01.17.10

Tane Mahuta – Lord of the Forest

Posted in Animals, Nature, People at 7:15 pm by Warren Williams

Standing an impressive 51 metres tall, Tane Mahuta is New Zealand’s largest known Kauri. The trunk girth is even more impressive at 13.77m, with its estimated age being somewhere between 1,200 to 2,500 years old. Tane Mahuta is just one of the many large Kauri’s around the Waipoua forest, north of Dargaville. We made a little road trip with my youngest sister Candace, cousin Nicole, and her new daughter, Kayleigh.

Tane Mahuta, Largest Kauri in New Zealand
Tane Mahuta (Lord of the Forest)


Roof structure, amongst the dense NZ vegetation


Kayleigh


Fern frond

Driving back to Kaikohe, I shot a few photos of the family dog and Kayleigh with Nicole

01.07.10

Permanent Return Downunder

Posted in Animals, Aviation, Landscape at 12:00 pm by Warren Williams

After spending much of the past two and a half years based in London, I was finally making way to live back in New Zealand. I made an overnight stopover in Melbourne, visiting the house my mum has recently bought, and made great use of the swimming pool! As I was flying Emirates airline, the first ten hours was literally spent flying in a circle. Mumbai to Dubai, and then Dubai to Singapore, and onwards to Melbourne, with the flight path taking us directly over Mumbai some hours later. Alas, more airmiles.

Flying over United Arab Emirates
Mountains in United Arab Emirates

Aerial Fujairah
Flying over Fujairah, U.A.E

After almost 20 hours travelling, we were flying over South Australia as the sunrise over the red desert lit up brilliantly.

A6-ECQ Sunrise Australian desert

A6-ECQ Sunrise Australian desert

Arriving into Melbourne around 8am, I had a day to chill with my mum, one of my sisters Tara, and their partners, around the pool and BBQ dinner. This is the summer I had been missing from UK!


Marlee, the cat my mum has recently adopted after its previous owners had abused her


Beautiful!


Sunset over the back yard pool after enjoying a day with 32ºC


View from the Emirates Lounge, after being upgraded to business class (yet another early rise)


Views from in front of the wing, from seat 8A (front left of business class) – The food and drink available was far superior to what’s normally offered in cattle class.

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01.05.10

Sanjay Gandhi National Park

Posted in Animals, Landscape, Nature, People, Travel at 4:00 pm by Warren Williams

The final day of an amazing trip through Mumbai and Goa had arrived, so after a little research, decided to take Angus to the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in northern Mumbai. It is the largest urban park in the world, encompassing 104 km2. It is said to be the lungs of Mumbai, as it purifies much of the air polluition. Within the park you can catch a bus to see lions and leopards, whilst also venturing 6km along the park to the amazing Kanheri Caves. These 109 caves were built over 2,100 years ago, by Buddhist monks, into the solid hard basalt rock.

I’ve included more photos than usual in this last post from my Indian travels of 2009 & 2010. An amazing trip, that I couldn’t have done without the hospitality of my great friend Angus and his family. Thank you! 🙂


Lioness in the park

Rhesus Macaque Monkey

Rhesus Macaque Monkey


Baby Rhesus Macaque Monkey

School children Kanheri Caves, India

Kanheri Caves, Mumbai, India


Large caves of Kanheri

Kanheri Caves, Mumbai, India

Kanheri Caves sculptures

Kanheri Caves, Mumbai, India


Angus standing against the 7m tall Buddhist statue


Large Chaitya with great Stupa

Kanheri Caves, Mumbai, India
Low light filtering behind the Stupa


Textured Basalt floor


Walkway to more caves on the hill

Kanheri Caves movie
More caves near the top, almost like the set of a movie


View in opposite direction showing the elevation (hard work in the Mumbai heat!)


First attempt at writing with a torch


Angus taking a break in one of the cool caves

Friendly SIS Security India
Our friendly SIS security”guide”


Warren atop the caves and stairs of Kanheri


Angus walking back down the hill from the 109 caves


Spot the monkey?

Deer in Mumbai

Goat incredible balance
Goat with incredible balance, walking on a branch!


Overflowing water tank


Last shot from India

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01.01.10

Baga Beach New Years Day

Posted in Animals, Landscape, People at 9:56 pm by Warren Williams

With a slow start to the day, spent at the apartment pool, and playing some table tennis, Angus invited his old friend Martina over for dinner at Baga Beach. After watching the sunset, and fishermen emptying their catch, we ran back to Brittos restaurant – However a powercut and lack of communication put an end to that. We ended up catching a rickshaw back to Calangute and eating some good food at Kamats.


Martina

Baga Beach Nun

Baga Fishermen, Goa
A lonely fish

Young children fishing
The entire family helping out with the catch

Fish Basket Goa

Fish 85L

Fisherman Sunset


Northern end of beach away from the crowds


Looking back to the beach huts and restaurants including Brittos

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12.29.09

Rural Adventures of Goa

Posted in Animals, Birds, Landscape, Nature, Travel at 3:30 pm by Warren Williams

Returning back to Marcela the following morning, Raju was keen on showing more of the bush in the neighbouring areas, including his own property and yet more fruit! 🙂 It was a great walk, seeing a beautiful, peaceful view of India, as we encountered many various animals and workers in the field.

Banana Tree Goa
Bananas on Raju’s property

Millions of Ants

Dog with Mange
The sad face of a local dog with mange

Caterpillar Goa

Red Dragonfly Goa

King Cobra Nest
Massive King Cobra nest


One of the many tropical birds


Yep, another

Pineapple growing, Goa

Chameleon
Cameleon


Rich Paddy Field


Wilderness adventures, reminiscent of “Stand by Me”

Water buffalo, India
Water buffalo

Water buffalo, India

Stunning Kingfisher
Another stunning Kingfisher

Indian Shack

Paddy field worker

Wasps India

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12.28.09

Marcela, Goa

Posted in Animals, Birds, Landscape, Travel at 9:00 pm by Warren Williams

Located between Old Goa and the road to Santo Estevam, Marcela is a small town where Angus’s grandmother has lived for many years. Her property has its own spring water well, and many fruit trees, which Raju was kind enough to get some coconuts down for the fresh milk.

Coconut

Breaking Coconut

Fresh Coconut
Angus scooping the coconut out

Fresh well water
Fresh spring water from the well


Raju with a crab from a water hole nearby

Crab Goa


10 points for what this is?

Kingfisher, Goa

Rice field, Goa


View from atop water tank in Marcela bush


More rice fields from atop the water tank

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12.22.09

Red Vagator Beach

Posted in Animals, Landscape, Travel at 8:25 pm by Warren Williams

Ventured further north to the rocky red coastline of Vagator Beach, before settling down in the evening at Little Vagator Beach. Despite clouding over during most of the afternoon, the sunset shone through amazingly red, complementing the rockface.

Vagator Beach


Yet more cows, near Little Vagator

Flies on Cow

Little Vagator sunset

Little Vagator sunset


Very slippery rocks, where I almost had an underwater experience!

Red Vagator


Warren & Angus after sunset at Vagator Beach

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12.20.09

Shipwrecked Sands of Sinquerim, Candolim & Calangute

Posted in Animals, Landscape, Transportation, Travel at 10:00 pm by Warren Williams

White sands stretch 7km southward from Baga, through Calangute, Candolim and finally Sinquerim. Nestled in the southern end of coastline between Candolim and Sinquerim lies the Merchant Vessel, the River Princess. After running aground ten years ago, it has caused environmental issues, such as rusted shards of steel on the beach. It does however make an interesting photo subject!

Lifeguards Calangute
Lifeguards on duty in Calangute

Fisherman Calangute, Goa, India
Fisherman, untangling his nets

Fresh juice Goa
Selling fresh fruit on the beach of Calangute

Later in the day, Angus and I decided to hire a taxi from Calangute to the River Princess shipwreck. Frustratingly, taxis aren’t metered in Goa, and they usually offer exhorbitant cash amounts up front. Several times the cost than in Mumbai! After finally negotiating a van driver down to just 200 Rupees ($6), we took the 10min trip further along the beach.


More cows 😛

Cows and stray dogs Goa
Stray dogs give the cows some problems, as we witnessed on various beaches


Whilst other cows must be wary of their own kind

Parasailing Goa
Parasailing across Candolim

Jet Skies River Princess
Jet skis near the stern of the River Princess

Calf Goa

River Princess Silhouette, Goa
River Princess silhouetted


Bow of the River Princess, with the sun setting through the hazy sky

Candolim Beach Shipwreck Animation
Several exposures with the incoming tide

Goa Jump Animation
Jumping fun (shot by Angus)

As twilight set in, I shot a few long exposures with various filters:

Candolim Beach Shipwreck Sunset
No filters


Two graduated ND filters on top (.6 hard and .9 soft)

5 minute exposure
5 minute exposure

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12.19.09

Fort Aguada & Arambol Beach Sunset

Posted in Animals, Landscape, People, Travel at 8:30 pm by Warren Williams

The impressively large Fort Aguada was built by the Portuguese in the seventeenth century, with views stretching across the Arabian Sea. It was rather unbearable walking around here, in mid thirties temperature, and humidity soaring into the 90’s! Definitely the hottest day of the trip.

Fort Aguada, Goa

Later in the day as the heat slowly faded, we all ventured up to the northern reaches of Goa, to the popular tourist beach of Arambol. Another surprising experience, with thousands of people around, along with the odd cow walking along the sands – something I hadn’t seen in photos whilst researching Goa.

Arambol Cows

Cosy Cow Lounger
Sunbathing

Close up cows arambol

Cow silhouette

Arambol Boat, Goa


Stray dogs


Angus, using one of my spare cameras, capturing the orange hue sunset

Arambol Sunset, Goa


Angus and the reflecting sunset

Angus Gomes

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12.18.09

Panjim Fish Market

Posted in Animals, People, Travel at 1:52 pm by Warren Williams

After spending a couple of days around the beautiful Sant Estevam village, Angus and I decided it was time to spend some time in the apartment in Calangute, cooling off from the extreme heat with the neighbouring sea. We stopped in Goa’s largest city – Panjim (also known as Punaji), for a quick wander, coming across the pungeant fish market.

Fish Market, Panjim, Goa

Following the walk, we ventured off to the busy party town of Baga, near Calangute to have some refreshing drinks and a late lunch.


Matthew, and his milky drink


Adorable 🙂

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12.17.09

Giant Golden Orb Spiders

Posted in Animals, Nature, People, Travel at 9:03 pm by Warren Williams

We took an hours drive to the Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, only to find it was shut on Thursdays! Just nearby we had noticed the Pascoal Spice Farm – offering a view of the spice plantations and a restaurant set amongst some tropical forest. After a massive meal of chicken, fish curry rice and various drinks, we decided to wander amongst their walkways to burn off the food. Early on the path, we came face to face with this monster of a spider.. the size of a hand, it looked rather intimidating but was in fact quite harmless – something I only found out after shaking nervously a few inches away.

Golden Orb Spider India


Shooting underneath, I was sure it was about to launch an attack

Golden Orb Spider India

Golden Orb Spider India


Angus and his nephew, Matthew

Jua Bridge, Santo Estevam
Jua Bridge, to Santo Estevam – the alternative longer route

Sant Estevam


Friendly villager of Santo Estevam, selling fried potato and samosa

Fried samosa Goa

Goan 85L
Another villager awaiting her order

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11.07.09

Hornimans Museum & Blackheath Fireworks

Posted in Animals, General at 9:56 pm by Warren Williams

 With an evening being spent watching the great fireworks over Blackheath, Neal, Kay and I decided to venture into the free Hornimans Musueum of Forest Hill, London.

Dory - Finding Nemo
Regal Tang – (Dory, from Finding Nemo)

White Spotted Jellyfish
White Spotted Jellyfish

White Spotted Jellyfish - Hornimans

Fireworks

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10.25.09

Deer of Richmond Park

Posted in Animals, Nature, People at 9:00 pm by Warren Williams

Richmond Park, is London’s largest Royal Park. Originally a deer hunting park, it has since become a great recreation and sightseeing ground to Londoners. Meeting up with several photography friends, camouflage outfits, and long lens – it was our task to capture the essence of the majestic Richmond Park.


Neal and Richard following the trails


Mushroom extreme close up with macro lens


First sighting of a deer


Stags

Stag Richmond Park


Ian – iesphotography.co.uk


Rutting stags

Running deer
Running from hoards of photographers


Why did the deer cross the road?

Deer in Richmond Park
In the dense forest

Sunday stroll in Richmond Park
Stroll through Richmond Park

Tilt shift TS-E 24mm 3.5L
Tilt shift effects with the TS-E 24mm

Brett 500mm
Brett – brettbutler.co.uk

Tilt Shift Effects TS-E 24mm
More Tilt Shift Effects

Tilt Shift Cyclist

Old Stag Richmond Park
Old stag

Large antlers Richmond Park
Large antlers

Bokeh Canon 500mm f4 L

Deer 500mm
Stag through the clearing at Richmond

Squirrel 500mm

Richmond Park is well recommended for a free walk around the 1000 acre woods and grasslands.

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04.14.09

Farewell Melbourne

Posted in Animals, Motorsport, Travel at 3:00 pm by Warren Williams

My last day in Melbourne, spent walking around Albert Park, which hosted the opening 2009 Formula 1 race just a few days prior, followed by St Kilda beach.


Albert Park, with fencing from the F1 still in place from last weekend

Jelly Blubber St Kilda Beach, Melbourne
Massive Jelly Blubber! Hundreds washed up on St Kilda beach


Another kite surfer

Took other shots, but many repeats from similar conditions a few months back:

http://warrenwilliams.co.nz/blog/?p=231

04.11.09

Werribee, Open Range Zoo

Posted in Animals, Travel at 5:00 pm by Warren Williams

The Werribee Open Range Zoo is a large, open plan zoo, set over a vast savannah.

Meerkat Werribee Zoo
Meerkat

Cheetah Werribee Zoo
Cheetah

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