May 152013
 

I’m off to Guatemala

I decided it’s time to expand my supply of photographs beyond Bermuda and Southern Africa. So, on Saturday I’m heading down to Guatemala for a week. I’m hoping to visit El Mirador. It’s a Mayan city still overgrown by jungle. You can trek there, which takes two days both ways. I don’t have time for that but have discovered it’s possible to get a helicopter in, overnight in a hammock and then take a helicopter back out. I’ve found a website that offers this service, but haven’t managed to get in touch with them. So, I’m turning up with nothing booked and hoping I can sort one when I arrive. If not, there’s another site called Tikal I can visit. There’s actually hotels right next to the temples there, so that won’t be a bad alternative, just not as adventurous.

For the second half of the trip I’ll be visiting Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua. It’s an old Spanish colonial city nestled amongst three volcanoes. My plan is to climb one of them, the easiest one.

I don’t think I’ll be able to get a load of photos done to upload prior to leaving so this will likely be my last post until I get back on May 26th. Then, I should have lots of photos and stories for you.

Today’s Photo: Redhill, Cape Town

On my last trip to Capetown I was lucky enough to stay with my travel buddy’s family. They have a cleaner, Grace, come in once a week and always drive her back home. She lives in this small township called Redhill. It’s in a strikingly beautiful location with vineyards in the valley below. It makes for a startling contrast.

the shacks of Red Hill township, Cape Town, with mountains and water in the background

May 022013
 

This beach is an amazing, rugged expanse of sand. This shot is taken in the corner of the beach, just as the sun reached the horizon. It was a little nerve racking trying to catch this water swirling around me. It was very cold.

Ocean swirling over rocks at Nordhoek Beach Cliffs, South Africa

 

Apr 162013
 

This is a beautiful spot to walk the dogs as the sun drops low, before a pint round the pub. It was a great way to spend an evening. It took me a while to catch the waves breaking just where I wanted them.

Witwatersands beach cape town south africa with boulders in the water and mountains in the background.

Mar 292013
 

We came around a bend and the sun was lighting the old naval port of Simonstown perfectly. Finding somewhere to stop on this windy mountain road was not easy. We tried a couple of lay-byes but they didn’t offer up a very good view. I’d just about given up when we came to one last opportunity to stop and I was able to get this photo. Let me know what you think of it in the comments section!

Following this we drove down into Simonstown and had a very nice meal at a little Italian place. Great pizza!

View of old naval port of Simonstown, South Africa at sunset with mountain in background.

Mar 102013
 

I could spend days on end watching the penguins waddle about at Boulders Bay. These two had left the masses on the beach for a higher local atop the boulders. The one on the right seemed to be battling with a bit of an itch.

Two Penguins on top of boulders in front of clear blue sky at Boulders Bay, South Africa

Mar 062013
 

My Capetown host said hello today, so I’ve been inspired to post one of the photos I took while staying there. This is a small rocky area at one end of the expansive, beautiful Nordhoek beach. I wanted to capture the power of the water around here so as the sun dropped down I let my shutter speeds slow down to show off the churning movement of the water as it bursts onto the rocky shoreline.

I didn’t actually think it’d rush up as far as it did. Suddenly my feet discovered just how cold the water is this far South of the equator.

I’ve got a few photos lined up and quite possibly a bit of time to breathe so am going to try to get back into posting a photo a day. Comments on photos and requests for places you know I’ve been definitely help motivate me!

I’ve got a week in Cuba on the brain at the moment. I’ll be trying to go late March/early April. If you’d like to join me, feel free to let me know!! 🙂

Whitewater rushes around a boulder on the rocky area of Nordhoek Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Feb 142013
 

I thought this little baby penguin with a pink heart painted on his chest was fitting for today. He lives on Boulder’s Bay, in Simonstown, South Africa, along with a colony of African Penguins. They used to be called Jackass Penguins because of the noise they make.

No other penguins were marked like this, so I really have no idea why he’s got this little heart painted on him.

A baby african jackass penguin with a pink heart painted on it's chest on the beach at Boulders Bay South Africa

Feb 052013
 

I climbed on top of a rock to try to get away from the freezing cold water snapping at my heals as the sun set on Windhoek beach. When I turned around I spotted the remnant of this marriage proposal in the sand. Hopefully the wedding will last longer than this message did!

Be cool if one day they stumble upon this photo.

A marriage proposal scraped into the sand on Windhoek beach in Capetown is washed away by the waves as the tide comes in.