I have recently compiled a short video on Australian native flowers.  It was my first attempt using the Apple iMovie program. Hope you like it.

It is also my tribute to the team at Mount Tomah Botanic Garden in the Blue Mountains — most of the images are from the pictures I took there.

For a full-frame view, click this youtube link.

The Sleepy Bay is a very scenic place full of rocks with the orange-color moss or algae.  It is part of the Freycinet National Park on the east coast of Tasmania, Australia.   It is in close proximity with the other scenic locations like the Wineglass Bay, the Coles Bay, and the Hazard Beach, etc.

I think the place deserves more publicity.

climbing Mt Kinabalu

It was indeed a trip to remember.  Through the two days going up and down the mountain, I have gone through a lot physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I write this down to share what I have gone through and to remind myself of this incredible experience I had.  And, praise the Lord for giving me this opportunity of learning.

Mount Kinabalu, located in Sabah, is the highest mountain in South East Asia, and is 4,095.2m above sea level.  Usually, people spend 2 days and 1 night to cater for the climb.  The first day is to start the climb from the base, the Kinabalu Park Headquarters all the way to Laban Rata, a rest-house located (3,263m) about three-quarters way to the top.  After staying there for the night, one would start doing the rest of the climb from about 2am in the morning so as to meet the sunrise at the summit by around 6am.  Following that is the trip climbing down to the base, with a brief stopover at Laban Rata again for a lunch.  This is what people generally do for the climb.

Every year, as I was told, there is a competition going on to finish the climb from base to the summit and back in the shortest time.  The fastest record so far is 2 hours 36 minutes, by a guy from Spain.  It is a really, really incredible speed.  In contrast, I ended up spending roughly nine (9) hours for the trip up to Laban Rata in day 1, and a record-breaking 17 hours to finish the rest to bring me back to the base in day 2. For your information, my last climbing experience happened some 24 years ago when I was at the Yellow Mountain in China.  Needless to say, this one was very demanding to me.  But I enjoyed it tremendously.

On September 11, after sorting out all the formalities at the Headquarters, and having a brief breakfast at the nearby café, I set off for the climb with my personal guide, James, at about 10am.  The weather was great, sunny and not very hot, with white clouds and the beautiful blue sky.  It didn’t take long for me to start feeling the different “flavors” the trail offers: from those with steps somewhat higher than normal (making it a bit more demanding on the knees), to big rocks scattered in irregular pattern along the path, to big and small rocks.  I said to myself quietly, “if patience is what I have to learn, I wouldn’t miss this golden opportunity.”

Read More …

Welcome to our space.

Our Photo Gallery’s collections are grouped largely in terms of the following categories:

• Birds
• Mountains and landscapes
• rivers lakes and swamps
• travel
• forest and trees
• architecture and landmarks
• clouds skies and rainbows
• butterflies and insects
• Australian natives
• autumn colours
• beach and seascapes
• thanksgiving Christmas and festivity
• colours mood and reflections,
• fine arts forms patterns and texture
• flowers and botanical

Click anywhere in the picture underneath will take you to our Gallery Site. Enjoy.