The amazing, exciting and the stunning – The Old Man of Stoer, in Sutherland, Northern Scotland, UK
Thin like a Sharp Edge, from Lake District – it does make you feel that thrill in that walk on the edge.
To make it even more enthralling – you can see the 360 and the vertigo that can give you further excitement
& to those who like to see it further more closer and in 92Mpx -> Here
For to say it – Firstly and Fore-mostly – It may be surprising but I am going to write it all as I felt it in the past 4 days since I am in the country of this moving paced lifestyle and dramatically fast paced makeover.
It has been over 4 years since I was last here and this country sent a good shock through my spine when I first landed here. I landed here in the early morning hours but the chaos was not too quiet. I guess this was just the introduction of me to the fast paced changing nation. The first thing that was a shock for me was – The huge make over of the pre-existing IGI Airport. It seems to have undergone a huge visual and physical surgery to end up in this new layout which is really worth a mention. Coming from LHR this is a huge change but the transition time has drastically been cut short from hours to minutes.
It is all going to be on my videos once I can find myself in a suitable fast paced web environment. Still struggling with the web speeds and transfer of big files. So that all will have to wait till I land back in my England. I had my school friend picking me up from the airport to take me to my home in Trans-Yamuna. It seems that traffic is pretty much worst than ever before. I for first few minutes was in sheer shock – Shall I admit – I do not have a courage to drive or ride in this country again – May be I have become too much of a soft rider instead of a pure hard core. I do not know if I will be willing to take on in this traffic. It is pure nightmare – even at a night time on a Saturday morning – the rush seems to be too much of a challenge to get adapted too. I have disconnected myself from the life here in this country so I will be struggling a bit of getting used to it.
On my way home, I was straight on with the roadside food which my stomach has no complaints with so it all went great – proves – I am able to at least get in with the food habits of this nation. This is when I know, there is a bit of a desi inside of me. The roads have a few changes too along with changing nation – the breadth of the roads have gone double folds. The potholes scenario seems to have changed too but this is surely something that is normal for this nation. Not to forget that I am not an Indian anymore for a visit after 4 years there is a hell lot of changes to adapt too.
My Next day, the first day in this city has pretty much left nice touches to it. I started with paying my visit to Rajghat – the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi – the man which this nation now speaks of in strange words. I suppose this is the reason why modern lifestyles has created huge differences in the thought process of this changing nations population. Nothing here on my end – for me, it is still a reason to appreciate for this country – the man who gave his life to this nation for everything this nation now is. Many of those who will dis-agree but this is my thoughts and my notions – I respect him. The place is absolutely well planted with beautiful flowers, serene environs and stunning trees around. After a quick trip, I was soon headed into the the Old Delhi or call it Puraani Dilli. One of the most amazing and always the favorite part of Delhi for me.
If you have an eye for architecture hidden in the changing nation – this is where you will find it but not with an eye of having a camera but with an eye of a keen explorer only. I can admit that this place has some feeling from the past by-gone era which is now no more a part of this changing nation. I love it to the bits that if you want to see the Incredible India – Come ask me for a walk and I will show that to you. (These shall follow us on the videos, at later stages). Playing cricket in these small streets, even more amazing – getting hit by a plastic anda (ball) was impressive re-collection back into the childhood days. It all happens here. Incredible is not that this country is called so uselessly – the logic becomes separate from its real intent.
I am going to quit for the time being – since I do not have entire hours of web access so – I shall share some more as we go with it. In the meanwhile, if you are in Delhi – you know where to pop me a PM – leave me a liner on my FB page.
To begin with, I must say that I am really sorry that I do not want to cut this experience short due to lack of time and lack of unavailability. I know I will have my cappuccino waiting for me somewhere once I finish this Paris experience. It sure is a little bit of a work but I hope this justifies to keep you coming back. I promise to finish it quickly once I have more time to myself.
Special thanks to a special friend, for the Cappuccino and the chocolate 🙂 experience.
Continuing from where we left in our last experience of Paris – Part II
Back in Paris from one station to next – the journey is a bit of fun in Metro. Just like other cities in Europe the fastest connection between the two ends is Tube(underground) and being a non speaking french person – my ability to pronounce any of the names is just about crap. Don’t either expect it to be anything else other than crap because I cannot – just cannot say the french names correctly – blame it all on the default language (english). So from the last hop on the train I was about to do few more hops.
This journey is a beginning to the underworld of Paris – the world which has its own pace, defined through the past years in the way it takes people from A to B and B to D or anywhere of those destinations. So my journey from Concorde has started and finished in a corner called Abbesses. Sounds like a pretty horror place. Apologies but I cant stop thinking of darkness – as is Abyss.
And, to notice it is not very different to any other huge technological garage – people stuck on their screens – the slaves of modern age and life. There is no doubt we the humans are slaves of technology and it is not far that we will soon be idiots without our little screens as we pledge to lose our knowledge and identity in being virtualised – may be all should be codes on the Virtual clouds, jumping from one to another program. Who knows, but I am very angry to see how our lives are shaped by technology – becoming too much finger’y all the time.
Not that is all but even the walls of our modern day existence reflects the mode of our moods. All tarnished and abandoned by the masterpieces of modern day advertisements. Ah, seriously who needs billboards or posters these days – we enjoy the visual experiences. Hence, to prove it all we frame to frame them for seriously nothing in it.
Not all is lost yet, the age old architecture and hundred years old staircases still survives away from the technology. At least there are few things untouched and still preserved which make you feel like – may be there is a hope that something will be left for future generations to observe. I think I am too old in this body to complaint so much but this all that I see – I can’t stop writing about it. Some of it does seems like parody but it actually isn’t – it is my heart felt apologies to say – we will soon be lost in our existence.
On choosing my “Sortie” / Exit – I landed to find something quite interesting. The wall art of Paris. Something I really admired to see – that someone was creative here to explicitly agree to display something very interesting and artsy.
It does take more than few seconds to really see and understand art. It may sometimes be as simple as it seems and simply meaningless – you just need to enjoy it.
It does becomes interesting but you need to put more than a quick look. It has something behind it – the feel of Paris – that rush and the busy streets and the same staircase which has no place to stand or shoot once it is in full rush.
I noticed a lot in this last one than other two but it is indeed very creative of someone. Unaware that more than half of city dwellers never have an eye on what lies in the city just like what happens with me when I am so engrossed in my daily routine of life. I still try sometimes 😉 there are even hidden corners in my City too 🙂 that I notice now.
Out of this little underworld, the life outside suddenly springs to life. It seems like a little ghost town down under. Have you really noticed how quiet it is indeed – wow – quite unlike any other rush and work day. I do love this silence and quiet feeling but then it does not fits for Paris. I was bit lost for the direction of where I was headed but I know the human radar of my real navigation is quite good with directions. The sense of direction and outside crowd makes me quickly figure out my directions. I was headed to the Basilic of Sacred Heart, Paris.
Before I reach there I have a direction hunt to do. Well, it is quite interesting that life is still active – mostly tourists and mostly couples.
I like to see these windows, which are almost outdated but still stay in use across most older cities and towns of Europe. Observing how our life has little things we don’t notice.
Someone lonely left his or her heart here for me to capture and bring it to all of you. Enjoy the night life with the colours and Purple and greens. It is all that is there to life – little things that we miss as we grow old … or older or.. simply busier.
If only I had spare time but I was on a mission with a timeline before it starts raining again and gets too late that I have no train left to go back – I must hunt Basilic. Something with a very special value to christianity -the firm belief of all those who live by its authority.
Atleast there is always something interesting to see from a different perspective “Pole Hugging” for motorheads. It is a good obsession to have keen interest in motorcycles otherwise you won’t know what a “Pole Hugging” would mean. My one generally doesn’t do it because she is kept away from poles.
It suddenly becomes quite crazy this place is full of people and lots of them “Americans” – The french suddenly disappears and no one really is keen on speaking french. All the way the stairs to the Basilic is uphill steep climb. As I walk along the stairs, the conversations of people become quite interesting around me. Most of the women – generally girls in groups – hmm… I better not wanna share it all. For some of the things must be left for diary notes only.
After all this uphill climb and interesting conversations – the life springs back to England (Just joking), it springs to America – there is no one french up here. The rain is still falling in drizzle but the crowd up here is seriously in party mode. It is a first day of Wine tasting on the Basilic. A huge party and celebration feeling which I was completely unaware of till I climbed all the stairs. It appears now – where all the Paris is hidden. Busy Busy Busy… wow…. and it has started to rain as we enjoy the views.
It does makes it all looks so different from the top. Indeed, I am starting to enjoy it but not for long as the rain drops starts to come down heavy and the I must not forget to check in the times for my last train. But before, I go – there is a time for a night pano stitch shot still.
Something I quite like – making huge, huge stitch shots. Love it in the full resolution but for all this is just an idea of what it looks with your vision of eyes. I had to make my way down back to the train station and it won’t be easy since the rain started to push most of the crowd down from here.
This was seriously quite a challenge to make my way through the streets full of crowd. Something that happened for the first time since I have been in Paris. Also, not to forget that please take caution with your wallets, expensive phones and shining jewellery. In such places things don’t take long for them to disappear. Most of it was quite interesting and I was finally in a german speaking crowd where I could use my 2bits of basic understanding. Feels more like a known turf down here.
Time never really stops and I must also not stop unless I want to end myself on the streets of cold, wet and rainy Paris. I have found myself a train station and trains to tread back into my night shelter. Citylife wears a totally different colour in night as we can see it now.
Ah, I am not really going to stop this huge big wide views of Magenta. I am tired, bit cold and want to go get some sleep. Waiting for trains is really annoying ….
Finally, the train is here and I am heading to my bed. This brings an end of my first day(washed out in rain), and remaining evening in selected above few shots.
With much anxious return, I shall bring you the “Sunday” experience of Paris too. A very dull, rainy, cold and dark day washed in rain. I still managed to step out, shoot Notre Dame, capture the girls of Paris, the Paris Autoshow and finally the last of the goodbyes from Paris.
More in next part….Part IV
This would be my first time when I would be riding to meet a friend who I have known from past more than six or even may be seven years and have met few times. Michael is a good friend whom I met on my Flickr about almost seven years ago. The story behind all this is pretty simple, I have been a travel head and solo motorcycle rider. That shall explain you what kind of common interests we may have. So the idea behind us coming together would just be to sit, talk, share and do some flying flipping jumps up and down the Peak District if the weather permits us to enjoy that. Else we shall still have a plenty to yap about and possibly swap our motorcycles. I must admit, I love riding all the kind of motorcycles and the one he has is a Triumph Tiger which makes me feel that spirit of adrenalin rush on the rough stretches of the road.
Ah, boys would be boys. So I would be riding a non stop about 3hrs to head from London to Sheffield and then the rest as it happens shall be shared brought to you over a period of time. I got to say this is going to be pretty crazy as he is good with this flying and I am good with my sharp shooting skills.
UK looks so small given I have been up and down this country so many times by now. Although Just to give you a rough idea of how far … here you go
Now lets go a bit of South 🙂
more south
A little bit to the North again, North west this time .. Lake District & Yorkshire Dales.
Ah.. the list is pretty much endless because I can go posting here but the point is … “Travel is essence to see, smell, feel and capture” – MB.
But did I not say, world is small.. It indeed is.. as far as you want and farther you can go … Ride
Love life, love yourself to experience what you can do. The more we grow the more our power of brain becomes susceptible to the changes around us. We tend to lose that adrenalin with our bodies mind and soul that pushes us to the limit but not to forget that we are humans we are like re-chargeable batteries. Regardless you are 20 or 25 or 30 the age barely matters because in the modern world the numbers just don’t count what really counts is what you can do to beat any of those numbers inside your head.
Living is reviving oneself of its own imaginary powers to experience that magic of life that can take us to the new environs and makes us feel come alive again. Whether you work 9hrs shift five days a week you deserve the weekend to be a crack on good to enjoy those well spent 5 days at work. In a way yes we all do that but what really makes you happy you should follow those instincts. I know from myself even a two days break is a way to run away and experience and add on miles to the map of my world. I remember when I was 20, 800kms trip for two days would simply be an easy target to just say I did something which made me feel happy. To follow our hearts it only takes us a little but we must sincerely follow what we like to make sure we breathe in our life that fills us with what we want. Freedom to your serenity is in your hands and head.
One such thing that swing into my head this past weekend was a road trip that was sugar coated with luxury of four wheels instead of two and I was not the one who was going to drive. For a change it makes a whole lot of difference when you are not in the pilot seat but rather a navigator. My friend JM took the charge to drive on this trip and make me her worthy co-pilot. The map was just a rough sketch in the beginning but we knew that we are heading to South-East England trying to cover as much coastline we can with not missing the chances of capturing the beautiful weather, cliffs, coasts and harbours.
Indeed we managed to do it pretty well along with doing some dangerous things which people our age don’t do. Staying awake half the night for not missing a single shot that can become a part of my fame if it reaches that frame in the next exhibition. You may not want to be on the white cliff sitting with your feet hanging down knowing there is no way back to life if we commit a mistake of slipping down from there. Yes, we did sit on the white cliffs of Beachy Head with our feet hanging down till our lust of adventure was satisfied.
Exploring the shores of Bexhill, Hastings and Sandgate was more of a simple eye candy with sun setting and the weather staying well below freezing. At the coldest during the day it was still -3.5C and reaching -1.5C at its best. Standing by the cliffs of Dover watching the sun go down and the ships leave the harbour with time-lapse interval shooting it only adds to the memory of things we did. Heading towards Kent and experiencing our wonderful game of “Banana grams” sitting in Pub till we realize we must go and sleep. The night barely offered any relief with fresh snow sailing like cotton balls we start off to Ramsgate with freezing weather again daring the visit to the harbour allowing us to feel that chilly winds.
It never stops when you are crazy in your head. Walking down the old Marina and sipping hot tea in the sailor shop – worth an experience even though the Tea was not too good but just that location was. All the yachts sitting in the harbour made it look like a holiday for sailors which indeed it was – not many dare to be in the weather of below freezing in the sea. We had to head back without delaying ourselves too much. On the way back we wandered along the coast of Whitstable seeing colourful beach huts that simply change the views compared from summer skies to faded glory in snow covered white flakes. Finding out a place to warm ourselves up sipping hot tea and snapping pictures in the hot corner next to fireplace sitting in age old vanity leather chair.
Amazing how you can explore and what all you can find in this wonderful world in the secret corners of unknown destinations. An old mill on the top of the hill with its wonderful wooden structure did not allow us to pass it without framing it in all possible angles till I gave up because of a full memory card while JM kept snapping and decided to give up knowing the light has gone below our desired needs. Inevitably the hard moments in photographers life is to miss the moments that are only once in that very environment. We chased the first rays of sun in evening on our way to Canterbury, Kent. Temperature was just above freezing as it reached 0.5C and we managed to see the Cathedral of Canterbury in the low light just before the darkness engulfed us. Not willing to let the time run away we simply wanted to go as much more as we can. Tempting desires but we have to live with what we have got. The light has gone off the horizon and the darkness mounted on the skies leaving us not much more but to head back. Driving on the motorways M20, M26, M25, M23 we just about finished another of our road trip.
Time and again, it is not even over yet but we know that the next trip is just around the corner in less than a month’s time. True but hard facts of life, when you know what makes you happy – don’t stop to live in the illusion of what others would want you to live in. You are for yourself and your power is for you to revive and live. The greatest regrets of people is that they spend all their lives living to other expectations and not living their own.
Enjoy life for the fact, you never know your expiry date 🙂 Today Tomorrow Time can’t be accounted for.
FreeBirD 