And 'seeing' this is supposed to be a travel BLOG!......

It is! Travel to the local optometrist it is. For pure health reasons I decided to have that check-up on my eyes. Yes it was some POSTS ago that I explained how the mysterious white circle appeared in my left eye...never changing in size or in position...it just sits there...and looks!! But after my DEAD SEA experience it worried me. My eyes didn't bleed after two or three days exposure to the salt as the eyes of the retired surgeon's had done but the experience did make me nervous...despite the thorough fresh water flush.
But it is all good news! Although the circle is present there is no sign of permanent damage. The optometrist wasn't even convinced that the damage had been caused by the heavy salt exposure. 'Sometimes these marks can be left after a heavy rubbing of the eye'...oh, oh, that sounds like me, I thought guiltily.
'But why not take a picture of the back of the eye just to make sure everything is fine.'

 IT IS? INTERESTING! But....if you say so...I'll believe you! Nice picies!! Left or/and right...I can't tell. But ON! ON!
Click on to enlarge...maybe you can make sense of them!

Right! This would be or should be the coldest weekend ever in Australia!

But at least we have oxygen. I can only think of our trip to the highest point of the Andes mountain range. It was summer but it was cold...brr..brr... thinking how everyone was clambering for the little bit of sunshine that was available. But...we were warned don't take too long you'll be short of breath even before you finish that 'life-saving' cup of tea.

And looking around us we noticed just how warmly dressed or rugged up the locals were.

Much was for sale...any garment just to warm us up but...it was the hats which caught my eye. When I asked our guide she told me that the shape of each hat showed the region where the individual actually came from. I couldn't resist and bought one in black...this would look good on our hat tree at home I figured.
   Of course I had just enough breath left to buy a few brightly coloured cloths...anything to make a small donation to the local economy. We couldn't fit the Alpacas into the car...a question asked of me by my partner...but instead we bought four on our return to Toodyay WA. And some sheep of course so that the Alpacas would be able to supervise them...keep those great big kangaroos away or just hob-knob over the fence...which they did successfully... unfortunately.












Fancy ancient buildings? No just prepared for what goes in must come out! Yes toilets...long drop or chemical? I'll never know.

If you wear gloves...

Yes that's how I feel in this cold, cold,weather. Hang the idea of losing weight while walking! I did put the book 'walk yourself thin by walking' somewhere i would see it whenever I turned into the kitchen to make myself a snack. But.......reading is better I found. A nice hot chocolate, perhaps the new dark chocolate coated biscuits sold by R......... and a good book. What a way to tackle the 15*C. A few pages and you'll find yourself taken on a journey by the best writer or one of the best Australia has to offer. admittedly he came from Britain as a young man looking to experience the last of the wild in Australia. And he did...as a stockman in the far north but his writing he found more satisfying. And so at the time when the first Australians hope to be included in the revision of our country's history Alex Millar is a great read. At least three to four of his books describe his experience in the Australian outback. But not in a boring way! Try them and see.
For a little bit of history 'Conditions of Faith' lets the reader into 'what women really want' plus the fight for the design of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 'Prochownik's dream' on the other hand is for the reader who is interested in the life of an artist. Yes you've guessed it. I have decided to read my way through my bookshelf and to write about the books and the authors to confirm why I am still hanging on to these gems of literature.
Alex Miller is a fabulous story teller and his efforts have been acknowledged by many competitions. All he needs now is the Nobel prize for Literature. He surely is ready.
 Then there's the blast from the past!


All of a sudden I read about the baby I used to know...Sofia Laguna...who has been an author for some time and all grown up, married and a mother to a small son, who has just won $60,000 for her most recent story published. I just had to read it even if the cover made the book look like it is most suitable to a young reader. It is that also but also a very complex book for the adult. At last someone has had the courage to write about family issues.
And for those who are unusually developed on the autistic spectrum or who feel they know of someone who may have had that experience then this book is for you.
This story had me in tears, I warn you. It leaves the reader to not only identify strongly with the main character but to share empathy with every one of the characters.
So my friends of 40 years ago are seeing their creative genes expressed in the successful writing of their daughter, Sofie. Certainly beats studying Law, Sofie!

For everyone!!

Want to see some action? Why not land on an active volcano?

Sure not as easy as you might think. But in New Zealand it isn't that difficult. It certainly is easier than my four day treck up and through a National Park...to see the volcano Rigani... accompanied by four local Indonesians, live chooks in plastic bags and various bottles of sauce carried all the way up to ensure fresh chicken meat was available for the tourists for their dinner. "Don't kill those chooks on this side of the mountain, in front of me...over there...over there! Where I can't see!!"
A bad start however began at the National Park gate. 'Yes, you must register!' was the cry. 'How old are you?' 'Fifty' I replied. 'It is my birthday.'
'Fifty???? Most people in this country are dead by fifty.' OOps!!
However in New Zealand there was no such bother. Money handed over and into the helicopter we climbed...ready for some of the most stunning scenery!

Of course for some, in fact for most visitors, de rigeur consisted of hard hat, gas mask and monopod supporting a good camera. The advice was to follow closely behind one another, watch where you place your feet and don't forget vision is limited and one can become lost very quickly. Inhaling the gas was not recommended...so keep your mask on!

 Yes that is White Island...the most active Volcano in New Zealand. Of course our helicopter also dropped us on an inactive or dormant volcano but nothing as exciting as White Island.

 The bottom view of the walking yellow hard hats was a view taken from our helicopter just before we landed. We were not the only visitors. The danger sign for our visit was no. 2....no visitors or helicopters allowed at danger no.3.

Hi Key Blur! Or the pain was excruciating!

This happened a while ago. I had read all the instructions. And I was sitting minding my own business. The 'pier' man-made and jutting out into the Dead Sea was just that...a place to sit...to watch all the strugglers in the Dead Sea full of sea salt. There was so much salt that all control of swimming or floating was made impossible...your legs kept coming up to the surface to point at the sky.

 Yes we were in Jordan and of course the opportunity would never arise again...the Dead Sea is there and we must take a dip.

I had watched with concern how one of our tour group had lost all control and had both eyes submerged in the water and coming to the surface desperately trying to open his eyes, he waved his hands around like a blind man would. But to regain some orientation and make his way to the beach where the fresh water hose lay waiting for those who needed it wasn't going to happen. Now you know why I was sitting having a rest on the pier.
My pushing him from the back and his wife dragging him by hand from the front we finally manged to get  him to the shore. A thorough wash of his eyes took some time. Meanwhile I retreated.  Only one errant wave did my damage and before I knew it I couldn't open my left eye where thew ave had hit...and oh the pain!! At least I could find my way with the good right eye. The fresh water tap was mine. But months later I found the permanent scar in a form of a circle...only small but nevertheless there to remind me of my foolishness. So off to the optometrist. A thorough look and no permanentdamage could be found. So why not have photos taken of the back of the eye/s as well.

 

 I did and I have tried to post two wonderful images sent to me by my optometrist but to no avail...one day I might know how to access them.

My hi key blur attempt for one of our competitions

What's the beef? Aborigines were the first people in this country we whites encountered! So...?

Yes so...! Every child should be told the true history of Australia. What we did to the original owners of these lands...the nasty stuff and the good things. Sure it was a two-sided affair but does that mean we don't want the future generation members to know? Or does that mean that we don't want the presence of the Aboriginals certified in a revision of our Constitution?

Just because there are claims by some that there were people in Australia before the Aboriginals, the group of people we recognise as the original owners of this land, what has that to do with a non-recognition of them in our revised Constitution? Sorry I can't understand this blast of hot wind from the conservative side of politics. Go and look at some of the magnificent examples of Rock Art available to anyone in the north of Australia. I don't like to brag but these images were taken with my little Canon G10 in the most private of places...we had access only via a helicopter. And the locations are secret. Of course they are! The infrastructure needed to welcome tourists to these places so far does not exist. But it will happen as it has in other countries where tourism to sites such as these have proven to be great sources of income. It is recognised that we need protection of these areas not only from tourists but greedy commercial mining companies allowed to do what they like with the support of a money-driven government. So let us begin with a recognition of our long history in the revision of our Constitution and be inclusive of our original Aborigines.

 Sure there is a controversial position taken by some the GWION GWION figures otherwise known as Bradshaws differ from the representation of the Wandjinas...a different style implying that a group of painters existed before the presence of the Aboriginals.

However a Fact/check on The Conversation has shown that the issue in the Constitutional recognition debate is about recognising that there were people in Australia when Europeans arrived to colonise it.









If you were wondering these images were most often found on the underneath of rocky outcrops. A click on the images will enlarge the picture.
As far as my trusty Canon G10 camera goes it landed in crystal clear water after lunch one day and spent the night drying out in the engine room of our boat. However the outcome was not good. A claim on insurance resulted in a new camera.

Overseas negatives!

I should apologise to Dale. In a Post previously I misquoted Dale...'if you look like your passport photo you are too ill to travel' and I said...'if you like your passport photo you are not a traveller' or some such. Anyway both are great ideas. So for the next B/W shots I am in various parts of the world and definitely not fond of my passport photo. That is exactly why I am reticent to change my photo on Facebook...if I did keep it up to date I'd have to admit that my years have rushed by. I much prefer the invisibility bestowed upon me by the presiding culture...to be young is ALL! Oh I remember it welll!!

At peace in Venice. A picture much better in black and white even if it has won many prizes in colour.

Still in Venice of course.

        The Cathedral in Milano. Can you find the photographer in the photo on the right? To help a click on the image will enlarge the photo.


     
       

Again in Switzerland amazed at the sight of these ancient sights.

And making a living selling items in the highest mountains of the Andes Range yet friendly.

My driver enjoying himself on one of the islands on Lake Titikaka.

And again in Switzerland not in the least depending on the myth!