It’s a Saturday night, I’m home alone… could have gone out I guess… but I have a sore foot. And plus I have work in the morning *rolls eyes* like that’s stopped me in the past…
3 things have happened tonight that make me glad I stayed home. The first is that there was an Adam Sandler double on TV. Billy Madison followed by Happy Gilmore. The second thing was an interesting call from Whyalla…
But the third is why I’m writing.
The third is what inspires me. Gets my blood flowing, excites, and arouses me. Gets the adrenaline coursing thru my veins
The third thing is an awesome thunderstorm.
Ever since I can remember sitting on the front porch in Whyalla as a young boy watching the thunderstorms roll over the Spencer gulf, counting the seconds to work out how far away it was, watching a wall of flashing lights and crashing noise approach me from the dessert; It has done something to me… maybe it’s the warmth of the air before, maybe it’s the intensity of the rain afterwards, maybe its just the flashing lights. Probably deep down it’s the primeval instinct that made the first humans look up at the terrifying lights and noise and imagine angry gods smiting sinners, throwing thunderbolts or farting… even though most of the wonder is gone from it thanks to science, it still provokes awe in all of us to some extent. Weather fear or excitement, I hope no one can say that they feel nothing when there’s a thunderstorm.
I stood out on my little balcony with my camera wondering how people take photos of lightning… in the end I did one of the things I’m pretty bloody good at (those of you that know me might not believe me) – I waited… camera at the ready, pointed at one patch of sky… It’s not an easy thing to catch lighting in a photo.. its bloody fast stuff and I ended up with a lot of photos of nothing… but I managed to catch It a couple of times. The funny thing about taking photos of lightning, is that it’s a bit like waiting for the perfect wave… you wait and wait and miss a few and then when you give up and go inside, you see the flash of a massive strike right where you were pointing your camera just a moment before… or hear about the perfect wave they caught just half an hour after you went home. It’s tempting to stay out there all night with my camera and wait for the perfect photo… but there will be more lightning other days, clearer skies, and less bright city lights… of course then I will have forgotten my camera… but still…
The other thing about taking photos of lightning (as an awesome flash lights up my room, with the thunder only a second or so behind – close!) is that it’s a bit like having a video camera on a holiday. Its tempting… like I said… to stand there and take photos of it, but it’s also nice to just experience it. The reason I’ve decided not to take a video camera with me around the world is mostly for that reason – I’d prefer to be in the action than recording it…
On to other exciting news – the holidays I booked for the 25th of November so I could go back to Whyalla for my 10 year reunion have been changed… I had booked 3 days, but the kindly people doing the roster this month have given me the day before and the day after off as RDO’s as well! That means I’ll get an extra couple of days with my family and my dogs before I go away. Be the last chance I get to see the Dogs before I go… and as much as I hate to say it, probably the last time I’ll see Wulfie alive. He’s getting a bit old… I got him the year I finished year 12, and this is the reunion, so he’s 10 and a bit… that’s a pretty good run for a dog of any type. But enough about that, I’m making myself sad.
Other than that – The Contiki tour is booked!!! Leaving on April 22nd on the Ultimate 45 day contiki tour! Can’t wait… should be awesome. On top of that, the girl at the travel agent who booked it was chatting to me (I’d love to know how much commission she gets for booking a trip that cost that much…) and she said that she used to work in the Walkabout Pubs in the UK. She said that all you need to get a job there is an Australian accent. Plus they do accommodation that just comes off your pay each week… how good would that be. Definitely going to check that out.
Seems to be a lull in the thunder storm, and the rains stopped… so this might be a good time to finish up…
Later guys… Cheers!
3 things have happened tonight that make me glad I stayed home. The first is that there was an Adam Sandler double on TV. Billy Madison followed by Happy Gilmore. The second thing was an interesting call from Whyalla…
But the third is why I’m writing.
The third is what inspires me. Gets my blood flowing, excites, and arouses me. Gets the adrenaline coursing thru my veins
The third thing is an awesome thunderstorm.
Ever since I can remember sitting on the front porch in Whyalla as a young boy watching the thunderstorms roll over the Spencer gulf, counting the seconds to work out how far away it was, watching a wall of flashing lights and crashing noise approach me from the dessert; It has done something to me… maybe it’s the warmth of the air before, maybe it’s the intensity of the rain afterwards, maybe its just the flashing lights. Probably deep down it’s the primeval instinct that made the first humans look up at the terrifying lights and noise and imagine angry gods smiting sinners, throwing thunderbolts or farting… even though most of the wonder is gone from it thanks to science, it still provokes awe in all of us to some extent. Weather fear or excitement, I hope no one can say that they feel nothing when there’s a thunderstorm.
I stood out on my little balcony with my camera wondering how people take photos of lightning… in the end I did one of the things I’m pretty bloody good at (those of you that know me might not believe me) – I waited… camera at the ready, pointed at one patch of sky… It’s not an easy thing to catch lighting in a photo.. its bloody fast stuff and I ended up with a lot of photos of nothing… but I managed to catch It a couple of times. The funny thing about taking photos of lightning, is that it’s a bit like waiting for the perfect wave… you wait and wait and miss a few and then when you give up and go inside, you see the flash of a massive strike right where you were pointing your camera just a moment before… or hear about the perfect wave they caught just half an hour after you went home. It’s tempting to stay out there all night with my camera and wait for the perfect photo… but there will be more lightning other days, clearer skies, and less bright city lights… of course then I will have forgotten my camera… but still…
The other thing about taking photos of lightning (as an awesome flash lights up my room, with the thunder only a second or so behind – close!) is that it’s a bit like having a video camera on a holiday. Its tempting… like I said… to stand there and take photos of it, but it’s also nice to just experience it. The reason I’ve decided not to take a video camera with me around the world is mostly for that reason – I’d prefer to be in the action than recording it…
On to other exciting news – the holidays I booked for the 25th of November so I could go back to Whyalla for my 10 year reunion have been changed… I had booked 3 days, but the kindly people doing the roster this month have given me the day before and the day after off as RDO’s as well! That means I’ll get an extra couple of days with my family and my dogs before I go away. Be the last chance I get to see the Dogs before I go… and as much as I hate to say it, probably the last time I’ll see Wulfie alive. He’s getting a bit old… I got him the year I finished year 12, and this is the reunion, so he’s 10 and a bit… that’s a pretty good run for a dog of any type. But enough about that, I’m making myself sad.
Other than that – The Contiki tour is booked!!! Leaving on April 22nd on the Ultimate 45 day contiki tour! Can’t wait… should be awesome. On top of that, the girl at the travel agent who booked it was chatting to me (I’d love to know how much commission she gets for booking a trip that cost that much…) and she said that she used to work in the Walkabout Pubs in the UK. She said that all you need to get a job there is an Australian accent. Plus they do accommodation that just comes off your pay each week… how good would that be. Definitely going to check that out.
Seems to be a lull in the thunder storm, and the rains stopped… so this might be a good time to finish up…
Later guys… Cheers!
1 comment:
Hi Troy
Your mum gave me your blog address. It's a great read. Claire your cousin - do you remember - is in Venezuela collecting memories, and stories for her grandchildren.
In case you ventures drag you in that direction. She would love to meet up with a gringa. It does her ego well when other people are more foreign than she is to the locals. Her blog is showmeclaire.blogspot.com.
I'm sure you are going to have a great adventure. Be greedy. Lots love Aunty Pat
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