No Expectations

The Witch of Endor

by Kip Cole on Thursday, June 04, 2009 at 06:28 UTC

Witch Of Endor Preparing to Launch

My pretty average 'tinnie' parks at a marina, two boats up from the much more intesesting and mysterious 'Witch of Endor'. The only steam boat on this part of the Hawkesbury River (and perhaps one of only two on the entire river) she is a vision of great beauty and a credit to the craftsman who spent three years building her engine. Who wouldn't want an excuse to take some photos of that? More…

Photo of the Day - March 6, 2009

by Kip Cole on Thursday, March 05, 2009 at 23:01 UTC

Mmmm, bugs for lunch

Even deep fried a cockroach is still a cockroach. Not deep fried it's even worse.

Houseboating on the Hawkesbury River on Channel 9's Getaway Program

by Kip Cole on Thursday, March 05, 2009 at 09:40 UTC

Channel 9 TV (Australia) featured houseboating on the Hawkesbury River this evening. Painted a pretty reasonable picture of the area. A long weekend on a houseboat in these parts is a good thing to do.

Jurong Bird Park

by Kip Cole on Thursday, March 05, 2009 at 06:48 UTC

Jurong Bird Park Ostrich #1

I'm no bird person, which might explain why it took two years to get around to visiting the Jurong Bird Park. Who knew that birds could be interesting? More…

Thaipusam in Singapore

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, March 03, 2009 at 22:46 UTC

Thaipusam-0206-00293

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival that gives thanks and offers sacrifice to Lord Muruga through the carrying of burden or kevadi. In Singapore the procession starts before dawn at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road and ends several kilometers later at Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road. More…

Fun in a flood in Hội An, Vietnam

by Kip Cole on Monday, March 02, 2009 at 22:53 UTC (1 comment)

Two Boats Under Lights

I knew something wasn’t quite right when the car stopped and we hadn’t arrived at the hotel yet. It looked like we were in the outskirts of Hội An, a 16th century trading town in central Vietnam. I was pretty sure the hotel I’d booked was on the river, and the web site said it was a resort. Of course web sites can’t be considered to absolute truth when it comes to travelling in Vietnam so there is always some room for alternative interpretations of words like ‘resort’. Still, the car that the hotel arranged was waiting for me at Đà Nẵng airport, about 30kms north and we were in fact in Hội An - the destination town. More…

Free Concert at Sydney Olympic Park

by Kip Cole on Sunday, March 01, 2009 at 03:42 UTC

ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park

Each year Sydney Olympic Park puts on a series of free concerts in the park opposite the main stadium. Last night was the last of the seasons concerts, an Eagles tribute evening. Presumably the real band wasn't available to do a free concert in Sydney last night. More…

Portrait of a Rat of the Air

by Kip Cole on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 08:42 UTC

Portrait of a Seagull

One of the many seagulls whose primary activity is to steal food from visitors.

Submarine entering Sydney Harbour

by Kip Cole on Friday, February 27, 2009 at 08:37 UTC

Submarine coming through Sydney heads #3

Very surprised to see a submarine entering the harbour this afternoon. From Balmoral the heads are a few kilometres away so even a 300mm lens doesn't capture too much.

Congratulations to Slumdog Millionaire

by Kip Cole on Monday, February 23, 2009 at 11:36 UTC

Gateway to India at night

Congratulations to the producers, actors and crew of Slumdog Millionaire on the occassion of their big Oscars win. This picture was taken in 2005 from the balcony of my room at the Taj hotel in Mumbai, one of the horrific scenes of terrorism in November 2008. Mumbai is a vibrant city; full of amazing energy and creativity. The Gateway To India was built in celebration (albeit at that time a colonial celebtration) and is a landmark of the city.

I think it's a fitting image to celebrate Slumdog's success at the Oscars. Here's hoping the tourists return soon.

Upriver to Spencer for a burger

by Kip Cole on Monday, February 23, 2009 at 03:13 UTC

Pelican on a pole

The nearest two towns to Bar Point are Brooklyn and Spencer. Brooklyn is our normal destination. Well, that's where the car is parked. And where the train station is located. But Spencer, upriver, is a destination for convenience. And a good burger. More…

Khan el-Khalili in Cairo

by Kip Cole on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 23:14 UTC

Two Women at El Fishawy Coffee Shop

After three years of relative peace, a bomb was thrown into the crowd near the fabulous market of Khan el-Khalili in Cairo. More…

Cloudy morning for a relaunch

by Kip Cole on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at 22:34 UTC (1 comment)

Cloudy Morning

Boat maintenance weekend, this time mostly cleaning the bottom of the boat. Not the most enjoyable of tasks but even a small amount of algae or other growths have an amazing negative impact on boat performance and fuel economy. I can beach the boat at hight tide, which means that I had to wait for the morning tide to refloat. And as always, the clouds and the river conspire to create a new view. More…

Fish & Chips on Balmoral Beach

by Kip Cole on Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 09:05 UTC

Balmoral Beach #1

It's been raining here for about two weeks but today the sun broke through. And what better way to enjoy the change than to have lunch on Balmoral Beach. More…

Zelda goes swimming

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 07:00 UTC

Wet Zelda #1

Zelda the minitature schnauzer doesn't normally go swimming. But with the right incentive - and 40 degrees centigrade weather - she'll give it a go. More…

Almost Accidental Homage to Turner

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 at 06:47 UTC

Milson's Passage On The Way To Bar Point

There's a lot for a photographer to learn from JWM Turner. More…

Old Wooden Piers

by Kip Cole on Thursday, February 05, 2009 at 22:46 UTC

Old Pier #1

Brackish water, tidal flow and the weather are not kind to infrastructure on the river. There have been houses here since at least 1902 and some of the piers look just as old. More…

Light Show At The Other End of the Day

by Kip Cole on Thursday, February 05, 2009 at 22:42 UTC

Hawkesbury River Rays #1

The light is quite different in the evening. We face west and get the concentrated sun all summer's afternoon. Then as the sun fades behind the sandstone bluffs on the other side of the river nature often shows off a bit.

A Still Summer Morning on the River

by Kip Cole on Wednesday, February 04, 2009 at 23:10 UTC

Hawkesbury River Morning

Mid-summer, temperatures this week will get above 40 degrees centigrade in the west. A good time to live on a river. More…

Smiley Moon At The Refuge

by Kip Cole on Monday, December 01, 2008 at 11:50 UTC (1 comment)

Smiley Moon #1

Tonight saw the rare configuration of a crescent moon with Jupiter and Venus forming the shape of a smiley icon, or a face in the sky. This doesn't happen often - the next time this will be seen in Australia is 2036.

Living on the River

by Kip Cole on Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 22:45 UTC

Sunset over the Hawksbury River at the Refuge

The Refuge has been home for the last few months. It went from an empty block of land to a completed house entirely while living overseas. So this was a first chance to live on the river. Access is only boat - no cars, buses or trains. No roads at all. Just the rhythm of the river. Early morning commuters driving their boats to Brooklyn to catch the train or get in their cars. The fishing trawler on its morning run. Then later on the postal boat - the last river postman in Australia - makes his daily run. All this I can watch from my 'office' window. There's a lot to be said for living on the river. More…

Walking Across the Sydney Harbour Bridge To Lunch

by Kip Cole on Friday, November 14, 2008 at 05:40 UTC

Sydney View from the Sydney Harbour Bridge

Great weather in Sydney at this time of year so lunch with a good friend also meant a good excuse to walk. I decided to start at Milson's Point on the north side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and continue the 5 kilometres to lunch at Woolloomoolloo. More…

Day Trip from Hong Kong to Macau

by Kip Cole on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 06:17 UTC (1 comment)

A view of Largo do Senado in Macau

Macau is only 70kms from Hong Kong yet in all the many times I've been to Hong Kong I've never managed to get to the "other" island. On my last day I woke up wondering what to do until the red-eye that night. Then I thought - Macau! How hard can it be? More…

Photo of the Day - October 29, 2008

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 22:22 UTC (1 comment)

Temple view from Mt Bromo

Mt. Bromo is a three-hour drive from Surabaya in Indonesia. The reward for taking the twisty windy road is an active volcano that is situated within the crater of another extinct volcano. More…

Photo of the Day - October 28, 2008

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 28, 2008 at 07:15 UTC

Contemplating Waiter in Piazza San Marco

Piazza San Marco has seen a lot of tourists, from the package tours of today to Napoleon who was a great admirer of the "Drawing Room of Europe". More…

Photo of the Day - October 27, 2008

by Kip Cole on Sunday, October 26, 2008 at 23:19 UTC

Red and Yellow Calla Lily

Heh, every site with photography has to have a photo of a Calla Lily somtime, right? More…

Photo of the Day - October 25, 2008

by Kip Cole on Saturday, October 25, 2008 at 10:44 UTC

Golden Gate Bridge Engulfed in Fog

With a subject as icon as the Golden Gate Bridge, the challenge is to make an image that has a different angle. Not an easy thing to do. More…

Photo of the Day - October 24, 2008

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 23:23 UTC

Gaudi Chimneys On Guard

Antoni Gaudi was a destinctive architect and designer of the early 20th century and his La Pedrera house in Barcelona is one of his most famous. More…

Photo of the Day - October 23, 2008

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 23, 2008 at 01:25 UTC

Mont St. Michel at Night #2

Mont St. Michel is one of the icons that appears on postcards and posters. Even as a child looking at pictures I could work out that this place is different and special. Isolated at high tide it is impossibly built on the top of a rocky outcrop along the rugged Atlantic coast of France. More…

More fun with Internet Explorer version 6 detection

by Kip Cole on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 23:53 UTC

Thanks to Peter at Papa Bravo Aviation for pointing out (every so gently as always) that his IE7 browser was being rejected by my web server. That should all be fixed now. More…

Photo of the Day - October 22, 2008

by Kip Cole on Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 00:34 UTC

Wedding Procession at Meiji Shrine

The Meiji Shrine is one of the most famous in Japan and is very popular for weddings. The proceedings are managed with the expected Japanese precision and formality. More…

Lots of formatting changes under the covers

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:47 UTC

There have been substantial changes to the underlying code that formats the pages on this site. The changes will make it a lot easier to improve or create alternative designs. More…

Photo of the Day - October 21, 2008

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 05:41 UTC

Looking Up Through the New England Holocaust Memorial

The Big Dig brought many positive changes to Boston since it was my home. One addition to the landscape, near to where the abomination that was the elevated freeway along the harbourfront, is the New England Holocaust Memorial. More…

Photo of the Day - October 20, 2008

by Kip Cole on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 22:01 UTC

Misty Ha Long Bay morning

Here are the unfinished works of the Beings. Here are the stones which the Giant played and threw away said the Vietnamese poet Ngô Xuân Diệu. More…

Photo of the Day - October 19, 2008

by Kip Cole on Saturday, October 18, 2008 at 21:18 UTC

Little Soldier at the Forbidden City

A visit to the Forbidden City is high on the list of any visitor - international or domestic. The crowds build up quickly so getting in early was the plan. While waiting for the gates to open I spotted this mother about to take a photo of her son. More…

Photo of the Day - October 18, 2008

by Kip Cole on Friday, October 17, 2008 at 23:41 UTC

Child Begging at Asok Station

Photographs tell the truth. But not necessarily the whole truth. As anyone who has spent time in Bangkok will know, it's not uncommon to find people begging. Often they adopt a prostrate position for long periods of time, presumably trying to invoke greater compassion in those passing by. It's distressing and confronting to most visitors. But it's not the whole story. More…

Photo of the Day - October 17, 2008

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 10:54 UTC

Clifford Pier Before Remodelling

Clifford Pier is a landmark of Singapore. Built from 1927 it was the first port of arrival for many immigrants and a centre of trading activity. Like many buildings of historic value in Singapore, the hectic pace of modernisation and development threatened its future, however it has been marked for conservation as part of the redevelopment of the downtown area. More…

Photo of the Day - October 16, 2008

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 04:08 UTC

Girl With Umbrella on Chennai Beach

The beach at Chennai is huge. It's very long and very wide. And like any public space in India it's home to a wide variety of activities, especially in the relative cool of the morning. In December 2004 I had one morning free to wander the beach, talk to some of the local fishermen, join in some beach cricket and marvel at the on-beach acrobatics class. None of us knew that in two weeks the largest tsunami in a century would blast the life from the beach. More…

Photo of the Day - October 15, 2008

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 00:46 UTC

The Great Pyramid Early Morning

One of those "I can't believe I'm actually here" moment. The Great Pyramid just in front of me. And it's big. Really big. Bigger than it looks like in a photograph. More…

Photo of the Day - October 14, 2008

by Kip Cole on Monday, October 13, 2008 at 21:37 UTC

The new faster pace of life

Vietnam is a country going places. No one seems to know exactly where it's going but the energy and activity are at 11 on the dial. All this within a generation of a major conflict. Which makes me wonder how the combatants of that era, now the older generation, make of the pace of change. More…

Displaying Galleries and Images in Google Maps

by Kip Cole on Friday, October 10, 2008 at 07:54 UTC

Newly added today is the option to show a Gallery, or selected Images, in Google Maps. Additionally, the Keyhole Markup Language (kml) generated can be downloaded for your own use in applications such as Google Earth. More…

Map of Singapore Places of Interest

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 23:55 UTC

Night Construction in Singapore

Here's a simple map to help first-time visitors to Singapore get their bearings. By no means complete, you can download the points-of-interest or display the map in Google Earth or Google Maps. More…

Landmarks of Vientiane, Laos

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 07:26 UTC

Evening Fishing on the golden Mekong

Vientiane is the sleepy capital of Laos. Not quite on the top 10 list of tourist destinations in Asia it nevertheless has its own attractions. One of which is most assuredly that the slow pace becomes infectious and life begins to meander like the Mekong River through the city. Here's a simple map of a few of the key landmarks in town to help you get your bearings. More…

A Walk Around Saigon District 1

by Kip Cole on Thursday, October 09, 2008 at 04:04 UTC (1 comment)

Peoples Committee Hall Saigon

Many of Saigon's main areas of interest are in District 1. Following this route will provide easy opportunities to visit the Opera House, Post Office, Cathedral, Reunification Palace and Ben Thanh Market. You'll also have ample opportunity to stop for a drink or choose from the many cafes and restaurants. More…

Walks Around London

by Kip Cole on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 04:10 UTC (2 comments)

Thames Panorama

On a fine day London is a great city to walk around. It's far too big to handle in a single outing. However even if you only have a couple of days you can see many of London's major attractions in two walks. More…

Bangkok Bicycle Tour

by Kip Cole on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 03:23 UTC

Bangkok Bicycle Tour

Looking for something different for when you visit Bangkok? How about an afternoon riding a bicycle through parts of the city you didn't know existed? It's fun and interesting and not as scary as it might sound (if you've been to Bangkok and seen the traffic then you know what I mean). More…

A Walking Loop of Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 at 22:47 UTC

Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Loop

The layout of Hanoi makes for a very pleasant days walk. A loop around Hoan Kiem Lake passes many of the main attractions of central Hanoi such as the Opera House, Water Puppets, St. Joseph's Cathedral, the old markets area and the Metropole hotel. More…

No Expectations revisited

by Kip Cole on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 10:05 UTC (1 comment)

Welcome to the new and improved No Expectations web site, the new home for the personal photography and random jottings of Kip Cole. More…