Map In My Pocket

Tag: Travel Photography

Sunrise on Surfers Paradise

This week, I am revisiting some old memories!

Last year when I was living in Sydney, we had a study break when we were supposed to work on a project. Instead a bunch of us (read most of the class) rented an apartment on Surfers Paradise in Gold Coast & took off.

Some, including me took a flight, while other lucky ones drove down. Though I did miss taking the scenic route, I woke up to this!

A Sunrise on The Beach.

There I am in the living room, waking up, sticking my head out & see it getting light outside. So, I wake up others and we walk across from the apartment to sit on the beach and catch the sunrise.

Each of us wanders off to pick a spot & indulge in some peace and thought.

& Then, just like that, the wait is over.

and a glorious dawn breaks.

The time is more than perfect for a quite walk on the beach,

to the sound of crashing waves.

I believe a beach at this twilight hour has a completely different personality from when it gradually assumes its character as the day wears on.

Do you know of any other beaches where one could wake up to the rising sun?

Tell me! Would love to go there one day. :)

Read Next: Abseiling in The Blue Mountains

October 27, 2015
In the Realm of The Passes: Khardung La

I have been to the Himalayas twice. Both times, my most memorable moments have been at the Lakes & the Passes. Their beauty is incomparable & my love for them is eternal.

With the crisp mountain air in our face, listening to the Buddhist Morning Prayer, Khardung La or the ‘Pass of the Lower Castle’ is where we headed to first, after a day of acclimatisation. This Himalayan Pass’s claim to tourist-fame is that at 18,380 feet it is the highest motorable road in the world. But this is a fact that is more often than not disputed.

While being photographed with this signboard is a classic tourist must-do. These three Stupas with the fluttering prayer flags crowning them remain the photographers’ favourite.

A short climb gets you here, to the quaint little temple & these stupas.

The mountainside disappears in prayer flags & as you find your way through them, you might come up short of breath, for the climb though short gets a little tough. The rarified atmosphere of Khardung La, at its immense height is known to cause altitude sickness. Though no one in the group had to tackle with this, it is recommended that you check your oxygen levels & blood pressure before you decide to undertake this journey.

Once you reach level ground & catch your breath, you cannot help but be overwhelmed! The Himalayas just never cease to surprise you with all that they have to offer. The scenic beauty, which inspires in you a sense of achievement & pride in just being able to witness it. The solitude, which makes you feel like you have found your own little space of peace in this crowded world, ‘far from the madding crowd’ so to say!

Also Read: The Goat Village: Take me away!

Right opposite to the stupas, a series of steps lead you to a rain-washed cabin & from this edge, the snow covered peaks are almost within touching distance and the wooden cabin only adds to the intrigue of the scene.

PS: When you come back down, DO NOT miss the Qahwah at Rinchen Cafe. The only canteen amongst the few structures on the other side of the road.

While the Arabic Qahwah is coffee based, the Kashmiri version is tea based. Nonetheless, you will love the lingering taste of the cardamom from this warm drink, right after being out in the sharp chilly breeze. Atleast I did!
& I still miss it. ;)

Read More on Ladakh:

Little Ones of Ladakh
Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond
Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
In The Nomadic Settlement of Puga

October 13, 2015
Little Ones of Ladakh

I was never interested in shooting portraits, or so I thought!

Standing still, on the sidelines, as columns of brilliantly dressed Ladakhis walked by to the Polo Grounds for the Opening Ceremony of the Ladakh Festival, I watched. The multitude of tourists and photographers clamouring to capture everything. It stuck me. I was just a shy mouse.

Embarrassed though I was, I did make a not-so-successful attempt at clicking the performers as they made their way to the Ladakh Festival. So, over the week as I journeyed through these Himalayan lands, I tried to remedy this. I overcame my natural inhibitions & clicked portraits of the kids I became friendly with.

& seeing their eager smiles as they hugged my camera close and stuck their noses to the screen gave me more satisfaction than anything else on this trip!!

So, here you go.

This little girl was the perfect model & gave me the confidence to pursue travel portraits of the Little Ones of Ladakh. Which is why this is my favourite picture & therefore the first in this series.

I clicked this picture in Leh, as these little boys waited for their dad to take them to the Ladakh Festival.

& this little baby girl here, at the opening ceremony, watching the performances from the protective lap of her grandmother.

On our way to Tso Moriri, when we stopped at the village of Chumathang for lunch, I came across this group of children. The smallest & undoubtedly the cutest one, the little Matryoshka Doll in this photo was the subject of every photographer in that area then and by the time I got to clicking this photo she was ready to flee! While the older girl wanted her photo taken & was preening for it. Quite an interesting conflict I thought :)

Again a conflicting picture, where the older of the two gets very conscious as she tries to pose for the camera, on the way back from school in Thiksey.

To end this post, a photo of the most adorable baby boy I have ever seen, excited to be clicked as he stumbles across to the grocery downhill from Shey Palace.

Did you have to overcome some fear or reserve on your travels? Do tell me. Would love to get any ideas on how I can take better photos in my further travels!

Read Next: Ladakh Festival: Celebrating Life & Beyond.

Read More on Ladakh:

Royal Ruins: Shey Palace
In The Realm of The Passes: Khardung La
5 Reasons You Should Travel to Ladakh Off-Season
In The Nomadic Settlement of Puga

September 25, 2015
A Day on The Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island is a popular holiday island in Western Australia eighteen kilometres off the coast of Perth. This island framed by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean is a ferry ride away. Making for an ideal day trip destination.

Separated from the mainland around 7000 years ago, it is famous for its secluded bays, pristine beaches & crystal clear waters.

An A Class Nature Reserve, it is home to a range of rare and remarkable species of plant, marine & wild life. Its extensive seagrass beds provide shelter & nutrients in the shallow marine environment.

The population of Quokkas – who have lately become popular as the World’s Happiest Animal – led the Dutch seaman Willem de Vlamingh to name this island, their island, the Ratte nest (rat’s nest); which eventually became Rottnest.

I was in Sydney last year & travelled to Perth for my birthday weekend.
& that is how I found myself for a day on the Rottnest Island.

The first thing we did as soon we got to the island was to find a map & hire a bike.

Bikes are the transportation of choice on this island! (As you can see from the picture above :D)

But, you can also choose to hop on & off the bus or book one of the tours including a historic train ride, which bring to life the colonial heritage of the island.

So, what else can one do besides enjoying the sweeping ocean views, scenic salt lakes & moors and the sights of trees shaped by years of oceanic winds?

Eat at waterfront restaurants with a view like this.

Swim, dive, snorkel, fish, sail.. laze on the beach!

Discover shipwrecks.

There are such a number of great trails to follow & brilliant sights to explore that I came away feeling a day is just not enough!

PS: Google Maps are just as fun, though not so pretty!

Read Next: Sunrise on Surfers Paradise

Read More on Australia:

Abseiling in The Blue Mountains

September 6, 2015