaurant we spotted a Tasmanian owl and afterwards we did a drive through the national park spotting more Quolls, Possums and Wallabies. The next day we decided to do a number of other walks. The first one of the day included climbing up to the top of this saddle between two mountain tops to get a magnificent view of Wineglass Bay. The climb itself was spectacular in itself as the mountains are formed by this pink coloured granite (I was looking for climbing routes, but most of the granite looked completely barren of any holds...some lunatic would probably come and prove otherwise). Along the trail we we spotted a baby Black snake, a couple of Lizards and birds. We also made a drive up to 'Friendly Beach' where we took a lot of photos. This beach was mostly deserted apart from a couple of walkers and surfers. At sunset we drove to Honeymoon bay to get some scenic shots using the colour of the setting sun against the pink granite as well as some normal sunset photos. In the evening we had a clear sky with lots of stars. Because of the light population of Tasmania there is not a lot of city lights to disturb the stars gazing. It has been years ago since I was able to lie down and just look at the stars to see if I could spot any satellites moving across the sky (this evening I spotted 2). I used the opportunity to after dinner drive back to Honeymoon bay to do some star trail photography. I left Kim in the car as she didn't want to make the walk down to the beach in the dark without a torch. I did take two photos down there using a 30 minute exposure (the maximum my camera allows & @f4.0). They turned out reasonable okay considering what camera they are taken with (Nikon D50). Next day it was back to Sydney. We left Freycinet at 8.30am in the morning and I was stressing that we wouldn't make it back to the airport in time...but we did! << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...626364656667686970...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water play 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkleShareLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkler and we let the boys have some water play. 16. October 2014 18:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing with Dragons 16. October 2014 18:10 by Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots! 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little. 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking). 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and thShareIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and the boat slowly cruised in and out between the river islands within Zimbabwe and Zambia. In the distance there were clouds and rain forming beautiful rainbows.There were lots of hippos around and we also spotted a couple of crocodiles and other wildlife. This time of the year there weren't any elephants as they don't need to go to the river during the rain season. 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Instant Billionaires 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back ShareOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back in 2008/09 the whole economy collapsed and the local currency was worth less than the paper it was printed on. As a result the entire country started using stable currencies such as US dollars.In Victoria falls this means that everything is paid for in US dollars and since everything is more or less government controlled they try to milk tourists for as much hard currency as they possibly can.As a result most tourists stay for a shorter duration as they probably would otherwise which is a pity as the benefits of tourism isn't shared with the rest of the country.The country also has all the typical African inefficiencies and illogical processes which I experienced back in my days in East Africa, but which greatly annoyed Kim.She was however greatly amused when I came back after a walk telling her that I had made her an instant billionaire - with the note here held by Aiden with a smug on his face. 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Arriving to Zimbabwe 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the VShareDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the Victoria falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.The first evening we book dinner at Boma restaurant. Even though it is a bit touristy (everything around the falls are) they promised a buffet dinner with various game meat and dancing/drumming.On the menu was Mopani worms, Wort Hog, Elan, Guinea Foul and spit Lamb.Poor little Lucas was so tired that he fell asleep in the car there and slept the whole way through.Although Aiden was tired he did enjoy the experience (in his silly fashion).The drumming was very interactive and the dinner guests could join in.Good start to the trip. 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas family photo 2016 - Naughty Elves 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created anothShareIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created another family photo for this year. Aiden and Lucas are growing older and also more naughty, so this year we decided to do something different and let the parents have a quiet evening while we let the boys 'hang out' together. 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Botany Bay walk 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ShareThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ammunition bunkers along the coast line to protect against Japanese invasions.We have been there quite a few time and here are some of the photos from our last walk there. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Photos as Boralee Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of themShareOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of them. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing at Royal National Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted toShareThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted to go canoeing at the Royal National Park about 30 minutes drive from our house.It was a beautiful sunny morning with not a wind or any other people in the creek. Afterwards we went down to Wattamolla to have a look at the waterfall and play at the beach.At Bundeena we had fish and chips for lunch.He totally crashed on the way home. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...161718192021222324...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you
15. September 2000 11:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments New Car in 2000 . . . 15. September 2000 11:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetnew car in 2000ShareIn September 2000, just after I returned from my trip to Borneo, I had to buy this new car because my girlfriend had written off my car whilst I was away! *smile* I did not look forward to hunting around for a new car, but I found a good buy locally. This car is a 1997 Ford Futura, with 4.0 litre, 6-cylinder, 220-horsepower, power-steering, central locking and electronic windows (I think I am starting to sound like a car advertisement...) It is pretty much the same colour as my old car, and it feels so nice to drive! As you can see, pretty similar, but I also really miss my old car! It had a lot of computerised features - from a digital odometer, to adjusting the internal temperature of the car. It was a pretty cool car and wished I could have kept it for another few more years. A huge contrast to my first car! It is a red hatchback that I bought early 1998, a few months after I arrived in Australia. But someone wrote it off a few months after I bought it. It was a pretty bad accident, but luckily I was alright. I was only covered by Third Party insurance, and to go through a lot of paperwork just to get reimbursement for the car!
15. August 2000 10:43 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Away from Headquarters . . . 15. August 2000 10:43 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaway from headquartersShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageAway from Headquarters . . .I managed to explore the villages at Silam. The people here wore this white stuff on their faces - I guess their form of sunscreen. These people were refugees from the Philippines. The kids were fighting to fit into the photo! The kids here were really cute.These kids here, had caught a monkey and was trying to sell it at the camp for 5 ringgit (AUD$2.50). No-one wanted to buy it because they knew if they bought it, and set it loose, the kids would just catch it again, and try to sell it. In general, there were lots of great photos at Silam village. One of the helicopter pilots was driving through the jungle roads, took a corner too fast, and had a minor mishap.We headed into Lahad Datu to get some seafood! An escape from camp food. Camp food was disgusting. There were live worms in the vegetables (yes, after cooked). Most of the food was not fresh, and was pretty boring. The seafood was fantastic here. Whenever we had the chance, we ate lots of seafood. Yum... Paul did not get to eat all of the crabs - all of us had a portion of it. Yummm... they were huge, but we did not eat them. They were too big for us to eat, pretty impressive though. They were the biggest lobsters I have seen in my life. We saw these at the same place we ate our seafood and frogs (below). We had this frog for dinner about 2 min after I took the photo. This was actually when I went out with Glen in Kota Kinabalu - he asked me to pick some food and to surprise him. I did not tell him till a year later that he ate frog meat. He asked me what it was, because he reckoned it tasted funny, but I did not tell him at the time. I think he will only eat it again. Only if he really had to. Petronis Towers - the tallest twin towers in the world. Actually, they are the tallest buildings in the world, followed by the Sears Towers in Chicago. The towers are joined by some sort pedestrian platform. These towers are located in Kuala Lumpur. I went to Kuala Lumpur to pick up my Permanent Residency for Australia. Woohoo!!! After 2 years of lots of paperwork, and correspondence back and forth with Berlin, I finally managed to get it! The inconvenience of it all, was that I actually had to leave Australia ie collect my PR before re-entering Australia. Below, is the only photo I have of the Lateral Linking Team that I worked with during the race. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Helicopters . . . 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweethelicoptersShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageHelicopters . . .The radio communications team had to arrive a few days before that because we had to hand out over 2,000 pieces of radio equipment. We had problems getting the necessary approvals for helicopters so they were grounded! I ended having to hand out most of the equipment as Glen and Paul had to sort out our use of the helicopters. We had to fly all the equipment to Silam before the start of the race, and our team managed to fly to Silam the day before the race started. Do you believe that Paul managed to take a photo of me whilst I was flying the chopper? He was standing to the side of me, and took the photo at night time, with the door open ... Just kidding. A couple of days before the race started, I was at the airport most of the day. We had some problems with the radios in the helicopters... I must have been in and out of those helicopters at least 200 times. I did manage to get someone to take some photos of me in a helicopter, looking very much like the pilot! I had hoped that I had the time to explore Kota Kinabalue, but we were so busy, it had to wait. Here is the 212 or "Huey" - a twin-turbine Vietnam helicopter taking off. It is a hell a lot more powerful than some of the other helicopters we were using, which were 206s. Here are the medical guys practising abseiling out of the helicopters (Aussie style)! At the start of the race, I was sitting there listening to the first rescue on the radio. 3 hours after the start, four boats had capsized... helicopters and boats were very busy! The competitors were due to arrive at Silam (another checkpoint) the next day (21st Aug). For the first few days after the race started, I had to help organise to get the fuel to the top of the mountain. After that the helicopter came in useful. It brought up 100 litres of fuel on the 4th day so I did not have to ferry fuel anymore! At the end of the race, we had to sling-load the repeaters, to get them off the mountain. That means we had to strap them onto the helicopters, and pull them off the mountains that way - quite effective really. Repeater station finally airborne! You can see a pole in the right photo. My girlfriend asked me what it was for - it helps balance the load so that it does not keep swinging whilst airborne. Below, you will see some pretty good photos from the chopper. Towards the end of the race, we had to scan the rivers for the last competitors coming in - to make sure they had completed this section of the race course. It was low-altitude flying of the river-bed. The photo on the left shows the chopper approaching Silam Village. This village was located just outside of Silam HQ. Glen liked wanted to have a photo of the back of my head - and I ruined the photo by turning my head as he took it... Here's a sunset shot of the helicopters flying around. I had to put in this fantastic photo - the lighting gives a really nice feel to the photo. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Wildlife in Borneo . . . 15. August 2000 10:42 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe wildlife in borneoShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageThe Wildlife in Borneo . . .The jungles in Borneo are really dense, dark and humid. You will find that some of the photos look as though they have been over-exposed, but in reality, it is just the humidity in the air. I have a photo of this at home - Glen enlarged it for me, and framed it! Don't ask me why - I think I look rather wasted there. Glen and I tried to race through the jungle. The climb to the top of the mountain is rated as a 1.5 hour climb... Glen and I have done it in 26 minutes... actually I was confident that I could do it in less than 20 and so I did! I held the record of taking 17 minutes to race to the top of Mt Silam, covering a distance of approx 4 kilometres through the jungle, up a mountain. I was getting really fit (My girlfriend was proud of me). This photo shows how dense and dark the jungle can be. It was so humid there... no, not because I hadn't cleaned my lenses. You can see how muddy it is in the jungle - I became quite dirty after many trips into the jungle. I think these trees are just as big as the Californian Redwoods. They might not be as old, but definitely just as big. This was taken with a 300mm lens, from 1.5 metres. The most amazing thing about them, is when they are scared, the curl up into little "marbles". It looks like a small bug, but it is actually at least 7cm long, which is actually quite big. I noticed in Borneo, most of the insects there were huge. The wingspan of the brown moth was about 15cm wide - huge! They are mostly active at night, which is quite common for creatures in the jungle. A couple of the girls stationed in the jungles, was stationed here. Not a wise decision, considering these girls were paranoid about the insects. (Note: in the photo below, I still had conjunctivitis) I had the red eyes for most of the trip. Big and beautiful, don't you think? You can see how big the black moth is compared to the size of the telephone. These plants were kind of special because each branch split into two, so by the end of it, they formed a hexagonal pattern. Below, are plants known as the "pitcher" plant. The pitcher plants are meat-eating plants - you have watch out not to fall into them because they will swallow you whole. If you just believed that, you are very gullible! *laugh* The pitcher plant, like other carnivorous plants, feed on insects. They have sweet-smelling nectar that attract the unsuspecting insect to it. When the insect lands, it finds the surface slippery and fall straight into the “pitcher”, where the plants juices drowns it and is digested by the plant. You may have heard of other type of carnivorous plants such as the Venus Fly Trap, and the Sundew plants. Yes, you see me holding the snake with a leaf. It was a poisonous snake, and I was worried about it's venom getting on my skin. For example a puff adder, contact with the venom numbs the skin. I was not familiar with the snakes in Borneo, and was not about to risk it. The tarantella was sitting inside the catering tent hunting. Everyone was looking at it and admiring it, which was pretty amazing, considering I know many people who would willingly kill a spider in sight. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Repeater Stations . . . 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetrepeater stationsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageRepeater Stations . . .Here, you see Paul and I transporting some of the repeater stations by air. From Silam, we flew down to DFVC. We stayed there for three days before going back to Silam. I am at one of the repeater sites. Here, the top of one of the mountains was cleared, so we could safely land a helicopter there. Oh... did I forget to mention that I almost chopped one of my fingers in half at the repeater site? On top of my infected eye, I had another thing for the medical team to look at. The fingernail had been chopped in half and there was not much I could do about it except clean it up and try to avoid infections. The medical team was great there... they were extremely good. We had a few problems with some of the communications gear. Paul and Glen were handling it, and at times I tried to assist. The first few days had been really tough. The top of Silam is covered in clouds for most of the afternoons, so the solar panels are quite useless. A survey of the conditions made prior to the race was useless. If you ask any of the locals, they would have told us that the peak is always covered in clouds... but apparently no-one asked them!!! We had problems keeping the generators running - they were using more power than predicted and there was no sun on the top of Silam to recharge the batteries. The generator itself was a re-built petrol engine with a car alternator on it. We basically tried to use a system where we used a jerry can, cut holes into it, and relied on the force of gravity to transport the fuel to the generator. This design ended up working best for us. Our helicopter pilot sitting on the side there, just grinning... On the third day of the race, I hiked up the mountain three times. I was really tired and all I could think of was getting a bit of a rest and some food. I managed to get a bit once I got to Danum. In Danum I managed to get 6 hours sleep before someone woke me up and told me that the repeater had died in Silam... again all the cars had to leave in a convoy... so rush, rush to find my driver and managed (just) to get into the convoy! The road to Danum closes at 6.30pm and all the cars had to go in the convoy. The helicopter flew all of us to the top of the mountain, and waited there for us till we were finished. Glen quite often told the pilot, "You don't have to shut down, because we'll only be here for 5 minutes." Well... quite often, we were there for as long as an hour and half! (Don't worry, the pilot was sensible enough to shut down immediately... he got to know Glen very well.) I went up there often make sure that it was still running. It is much better getting a helicopter to fly me up there so that I can bring some fuel with me ! Glen has mostly been on top of the mountain getting the generator back online. We have to keep the generator running 24 hours per day until the end of the race. On the third night after the race started, one of the repeaters went dead. I had to hike up the mountain on the previous day as the generator had died. I did not leave the mountain until it was dark, so I had to climb down through the jungle in the dark! Fortunately I had my torch with me! Paul later gave me strict instructions to make sure that I leave the mountain so that I could be back at HQ while there was still light! I found out that I did not have any problems navigating at night... I even offered Paul to go back up when the repeater died! Anyhow, we ended up having to send the airborne repeater up! Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Competitors . . . 15. August 2000 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe competitorsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageThe Competitors . . .The competitors did not rest... three of the teams were half way through the 600 kilometre course after only three days... pretty amazing! Two of the teams were Australian. 18 teams were out of the race. At least 10 of these were due to medical problems. Hardly any people around here get enough sleep... the place is active 24 hours per day because there are always competitors coming in! I was keen to find out how the Danish team would turn out. At the beginning of the race, they were not very sociable. But by the end of the race, I think the tension of the race had gone, and I managed to have a chat with them. By the third day, the Danes are doing pretty well... they had a 22nd place! This was the mountain-bike leg of the race. The guy you see being transported to hospital in the helicopter (photos below), was doing this part of the race. He was rounding a corner on his bike and rode straight into a large branch. We had a lot of medical urgencies... we almost lost a guy with a punctured lung ! I got some great photos and helped getting the guy into the mobile hospital. There was a lot publicity on the website and through the media about it. Fortunately, he was only 15 minutes away from HQ, so it was possible for us to get him to the helicopter very quickly, and to the nearest hospital. Another leg of the race involved rowing in these “sampans”, a Malay term for “boat”. At some point, the teams in the race had to also split up - some of them swimming, some of them rowing, to complete the water leg of the race. Below, the competitors had to use a flying fox to cross the canyons. I managed to have a go at it - compared to rock-climbing... well, I found it pretty boring *smile*. I imagine most people would find it quite fun though. There are no places to climb here. I had hoped to take one of the helicopters to Madai Caves to check out the 200 metre abseil. The road to the Madai Caves lead directly through the tiny village of Gua Madai - a small cluster of homes, their wood bleached grey. The town’s main sources of income are tourism and birds’ nests. The nests are found high up the walls of the cave, tucked away in cracks and crevasses, and can command thousands of dollars. They are harvested about three times a year. My girlfriend mentioned trying "bird's nest soup" whilst I was there. She said normally the bird's nest they use belong to the swallow. It is a delicacy to many Asians, and similar to shark's fin soup - that is if you have tried it. Normally the nests are made out of the birds' saliva. There was so much rain at Silam that HQ was often flooded. Many of the competitors took the opportunity to get some sleep and the slept on whatever they could find. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:40 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Silam and Jungle Ops . . . 15. August 2000 10:40 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsilam and jungle opsShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageSilam and Jungle Ops . . .It is so bloody hot in Silam! It must have been at least 40 degrees and 100% humidity! Silam was the overall headquarters, and Danum Valley Field Centre (DVFC) was referred to as Jungle Ops. Jungle Ops controlled all radio communications and conducted the race through the the jungle. From Kota Kinabalu, we flew to Lahad Datu and drove the rest of the way to Silam. Silam was the site of one of the repeater stations. We had to set up a HQ a few kilometres from this station... heaps of opportunities for a few walks in the jungle. The operation at Silam was huge!... I had never seen such a busy place before. The place was crawling with energy. It was bigger than any military operation I had ever seen! You would be amazed to see the logistics involved in this project ! At the time I did not have the time to take a lot of photos. We had many army trucks transporting the competitors' equipment - very good cooperation from the military. They helped out with the preparation and set-up of HQ, and with the transportation of fuel. This is the headquarters on the left. The whole Ecochallenge race is governed from this office. The map in the background contains the position of all the checkpoints at which the competitors have to go through. Both of the above photos are aerial shots of HQ and were taken from a helicopter. I managed to get a nice aerial shot of Silam HQ. The big white patch in the middle is where the competitors stored all their equipment. Just to the left are the containers from where the race is controlled. The 4 'finger-like' white pads on the right are the heli-pads. The long rectangle to the left is the eating area, and just above it is the hospital. Approaching DVFC in helicopter. This is actually a research centre in the middle of the jungle - commonly known as DVFC (Danum Valley Field Centre). DVFC is not normally accessible the tourists and the general public, only to researchers. DVFC is concerned about contamination into the jungle. Outside Jungle Ops HQ. The green boxes contain bottled drinking water. By the time the race was over, most of this had been consumed - quite amazing really, considering there were really only 10 people at Jungle Ops. During the competitors were not allowed any help from us, and that included the provision of drinking water. Paul with some of the radio equipment at Silam. He is standing next to the HQ matrix, which contained all the communications equipment for headquarters. Paul is also standing next to the only 2 beds in the HQ building. These were used by the radio operators to nap in between shifts. Below, you see me sitting in the catering tent at Silam. I think it must have been a good day, to have been sitting there, smiling... I am just guessing here, because obviously I did not take the photo, and I cannot remerber the place. Bad hair day? I did not have a shower for a very long time, and to hold my hair in place, I adopted various techniques, such as the sunglasses-hairband... This place is a breathing ground for tropical diseases! As you can see, my right eye is really red. I somehow managed to get conjunctivitis and did not know it was contagious. I did not want to trouble the medics as they were pretty tied up with the competitors. When my vision on the left eye was getting blurry and I had problems seeing what was in front of me, I was ordered to get it checked. Just as well I did! In Kota Kinabalu, I had the same problem on the other eye... at one point both my eyes were infected. It started on my left eye on the way to Kota Kinabalu in the plane ! It then spread to my right eye. The nurse at Silam told me that I should be careful because it could re-infect to my left eye. It started to look and feel a lot better after using the eyedrops that they gave me. Back to TopReturn to Borneo HomepageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Preparations at the Magellan Hotel 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpreparations at the magellan hotelShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillagePreparations at the Magellan Hotel ( Kota Kinabalu ) . . .All the Ecochallenge teams gathered together at the Magellan Hotel in anticipation of the race, which was due to start on 20th August. During our stay at Kota Kinabalu, we were staying at the most extravagant hotel - as pictured on the right. It is huge! It has 3 swimming pools, and takes us an hour to walk around the perimeter. The radio communications team had to arrive a few days before the start of the race because we had to hand out over 2,000 pieces of radio equipment. We had problems getting the necessary approvals for helicopters so I ended up having to hand out most of the equipment whilst Glen and Paul sorted out the issue of the helicopters. We had to get all the equipment and our team to Silam before the the race started. Glen and Paul checking all the equipment and re-programming some of the radios. Behind me are all the radio equipment, ready to be handed out. I am standing here waiting for the competitors to arrive as I have to sign out the equipment as I give them out. We had to improvise a lot of the furniture, using old crates to set up tables. After the race, Glen and I decided to make most of the luxury and just veg... aaahhh... bliss! Created: 7 Dec 2001
15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Ecochallenge ( Sabah 2000 ) 15. August 2000 10:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetecochallenge sabah 2000ShareEcochallenge ( Sabah 2000 )ArrivalSilam / Jungle OpsRepeater StationsThe CompetitorsHelicopterJungle Around UsThe VillageEcochallenge in 2000 was held on the east coast of Borneo, in the jungles of Sabah. It was an extreme race where the competitors taking part have to endure 10 days of running through the jungles; kayaking and swimming many kilometres offshore; and mountain-biking for 150km on dirt roads. All in all, the fastest competitors travelled 600km in a space of just over 5 days! I had the privilege of being there, being the developer of software that was used by the radio communications team. I also helped out with the setting up of all equipment and made many trips to the repeater stations. Being in the jungles of Sabah, let alone part of the Ecochallenge preparations, has proved to be a challenge and an experience worth remembering, and hope to be part of any future Ecochallenge events. As shown in the map, the red trails are where most of the competitors either ran or walked. The purple trail was the kayaking/canoeing leg. The orange trail was the mountain-bike leg and the blue trail was where the competitors had to swim with all their equipment. Back to TopReturn to Contents pageCreated: 7 Dec 2001
4. March 2000 11:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chilli Festival ( 4th March 2000 ) . . . 4. March 2000 11:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchilli festival 4th march 2000ShareOn this particular Saturday, I drove to Terrigal to see the Mexican Chilli Festival... it was excellent. I shot two rolls of film up there. Some of these pictures have turned out beautifully! A couple of my Mexican friends were doing the entertainment there. Victor is very good at playing the mexican harp. His wife, Shiraz, is an excellent dancer. I took a series of shots in colour and a series in black & white. I shall first show you the ones in colour and then in b&w, as the b&w ones are very artistic! Victor plays the harp like a dream! I was once at Lance's place - Lance was helping Victor record his music onto CD. The harp does not look like your ordinary orchestral harp. It was ornate and somehow different. It is was a very beautiful instrument. As you can see, these women are gorgeous! Something about silk stockings, I think... Shiraz is the photo in the middle. She did quite a few numbers, and this was one of them. All 3 girls danced in a colourful combination! Here you see Shiraz dancing in a duet. I have seen her do this dance at a similiar concert May last year, here in Lindfield. Victor and a couple of guitarists provided accompaniment to the dancing. Shiraz moved so fast that at times, all you could see was this colourful wave of skirts. Her partner's costume reminded me of the costumes the Spanish toledos wore (except without the cape). As you can see, Shiraz danced a number of dances that day. It takes a lot of energy to do those dances!
9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Various of the boys 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetShare
9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Kims old photos 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetKims dad has some old photos hanging of Kim when she was little.This is Kims mum when she was young.ShareKims dad has some old photos hanging of Kim when she was little.This is Kims mum when she was young.This is Kims dad when he was young
9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Malabar headland 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetMalabar headland is now open to the public. We have been there a few time now taking the kids walkinShareMalabar headland is now open to the public. We have been there a few time now taking the kids walking.Here are some photos from various walks.
9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas 2016 - family photos 9. October 2017 12:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetHere are some more photos from Christmas 2016ShareHere are some more photos from Christmas 2016
9. October 2017 11:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Gerringong Family trip 9. October 2017 11:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the October long weekend we went to Gerringong 2 hours south of Sydney.The kids loved playingShareDuring the October long weekend we went to Gerringong 2 hours south of Sydney.The kids loved playing in the sand and water.We also visited one of the few vineyards in the area.It was Chong's birthday while we were there.One morning I made a stack of pancakes - they were all eaten.On the last day we went to Minnamurra rainforest.We also went to the Kiama blowhole - but not much action.
19. September 2017 17:09 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Illawarra airshow 2017 19. September 2017 17:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis year the airshow was on - we went there with the boys, highly recommended and will definitely fShareThis year the airshow was on - we went there with the boys, highly recommended and will definitely find time to go there next time. Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Birthday Party 10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbirthday partyShare Because Kim and I was busy travelling we never really managed to hold a birthday party where friends were invited along. So, in mid august we held a small party celebrating Kim's, Luke's and My birthday. Kim and Luke has got birthday on the same day and I was out travelling at that time, and on my birthday we went skiing in the Snowy Mountains. It was a fun evening at a nice Thai restaurant in North Sydney. Click here to see more pictures from: Birthday party 11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Gold Coast - Microsoft TechEd 11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe golf coast microsoft techedShareThis week I went to The Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) to work on our stand at TechEd. This is our biggest marketing push of the year and gives us a chance to talk to more than 2000 people over the 4 days of the conference. To attract people to our stand we had hired to girls to hand out brochures regarding our price draw. This turned out to be really effective. They managed to hand out 1500 brochures in just one hour so we had to get more printed for the second day. And a lot of people came to visit our stand to see what we were all about. It is pretty hard work. Most days start at around eight in the morning and generally didn't finish until around nine at night..and during this time there is a constant flow of people through the stand and constantly people to talk to. On the last evening Microsoft hosted the TechEd party at MovieWorld...free rides, free drinks and lots of actors dressed up at star wars and star trek characters. None of my colleagues wanted to go, so I went by myself and did some of the rides and alng the way I bumped into various people I knew at the conference. And it was a pretty good fun evening and I took a lot of cool photos, so I recommend you see the rest of the photos in the gallery...just click on one of the photos or on the link provided below. But tell you what...it is really nice being back in Sydney where Kim is. Click here to see more photos from: The Gold Coast 11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing Golf at The Coast golf club 11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetplaying golf at the coast golf clubShareSunday Kim, Luke, Sasha and I went to The Coast to play golf. It is a beautiful course located along the cliffline of Little bay. I had just received my new golf clubs (Cobra S9's) and that needed some adjustment so I didn't play particular well, but I had a good day out nevertheless.A lot of the shots on the course are over the water which can be a bit intimidating if you play the course for the first time...but once you have played it a few times then it is not so bad.The day before I was climbing with Andy at Berowra. It is normally difficult to get him outside climbing, but since he went climbing at Krabi in Thailand during his holiday he's been hooked. Berowra is one of the local Sydney Crags located about 30 minutes drive north of the city centre. It is not a tall cliff line, but a lot of the climbs are very crimpy and there is a lot of variation in the climbs. 30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Skiing Australia 2007 30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetskiing australia 2007Share This weekend it was my birthday and it also happened to be the ski peak season here in Australia. (click here for more photos) A group of us rented a house in Cooma not too far away from the ski fields and apart from a few mechanical problems with my car we had a blast of a time. On the Saturday we went to Perisher. The snow was perfect and a lot of the runs hadn't been groomed so it was still deep powder snow that we were skiing in. Kim, Luke and Karen took lessons in the morning and later in the afternoon I went for a couple of runs with Luke (Soeren didn't make it to the ski area that day). In the evening we were watching a video (I fell asleep 15 minutes into it), and we had birthday cake and wine/beer. The day after all of us went to Thredbo (which in my opinion is much better) and I was skiing with Soeren all day. The girls were having fun skiing down in the beginners area and Luke was skiing by himself higher on the mountain. We left Thredbo at around 3.30pm and arrived back home in Sydney at around 10.15pm....a long drive. I took a couple of videos of Soeren and myself skiing: Video of Rene Skiing #1 Video of Rene Skiing #2 Video of Soeren Skiing #1 Video of Soeren Skiing #2 Click here to see more photos from: Skiing in Australia/SlideShow 11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Denmark 2007 11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdenmark 2007ShareOk, it is not just in Holland that they steal with arms a legs. I am not proud to admit that the same seems to happen in Denmark (my birth country)...but more about that later. After Holland I flew a quick trip to Denmark. On the way there in Heathrow Airport I met up with Kim who had spend a couple of days in London with a couple of friends. I was really looking forward to introducing her to my parents. My flight arrived a bit late in London so we arrived to Copenhagen without my luggage which turned up the following day. All the time while in Denmark it was pouring with rain, but we did have one good day in Copenhagen where Kim got to see the sights Fredriksborg Slot, The Marble church, Amalienborg, City Square and City Hall, Stroeget, The little Mermaid, Runde Taarn, Tivoli and Gefion Springvandet. We had lunch at Kultorvet and here Kim got her handbag stolen by a very professional bag snatcher (Latin American or Eastern European looking, dark short hair, wears a dark green suit and will sit down at the table next to you and talk on his mobile. When he leaves he will take your bag). We also spent a couple of days at my grandmothers place where we we had a look at Koldinghus and Trapholt. Kim got to meet most of the family in Jutland (The family on my Dads side). My cousin had a child recently and the christening was taking place while we were visiting, so it gave us an excuse to visit my grandmother. On the way back from Jutland we visited my Uncle and Auntie Eli and Henning on their farm and also had a look at their windmill. One day we went also sailing up through Guldborgsund with my dad and we also went a quick trip to Germany one afternoon with the ferry. It was good to see my parents again, but I also realise that apart from them there is not much left for me in Denmark and I would never be able to live the same lifestyle in Denmark as I do in Sydney Australia. I took a number of videos while in Denmark and also a lot of photos. I can recommend that you click on the following links to see more from Denmark. Video of my Uncles Windmill #1 Video of my Uncles Windmill #2 Video of my Uncles Windmill #3 Video of Kim and my dad picking strawberries Video of sailing with my dad #1 Video of sailing with my dad #2 Video of sailing with my dad #3 Click here to see more photos from:Denmark/ Slideshow 22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Holland 2007 22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetholland 2007ShareAfter my stay in Athens Greece I am now in Vianen in Holland where our European office is. The purpose with my stay here is to do a bit or coordination and do some planning. Vianen is about 45 minutes drive south of Amsterdam not too far from Utrect. I am staying at the only hotel in Vianen which is located 3-4 kilometers from the office, but fortunately I have been able to borrow one of the company cars.Vianen really is in the middle of no-where. It is a sleepy little town with no major attractions.The hotel here is really weird. None of the floors meet and the numbering system of the rooms is all over the place. It is generally faster to get from one room in the hotel to another by always taking the lift to the ground floor, exit the hotel, enter it elsewhere and then take the lift up again...at least the ground floor is always on the same level.The room itself is nice enough. When I wake up in the morning i wake up looking at a cow paddock with a couple of horses wandering around...did I say that this is out in the sticks? People in holland steal with their arms and legs. Yesterday I asked to get an ironing board and an iron brought to my room.They told me that they could not do that (could be because of the mile long walk from the reception but I don't think so, because the room also don't have an alarm clock and the tv is bolted to the table) and they told me that they now had a special ironing room. The iron and ironing board was bolted with a big chain to the wall.The only positive thing about the hotel is that the breakfast is pretty nice (dinner isn't) and the internet is reasonably priced at 25 Euros for a week. Its is nice to catch up with colleagues although the schedule is pretty busy here. I interviewed a couple of people for the office here and we are going to give an offer to one of the guys.Also a couple of the restaurants in Vianen itself are fairly decent and the fact that I could borrow a car meant that I could get around a bit. 12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Greece 2007 12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgreece 2007Share Here in mid June I am in Greece assisting one of our partners on a project involving our software. I arrived Sunday evening and started working Monday morning with the partner. One of my colleagues Karsten is also here and last night we went to this fantastic restaurant called moorings. It is the most fantastic setting right next to the sea, and the food was fantastic. My starter was goats cheese wrapped in prosciutto ham baked in the oven and then served on a bed of wild mushrooms. For mains I had Grober (a fish) and it was really nice. The servings were massive so no chance of leaving hungry. It was a pity that Kim wasn't there joining me...she would have loved the place. The whole dinner including a bottle of wine, pre-dinner drinks for two people amounted to approximately 135 Euros which is really cheap considering the food and the setting. During the week Karsten and I have been pretty busy assisting the partner on the project. Later in the week they requested to get some more of my time to assist them. Since Athens is a nice place to be (more interesting than Vianen anyway) I as happy to stay. This means that my stay will ten days in total before continuing to Holland. During the weekend I had time to do some windows shopping along Ermou street and in the Athens Flea markets as well as visit the Unknown soldiers grave. After that I continued up to see the Acropolis. I was in Greece and Athens about 15 years ago and managed to see a lot of things, but it was nice with a bit of a refresher. One of the things I particularly remember from Acropolis is the Porch of the Maidens. One evening around sunset on the weekend I walked up this hill close to the hotel that has a small chapel on top. There were also a couple of restaurants up there so I decided to sit down and have dinner. The evening view from the hill was fantastic with a view of Acropolis lit up as well as all of the lights of Athens all the way to Pireus. Click here to see more photos from: Athens / Slideshow 21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Golf at Wakehurst Golf Course 21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgolf at wakehurst golf courseShare Sunday afternoon Kim, Luke and I went playing golf at Wakehurst Golf Glub near Manly. It was the first time on this course and it was in perfect condition and a very scenic course. Luke joined us and managed to loose a fair amount of balls until he figured out that he should keep his head down to be able to hit the ball. After this he was able to play a fairly decent game...which was excellent, because I had been giving him a bit of a hard time until then (especially after being 30 minutes late for the game). I think I managed to play the first none holes 7-8 strokes over par. After the first nine holes Kim and I continued on our own and managed to play an additional 6-7 holes before it got to dark to play (and Kim was starving). I recorded a couple of videos of us playing. Click on the links below to download them: Me playing golf (first movie) Me playing golf (second movie) Kim Playing golf Luke playing golf 17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Australian Drought 17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaustralian droughtShareSince 1998 we have had a drought in Australia. The water supply in Sydney has been declining ever since and early may 2007 the supply was down to around 30% with only about 8 months supply left.On the 17th of May it started raining in most parts of NSW and in many areas the drought now seems to be either over or at least less serious. Here is a radar photo from that day:Our water supplies in Sydney are now up to 57% and still rising. It would be fantastic if we could reach 100%, but we would need a fair bit of rain still.It also means that there is snow falling in the Snowy Mountains, so the skiing season has already kicked in with plenty of natural snow. 15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Romantic Dinner 15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetromantic dinnerShareA couple of months ago I took Kim out on this really romantic dinner. She was really impressed with my ability to choose the best places in town. I am writing this post so that all you other blokes (or Sheila's) out there can do the same for your loved ones. The place I took her to is this really romantic waterfront restaurant placed on some of the most expensive realestate in Sydney. The cousine is traditional Australian but this place is famous throughout the world and regularly appear in magasines.The food is very reasonably priced and it is almost always possible to get a seat right next to the water. In the evening the waterfront seating is dimly lit and has got enough privacy for some kisses and some cuddles. A lot of famous people have visited the restaurant and they have got photos of some of the people such as Richard Branson (Virgin), John Travolta (Actor,Grease) and many more. The restaurant has got a rich history and has been in this area for many decades now. The service is quick and polite. The restaurant is BYO so I can recommend bringing a good Australian wine or even a couple of chilled beers on a warm summer night. The restaurant doesn't even charge corkage like other prime restaurants do.On valentines day this restaurant still does a-la-carte at their normal prices where other restaurants either have set menus or inflate their prices. Being on a tight budget is no excuse not to go to this place. They have got food that will fit in any budget and I find it hard to believe that you will leave the place hungry. After dinner go for a romantic stroll along the water and you will have won the heart of your loved one (I did). Click here to see where the restaurant is << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...747576777879808182...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Photos 2013 - Candles 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas photos 2013 candlesShareChristmas is approaching fast. The Christmas tree is up and Kim is busy shopping for presents for the various people.The other night I managed to slot in 10 minutes for the first set of Christmas photos of Aiden and Lucas.I was shooting these with a 50mm f1.4 lens to get the nice blurry Christmas tree lights. This also meant that I didn't have much room to play with when it came to focus...almost impossible with two moving kids whily trying to get the right mood with facial expressions, tantrums etc. Aiden couldn't sit still and Lucas refused to wear his hat. What do they say...never photograph wild animals and children! 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Concert 2013 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas concertShareThe other day it was Aiden and Lucas Christmas concert with their daycare centre.This year they were supposed to dress up in some country's national clothes. We borrowed some Chinese clothes from KC and they looked very cute in it.The concert went very well. We were especially impressed how well Aiden was able to follow the instructions and the moves to the various dances.It was especially funny when they were singing this song with Konitchiwa...Namaste....BULA!!!! Lucas was also in the first part of the concert sitting down the front with one of the carers. 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big foot playing soccer 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig foot playing soccerShareAiden is still playing soccer once a week. Last week he insisted on wearing my shoes instead of his own.Maybe he was hinting that his old shoes are getting too small. 6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Fun on a rainy day 6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfun on a rainy dayShareWe have had a lot of rain lately. On one of the days I was showing Aiden and Lucas how to make a pair of funny glasses out of an egg crate and a piece of string.They got to paint the glasses afterwards. 6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A helping hand vacuuming 6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweeta helping hand vacuumingShareThe other day I picked up Aiden and Lucas pretty late from daycare.They were in the process of cleaning and Aiden was eagerly waiting for them to turn on the vacuum cleaner so he could play with it. 20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 007 20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 007ShareI have already gone out too far. I cannot return and jump over the stream because it is growing inside of me and is becoming a roaring river.What are these strange thoughts I am having?Were these free farmers in the hills above Varde Aaa more free at year 900 than they were in year 1100?The only difference was christianity.Off to the libraryThe landowner at NoerholmThe Herredfoged.The Bishop in RibeIt is all written hereI start thinking about huntingA good hunter makes sure that they keep a healthy game on the property. He will feed the game during tough winters and make sure that the the overall health is there and have to most productive game survive.No, it is not right to have these thoughts here in the library when it is the farmers I need to find information on.Queen Margaret..Make a claim on Noerholm..Maybe there is something here..Wasn't it the landowner of Noerholm that owned Noerholm?Has he just built up Noerholm and then put his filthy hand on every surrounding piece of land and property?Which the church was claiming that it should own?Or was it the Bishop in Ribe?This was not what I was supposed to find here at the library. It was the farmer - farmers!Hunting...What rubbish was that. I must get rid of these thoughts, this has nothing to do with hunting. 20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 006 20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 6 de knokledeShareIt wouldn't have been the lord who was out there beginning to move large boulders.And not the bishop -Christianity had just been introduced but building that many churches required a lot of workforce.My thoughts are diverted.Has this big change in faith based activity created communities, something in common because surely it was the farmers who built the churches.This introduction was it something that made the existence easier for the farmers, my old roots.It must have been, a lot of other things to believe in has been forgotten and the church is now a gathering place.You should never start researching your ancestry.You encounter one surprise after another and will never finish. There is always more.There is changes in ones beliefs for every new discovery.Of cause it was the farmers who built the churches. Who else would have?They probably started with the words; "On the day of honour I am with you".My thoughts are again left astray.Russia build the aswan dam in Egypt.Yes, I saw it myself with my own eyes. I drove in my car along the large canals they were digging.How was it that they explained it to me?This canal was to be dug 5 metres deep, 100 metres wide and should extend 800km out into the desert.There were thousands of workers, it all looked like a large ants nests.Men with baskets full of soil on their heads. There was not a single Russian in this ants nest.- Who actually built the Aswan Dam? - 20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 005 20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 5Share Farmers My grandads memoirs. - My Memoirs. - But there has to be something before us. Our family of farmers from Kongeaaen at Toboel to Lyngbakkerne across Varde Aa - Mejls - Hornelund - Sig. How did they live in the last 1000 years? I rush to the library but it feels like hitting a miss in the lottery. Have my ancestors, the farmers, not accomplished anything that made it worthy for a couple of pages in the danish history? Yes, they have of cause not walked about killing each other to get hold of their neighbors possessions. Rather the opposite, from the looks of it, it was the farmers that were killed. And for this the killers deserved a rather prominent mentioning in the history. Yes, there was built a number of churches in the 1100's, but my relatives, the farmers are not mentioned. I start to think. - Who actually built these churches? -. 20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De Knoklede - page 009 20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 009Share..as a couple of cows and a bull out on the feeding grounds. Something that can work and reproduce.There is an old say like this - The devil looks after his own.Let me immediately point out that the Devil didn't look after the farmers in the area around Varde and it was obvious that it was the met in power that were looked after by the Devil.Here I would like to jump forward to 1300-1400 in the Danish history (Queen Margaret I). It is like my ancestors roots here start sprouting quickly. It is not quite clear who owns then, the church or the landowner at Noerholm.Queen Margaret interfere in the argument and this gives the farmers a bit of breathing space.A few farmers become more established and become independent (owns their land).How should all these farmers see all the trouble ahead? Yes, even the Danish history has forgotten them.It is only all the bad evil, power hungry people that are written about.The more bloodthirsty the more pages they get in the book.How mush is described about the farmers fight for independence against Kristian the 3rd?The farmers at Varde invaded the river fortres at Varde and destroyed it but then had to retreat north with Captain Clement pursued by Johan Rantzau the kings right hand. The farmers were at last defeated at Aalborg so that they would not appear in the history books. Not even crying and mourning by women and children behinds the hills at Varde river.Honour becomes he who should be honoured. 20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 008 20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 008ShareI am stuck.There is something peculiar about this study.Why do I still return to - in a time of hunting?Right! I remember, there is a book by that name.I tell myself to think about something else - And he thoughts saw wide views. And the neighbours wife said to her mum - That decease looks just like...No, this is enough...Were the farmers the hunted game or not?Were the king, the lords, the church, the bishop the hunters?Were the farmers the game and the hunting so good that the hunters couldn't agree on splitting the game?Was it like that all over Denmark? Of cause it was. the Varde area was no exception.It is something strange you are getting involved in when you study your ancestors.The farmers had to live, otherwise there was nothing to hunt, but when the land owner was about to loose his hunting rights then the hunting escalated to the point where the game was about to go extinct.The hunters would then loose interest and start hunting elsewhere.Here we can mention the war against Sweden with its following plague as well as Napoleon with his Spanish troops in Denmark.The farmers always recovered, because they were the lifeline for Denmark.Children are born and new generations grow up between the marshes and hills without knowing whether they in years to come will be valuable as game and hence again be hunted to extinction.It is the owners of the hunting grounds, their mentality and actions that is written into the Danish history. They have been lifted onto the podium for their dishonest behaviour.On the contrary is just mentioned as an afterthought... << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...353637383940414243...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden pedalling his bike 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud anShareThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud and keen to get out riding. 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing at the park 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shoShareThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shots of Lucas on the swing. He was so tired that he almost fell asleep on the swing. I also managed to get a couple of great photos of Aiden. 20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Super hero 20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsuper heroShareThe other day Aiden came back from daycare with face paint around his eyes proudly saying that he was a super hero. 19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Serenpidity canyon 19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetserenpidity canyonShareLast year I received a gift voucher through work and decided to use it for a canyoning trip in the blue mountains before it expired.one of the companies were doing Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Watersports 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the rShareAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the river back to Vang Vieng and having the entire river to ourselves.The three kids were all in a kayak with our guide sitting on top of their life jackets - fortunately they can all swim.Kim and I was in one Kayak and Sacha and Mavis in another.Just where we started out there was a rapid with water flowing over a large boulder but with plenty of flat water on the sides. Kim was little impressed when I headed straight into the rapids and with perfect skills paddled us through them...her being soaked and the kayak being full of water may have had something to do with it.She's later said that the kayaking trip was one of her favourite and most fun activities on the trip, so maybe she was somewhat impressed with my brilliant paddling skills!!Along the river are still some of the remains of the bars and zip lines - but all very quiet now. Approaching Vang Vieng we went past some really scenic locations with bungalows etc.The experience at the end got and all thumbs up!Another water activity that Mavis and I did was tubing through one of the caves. You essentially sit in an inflated car tyre and then pull yourself along a rope inside a cave. It was fun for the kids, however this place was packed with Koreans trying to do the same thing.Aiden initially didn't want to go, but I am proud that he eventually managed to get the courage to do so.We also went to one of the lagoons. There are a number of them and some of them are very popular. We organised with a driver to drive us to one of the less popular ones. It was still scenic and it had platforms of the trees to jump from and you could see why some travelers would have killed themselves jumping off them.There were also a couple of rafts which reminded me of the first time I went to Laos and paddles across a local river on a raft. It got on one of them in the lagoon and the whole thing literally sunk under me - I only just managed to get off in time before getting soaked.The second one was able to hold my weight and I took the boys for a little paddle. 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A silent prayer - Laos 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but ShareAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the diffused light was falling onto the statue itself and through the entrance to the cave. We were there all by ourselves and I asked Kim to sit and offer a little prayer in the ray of light coming in through the cave.I didn't bring a tripod with me to Laos, so everything had to be shot handheld which was tricky as there wasn't much light there. 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Caves 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this wShareIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this was just because no one else were interested or because we went there at a time when everyone else were doing other activities.The caves are in fairly pristine condition, they are dark, moist and other than descending a makeshift ladder walking through them gives a feeling of exploring the caves for the very first time. Some passages were really narrowAnd other parts of the caves were massive.Overall the caves are beautiful and again it was amazing having them to ourselves. 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tribes - Laos 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traShareThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traditional costumes but it is possible to glimpse the occasional traditional head wear or dress in one of the shops.It is especially sad to see the Hmong tribal wear gone as worn below by Mavis and Kim. The Hmong traditionally lived in the mountains. The government has forced them down into the lowlands where they can be controlled and 'integrated' into the the rest of Laos. 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng Countryside - Laos 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some oShareOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some of the villages around Vang Vieng. Hiking through the countryside in Laos is partly magical and at the same time an eye opener. It is not until you get into the country side that you get a glimse of the real Laos and its people, the way of living and their beliefs.Walking into the first village a group of boys came walking towards us. One of the kids was holding his head with blood dripping down his face. The other boys were taking him home to his parents. I couldn't help but notice that there was a green substance smeared across the wound and asked our guide is he knew what it was. He went over to some bushes and plucked a couple of leaves and said that if you crush them then they will help stop the bleeding. This is when you realise that a lot of the plants in the villages serve a purpose as natural herbal medicine or for eating.The village was a HMong village and at one of the houses we spotted the little girl above standing in a door opening with her grand mother. There are very few of the traditional bamboo shacks still standing and instead being replaced with brick buildings.A bit further up the road we heard a sound. Someone was hitting a gong and chanting. Thinking it might be a monk we went to investigate. The sound was coming from one of the local houses. At the back of the house the family was in the process of preparing food, but we couldn't see where the sound was coming from. Our guide asked them and was told that they had a newborn (possibly sick) child and that the Shaman was in the house talking to the 'other world to' attract the good spirits and chase the evil spirits away.As we walked on we could see him through the opening of the door and I snapped the above photo which is one of my favourite photos of the trip.In the village people go about their normal life such as this woman removing lice from her daughters hair.As we walked on we had to walk through the local school. It happened to be recess and the kids in the smaller classes were outside playing. There was a small stand selling them lunches who also sold lollies, so Kim got the idea to spoil the kids with lollies - but also turned out to be a great opportunity for our kids to interact and see what a classroom in Laos looks like.The area is still very un-developed. Although there seems to be electricity, this is mainly used for lighting. Cooking is still done by collecting wood and done on wood fired stoves and people still wash their clothes in the rivers and streams.Although there are still a number of water buffaloes these are mainly used for eating along with any other non-human living animal - such as pigs, dogs, birds etc.It was very healthy for the boys to see where their food 'potentially' comes from and understand that this is part of life.The area is full of rice paddies, but these are now worked with mechanical tools rather than buffaloes.The government has built bridges across the large river to allow access to the villages.But the smaller streams have bamboo bridges - in this case wide enough to drive a motorbike across, others just a single bamboo to allow a person walk across.At the far village (Lao and not Hmong) there was a limestone cliff with a small cave in it. This was called elephant cave and inside there was a small shrine along with some bizarre images.The whole area is spectacular - I can only imagine what it would be like during rice planting season - yes it would be muddy but also stunningly beautiful.During this whole hike we saw no other travelers. Other than at the cave we didn't get a sense that there frequently came any groups through and I think the feedback from all of us was that this was one of the highlights of the trip - no adrenaline required. 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Laos 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of reShareVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of re-inventing itself.When I first visited for an overnight stopover it was a sleepy little town with maybe a handful of backpackers going tubing (more on that later). I also remember the deserted airport runway from the 'secret war' going through the sleepy little village (Lima site 6) and the stunning mountain scenery in the background. Other than that there wasn't much there.Ten years later my mum and dad visited the place and told me stories how the place had transformed. It had grown and was full of drunk backpackers with loud rave music and parties throughout the night. During the day they were floating down the river in car tubes again with beers and drinks in their hands.Then again about 5 years ago, Laos appeared in the Australian news media with stories of young backpackers breaking their necks doing somersaults off the tree branches on the river and lagoons and hitting the rocks. Stories of high highly available drugs were also emerged.The Lao government stepped in and closed the majority of the bars along the river, stopped the parties and the drugs and implemented a number of other safety restrictions. It worked, the parties stopped and the young party seeking backpackers fled.A new crowd has now moved in - this is bus loads of adrenaline seeking Koreans. They go there to go kayaking, zip lining, tubing, buggy riding etc. They eat at the Korean restaurants and stay at the same hotels, but otherwise mostly keep to themselves. This also means that some of the same old sleepy feeling has returned to this town. It also meant that is was easy (or just plain luck from our side) to avoid the tourists.The airstrip is still there, but I recon most visitors would walk across it and not notice and definitely wouldn't know the history behind the secret war in Laos, let alone the American involvement and the little airstrips around the place. It is a fascinating story and has very much shaped Laos into what it is today.The area is just absolutely stunning with steep limestone cliffs and rice paddies. I could easily have spent more time there taking photos in the surrounding area. 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Pha That Luang - Laos 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proudShareA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proud of it.Unlike Buddha Park it is surprisingly quiet when it comes to tourists. The majority of people visiting seems to be either Laos or Thai people offering a prayer. The correct way here is to get the insense and flowers and then walk clockwise around the Stuba on the inside of the covered corridor (mostly to keep out of the sun I assume).Although it is not particularly old (The original 1st century structure was mostly destroyed and has undergone a number of more recent restorations), it is stunningly beautiful and impressive in size.For me to get some of the panorama photos here with the selection of lenses I'd brought along I had to take multiple photos that I then had to stitch together.Outside there is a temple that is equally interesting, although nothing compared to further north in Luang Prabang.There are also street vendors selling cage birds that are supposed to bring good luck and prayers to anyone releasing them. 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Buddha Park - Laos 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossingShareOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossing back into Thailand).Trying to figure out the most comfortable way to get there we settled on taking the local bus. There aren't any taxis as such in Vientiane and we weren't keen taking a tuk-tuk for 30 kilometers. Most of the tuk-tuks are in an extremely poor shape with failing brakes, wobbling wheels and thick smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. They are perfectly fine for shorter trips inside the city (such as hotel to bus station), but not recommended for longer trips.The bus turned out to be easy to find and we were early enough to all get a seat. The bus was later packed with passengers going to Thailand and it would have been tough to stand up for the one hour bus ride.The bus is also really convenient in that it stops right outside Buddha Park which is the last stop before the bus turns around and heads back to Vientiane. Buddha Park itself was apparently established by a Monk building the statues for religious purposes as education of his religious beliefs. It is actually a nice little area and quite interesting with lots of (to us) weird statues showing bizarre things.The most obvious is the massive 'pumpkin' at the entrance that you can climb. Each level inside the the sculpture itself represents hell, earth and sky.The entrance is a head with a clock above it - meaning swallowed up by time?There is also a massive reclining buddha.And my favourite was the large centre sculpture carrying the body of a woman...no idea what this is supposed to represent. 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vientiane - Laos 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with peoplShareVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with people, cars, motorbikes and shops everywhere.The once neglected colonial buildings have all been renovated and the red dust flying everywhere is long gone as the roads have been paved. In the outskirts of the city high-rise office towers have started shooting up and I think that given another decade this city will look like any other East Asian capital. The most striking difference was the banks of the Mekong River. Last time I was there it was really just a dirty path and following it north long enough there would be a string of wooden shacks with local restaurants that would serve some beautiful local dishes, fish and other seafood. The water then would come right up to the bank and the boats could pull up and during the day the local kids would jump from the trees and swim in the river. The old path has been replaced by a modern walk way (which actually is really nice) and the shacks have been replaced by some bars closer to the centre catering more for a western clientel - still with some nice seafood on the menu. The water of the Mekon has receeded and there is now a massive sand bank moving the river 2-300 meter back from the city.Although Vientiane doesn't have a massive amount of things to see, it is definitely worth a visit. The Wats are beautiful and the vertical runway (local Arc de Triumpe - called so because they used cement intended for building an airport) is worth the climb to get a view of the city (and the main road which used to be the only paved road). There is certainly plenty to do for a couple of days.About 100 meters from the Arc down a side street we had what was probably the best noodle soup of the whole trip. It was just a local mum, dad and grandma run place and it met the critia of being busy having locals eating there which means that it is likely that the food is good and relative fresh.Even with it being in the middle of the city there was no access to gas or running water, so everything was cooked over wood fired stoves with the broth for the soups likely cooking overnight and the rest cooked fresh on the spot.On the first afternoon we were sitting in a local coffee place and I started speaking to the girl working there. I asked her for local places to eat great authentic Lao food - not touristy. She recommended a place up neat That Dam (the black stuba) called Soukvinam and she showed me some photos. It looked more like a fine dining place, but the food looked delicious so we decided to give it a go. It was a quiet place with a nice ambience. We were sitting outside in the courtyard which was ideal with the kids. We ordered a lot of food sticking to specialties we had never tried before such as stuffed frogs, fermented fish eggs etc. and it was all really nice.By Lao standards it probably wasn't cheap, but for the whole group of us the entire meal ended up costing approximately $100 AUD. On that 'note' it is easy to be an instant millionaire as a foreigner in Laos - change $150 Australian dollars you are there.We also celebrated New Years Even in Vientiane which was fairly low key with a couple of late night drinks. 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Returning to Laos 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetReturning to Laos ShareThis year our holiday was going to a country in South East Asia called to the Laos with the boys and some close friends. I went there almost 20 years ago. I had just migrated to Australia and was going on my first holiday. Laos which had only just been opened up by the communist regime, was very much undeveloped after two decades of isolation and happened to be one of the first places I visited in Asia and it was a country that I immediately fell in love with. It wasn’t the things to see and do in the country that I fell in love with - but the people. I loved the smiles, how welcoming everyone was, and I especially loved the joy of the dirty kids playing in the streets. Everyone was living at very simple lifestyle and yet everyone had what they needed and were happy. Back then I had no firm plans, but made them up as I went along. I traveled light, caught local transport, I met locals and other travelers along the way on a budget of less than $10/day, and still remember the sticky rice sold to passengers when passing through towns. I had some incredible experiences in an amazing country. I managed to have a full busload full of locals break down laughing from me trying to read up sentences from my little pocket Lao phrase book. Through this I was invited to visit families and join their local celebrations through festive events. The only local I met up in Northern Laos who could English was a girl working for an NGO. She invited me to join her visits to remote local villages where we had to cross the rivers on bamboo rafts to get to them and experienced the local dragon boat racing. Since this distant time I had heard and lots about the country from other travelers including my Mum and Dad who visited the country ten years ago. I heard how the country had changed and how mass tourism had ruined the experience. I had heard about the young backpacker rave parties, the drugs and adrenaline junkies in Vang Vieng. I heard about the modernization, cars and traffic in Vientiane. Going back with family and friends I was worried that they wouldn’t see the country that I saw so many years ago. There isn’t a lot of historical sites to see in Laos other than in Luang Prabang where there are lots of Temples due to many wars destroying major parts of the country. More worried was I that I would be disappointed by the country and the people I saw back then being no more. When we got there it turned out that, yes, the country has changed a lot. Lots of roads have been paved, there are lots of cars everywhere, the old colonial buildings have been renovated and all the houses are now built in brick and mortar instead of being wooden bamboo shacks. People are on mobile phones, the kids are watching youtube videos, every hotel has wifi, you can buy everything, and major investments are flowing in from neighboring Thailand, China and Vietnam. There are a lot more tourists in the country, especially in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, but they are a different type of tourists than the ones I was dreading.The backpackers have been replaced with mainly adrenalin loving Korean tourists or wealthier middle-aged Europeans and the era of party fueled backpacker tourism is largely gone. And most importantly getting outside the towns, the Laos I loved back then still very much exists if you go look for it. The modern tourists are surprisingly easy to avoid. They all stay in the same places and visit the same top ten sites or visit the same restaurants that Tripadvisor recommended they go to. They go back home and tell everyone that they have experienced Laos, not knowing that their comfort has eluded them of the real magic of Laos. The Lao people everywhere are still very loving, smiling and friendly, there are dirty kids, chickens, cows, dogs and cats roaming the streets everywhere and the remnants of the old tribes that I saw back then still exists through their ancient traditions although the traditional costumes and houses are largely gone now due to government policies. Had we gone even further afield that we did on this trip, I’m convinced that little has changed in those villages I once visited two decades ago. Prior to going I was scared what I would find there, but now I feel blessed that my family and friends have experienced some of the glimpses of ‘my’ Laos together with me…Laos still has a big place in my heart. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...111213141516171819...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coppelia 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetcoppeliaShareLast night we went to the Sydney Opera House to see the ballet Coppelia with The Australian Ballet.It may be the last time for a while that Kim and I get the chance to go and see a performance together for a while.It was a great show and I can highly recommend it...the story is nicer and easier to follow than The Nutcracker. Coppelia herself doesn't dance much (she is a doll), the story line if mainly centered around the other characters in the story...no one dies (come on...it is not an opera). It is just a nice love story where the right people get eachother in the end. 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chris & Yvonne's wedding 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchris yvonne s weddingShareYesterday we went to Chris and Yvonnes wedding. The wedding itself was a traditional catholic wedding held in one of the churches in North Sydney. Kim was having a bit of a cold so to save herself (and the baby) we decided that I'd go to the wedding ceremony alone representing both of us. Chris asked me if I'd video the ceremony using his new camera...I hope it turned out alright as I'm not all that familiar with taking video. I did manage to take a couple of photos (using my spare hand) during the ceremony. Later in the evening the reception was held at Wolfies at Circular Quay at the Rocks in Sydney. After resting in the morning Kim was fortunately able to join me at the reception. It was a really nice evening and we got a change to meet some of their friends who'd flown in from the US. During the evening the photographers did a slideshow with some of the highlights from the wedding. Needless to say that I was pretty hung over the next morning. I didn't take a lot of photos, but above you see a couple of the ones I did take. 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Car Fun - Take 2 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcar fun take 2ShareI borrowed some more toy cars from my nephews (A bit more willing this time). This time I wanted to do the shoot entirely using light painting. All the following photos are created using a single LED torch with CTO and blue flash gels in front of it. No photoshopping has been done to any of the photos.They have all been shot at 15 seconds @ f22. The base is a glass chopping board (the writing on the board shines through in a couple of places). 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover. One of the days there we did a number of walks within the park and around the lakes. Kim is 7 months pregnant and did really well although walking a bit slower than normal. We also did some walks to some of the lookouts and waterfalls in the park. I did have some time to experiment with some photos along the way. I really wanted to see some of the wildlife in the park, but unfortunately most of the animals are nocturnal (only out at night). The park had a bus going through the park at night time costing $50 for the two of us. We spoke to the driver and he said that we would not be able to leave the bus at any time. I really wanted to be able to get off the bus at take some wildlife photos so we instead decided to drive our rental car through the park late at night. We wouldn't have the luxury of the nighttime lights and the local knowledge of where to spot certain animals but we thought that the bus would be staying on the same road as we did anyhow. It turned out to be a really good idea. We managed to spot lots of Possums, Wallaby's (a small Kangaroo) and Wombats. We even spotted Quolls and a Tasmanian Devil. May has later told me that the frog in the photo is a 'Southern Brown Tree Frog' and that she keeps one of them as a pet. Below is photos of the animals we spotted: (The closeup photos of the Tasmanian devil and the Quoll I've borrowed, but the rest are my own photos.) After this we drove to Freycinet national park on the east coast. Along the way we stopped at a few scenic spots and wineries. One of the places we stopped was a place called Devils Gullet. It would have been really spectacular had it not been for the dense fog. It was a fairly long drive getting there and I was pretty buggered by the time we arrived to the B&B after driving most of the day with just a few stops on the way to rest and take photos. The sun started to set and I rushed Kim down to the beach in from of the place we were staying to take some portraits using some creative lighting. She wasn't too keen as the wind was a bit cold and we missed the actual sunset by just a couple of minutes. I did however manage to take a couple of photos of her. In the evening we went to a very nice restaurant called 'The edge' very close to the B&B. This turned out to the be highlight in terms of meals during the trip. It was very nice. On the way to the restaurant we spotted a Tasmanian owl and afterwards we did a drive through the national park spotting more Quolls, Possums and Wallabies. The next day we decided to do a number of other walks. The first one of the day included climbing up to the top of this saddle between two mountain tops to get a magnificent view of Wineglass Bay. The climb itself was spectacular in itself as the mountains are formed by this pink coloured granite (I was looking for climbing routes, but most of the granite looked completely barren of any holds...some lunatic would probably come and prove otherwise). Along the trail we we spotted a baby Black snake, a couple of Lizards and birds. We also made a drive up to 'Friendly Beach' where we took a lot of photos. This beach was mostly deserted apart from a couple of walkers and surfers. At sunset we drove to Honeymoon bay to get some scenic shots using the colour of the setting sun against the pink granite as well as some normal sunset photos. In the evening we had a clear sky with lots of stars. Because of the light population of Tasmania there is not a lot of city lights to disturb the stars gazing. It has been years ago since I was able to lie down and just look at the stars to see if I could spot any satellites moving across the sky (this evening I spotted 2). I used the opportunity to after dinner drive back to Honeymoon bay to do some star trail photography. I left Kim in the car as she didn't want to make the walk down to the beach in the dark without a torch. I did take two photos down there using a 30 minute exposure (the maximum my camera allows & @f4.0). They turned out reasonable okay considering what camera they are taken with (Nikon D50). Next day it was back to Sydney. We left Freycinet at 8.30am in the morning and I was stressing that we wouldn't make it back to the airport in time...but we did! << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...626364656667686970...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water play 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkleShareLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkler and we let the boys have some water play. 16. October 2014 18:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing with Dragons 16. October 2014 18:10 by Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots! 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little. 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking). 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and thShareIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and the boat slowly cruised in and out between the river islands within Zimbabwe and Zambia. In the distance there were clouds and rain forming beautiful rainbows.There were lots of hippos around and we also spotted a couple of crocodiles and other wildlife. This time of the year there weren't any elephants as they don't need to go to the river during the rain season. 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Instant Billionaires 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back ShareOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back in 2008/09 the whole economy collapsed and the local currency was worth less than the paper it was printed on. As a result the entire country started using stable currencies such as US dollars.In Victoria falls this means that everything is paid for in US dollars and since everything is more or less government controlled they try to milk tourists for as much hard currency as they possibly can.As a result most tourists stay for a shorter duration as they probably would otherwise which is a pity as the benefits of tourism isn't shared with the rest of the country.The country also has all the typical African inefficiencies and illogical processes which I experienced back in my days in East Africa, but which greatly annoyed Kim.She was however greatly amused when I came back after a walk telling her that I had made her an instant billionaire - with the note here held by Aiden with a smug on his face. 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Arriving to Zimbabwe 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the VShareDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the Victoria falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.The first evening we book dinner at Boma restaurant. Even though it is a bit touristy (everything around the falls are) they promised a buffet dinner with various game meat and dancing/drumming.On the menu was Mopani worms, Wort Hog, Elan, Guinea Foul and spit Lamb.Poor little Lucas was so tired that he fell asleep in the car there and slept the whole way through.Although Aiden was tired he did enjoy the experience (in his silly fashion).The drumming was very interactive and the dinner guests could join in.Good start to the trip. 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas family photo 2016 - Naughty Elves 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created anothShareIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created another family photo for this year. Aiden and Lucas are growing older and also more naughty, so this year we decided to do something different and let the parents have a quiet evening while we let the boys 'hang out' together. 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Botany Bay walk 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ShareThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ammunition bunkers along the coast line to protect against Japanese invasions.We have been there quite a few time and here are some of the photos from our last walk there. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Photos as Boralee Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of themShareOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of them. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing at Royal National Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted toShareThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted to go canoeing at the Royal National Park about 30 minutes drive from our house.It was a beautiful sunny morning with not a wind or any other people in the creek. Afterwards we went down to Wattamolla to have a look at the waterfall and play at the beach.At Bundeena we had fish and chips for lunch.He totally crashed on the way home. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...161718192021222324...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you
10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Birthday Party 10. September 2007 05:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbirthday partyShare Because Kim and I was busy travelling we never really managed to hold a birthday party where friends were invited along. So, in mid august we held a small party celebrating Kim's, Luke's and My birthday. Kim and Luke has got birthday on the same day and I was out travelling at that time, and on my birthday we went skiing in the Snowy Mountains. It was a fun evening at a nice Thai restaurant in North Sydney. Click here to see more pictures from: Birthday party
11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments The Gold Coast - Microsoft TechEd 11. August 2007 10:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthe golf coast microsoft techedShareThis week I went to The Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) to work on our stand at TechEd. This is our biggest marketing push of the year and gives us a chance to talk to more than 2000 people over the 4 days of the conference. To attract people to our stand we had hired to girls to hand out brochures regarding our price draw. This turned out to be really effective. They managed to hand out 1500 brochures in just one hour so we had to get more printed for the second day. And a lot of people came to visit our stand to see what we were all about. It is pretty hard work. Most days start at around eight in the morning and generally didn't finish until around nine at night..and during this time there is a constant flow of people through the stand and constantly people to talk to. On the last evening Microsoft hosted the TechEd party at MovieWorld...free rides, free drinks and lots of actors dressed up at star wars and star trek characters. None of my colleagues wanted to go, so I went by myself and did some of the rides and alng the way I bumped into various people I knew at the conference. And it was a pretty good fun evening and I took a lot of cool photos, so I recommend you see the rest of the photos in the gallery...just click on one of the photos or on the link provided below. But tell you what...it is really nice being back in Sydney where Kim is. Click here to see more photos from: The Gold Coast
11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing Golf at The Coast golf club 11. August 2007 09:51 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetplaying golf at the coast golf clubShareSunday Kim, Luke, Sasha and I went to The Coast to play golf. It is a beautiful course located along the cliffline of Little bay. I had just received my new golf clubs (Cobra S9's) and that needed some adjustment so I didn't play particular well, but I had a good day out nevertheless.A lot of the shots on the course are over the water which can be a bit intimidating if you play the course for the first time...but once you have played it a few times then it is not so bad.The day before I was climbing with Andy at Berowra. It is normally difficult to get him outside climbing, but since he went climbing at Krabi in Thailand during his holiday he's been hooked. Berowra is one of the local Sydney Crags located about 30 minutes drive north of the city centre. It is not a tall cliff line, but a lot of the climbs are very crimpy and there is a lot of variation in the climbs.
30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Skiing Australia 2007 30. July 2007 12:56 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetskiing australia 2007Share This weekend it was my birthday and it also happened to be the ski peak season here in Australia. (click here for more photos) A group of us rented a house in Cooma not too far away from the ski fields and apart from a few mechanical problems with my car we had a blast of a time. On the Saturday we went to Perisher. The snow was perfect and a lot of the runs hadn't been groomed so it was still deep powder snow that we were skiing in. Kim, Luke and Karen took lessons in the morning and later in the afternoon I went for a couple of runs with Luke (Soeren didn't make it to the ski area that day). In the evening we were watching a video (I fell asleep 15 minutes into it), and we had birthday cake and wine/beer. The day after all of us went to Thredbo (which in my opinion is much better) and I was skiing with Soeren all day. The girls were having fun skiing down in the beginners area and Luke was skiing by himself higher on the mountain. We left Thredbo at around 3.30pm and arrived back home in Sydney at around 10.15pm....a long drive. I took a couple of videos of Soeren and myself skiing: Video of Rene Skiing #1 Video of Rene Skiing #2 Video of Soeren Skiing #1 Video of Soeren Skiing #2 Click here to see more photos from: Skiing in Australia/SlideShow
11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Denmark 2007 11. July 2007 04:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetdenmark 2007ShareOk, it is not just in Holland that they steal with arms a legs. I am not proud to admit that the same seems to happen in Denmark (my birth country)...but more about that later. After Holland I flew a quick trip to Denmark. On the way there in Heathrow Airport I met up with Kim who had spend a couple of days in London with a couple of friends. I was really looking forward to introducing her to my parents. My flight arrived a bit late in London so we arrived to Copenhagen without my luggage which turned up the following day. All the time while in Denmark it was pouring with rain, but we did have one good day in Copenhagen where Kim got to see the sights Fredriksborg Slot, The Marble church, Amalienborg, City Square and City Hall, Stroeget, The little Mermaid, Runde Taarn, Tivoli and Gefion Springvandet. We had lunch at Kultorvet and here Kim got her handbag stolen by a very professional bag snatcher (Latin American or Eastern European looking, dark short hair, wears a dark green suit and will sit down at the table next to you and talk on his mobile. When he leaves he will take your bag). We also spent a couple of days at my grandmothers place where we we had a look at Koldinghus and Trapholt. Kim got to meet most of the family in Jutland (The family on my Dads side). My cousin had a child recently and the christening was taking place while we were visiting, so it gave us an excuse to visit my grandmother. On the way back from Jutland we visited my Uncle and Auntie Eli and Henning on their farm and also had a look at their windmill. One day we went also sailing up through Guldborgsund with my dad and we also went a quick trip to Germany one afternoon with the ferry. It was good to see my parents again, but I also realise that apart from them there is not much left for me in Denmark and I would never be able to live the same lifestyle in Denmark as I do in Sydney Australia. I took a number of videos while in Denmark and also a lot of photos. I can recommend that you click on the following links to see more from Denmark. Video of my Uncles Windmill #1 Video of my Uncles Windmill #2 Video of my Uncles Windmill #3 Video of Kim and my dad picking strawberries Video of sailing with my dad #1 Video of sailing with my dad #2 Video of sailing with my dad #3 Click here to see more photos from:Denmark/ Slideshow
22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Holland 2007 22. June 2007 06:58 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetholland 2007ShareAfter my stay in Athens Greece I am now in Vianen in Holland where our European office is. The purpose with my stay here is to do a bit or coordination and do some planning. Vianen is about 45 minutes drive south of Amsterdam not too far from Utrect. I am staying at the only hotel in Vianen which is located 3-4 kilometers from the office, but fortunately I have been able to borrow one of the company cars.Vianen really is in the middle of no-where. It is a sleepy little town with no major attractions.The hotel here is really weird. None of the floors meet and the numbering system of the rooms is all over the place. It is generally faster to get from one room in the hotel to another by always taking the lift to the ground floor, exit the hotel, enter it elsewhere and then take the lift up again...at least the ground floor is always on the same level.The room itself is nice enough. When I wake up in the morning i wake up looking at a cow paddock with a couple of horses wandering around...did I say that this is out in the sticks? People in holland steal with their arms and legs. Yesterday I asked to get an ironing board and an iron brought to my room.They told me that they could not do that (could be because of the mile long walk from the reception but I don't think so, because the room also don't have an alarm clock and the tv is bolted to the table) and they told me that they now had a special ironing room. The iron and ironing board was bolted with a big chain to the wall.The only positive thing about the hotel is that the breakfast is pretty nice (dinner isn't) and the internet is reasonably priced at 25 Euros for a week. Its is nice to catch up with colleagues although the schedule is pretty busy here. I interviewed a couple of people for the office here and we are going to give an offer to one of the guys.Also a couple of the restaurants in Vianen itself are fairly decent and the fact that I could borrow a car meant that I could get around a bit.
12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Greece 2007 12. June 2007 07:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgreece 2007Share Here in mid June I am in Greece assisting one of our partners on a project involving our software. I arrived Sunday evening and started working Monday morning with the partner. One of my colleagues Karsten is also here and last night we went to this fantastic restaurant called moorings. It is the most fantastic setting right next to the sea, and the food was fantastic. My starter was goats cheese wrapped in prosciutto ham baked in the oven and then served on a bed of wild mushrooms. For mains I had Grober (a fish) and it was really nice. The servings were massive so no chance of leaving hungry. It was a pity that Kim wasn't there joining me...she would have loved the place. The whole dinner including a bottle of wine, pre-dinner drinks for two people amounted to approximately 135 Euros which is really cheap considering the food and the setting. During the week Karsten and I have been pretty busy assisting the partner on the project. Later in the week they requested to get some more of my time to assist them. Since Athens is a nice place to be (more interesting than Vianen anyway) I as happy to stay. This means that my stay will ten days in total before continuing to Holland. During the weekend I had time to do some windows shopping along Ermou street and in the Athens Flea markets as well as visit the Unknown soldiers grave. After that I continued up to see the Acropolis. I was in Greece and Athens about 15 years ago and managed to see a lot of things, but it was nice with a bit of a refresher. One of the things I particularly remember from Acropolis is the Porch of the Maidens. One evening around sunset on the weekend I walked up this hill close to the hotel that has a small chapel on top. There were also a couple of restaurants up there so I decided to sit down and have dinner. The evening view from the hill was fantastic with a view of Acropolis lit up as well as all of the lights of Athens all the way to Pireus. Click here to see more photos from: Athens / Slideshow
21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Golf at Wakehurst Golf Course 21. May 2007 12:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgolf at wakehurst golf courseShare Sunday afternoon Kim, Luke and I went playing golf at Wakehurst Golf Glub near Manly. It was the first time on this course and it was in perfect condition and a very scenic course. Luke joined us and managed to loose a fair amount of balls until he figured out that he should keep his head down to be able to hit the ball. After this he was able to play a fairly decent game...which was excellent, because I had been giving him a bit of a hard time until then (especially after being 30 minutes late for the game). I think I managed to play the first none holes 7-8 strokes over par. After the first nine holes Kim and I continued on our own and managed to play an additional 6-7 holes before it got to dark to play (and Kim was starving). I recorded a couple of videos of us playing. Click on the links below to download them: Me playing golf (first movie) Me playing golf (second movie) Kim Playing golf Luke playing golf
17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Australian Drought 17. May 2007 10:41 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaustralian droughtShareSince 1998 we have had a drought in Australia. The water supply in Sydney has been declining ever since and early may 2007 the supply was down to around 30% with only about 8 months supply left.On the 17th of May it started raining in most parts of NSW and in many areas the drought now seems to be either over or at least less serious. Here is a radar photo from that day:Our water supplies in Sydney are now up to 57% and still rising. It would be fantastic if we could reach 100%, but we would need a fair bit of rain still.It also means that there is snow falling in the Snowy Mountains, so the skiing season has already kicked in with plenty of natural snow.
15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Romantic Dinner 15. May 2007 10:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetromantic dinnerShareA couple of months ago I took Kim out on this really romantic dinner. She was really impressed with my ability to choose the best places in town. I am writing this post so that all you other blokes (or Sheila's) out there can do the same for your loved ones. The place I took her to is this really romantic waterfront restaurant placed on some of the most expensive realestate in Sydney. The cousine is traditional Australian but this place is famous throughout the world and regularly appear in magasines.The food is very reasonably priced and it is almost always possible to get a seat right next to the water. In the evening the waterfront seating is dimly lit and has got enough privacy for some kisses and some cuddles. A lot of famous people have visited the restaurant and they have got photos of some of the people such as Richard Branson (Virgin), John Travolta (Actor,Grease) and many more. The restaurant has got a rich history and has been in this area for many decades now. The service is quick and polite. The restaurant is BYO so I can recommend bringing a good Australian wine or even a couple of chilled beers on a warm summer night. The restaurant doesn't even charge corkage like other prime restaurants do.On valentines day this restaurant still does a-la-carte at their normal prices where other restaurants either have set menus or inflate their prices. Being on a tight budget is no excuse not to go to this place. They have got food that will fit in any budget and I find it hard to believe that you will leave the place hungry. After dinner go for a romantic stroll along the water and you will have won the heart of your loved one (I did). Click here to see where the restaurant is
10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Photos 2013 - Candles 10. December 2013 12:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas photos 2013 candlesShareChristmas is approaching fast. The Christmas tree is up and Kim is busy shopping for presents for the various people.The other night I managed to slot in 10 minutes for the first set of Christmas photos of Aiden and Lucas.I was shooting these with a 50mm f1.4 lens to get the nice blurry Christmas tree lights. This also meant that I didn't have much room to play with when it came to focus...almost impossible with two moving kids whily trying to get the right mood with facial expressions, tantrums etc. Aiden couldn't sit still and Lucas refused to wear his hat. What do they say...never photograph wild animals and children!
7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas Concert 2013 7. December 2013 07:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchristmas concertShareThe other day it was Aiden and Lucas Christmas concert with their daycare centre.This year they were supposed to dress up in some country's national clothes. We borrowed some Chinese clothes from KC and they looked very cute in it.The concert went very well. We were especially impressed how well Aiden was able to follow the instructions and the moves to the various dances.It was especially funny when they were singing this song with Konitchiwa...Namaste....BULA!!!! Lucas was also in the first part of the concert sitting down the front with one of the carers.
6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big foot playing soccer 6. December 2013 07:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig foot playing soccerShareAiden is still playing soccer once a week. Last week he insisted on wearing my shoes instead of his own.Maybe he was hinting that his old shoes are getting too small.
6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Fun on a rainy day 6. December 2013 07:16 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfun on a rainy dayShareWe have had a lot of rain lately. On one of the days I was showing Aiden and Lucas how to make a pair of funny glasses out of an egg crate and a piece of string.They got to paint the glasses afterwards.
6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A helping hand vacuuming 6. December 2013 07:14 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweeta helping hand vacuumingShareThe other day I picked up Aiden and Lucas pretty late from daycare.They were in the process of cleaning and Aiden was eagerly waiting for them to turn on the vacuum cleaner so he could play with it.
20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 007 20. November 2013 10:15 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 007ShareI have already gone out too far. I cannot return and jump over the stream because it is growing inside of me and is becoming a roaring river.What are these strange thoughts I am having?Were these free farmers in the hills above Varde Aaa more free at year 900 than they were in year 1100?The only difference was christianity.Off to the libraryThe landowner at NoerholmThe Herredfoged.The Bishop in RibeIt is all written hereI start thinking about huntingA good hunter makes sure that they keep a healthy game on the property. He will feed the game during tough winters and make sure that the the overall health is there and have to most productive game survive.No, it is not right to have these thoughts here in the library when it is the farmers I need to find information on.Queen Margaret..Make a claim on Noerholm..Maybe there is something here..Wasn't it the landowner of Noerholm that owned Noerholm?Has he just built up Noerholm and then put his filthy hand on every surrounding piece of land and property?Which the church was claiming that it should own?Or was it the Bishop in Ribe?This was not what I was supposed to find here at the library. It was the farmer - farmers!Hunting...What rubbish was that. I must get rid of these thoughts, this has nothing to do with hunting.
20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 006 20. November 2013 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 6 de knokledeShareIt wouldn't have been the lord who was out there beginning to move large boulders.And not the bishop -Christianity had just been introduced but building that many churches required a lot of workforce.My thoughts are diverted.Has this big change in faith based activity created communities, something in common because surely it was the farmers who built the churches.This introduction was it something that made the existence easier for the farmers, my old roots.It must have been, a lot of other things to believe in has been forgotten and the church is now a gathering place.You should never start researching your ancestry.You encounter one surprise after another and will never finish. There is always more.There is changes in ones beliefs for every new discovery.Of cause it was the farmers who built the churches. Who else would have?They probably started with the words; "On the day of honour I am with you".My thoughts are again left astray.Russia build the aswan dam in Egypt.Yes, I saw it myself with my own eyes. I drove in my car along the large canals they were digging.How was it that they explained it to me?This canal was to be dug 5 metres deep, 100 metres wide and should extend 800km out into the desert.There were thousands of workers, it all looked like a large ants nests.Men with baskets full of soil on their heads. There was not a single Russian in this ants nest.- Who actually built the Aswan Dam? -
20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 005 20. November 2013 08:48 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetpage 5Share Farmers My grandads memoirs. - My Memoirs. - But there has to be something before us. Our family of farmers from Kongeaaen at Toboel to Lyngbakkerne across Varde Aa - Mejls - Hornelund - Sig. How did they live in the last 1000 years? I rush to the library but it feels like hitting a miss in the lottery. Have my ancestors, the farmers, not accomplished anything that made it worthy for a couple of pages in the danish history? Yes, they have of cause not walked about killing each other to get hold of their neighbors possessions. Rather the opposite, from the looks of it, it was the farmers that were killed. And for this the killers deserved a rather prominent mentioning in the history. Yes, there was built a number of churches in the 1100's, but my relatives, the farmers are not mentioned. I start to think. - Who actually built these churches? -.
20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De Knoklede - page 009 20. November 2013 03:11 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 009Share..as a couple of cows and a bull out on the feeding grounds. Something that can work and reproduce.There is an old say like this - The devil looks after his own.Let me immediately point out that the Devil didn't look after the farmers in the area around Varde and it was obvious that it was the met in power that were looked after by the Devil.Here I would like to jump forward to 1300-1400 in the Danish history (Queen Margaret I). It is like my ancestors roots here start sprouting quickly. It is not quite clear who owns then, the church or the landowner at Noerholm.Queen Margaret interfere in the argument and this gives the farmers a bit of breathing space.A few farmers become more established and become independent (owns their land).How should all these farmers see all the trouble ahead? Yes, even the Danish history has forgotten them.It is only all the bad evil, power hungry people that are written about.The more bloodthirsty the more pages they get in the book.How mush is described about the farmers fight for independence against Kristian the 3rd?The farmers at Varde invaded the river fortres at Varde and destroyed it but then had to retreat north with Captain Clement pursued by Johan Rantzau the kings right hand. The farmers were at last defeated at Aalborg so that they would not appear in the history books. Not even crying and mourning by women and children behinds the hills at Varde river.Honour becomes he who should be honoured.
20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments De knoklede - page 008 20. November 2013 02:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetde knoklede page 008ShareI am stuck.There is something peculiar about this study.Why do I still return to - in a time of hunting?Right! I remember, there is a book by that name.I tell myself to think about something else - And he thoughts saw wide views. And the neighbours wife said to her mum - That decease looks just like...No, this is enough...Were the farmers the hunted game or not?Were the king, the lords, the church, the bishop the hunters?Were the farmers the game and the hunting so good that the hunters couldn't agree on splitting the game?Was it like that all over Denmark? Of cause it was. the Varde area was no exception.It is something strange you are getting involved in when you study your ancestors.The farmers had to live, otherwise there was nothing to hunt, but when the land owner was about to loose his hunting rights then the hunting escalated to the point where the game was about to go extinct.The hunters would then loose interest and start hunting elsewhere.Here we can mention the war against Sweden with its following plague as well as Napoleon with his Spanish troops in Denmark.The farmers always recovered, because they were the lifeline for Denmark.Children are born and new generations grow up between the marshes and hills without knowing whether they in years to come will be valuable as game and hence again be hunted to extinction.It is the owners of the hunting grounds, their mentality and actions that is written into the Danish history. They have been lifted onto the podium for their dishonest behaviour.On the contrary is just mentioned as an afterthought...
18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden pedalling his bike 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud anShareThe other day Aiden figured out how to pedal his big bike (with support wheels).He was very proud and keen to get out riding.
18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing at the park 18. March 2014 12:03 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shoShareThe other day we went to the park to play with the kids.I brought the camera along to take a few shots of Lucas on the swing. He was so tired that he almost fell asleep on the swing. I also managed to get a couple of great photos of Aiden.
20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Super hero 20. February 2014 12:13 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsuper heroShareThe other day Aiden came back from daycare with face paint around his eyes proudly saying that he was a super hero.
19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Serenpidity canyon 19. February 2014 06:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetserenpidity canyonShareLast year I received a gift voucher through work and decided to use it for a canyoning trip in the blue mountains before it expired.one of the companies were doing Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Watersports 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the rShareAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the river back to Vang Vieng and having the entire river to ourselves.The three kids were all in a kayak with our guide sitting on top of their life jackets - fortunately they can all swim.Kim and I was in one Kayak and Sacha and Mavis in another.Just where we started out there was a rapid with water flowing over a large boulder but with plenty of flat water on the sides. Kim was little impressed when I headed straight into the rapids and with perfect skills paddled us through them...her being soaked and the kayak being full of water may have had something to do with it.She's later said that the kayaking trip was one of her favourite and most fun activities on the trip, so maybe she was somewhat impressed with my brilliant paddling skills!!Along the river are still some of the remains of the bars and zip lines - but all very quiet now. Approaching Vang Vieng we went past some really scenic locations with bungalows etc.The experience at the end got and all thumbs up!Another water activity that Mavis and I did was tubing through one of the caves. You essentially sit in an inflated car tyre and then pull yourself along a rope inside a cave. It was fun for the kids, however this place was packed with Koreans trying to do the same thing.Aiden initially didn't want to go, but I am proud that he eventually managed to get the courage to do so.We also went to one of the lagoons. There are a number of them and some of them are very popular. We organised with a driver to drive us to one of the less popular ones. It was still scenic and it had platforms of the trees to jump from and you could see why some travelers would have killed themselves jumping off them.There were also a couple of rafts which reminded me of the first time I went to Laos and paddles across a local river on a raft. It got on one of them in the lagoon and the whole thing literally sunk under me - I only just managed to get off in time before getting soaked.The second one was able to hold my weight and I took the boys for a little paddle. 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A silent prayer - Laos 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but ShareAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the diffused light was falling onto the statue itself and through the entrance to the cave. We were there all by ourselves and I asked Kim to sit and offer a little prayer in the ray of light coming in through the cave.I didn't bring a tripod with me to Laos, so everything had to be shot handheld which was tricky as there wasn't much light there. 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Caves 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this wShareIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this was just because no one else were interested or because we went there at a time when everyone else were doing other activities.The caves are in fairly pristine condition, they are dark, moist and other than descending a makeshift ladder walking through them gives a feeling of exploring the caves for the very first time. Some passages were really narrowAnd other parts of the caves were massive.Overall the caves are beautiful and again it was amazing having them to ourselves. 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tribes - Laos 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traShareThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traditional costumes but it is possible to glimpse the occasional traditional head wear or dress in one of the shops.It is especially sad to see the Hmong tribal wear gone as worn below by Mavis and Kim. The Hmong traditionally lived in the mountains. The government has forced them down into the lowlands where they can be controlled and 'integrated' into the the rest of Laos. 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng Countryside - Laos 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some oShareOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some of the villages around Vang Vieng. Hiking through the countryside in Laos is partly magical and at the same time an eye opener. It is not until you get into the country side that you get a glimse of the real Laos and its people, the way of living and their beliefs.Walking into the first village a group of boys came walking towards us. One of the kids was holding his head with blood dripping down his face. The other boys were taking him home to his parents. I couldn't help but notice that there was a green substance smeared across the wound and asked our guide is he knew what it was. He went over to some bushes and plucked a couple of leaves and said that if you crush them then they will help stop the bleeding. This is when you realise that a lot of the plants in the villages serve a purpose as natural herbal medicine or for eating.The village was a HMong village and at one of the houses we spotted the little girl above standing in a door opening with her grand mother. There are very few of the traditional bamboo shacks still standing and instead being replaced with brick buildings.A bit further up the road we heard a sound. Someone was hitting a gong and chanting. Thinking it might be a monk we went to investigate. The sound was coming from one of the local houses. At the back of the house the family was in the process of preparing food, but we couldn't see where the sound was coming from. Our guide asked them and was told that they had a newborn (possibly sick) child and that the Shaman was in the house talking to the 'other world to' attract the good spirits and chase the evil spirits away.As we walked on we could see him through the opening of the door and I snapped the above photo which is one of my favourite photos of the trip.In the village people go about their normal life such as this woman removing lice from her daughters hair.As we walked on we had to walk through the local school. It happened to be recess and the kids in the smaller classes were outside playing. There was a small stand selling them lunches who also sold lollies, so Kim got the idea to spoil the kids with lollies - but also turned out to be a great opportunity for our kids to interact and see what a classroom in Laos looks like.The area is still very un-developed. Although there seems to be electricity, this is mainly used for lighting. Cooking is still done by collecting wood and done on wood fired stoves and people still wash their clothes in the rivers and streams.Although there are still a number of water buffaloes these are mainly used for eating along with any other non-human living animal - such as pigs, dogs, birds etc.It was very healthy for the boys to see where their food 'potentially' comes from and understand that this is part of life.The area is full of rice paddies, but these are now worked with mechanical tools rather than buffaloes.The government has built bridges across the large river to allow access to the villages.But the smaller streams have bamboo bridges - in this case wide enough to drive a motorbike across, others just a single bamboo to allow a person walk across.At the far village (Lao and not Hmong) there was a limestone cliff with a small cave in it. This was called elephant cave and inside there was a small shrine along with some bizarre images.The whole area is spectacular - I can only imagine what it would be like during rice planting season - yes it would be muddy but also stunningly beautiful.During this whole hike we saw no other travelers. Other than at the cave we didn't get a sense that there frequently came any groups through and I think the feedback from all of us was that this was one of the highlights of the trip - no adrenaline required. 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Laos 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of reShareVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of re-inventing itself.When I first visited for an overnight stopover it was a sleepy little town with maybe a handful of backpackers going tubing (more on that later). I also remember the deserted airport runway from the 'secret war' going through the sleepy little village (Lima site 6) and the stunning mountain scenery in the background. Other than that there wasn't much there.Ten years later my mum and dad visited the place and told me stories how the place had transformed. It had grown and was full of drunk backpackers with loud rave music and parties throughout the night. During the day they were floating down the river in car tubes again with beers and drinks in their hands.Then again about 5 years ago, Laos appeared in the Australian news media with stories of young backpackers breaking their necks doing somersaults off the tree branches on the river and lagoons and hitting the rocks. Stories of high highly available drugs were also emerged.The Lao government stepped in and closed the majority of the bars along the river, stopped the parties and the drugs and implemented a number of other safety restrictions. It worked, the parties stopped and the young party seeking backpackers fled.A new crowd has now moved in - this is bus loads of adrenaline seeking Koreans. They go there to go kayaking, zip lining, tubing, buggy riding etc. They eat at the Korean restaurants and stay at the same hotels, but otherwise mostly keep to themselves. This also means that some of the same old sleepy feeling has returned to this town. It also meant that is was easy (or just plain luck from our side) to avoid the tourists.The airstrip is still there, but I recon most visitors would walk across it and not notice and definitely wouldn't know the history behind the secret war in Laos, let alone the American involvement and the little airstrips around the place. It is a fascinating story and has very much shaped Laos into what it is today.The area is just absolutely stunning with steep limestone cliffs and rice paddies. I could easily have spent more time there taking photos in the surrounding area. 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Pha That Luang - Laos 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proudShareA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proud of it.Unlike Buddha Park it is surprisingly quiet when it comes to tourists. The majority of people visiting seems to be either Laos or Thai people offering a prayer. The correct way here is to get the insense and flowers and then walk clockwise around the Stuba on the inside of the covered corridor (mostly to keep out of the sun I assume).Although it is not particularly old (The original 1st century structure was mostly destroyed and has undergone a number of more recent restorations), it is stunningly beautiful and impressive in size.For me to get some of the panorama photos here with the selection of lenses I'd brought along I had to take multiple photos that I then had to stitch together.Outside there is a temple that is equally interesting, although nothing compared to further north in Luang Prabang.There are also street vendors selling cage birds that are supposed to bring good luck and prayers to anyone releasing them. 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Buddha Park - Laos 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossingShareOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossing back into Thailand).Trying to figure out the most comfortable way to get there we settled on taking the local bus. There aren't any taxis as such in Vientiane and we weren't keen taking a tuk-tuk for 30 kilometers. Most of the tuk-tuks are in an extremely poor shape with failing brakes, wobbling wheels and thick smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. They are perfectly fine for shorter trips inside the city (such as hotel to bus station), but not recommended for longer trips.The bus turned out to be easy to find and we were early enough to all get a seat. The bus was later packed with passengers going to Thailand and it would have been tough to stand up for the one hour bus ride.The bus is also really convenient in that it stops right outside Buddha Park which is the last stop before the bus turns around and heads back to Vientiane. Buddha Park itself was apparently established by a Monk building the statues for religious purposes as education of his religious beliefs. It is actually a nice little area and quite interesting with lots of (to us) weird statues showing bizarre things.The most obvious is the massive 'pumpkin' at the entrance that you can climb. Each level inside the the sculpture itself represents hell, earth and sky.The entrance is a head with a clock above it - meaning swallowed up by time?There is also a massive reclining buddha.And my favourite was the large centre sculpture carrying the body of a woman...no idea what this is supposed to represent. 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vientiane - Laos 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with peoplShareVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with people, cars, motorbikes and shops everywhere.The once neglected colonial buildings have all been renovated and the red dust flying everywhere is long gone as the roads have been paved. In the outskirts of the city high-rise office towers have started shooting up and I think that given another decade this city will look like any other East Asian capital. The most striking difference was the banks of the Mekong River. Last time I was there it was really just a dirty path and following it north long enough there would be a string of wooden shacks with local restaurants that would serve some beautiful local dishes, fish and other seafood. The water then would come right up to the bank and the boats could pull up and during the day the local kids would jump from the trees and swim in the river. The old path has been replaced by a modern walk way (which actually is really nice) and the shacks have been replaced by some bars closer to the centre catering more for a western clientel - still with some nice seafood on the menu. The water of the Mekon has receeded and there is now a massive sand bank moving the river 2-300 meter back from the city.Although Vientiane doesn't have a massive amount of things to see, it is definitely worth a visit. The Wats are beautiful and the vertical runway (local Arc de Triumpe - called so because they used cement intended for building an airport) is worth the climb to get a view of the city (and the main road which used to be the only paved road). There is certainly plenty to do for a couple of days.About 100 meters from the Arc down a side street we had what was probably the best noodle soup of the whole trip. It was just a local mum, dad and grandma run place and it met the critia of being busy having locals eating there which means that it is likely that the food is good and relative fresh.Even with it being in the middle of the city there was no access to gas or running water, so everything was cooked over wood fired stoves with the broth for the soups likely cooking overnight and the rest cooked fresh on the spot.On the first afternoon we were sitting in a local coffee place and I started speaking to the girl working there. I asked her for local places to eat great authentic Lao food - not touristy. She recommended a place up neat That Dam (the black stuba) called Soukvinam and she showed me some photos. It looked more like a fine dining place, but the food looked delicious so we decided to give it a go. It was a quiet place with a nice ambience. We were sitting outside in the courtyard which was ideal with the kids. We ordered a lot of food sticking to specialties we had never tried before such as stuffed frogs, fermented fish eggs etc. and it was all really nice.By Lao standards it probably wasn't cheap, but for the whole group of us the entire meal ended up costing approximately $100 AUD. On that 'note' it is easy to be an instant millionaire as a foreigner in Laos - change $150 Australian dollars you are there.We also celebrated New Years Even in Vientiane which was fairly low key with a couple of late night drinks. 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Returning to Laos 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetReturning to Laos ShareThis year our holiday was going to a country in South East Asia called to the Laos with the boys and some close friends. I went there almost 20 years ago. I had just migrated to Australia and was going on my first holiday. Laos which had only just been opened up by the communist regime, was very much undeveloped after two decades of isolation and happened to be one of the first places I visited in Asia and it was a country that I immediately fell in love with. It wasn’t the things to see and do in the country that I fell in love with - but the people. I loved the smiles, how welcoming everyone was, and I especially loved the joy of the dirty kids playing in the streets. Everyone was living at very simple lifestyle and yet everyone had what they needed and were happy. Back then I had no firm plans, but made them up as I went along. I traveled light, caught local transport, I met locals and other travelers along the way on a budget of less than $10/day, and still remember the sticky rice sold to passengers when passing through towns. I had some incredible experiences in an amazing country. I managed to have a full busload full of locals break down laughing from me trying to read up sentences from my little pocket Lao phrase book. Through this I was invited to visit families and join their local celebrations through festive events. The only local I met up in Northern Laos who could English was a girl working for an NGO. She invited me to join her visits to remote local villages where we had to cross the rivers on bamboo rafts to get to them and experienced the local dragon boat racing. Since this distant time I had heard and lots about the country from other travelers including my Mum and Dad who visited the country ten years ago. I heard how the country had changed and how mass tourism had ruined the experience. I had heard about the young backpacker rave parties, the drugs and adrenaline junkies in Vang Vieng. I heard about the modernization, cars and traffic in Vientiane. Going back with family and friends I was worried that they wouldn’t see the country that I saw so many years ago. There isn’t a lot of historical sites to see in Laos other than in Luang Prabang where there are lots of Temples due to many wars destroying major parts of the country. More worried was I that I would be disappointed by the country and the people I saw back then being no more. When we got there it turned out that, yes, the country has changed a lot. Lots of roads have been paved, there are lots of cars everywhere, the old colonial buildings have been renovated and all the houses are now built in brick and mortar instead of being wooden bamboo shacks. People are on mobile phones, the kids are watching youtube videos, every hotel has wifi, you can buy everything, and major investments are flowing in from neighboring Thailand, China and Vietnam. There are a lot more tourists in the country, especially in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, but they are a different type of tourists than the ones I was dreading.The backpackers have been replaced with mainly adrenalin loving Korean tourists or wealthier middle-aged Europeans and the era of party fueled backpacker tourism is largely gone. And most importantly getting outside the towns, the Laos I loved back then still very much exists if you go look for it. The modern tourists are surprisingly easy to avoid. They all stay in the same places and visit the same top ten sites or visit the same restaurants that Tripadvisor recommended they go to. They go back home and tell everyone that they have experienced Laos, not knowing that their comfort has eluded them of the real magic of Laos. The Lao people everywhere are still very loving, smiling and friendly, there are dirty kids, chickens, cows, dogs and cats roaming the streets everywhere and the remnants of the old tribes that I saw back then still exists through their ancient traditions although the traditional costumes and houses are largely gone now due to government policies. Had we gone even further afield that we did on this trip, I’m convinced that little has changed in those villages I once visited two decades ago. Prior to going I was scared what I would find there, but now I feel blessed that my family and friends have experienced some of the glimpses of ‘my’ Laos together with me…Laos still has a big place in my heart. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...111213141516171819...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coppelia 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetcoppeliaShareLast night we went to the Sydney Opera House to see the ballet Coppelia with The Australian Ballet.It may be the last time for a while that Kim and I get the chance to go and see a performance together for a while.It was a great show and I can highly recommend it...the story is nicer and easier to follow than The Nutcracker. Coppelia herself doesn't dance much (she is a doll), the story line if mainly centered around the other characters in the story...no one dies (come on...it is not an opera). It is just a nice love story where the right people get eachother in the end. 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chris & Yvonne's wedding 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchris yvonne s weddingShareYesterday we went to Chris and Yvonnes wedding. The wedding itself was a traditional catholic wedding held in one of the churches in North Sydney. Kim was having a bit of a cold so to save herself (and the baby) we decided that I'd go to the wedding ceremony alone representing both of us. Chris asked me if I'd video the ceremony using his new camera...I hope it turned out alright as I'm not all that familiar with taking video. I did manage to take a couple of photos (using my spare hand) during the ceremony. Later in the evening the reception was held at Wolfies at Circular Quay at the Rocks in Sydney. After resting in the morning Kim was fortunately able to join me at the reception. It was a really nice evening and we got a change to meet some of their friends who'd flown in from the US. During the evening the photographers did a slideshow with some of the highlights from the wedding. Needless to say that I was pretty hung over the next morning. I didn't take a lot of photos, but above you see a couple of the ones I did take. 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Car Fun - Take 2 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcar fun take 2ShareI borrowed some more toy cars from my nephews (A bit more willing this time). This time I wanted to do the shoot entirely using light painting. All the following photos are created using a single LED torch with CTO and blue flash gels in front of it. No photoshopping has been done to any of the photos.They have all been shot at 15 seconds @ f22. The base is a glass chopping board (the writing on the board shines through in a couple of places). 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there. 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier). 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield). 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones. 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy. 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited. 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover. One of the days there we did a number of walks within the park and around the lakes. Kim is 7 months pregnant and did really well although walking a bit slower than normal. We also did some walks to some of the lookouts and waterfalls in the park. I did have some time to experiment with some photos along the way. I really wanted to see some of the wildlife in the park, but unfortunately most of the animals are nocturnal (only out at night). The park had a bus going through the park at night time costing $50 for the two of us. We spoke to the driver and he said that we would not be able to leave the bus at any time. I really wanted to be able to get off the bus at take some wildlife photos so we instead decided to drive our rental car through the park late at night. We wouldn't have the luxury of the nighttime lights and the local knowledge of where to spot certain animals but we thought that the bus would be staying on the same road as we did anyhow. It turned out to be a really good idea. We managed to spot lots of Possums, Wallaby's (a small Kangaroo) and Wombats. We even spotted Quolls and a Tasmanian Devil. May has later told me that the frog in the photo is a 'Southern Brown Tree Frog' and that she keeps one of them as a pet. Below is photos of the animals we spotted: (The closeup photos of the Tasmanian devil and the Quoll I've borrowed, but the rest are my own photos.) After this we drove to Freycinet national park on the east coast. Along the way we stopped at a few scenic spots and wineries. One of the places we stopped was a place called Devils Gullet. It would have been really spectacular had it not been for the dense fog. It was a fairly long drive getting there and I was pretty buggered by the time we arrived to the B&B after driving most of the day with just a few stops on the way to rest and take photos. The sun started to set and I rushed Kim down to the beach in from of the place we were staying to take some portraits using some creative lighting. She wasn't too keen as the wind was a bit cold and we missed the actual sunset by just a couple of minutes. I did however manage to take a couple of photos of her. In the evening we went to a very nice restaurant called 'The edge' very close to the B&B. This turned out to the be highlight in terms of meals during the trip. It was very nice. On the way to the restaurant we spotted a Tasmanian owl and afterwards we did a drive through the national park spotting more Quolls, Possums and Wallabies. The next day we decided to do a number of other walks. The first one of the day included climbing up to the top of this saddle between two mountain tops to get a magnificent view of Wineglass Bay. The climb itself was spectacular in itself as the mountains are formed by this pink coloured granite (I was looking for climbing routes, but most of the granite looked completely barren of any holds...some lunatic would probably come and prove otherwise). Along the trail we we spotted a baby Black snake, a couple of Lizards and birds. We also made a drive up to 'Friendly Beach' where we took a lot of photos. This beach was mostly deserted apart from a couple of walkers and surfers. At sunset we drove to Honeymoon bay to get some scenic shots using the colour of the setting sun against the pink granite as well as some normal sunset photos. In the evening we had a clear sky with lots of stars. Because of the light population of Tasmania there is not a lot of city lights to disturb the stars gazing. It has been years ago since I was able to lie down and just look at the stars to see if I could spot any satellites moving across the sky (this evening I spotted 2). I used the opportunity to after dinner drive back to Honeymoon bay to do some star trail photography. I left Kim in the car as she didn't want to make the walk down to the beach in the dark without a torch. I did take two photos down there using a 30 minute exposure (the maximum my camera allows & @f4.0). They turned out reasonable okay considering what camera they are taken with (Nikon D50). Next day it was back to Sydney. We left Freycinet at 8.30am in the morning and I was stressing that we wouldn't make it back to the airport in time...but we did! << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...626364656667686970...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water play 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkleShareLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkler and we let the boys have some water play. 16. October 2014 18:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing with Dragons 16. October 2014 18:10 by Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots! 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little. 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking). 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and thShareIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and the boat slowly cruised in and out between the river islands within Zimbabwe and Zambia. In the distance there were clouds and rain forming beautiful rainbows.There were lots of hippos around and we also spotted a couple of crocodiles and other wildlife. This time of the year there weren't any elephants as they don't need to go to the river during the rain season. 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Instant Billionaires 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back ShareOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back in 2008/09 the whole economy collapsed and the local currency was worth less than the paper it was printed on. As a result the entire country started using stable currencies such as US dollars.In Victoria falls this means that everything is paid for in US dollars and since everything is more or less government controlled they try to milk tourists for as much hard currency as they possibly can.As a result most tourists stay for a shorter duration as they probably would otherwise which is a pity as the benefits of tourism isn't shared with the rest of the country.The country also has all the typical African inefficiencies and illogical processes which I experienced back in my days in East Africa, but which greatly annoyed Kim.She was however greatly amused when I came back after a walk telling her that I had made her an instant billionaire - with the note here held by Aiden with a smug on his face. 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Arriving to Zimbabwe 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the VShareDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the Victoria falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.The first evening we book dinner at Boma restaurant. Even though it is a bit touristy (everything around the falls are) they promised a buffet dinner with various game meat and dancing/drumming.On the menu was Mopani worms, Wort Hog, Elan, Guinea Foul and spit Lamb.Poor little Lucas was so tired that he fell asleep in the car there and slept the whole way through.Although Aiden was tired he did enjoy the experience (in his silly fashion).The drumming was very interactive and the dinner guests could join in.Good start to the trip. 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas family photo 2016 - Naughty Elves 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created anothShareIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created another family photo for this year. Aiden and Lucas are growing older and also more naughty, so this year we decided to do something different and let the parents have a quiet evening while we let the boys 'hang out' together. 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Botany Bay walk 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ShareThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ammunition bunkers along the coast line to protect against Japanese invasions.We have been there quite a few time and here are some of the photos from our last walk there. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Photos as Boralee Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of themShareOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of them. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing at Royal National Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted toShareThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted to go canoeing at the Royal National Park about 30 minutes drive from our house.It was a beautiful sunny morning with not a wind or any other people in the creek. Afterwards we went down to Wattamolla to have a look at the waterfall and play at the beach.At Bundeena we had fish and chips for lunch.He totally crashed on the way home. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...161718192021222324...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you
10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Watersports 10. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the rShareAt Vang Vieng we did do some water sports. Again we were extremely lucky kayaking a section of the river back to Vang Vieng and having the entire river to ourselves.The three kids were all in a kayak with our guide sitting on top of their life jackets - fortunately they can all swim.Kim and I was in one Kayak and Sacha and Mavis in another.Just where we started out there was a rapid with water flowing over a large boulder but with plenty of flat water on the sides. Kim was little impressed when I headed straight into the rapids and with perfect skills paddled us through them...her being soaked and the kayak being full of water may have had something to do with it.She's later said that the kayaking trip was one of her favourite and most fun activities on the trip, so maybe she was somewhat impressed with my brilliant paddling skills!!Along the river are still some of the remains of the bars and zip lines - but all very quiet now. Approaching Vang Vieng we went past some really scenic locations with bungalows etc.The experience at the end got and all thumbs up!Another water activity that Mavis and I did was tubing through one of the caves. You essentially sit in an inflated car tyre and then pull yourself along a rope inside a cave. It was fun for the kids, however this place was packed with Koreans trying to do the same thing.Aiden initially didn't want to go, but I am proud that he eventually managed to get the courage to do so.We also went to one of the lagoons. There are a number of them and some of them are very popular. We organised with a driver to drive us to one of the less popular ones. It was still scenic and it had platforms of the trees to jump from and you could see why some travelers would have killed themselves jumping off them.There were also a couple of rafts which reminded me of the first time I went to Laos and paddles across a local river on a raft. It got on one of them in the lagoon and the whole thing literally sunk under me - I only just managed to get off in time before getting soaked.The second one was able to hold my weight and I took the boys for a little paddle.
9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments A silent prayer - Laos 9. January 2018 19:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but ShareAt one of the caves in Laos there is this amazing Buddha statue inside the cave.I couldn't help but notice how beautiful the diffused light was falling onto the statue itself and through the entrance to the cave. We were there all by ourselves and I asked Kim to sit and offer a little prayer in the ray of light coming in through the cave.I didn't bring a tripod with me to Laos, so everything had to be shot handheld which was tricky as there wasn't much light there.
8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Caves 8. January 2018 18:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this wShareIn Vang Vieng we also went to some caves. Again we were the only ones there - I don't know if this was just because no one else were interested or because we went there at a time when everyone else were doing other activities.The caves are in fairly pristine condition, they are dark, moist and other than descending a makeshift ladder walking through them gives a feeling of exploring the caves for the very first time. Some passages were really narrowAnd other parts of the caves were massive.Overall the caves are beautiful and again it was amazing having them to ourselves.
7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tribes - Laos 7. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traShareThe tribes of Laos still exist although it is no longer as noticeable. They no longer wear their traditional costumes but it is possible to glimpse the occasional traditional head wear or dress in one of the shops.It is especially sad to see the Hmong tribal wear gone as worn below by Mavis and Kim. The Hmong traditionally lived in the mountains. The government has forced them down into the lowlands where they can be controlled and 'integrated' into the the rest of Laos.
6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng Countryside - Laos 6. January 2018 20:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some oShareOn the first day in Vang Vieng we hired a local guide to take us through the country side and some of the villages around Vang Vieng. Hiking through the countryside in Laos is partly magical and at the same time an eye opener. It is not until you get into the country side that you get a glimse of the real Laos and its people, the way of living and their beliefs.Walking into the first village a group of boys came walking towards us. One of the kids was holding his head with blood dripping down his face. The other boys were taking him home to his parents. I couldn't help but notice that there was a green substance smeared across the wound and asked our guide is he knew what it was. He went over to some bushes and plucked a couple of leaves and said that if you crush them then they will help stop the bleeding. This is when you realise that a lot of the plants in the villages serve a purpose as natural herbal medicine or for eating.The village was a HMong village and at one of the houses we spotted the little girl above standing in a door opening with her grand mother. There are very few of the traditional bamboo shacks still standing and instead being replaced with brick buildings.A bit further up the road we heard a sound. Someone was hitting a gong and chanting. Thinking it might be a monk we went to investigate. The sound was coming from one of the local houses. At the back of the house the family was in the process of preparing food, but we couldn't see where the sound was coming from. Our guide asked them and was told that they had a newborn (possibly sick) child and that the Shaman was in the house talking to the 'other world to' attract the good spirits and chase the evil spirits away.As we walked on we could see him through the opening of the door and I snapped the above photo which is one of my favourite photos of the trip.In the village people go about their normal life such as this woman removing lice from her daughters hair.As we walked on we had to walk through the local school. It happened to be recess and the kids in the smaller classes were outside playing. There was a small stand selling them lunches who also sold lollies, so Kim got the idea to spoil the kids with lollies - but also turned out to be a great opportunity for our kids to interact and see what a classroom in Laos looks like.The area is still very un-developed. Although there seems to be electricity, this is mainly used for lighting. Cooking is still done by collecting wood and done on wood fired stoves and people still wash their clothes in the rivers and streams.Although there are still a number of water buffaloes these are mainly used for eating along with any other non-human living animal - such as pigs, dogs, birds etc.It was very healthy for the boys to see where their food 'potentially' comes from and understand that this is part of life.The area is full of rice paddies, but these are now worked with mechanical tools rather than buffaloes.The government has built bridges across the large river to allow access to the villages.But the smaller streams have bamboo bridges - in this case wide enough to drive a motorbike across, others just a single bamboo to allow a person walk across.At the far village (Lao and not Hmong) there was a limestone cliff with a small cave in it. This was called elephant cave and inside there was a small shrine along with some bizarre images.The whole area is spectacular - I can only imagine what it would be like during rice planting season - yes it would be muddy but also stunningly beautiful.During this whole hike we saw no other travelers. Other than at the cave we didn't get a sense that there frequently came any groups through and I think the feedback from all of us was that this was one of the highlights of the trip - no adrenaline required.
5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vang Vieng - Laos 5. January 2018 16:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of reShareVang Vieng is an interesting tourism destination in Laos that has undergone several iterations of re-inventing itself.When I first visited for an overnight stopover it was a sleepy little town with maybe a handful of backpackers going tubing (more on that later). I also remember the deserted airport runway from the 'secret war' going through the sleepy little village (Lima site 6) and the stunning mountain scenery in the background. Other than that there wasn't much there.Ten years later my mum and dad visited the place and told me stories how the place had transformed. It had grown and was full of drunk backpackers with loud rave music and parties throughout the night. During the day they were floating down the river in car tubes again with beers and drinks in their hands.Then again about 5 years ago, Laos appeared in the Australian news media with stories of young backpackers breaking their necks doing somersaults off the tree branches on the river and lagoons and hitting the rocks. Stories of high highly available drugs were also emerged.The Lao government stepped in and closed the majority of the bars along the river, stopped the parties and the drugs and implemented a number of other safety restrictions. It worked, the parties stopped and the young party seeking backpackers fled.A new crowd has now moved in - this is bus loads of adrenaline seeking Koreans. They go there to go kayaking, zip lining, tubing, buggy riding etc. They eat at the Korean restaurants and stay at the same hotels, but otherwise mostly keep to themselves. This also means that some of the same old sleepy feeling has returned to this town. It also meant that is was easy (or just plain luck from our side) to avoid the tourists.The airstrip is still there, but I recon most visitors would walk across it and not notice and definitely wouldn't know the history behind the secret war in Laos, let alone the American involvement and the little airstrips around the place. It is a fascinating story and has very much shaped Laos into what it is today.The area is just absolutely stunning with steep limestone cliffs and rice paddies. I could easily have spent more time there taking photos in the surrounding area.
3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Pha That Luang - Laos 3. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proudShareA must see in Vientiane is Pha That Luang - It is on every bank note in Laos and they are very proud of it.Unlike Buddha Park it is surprisingly quiet when it comes to tourists. The majority of people visiting seems to be either Laos or Thai people offering a prayer. The correct way here is to get the insense and flowers and then walk clockwise around the Stuba on the inside of the covered corridor (mostly to keep out of the sun I assume).Although it is not particularly old (The original 1st century structure was mostly destroyed and has undergone a number of more recent restorations), it is stunningly beautiful and impressive in size.For me to get some of the panorama photos here with the selection of lenses I'd brought along I had to take multiple photos that I then had to stitch together.Outside there is a temple that is equally interesting, although nothing compared to further north in Luang Prabang.There are also street vendors selling cage birds that are supposed to bring good luck and prayers to anyone releasing them.
2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Buddha Park - Laos 2. January 2018 10:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossingShareOne of the sights we wanted to visit was Buddha Park outside Vientiane (close to the border crossing back into Thailand).Trying to figure out the most comfortable way to get there we settled on taking the local bus. There aren't any taxis as such in Vientiane and we weren't keen taking a tuk-tuk for 30 kilometers. Most of the tuk-tuks are in an extremely poor shape with failing brakes, wobbling wheels and thick smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes. They are perfectly fine for shorter trips inside the city (such as hotel to bus station), but not recommended for longer trips.The bus turned out to be easy to find and we were early enough to all get a seat. The bus was later packed with passengers going to Thailand and it would have been tough to stand up for the one hour bus ride.The bus is also really convenient in that it stops right outside Buddha Park which is the last stop before the bus turns around and heads back to Vientiane. Buddha Park itself was apparently established by a Monk building the statues for religious purposes as education of his religious beliefs. It is actually a nice little area and quite interesting with lots of (to us) weird statues showing bizarre things.The most obvious is the massive 'pumpkin' at the entrance that you can climb. Each level inside the the sculpture itself represents hell, earth and sky.The entrance is a head with a clock above it - meaning swallowed up by time?There is also a massive reclining buddha.And my favourite was the large centre sculpture carrying the body of a woman...no idea what this is supposed to represent.
2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Vientiane - Laos 2. January 2018 09:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with peoplShareVientiane is no longer the sleepy capital city it used to be. It is hustling and bustling with people, cars, motorbikes and shops everywhere.The once neglected colonial buildings have all been renovated and the red dust flying everywhere is long gone as the roads have been paved. In the outskirts of the city high-rise office towers have started shooting up and I think that given another decade this city will look like any other East Asian capital. The most striking difference was the banks of the Mekong River. Last time I was there it was really just a dirty path and following it north long enough there would be a string of wooden shacks with local restaurants that would serve some beautiful local dishes, fish and other seafood. The water then would come right up to the bank and the boats could pull up and during the day the local kids would jump from the trees and swim in the river. The old path has been replaced by a modern walk way (which actually is really nice) and the shacks have been replaced by some bars closer to the centre catering more for a western clientel - still with some nice seafood on the menu. The water of the Mekon has receeded and there is now a massive sand bank moving the river 2-300 meter back from the city.Although Vientiane doesn't have a massive amount of things to see, it is definitely worth a visit. The Wats are beautiful and the vertical runway (local Arc de Triumpe - called so because they used cement intended for building an airport) is worth the climb to get a view of the city (and the main road which used to be the only paved road). There is certainly plenty to do for a couple of days.About 100 meters from the Arc down a side street we had what was probably the best noodle soup of the whole trip. It was just a local mum, dad and grandma run place and it met the critia of being busy having locals eating there which means that it is likely that the food is good and relative fresh.Even with it being in the middle of the city there was no access to gas or running water, so everything was cooked over wood fired stoves with the broth for the soups likely cooking overnight and the rest cooked fresh on the spot.On the first afternoon we were sitting in a local coffee place and I started speaking to the girl working there. I asked her for local places to eat great authentic Lao food - not touristy. She recommended a place up neat That Dam (the black stuba) called Soukvinam and she showed me some photos. It looked more like a fine dining place, but the food looked delicious so we decided to give it a go. It was a quiet place with a nice ambience. We were sitting outside in the courtyard which was ideal with the kids. We ordered a lot of food sticking to specialties we had never tried before such as stuffed frogs, fermented fish eggs etc. and it was all really nice.By Lao standards it probably wasn't cheap, but for the whole group of us the entire meal ended up costing approximately $100 AUD. On that 'note' it is easy to be an instant millionaire as a foreigner in Laos - change $150 Australian dollars you are there.We also celebrated New Years Even in Vientiane which was fairly low key with a couple of late night drinks.
1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Returning to Laos 1. January 2018 21:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetReturning to Laos ShareThis year our holiday was going to a country in South East Asia called to the Laos with the boys and some close friends. I went there almost 20 years ago. I had just migrated to Australia and was going on my first holiday. Laos which had only just been opened up by the communist regime, was very much undeveloped after two decades of isolation and happened to be one of the first places I visited in Asia and it was a country that I immediately fell in love with. It wasn’t the things to see and do in the country that I fell in love with - but the people. I loved the smiles, how welcoming everyone was, and I especially loved the joy of the dirty kids playing in the streets. Everyone was living at very simple lifestyle and yet everyone had what they needed and were happy. Back then I had no firm plans, but made them up as I went along. I traveled light, caught local transport, I met locals and other travelers along the way on a budget of less than $10/day, and still remember the sticky rice sold to passengers when passing through towns. I had some incredible experiences in an amazing country. I managed to have a full busload full of locals break down laughing from me trying to read up sentences from my little pocket Lao phrase book. Through this I was invited to visit families and join their local celebrations through festive events. The only local I met up in Northern Laos who could English was a girl working for an NGO. She invited me to join her visits to remote local villages where we had to cross the rivers on bamboo rafts to get to them and experienced the local dragon boat racing. Since this distant time I had heard and lots about the country from other travelers including my Mum and Dad who visited the country ten years ago. I heard how the country had changed and how mass tourism had ruined the experience. I had heard about the young backpacker rave parties, the drugs and adrenaline junkies in Vang Vieng. I heard about the modernization, cars and traffic in Vientiane. Going back with family and friends I was worried that they wouldn’t see the country that I saw so many years ago. There isn’t a lot of historical sites to see in Laos other than in Luang Prabang where there are lots of Temples due to many wars destroying major parts of the country. More worried was I that I would be disappointed by the country and the people I saw back then being no more. When we got there it turned out that, yes, the country has changed a lot. Lots of roads have been paved, there are lots of cars everywhere, the old colonial buildings have been renovated and all the houses are now built in brick and mortar instead of being wooden bamboo shacks. People are on mobile phones, the kids are watching youtube videos, every hotel has wifi, you can buy everything, and major investments are flowing in from neighboring Thailand, China and Vietnam. There are a lot more tourists in the country, especially in Vang Vieng and Luang Prabang, but they are a different type of tourists than the ones I was dreading.The backpackers have been replaced with mainly adrenalin loving Korean tourists or wealthier middle-aged Europeans and the era of party fueled backpacker tourism is largely gone. And most importantly getting outside the towns, the Laos I loved back then still very much exists if you go look for it. The modern tourists are surprisingly easy to avoid. They all stay in the same places and visit the same top ten sites or visit the same restaurants that Tripadvisor recommended they go to. They go back home and tell everyone that they have experienced Laos, not knowing that their comfort has eluded them of the real magic of Laos. The Lao people everywhere are still very loving, smiling and friendly, there are dirty kids, chickens, cows, dogs and cats roaming the streets everywhere and the remnants of the old tribes that I saw back then still exists through their ancient traditions although the traditional costumes and houses are largely gone now due to government policies. Had we gone even further afield that we did on this trip, I’m convinced that little has changed in those villages I once visited two decades ago. Prior to going I was scared what I would find there, but now I feel blessed that my family and friends have experienced some of the glimpses of ‘my’ Laos together with me…Laos still has a big place in my heart.
13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Coppelia 13. May 2010 10:54 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetcoppeliaShareLast night we went to the Sydney Opera House to see the ballet Coppelia with The Australian Ballet.It may be the last time for a while that Kim and I get the chance to go and see a performance together for a while.It was a great show and I can highly recommend it...the story is nicer and easier to follow than The Nutcracker. Coppelia herself doesn't dance much (she is a doll), the story line if mainly centered around the other characters in the story...no one dies (come on...it is not an opera). It is just a nice love story where the right people get eachother in the end.
3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Chris & Yvonne's wedding 3. May 2010 09:52 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetchris yvonne s weddingShareYesterday we went to Chris and Yvonnes wedding. The wedding itself was a traditional catholic wedding held in one of the churches in North Sydney. Kim was having a bit of a cold so to save herself (and the baby) we decided that I'd go to the wedding ceremony alone representing both of us. Chris asked me if I'd video the ceremony using his new camera...I hope it turned out alright as I'm not all that familiar with taking video. I did manage to take a couple of photos (using my spare hand) during the ceremony. Later in the evening the reception was held at Wolfies at Circular Quay at the Rocks in Sydney. After resting in the morning Kim was fortunately able to join me at the reception. It was a really nice evening and we got a change to meet some of their friends who'd flown in from the US. During the evening the photographers did a slideshow with some of the highlights from the wedding. Needless to say that I was pretty hung over the next morning. I didn't take a lot of photos, but above you see a couple of the ones I did take.
27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Car Fun - Take 2 27. April 2010 11:17 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetcar fun take 2ShareI borrowed some more toy cars from my nephews (A bit more willing this time). This time I wanted to do the shoot entirely using light painting. All the following photos are created using a single LED torch with CTO and blue flash gels in front of it. No photoshopping has been done to any of the photos.They have all been shot at 15 seconds @ f22. The base is a glass chopping board (the writing on the board shines through in a couple of places).
27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hunter Valley 2010 27. April 2010 07:32 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethunter valley 2010Share This long Anzac weekend we drove up to Hunter Valley with a couple of friends. Meeting up there we planned what wineries we were going to. Sasha had a couple in mind which was perfect as they were some Kim and I had never been been to before. The first place we stopped was Petersons...Joanne wanted to pick up some pink bubbly stuff (pink champagne). They have some wines there without preservatives which are really nice. On the way from one of the other places we drove past a new place called Noonji...sounded japanese and it was a new one, so we had to have a look at what they were doing. They had just opened up for tasting recently and as soon as we walked through the door we could tell that this husband and wife were doing things differently. We were welcomed and were told that this was table tasting, so we all sat down at the table. This was really good since it enabled us to taste five different vintages simultaneously (In other places you taste one vintage at a time). The prices were reasonable and they had a pretty good discount if you bought a case, so Kim and I ended up buying two cases of wine from here. After this we did some more sightseeing and tasting before we drove back to sydney. On the way back we stopped at a petrol station and someone has this cool car parked there.
26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wingello 26. April 2010 10:05 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwingelloShare On Anzac day I went climbing with Andy and Dan at a new place called Wingello that we'd never been to before. Wingello is about two hours south of sydney towards Canberra. It is mostly sports climbing on ring bolts. This means that instead of placing protection you can clip pre-placed bolts. My finger is still injured so I am in reality unable to climb (pst...I did clean a climb on top rope but dont tell anyone). This meant that I spent most of the day belaying the others and taking some photos. On one of the easier scrambles I got to the top so that I could take some photos from the top. It is the first time I have tried to really try and take photos from the top and it was difficult. A lot of the photos were slightly blurred because it was hard to keep the lens steady in the available light when zooming in). Here are some of the photos from this climb that did turn out alright. Also being up high means that I could provide Dan with some instructions cleaning the anchor system. For his first try it wasn't pretty and he got the ropes in a big tangle. Eventually we got it sorted so that he could get down safely....but more practice is needed. After this we went further along the wall to so some easy/moderate climbs (16/17s). One one of the climbs Andy stuck his hand into a hole with a snake skin in it...this is his second snake incident. After this he refused to even get close to the hole (fair enough). He is now on the leader board 2:1...my incident was a brown snake crawling across my feet while belaying him years ago. Dan managed to also lead this climb which he was absolutely stoked about. We finished the climb just before the sun set and we managed to get out before just in time. The climb out was interesting at the easiest route is through this narrow and steep gully with fixed ropes and ladders (The fact that Dan was carrying his makeup bag and a 5 litre bottle of water didn't make it easier).
21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My nephews Porche Carrera GT 21. April 2010 08:59 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy nephews porche carrera gtShare Today I borrowed a couple of Toy cars from my nephew Ethan. I had to promise that I'd bring them back tomorrow. I wanted to have a play with using a single bare flash right above the car as a softbox. Because the flash is hanging right above the car just outside view) it has been dialed all the way back to 1/128th power (shooting at f/32, iso 200 @ 1/250) or I'd use detail. On the side just outside view I put a piece of white paper to reflect a little light onto the side of the car. The reflective surface is a glass chopping board from the kitchen. After a while I started also using a flash on the background using different gels. I found that orange and blue gels were the nicest. The Blue as a good contrast to the yello car. With the orange gel I could create a sunset type light by letting the light fall off quickly on the wall. The background if a white wall (except for the textured background which is a black backdrop). None of the photos below have had any photoshopping done to them (otherwise I would have removed those scratches on the windshield).
17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flash balancing fun 17. April 2010 10:30 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflash balancing exerciseShareKim was kind enough to let me take some photos of her. I have been studying some flash photography videos and articles and wanted to have a play with multiple flashes around dusk. The trick is to balance the ambient light with the light filled from the flash...especially tricky as the light constantly changes during the last 30 minutes of the day.So far I only have two wireless flash triggers to was was somewhat limited (ideally I would like to have three triggers).It was really good to be able to do some experimenting. For these photos I used one flash 45 degrees to the back and another 45 degrees in front. On the back I am using a CTO gel. In the beginning I was using one on the front one as well, but when I got home to look at the photos I could see that it was too warm (Lesson learnt that I should use the warm gels on the back). On the photos here there is no gel on the front flash only on the back.I would have liked to stay just a bit longer to play, but kim was getting a bit cold. With a more time I would have been able to enhance some of the zoom effects as seen in this photo:Definitely a trick I'll be using in the future...makes for some cool effects. At lot of the photos are actually quite nice, but the two above are my preferred ones.
17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Week 31, not long to go 17. April 2010 10:23 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetweek 31 not long to goShareIt is now week 31, so only 9-10 weeks until baby is due to arrive.Kim is getting a fair bit bigger and the baby is now very active. So far things looks good although Kim is worried that the boy will be a shortie like mummy.
11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water fun 11. April 2010 09:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetwater funShare I read this article about how to take water photos in an easy way. The photos is taken using a bare flash firing onto a white background at 1/8th power. The blue colour is because I (on purpose) changed the white balance of the camera to Tungsten. I only had a shallow painting tray at my disposal. This paint residue in the bottom of the tray creates the pattern in the photo. I also couldn't get a nice formed drop pattern forming due to the drops hitting the bottom of the shallow tray unevenly. Lessons for next time: Use a deeper tray. Make it black so that no other colours penetrate and make dure the water can reach the edge of the tray. Next time I try I will use one of the large scanpans we have...I think it will be better suited.
6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tasmania - Easter 2010 6. April 2010 12:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweettasmania easter 2010ShareDuring the Easter Break Kim and I made a trip to Tasmania. This was to be our last holiday together before the baby arrives. Tasmania is an island south of Australia about 1.5 times larger than Denmark. The east coast is lightly populated and the west coast is mainly national parks and forests. We had rented a car to make it easier for us to get around and the first place we headed to was Cradle Mountains national park. This is probably one of the most iconic places in Tasmania and every Australian has seen the pictures of the mountain itself. The drive there was full of contrast. There has always been of criticism of the lumber industries in Tasmania and when you see the methods they use to cut down trees then it is easy to see why. They don't do selective cutting, they instead pretty much bulldoze whole areas which then take many decades to recover. One of the days there we did a number of walks within the park and around the lakes. Kim is 7 months pregnant and did really well although walking a bit slower than normal. We also did some walks to some of the lookouts and waterfalls in the park. I did have some time to experiment with some photos along the way. I really wanted to see some of the wildlife in the park, but unfortunately most of the animals are nocturnal (only out at night). The park had a bus going through the park at night time costing $50 for the two of us. We spoke to the driver and he said that we would not be able to leave the bus at any time. I really wanted to be able to get off the bus at take some wildlife photos so we instead decided to drive our rental car through the park late at night. We wouldn't have the luxury of the nighttime lights and the local knowledge of where to spot certain animals but we thought that the bus would be staying on the same road as we did anyhow. It turned out to be a really good idea. We managed to spot lots of Possums, Wallaby's (a small Kangaroo) and Wombats. We even spotted Quolls and a Tasmanian Devil. May has later told me that the frog in the photo is a 'Southern Brown Tree Frog' and that she keeps one of them as a pet. Below is photos of the animals we spotted: (The closeup photos of the Tasmanian devil and the Quoll I've borrowed, but the rest are my own photos.) After this we drove to Freycinet national park on the east coast. Along the way we stopped at a few scenic spots and wineries. One of the places we stopped was a place called Devils Gullet. It would have been really spectacular had it not been for the dense fog. It was a fairly long drive getting there and I was pretty buggered by the time we arrived to the B&B after driving most of the day with just a few stops on the way to rest and take photos. The sun started to set and I rushed Kim down to the beach in from of the place we were staying to take some portraits using some creative lighting. She wasn't too keen as the wind was a bit cold and we missed the actual sunset by just a couple of minutes. I did however manage to take a couple of photos of her. In the evening we went to a very nice restaurant called 'The edge' very close to the B&B. This turned out to the be highlight in terms of meals during the trip. It was very nice. On the way to the restaurant we spotted a Tasmanian owl and afterwards we did a drive through the national park spotting more Quolls, Possums and Wallabies. The next day we decided to do a number of other walks. The first one of the day included climbing up to the top of this saddle between two mountain tops to get a magnificent view of Wineglass Bay. The climb itself was spectacular in itself as the mountains are formed by this pink coloured granite (I was looking for climbing routes, but most of the granite looked completely barren of any holds...some lunatic would probably come and prove otherwise). Along the trail we we spotted a baby Black snake, a couple of Lizards and birds. We also made a drive up to 'Friendly Beach' where we took a lot of photos. This beach was mostly deserted apart from a couple of walkers and surfers. At sunset we drove to Honeymoon bay to get some scenic shots using the colour of the setting sun against the pink granite as well as some normal sunset photos. In the evening we had a clear sky with lots of stars. Because of the light population of Tasmania there is not a lot of city lights to disturb the stars gazing. It has been years ago since I was able to lie down and just look at the stars to see if I could spot any satellites moving across the sky (this evening I spotted 2). I used the opportunity to after dinner drive back to Honeymoon bay to do some star trail photography. I left Kim in the car as she didn't want to make the walk down to the beach in the dark without a torch. I did take two photos down there using a 30 minute exposure (the maximum my camera allows & @f4.0). They turned out reasonable okay considering what camera they are taken with (Nikon D50). Next day it was back to Sydney. We left Freycinet at 8.30am in the morning and I was stressing that we wouldn't make it back to the airport in time...but we did!
17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Water play 17. October 2014 17:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkleShareLast weekend it was pretty warm here in Sydney and the lawn needed watering.I turned on the sprinkler and we let the boys have some water play.
16. October 2014 18:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Playing with Dragons 16. October 2014 18:10 by Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots! 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little. 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking). 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and thShareIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and the boat slowly cruised in and out between the river islands within Zimbabwe and Zambia. In the distance there were clouds and rain forming beautiful rainbows.There were lots of hippos around and we also spotted a couple of crocodiles and other wildlife. This time of the year there weren't any elephants as they don't need to go to the river during the rain season. 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Instant Billionaires 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back ShareOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back in 2008/09 the whole economy collapsed and the local currency was worth less than the paper it was printed on. As a result the entire country started using stable currencies such as US dollars.In Victoria falls this means that everything is paid for in US dollars and since everything is more or less government controlled they try to milk tourists for as much hard currency as they possibly can.As a result most tourists stay for a shorter duration as they probably would otherwise which is a pity as the benefits of tourism isn't shared with the rest of the country.The country also has all the typical African inefficiencies and illogical processes which I experienced back in my days in East Africa, but which greatly annoyed Kim.She was however greatly amused when I came back after a walk telling her that I had made her an instant billionaire - with the note here held by Aiden with a smug on his face. 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Arriving to Zimbabwe 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the VShareDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the Victoria falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.The first evening we book dinner at Boma restaurant. Even though it is a bit touristy (everything around the falls are) they promised a buffet dinner with various game meat and dancing/drumming.On the menu was Mopani worms, Wort Hog, Elan, Guinea Foul and spit Lamb.Poor little Lucas was so tired that he fell asleep in the car there and slept the whole way through.Although Aiden was tired he did enjoy the experience (in his silly fashion).The drumming was very interactive and the dinner guests could join in.Good start to the trip. 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas family photo 2016 - Naughty Elves 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created anothShareIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created another family photo for this year. Aiden and Lucas are growing older and also more naughty, so this year we decided to do something different and let the parents have a quiet evening while we let the boys 'hang out' together. 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Botany Bay walk 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ShareThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ammunition bunkers along the coast line to protect against Japanese invasions.We have been there quite a few time and here are some of the photos from our last walk there. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Photos as Boralee Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of themShareOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of them. 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing at Royal National Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted toShareThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted to go canoeing at the Royal National Park about 30 minutes drive from our house.It was a beautiful sunny morning with not a wind or any other people in the creek. Afterwards we went down to Wattamolla to have a look at the waterfall and play at the beach.At Bundeena we had fish and chips for lunch.He totally crashed on the way home. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...161718192021222324...9293Older posts SearchInclude comments in search Newsletter Get notified when a new post is published. Enter your e-mail Please enter an e-mail address Please enter a valid e-mail Thank you
3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Flying out 3. February 2017 08:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problShareLeaving Zimbabwe we had the experience of the aircraft (an old B737) breaking down with engine problems prior to our departure. Although this is not uncommon, most international airports would have a team of aircraft mechanics along with spare parts to fix problems.Victoria Falls do not have all the same facilities due to the low volume of aircraft, so in our case the pilot and co-pilot stepped up and went out to fix the problem themselves. With just a two hour delay we were back underway.I doubt a pilot from a big international airline would step up and get his hands dirty or even have the skills to fix basic and common problems....credit go to bush pilots!
1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Victoria Falls 1. February 2017 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our bShareThe main reason why we made the trip up to Zimbabwe was that our trip to South Africa would be our best opportunity to see and experience the Victoria Falls (and also give Kim and the boys to opportunity to visit another African country).It is an amazing sight as the entire area around the falls is completely flat. The Zambezi river is at the point of the fall over a kilometer wide and the entire river suddenly drops into this narrow gorge.The falls themselves are on the Zambian side of the border, and most of the lookouts are on the Zimbabwe side.The effect is that the water spray gets pushed several hundred meters into the air above the gorge and creates a perpetual plume of rain clouds and spray making it impossible to stay dry.This also meant that it was a challenge to keep my camera gear dry. I did bring a waterproof case for my camera, but after a few minutes a stopped using it because I couldn't mount the camera on a tripod at the same time. Instead I opted for covering the camera with a microfibre towel that somewhat helped, but otherwise I had to rely on the weather sealing on the Nikon camera and lenses.To make it easier to dry we had dressed the boys ourselves in rash and sports shirts. This dried very quickly after getting wet unlike cotton clothing. We did bring some disposable ponchos but only Kim used hers a little.
31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Big (Baobab) Tree 31. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fenShareJust outside Victoria Falls there is this Baobab tree that they keep showing to tourists (behind fencing so tourists don't vandalise it). We were brought there on the way to the Boma restaurant because the other people in the bus wanted to see it.They all went Ooooh and Ahhh by seeing it, but I must say that it is neither big or beautiful as far as Baobab trees go...even the fig trees here in Australia are bigger (and better looking).
31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe & Zambia - Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River 31. January 2017 12:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and thShareIn the evening we booked a sunset cruise on the Zambezi river.It was a beautiful calm evening and the boat slowly cruised in and out between the river islands within Zimbabwe and Zambia. In the distance there were clouds and rain forming beautiful rainbows.There were lots of hippos around and we also spotted a couple of crocodiles and other wildlife. This time of the year there weren't any elephants as they don't need to go to the river during the rain season.
30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Zimbabwe - Instant Billionaires 30. January 2017 14:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back ShareOne thing about Zimbabwe was that everything is quite expensive for tourists in Victoria falls.Back in 2008/09 the whole economy collapsed and the local currency was worth less than the paper it was printed on. As a result the entire country started using stable currencies such as US dollars.In Victoria falls this means that everything is paid for in US dollars and since everything is more or less government controlled they try to milk tourists for as much hard currency as they possibly can.As a result most tourists stay for a shorter duration as they probably would otherwise which is a pity as the benefits of tourism isn't shared with the rest of the country.The country also has all the typical African inefficiencies and illogical processes which I experienced back in my days in East Africa, but which greatly annoyed Kim.She was however greatly amused when I came back after a walk telling her that I had made her an instant billionaire - with the note here held by Aiden with a smug on his face.
30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Arriving to Zimbabwe 30. January 2017 13:01 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the VShareDuring the break we decided to make a trip to South Africa and on the way do a quick detour to the Victoria falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia.The first evening we book dinner at Boma restaurant. Even though it is a bit touristy (everything around the falls are) they promised a buffet dinner with various game meat and dancing/drumming.On the menu was Mopani worms, Wort Hog, Elan, Guinea Foul and spit Lamb.Poor little Lucas was so tired that he fell asleep in the car there and slept the whole way through.Although Aiden was tired he did enjoy the experience (in his silly fashion).The drumming was very interactive and the dinner guests could join in.Good start to the trip.
19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Christmas family photo 2016 - Naughty Elves 19. December 2016 13:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created anothShareIt has been another year and again Merry Christmas 2016.Following the tradition I have created another family photo for this year. Aiden and Lucas are growing older and also more naughty, so this year we decided to do something different and let the parents have a quiet evening while we let the boys 'hang out' together.
9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Botany Bay walk 9. December 2016 17:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ShareThere are some interesting areas around Botany Bay. One of the is the old WWII cannon positions and ammunition bunkers along the coast line to protect against Japanese invasions.We have been there quite a few time and here are some of the photos from our last walk there.
9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Photos as Boralee Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of themShareOne day we went down to Boralee park to take some photos of the boys with Kim. Here are some of them.
9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Canoeing at Royal National Park 9. December 2016 15:02 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted toShareThis winter during school holidays I took a day off to look after Aiden. I asked him if he wanted to go canoeing at the Royal National Park about 30 minutes drive from our house.It was a beautiful sunny morning with not a wind or any other people in the creek. Afterwards we went down to Wattamolla to have a look at the waterfall and play at the beach.At Bundeena we had fish and chips for lunch.He totally crashed on the way home.