Tag Archives: Photography

Thailand 1997-1999

After a brief stay in Thailand in 1996 we went to Hong Kong for a year, where I worked on, what was then, the largest building site in the world. I welded for a year which earned us the cash for me to become a dive instructor. I also bought the equipment to make underwater video, which was a bit basic at the time, but it paid the rent for a good while.

Continue reading Thailand 1997-1999

May in a brightly crisp Blighty

There’s one thing I noticed about Cornwall is that the light is brighter. I thought it was my imagination until I was enlightened by a wonderful German fella called Chris who happens to be a photographer.

Chris said it’s because Cornwall is surrounded by sea, the water reflects light back at all angles in a way that you get such vivid light on the Greek islands, so whites are really white and blues radiate vibrancy. It also lifts the spirits but without you really knowing why, it’s just brighter.

Continue reading May in a brightly crisp Blighty

Tioman Jungle Trek

At the North end of Salang Beach the footpath winds up past an impressive abandoned bungalow complex. I say impressive becuase the bungalows cling to the steep slopes teetering on high thin legs and actually blend into the hillside quite well.

The path quickly turns to a winding jungle camino that follows the electricity cables that come from the islands capital.

My T-shirt was soon turned into a sopping rag as the humidity and the heat took their toll, but after a good hike up and down you come to the deserted white sand beach of Monkey Bay.

At Monkey Bay I stripped my sopping clothes and skinny dipped in the cooler waters of the sea, floating around I could look back at the jungle wrapped around the bay like a shawl.

Continuing on was an easier walk even if the distance was farther as the slopes became kinder. Monkeys followed me in the trees making sure I wasn’t up to no good, monitor lizards scurried out of my way and I teased tree snakes with sticks as butterflies flapped dreamily around as if in an opium den. The noise is hypnotic in the jungle, a constant rythm that has kept us entertained for all time, before the electronic rythms this was our melody and it has stayed fresh.

Eventually the path reaches habitation again and after another set of stairs and a hill reaches the long arc of a bay that the small airport sits on. I came across a fellow I knew was from Salang and hitched a ride back in his boat along with his son that he was accompanying from school. Perfect timing for the perfect day.

Jungle with gorgeous beaches

I love the fact that Tioman has a heart of solid jungle that can be explored, but must be respected. I spent a long time on Koh Tao in Thailand but found the fact that it had evolved from one vast coconut plantation had left it featureless in it’s interior, but Tioman still has the monkeys, monitor lizards, butterflies snakes and everything that goes with this hemisphere and location.