New lens

Finally bit the bullet and traded the two lenses I got with the Canon EOS500d for this beauty:
http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/tamron_18-270_3p5-6p3_vc_n15/page4.asp
Not perfect I'm happier overall; I don't have to continually change lenses, and it all fits in one smallish shoulder bag.



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Last trip round Lanka.

I took over 300 pics so selecting just 5 is going to be hard. We started in Dambulla, famous for its rock cave temples. Photographically not that interesting, but worth a visit. We took in Sigiriya on our way to Polunaruwa, which features in some old Duran Duran vids, and has some very old rock paintings, which they claim are not restored, but I have my doubts.






We moved onto Polunaruwa once an ancient and important city, but now a sprawling mass of fascinating ruins, built over many hundreds of years, containing both buddhist and Hindu temples and architecture.



I've just realised that this is the only pic I have on the iPhone and you don't really get an impression, but I like the pic anyway. We headed up to the east coast and Trinconamalee next and spent some time chilling on the beach. Easily the best beach in Sri Lanka for many reasons, sadly I caught a cold the day we arrived, so the first opportunity to dive on the east coast in 25yrs due to civil war, was lost to me :-(



We then took a lovely drive down the east coast to the south and Arugam bay, and spent some more time chilling, also a beautiful and deserted beach, apart from hardcore surfers.



Cathy and Laura blending in with the sunset.

Back

So, long time no blog, been very lazy and have been using facebook instead. So what've I been upto. Well... Where to start?
I suppose finishing work is a good place. 1st July I stopped work, and have been on holiday ever since. Hired a car and did one last tour of Sri Lanka, which was great. Some highlights of that to follow. Then a bit of time in Colombo bumming about and sorting out my stuff ( giving most of it away ( you lucky bastards you). Then headed off to Delhi, bought an enfield 350 bullet from a friend, met up with another before heading up to Spitti valley, some of the hardest motorbiking to be done in india, if not the world. Was a very hard trip, and came to an end when my mate came off and dislocated his shoulder, though we had been on the road for 11 days by that stage. So very near the end. Will post pics next. This trip was followed by a trip to a trip to the Maldives, and then a trip to Hong Kong, which was awesome, and I'm sitting in a place called Moalboal, Cebu in the Philippines, where I've been doing lots of diving. Today I passed my 50 dive landmark, rescue diver soon I think. Pics of all of these to follow soon.

Life's a beach

Stood on the beach, sunset, connected to wifi and posting this.
Trinconamalee, east coast, Sri Lanka.



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