I don’t want your tainted Point of View

Ever since I started working at The Adventure Travel Company back in November, I’ve had my eye on Burma / Myanmar. I’ll be honest. I know very little about it … and, it may surprise you to know that I plan to keep it that way until I travel there.

Can you imagine traveling to a place you’ve never been, on the other side of the world and knowing nothing about it?

So many people out there won’t even step out of their ‘Caribbean’ vacation comfort zone or off the resort, let alone go to a country that still has some civil unrest and is little known to the world.

Some of you may ask ‘How do you know you want to go there if you know nothing about it?’

Well, isn’t that the question of the day!

Here’s what I know about Burma:

It has not always been open to tourists.
Tourism is permitted, but is regulated. Some people agree with these regulations. Some don’t.
It is in Asia, just west of Thailand and south of China.
Some areas still regularly have civil unrest (but then again so does much of the world!)
It is hot and humid.

I look at that list and think, wow … that sounds like a pretty poor list.

And then I think about the possibilities!

The reason I want to go is because it is such a new destination for tourism and it isn’t popular yet. Lots of people have been to China, Thailand, Vietnam … but who do you know that has been to Burma? (In 3 months, you can say you know me … and at that time I will be on my way to Burma)

I can’t wait to be part of the chaos of tourism where all the bugs aren’t worked out yet. I can’t wait to be one of the few (relatively speaking) travellers in the world who have experienced Burma. I can’t wait to be surrounded by locals and not looking at the land being overrun by tourists. I can’t wait to take my camera everywhere with me and capture hundreds of photos.

I am picking away at some research about Burma as there are things I need to know before I go.

I’ll be making my appointment with Napier Travel Health soon to find out what vaccines are required or that I need updated before I go. I don’t know for sure if I need to get my yellow fever vaccine or not, but with much more travel to do in the next few years, it is probably about time that I just get it. It’s good for 10 years, so I can have it again when I’m 45 and be covered for another 10 years.

I’ll be starting my visa applications soon as I need them for Burma, Vietnam and Cambodia. That’s a lot of paperwork! And, for at least two of those I think I have to send my passport away. Don’t want to leave that until last minute!

As of yet, I haven’t gotten down to the nitty gritty of learning any of the language or even finding out what currency is used there, but I know that ATMs are hard to come by, so I’ll have to take a chunk of cash with me and pay for everything I can before I go.

I also know there is an optional activity to do hot air ballooning for sunrise or sunset on one of our days. I don’t care if sunrise is at 4am, I’m going to be on one of those balloons! And I can’t wait to write the blog post about it! Then, if it isn’t raining, I plan to pay the money to do it again for sunset (if I like the sun rise one!)

I also found out today that I’m going to be there during monsoon season. So, looks like I’m going to be looking for some waterproof things before I go!

Other than that, I know that Burma has a war-torn history and is still sorting things out. I know that it has an amazingly beautiful, but crazy Paper Balloon Festival where groups of people get together to decorate beautiful paper balloons, then they attach lights and fireworks to the basket and send it up in the air, unmanned! The fireworks then shoot out (and down) toward the crowd. I won’t be there for this festival, but watched several videos about it over the weekend. Most of the videos show balloons crashing, but this video showed a beautiful balloon rising up up and away, the way it is meant to!

Video 1

Video 2

Here’s a quick overview of what my tour will be covering … take a look at some of the activities and locations on line if you wish … for me, I’d rather see it with my own eyes than have it tainted by someone else’s opinion before I get there. I’ll form my own opinion, for better or worse and I can’t wait to share it (for those who do like tainted views and choose to read mine when I return).

Day 1 – Yangon (capital)
Day 2 – Shwedagon Pagoda. Overnight bus to Mandalay.
Day 3 – Mingun – cruising up the river. Yadanabon market.
Day 4 & 5 – Bagan temples guided bike tour, sunrise or sunset hot air balloon ride over Bagan (super excited about all of this!)
Day 6 – Visit local villages & Elephant conservation centre where I’ll get to wash and feed the elephants. (crazy excited about this too!) Ride the elephants and trek into the jungle.
Day 7 – Inle Lake visiting floating gardens and sampling local tea. Visit a local market & local cheroot factory. (I don’t know what cheroot is yet!)
Day 8 – Travel back to Yangon – visit local markets, view colonial buildings, enjoy the Yangon river. Visit the Shwedagon Pagoda, illuminated at night.
Day 9 – Depart Yangon & off to Vietnam (I think!)

Peru Through the Lens 2013 Art Show

Join us for a Saturday afternoon Art Show opening in celebration of travel, photography & giving back!

While in Peru the group spent a day photographing street children at The House of the People of the Sun in Cuzco, a project supported by The Planeterra Foundation.

“House of the People of the Sun” acts as a haven for 80 children and adolescents who live in extreme poverty. The home is open during the day, and is run by a staff of teachers and social workers. Children are given the opportunity to drop-in to receive help with homework, a warm meal, and participate in classes and workshops that teach them valuable skills, including jewelry making, leather working, sewing, cooking, music and English.”

Last year we raised over $900 for the Planeterra Foundation and we look forward to giving back again this year, with money earmarked directly for the House of the People of the Sun project.

Join us Saturday, May 25th to view & buy photos from Peru Through the Lens participants and help support street kids in Cuzco, Peru and maybe win yourself a little something from Peru or a voucher for your next trip with G Adventures!

There is no fee to attend the opening, but donations for Planeterra Foundation are appreciated and will be accepted at the door.

Opening Remarks will be from approximately 1:30 – 2:00pm.

Drop in anytime between 1pm and 4pm.

Show will continue to be displayed until June 25th, 2013.

Presented in Partnership with:

Shari Tucker Photography

The Adventure Travel Company

Henry’s

PTL 2013 Art Show

Casualties of a photo tour

It just wouldn’t be an adventure with Shari if a few things weren’t lost, broken or left behind along the way. It’s funny because I don’t consider myself particularly careless, but somehow I just have bad luck when it comes to travel.

Last year it was leaving my cell phone behind and then dropping a lens and breaking it before I ever went through security at the Halifax airport.

This year, my trip started with lost luggage in Lima. I thought that might be enough bad luck to hold me over for the entire trip, but no … that was only wishful thinking.

In case you didn’t read the Lost Luggage post, the gist of it is that I arrived in Lima with 11 of my 12 passengers on the morning of April 6th. All 11 of those folks had their luggage, but mine had decided to take the long route. Not a big deal … I had my camera, that’s what was most important!

Only a couple of days into the trip, one of our passengers dropped his glasses on the ground and they broke. It was several days later, as we got ready to do a little tour around the Puno market, that he found a little stand selling eye glasses. Lo and behold, he was able to replace them and despite dropping them a couple more times on the trip, they made the journey!

Next casualty of the trip was at Luquina Chico. Audrey brought a nice big Canadian flag with her and she pulled it out and we all gathered around for a group photo. What happens when a group photo gets taken? Everyone hands their cameras over to the person in charge of taking the photo, including me. So, we each handed our cameras over to Elard, our G leader who quickly took a group photo with each of all of our cameras and then handed it back. Mine was somewhere in the middle of the group of cameras. He handed mine back and we all continued to pose for the group photo.

After all of the cameras were handed back, Clever gathered our attention to explain what was going to happen for the rest of the day.

And then ‘thud’

GASP

There it was, my 5D MK II, face down on the rocky beach …

Pretty much everyone in the group turned to look, and I’m pretty sure my face was white.
I picked it up off the ground and looked at the damage.

Broken Filter
Photo by Elard Aranibar

After letting Clever know that he could continue explaining to the group, I half paid attention and half studied the damage. The entire filter was smashed. The question was, did the smashed glass from the filter hit the lens? A filter is $60-$100 to replace. The lens is about $1000 to replace.

I slowly and tentatively unscrewed the filter from the lens. I could hear the glass shifting and starting to come loose. I had no idea what I was going to find behind that filter. Would my lens be equally as shattered? Finally, when the filter was off, I could see the lens. It had not broken, which was a good start, but with the shards of glass and dust all over it, I couldn’t really see how much damage there was.

A little in shock, I decided to just ignore the damage for the time being, pay attention to the day’s plans and deal with it later.

When I reached my home stay (about an hour later), I took a closer look. I carefully used my blower & lens pen brush to dust the remaining glass off the lens and held it up in the sun light. Miraculously, the filter had sustained all of the damage and the lens came out perfectly fine. As far as I can tell, not even a scratch. Guess it was my lucky day!

The next day, I stayed back at Luquina Chico while most of the group went on a tour of nearby Taquille island. I loved the tour of Taquille that we did last year, but altitude was affecting me and I knew that I could not do the physical exertion needed for this particular tour. I was really disappointed because they were also taking a different route than I had the year before, so it would have been a new experience for me.

They docked at a lovely beach and then meandered their way up, up, up and around the hilly island to the top where the main square is. While they were stopped to take photos of the beach area, Elard borrowed one of the passenger’s converters. Now instead of having a 70-200 lens, it would be more like a 400mm lens. I wasn’t there to see it, but I think he was a little excited. He took off, up another hill to take photos from afar and give the converter a try. Unfortunately, when he got ready to take it all apart and head back down, he dropped his lens with the converter attached to it.
This time, the lens didn’t land face down, but instead the rocks bent and twisted the ring that attaches to the camera. Luckily, a few days later in Cuzco, Elard was able to get the converter fixed relatively inexpensively. The 70-200 (his own), however, is still awaiting repair.

Last, but not least …

It was the day of our night photography workshop. Everyone gathered around with their cameras, tripods and rain gear as we could hear thunder in the distance. We headed out to an area of Cuzco called San Blas to take some golden hour photos before day turned to night.

About half way to San Blas, the rain started to fall. And then, it started to pour. We quickly dashed into a little bar for drinks, hoping that the rain would quickly pass. Not the best night to be out finding ‘golden hour’ … more like ‘grey hour’. After about half an hour of chit chat and drinks, the rain had stopped and we continued on our way up the hill to San Blas. We arrived to see vendors setting up their street market areas again and the sun just starting to peak through the clouds. Maybe we’d be lucky and see the sun again before nightfall.

Everyone went their separate ways to find something interesting to photograph in this quaint little bohemian neighbourhood. After snapping a few photos in the main square area, Elard and I headed up, up, up higher where we could get an even better view of the city. I took this photo along the way, when I needed to stop and catch my breath.

San Blas, Cuzco

At the top of the hill, we found a small common area, enclosed by glass and one of the participants was climbing up on the railing to take photos.

Paul in San Blas

I set my tripod down to line up my photo of Paul. Took a few shots and then we headed back down the stairs to our meeting point for the group. Quite a few group members were standing around staring at this little spectacle where a huge dog was greeting people, squeezed through the rungs on a partial balcony. It was quite the commotion when two or three other little dogs decided to join him.

San Blas

After taking pictures of this curious dog watching over all of us from above, I got ready to gather everyone up to leave when I realized that I was missing something. Where was my tripod? Had I given it to someone to hold? Had I set it down?

Damn it. I had left it at the top of the hill.

Elard looked at my sadly and I laughed and said ‘I don’t think I’m going back up there to get it!’ The next thing I knew, he was headed that direction. I stopped him and said I would go. I walked to the end of the street, took one look at how many stairs there were to the top, turned on my heel and marched right back to the group.

‘There’s not a chance in hell I’m doing those stairs again. My tripod just isn’t worth it.’

To that, a couple of the men from the trip offered to go back up and looked for it, but I argued that it really wasn’t worth it. The tripod had been at least seven or eight years old, only cost $30 and it really was broken. I had decided to bring it with me because my good tripod was too heavy and the part that was broken on this one, I could work around for the few shots that I would be taking with it.

“Don’t worry about it. It was cheap and partially broken. I don’t really care about it.”

The next thing I knew, someone was asking me questions about photography and then, out of the corner of my eye I see Elard sprinting up the street. I yelled for him not to bother, but he kept going. I really didn’t want him to go all the way back to the top for my broken tripod that may or may not be there, but there was no way I was running after him (at altitude) to try to stop him!

A few minutes later, Elard returned, breathless from hurrying up and down the stairs ….. no tripod to be found.

So, all I can do is hope that someone in need found the tripod and will sell it on the street or at a market somewhere and make enough money for a day or two of food for themselves and their family.

Good news out of all of this? One less thing to carry in my backpack. Five pounds lighter and easier to pack!

Oh, the casualties of a photo tour.

A Condor Photo Essay

As one of our Peru Through the Lens passengers had a particular fascination with birds, our G leader surprised us with a visit to an animal sanctuary in the Sacred Valley where there were condors. Not only were their condors, but ones that we could get within feet of. It was absolutely amazing.

After a short introduction to the sanctuary and meeting the llamas, pekuna, parrots and pumas, we got to the main event … the condors.

Animal lover – Audrey

Parrots

3 pumas were rescued from a bar where they were drugged & used for show. So sad.

We entered into the large condor cage with a hill in the back and three monstrous condors sitting on their perches near the front of the cage.

Condor

Condors

After a few minutes of admiring the giant birds, the handlers led the birds to the top of the hill where the took flight swooping within only a couple of feet of our heads. One of our passengers squealed, Elard fell over and several of us ducked even though we were already kneeling. You could feel the power of their wings pushing the air around you, but yet they landed on their perches and paid no attention to us.

condor in flight

condor in flight

condor in flight

condor in flight

condor on its perch

condor on its perch

condor on its perch

condor on its perch

Before leaving the giant birds for their next visitors, we were given a few moments to pose with them. Look how close we could get!

Don and the Condor

Overall, a pretty cool surprise. Amazing to see these giants up close!

A Picture is worth a thousand words

I was really excited to return to the community of Ccaccaccollo this year. Last year my photo group spent three days doing a home stay and portrait project for the Planeterra Foundation in this community. This year, we were returning only to visit the weaving community and have demonstrations on how the community operates.

Our G leader, Elard Aranibar, has been to the community many times and had taken a few photos of this elderly man while visiting in 2008. In 2011, the man passed away.

Ccaccaccollo elder
Photo by Elard Aranibar

Ccaccaccollo elder
Photo by Elard Aranibar

When we returned to the community this year, Elard was showing the photos to the man’s family. It was a very emotional moment and it reminded me of the power of photos, even more so for those who don’t have them as a regular part of their lives.

For us, photos are standard and help us remember our youth as well as the elderly in our lives. For many communities around the world, photos don’t exist and memories are only those in your mind. That is why the emotion behind these photos is so incredibly powerful.

Ccaccaccollo
Photo by Shari Tucker

Ccaccaccollo
Photo by Shari Tucker

Ccaccaccollo
Photo by Shari Tucker

Ccaccaccollo
Photo by Shari Tucker

Uros Islands Photo Essay

The Uros Islands are truly one of the most unique and amazing places that I have ever visited. They are located in Lake Titicaca, approximately a 20 minute boat ride from Puno. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in South America at approximately 13 000 feet.

The Uros islands are a group of approximately 79 floating islands hand-made of totora (reeds from Lake Titicaca). Totora is the staple of these islands. From actually building the islands on layers of reeds and blocks of roots, to eating the white part, to building all of their boats and homes from the reeds.

Reeds are regularly added to the islands on top of old layers as the old ones rot. Boats and houses are rebuilt approximately every six months for the same reason.

At one time the islands were moved amongst the reeds to hide from impending danger and strategically for war. Now, the islands are anchored in place with 3-5 families living on each island in small reed huts. There is a hospital, a school and a seventh day adventist church for the community.

Lake Titicaca boat ride

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca

Uros Islands

Uros Islands – Welcome – Kamisaraki

Uros Islands

Uros Islands

Uros Islands – school boat

Uros Islands

Uros Islands

Uros Islands

Uros Islands – Clever, our local guide

Uros Islands

Uros Islands – Clever, our local guide

Uros Islands – way of life

Uros Islands – Clever, our local guide

Uros Islands – Tourist Toilets

A Machu Picchu Morning

Today was the big day, the most anticipated day of the Peru Through the Lens trip. We were all up at 5am and down for breakfast by 5:30am. By 5:45am we were out the door and on our way down the hill by foot to the bus station.

The bus takes about 10 minutes through town and then 20 or so minutes up a steep and very windy road to the entrance of Machu Picchu. The road is barely big enough for one bus, but somehow we squeezed by the first couple of buses that had already dropped off passengers and were on their way back down.

Once through the gates, we made our way to a look out point where everything was covered in fog. Within minutes, the fog swirled around and moved out of the way so that we could see the residential area of Machu Picchu below and beside us. Moments later, the fog swirled back in and covered it all again. The cat and mouse game continued for nearly an hour as we stayed in this one area and enjoyed the mystical and magical presence of being in the Lost City.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu