Baja Photos

For my recent entry to the mydestionations travel competition I put together the following video from some pictures I had taken while at Solosports in Baja.



A few people who have voted have asked if they can get hold of the hi res versions of the pictures. So here they are.  All I ask is that if you like them you go over to http://www.mydestination.com/users/luckybeanz/bbb#tab and vote for my entry so that I can capture more.

Go to flickr to download hi res versions.

Empty Beaches

Perfect Conditions

Inspirational Locals

Inspirational Locals

Inspirational Locals

Morning Surf Sessions

Morning Surf Sessions

Rustic Living

Rustic Living

Stunning Sunsets

Stunning Sunsets

Enjoying a Fog At The End of The Day

Don't forget to vote.

Tweet

Magic Powder

I caught his eye as I saw the glint in my own reflected between the specks poking the worn mirror. As he thumbed through my hair, trying to make sense of what to do with it, his eyes seemed to hint at a slight pride of the position he was in. Either that or of disdain for the position we had put him in.

He set the rusted, too rusted to be of much use, scissors down and left me to contemplate my
reflection. His shaky hands now focused on an ingenious contraption connected to what looked
like a cauldron balanced on the faint glow of hot embers. I'd come to recognise these contraptions as tea grinders creating the sensual mix of flavours from spices that make up a true Indian chai.

He shuffled back and distributed the chai to his visitors in a meticulous fashion, making certain that he saved one which he placed in front of me and then returned to contemplating my hair.

The others sat on lopsided wooden benches behind me. My travel companions, the first and second Idiots, interacting with the local crowd attracted by the presence of unexpected visitors. Another team who had followed us to find a bed for the night now divided their attention between the hazy action movie playing in the corner and the strange brown powder the Idiots were discussing with the locals. An Idiots pointed the powder wielding kid in my direction. I gave the kid my hand. He tilted the container to sprinkle the intriguing substance into my palm. The barber sternly stopped him. Disappointed the kid turned to find another victim.

Moments later an eruption of laughter did little to muffle the sound of someone sneezing with such force and consistency that one would be forgiven for thinking it was a steam train passing by. My comrades now all stood with their palms facing up, waiting to receive their dose of the magic brown powder. Taking their lead from the first victim, who was still stealing sneezes between fits of laughter, they too sniffed the powder up like they were in a hollywood movie. It took a couple minutes to kick in, but once it did, I sunk into my chair in the certainty that the crowd would soon become an angry mob of towns folk annoyed at having the peaceful night air shattered by snorts of laughter. Itching to experience it myself, I thanked the barber and paid his meager fee before joining the group to take my hit. The tears streamed down my cheeks and I clutched my stomach in agonising enjoyment as I was united with my team in
laughter. The name the 3 Idiots seeming more appropriate than ever.

The following morning as we left the dusty streets of Tharad, fitter for the excellent core workout we had received outside the barber shop, I stole a glance in the rickshaw's rear view mirror and thought to myself.
- It will grow back.

This is part of my entry to the http://www.mydestination.com/ travel competition. If you liked it and want to see me then go vote for me by clicking the badge below.  Or even if you don't click it  and vote just to be kind. 

Tweet

Finally someone listens

"Imagine this: a long-haul flight with no disturbance from crying children, vomiting infants, rambling toddlers, seat back-kicking kids or bored grade-schoolers.

For a little extra money, that dream could be a reality for passengers booking flights on Malaysia-based carrier AirAsia X, the long-haul arm of budget carrier AirAsia. Last week the airline began rolling out child-free zones on its Airbus A330-300 flights to China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Australia and Nepal... read more
I sure hope this catches on, though with the twist that the back 7-10 rows of the plane are allocated as family only zones... no problem getting seats together and any noise and smells are confined to that area, everyone wins. 

Tweet

And this is why it is a mess...

Truly a poet for our times, find more at http://www.ted.com/speakers/rives.html

Tweet

Something Special

It is commonly cited that it was environmental pressures that pushed our forefathers to up sticks and venture out of Africa...

I like to think it was a deep-seated desire for exploration and adventure. After the advent of agriculture, boredom surely got to hold them and they could not explain the unsettled feeling that drove them to walk further and further from their comforts.  

Boredom is the opposite of happiness and these guys certainly know that we are at our happiest when seeking adventure. 

Tweet

Choosing a bag

When I left South Africa almost a decade ago for Dubai I travelled with one suitcase and a hockey stick bag.  At 21 I did not have many belongings and those that did not fit could be left at my parents' house.

A year later I moved to London. I shipped a 45kg box ahead of me and somehow I still travelled with a large suitcase, a backpack and the hockey stick bag. 

Upon leaving London for Stockholm 3 months ago I did some shedding. The charity shop across the road from my flat thought Christmas had come early. At least 5 trips, countless boxes and bags later I thought I had cut the clutter.  I moved to Stockholm with a 125ltr suitcase, 2x 75ltr duffel bags, a snowboard bag, a triple tennis racket bag, my Dakine Mission Photo and my trusty travelzone expander.

I am leaving Stockholm in two months to travel destinations unknown for an undefined period.  I am going to have to be ruthless with my culling, but given the right bag I have no doubt that I can do it.  The question is, what is the right bag? There are so many choices:

What size? I am thinking around 75-80ltrs.
What style?  A backpack? Even then there are so many options.
What price? Is a £300 backpack really that much better than a £120 one?
To wheel or not? I’m thinking that is just extra weight.  
How do you ensure it is secure? Lockable zips?  It will contain all my belongs after all. 

Keeping in mind I will be taking my Dakine Mission Photo with me, which will serve as cabin luggage and daypack. I ask all those out there who have embarked on similar journeys and packed their lives into a single bag, what would you suggest?

Dakine Mission Photo will act as cabin luggage and daypack.

So far I have seen two options that may fit the bill. 

Caribee Grand Air 80 Travel Pack

Deuter Traveller 80+10 Litre Rucksack

Tweet

The second event

Friday 28th of December 2012 
10:30am:  I am sitting in my office in Stockholm. It is normally bustling with 40 plus staff members but today? I am alone.  The emptiness of the tall ceilings seems to reflect the turmoil that is brewing inside me, while last night’s discussion and its abrupt ending only serves to feed the unsettled itch.  I have been sitting here for a couple hours and have achieved exactly nothing, it has been like this all week, but today it is worse. I need to escape.

11:30am: Done. Hands still shaking from the rush, clammy as I stick my credit card back in my wallet and re-read the email I just sent to my boss:

“Hej,

I have a small personal issue that I need to take care of. Though it requires me to be away for a bit, returning to work on Friday the 11th.

The only urgent meeting I shall miss is kicking off the eager/lazy project on Tues, but Jonas can handle that for me.

Sorry for the inconvenience. I will have my laptop on me so can be reached via email for any emergencies.

Regards,
“

Saturday 29th of December 2012 
06:30am (CET): Delta airlines ticketing lady at Arlanda airport, “No, your card has not been charged, we were unable to issued the ticket yesterday as we require 24 hours notice for online bookings. I can issue the ticket now if you like?”

If I were at all superstitious or maybe the least bit sensible I would have told her not to worry and turned around to go home and back to bed.  I am not. With 50 minutes to take off, I find myself handing over my credit card details to book a trans-Atlantic flight for the second time in as many days.  She apologies for not being able to book a vegetarian meal for the first leg of the flight, but says I should speak to the ground staff in Paris to see if they can arrange something for me.

10:30pm (MST):  After 26 hours of travel I am sitting on the doorstep of an empty house in the idle suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona.  It is surprisingly chilly and I am glad for having travelled from the -14 °C of Stockholm.  Despite having been awake for over 30 hours, the cool night air, incessant yapping of dogs alarmed by a stranger at their doorstep and the million thoughts vying for attention in my head are keeping me awake.  The thought that dominates presents itself, “You stupid fool, she has no reason to even let you through the door let alone listen to what you have to say. Where do you intend on sleeping tonight?”

Monday 14th January 2013
10:00am (CET):  Back in Stockholm, the calm provided by the escape to Arizona beginning to fade but the clarity of thoughts remains. Or maybe the clarity has only broken through as the haze from a weekend in LA finally dissipates.  Either way I know the conversation I am having is the right one:

Boss: What did you want to talk to me about?
Me: Well, and I am sorry for starting your week off on a difficult note, but I want to hand in my resignation.
Boss: Oh, I did not expect that. Are you going somewhere else, don’t you like Stockholm?
Me: No. I really like Stockholm, but I’m burnt out, I just can’t do this anymore.
Boss: I understand, are you going to stay in Stockholm?  What is your plan?
Me: No, it is too expensive to be unemployed in Stockholm. I don’t have a plan; I don’t know what I want to do. I just know it is not this.  Maybe I will go back to South Africa for a bit?


That was event two.   Okay so it was a series of events but they culminated in where we are today.  As of the end of April I shall be a vagabond, my life condensed to a backpack; my dreams and desires opened wide and allowed to explore what it means to be free, with no given cause.

I have recently enjoyed the scribbling and pictures of other friends who have set themselves on similar adventures.  Since I have not had the foresight to define an end goal, destination or date to this chapter of my life; I have no doubt that the experiences and interactions with others will influence my direction before I set off and along the way.  In fact that that is a requirement of this chapter and one I urge you to get involved in.  How you ask?  Well let us start by choosing my shell.

Tweet