All Inclusive Resorts - my Bali trial.

The kids, especially Ashton, loved looking at the huge fish in the pond that creeps around the garden centre of the resort. 

I love the decor, and casual 'surf' feel. It is old, but nice. 

Breakfast included freshly squeezed juices - even green ones!

We tried something new on our trip to Bali recently. We booked an All Inclusive Resort. I have always had a little voice saying 'give it a go,' the same voice that tells me to do a cruise holiday and maybe, just maybe, book a tour group holiday with the kids. I've never been one to do these sorts of holidays, so it leaves me questioning my thoughts and why they are rising. 

Well, when we found a resort, Sol Beach House Benoa, for what ended up costing us just $500 more than the typical resort (that we were looking at) which included only breakfast, I decided to jump. 

Sol Beach House included all meals, all drinks including non-imported alcoholic, daily activities including yoga, shows at night and bike hire. It sounded too good to be true. I love yoga, Belle and Ashton would love the shows at night, and we'd love not having to pay for food that only gets half eaten at times. We could eat whenever we want without needing to find a good restaurant we all like. Ben and I could do yoga every day without paying the usual $10-20 per session. Yes!

The pool is where the action is - aquarobics, pool bar, floating pillows.

Well, it wasn't exactly like that. 

Blue Package. I nice room, but with two extra beds, would have been a sea of sheets for the kids to jump over.

On arrival, I found a room with only three beds - two singles and a rollaway. But there are four of us. I ask housekeeping about another bed, and they were going to bring in another, but then all floor space would be filled. It'd be a room of mattresses. Not ideal. I head to reception and ask what can be done. After a little 'strong' discussion, we arrange for the sofa bed to be made up as another bed. I mention that perhaps their website shouldn't allow for me to book this room for four people if they don't allow four people in it.

Resort or nightclub? 

The activities were occasional. Yoga once during our stay. The Shows late for the kids (9 pm) and at times B-grade. Think scantily clad girls on sticks covered in glow sticks bopping to club music for four songs. 

Tai chi in the garden, in between the pool and beach walkway. 

Balinese Cultural Show in the garden. Didn't keep my attention like other shows, but I think Belle liked it (well, at least 15 minutes of it anyway!)

The food was fresh and salads were yummy - but it was all very similar every day. I missed going out and discovering new places to eat but didn't want to 'waste' our money by not utilising what we had paid for with the resorts all inclusive rate. 

Fish in the restaurant. 

Pizza with your cheese anyone? They were tasty when ordered with less cheese.

I loved the fresh and tasty salads. Nearly made me vego. 

Fish and Chips. I think the look of the fish put the kids off. Shame. 

The resort was not horrible - it was nice. A lovely reception area with swing chairs that the kids loved. They also loved playing darts and pool in the games room - but couldn't access the kids play room as it was always shut. 

The games room. 

Setting up for Balinese Cultural Show and Dinner in the garden. 

The kids loved feeding the animals. And these little guys loved being fed. 

The staff was friendly. The pool towel guy especially kind - helping me look around the resort, and get the word out to other staff and guests when Ashton run away from me one day. 

These guys knew their music. 

The kids loved going to the restaurant - any time of day.

Sidenote: Ashton ended up running back to the room with Ben, but meanwhile I left Belle in the pool with a new friend's Grandma watching over her, and was running all over the resort in my bikini calling for him. The new friends Dad run in the opposite direction and asked everyone if they had seen a little boy. It was a very scary 10 minutes for me. 

Ashton playing with the fish in the ponds. Normally, if he wasn't in the pool - he'd be here.

I missed the chat and friendships from the small resort and didn't want to interrupt anyone from their sunbathing over a book. Eventually, we did find people to strike up a conversation with. They mentioned they had been to better all inclusive resorts in the area - in the sense of more atmosphere and greater food selection. Perhaps you do get what you pay for - funny that.

These were a bit of fun for a few minutes. If only we knew how to play...

I'm not saying this resort is bad, or that my decision was wrong - I guess I had to do it to realise that this concept is completely not my scene. Especially after coming from a small, friendship focused surf camp in the 'jungle' of Padang Padang. Culture shock. 

Should I try a cruise ship holiday or squash the thought?

Getting awesome 'on the go' photos

Window light.

I've been photographing a lot of editorial style photo shoots lately - where I go in with minimal equipment and photograph what is happening. I love these sorts of jobs - where I can concentrate on capturing the moment, rather than creating the big extravaganza set.
 

One light, side on, draws attention to our man.

When indoors, unless I have awesome window light, I set one speed light up on a stand and use that as a side or back light. I have a long-standing dislike of full frontal lighting. Not saying it's wrong - I just prefer more dimension and shadow shape. If I have a white ceiling or wall, I'll bounce it backward with the built-in diffuser up. 

Two lights making an 'oomph'. If the subject allows, you can even let one of the lights creep into frame, adding flare. 

If the light is really dark, flat and 'yuck', I add a second light. One for the front 3/4 of the face, and one as a hair light. Adds a bit of pop. The hair light emulates sunlight coming through a window or similar. 

A completely black room except for the screens. Two lights sandwiching the guy make it more interesting. 

The light can come from anywhere to make an interesting photo. Don't always place people (or products) front on to the light. 

If window light exists, I'll position my subject near the window, normally side on. I'll play with distance away from the window and subject angle to the window.

Stage lighting is dramatic. I would not use flash for stage shots - work with the shadows. 

Always look for moments and get them quick. Dad had leant over to whisper something and the pair were only like this for seconds. 

Outdoors, at an event, I set the camera on shutter priority (for the majority of the time). This way, I can concentrate on what I am seeing. 

I'm always looking. Looking for interesting people, interactions, things I can 'set up'. When I find something, I run around looking at different angles. I'm not afraid to step in front of someone, sneak in front of the stage, run around the back, lean over someone. Just smile and be polite - most times it works out. 

With the strong backlight of sun creeping in behind their heads, the camera would have tried to keep the sun exposed, rendering their faces quite dark. Taking a look at your screen, 'chimping', would tell you if you need to shoot in Manual or not. 

I said 'most times' I put my camera on shutter priority. Shutter priority works when you have the sun side on or front on to the subject. If the sun is behind, then we have problems. If you have something overly dark or light behind, this also causes issues. If I am having trouble with the built-in light meter, I'll revert to Manual. Keep an eye on the sun popping in and out from behind clouds as this can drastically change your settings. I'll have a 'chimp' after every photo sequence just to check it's all looking okay.

So there you have it. There is no single 'right' way to take a photo. A lot of photographers will bang on about Manual being the only way - but it's not. 

If you want to know more about how to get better pics - without the tech jargon - check out my eCourse Better Pics for Business. It'll get you taking better pics with any camera. A new group course is starting in October. 

A girls trip to Bali - surf, sun, fun.

Jimbaran - early morning

Early morning at Jimbaran

My alarm went off just before 6 am. I ask myself again, 'what are you doing? It's a holiday, sleep in.' I lay in bed for a few more moments, trying to decided what to do. Then I roll over, pull on my bikini, rash vest and shorts and tip-toe out the door. I'm going surfing! 

I arrived in Bali the night before and finally got to our accommodation, Rapture Surfcamp at Padang Padang, just before midnight. Getting up before dawn wasn't ideal - but the idea of surfing was. I am nervous but excited. I'd been dreaming about this for months.

Feeling spoilt. Surf guides looking after our boards.

I meet the other surfers in my group, grab a board from the 'cupboard' and let the surf guides tie it up on the roof of the van. We then all pile in and head off on our reccie. I love seeing the countryside that was a blur of black the night before - we are far removed from the concrete city of Kuta. 

After a squizz at Padang and Thomas, we head down to Jimbaran. Swell is big which means there are clean and small waves (perhaps 2 foot) over the reef. It's the perfect intro to my Bali surf trip. I laugh at the tourists pulling suitcases along the beach, a Japanese couple prancing through the shore break while making a home video, and an older gentleman trying hard to lift weights but looking like he was swatting flies. I'm sure I also give someone a laugh or two when crashing about in the waves. But hey, I have fun. And finally, I'm catching green, unbroken waves - something that has scared me before.

Photo anyone? Photographers for each surf school and camp

I like a good reflection. And someone who says 'yes, sure, take a pic of me'. 

We surf til late morning then head back to camp. I'm buzzing. I love being out in the water and feel energised. 

The steps back up to the paddock car park from Thomas Beach

The following day we head out around 9 am. Swell is still big, and we struggle to find somewhere for beginners. We look at Padang, Thomas, Balangan, Nusa Dua 1 and Nusa Dua 2 before heading back to Thomas for lunch and wait for the high tide. Finally, we get in the waves at 2 pm and have a blast. I catch some good waves, and get slammed by some ultra good ones that I was silly enough to try for. The reef, which we had been told would not be a problem, was suddenly best mates with me.

Waiting for high tide. Waiting. Waiting. Fish and chips was yummy.

Perhaps slightly too big for newbies? But damn, it looks good.

Obviously not much to look at in that surf. Nusa Dua pea soup - rough guts swell.

I need one of these at home. Indoboard practise. 

When not surfing I laze by the pool - swimming, practicing duck dives on a board, reading and chatting to new friends (plus my friends from home). I'm sure I gave some guests another laugh too. Diving into the pool one afternoon, my bikini bottoms slipped right down. I was quick to get them back up but, embarrassing. I pop up at the other end of the pool with a squeal, spinning around to see a few smirks on faces looking my way. 

As the sun lowers, we head out to Uluwatu's Single Fin or nearby bar for a few sundowners while watching the surfers in the big swell. Who said eleven people couldn't fit in one eight seater van? 

Big swell at Uluwatu. Spot the surfer - looks like an ant. 

Single Fin from our rooftop bar. 

One night, on a whim, after everyone else had gone out, my friend and I decide to meet them at Single Fin - touted as 'the place' to go on the Bukit. Arriving, I'm intrigued by the sight of a multi-level nightclub jam packed with (mainly) young tourists wanting to pick up. I haven't been in this environment for a long time - being wife and mum to two children. It doesn't keep me still for long, though. Two songs in, and I'm dancing away. We then find some others from camp and join jiggy-bopping forces. Shame it shuts at 1 am and we only arrive about 11.30pm. The bartender laughed at me when I asked if there was anywhere else to go. 

Next morning, I get to have a look at the photos taken while we were out surfing. I have never laughed so hard at myself! There is a large stack of images of me - and nearly all of them have me in a pose that looks like I'm hovering over a toilet while holding my nose. I should get copies of them and make a 'funny board' for when I need a pick me up. 

It'd also make an awesome reminder of surf, sun and fun at Rapture Surfcamps Padang.

Refreshments. 

A day for Fleurieu Living Magazine..

I love shooting for Fleurieu Living Magazine. 

I love the Fleurieu Peninsula.

I love the people, the quirks, the landscape. 

One day in April I got to spend the whole day photographing in the Yankalilla, Normanville and Second Valley area. 

This is the type of imagery you get when you book an 'editorial' shoot. 

It was fun. Check out some of my faves... 

A wander through Glenelg

Before the weather turned sour, I wandered Glenelg for the day, getting piccies for a client. A little project I am helping them with, which I'll tell you more about soon.

I REALLY want to live close to the beach - but my dream is to live by a surf beach. That way, I can walk down with board under arm. BUT, Glenelg has the vibe. I love the cafe culture that is popping up. There is good coffee. There is alternative 'healthy' food. There are activities for young and old. It is no wonder it's a tourist hotspot. 

Taking that vibe and plonking it next to a surf beach would make my dream come true. I could then open up a gallery for locals AND tourists, go surf every day (when there is surf) and, at it's most basic, feed my soul. I'd be one happy chappy. 

Anyway, here are a few pics from my wander. Thanks so much to all the businesses I visited - you make awesome subjects. :)

The Moseley

Pure Coffee

Zest

Goodlife Pizza

Zucca

The Oyster Bar

Esca

Chick n Chip

The Beachouse

The Organik Cafe

When things go wrong while travelling #2

The playground at the caravan park the kids wanted to play on when we got back from the supermarket. Unfortunately it was getting dark, so they had to wait until morning to have a play again. 

Picture this. You are going to the Great Ocean Road, a spectacular driving holiday. A bucket list item for many. You are towing a camper trailer and have two small children. At the end of the first day of travelling, all the kids want to do is play on the playground. But you need supplies. Fresh bread, milk, etc. A pit-stop at the local supermarket should be quick and easy, yes?

Of course. Except for when your toddler falls over the front of your shopping trolley, onto his head, and passes out. Locals freeze. You scream while frantically blowing into his face, trying to get him to 'wake up'. This is what happened to us. 

Ben runs around, asking locals where the hospital is, while Ashton rolls his eyes around, in and out of consciousness. Hearts are beating super speed. Bread and milk don't seem so important now. 

Five minutes later, after trying to prop Ashton up in the baby seat while he 'dreams', we are running into the hospital with him in our arms. The running seems to awaken Ashton and before long he is trying to figure out what all the new toys are, pulling at hoses, trying to turn gadgets on - all while a nurse tries to get his stats. Phew. At least he is conscious and aware. I presume all is ok, and we will be sent home within a few minutes. 

But no, 'luckily' for us, we get to spend five hours in the hospital with Ashton being monitored. Nurses check on him constantly, making sure he is stable and not suffering from any internal damage. 

We had the huge kids room to ourselves and allowed to bring in fish and chips for tea. It's not where I want to be; I'm getting bored, but I want to make sure Ashton is okay. Finally, after final checks, the nurse discharges us. Yay. Not the playground the kids wanted to play in, but an adventure none the less. 

Guess we didn't need supplies after all - not for dinner anyway.

What's wrong? Confused with all the attention he gets after being in hospital. 

How to use photography in social media

One of our lessons in Better Pics for Business was Social Media and the use of photography within it. I asked Tania from bizeez communications for her advice. I think her top five 'Do's and Don'ts are worth sharing with you. 

Tania has 30 year’s operational and consultancy experience in Australia and the UK ranging in hotel management, employment, and wine. Through her Barossa based creative agency, bizeez communications, Tania can assist tourism, hospitality and wine business’ grow by way of powerful PR, marketing, web and social media solutions. 
 
Tania is a respected blogger and commentator on modern marketing trends for the wine and tourism sectors and has gained a reputation as an entertaining and knowledgeable digital marketing specialist and trainer. She provides current information, evokes discussion, makes technical terms easy to understand and delivers practical actionable outcomes.
 
Tania launched bizeez communications in 2010 and has since worked with numerous business owners and marketers needing assistance with modern marketing and communications strategies including wineries, food brands, chefs, restaurants, accommodation providers as well as industry specific organisations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Top 5 Do’s (or Don’ts) for using pics on social media.

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1. Number one rule is Use them! If you’re posting across any of the major social media networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and yes even Twitter – use great photos to promote your brand. Visual assets are an essential tool for communicating your brand’s story, and it’s reported that you have a 4 x greater chance of interaction with imagery than a text only post. So imagery in your marketing strategy is extremely important. 

 
2. Don’t steal others’ photos. User Generated Content is fabulous and really should be part of your content marketing strategy, but there are some important rules to remember and one is, don’t steal! Ask if you can use imagery on your social networks. Never think that because a photo is on the internet, that it can be used for your own purposes even if it’s your business. 

Also, according to a study comScore undertook in 2015, brand engagement rises by 28% when consumers are exposed to both user-generated imagery and brand created imagery. So definitely do consider UGC in your content marketing strategy -  just do it ethically and legally.

3. Mix it up – you don’t have to use just a photo. Use a photo with text overlayed for inspirational quotes, blogs, etc. 

4. If you’ve gone to all this trouble and taken fabulous photos, then created great visual assets, feel free to brand them.  If they go viral (i.e. get shared across the internet), then people will be able to seek out your business because they know where the original imagery was created.    

5. Avoid cheesy stock photos in your marketing. People want to see your business – not some notion of what it could be. There is a place for generic stock photos for sure, but if you’re promoting your own business, don’t use stock photos of another establishment. 

 To see more of what Tania does head over to www.bizeez.com

Challenges and toenails on the Heysen Trail.

Ok, so technically, it didn't go wrong while on holiday - so it doesn't get in my 'things go wrong on holiday' list - but damn, it's a negative.

Fresh start on day one. Full of smiles. 

Dad wanted a challenge. He wanted to hike the Heysen Trail from Cape Jervis to Victor Harbor, normally a four-day hike, in two days. Just over 70km. 

I've never done more than 22km a day - and even that was a chore. Tired legs, same scenery and other hikers not enjoying themselves became a real mental struggle. I think I fell asleep while doing a beach meditation that day. While sitting up. That was on the Great Ocean Walk when we combined 100km into five days. 

Now I'm challenged to walking 35km a day, two days in a row. Over rough cliff coastline and hills that look like a Giants green bum sticking up in the air. A whole family of giants. I say yes, but never get too excited about it. In fact, I never even looked at a map of where we would be hiking until the day prior. That is VERY MUCH not like me to not plan and organise details. 

A good bit of the track, seems like a stroll, with views to KI and the southern ocean.

We set off early on Saturday morning and starting walking just before sunrise from the Sealink terminal at Cape Jervis. I'm jovial, nearly skipping along, commenting on how wonderful it is to be out in nature. But in the back of my mind, I worried about what I'd be saying 12 hours from now. 

One of the many stiles we crossed. By end of day two, it was a mission to step up and pull the leg over.

The hike started nice and easy, until Cobbler Hill in Deep Creek Conservation Park. I think we both let a few expletives go, but that was nothing compared to what lay ahead of us in the next 36 hours. 

It wasn't until Tunkalilla Beach that I found the terrain easier to handle. Two bung knees that shot daggers out whenever there was a slight decent, one ankle that was screaming at me to stop squashing it walking on the side of the hill and two big toes that I kept knocking on rocks while looking at what I could take photos of. (Note to self: stop and look, don't continue to walk while looking around.)

Finally! Some track not on a hillside. Instant relief for my ankle. Downhill - instant scream from my knees. 

The first day saw me nearly crying while letting out yelps of pain while descending valleys. I cautiously stepped one foot in front of another on  a cliff while seeing the sharp rocks and swell of ocean on the peripheral straight below the trail. Dad and I exchanged utter disappointment and exhausted awe when we rounded the corner and found he had told our support people to park in a carpark that was the steepest incline we'd had yet. And this was at 6 pm. We trudged up, I fell into the car, ate some chicken, the granny-hopped down the hill again to set up our tent and sleeping bags by the beach. 

I was set for a night of sleep that consisted of passing out from tiredness. But, setting up in the dark, meant we didn't realise we were on a slope. We both kept bracing ourself, so we didn't roll downhill. And, I had packed the wrong pillow - a u-pillow that was seriously more uncomfortable than clothes rolled up in a pillow case (which I normally do). But because I had accidentally left my thermals in the car heading back to Victor Harbor, I had to sleep in my clothes and had no left overs for a pillow. Yes, gross, I know. The first thing I did when we got back to Victor Harbor was shower - and then I felt half human again. 

See the road behind the house on the hilltops? That's where our dinner and tent were waiting. Not the most fun to realise after hiking 11 hours. 

Start of day two... just some ultra soft sand for a few kilometres. 

Day two, my body surprised myself by not being too sore. I could actually stand. We started with a few kilometres of soft beach sand, then climbed, with the assistance of the fence, a nearly vertical hill. We had the warning from a seasoned hiker this was worse than Cobblers Hill, Tunkalilla Beach. And yep, let your backpack pull you back, and you would tumble down to serious injury. The trail then eased, and we powered through most of the day. Lunch at Waitpinga beach was quick; any stop made my legs stiffen up like wood. Then we powered on. By mid-afternoon, I mention I should tighten my ankles of the boots up - my ankle felt strained and weak. In hindsight, it probably would have helped to do them up tighter from the start. Maybe my feet wouldn't have slipped forward as much, denting my toes. As the afternoon sun lowered, I felt myself tripping over more and more rocks. Screaming at one stage, I thought I'd broke it open. I didn't bother looking, though - what could I have done?

After the Tunkalilla beach soft sand, just a little hill to climb. I had to use the fence to stop me falling over backwards. 

By the time we hit the bluff, I was out of mental puff. I wanted to be the leisurely walkers out strolling with their dogs. I wanted to sit down - but didn't dare. I wanted a shower. I wanted my boots off. I wanted to be there. Dad wanted to walk down to my mum's house in Encounter Bay, but one step, another shriek, and we hobbled back up to a carpark to wait. My knees couldn't take it, and the pain daggers came fiercely. 

The shower made me feel half human while the nanny walk kept me appreciative of what I'd put my body through in the last two days. I warned my dad not to ring in the morning, because if I couldn't walk, I'd swear. The Funny thing was, he didn't call. He rang hubby and my mum to check in on me. I did end up calling him, though - I could walk. And he didn't cop an ear bashing.

But, that wasn't the end of it. Thinking I'd bruised my toes and toenails, I thought the pain would subside over the next few days. No. The nails turned lots of different shades of blue and purple, to the current state of purple-blue with smudges of black. Surfing a few days ago didn't help either - bashing my toes on rocks just made the colour come out thick and fast. 

Would I do it again? No. Never. Dad said he wouldn't either. Hats off to his workmates that did it in 23 hours. Fark.
Am I glad I did it? Yes. It is a challenge I can say I achieved. I am fit enough. I am strong enough. Mentally and physically. And I love the time with my Dad. Sometimes chatting, sometimes walking in silence. 

How 'out bush' do you go?

And another beach. Waitpinga. I love beach walking - especially when it's harder sand. 

When things go wrong while travelling.

I've travelled a lot in my life - with and without kids. And I will continue to travel for as long as I can, as much as I can. 

We always remember the good times, even though they aren't all good. Now it's time to crack open the treasure chest and let a few rip...

In this series, I will tell the tales of when things go wrong. It can be near disaster to mild discomfort. Embrace it. If you travel, you will chance upon some not so positive times. Learn from the experience of others, realise you are not the only one. It's all part of the journey. Without fear, new adventures and mild despair, there is no learning, excitement and wonder. Lean into the fear. If you feel uncomfortable, that is where life is changing. 

Some of the lessons I'm probably yet to learn, but here are my experiences. 

#1 Most Dramatic. The tsunami.

Ok, so before I go much further, let me explain. A tsunami didn't eventuate, but for about five hours we thought a disaster was on its way. 

We were strolling through the gardens of our resort, back to our beachfront villa, when another Aussie guest came zooming past on a golf cart yelling 'a tsunami is coming, quick, a tsunami is coming'. Hubby and I, strollers holding our two sleeping children in front of us, look at each other confused, then decide to turn back to the reception area where we had just come from to check what is happening. 

A leisurely stroll through the tropical gardens after checking flight details turns to a speedy workout pushing strollers up the nearest mountain.

'Yes, there is a tsunami warning. We are recommending all guests head up to the roof of the hotel.' 

'Um, ok'. We turn to where she is pointing, my heart is pounding, and wonder how we are going to lug both strollers up the five flights (plus) of stairs. Something catches my eye as we look. It's the staff carpark - what seems like every staff member of the hotel is jumping on their bike and zooming off. I get even more concerned. Me always being inquisitive, I ask the doorman where they are going. 'Up the hill or to their home', he replies. 

'Where would you go?' I ask. He points through the carpark and says there is a big hill right there that goes straight up. We make our decision,  thank him and start running. 

He is right; the hill starts just the other side of the road from where the car park sits. About a third of the way up I decide we need to buy as much water as we can - since we could be stuck up there for god knows how long. I beeline it into a closed restaurant and ask for water. She only has four bottles left, so I buy them all. We then continue our ascent. 
We must look tired, or the locals are ultra friendly. A couple of times a friendly local comes and picks up our strollers and carries them up the hill for us. On one location, the local insists we are high enough, that the water won't make it this high, but I can see more hill and more altitude, so we push on. Sweat is pouring down our foreheads and backs, it's amazing the energy you have with adrenalin pumping fierce through every body part. 

Half way up the hill. Lots of locals felt comfortable stopping here to wait in the shade but I kept thinking 'there is more hill, more safety'. So we kept hiking up.

Finally, we make it nearly to the top. We are high, and I am satisfied that no wave will reach us here. My heart is still pumping at dizzying speed. Now my mind is asking a million questions.
How will I feed Ashton, who is bottle fed, with only one bottle of formula?
What if Belle gets hungry?
Oh no, I've lost all my photos of the trip?
I've lost my computer, and my work?
How will we get to the airport? 
I don't want to go to the airport; it's at sea level. 
It's going to be crazy, and dirty, and still life-threatening when this ends.
How long will we be stranded in Phuket for?

We rested here until the lovely local came and asked us back to her home around the corner.

A beautiful local on her scooter potters past and asks us back to her home. She is asking all the families back to her home for food and to sleep. We take her up on the offer. It's only 50m or so further up the hill, and it means the kids will be out of the sun. 

Another Australian family from the resort we are staying at comes to the house also. Belle plays with the little boy while Ashton sleeps - oblivious as to why we are up a hill in the middle of nowhere. Our friendly locals feed them colourful sugar treats, packets of chips and, as night falls, cooks us all up eggs, vegetables and rice. 

During the hours we spend with them, they are watching the news on tv and trying to translate what is being reported.
We hear -
Indonesia is wiped out
Hundreds have already been killed
The wave will hit Phuket about 9 pm
There are three 8m waves

Belle had no idea what was happening. She was happy to get to watch stuff on a new friends iPad.

Meanwhile, Ashton was getting hungry. With only a couple of mineral waters and one formula bottle, I had help trying to entertain and distract him.

So you can understand we are trembling with fear while trying to remain calm. I ask the Australian mum of a little boy Ashton's age if she can breastfeed Ashton if needed. I also ask them if I can borrow their phone to call home. I phone my Dad, the only number I can remember, and tell him what is happening - then to pass the information on to the rest of the family. I don't know if I can ever explain the feeling of telling your dad that you are in a life-threatening situation, thousands of kilometres away, but 'should' be ok. 'I love you' seems so much stronger than any other time.

Ben also starts asking a few questions -
Shall I go down and get the formula
What if we go halfway down and find out what is happening
Should I go down and get a bag full of stuff - it's not meant to be here in the next hour

Of course, I say no, it's not worth risking his life over. The wave could hit at any time - we only hear very roughly translated news reports. 

Everyone helped to entertain the kids as the hours ticked on.

Or maybe the kids entertained the tourists?

And new friendships kindled. Apparently Belle invited him to her birthday party a few months later. He lives in a different city. 

At 9.30pm, after our local family had offered us, and ten others, their precious 3x3m tiled lounge floor to sleep on, we cautiously (and me very scared) inch back down the mountain. Lights around the town. There are few people moving around the streets. I am scared and don't want to go back to our beachfront resort. I convince Ben to see if we can get a room in a hotel on the hill somewhere. We try the first one we see but it seems nobody is there. The second one is full. Then we see a tourist family walking towards us. We ask what is happening. They say 'we think it is all called off'. Not the most reassuring, but it does make me feel slightly better. 

There is nothing else between our hotel and us so we dash to the reception. They confirm the tsunami is called off, and we can return to our rooms. But I'm not convinced. We are in a beachfront room and I can't shake my tension. I ask for a high floor room and am told all are full. Shattered, I ask if we can move resorts. But after a couple of calls, we are not having much luck. They offer to test our room alarm for us, which goes off in a tsunami warning. I agree. 

Finally, at midnight, I sleep lightly while Ben is awake watching tv and catching up on tea. Our daypacks are packed, ready to run, sitting near the doorway tonight. Later, when I notice Ben has turned the light off, I sleep even lighter, listening to every noise. To say I had a bad sleep was an understatement - I couldn't wait to leave in a few days time. But, that wasn't to be the end of it.

Just before dawn the next morning, our alarm goes off. I am up and out of bed, daypack on back and putting both kids in the strollers before Ben could even turn the light on. I didn't care I was in my summer pyjamas and that everyone would see. I commented I could smell smoke when we opened the door then ran. Not many others were up, but I didn't care. We made it to Reception in record time and were surprised only to see a few people there. I would have thought if a tsunami was coming, everyone would be hasty. 

But not everyone was there because there was no tsunami coming. It was a false alarm, the alarm going off by accident. I would normally have been furious, but I was too exhausted. We had only managed a few hours sleep, the kids eyes were goggling with tiredness, and now we were up for the day. 

Ben and I commented that day, if it weren't for our flight leaving the next day, we would be making arrangements to go home early. There is only so much you can take in one holiday, and this experience, on top of Ashton cutting a tooth and running fevers for the first seven days, was just too much. 

I think we got high enough. Even if three eight-metre waves had been on their way.

FYI, the movement that happened underwater that set off the tsunami warnings ended up being peaceful. The tectonic plates moved horizontally instead of vertically causing a minor ripple. Apparently, with the movement, if they had moved horizontally, this story would have had a very different ending. A tsunami bigger than the Boxing Day one would have been on its way. So we are told. 

Note to self. 
Try to listen to people with better English. 
Keep my phone usable but just disabled.
Learn an escape route on arrival at the holiday destination.

What have you learned from something going wrong on holiday?

Photographers and travel. What do they take?

Q. What do you think would be the first thing a photographer packs when travelling? 

A. Their camera.

Yes, that is correct. And you would expect they would never forget it. As an extension of their body - it goes everywhere.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, guess what I did recently?

I love using the Tilt Shift feature in Instagram for adding more interest to an otherwise 'flat' image. 

I forgot my camera. On a trip to Queensland. To the Sunshine Coast. 

I stressed for about two hours or so, trying to figure out what to do. Hubby suggested getting it expressed up (bless him). I briefly thought of hiring. Then I settled on using my iPhone. That's what most people do - isn't it? 

And for the most part, it worked fine. Yes, I haven't looked at the photos enlarged yet - so disappointment hasn't settled - but I feel comfortable. I look at it as great practical training for my Better Pics for Business eCourse research. 

Everyone photoraphs the giraffes. I wanted to try something different. These reeds looked all fluffy and cute. 

I tried playing with Apps but ended up using the standard camera most of the time. I used the swipe function on the screen for force increasing/decreasing exposure and selecting focus area. I also did a few panoramics. When uploading to Instagram, I used some filters. 

I loved not being burdened by the weight of my DSLR. I loved looking like a normal tourist with a phone camera rather than someone taking a 'proper photo'. 

Street shots were the hardest subject to photograph with my iPhone. I don't like using the zoom and sometimes standing in the middle of the road to get the photo wasn't the best idea. 

I didn't like that I couldn't do everything I was used to. Some exposures didn't work out. I couldn't work as quick. I don't like the fact that if I have a 'wow' photo, I can't use it for much else than online. I know I'm not going to enjoy looking at the sensor latitude. There will be highlight blowouts or dark and deep shadows. 

My final thoughts - I would like to try a mirrorless. A Fujifilm or similar. Something small but high quality. Something I can add to a carry-on bag with clothing instead of carrying an extra bag. Any personal recommendations?