I’m feeling renewed today. I just spent a great weekend in the nations capital. I think it’s the perfect time to be their. All the politicians are elsewhere, and the place feels like it’s just that little bit quieter. Now to a somewhat jaded Sydney-sider, Canberra on first inspection seems well, umm how do I put this politely, shit arsed boring.

I’ve been coming here for 15 years now, and have to admit it’s not at all. It has a quirkiness of it’s own. People are relaxed (think tracksuit pants) and friendly. I sit down for a coffee, and a few minutes later some one is wanting to have a chat. I’m shocked for the first 30 seconds, and I know it’s written all over my face, but then I remember I’m not in Sydney anymore, and people do honestly want to talk to you.

I caught up with some friends I’ve known for a long time, it was relaxing, it was fun, it was rejuvenating. With my current fitness kick in full swing, I also realised how nice Canberra is to exercise in as well. Plenty of great walks by the lake, and plenty of places to explore. Artwork, sculptures, and memorials abound to attract your attention, wanting you to find out why they are there.

Yesterday I finished off with a lovely massage. My friend is a local massage therapist and she is good. So if you live in Canberra please check her out.

Canberra Holistic Massage

It was with a little bit of a heavy heart that I caught the bus back to Sydney last night, and I’m looking forward to getting back down their again soon.

Not that good quality, as I took them with my point and shoot. But it was too good to miss! Wild Cockatoos letting us hand feed them on the back deck of my parents place.

More memories from the past. It’s weird looking at my old photos as I’ve been adding them to the gallery. Bringing back mixed emotions in so many ways. It was fun, but it is also gone.

2005 Dec : NYE Sydney Harbour

New Years Eve at a Friend place right on the Harbour. This was one of the more eventful ones to say the least :)

44 Photos

2005 Oct : Motor Show

2005 Sydney Motorshow. The prototype of the Veron was there. Hmmm :)

19 Photos

2005 Sep : Boston & Newport News

Part of my work trip to the US. Next Stop Boston, then followed by Newport News.

28 Photos

2005 Sep : San Francisco

Was sent to the US for 3 1/2 weeks for training. This was my weekend in San Francisco.

26 Photos

2005 Jul : Blue Mountains

This was two trips to the Blue Mountains. It was a lot of fun.

26 Photos

2005 Feb : Surfers Paradise

Went surfers with some good friends, and went around all the fun parks. Man I was so damn tired by the end of it all.

35 Photos

I seem to be missing half a year. It was a fun year went to the states, and plenty of music festivals.

2006 Apr : Easter with Friends

Spent time in Wollongong, and then up to Sydney. It was a very enjoyable and relaxed weekend.

22 Photos

2006 Apr : Maroubra Beach - Big Surf

Big storm off the coast created some sizeable waves.

24 Photos

2006 Mar : Mammoth

Sad drive from Mammoth back to LA.

5 Photos

2006 Feb : Las Vegas

Sin City with all the trimings.

108 Photos

2006 Feb : LA

Hollywood, Santa Monica, Orange County. Had a great few days.

38 Photos

I’m in the process of loading up some of my older photos. I’ve started with 2007 they were already pre-sorted. I will be adding the rest over the next couple of weeks.

So enjoy

2007 Nov : Sculpture by the Sea

Sculpture by the sea is held each year on the Coastal Walk south of Bondi Beach. It's pretty cool.

12 Photos

2007 Aug : Christchurch NZ & Surrounds

Went on a holiday to Christchurch with a friend of mine. Visited Mount Hutt, and other places around as well.

56 Photos

2007 Aug : Byron Bay after Splendour

Checking out Byron after Splendour in the Grass Music festival

27 Photos

2007 May : Sydney Park, St Peters

Took some photos at Sunset in Sydney Park.

11 Photos

2007 May : South Head Sydney Harbour

Wandering around South Head

12 Photos

2007 Mar : Royal National Park

Drive through the national park, and down to the oversea bridge.

29 Photos

2007 Mar : Bulli Tops Lookout

View of Wollongong from Bulli Tops

6 Photos

I’ve started taking my camera with me when I’m wandering about. I went for a walk along city beach, around the light house, and out to north beach, and then out to fairy meadow. Before wandering back to north beach for a quick paddle.

Stop 5 : Paris

The overnight train from Rome ended up being good fun. I was playing cards with an italian family who didn’t speak any english, but was a lot of fun. Got into Paris well rested, and had a nice easy trip to the hotel. Well what can I say about Paris that most people haven’t already said. I did like the place, but not as much as other places I had already been. The city itself is beautiful, but beyond the hype I couldn’t say I found it any more romantic than say Sydney.

I had been to other parts of France before, and always found the French people to be inviting and very welcoming. Paris it’s the opposite story. I find them much the same as New Yorkers, and the reputation for rudeness is well earned. It’s like having to chip through a tough outer shell, to get to the person inside. Don’t get me wrong I did enjoy myself a lot. And once you get through that outer shell, you find some amazing people. It can get a bit tiring though after a while. Especially with how inviting the italians were the week before.

Stop 6 : London

I love london. It feels alive, and I just love exploring the place. It was however ruined on me this time. I won’t go into details, but I didn’t get anywhere near the amount of things done that I wanted to, which pissed me off  a lot. But who said life was fair.

Back in may of last year, Sydney hosted a festival called Vivid. It was based around light and sound, and their were amazing sites to be seen around the city. Here is some of the photo’s I took of the opera house.

The streets around my parents place come alive on Xmas eve. The whole street puts tealights in brown sandwich bags, plays music, shares beers, and has santa roaming the streets. It’s very much like Christmas’s i remember as a kid, where the whole street got involved.

Even a Christmas cynic like myself was smiling like an idiot. I took a few photos. I need more practice with night work on my camera. Click on the photo for some more I took.