A gondola to a Buddha and Night at the Harbour!

This will be quick as its late, and I am tired (even after a nap this afternoon!)!!

Today, we went out to Ngong Ping for the Gondola up to the Big Buddha. It is a wonderful trip up, as last time I was here it was foggy, so I was really happy to see clear(ish) blue sunny skies! It also offers some fantastic views across over the airport!

Hong Kong Airport

Once at the top, we headed over to the Po Lin Monastery Gate, and then onwards to the Big Buddha.

Water Lilly

Where are we??

Po Lin Monastery Entrance

Big Buddha

Big Buddha

It was a very hot day, and glary on the eyes!!! We then headed out to the HAECO facility, after some advice from a local mate, but as it looked like some incoming clouds, we thought it best to head back into town... We had a nap before heading into Hong Kong itself but thanks to a VERY long line for 'The Peak' we headed across the Harbour on the Star Ferry!! Here is a panorama I got tonight!

HKG Harbour Panorama

Hoo roo for now...

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Travel Day - KUL to HKG

Today was an early start, and was to be a travel day between Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. It started early, and after a quick breakfast at the hotel, we headed (via taxi) to the airport... It was hazy, warm and humid, and it was 6am!!

We checked in easily enough and cleared immigration whilst chatting too some girls heading back to Brisbane... We eventually got to the gate to find that the scheduled B772ER had been swapped for an A333 instead! J stayed with the bags whilst D &I went to get a coffee... I swear, it would have been quicker going to Hong Kong and getting the coffee's there!!!

We soon boarded, interesting in itself, with lots of people and well behaved kids. There was a tour guide, well, we'll call him the 'Telly Tubby' as he was prancing around organising everyone like nothing else!! It even carried through onto the plane!!

Anyways, we were held for a little while (all up, c. 60 minutes) but eventually we headed out to 14R past the 'Observation Deck' (which was behind glass...).

Kuala Lumpur "Observation Deck"

Once in the air, breakfast was served, which was an omelet, sausage, tomato mushrooms (Fungi) and bread, with fruit salad and a Creme Brulee! It was very yumm!!!

I managed to get a little sleep as well, as there wasn't any PTV, and the seating was, well lets say, COLOURFUL!

MH Breakfast

We eventually entered into Hong Kong airspace and started our decent into Hong Kong. It was, despite the menacing clouds, quite clear and sunny (and warm and humid)!!!

China Sea somewhere

Approaching HKG...

We got to the dog box hotel, and unpacked and headed around the corner to get a local SIM card for our phones (and iPad), before crossing the road to the train into Kowloon for the light show... It was a bit of a let down, but as I am tired, I will edit photos and post int tomorrow!!

Hoo roo for now... ------

A day in KUL

OK, today was supposed to be a day on the tour bus (Hop-on Hop-off, to familiarise ourselves with KL. We also planned on going atop of the Petronas Towers. We did the bus thing, got on at stop 1 (around the corner from Hotel) and got off at stop 22, Petronas Towers... Got to the area to buy tickets, only to find that there was no more tickets for the day... How cranky we were!!

Royal Crest

Old Steam Engine

Well, disgruntled as we were, we jumped onto the bus again, and headed for the KL Tower. There was no issue at all here for us, we paid to get up to the top of the tower and (apart from the hazy) were not disappointed from the 360 degree views!! It was amazing to say the least!

After we got down from the heights, we NEEDED a coffee, found a little coffee shop and headed out to the verandah to sit and rest... Then OUT from the trees they came, the monkeys!!!

Monkey Feeding

Monkey Family

Monkey KL Tower

When we got back (eventually) I went to the front desk to enquire about wanting a swim in the pool under renovation... The previous evening, the duty manager said he could arrange another location, but today it was an offer of a dinner or a massage... Needless to say, I took up the offer of the 60 minute massage!!!

Hoo roo for now...

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The trip to KUL...

OK, the trip to KUL was fairly uneventful, except for the change in tyre prior to being pushed back, but that only made us 20-30 minutes late... But once in the air, service was fine, food was good, I had the lamb curry for dinner, as did J, and then the chicken roll prior to arrival! We met up with D in the airport, and eventually got to the hotel for a late dinner and bed!

Sunset

Yesterday, we caught the monorail and headed up to KL Sentral (Little India) and explored the area of it sights and scents... Here are some pics!

MonoRail

Back Lane KL Sentral

Fountain Roundabout KL Sentral

Main Drag KL Sentral

Patronas Towers Day

Eventually through the day, there was a storm, some lightening and thunder, and we dodged it pretty much. After dinner, we headed over to the Petronas Towers for some night shots as well...

Patronas Towers night

So, that was our first day in KUL, more tomorrow!!

Hoo roo for now... ------

WW No. 52 - Grasshopper on Camellia

Grasshopper on Camellia

Hoo roo for now... ------

Getting use to the 7D

OK, now I know that I am no photography expert, but the learning curve UP from my trusty old Canon EOS 400D to the 7D has been a steep one. I have had a bit of 'coaching' from the side (thanks guys) and I am slowly getting use to it. However, the biggest thing I have issue with, is the location of the power on/off switch! On the 400, it was operated by my right thumb, and on the 7D, it is on the other side of the body... So yesterday, in an emergency to get a shot, I found out on numerous times, that I needed to turn it back on, DOH! But, this is only a minor thing to get use to!

Whilst out yesterday, mainly for an afternoon of lunch and spotting with some mates for the USAF C-17 arrival, I also got out the macro filter and shot some stuff; Mouse Eared Chickweed - which is of course, a weed growing in a lawn nearby...

Mouse Eared Chickweed

USAF C-17_03

Hoo roo for now...

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A walk around the 'Gardens'...

Ok, so I've told you I got a new camera, (7D), and today I got a little bit of time to give it a bit of a going through... I got to walk around the Royal Botanic Gardens a little and get some shots... This first series is of the built environment (some) and what surrounds the Gardens... The City CBD overlooking the Gardens must offer some spectactular views and vistas for the city workers, whilst the Herb Garden recently had the Pavillion finished after a lot of years without it! Then, lastly, Victoria Lodge is a quaint little house...

Sydney CBD

Victoria Lodge

Conservatorium of Music Side

Herb Garden Pavillion Finished

Here are just some of the Gardens themselves... The Palm trees on the old 'Flower Bed Lawn', and Echinacea Flower which was the only plant/flower in the bed, and the Brachychiton that, whilst on a lean, is getting a little support...

Sydney Palms

Echinacea Flower

Support

And finally, a little of the 'ornaments' within the Gardens... There are a LOT of statues and memorials and so on, so to see but just a few is nice, a little at a time! There is a couple of 'Seeds' made from Bronze, and then a Bronze Statue of 'Satyr', which resembles a goat rear and the head of a human!

Bronze Seed

Bronze Seed 01

Satyr

Hoo roo for now...

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WW No. 51 - Sharp

Sharp

Hoo roo for now... ------

Macc Update and my new 'toy'!

FIRSTLY, an update on Mr Macc... He's now, doing very well after a final clearance that all is good... If I say to him, 'c'mon in the car' well he jumps up off his bed and is all excited... IF, on the other hand, I say to him 'c'mon mate, time to go outside' then he hangs his head, and hobbles to the door... So, as he is milking it for sympathy, he's getting better!

Yesterday, I finally updated my body - my camera body! I had been looking around now for a long time, and after a lot of research (looking at Hong Kong prices as I am about to go overseas) they were not that much cheaper at all than local! Harvey Norman were having a sale of up to 20% off DSLR's, so after calling a mate, the deal was done!! I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new Canon EOS 7D! Whilst similar to my old Canon EOS 400D, there is a LOT to learn with the new layout and so on. My first stop for a shoot, obviously, was out to the airport for a bit of spotting, but alas, these shots were not as good as I'd like... But the afternoon was more of a social gathering more than a shoot!!!

BUT, this afternoon after getting back from the ARH, I fiddled around with the settings, got out my cleaning kit and gave my lenses a clean, and headed out into the garden to see what I could achieve! So this is my first (edited) shot from my new 7D...

Callistemon

Hoo roo for now...

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WW No. 50 - Macc in Critical Care

Whilst this is meant to be a WW, it will also have some words today! This past week, macc came down ill...

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Last Thursday, I got a call from my lovely neighbours that Macc was crying in the backyard, so I left work and came home, collected him and took him to my local, wonderful, vet. He did a thorougher consultation, made a couple of phone calls, and referred me onto the Animal Referral Hospital. When I arrived, they took him immediately into the emergency room... The original theory was a clot in his leg, this was later not proved.

Well, he spent 5 days in the ICU, and was only allowed home conditionally, if I was here to make sure he was supervised. He was not to run, or get excited... His discharge notes included:

• Right Forelimb Lameness
• Cervical Hyperaesthesia
• Left hind lameness
• Severe Rhabdomyolysis
• Low Thyroid levels
• Query Leptospirosis and Toxoplasma

He is now on the mend, slowly, and is more than comfortable at home, either on my bed or on the spare bed...

Hoo roo for now...

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