A few years ago, these two got married. Now parents to a most beautiful little boy, these are just a few candid moments from their day when it became official. This is for you Em x
B is for BORNEO
I went to Borneo to see an orangutan, and I didn't see any. I was so devastated that I went shopping. In all seriousness, it had to do with feeding times, being given incorrect information by a taxi driver who wanted to make the buck for the long drive there, and restricted rescheduling due to flight times. After being turned back from the sanctuary because "the orangutans are all full now, and won't feed any longer", the taxi driver dropped us off at the nearest shopping complex and I went and bought a pair of shoes instead. It doesn't mean I wasn't devastated. I just had to make the best of the time left. Really.
Borneo was our initial honeymoon (we're students, we got married in assessment period, so time was limited; but really, who goes back to uni the day after you get married). We wanted to go somewhere relatively close because we had one week, so hopes of the Amalfi Coast, Santorini, New York, Spain, Turkey (and the list goes on) were scrapped and we had a look closer to home. Initially, our thoughts were set on Melbourne, as a big backpacking adventure to South America awaited us at the end of the year. But why do a domestic trip when a significant plunge in airfares means that you can go overseas for the same price (and then enjoy cheaper accommodation and food costs with similar quality)? Our criteria looked something like "somewhere atypical, interesting, preferably somewhere neither of us have been, with a chance to relax, beautiful landscape, nature, separated enough from the cityscape, but close enough to home so we don't waste three days on travelling alone." = Borneo, because, why not.
Initially we were headed to Sabah. With one of the best underwater photography areas and a plethora of amazing nature adventures, I was prancing around doing happy dances, imitating every animal we would be seeing. Then we got told that there were military tensions in the area. Normally, that wouldn't stop me. You just have to be careful right? But with increasing warning levels from all travel sources, the wariness rubbed off. Getting kidnapped from the islands to be used as diplomatic bait didn't sound like the sort of adventure I wanted to be there for. So Sarawak it was. Surely we could return to Sabah in later years. The lack of tourists on this side of the island was definitely a plus. We felt a little bit like celebrities really. I whittled the photos down and down and down and yet had 20+, so here's some landscape, flora, and fauna of Sarawak; cityscape to come later.
bjarni's first home
in photography, film, love
Bjarni, meaning "Little Bear", gurgles and sings rather like a dolphin, with the cutest gurgles and tunes I've ever heard. With brilliant blue-gray eyes, he walks unaided (3 steps, but that's 3 more than most others kids!) at only 8 months of age. One of the smartest and most delightful little people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. These are a few moments of the last days this family spent in Bjarni's first home, before they moved up to Newcastle. I can't emphasise how much I'm going to miss the fact this family is no longer close enough for me to 'drop by' on. Newcastle is so lucky to have them back! x
A short film of Bjarni in his first home // Paddington, NSW