POV: Moribund Google+ ?

A recent article in Slate about the future of Google+ caught my attention largely because it reflects pretty much what I feel about that social network, and about its photography community in particular.

I ought to have positive things to say about Google+ seeing that my profile received in excess of 436 million views so far. This is certainly a glitch, but seeing that number every time I log on to my profile is a tremendous ego boost.

But first things first...The New York Times pointed out recently that Google+ is useful to Google as an identity service by which the company can better track users across services like YouTube, Gmail and Google Maps. In other words, it's data mining like so many other social networks (Facebook for example).

Late last year, I joined a number of Google+ photography forums/communities, and posted whatever I write on my blog and on Facebook. To be honest, I never felt connected. It just didn't feel comfortable. Yes, photographs look much better on Google+ that any other social network, but it left me cold.

I suspect it's because 99% of my network of 'friends' on Facebook consists of photographers I either know personally and of others who know them...a sort of two degrees of separation. For instance, the number of friends' requests I receive on Facebook jumps just before, during and after the annual Foundry Photojournalism Workshop....so there are real human connections behind many, if not all, of these.

Not so for Google+.

Moreover, I'm really not a community/forum kind of guy... and expecting comments on photographs I post, saying that how "delightful the expression is", how "extraordinary is the light that dissects the scene" or if the photograph is better in color or monochrome...etc is not a turn on for me. Naturally, if I get a compliment, I respond with my sincere thanks....but I'm not ready to expend so much time to read, respond and reciprocate the commentary.

Perhaps it's because I'm not really that interested in such feedback from people (despite the fact some are very talented photographers) in that particular type of social interface/forum. Face to face feedback (or from someone I already met and know) is different, because it's verbalized and is done in person, and there's much more to gain and offer.

I know others exult about Google+ as being the bees' knees for photographers, but to me, the value of joining the photographic communities is not worth the required time expenditure.

I'll remain as I am on Google+, and will retain my activity level at what it is...but not more than that. And if and when it really dies or withers...I won't care.

Unwind our 'Dosti', 'Samajhdari' with 'Bachpan' and 'Masti' with learning bhi !!

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[The post is a submission towards the entry for 'Khuljayee Bachpan' contest through coordination of   Kellogg's Chocos (https://www.facebook.com/mychocos/) and Indiblogger.] 

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My son began showing some withdrawal symptoms, then I realized that a great bonding could work as effective for him, as it did it for me !!

Usual celebrations of the day, through toons, games and friends had their way,

Remote and the keypad, these days lay rested, plates left full and the spirits devastated,

The prod of my scholar, as he looked for shared times and fun no smaller,

A realization that did then break, that it was the 'Time',not the icing not the cake,

That coupled with Freedom to spare, did bring his best, for something to share,

As I learned to share to care, it was his grasp I found so rare

Time for us to together learn, his endless curiosity sprinkled with innocence to yearn,

And if my experience as it was banal, did vent his restless energy to get some channel,

And while learning through his joy, I finally did realize what I enjoy,

Together to just be, moments of my son just with me,

Those moments that made me happy, for they let him and let me be,

Happiness to exchange what we knew the best, the bonding, participation took care of the rest

While reclaimed my joy of learning, dreams I was spending not earning,

He was truly my reflection of within, child-like zeal that so keen,

He saw me a symbol of application, hard work and knowledge gelled with no traction,

Where his dreams found their wings, beyond his triangles, squares and rings,

Our distances saw their dust, with bowls of hearty Chocos for breakfast,

He learned through my learnings, that I bridged through his yearnings,

With Indian values still intact, relationship status be no distract,

Let the balance of nature flow, let the bonding make us go Gung-Ho!,

'Khul gaya bachpan, mil gaye pal', life was happiness, no place for anything dull,

'Yaadein jo thi anoothi', had fun while father did his duty!!

Book Review: Two Climbing Books For Your Collection

Okay, I'm incredibly far behind on writing some book reviews, and I'm going to try to do some catching up as soon as I can. I'll take a couple of books with me when I head out of the country at the end of the week, but I wanted to post a couple of reviews before hand, and these two books go together very well for a number of reasons. Both books come from the same author, Clyde Soles, and both are part of the Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series from The Mountaineers Books.

Climbing: Training for Peak Performance by Clude Soles
Let me start off by saying unequivocally that this is the best book I've seen in regards to fitness for climbers. The book covers everything you could ever want to know about training for climbing, including diet, aerobic workout, resistance training, flexibility and so much more, and the chapters are filled with so much good information, that you'll constantly be finding new things to add to your preparation for the mountains.

The book begins with a great introduction on the fundamentals of exercise in the general sense, and it's application to climbing specifically. It also touches on a number of other topics, such as how important conditioning can be to the aging climber and the importance of getting everything to work together for you for higher performance on the mountain. The intro sets up a number of themes that run throughout the book, not the least of which is to always have fun in both your training and your climbing. Something we probably all agree with.

The chapters on the workout routines are comprehensive, to say the least, and geared toward climbers of all styles and skill levels. Whether you're a weekend warrior or heading to the Himalaya, you'll find some things in this book that will be of help. Clyde does an excellent job of breaking down the things that work and don't work, and streamlining it for the rest of us. For instance, in the chapter on aerobic exercise, he looks at all the options available to us, including trail running, road running, cycling, and so on, and quickly and easily lays out the pros and cons of each of them. It's a great reference even if you're a non-climber.

While the exercise focused chapters are excellent, there were two others that really caught my attention. The second chapter of the book is focused on nutrition and it's importance to your over all conditioning, and it has some incredibly helpful information on planning for your dietary needs. Many climbers don't make a plan when it comes to their diet, as conventional wisdom has always said that it's important to have plenty of calories, but Clyde notes that it's not just how much you eat, but what you eat as well, and paying attention to those needs can improve performance in a lot of ways. This is a chapter that I highly recommend for anyone who is already a climber, but is looking for ways to improve endurance and performance. Of particular interest would be the section on "fueling the climb".

The other chapter that I found particularly interesting was the third, which focuses on the mental aspects of preparing for a climb. By focusing on mental conditioning, you see the holistic approach that the author is a proponent of, bringing all aspects of body and mind together to make us better prepared for all of our athletic endeavors. Clyde mentions that some of these mental conditioning techniques come from martial arts and yoga, and perhaps that's why I related so well to this chapter. My years of martial arts training made it easy for me to understand what he was trying to achieve. It's another chapter that will likely have something to offer even those that are already in terrific shape.

Other valuable information in the book include the chapter on climbing at altitude, which offers some great advice on helping to improve the acclimatization process, and the chapter on rest and recovery is excellent as well, reminding us why we need to take some time off on occasion as well. The final chapter brings everything together, building synergy on everything we've learned in the previous chapters.

In case you couldn't tell, I was very impressed with this book. Exercise manuals don't tend to be highly interesting to me, but this one is so much more than that. I really enjoyed the whole approach to preparing for climbing, and found valuable information on nearly every page. If you're a climber, and haven't read this book, then I suggest you order it. NOW! Here, I'll even make it simple for you. Click here to go to the Amazon page.

Climbing: Expedition PLanning by Clyde Soles and Phil Powers
Clyde teams up with Phil Powers on this second book that I personally found simply fascinating in so many ways. This book takes a look at every aspect of preparing for an expedition, from the early stages when it is just a dream, to planning and preparing, putting the right team together, researching the mountain, and so much more. No part of an expedition is left undiscussed, and once again we get invaluable information that for many of us, we'd only have considered after years of experience.

Of course, the book doesn't just focus on the preparation for the climb and all the aspects that go into planning the expedition. Several of the most valuable chapters also look at what it's like once you depart on the trip, taking a nicely detailed look at the logistics that go into getting all your gear to the country of your destination, and then on to base camp. The authors look at all manner of important topics, including trekking to BC, communications in the field, and even how to set up the latrine.

As if that wasn't enough, the book then takes a look at the last stage of the expedition, namely getting to the summit, and even what comes afterwards, with some insights on giving post climb speeches and slide shows, ending it all with thoughts of starting it all over again for that next expedition.

Much like Climbing: Training for Peak Performance, this book is also packed cover to cover with really great information, but unlike that book, I think this one will appeal to an even larger audience. There are so many wonderful sidebars and charts that offer up great insights, that even the arm chair mountaineer will be fascinated by the wealth of knowledge contained in the book. And for those planning an expedition of their own, this guide serves as a great resource, whether you're planning your first expedition or your tenth.

Once again, if you read and enjoy mountaineering books, than you should have this one in your collection. While it might not be as action packed as something like Into Thin Air, it will give you a behind the scenes look at what happens before, during, and after a major expedition. Clyde and Phil make the book and its subject matter very interesting, and you'll learn more than you ever thought you would about the logistics of high altitude mountaineering.

Grab this book by clicking here.

On a final note, thanks to Clyde for being patient and understanding with how long it took to get these books read and reviewed. I appreciate you sending these my way and learned a ton from both of them. Great work!

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Acclimatizing in Namche Bazaar

By now you're probably already getting tired of hearing me reference the First Ascent Team, the all-star mountaineering group with Ed Viesturs, Dave Hahn, Melissa Arnot, and a host of others. Yesterday I mentioned that they had their own YouTube channel, which already has some great footage of the approach to base camp, and today I came across their Born Out There Blog, which is being updated as they travel as well. The best part about this expedition is that they have plenty of resources at their disposal, as you can already tell, and we're getting to follow along like never before. Daily video dispatches from the region and blog posts promise to give us a behind the scenes look at an Everest climb that we've possibly never had before. It'll be interesting to see if they can keep it up when they get to the hard stuff. For now, they're in Namche Bazaar, and acclimatizing before they continue their trek. Namche is traditionally a place where trekkers and climbers rest for a day enroute to Everest. Check out their video from the place below.

The Eco Everest Team is now reportedly preparing to set off for the mountain as well, with the legendary mountaineer Apa Sherpa now in Nepal. Apa makes his home in the U.S., but travels back on yearly basis to guide a team up the mountain. He'll be seeking his 19th successful summit this year, hopefully breaking his own record. Alan Arnette is reporting on his Everest 2009 page that Apa won't be alone this year though, as his wife will be on hand to witness his new milestone. Alan is also reporting that David Tait is currently en route to the mountain, and from his latest dispatch, it seems he's also in Namche Bazaar.

Bill Burke is still hopeful that he can take a shot at at his planned traverse of Everest, but everyone is still waiting to see if the Chinese will begin issuing permits to climb the mountain, along with Shisha Pangma and Cho Oyu as well. Bill is currently on his way to Nepal, but with the announcement that the borders of Tibet will reopen on April 5th, I think there is a cautiously optimistic feeling amongst those who are hoping to climb in Tibet this spring.

Across the Himalaya, teams are now making their way to various mountains. Joao Garcia's team is already on Manaslu and making gear drops, while Carlos Pauner and his partners are still making their way to that mountain. A number of teams are already establishing base camp on Annapurna as well, which looks to have its fair share of traffic this spring as well.

For the teams, it's an interesting time. They've arrived back in the Himalaya, which has become common place for many of them this time of year, and they are trekking or otherwise finding ways to get to their destination. Everything is rather hectic right now, but it'll calm down quite a bit once they reach base camp and get settled there. Then the waiting will start, with occasional hikes up the mountain to establish their camps and acclimatize. Soon we'll here talk of weather windows and summit days, and more, but in between, there will be an awful lot of waiting. Such is the spring climbing season in the Himalaya.

The Rest of Everest Episode 104: A Room With A View

The latest episode of The Rest of Everest is out, and now available for all of us to enjoy, continuing our virtual expedition up Annapurna IV with climbers Ben Clark, Josh Butson, and Tim Clarke, who hope to not only summit the 24,688 foot peak, but also make the first ski descent of the mountain as well.

In this episode, labeled A Room With A View, we really start getting down to business in the Himalaya. The past few weeks have had the guys stuck in base camp, where they made the most of their time preparing their gear and mentally getting ready for the climb as well, but this week kicks off with the team already working their way up the mountain, as the climb gets underway in earnest.

Once again, there are some great shots of the mountain, and the video of the team working an incredibly steep portion will give you an idea of how challenging it is to climb in the Himalaya. They plan to go up in alpine style, which means they'll be climbing with all of their gear on their backs, rather than siege style that is common on the big peaks, which makes it all the more impressive as you watch them go up.

One of the more interesting aspects of this episode is that we get to watch the team establish their first camp on the mountain. That's not something that we get to see often, and the process begins by digging a snow ledge to set up their tents, and then making the area as comfortable of a campsite as possible. When done, you kick back and enjoy the view, and in this case, it's quite a view.

Checkout this episode directly from the Rest of Everest website by clicking here or grab it from iTunes here.

Rachel Carbonell | Moroccan Medinas

Photo © Rachel Carbonell-All Rights Reserved

One of the most difficult countries for people photography is -in my experience, at least- Morocco. This is caused by the local combination of traditional beliefs and the Islamic distaste for the reproduction of the human form. The latter is known as aniconism, which is the practice of or belief in the avoiding or shunning of images of divine beings, prophets or other respected religious figures...and in the case of some Islamic countries, is also misinterpreted as images of all human beings.

Notwithstanding that difficulty, talented travel photographer Rachel Carbonell has just featured Moroccan Medinas: The Colors And Shadows of Life; a photo gallery of more than 40 photographs of the medinas from the blues of Chefchaouen, Larache, Essaouira to the ochres of Meknes and Fez, and from the pinks of Marrakech and Tiznit to the whites of Azemmour, Moulay Idriss, Tetuan and Asilah.

This is a project that took more than two years to complete, over many voyages to Morocco. It's also how Rachel tells us how the atmosphere of its bustling streets and alleys hopelessly caught and seduced her.

The word medina is the Arabic for city or town, and are generally found in many North African cities. They are typically surrounded by a wall, and contain many narrow and maze-like streets, and can also contain historical fountains, small palaces (or riads), and mosques. Some medinas were also used to confuse and slow down invaders because of how narrow and winding their alleys were.

Rachel has also published a book Moroccan Medinas which is available on Blurb.

Rachel Carbonell is a Spanish photographer who graduated from the University of Deusto, and studied Photography at IDEP (Barcelona). She is a Getty Images Contributing Photographer, and her images have been published in press, books, magazines, websites etc. such as The Washington Post, The Guardian, MC Ediciones, Random House Mondadori S.A, Glamour France, Iberia, Nulle Parts Ailleurs Productions and others.

Top 2 day trip from Ho Chi Minh City to CanGio

We as of late set up together for you a schedule for investigating Ho Chi Minh City as a major aspect of our Custom Itineraries for Vietnam arrangement. After you have investigated Ho Chi Minh City and on the off chance that you have an additional day in your travel schedule, short day outings are an incredible alternative. Luckily, outside of the city, there are a few spots where you can go to escape and experience a the earth. Hours far from Ho Chi Minh City, you can discover shorelines, wildernesses, bogs, islands, waterways, towns, and that's just the beginning. Whether you are voyaging alone, with children, or in a gathering, there is a novel encounter close HCMC for everybody!

1. MeKong

The Mekong Delta is the rich area south of Ho Chi Minh City where ranchers develop the dominant part of Vietnam's supply of rice, durian, and different leafy foods. The Mekong River, which begins at the Tibetan level, streams into an arrangement of 9 little tributaries which at last vacant into the ocean. The delta area is home to ranchers and little entrepreneurs who carry on with a loose pace of life.

See more: Vietnam travel packages

This area is amazingly unfathomable, yet luckily it doesn't take an excess of time to truly get a feel for the zone. The conduits and trenches in the delta are what overwhelmingly associate one zone to the following, such a large amount of the investigation in the delta is revolved around the conduits. A few exercises you can join in are angling, paddling down the channels, and consuming new apples and oranges from skimming markets. An excursion on a sampan vessel (a kind of kayak) down the backwaters is particularly fun on the grounds that the surroundings are amazingly quiet and otherworldly. Numerous visits will likewise take you to durian plantations, rice paper manufacturing plants, apples and oranges treat industrial facilities, rice fields, and neighborhood markets. An alternate sight that you may need to visit in the Mekong Delta is the 'fish can'. In this novel sample of the 'ring of life', the fish latrine is a particular outside alternative can where people go to the washroom in the waterway, and afterward the feces eater fish process the fertilizer. Incidentally, waterway fish are a crucial piece of the human eating regimen in this district…  :)

The Details:  The Mekong Delta has a lot of people residential areas where travelers can visit to get a feel for the district. For example, Cai Be is one of the areas where you can do the greater part of the Mekong Delta exercises and is extensively less touristy than My Tho or Can Tho. In the event that you take a visit to the Delta, they will orchestrate a transport or auto transport for you. The most ideal approach to investigate  this range is through a visit so you can encounter all the extraordinary exercises there, and you can without much of a stretch do a significant number of the exercises in one day. Examine our proposed remarkable visit organizations that will take you out to the Mekong Delta.

2. CanGio

Otherwise called Monkey Island, Can Gio Island is really an arrangement of little islands simply bulging out from the terrain close HCMC. This nature store includes 80,000 hectares of mangroves and water coconut backwoods. Amid the Vietnam-American war, this territory was extremely deforested by napalm, bringing about a limitless decrease of local vegetation. Today, an UNESCO perceived biosphere, this swampy mangrove woodland is home to many monkeys and crocodiles. Despite the fact that this territory is fenced so that the crocodiles can't get away from, the obstructions don't keep the monkeys out. The collaboration between the local crocodiles and monkeys can be very one of a kind; commonly, these animals are this current territory's principle fascination too.

The monkeys here are amusing on occasion, however truly naughty. They take anything from anybody on the off chance that they can, and they delight in insulting the nearby salt-water crocodiles. In the woodland hold, you can nourish the crocodiles with eels or little snakes which may sound unpleasant yet winds up being an intriguing knowledge. You can likewise angle for crabs, watch bats, and food monkeys. Can Gio island is likewise a chronicled site, as the mangrove woods was a critical guerrilla base. Numerous life-size models are scattered all through that demonstrate to you a percentage of the exercises that were performed there amid the war. At long last, however there are shorelines and a couple of shoreline resorts there, they are not particularly paramount. They may be worth a visit on the off chance that you need to unwind and make tracks in an opposite direction from the hotness, yet they are scarcely the best shorelines that Vietnam brings to the table. Make sure to take a lot of bug repellent and sunscreen, and be mindful so as not to have nourishment or beverages as the monkeys may be enticed to grab them far from you.

Subtle elements:  Can Gio island is possible as a visit, however it is reasonably clear so it can be effectively gone to all alone, the length of you are agreeable with the thought of open transportation in Vietnam. To get there by open transportation, you have to take transport #20 at the Ben Thanh transport station (before Ben Thanh Market) to Nha Be region. After around 45-50 minutes, you will land at the Binh Khanh ship terminal. This ship ride over the Nha Be stream will bring you to Can Gio locale. From that point, with a specific end goal to enter Monkey Island and the mangrove woodland, you have to take transport #90 to Can Thanh. This is the door for the primary attractions. The extra charge is 30-35,000 VND for every individual. Keeping in mind the end goal to visit the guerilla base, you can take a kayak ride which goes down the mangrove backwoods waterways and takes around 10 minute

Himalaya Spring 2009 Update: Up and Down the Cwm

Lots of action on Everest, and around the Himalaya, as teams acclimatize, build camps, and get to know their mountains.

Starting off on Everest, teams have now gone as high as C3, caching gear as they go, and getting all too familiar with the Western Cwm. They'll make that journey a number of times before they head up to the summit in a few weeks. According to the Peak Freaks Blog, their whole team is in Base Camp right now, with the exception of one climber in C1. Tomorrow they'll begin their climb up to C2, where they'll spend the night acclimatizing. THe PF team also notes that the remarkably calm weather thus far this season has made it easy for teams to spend time at C1 and C2 this early in the season. Whether or not this calm weather holds is yet to be seen.

The Adventure Consultants are already up in C1, where they are comfortably resting. The team were up at 1 AM and off at 2 AM, and after a successful scramble through the Icefall, they were up the hill and in C1 before the crowd, beating the heat of the day.

The Himex team takes a different approach to the acclimatization process. Russell Brice likes to have the team scale other peaks in the area to gain experience and acclimatize. And to that end, both David Tait and Billi Bierling are reporting that they have been climbing Lobuje Peak the past few days. After a successful summit, they are back in Gorak Shep, and will be proceeding to BC from there.

Speaking of Russell Brice, Alan Arnette is reporting that he crashed the Cricket Game held in Gorak Shep, and being billed as the highest ever played, to announce that he'll hold his own match at C2, beating the "old" record by 1235 meters. Of course it was all one big joke and Russell was just having a little fun with the teams playing in Gorak Shep. Who says this guy doesn't have a sense of humor?

ExWeb is reporting in one of their Himalaya wrap-ups that the Lhotse-Everest Traverse team is off and running at a good pace, having already stashed their tents at C2 and moved further up the mountain to scout not only Everest's West Ridge, but also the Lhotse Wall as well.

On the North Side of Everest, teams finally reached Base Camp over the weekend, and they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the yaks to help them carry their gear up to ABC. They'll soon be joined by Norwegian Jarle Traa, who told ExWeb he would be climbing from the North completely independently, without using oxygen or Sherpa support.

Moving away from Everest now, the report is that a team of Czechs reached the Eastern Summit of Annapurna, which stands at 8021 meters. Harsh winds prevented them from reaching the main summit however, and they are now returning to BC. Bad weather has been a problem on Annapurna so far this year, and has prevented most teams from making any kind of headway at all.

Teams are also locked in at C1 on Manaslu thanks to poor weather conditions. Heavy winds and snow fall has prevented them from going up the mountain to establish Camp 2, but the weather report indicates that things may be improving. The snows are expected to stop, although the winds may continue for a few more days.

Our friends on the Ski The Himalayas team, which includes Ben Clark and Josh Butson of Rest of Everest fame, are still trekking to their mountain of choice, the 23,390 foot Baruntse, where they intend to make an alpine style climb, and then ski off the summit. They are joined by a third climber, named Jonathan Miller, who is not to be confused with the other Jonathan Miller, also from the Rest of Everest, who prefers to make films about the mountains.

Finally, the latest update from the team climbing Lunag Ri, a 6907m peak in Nepal, is that they are now on the mountain, and have scouted a line that they think will work for them. Described as hard, but safe, the route will have them going up some 6777 meters before making a traverse along a narrow ridge to the summit proper.

Good luck to all the climbers at the various stages of their climb. Climb safe everyone, and enjoy the view!

North Pole 2009: Navigating By The Seat of Your Pants

It's been a few days since I posted an update on the arctic teams, but they continue to make progress and receive attention from a variety of outlets, especially the Catlin Arctic Survey Team, which made headlines when they announced they use a pair of lacy underwear to help navigate. Apparently, when the compass doesn't work, thanks to the close proximity to the magnetic North Pole, they'll navigate by the sun, and when that fails, due to clouds or darkness, they'll break out a tiny thong and use it to catch the wind. Thank goodness someone thought ahead enough to bring sexy underwear on the trip! This unconventional navigation system seems to working though, as the team passed a milestone today, reaching 83º N.

The Victorinox North Pole Team continues to move ahead, crossing 85º N a few days back, and averaging more than 8 nautical miles per day this past week. For the most part, the ice continues to be smooth and easily navigable for them, but in their last dispatch they reported large blocks of rubble once again, with some pieces the size of cars. This impeded their progress dramatically and has been a source of frustration at times, but hasn't seemed to impacted John or Tyler's demeanor at this point.

The Peary Centennial Expedition is also past 85º N and is making even better time than Victorinox, notching closer to 10 nautical miles per day in their recent activity. The team feels that they are about half done, in terms of time, although they still have a long way to go. They do expect their speed to continue to increase in speed as they get closer to the Pole. In the latest audio dispatch, Lonnie Dupre talks about the hardships of crawling out of a warm sleeping bag in the morning when it is -30º outside. He also notes that the bags have doubled in weight since they set off thanks to the fact that they have frozen. They do their best to try to thaw them, but such is the life of an arctic explorer.

Finally, the Baffin Babes haven't put out a lot of dispatches on their journey, but they continue to press ahead on their exploration of Baffin Island. They did mention awhile back that they had met an Austrian hunter who had come to Canada to hunt polar bears, and the girls found that to be very odd, since the bears are protected pretty much everywhere else, except in Canada. The threesome will become a foursome soon as well, as Ingebjoerg Tollefsen reports that she'll be off to Clyde River to join her friends in ten days. You may recall that Ingebjoerg was forced to stay behind due to illness, but she is now healthy and ready to go, and will be soon out on the ice too.

That's all for now. Remember, if you ever get lost, you've always got your underwear to help you navigate! ;)

Jon Bowermaster's Dispatches From The Maldives

The man who never stays home (at least not for long), Jon Bowermaster is off once again, this time to the Maldives, where he is investigating the impact of rising sea levels on the tiny island nation which consists of more than 1200 islands spread out across the Indian Ocean south-west of India itself.

Yesterday Jon made his first dispatch from the Maldives, where the President has announced that he intends to make the country carbon neutral by 2010. The islands are a tourist paradise, and the place gets much of it's revenue from the tourism business, so the emphasis will shift now to ecotourism and a move away from fossil fuels and toward wind energy and solar power.

Predictions for the future of the Maldives are dire. With global climate change causing the polar ice caps to melt and sea levels to rise, the entire nation could be underwater by 2100. Because of that outlook, I put the country on my list of five places to see before they're changed forever, which I wrote at Gadling a few weeks back. If things continue as they are now, 80% of the islands could disappear before the end of this century, meaning that many of the 400,000 people who currently live there will be forced to find new homes.

Jon will be touring the area by boat and float plane over the next two weeks. Look for more dispatches on what is happening there right now in the days ahead. And be sure to checkout Jon's newly re-launched website, which has a great design, access to an amazing amount of information, and a simple to navigate layout. My favorite new feature? The "Where is Jon?" tab in the upper right corner of the home page. It tells me where he's off to in his ongoing adventures.

Vietnam Adventure and Eco Tour - VietNam Travel

Welcome to Hanoi, we will meet and take you to your inn, check-in and today is free at your recreation to rest or investigate, have your early introductions of Vietnam.

Withdraw at 8:00 am from your inn by van. We will start our day by going by Uncle Ho, looking into his extraordinary life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his private spot. Next stop is the close-by Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam's first University, implicit twelfth century, to educate Confucius' hypothesis to royals. Here we will likewise have an opportunity to see a conventional music execution. Toward the evening, pick one from the various historical centers or sanctuaries around Hanoi (Museum of Ethnology, Women's Museum, History Museum or Quan Thanh Temple). In the late evening we take a cyclo through Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi's captivating Old Quarter for some extraordinary fun, shopping, and road side conventional sustenance. This is your opportunity to be a piece of run of the mill Hanoian style and its customary Vietnamese society. We complete our unwinding yet instructive day by going to a Water Puppet Show, a most loved experience for all guests to Vietnam. We can help you to return to your inn on the off chance that you wish, however regularly our visitors would rather simply use the nighttime appreciating a beverage with a perspective of the city. Supper all alone.

You will be in imparted AC delicate sleeper lodges to venture out North to Lao Cai town. (Our visit aide will reveal to you a smaller than normal inn which you will have a shower and fundamental breakfast before going on Halong narrows).

Today's morning: The train touches base at around 6:30 am; you are gotten when you retreat the train station. Lunch break before we continue hitting the street to Ta Phin town. Our Dao have family will welcome you to their customary home where we will experience an ethnic style supper and keep with it.

At the first glimmer of light, you will see and hear the resonances of morning town life. You can join your host family in some of their exercises like sustaining the creatures, cleaning the houses, planting or planning breakfast. After breakfast, we could take a short morning meander around the town or bringing about more of an opportunity went through with the host gang. You will be then upheld by our auto/ van over to Sapa (30 minutes). When we land back in Sapa, register with the inn, shower, and stop for lunch all alone. At 2:30 pm we will take a simple walk (~ 5km) to Cat town, country of Black H'mong slope tribe and to join in a customary ethnic music execution put on by the ethnic minority individuals. Your supper and nighttime, rest in the inn in Sapa.

Sunday is the basic exchanging day of numerous tribes in the Northwest of Vietnam, Bac Ha is one of them. The business sector is loaded with colors of distinctive ethnic minorities originating from diverse towns and their exchanging exercises are so lively, enduring from right on time morning till midday, from the hand-made fabrics to the pooches and wild oxen.

We will leave Sapa right on time by 7:00 am with the goal that we can be there on time, please pay admiration to local people here and solicit authorization before you taking photograph from anybody. Lunch in Bac Ha all alone record then we will do a pontoon excursion along the Chay stream, this vessel ride is around 1,5 hour. Supper all alone well before the train leaves for Hanoi.

Related post: Vietnam travel

Entry in Hanoi in the early morning at cycle 5:00 am. If its not too much trouble find your route by foot over to a smaller than usual inn close to the Tran Quy Cap station door to have shower and fundamental set menu breakfast.

Following 3.5 hours driving and review straightforward, field, rice paddy life, we touch base at the at port. At 12.00, the garbage teams welcome visitors ready for Hon Gai wharf. Check- in, revel in welcome beverage & journey instructions. Lunch with crisp nearby fish while cruising to Bai Tu Long cove through Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit secretive Thien Canh hole. Unwind at a wild shoreline, swim & kayak (~ 45 mins) to investigate the cove. Over to garbage to revel in unwinding or the nightfall. Supper and overnight ready for Vong Vieng town or Trinh Nu hollow.

The People of Tây Bắc Published on Medium

I've just published The People of Tây Bắc; a monochrome photo essay on the weekly markets of the ethnic minorities in Northwestern Viet Nam.

I've come to appreciate Medium, the rather new blog-publishing platform. Founded by Twitter co-founders Evan Williams and Biz Stone in August 2012, it has evolved into "a hybrid of non-professional contributions and professional, paid contributions, an example of social journalism" as described by Wikipedia.

Although it's a gorgeous platform for photographers as well, it was originally designed for writers. I use it to upload large photographs...using the edge to edge option, which provides an attractive viewing display.

Tu Tran Thanh | Hầu đồng

Photo © 2014 Tu Tran Thanh-All Rights Reserved

While in Vietnam just two months ago, I literally stumbled on previously unknown (to me) religious ceremonies pertaining to Đạo Mẫu; the worship of Mother Goddesses in Vietnam. This unusual, but ancient, worship is commonly associated with spirit mediumship rituals—known in Vietnam as lên đồng.

Lên đồng (aka Hầu đồng) is a ritual of spirit mediumship practiced in Đạo Mẫu, during which followers become mediums for the various deities. The rituals involve music, singing (invocation songs to induce a trance in mediums), dance and the use of differently-colored costumes.

Photo © 2014 Tu Tran Thanh-All Rights Reserved

Whilst in Ha Noi, I was fortunate to have met Tu Tran Thanh; a photographer who discovered and shared my interest in Lên đồng and Hầu đồng rituals, and who also agreed to assist in developing my self-assignment of documenting these rituals during my forthcoming trip to Vietnam in March or April 2015.

As coincidence would have it, some of the streets in Ha Noi's Old Quarter were very recently the venue for a number of live performances such as ca trù, xẩm singing and lên đồng, and sure enough, Tu Tran Thanh was there to photograph some of the performances.

Photo © 2014 Tu Tran Thanh-All Rights Reserved

For decades, Lên đồng was restricted by French colonial and Vietnamese leaders, but the tradition is currently enjoying a flurry of popularity since restrictions were relaxed a decade or so ago. Whilst these were largely performances to introduce (or re-acquaint) the Vietnamese public to its cultural and religious traditions, authentic Lên đồng ceremonies are held and observed in Vietnam, and are the focus of my forthcoming self-assignment.

POV: The Task I Like Best (Well, Almost)

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

Collecting information, and then scouting, for a future photo expedition-workshop, is a challenging task that is time-consuming, and requires reliable contacts...and one that takes patience, cerebral stamina and luck.

During the past 2 to 3 weeks, I've been researching and gathering information for a particular self-assignment project in Viet Nam; one that seems to be quite tough to nail down from New York, but would have been reasonably easy if I were in Ha Noi instead.

This particular project is like unraveling seemingly endless rubber bands of a golf ball, one strand by one strand, with the added frustration of sometimes coming to a dead end, or unearthing a promising lead but receiving no response to emails and/or Facebook messages. Sure, there's a sense of accomplishment when I get a lead; especially one that leads to another lead,...but there's a lot of disappointment when it turns all to nothing, or even worse, when there's no response.

I often wonder what did we do before the advent of the internet, email, and the various social media? Photographers and photojournalists had to rely on local information supplied by friends, fixers, and various other contacts and sources...and that took time to arrive and be verified. We now have it much easier...but it's still an uphill struggle to get what we need. I enjoy the challenge, there's no question about that. It's a sort of information sleuthing; one that needs to be checked and double checked.

For this current research, I trawl Vietnamese websites and, while I appreciate Google Translate and/or the browser's translate option, the results are often hilarious and unreliable. Trying to accurately pin down festival dates based on the Lunar calendar is tantamount to nailing Jell-O to the wall. I'm already imposing on Vietnamese friends and contacts for translation and advice, but there's a limit on how many times I can ask for help.

Probably the most disappointing so far is the no-reply to my emailed request for assistance (contact sharing) from a USC professor who specializes in the type of religious festivals I'm seeking. One would think professors would gladly share information on subject matters that are important to them. Not that one.

Aside from the Vietnamese websites, I check every promising location on Google Maps, calculating the distances and directions from Ha Noi, or wherever my hub will be at that time.

I'd compare this research to erecting a spider's web. All strands will eventually (hopefully?) lead to the center. Writing the results in long hand in a Moleskin notebook seems to help me focus much more than using a computer or an iPad.

Once the information is sifted and verified, the actual physical scouting will occur along with making travel plans, setting up a budget, etc.

I really can't wait for that phase.

Ah, well...enough of this. I must go back to the hunt.

The Travel Photographer Blog is 8 Years Old!

I suddenly realized The Travel Photographer blog is 8 years old today...approximately 2929 days have gone by since I decided to start a blog. It was the 24th of January 2007 in London and on a whim, I thought it'd be a great idea to have one.

3213 posts later, The Travel Photographer blog is still going strong...has attracted millions of views, and has 2262 Google followers. My Google+ page has been viewed 543,584,919 times ( I don't believe it, but it's sounds cool), and I've been recognized in the streets of New York City by strangers who ask me "You're The Travel Photographer, aren't you?".

Through my posts on this blog, I've come to know the work of fantastic photographers and photojournalists; through it, I made new friends in that industry; I've used it as a marketing platform to launch my photo expeditions-workshops; it expanded my visual, intellectual and cultural horizons; and influenced my own photographic direction.

So with a well-deserved pat on my back, I thank my readers and all those who contributed directly and indirectly to make The Travel Photographer blog what it is.

Custom Itineraries for Vietnam - One day in Ho Chi Minh city

On the off chance that you had boundless time in Vietnam, you would clearly have the capacity to investigate each aspect of what makes this nation interesting. Tragically, numerous individuals who go here have constrained time and need to take advantage of it. As a major aspect of our new "Custom Itineraries for Vietnam" arrangement, we will control you through the different urban communities in Vietnam and help you encounter the nation to its fullest. We will likewise demonstrate to you proper methodologies to get out of the way and see the nation in an exceptional manner. The principal of our "Custom Itineraries in Vietnam" arrangement – Ho Chi Minh City!

Voyagers frequently travel through Ho Chi Minh City before proceeding onward to a stuffed agenda in Vietnam. Despite the fact that Ho Chi Minh City has a great deal to offer as far as attractions and social encounters, it is hard to partake in everything when you have restricted time here. We have accumulated an exhaustive schedule that helps you augment your time here.

See more: Vietnam travel

Consume Soup for Breakfast 

Vietnamese individuals cherish their noodle soup dishes. You might as of now be acquainted with pho, yet there are incalculable more noodle soups that are indeed not pho! In addition, with a liberal aiding of different meats, veggies, and noodles, these soups are a breakfast of champions. So begin your free day Vietnamese style and eat up a dish of Pho, Banh Canh Cua, Bun Bo Hue, or whatever the gentleman alongside you is having.

Suggestion:  Ben Thanh market has a colossal area in the center with sustenance stalls. The turnover is high here so it is typically a safe spot to consume.

Ben Thanh business is the notable focal market in Ho Chi Minh City. They offer everything from keepsakes to kitchen supplies to staple goods and meat. Alternately, simply an incredible spot to individuals watch. This business is not cooled so it gets hot and damp here amid the day. What's more the venders can be very forceful with both voyagers and local people – that is simply the way of this business sector. It is more than simply a vacationer snatch. Actually for individuals who live here, the business offers things that are normally elusive generally. The business sector is a ton greater than it appears to be so verify you abandon sooner or later to explore through and truly investigate all that it brings to the table. Be mindful that the costs here are extremely checked up so make sure to arrange. In the event that a sign says 'settled cost' and the dealer is reluctant to move, you will probably find the same things at an alternate stall.

Wonder about the Architecture 

The structural planning in the city is a hodgepodge of new high rises, old tube houses, and French provincial structures. The old provincial structures in the inside of the city have a great deal of character and hold a ton of history. Luckily, they are all near one another so a short walk offers you the chance to delight in a large portion of them. On the off chance that you stroll between the Notre Dame basilica and the Saigon River along Dong Khoi road, and meander around Nguyen Hue and Le Loi boulevards, you will have the capacity to acknowledge a considerable lot of the wonderful old structures of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. On the off chance that you have time, stroll into the fundamental authentic mail station for a more intensive take a gander at frontier style construction modeling getting it done.

Taste Some Coffee 

Vietnamese individuals truly pride themselves on their espresso and there is no deficiency of cafés in Ho Chi Minh City. Espresso society was tremendous here well before Starbucks and other huge name espresso brands arrived. In the event that you've been strolling around the city for some time,  tasting on espresso and people viewing is the ideal break from the buzzing about. Luckily, most cafés have great provincial toll.

Suggestion: One of the coolest cafés in the city is L'usine at 151/1 Dong Khoi. The passage is through a back road and up two flights of stairs.

Ho Chi Minh City may be disorderly yet Vietnamese individuals beyond any doubt do know how to give a quiet escape to the mayham. Modest foot back rubs can be discovered all around and for $5-10, you can accomplish complete unwinding for 60 minutes to 90 minutes. In the event that you are in the temperament for a more genuine spa administration, get a hair wash (Goi Dau). This isn't a general regular hair wash – a fitting Vietnamese hair wash incorporates a head back rub, face wash and veil, and a shoulder knead! Read our online journal on back rubs in Vietnam to comprehend the ins and outs of getting a back rub here.

Suggestion:  Get a 70 moment foot knead at 118 (sufficiently named subsequent to its address is 118 Pasteur) for $7 including tip and afterward go around to Jasmine Spa (45 Ton That Thiep, at the corner of Pasteur and Ton That Thiep) for an unwinding hair wash.

Not long after in the wake of touching base in Ho Chi Minh City, you will recognize that motorbikes are the vehicle of decision. What better approach to see the city than to encounter it on the once more of the bicycle? XO Tours is a main motorbike visit organization in the city. We have a scope of motorbike visits to suit your taste, however by a long shot our most prominent is The Foodie. Not just does it take you to a few diverse locale of the city that are not by and large gone to by voyagers, you will likewise have the chance to attempt the best road sustenance Ho Chi Minh City brings to t

La Antigua | First Class Day | Foundry Photojournalism Workshop

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

The first day of class for the Multimedia For Photographers course was completed, and the class participants (pictured above) are already on their way to gather photographs and audio for their multimedia projects.

There are a number of project ideas popping on individuals' radar screens, and we'll have to wait to see if these materialize or not. The advice given is to always have a couple of optional projects just in case the one chosen doesn't pan out.

Parque Central in the center of La Antigua is rife with interesting characters, and hopefully participants will be able to craft visual and aural stories as quickly as possible, as one week is really too short to create an in depth story with a multimedia component.

Photo © Tewfic El-Sawy-All Rights Reserved

The eco-system that exists and gathers around the Parque Central, whilst touristy, is fascinating. The woman trying to sell some dubious looking liquor must have had luck selling it in the open in such a fashion. There was nothing furtive about her, and she brandished the bottle, offering it to me with no compunction.

Grief - A Short Story

The hour hand of the grey clock on the white wall was rushing every second.

On one side, the forlorn newspaper was waiting for its daily ordeal, on the other, the medicine strip shouted effrontarily for discipline.

Meera was cursing her decision to send her only daughter, Bhakti away on a 'revelation' tour around the world.

Then, Bhakti was in grief, having contested her mother's autocratic diktat, she had to accept it reluctantly later.

Meera changed her side on the bed, and so had the grief.

Grief - No borders, No Sides

This post is author's entry to Five Sentence Fiction.

Please leave your feedback below. I'd love to hear from you.

VietNam Foot - Travel to VietNam

On the off chance that you have any chance to visit Vietnam, particularly Hanoi, don't miss one of the accompanying renowned dishes: Cold solace (Banh troi, banh chay)the Vietnamese frequently make two sorts of cakes: banh troi (skimming cake) and banh chay (lean cake) on the third day of the third month of the Lunar year.

Related post: Vietnam travel deals

In Vietnam, most individuals may have overlooked its sources yet's in any case it considered a paramount event for genealogical offerings. The cakes are prominent pastries in both country and urban areas.banh troi are little white balls made of tan sugar, wrapped in glutinous rice flour. The name coasting cakes occurred from the way it is really cooked. Banh chay are likewise made of glutinous flour, notwithstanding, they look like bubbled dumplings and are loaded with mung bean glue, sprinkled with sesame seeds and served in dishes with syrups floured with grapefrui blossom.

rice vermicelli soupit is just about difficult to oppose the allurement of tasting "Bun thang" soup when you see it dished up in a vessel put on a low bamboo table in the old Dong Xuan Market, regardless of the fact that you are not hungry.seeing a client advancing, the young lady selling"bun thang" grinned, delicately took a dish to flush it in a pot of bubbling water, wiped it dry She put at the bottom of the vessel some polygonum. what's more coriandrum, topped the dish off to the overflow with vermicelli and after that dished up the various fixings on the white surface of the vermicelli: you must have no short of what 20 add-ins to make a decent soup of "bun thang"in the end, she spilled a scoop of bubbling stock over the vessel,

them purged it once again to the pot, in order to make the vermicelli hotter, lastly, spilled a sufficient amount of juices into the vessel for the soup to be served hot.according to the taste of every client, some shrimp glue must be added to give the soup a specific smell.gio Chagio cha (pork pie bubbled or terminated or flame broiled). In the event that flame broiled, it is called cha. These two arrangements may be seen as frosty sustenance, to be consumed with glutinous or standard rice, bread, or banh day (beat cooked glutinous rice).they are helpful for an outing and can be kept for three or four days in a cool and generally publicized

Lou Bopp | The Blues Musicians

Photo © Lou Bopp-All Rights Reserved

One of my earliest music loves was the Delta Blues (aka Mississippi Blues), and consequently a major must-do on my bucket list is photographing authentic non-famous blues musicians in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and spend time with them to document their music making.

It's more than a major must-do...it's an itch that keeps recurring every now and then....especially when I chance on the work of talented photographer such as Lou Bopp who traveled in the Mississippi Delta to do just that.

Originating in the Mississippi Delta, the Delta blues is one of the earliest styles of blues music. The area is famous both for its fertile soil and its poverty, and as consequence gave birth to a soulful and passionate vocals.  Guitar, harmonica and cigar box guitar are the dominant instruments used, with slide guitar (usually on the steel guitar) being a hallmark of the style.

The Blues Musicians is one of the many galleries on Lou Bopp's website that features his work on the blues. He had long been a fan of the music, so he knew he had to go to Clarksdale and surrounding areas in order to photograph some of its remaining legends. He drove on Route 61— the “Blues Highway”—and ventured down dirt roads and stopped into juke joints that featured these legendary musicians.

Much more on this project can be found on Behold, Slate magazine's photo blog. He also participated in the production of Moonshine & Mojo Hands, a web series about the Delta Blues. It'll give you a little taste of what this type of blues is all about.