15. April 2012 07:39 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments High Tea in Royal National Park 15. April 2012 07:39 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweethigh tea in royal national parkShareToday we went to High Tea in Audley in the Royal National Park 30 minutes drive from where we live. Kim had bought a 2 for 1 deal and decided to try it.Verdict was that is wasn't anything special and even with the special deal it was a bit over priced.Afterwards we decided to go rowing up through the creek.Aiden was very keen to get to play with the water which was difficult in the rowing boat (next time we will get a Canoe).Afterwards we let him play a bit on land before heading back.
8. April 2012 06:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Bora Bora Island Scenery 8. April 2012 06:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbora bora island sceneryShareThe island itself is a beautiful place. I took a lot of photos of the lagoon and the beauty of Bora Bora....so many that it would be too many to have in the previous Bora Bora post. With the risk of creating a post full of Blue photos...I had to separate them out to prevent the other posts from getting too big. Here they are...I will let them speak for themselves...
6. April 2012 06:19 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Snorkeling with Sharks and Stingrays 6. April 2012 06:19 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsnorkeling with sharks and stingraysShareOne of the days at Bora Bora we went with a boat around the lagoon to go snorkeling and have lunch on one of the Motu's (Islands). Along the way we went snorkeling in spots where we also could see sharks and stingrays. Our first spot was a snorkeling spot with lots of coral and different fish. I Even saw a big fat murray eel. Kim also had a bit of a snorkel in the clear blue water even though the water was deep and there was a slight current. Aiden was facinated by the fish and wanted to join mummy in the water to say hello to the fish'ies... After this we went to a more shallow spot on the reef with lots of reef sharks. Yes, that is me in the water with 12 sharks circling around me (and no safety net in place).These sharks would come swimming towards me and then turn around within a meters reach. Click here to see a video I uploaded to Facebook with the Sharks getting close After lunch we stopped to feed the Stingrays in the lagoon. They are fairly harmless and I was feeding them dead fish. While doing so I was bitten by one of them that mistook the camera I was holding in my other hand as a fish.
5. April 2012 06:10 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Bora Bora 5. April 2012 06:10 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbora boraShare Bora Bora is a beautiful island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Kim and I had promised eachother that we one day we will go there. It is about an hours flight from Tahiti and along the way you pass a number of other Polynesian islands and atolls. When we landed we were met by the stunning blue lagoon and the very characteristic mountain which is an old extinct volcano. Aiden especially was mesmerised by the view going on the boat from the airport to our hotel. On arrival we were met by traditional Tahitian music and someone blowing a seashell. And Aiden immidiately got into the mocktails. Our hotel was on the main island itself and we had a small hut facing the lagoon and had a beautiful view every morning waking up. Every morning we had breakfast overlooking the lagoon where Aiden would stuff his face with fruits, bread and youghurt. We spent a lot of time at the small beach close to the hotel just swimming in the clear water of the lagoon. The locals were out on the lagoon showing off their skills. Aiden loved the calm clear water and the beach...it was a pleasant 27-28 degrees. Every time he saw water he would point at it and shout BoBo (Water)...and insist on going swimming. One evening I did a couple of sunset portraits. Aiden again insisted on going in the water. I also went for a swim after we finished the photos, which was absolutely magical as the light was surreal and the water was absolutely calm. Across the lagoon from the hotel we had a little island (Motu) with beautiful place to go snorkeling. First I went in the water and notices a small reef shark circling around the corals...being kinda shy. I mentioned it to Kim and as soon as she also spotted it later in the day she rushed out of the water (A couple of days later she had a similar experience with a large stingray at the beach). It was hard to leave all this beauty behind
4. April 2012 04:09 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Flowers of French Polynesia 4. April 2012 04:09 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetflowers of french polynesiaShareI took a lot of photos of flowers...enough to warrant a separate blog entry.. If you are not a flower person then just scroll down the page past these...lots of other good stuff there. Anyhow...I will let them speak for themselves...
3. April 2012 07:08 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Tahiti 3. April 2012 07:08 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Perfect Moments Photography | A Rene Pallesen Journal Blog Portfolio Packages Contact About Home 8. August 2012 10:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Love the new camera 8. August 2012 10:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetlove the new cameraShareI love the new camera...it performed abosolutely amazing on the weekend when I did a photoshoot with the family. The 36 Megapixels mean that every detail such as pores in the skin, hairs etc. is visible and sharp.This photo below shows one of the photos of Chong and Emma zoomed in at 100 percent..the small photo on the left shows the original photo. 8. August 2012 08:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Emma 8. August 2012 08:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetemmaShareA couple of months ago Chong and KC had a new addition to their family.Last week they asked me if I'd take some photos for them. It was a good chance for me to have a play with the new camera as well as some light setups.Emma was very good and only had one 'accident'.It was also a good practice session for when our next addition arrives in a couple of months.I love the new camera, the details are absolutely amazing in the studio and the autofocus is accurate now after I had it fixed by Nikon. 31. July 2012 10:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Satellite Tracking Facility 31. July 2012 10:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsatellite tracking facility at belroseShareYesterday I went to a work conference where at the end of the day they offered us to do some site visits.I was fortunate enough to visit the satellite tracking facility in the Northern part of Sydney. The company I work for owns a number of satellites (at a cost of around $400 million each) and they will be launching their 10th satellite later this year...the 'O10'.This photo is from the control room where they look after all the locations, transponders and media broadcasts from the satellites. It was interesting to be able to see the raw/unedited broadcasts from areas such as the London Olympics, the conflict in Syria etc.The actual electronics was equally impressive.I even found the box that currently is receiving all the media broadcasts from the 2012 London Olympics. This is the Satelite Dish controller...On the display you can see the current position of the dish (and from that you could probably calculate the location of the actual satellite). Outside was the array of dishes. Most of the satellites are being launched from French Guyana by the European space agency. 30. July 2012 07:34 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big Birthday 30. July 2012 07:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig birthdayShareA couple of days ago it was my birthday...I wish it was my 27th...but it wasn't!Kim took me out for dinner on the day itself to a nice place at Circular Quay...very nice, but absolutely freezing and windy in there.Day after we went out for dinner with the family to a Japanese restaurant and they ordered a shameful amount of food!After the dinner we went back to our place for cake. 15. July 2012 12:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Thomas Trains and Warragamba Dam 15. July 2012 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthomas trains and warragamba damShareAiden is a big fan of the Thomas Trains, so a few weeks ago when Kim saw some vouchers for the Train Shed she bought some tickets.This morning we went out there with the whole family to go riding on the trains. Aiden was very excited...to the point where he didn't want to get off the train.The kids had 5 rides each and they also had lunch and scones provided for us.Aiden had to check out anything that remotely looked like a train (looks like he is taking a wee here). It was also a good day to try out the new camera (just came back after 5 weeks in the repair shop for recalibration). Kim was using it most of the day and said she loves it compared to my old camera. On the way in I had seen a signpost towards the Warragamba Dam. This is where 80-90 percent of Sydneys drinking water supply comes from. 8. July 2012 10:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Duck feeding at Centenial Park 8. July 2012 10:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetduck feeding at centenial parkShareThis morning it was a beautiful winter day here in Sydney and we decided therefore to go duck feeding in Centenial Park with Aiden and Dylan (I was supposed to have been doing a course, but it was cancelled).Aiden eventually figured out that it was fun to tear off small pieces of bread and throw it in the water for the ducks and swans to eat.I showed him how to hand feed the big swans with a flat hand, but he still didn't like them much...and even less so when one of them stole his bread after sneaking in from behind.Stupid Swan!!!!But eventually the swan apologised and he was happy to feed the smaller birds.Also the pond is full of fat eels (and on one occation I have seen turtles there). Some of them would surface to try and steal the bread from the ducks. 10. June 2012 09:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Emily's birthday party 10. June 2012 09:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetemily s birthday partyShareYesterday we went to Emily's birthday party in Centennial park. We were there on time at 10.30 on a very cold morning (it had been 7 degrees overnight) but there was no-one else there...the host and the birthday child turned up two hours later (I cannot stand people who consistently have no respect for other people time).We had brought Aiden tri-cycle that he got as a birthday present from his grandma last year.We also spend some time exploring the forest next to the playground. 10. June 2012 08:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden's 2yo Birthday with the Family 10. June 2012 08:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden birthday with the familyShareToday we celebrated Aidens birthday with the family. In the morning we all had Yum Cha and afterwards we took all the kids to Little Dynamos to play.In the evening we had the family over for steamboat and cake. Great opportunity to take a new family photo with the latest member of the family...Emma. 8. June 2012 11:00 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments One year 8. June 2012 11:00 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetone yearShareToday it was one year ago that my my Mum and Aidens Grandma passed away. I am still sad that Aiden never met her but I am hoping that he will get to know Bedstefar better as he is growing up. I am also glad that Aiden will have a brother to keep each other company and I hope the two of them will be close and grow old together.I still have a suitcase sitting here full of photos that I one day will get the courage tp go through...but not anytime soon. 7. June 2012 04:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden's 2 yo Birthday 7. June 2012 04:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden s 2 yo birthdayShareToday was Aidens second birthday...time flies! We had a Birthday cake for him with the family and sang Happy Birthday and let him blow out the candle. << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...505152535455565758...9394Older 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 12. October 2009 11:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments An almost non-climbing event 12. October 2009 11:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetan almost non climbing eventShareIt has been raining almost constantly for the past two weeks (since the dust storm really) and Andy and I had organised to go climbing in the Blue Mountains together with a friends of his (Dan) who's never been on on real rock before.We looked a the forecast and it didn't look promising for the mountains so the night before we decided to go to plan B and go to Barrenjoey instead.The quality of the climbing is more limited, but at least it is a shorter drive and walk-in in case you have to bail. We arrived up at Palm Beach in the morning and the roads were still soaked in water from all the rain the night before. We therefore decided to stop at a cafe and have some breakfast and let the cliffs dry out a bit before walking in there.While eating breakfast we were having a look at the latest radar pictures and we could see that it was pouring down in the mountains and we could see rain approaching the Sydney area.After breakfast we were trying to decide whether we should bail or go climbing. After much procrastination we decided to climb and went to the carpark. Andy pulled out the insect repellent and started rubbing it into his genitals (or so it looked) saying that it would keep the chicks away (which I'm sure his wife appreciates)...or was it ticks.For Dans benefit we started out on one of the easiest climbs around there called Jezebel. Andy did the first lead and as he finished we could feel the first rain drops. I then did the second climb and once I reached the top the rain became heavier. The plan was to have Dan follow me up so that he could try an absail from the top. Once he reached the top it really started pouring and all of us became drenched while setting up the absail and clearing the gear.Dan made it down in good style (although nervous) and once I'd made it to the ground as well we quickly packed our gear and headed back home for a nice warm shower.Mostly a non-climbing day really...but Andy did get his sugar-hit with the pancakes. 12. October 2009 11:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wicked - How did the wicked witch become wicked? 12. October 2009 11:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwickedShareSaturday evening Kim and I went with a couple of friends to the Capitol Theatre to see the Broadway play called Wicked. The play is about how the Wicked witch became wicked in 'The Wizard of Oz'.The play very cleverly provides the background for the Wizard of Oz.This was Kims birthday present to me earlier in the year...satisfied the criteria for presents: Must be an experience or a consumable. It was a really nice evening and the play was very funny...especially the Wizard of Goodness (a real blonde) 23. September 2009 04:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Freak weather and dust storms 23. September 2009 04:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfreak weather and dust stormsShareThe last 24 hours has been the most freak weather I've (and anyone else) has experienced in Sydney.Yesterday we had 30 degrees during the day and in the evening a huge thunderstorm descended upon Sydney with massive rainfalls and very high winds. Kim found that water was dripping through ceiling and my first though was "This ain't good" and rushed up to check if there was a hole in the roof tiles or in the plumbing (if you see one of the previous posts then you'll notice that we've installed Solar hot water and this system is positioned above that same bathroom).I could clearly see where the water had come in, but it wasn't through any gaps and it seemed that the strong winds had pushed the water backwards and upwards under the tiles...whew...but I'll have another look next time it rains.Then this morning I woke up and looked out the window and everything was covered in a bright red and yellow haze and it was blowing a gale. I had a look at the forecast and stuck my head outside the window and it turned out that all of NSW was encapsulated in a massive dust storm with fine red dust coming from the Australian outback. Everything outside is now covered in this fine dust, cars, windows...everything. One of out friends too the following photo from his balcony:The area covered by the dust is huge and apparently it may even reach New Zealand. 14. September 2009 12:55 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments BBQ 14. September 2009 12:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetbbqShareThis weekend we invited a group of my friends over for BBQ.The official excuse was for my recovery after my Hernia surgery (which is still causing me some grief some days).It was a beautiful spring day with 31 degrees in the shade and luckily I had put up a gazebo outside to cover the area and provide a bit of shade.Most of the day I was attending the BBQ cooking Lamb Cutlets, Fish, Prawns, Vietnamese Sausages and Chicken skewers.The last batch of chicken skewers I forgot on the BBQ with a very predictable result.In the evening we had Kim's family over for dinner/BBQ, so a repetition of the afternoon. 6. September 2009 10:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Sasha's and Mavis's wedding 6. September 2009 10:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsasha s and mavis s weddingShare This weekend we went to Sasha's and Mavis's wedding. Family and friends were invited to attend the ceremony at Greenwich at 10am. The location they had chosen had a stunning view of Sydney Harvour and skyline. When we arrived neither the groom or the bride were there. Approximately 20 minutes later the bride arrived, but still no groom, so she did another round in the car. Finally at 10.30 Sasha arrived with his dad after having been stuck in traffic, shortly after Mavis arrived in her beautiful wedding dress and the ceremony could get under way. It was a beautiful ceremony, beautiful location and beautiful weather. After the ceremony it was photo time. The reception was at a restaurant called Occilate Wildly in Newtown. The food was nice and at the end of the afternoon everyone went on their way. 27. August 2009 12:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Videos from our trip in Italy and Denmark 27. August 2009 12:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetvideos from our tripShare During the trip Kim took a number of videos using her compact camera. Here are the best ones (Click on the links to download the videos): Denmark: Knights Fighting Firing Weapon Italy: Verona Aida the Opera 1 Aida the Opera 2 Aida the Opera 3 Aida the Opera 4 San Gimignano View of Cinque Terre Cinque Terre from the boat Driving to Portofino Portofino View of Lake Como Lake Como from the Boat Driving on mountain roads Cow (Dont kill the cow) Switzerland 27. August 2009 10:27 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hernia Surgery 27. August 2009 10:27 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetherniaShareThe week before we went away on holiday I experienced pain in the pelvic area. I quickly got it diagnosed with ultrasound to be a hernia. Furtunately it could wait until we came back from holiday to be fixed although it was giving me some problems along the way carrying suitcases etc.As soon as we came back I went to see the specialist and he told he that it would have to be fixed with surgery and that he could schedule it for the following week.In the morning of the surgery I had to be at the hospital at 6.30am in the morning. Surgery started at 9am and by 11am I was awake again released at 1pm.So it terms of the surgery it was very smooth...but it was very painful afterwards. I had problems standing up and sitting down.This photo was taken two days after the surgery:The cut is 13cm long and at this point I am still very much in pain.The feedback from the doctor was that this was an Indirect Inaugural hernia and apparently the type that can cause a lot of problems later on if not fixed.Unfortunately part of hernia surgery is that they have to cut some of the nerves so that they don't get caught in the mesh they use to repair it with.This means that now two and a half weeks after the surgery there is still a large area around the cut that has got no sensation to touch or pain and some areas are hyper sensitive with the result that even the lightest touch is painful.I hope the eventually all the sensation returns to normal (apparently in 25% of the cases this doesn't happen). I also hope that the scar won't be too bad and will mostly disappear long term. 27. August 2009 10:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Going Solar 27. August 2009 10:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgoing solarShareWhen we came back from our holiday our watertank had started leaking significantly. Actually it had started leaking slightly back in May where at the same time the government was introducing the stimulus package as part of their rescue plan for the financial crisis. Part of this package was an increased rebate on Solar hot water which provided a total $3400 government funding. Back then I got a couple of quotes, but never proceeded hoping that the tank would last a little longer.When we came back the leak had become a lot worse and could burst any time. It therefore had to be replaced very fast. It seemed that just replacing the existing electric tank would cost almost the same as installing Solar hot water and would be more expensive in electricity. Besides we have already installed extra insulation and energy efficient appliances so it only made sense to use Solar hot water as well.It took them 3 hours to pull down the old 160 litre tank and install a new 300 litre tank on the roof. So far we are happy with the system. We have more hot water than before, it is not nearly as hot as the old system, but plenty hot for what is needed (The old system had water which was close to 90 degrees Celcius and the new is appx 60 degrees).It has an electric booster installed for cloudy days, but once summer is here I should be able to turn that off completely. And an extra advantage is that it has cleared out some space on the side of the house. 27. August 2009 02:00 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Jump shots 27. August 2009 02:00 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetjump shotsShare While we were travelling in Denmark and Italy we did a large number of Jump shots. Here are some of the coolest ones we did. First in Denmark Then Italy TweetweddingShareOn Sunday the 16th November 2008 I got married to Kim. It was a fantastic day and thanks to family and friends joining us making this a very memorable day. My day started out (Kims started much earlier) in the morning with my Best Man (Andy) as well as a number of other friends coming over to my house picking up trays, organising ribbons on cars and picking up supplies for the wedding ceremony. Kim had earlier in the morning left the house to go to her dads place to get dressed and have hair and makeup done. Once we got the call saying that she was ready we drove over to her dads place and on the way there we were stopped by the police who insisted on breath testing us...sorry guys you were out too early, we hadn't started drinking yet. At Kims place I had to bribe my way in through the door before they would let me in...all part of the tradition. Once I was let in my friends carried the trays of fruit, wine and noodles upstairs and this was the first time I saw Kim looking absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress. We then started the Tea Ceremony where we first had to pay respect to the elders by burning incense and then serve tea to the parents. In return they would then present us with red envelopes containing money and Kim's dad also gave Kim an old bracelet and ring that used to belong to her mum. After the Tea ceremony I drove down to La Perouse where the wedding ceremony was going to take place. We were a bit early so they were still getting ready. The wind was really strong so the garden arch needed wires to stay in place etc. Once all the guests has arrived (around 40-50) Kim arrived in Nancys car with her bridesmaid (Natalie) and the ceremony could begin. Kim and I had decided and written most of the ceremony ourselves and the celebrant presented it beautifully (and very loud). After the ceremony we had some drinks and snacks with out guests and then took pictures for the next couple of hours around La Perouse and Centenial Park. Later in the afternoon we went back to our house to relax and freshen up for an hour until we then went to the Reception. We had invited 80 guests and they all arrived (more or less). People were greated out the front where they were served canabes and drinks and there was a pianist playing a piano. People were then seated and once everyone were at the tables the bridal party was introduced. After the entrees My dad and Andy held their speeches (both very good and unfortunately mostly true) and after the main courses it was the turn of KC and myself. To everyones surprise we had arranged entertainment during the evening in the form of some drummers. Everyone was given a drum and had to participate in the drumming. This also involved us dancing as part of the entertainment. This was eventually followed by us cutting the wedding cake (a tower of cupcakes) a then dance the bridal walz. Kim had changed to a more practical dress for the bridal walz and she looked absolutely stunning in it. Because I'd been sunburnt during the day my face almost matched the dress. 15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Moved into the new house 15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmoved into the new houseShareEnd of October we moved settled and moved into the new house. Not without a bit of of drama as the previous owner wasn't out of the house at settlement...but by the end of the day she was fortunately gone.She was living there with three little boys (terrorists), so there was a number of smaller things that had been neglected and really needed some attention and there were a number of flaws around the place that needed fixing (it seems that the solution to every problem for the previous owners was silicone glue). Most of this is under control now thanks to my dad helping out while here for the wedding (see next posting). Both Kim and I have now moved all our things and I've put kim in charge of selecting what colours she would like the walls to be downstairs before we go out and buy furniture.We also need to get new lights downstairs as the ones there heat up and switch themselves off (cheap crap) so I may just as well do the ceiling now that I am at it. 15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My Dad in Sydney 15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy dad in sydneyShareMy dad was in Sydney for our wedding and arrived on the 5th November just in time for us to also celebrate his birthday (We took him to his favourite steak house to get his favourite T-bone steak).It was great to have him here for the wedding as it would have been empty to not have any family members from my side at the wedding. It was also really sad that my mum couldn't come.We had just moved into the house week before so everything was still messy and there was a lot of things that needed fixing on the house. My dad was really helpful helping me out with a lot of the thing I'd never done before such as replacing tiles in the bathroom. He also changed the locks, fixed lights, painted walls, fixed doors, leaking taps etc. It gave us something to do together which was great for bonding. I just wish he'd been there a bit longer...but maybe I can convince him to come back to help me build a pergola.We also managed to do a bit of sightseeing around Sydney and it was great that he got a chance to meet Kims family. The wedding was something different for him and I think that he was pretty frustrated that he didn't know what the asian customs were (not a typical Danish wedding).He did give a really good speech at the wedding and I'm sorry to say that everything he said is true (although not everything was accurate). << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...717273747576777879...9394Older 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
8. August 2012 10:12 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Love the new camera 8. August 2012 10:12 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetlove the new cameraShareI love the new camera...it performed abosolutely amazing on the weekend when I did a photoshoot with the family. The 36 Megapixels mean that every detail such as pores in the skin, hairs etc. is visible and sharp.This photo below shows one of the photos of Chong and Emma zoomed in at 100 percent..the small photo on the left shows the original photo.
8. August 2012 08:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Emma 8. August 2012 08:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetemmaShareA couple of months ago Chong and KC had a new addition to their family.Last week they asked me if I'd take some photos for them. It was a good chance for me to have a play with the new camera as well as some light setups.Emma was very good and only had one 'accident'.It was also a good practice session for when our next addition arrives in a couple of months.I love the new camera, the details are absolutely amazing in the studio and the autofocus is accurate now after I had it fixed by Nikon.
31. July 2012 10:06 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Satellite Tracking Facility 31. July 2012 10:06 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsatellite tracking facility at belroseShareYesterday I went to a work conference where at the end of the day they offered us to do some site visits.I was fortunate enough to visit the satellite tracking facility in the Northern part of Sydney. The company I work for owns a number of satellites (at a cost of around $400 million each) and they will be launching their 10th satellite later this year...the 'O10'.This photo is from the control room where they look after all the locations, transponders and media broadcasts from the satellites. It was interesting to be able to see the raw/unedited broadcasts from areas such as the London Olympics, the conflict in Syria etc.The actual electronics was equally impressive.I even found the box that currently is receiving all the media broadcasts from the 2012 London Olympics. This is the Satelite Dish controller...On the display you can see the current position of the dish (and from that you could probably calculate the location of the actual satellite). Outside was the array of dishes. Most of the satellites are being launched from French Guyana by the European space agency.
30. July 2012 07:34 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Big Birthday 30. July 2012 07:34 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetbig birthdayShareA couple of days ago it was my birthday...I wish it was my 27th...but it wasn't!Kim took me out for dinner on the day itself to a nice place at Circular Quay...very nice, but absolutely freezing and windy in there.Day after we went out for dinner with the family to a Japanese restaurant and they ordered a shameful amount of food!After the dinner we went back to our place for cake.
15. July 2012 12:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Thomas Trains and Warragamba Dam 15. July 2012 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetthomas trains and warragamba damShareAiden is a big fan of the Thomas Trains, so a few weeks ago when Kim saw some vouchers for the Train Shed she bought some tickets.This morning we went out there with the whole family to go riding on the trains. Aiden was very excited...to the point where he didn't want to get off the train.The kids had 5 rides each and they also had lunch and scones provided for us.Aiden had to check out anything that remotely looked like a train (looks like he is taking a wee here). It was also a good day to try out the new camera (just came back after 5 weeks in the repair shop for recalibration). Kim was using it most of the day and said she loves it compared to my old camera. On the way in I had seen a signpost towards the Warragamba Dam. This is where 80-90 percent of Sydneys drinking water supply comes from.
8. July 2012 10:57 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Duck feeding at Centenial Park 8. July 2012 10:57 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetduck feeding at centenial parkShareThis morning it was a beautiful winter day here in Sydney and we decided therefore to go duck feeding in Centenial Park with Aiden and Dylan (I was supposed to have been doing a course, but it was cancelled).Aiden eventually figured out that it was fun to tear off small pieces of bread and throw it in the water for the ducks and swans to eat.I showed him how to hand feed the big swans with a flat hand, but he still didn't like them much...and even less so when one of them stole his bread after sneaking in from behind.Stupid Swan!!!!But eventually the swan apologised and he was happy to feed the smaller birds.Also the pond is full of fat eels (and on one occation I have seen turtles there). Some of them would surface to try and steal the bread from the ducks.
10. June 2012 09:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Emily's birthday party 10. June 2012 09:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetemily s birthday partyShareYesterday we went to Emily's birthday party in Centennial park. We were there on time at 10.30 on a very cold morning (it had been 7 degrees overnight) but there was no-one else there...the host and the birthday child turned up two hours later (I cannot stand people who consistently have no respect for other people time).We had brought Aiden tri-cycle that he got as a birthday present from his grandma last year.We also spend some time exploring the forest next to the playground.
10. June 2012 08:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden's 2yo Birthday with the Family 10. June 2012 08:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden birthday with the familyShareToday we celebrated Aidens birthday with the family. In the morning we all had Yum Cha and afterwards we took all the kids to Little Dynamos to play.In the evening we had the family over for steamboat and cake. Great opportunity to take a new family photo with the latest member of the family...Emma.
8. June 2012 11:00 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments One year 8. June 2012 11:00 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetone yearShareToday it was one year ago that my my Mum and Aidens Grandma passed away. I am still sad that Aiden never met her but I am hoping that he will get to know Bedstefar better as he is growing up. I am also glad that Aiden will have a brother to keep each other company and I hope the two of them will be close and grow old together.I still have a suitcase sitting here full of photos that I one day will get the courage tp go through...but not anytime soon.
7. June 2012 04:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Aiden's 2 yo Birthday 7. June 2012 04:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetaiden s 2 yo birthdayShareToday was Aidens second birthday...time flies! We had a Birthday cake for him with the family and sang Happy Birthday and let him blow out the candle.
12. October 2009 11:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments An almost non-climbing event 12. October 2009 11:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetan almost non climbing eventShareIt has been raining almost constantly for the past two weeks (since the dust storm really) and Andy and I had organised to go climbing in the Blue Mountains together with a friends of his (Dan) who's never been on on real rock before.We looked a the forecast and it didn't look promising for the mountains so the night before we decided to go to plan B and go to Barrenjoey instead.The quality of the climbing is more limited, but at least it is a shorter drive and walk-in in case you have to bail. We arrived up at Palm Beach in the morning and the roads were still soaked in water from all the rain the night before. We therefore decided to stop at a cafe and have some breakfast and let the cliffs dry out a bit before walking in there.While eating breakfast we were having a look at the latest radar pictures and we could see that it was pouring down in the mountains and we could see rain approaching the Sydney area.After breakfast we were trying to decide whether we should bail or go climbing. After much procrastination we decided to climb and went to the carpark. Andy pulled out the insect repellent and started rubbing it into his genitals (or so it looked) saying that it would keep the chicks away (which I'm sure his wife appreciates)...or was it ticks.For Dans benefit we started out on one of the easiest climbs around there called Jezebel. Andy did the first lead and as he finished we could feel the first rain drops. I then did the second climb and once I reached the top the rain became heavier. The plan was to have Dan follow me up so that he could try an absail from the top. Once he reached the top it really started pouring and all of us became drenched while setting up the absail and clearing the gear.Dan made it down in good style (although nervous) and once I'd made it to the ground as well we quickly packed our gear and headed back home for a nice warm shower.Mostly a non-climbing day really...but Andy did get his sugar-hit with the pancakes.
12. October 2009 11:37 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Wicked - How did the wicked witch become wicked? 12. October 2009 11:37 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetwickedShareSaturday evening Kim and I went with a couple of friends to the Capitol Theatre to see the Broadway play called Wicked. The play is about how the Wicked witch became wicked in 'The Wizard of Oz'.The play very cleverly provides the background for the Wizard of Oz.This was Kims birthday present to me earlier in the year...satisfied the criteria for presents: Must be an experience or a consumable. It was a really nice evening and the play was very funny...especially the Wizard of Goodness (a real blonde)
23. September 2009 04:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Freak weather and dust storms 23. September 2009 04:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetfreak weather and dust stormsShareThe last 24 hours has been the most freak weather I've (and anyone else) has experienced in Sydney.Yesterday we had 30 degrees during the day and in the evening a huge thunderstorm descended upon Sydney with massive rainfalls and very high winds. Kim found that water was dripping through ceiling and my first though was "This ain't good" and rushed up to check if there was a hole in the roof tiles or in the plumbing (if you see one of the previous posts then you'll notice that we've installed Solar hot water and this system is positioned above that same bathroom).I could clearly see where the water had come in, but it wasn't through any gaps and it seemed that the strong winds had pushed the water backwards and upwards under the tiles...whew...but I'll have another look next time it rains.Then this morning I woke up and looked out the window and everything was covered in a bright red and yellow haze and it was blowing a gale. I had a look at the forecast and stuck my head outside the window and it turned out that all of NSW was encapsulated in a massive dust storm with fine red dust coming from the Australian outback. Everything outside is now covered in this fine dust, cars, windows...everything. One of out friends too the following photo from his balcony:The area covered by the dust is huge and apparently it may even reach New Zealand.
14. September 2009 12:55 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments BBQ 14. September 2009 12:55 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetbbqShareThis weekend we invited a group of my friends over for BBQ.The official excuse was for my recovery after my Hernia surgery (which is still causing me some grief some days).It was a beautiful spring day with 31 degrees in the shade and luckily I had put up a gazebo outside to cover the area and provide a bit of shade.Most of the day I was attending the BBQ cooking Lamb Cutlets, Fish, Prawns, Vietnamese Sausages and Chicken skewers.The last batch of chicken skewers I forgot on the BBQ with a very predictable result.In the evening we had Kim's family over for dinner/BBQ, so a repetition of the afternoon.
6. September 2009 10:44 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Sasha's and Mavis's wedding 6. September 2009 10:44 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetsasha s and mavis s weddingShare This weekend we went to Sasha's and Mavis's wedding. Family and friends were invited to attend the ceremony at Greenwich at 10am. The location they had chosen had a stunning view of Sydney Harvour and skyline. When we arrived neither the groom or the bride were there. Approximately 20 minutes later the bride arrived, but still no groom, so she did another round in the car. Finally at 10.30 Sasha arrived with his dad after having been stuck in traffic, shortly after Mavis arrived in her beautiful wedding dress and the ceremony could get under way. It was a beautiful ceremony, beautiful location and beautiful weather. After the ceremony it was photo time. The reception was at a restaurant called Occilate Wildly in Newtown. The food was nice and at the end of the afternoon everyone went on their way.
27. August 2009 12:18 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Videos from our trip in Italy and Denmark 27. August 2009 12:18 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetvideos from our tripShare During the trip Kim took a number of videos using her compact camera. Here are the best ones (Click on the links to download the videos): Denmark: Knights Fighting Firing Weapon Italy: Verona Aida the Opera 1 Aida the Opera 2 Aida the Opera 3 Aida the Opera 4 San Gimignano View of Cinque Terre Cinque Terre from the boat Driving to Portofino Portofino View of Lake Como Lake Como from the Boat Driving on mountain roads Cow (Dont kill the cow) Switzerland
27. August 2009 10:27 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Hernia Surgery 27. August 2009 10:27 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments TweetherniaShareThe week before we went away on holiday I experienced pain in the pelvic area. I quickly got it diagnosed with ultrasound to be a hernia. Furtunately it could wait until we came back from holiday to be fixed although it was giving me some problems along the way carrying suitcases etc.As soon as we came back I went to see the specialist and he told he that it would have to be fixed with surgery and that he could schedule it for the following week.In the morning of the surgery I had to be at the hospital at 6.30am in the morning. Surgery started at 9am and by 11am I was awake again released at 1pm.So it terms of the surgery it was very smooth...but it was very painful afterwards. I had problems standing up and sitting down.This photo was taken two days after the surgery:The cut is 13cm long and at this point I am still very much in pain.The feedback from the doctor was that this was an Indirect Inaugural hernia and apparently the type that can cause a lot of problems later on if not fixed.Unfortunately part of hernia surgery is that they have to cut some of the nerves so that they don't get caught in the mesh they use to repair it with.This means that now two and a half weeks after the surgery there is still a large area around the cut that has got no sensation to touch or pain and some areas are hyper sensitive with the result that even the lightest touch is painful.I hope the eventually all the sensation returns to normal (apparently in 25% of the cases this doesn't happen). I also hope that the scar won't be too bad and will mostly disappear long term.
27. August 2009 10:07 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Going Solar 27. August 2009 10:07 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetgoing solarShareWhen we came back from our holiday our watertank had started leaking significantly. Actually it had started leaking slightly back in May where at the same time the government was introducing the stimulus package as part of their rescue plan for the financial crisis. Part of this package was an increased rebate on Solar hot water which provided a total $3400 government funding. Back then I got a couple of quotes, but never proceeded hoping that the tank would last a little longer.When we came back the leak had become a lot worse and could burst any time. It therefore had to be replaced very fast. It seemed that just replacing the existing electric tank would cost almost the same as installing Solar hot water and would be more expensive in electricity. Besides we have already installed extra insulation and energy efficient appliances so it only made sense to use Solar hot water as well.It took them 3 hours to pull down the old 160 litre tank and install a new 300 litre tank on the roof. So far we are happy with the system. We have more hot water than before, it is not nearly as hot as the old system, but plenty hot for what is needed (The old system had water which was close to 90 degrees Celcius and the new is appx 60 degrees).It has an electric booster installed for cloudy days, but once summer is here I should be able to turn that off completely. And an extra advantage is that it has cleared out some space on the side of the house.
27. August 2009 02:00 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Jump shots 27. August 2009 02:00 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetjump shotsShare While we were travelling in Denmark and Italy we did a large number of Jump shots. Here are some of the coolest ones we did. First in Denmark Then Italy TweetweddingShareOn Sunday the 16th November 2008 I got married to Kim. It was a fantastic day and thanks to family and friends joining us making this a very memorable day. My day started out (Kims started much earlier) in the morning with my Best Man (Andy) as well as a number of other friends coming over to my house picking up trays, organising ribbons on cars and picking up supplies for the wedding ceremony. Kim had earlier in the morning left the house to go to her dads place to get dressed and have hair and makeup done. Once we got the call saying that she was ready we drove over to her dads place and on the way there we were stopped by the police who insisted on breath testing us...sorry guys you were out too early, we hadn't started drinking yet. At Kims place I had to bribe my way in through the door before they would let me in...all part of the tradition. Once I was let in my friends carried the trays of fruit, wine and noodles upstairs and this was the first time I saw Kim looking absolutely gorgeous in her wedding dress. We then started the Tea Ceremony where we first had to pay respect to the elders by burning incense and then serve tea to the parents. In return they would then present us with red envelopes containing money and Kim's dad also gave Kim an old bracelet and ring that used to belong to her mum. After the Tea ceremony I drove down to La Perouse where the wedding ceremony was going to take place. We were a bit early so they were still getting ready. The wind was really strong so the garden arch needed wires to stay in place etc. Once all the guests has arrived (around 40-50) Kim arrived in Nancys car with her bridesmaid (Natalie) and the ceremony could begin. Kim and I had decided and written most of the ceremony ourselves and the celebrant presented it beautifully (and very loud). After the ceremony we had some drinks and snacks with out guests and then took pictures for the next couple of hours around La Perouse and Centenial Park. Later in the afternoon we went back to our house to relax and freshen up for an hour until we then went to the Reception. We had invited 80 guests and they all arrived (more or less). People were greated out the front where they were served canabes and drinks and there was a pianist playing a piano. People were then seated and once everyone were at the tables the bridal party was introduced. After the entrees My dad and Andy held their speeches (both very good and unfortunately mostly true) and after the main courses it was the turn of KC and myself. To everyones surprise we had arranged entertainment during the evening in the form of some drummers. Everyone was given a drum and had to participate in the drumming. This also involved us dancing as part of the entertainment. This was eventually followed by us cutting the wedding cake (a tower of cupcakes) a then dance the bridal walz. Kim had changed to a more practical dress for the bridal walz and she looked absolutely stunning in it. Because I'd been sunburnt during the day my face almost matched the dress. 15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Moved into the new house 15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmoved into the new houseShareEnd of October we moved settled and moved into the new house. Not without a bit of of drama as the previous owner wasn't out of the house at settlement...but by the end of the day she was fortunately gone.She was living there with three little boys (terrorists), so there was a number of smaller things that had been neglected and really needed some attention and there were a number of flaws around the place that needed fixing (it seems that the solution to every problem for the previous owners was silicone glue). Most of this is under control now thanks to my dad helping out while here for the wedding (see next posting). Both Kim and I have now moved all our things and I've put kim in charge of selecting what colours she would like the walls to be downstairs before we go out and buy furniture.We also need to get new lights downstairs as the ones there heat up and switch themselves off (cheap crap) so I may just as well do the ceiling now that I am at it. 15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My Dad in Sydney 15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy dad in sydneyShareMy dad was in Sydney for our wedding and arrived on the 5th November just in time for us to also celebrate his birthday (We took him to his favourite steak house to get his favourite T-bone steak).It was great to have him here for the wedding as it would have been empty to not have any family members from my side at the wedding. It was also really sad that my mum couldn't come.We had just moved into the house week before so everything was still messy and there was a lot of things that needed fixing on the house. My dad was really helpful helping me out with a lot of the thing I'd never done before such as replacing tiles in the bathroom. He also changed the locks, fixed lights, painted walls, fixed doors, leaking taps etc. It gave us something to do together which was great for bonding. I just wish he'd been there a bit longer...but maybe I can convince him to come back to help me build a pergola.We also managed to do a bit of sightseeing around Sydney and it was great that he got a chance to meet Kims family. The wedding was something different for him and I think that he was pretty frustrated that he didn't know what the asian customs were (not a typical Danish wedding).He did give a really good speech at the wedding and I'm sorry to say that everything he said is true (although not everything was accurate). << Older posts Newer posts >> Newer posts12...717273747576777879...9394Older 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. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments Moved into the new house 15. November 2008 12:26 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmoved into the new houseShareEnd of October we moved settled and moved into the new house. Not without a bit of of drama as the previous owner wasn't out of the house at settlement...but by the end of the day she was fortunately gone.She was living there with three little boys (terrorists), so there was a number of smaller things that had been neglected and really needed some attention and there were a number of flaws around the place that needed fixing (it seems that the solution to every problem for the previous owners was silicone glue). Most of this is under control now thanks to my dad helping out while here for the wedding (see next posting). Both Kim and I have now moved all our things and I've put kim in charge of selecting what colours she would like the walls to be downstairs before we go out and buy furniture.We also need to get new lights downstairs as the ones there heat up and switch themselves off (cheap crap) so I may just as well do the ceiling now that I am at it.
15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen 0 Comments My Dad in Sydney 15. November 2008 02:35 by Rene Pallesen | 0 Comments Tweetmy dad in sydneyShareMy dad was in Sydney for our wedding and arrived on the 5th November just in time for us to also celebrate his birthday (We took him to his favourite steak house to get his favourite T-bone steak).It was great to have him here for the wedding as it would have been empty to not have any family members from my side at the wedding. It was also really sad that my mum couldn't come.We had just moved into the house week before so everything was still messy and there was a lot of things that needed fixing on the house. My dad was really helpful helping me out with a lot of the thing I'd never done before such as replacing tiles in the bathroom. He also changed the locks, fixed lights, painted walls, fixed doors, leaking taps etc. It gave us something to do together which was great for bonding. I just wish he'd been there a bit longer...but maybe I can convince him to come back to help me build a pergola.We also managed to do a bit of sightseeing around Sydney and it was great that he got a chance to meet Kims family. The wedding was something different for him and I think that he was pretty frustrated that he didn't know what the asian customs were (not a typical Danish wedding).He did give a really good speech at the wedding and I'm sorry to say that everything he said is true (although not everything was accurate).