Yup. I really am that excited about my trip to Nepal that I tried on all my gear and got my husband to take a photo.
I have no shame!
But…
…if you think THAT’s bad…
…check out my attempt at the Tyra Banks booty tooch.
Aaaargh! Time to go to Nepal and have the stuffing kicked out of me by real life.
Good grief… I just collected together all the electrical equipment I plan to take with me on my elephant expedition to Nepal next week. Forgive the bad focusing – I think I was suffering from shock when I took the photo!
This includes:
Luckily for me, this all packs away rather easily and isn’t as horrific as it looks. Additionally, as luck has it, the nifty Kata shoulder bag – purchased to keep my kit safe in the field, fits neatly into my carry-on bag.
Suddenly it all doesn’t seem quite so daft after all! I even have room left over for my passport, money, documents and a few snacks for the plane!
Dontcha love it when a plan comes together.
Having the roles of both videographer and photographer in my upcoming elephant expedition to Nepal, I have spent some serious brain time researching and considering the need to comfortably juggle two bits of precious tech while trekking.
I know that I can video with my camera and take stills with my camcorder but neither produces satisfactory results. So, before anyone suggests it, I’m sticking with both bits of kit.
Bouncing kit becomes irritating very quickly
Until recently, I was considering some type of shoulder strapping. However, following a recent trip to the Brecon Beacons I quickly discovered the impracticalities of having both camera and camcorder swinging freely. To be frank, it’s irritating enough to have even just a camera freely swinging from around your neck when you’re trekking. So, you can elect to have it immediately accessible, yet bumping around up front, or confine the strap under an arm and have to pull it around every time you wish to take a snap. Neither option is perfect and neither of these options leaves much room for a second camera of any sort.
I did eventually end up having my video camera up front and using the around-the-waist strap of my backpack, with its quick release buckle, to tie it down when not in use. At least then all I had to do was unclip, point and record. This setup was till a whole pickle when having to negotiate walking sticks too!
The paparazzi solution doesn’t cut it in Nepal
Online research (outlined in a previous blog) revealed multiple strapping solutions of various types used by the paparazzi. However, none of these offer much protection for the precious tech when it’s not in use. This may be OK when running around after celebs through the streets of London, but in dusty Nepal I do not want my cameras to be open to damage. I need them to be safe – but immediately to hand.
I was at a loss!
My solution: the Kata shoulder bag
Until I spotted the nifty double case pictured above on Amazon.
The Kata DL-H-531 Hybrid D-Light Shoulder Bag has two perfectly sized sections for my hybrid camera with its long lens attached and my video camera. Each section can be connected or disconnected from one another and carried using a single shoulder strap and/or connected to my survival belt (which is the crux of preventing that annoying bouncing and I have to wear the belt at all times anyway). It seems like the perfect solution so I have purchased one.
I envisage having the tech straps round my neck but keeping them snuggled in each pouch, nose down and ready to be grabbed at will. I have yet to test it out and don’t really have time to do so properly before I leave, but I have high hopes for this solution and shall let you know how I get on with it upon my return.
What do you think? I’d love to hear your opinion and/or any advice. Have you ever managed to successfully solve this problem?
How have I only just managed to stumble across Project Noah? What a fabulous idea!! I feel as though I’m discovering this amazing tool rather late in the game but, now found, I look forward to being able to upload some nice images when I get back from my upcoming expedition to Bardia, Nepal. It may be of great benefit to our moth and butterfly project!
What is Project Noah
For those of you who love nature and don’t already know what Project Noah is, I strongly recommend you take a look.
“Project Noah is a tool that nature lovers can use to explore and document wildlife and a technology platform research groups can use to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere. The purpose of the project is to mobilize and inspire a new generation of nature lovers. It began as an experiment to see if we could build an app for people to share their nature sightings and has evolved into a powerful global movement for both amateurs and experts. The name “Noah” is an acronym that stands for networked organisms and habitats.” from Project Noah FAQs page
Help record the current and changing state of our ecosystem
Project Noah is a community where nature lovers everywhere can join in, record and document their encounters with protected, endangered and little-known species. By uploading images and videos of wildlife spotted anywhere in the world – whether that be during expeditions into the unknown or your own back garden – you and I can help record the current and changing state of our ecosystem.
Have you got a curious wee beasty living in your backyard? Simply take a picture, upload it to Project Noah, add it to the records and a species expert (professional or just someone else like you or me who happens to know the answer) can help you identify it. You never know, you may just be the first person to record that bug!
Join a mission, teach a community, learn about species
Are you a teacher? Why not encourage your students to share their observations and contribute to Project Noah missions? Not only is it fun, you can really make a difference. Teachers can register on Project Noah’s Education page, set up an online classroom and access a wealth of support materials.
Teachers, causes or just regular bods like me can also set up a Project Noah mission:
“Create your own Project Noah mission today!
Project Noah has quickly become one of the most popular communities for nature exploration and documentation. Now, you can create, manage, and promote your own missions. Get started today and harness the power of our platform for your cause.” Project Noah’s mission page
Project Noah apps for documenting nature on the go
Project Noah mobile apps are also available to make it easy to document real-time encounters with nature. The iPhone app is available in the iTunes AppStore and now there is also an android app available in the Mobile Marketplace.
For those of us without a fully functioning smart phone (drat this endless contract I committed to!) there is always the web interface where users can access the community, join new missions and upload new sightings. Stay tuned to the Project Noah Facebook and Twitter pages as well as their blog for updates and announcements on new platform support in future.
Now available at your local bakery... Sqwerl Muffins! Get yours before they sell out!
Another set of photos.
These were taken right outside the main door of my friend’s house. It might be easy to think how lucky she is to live in such a beautiful place – but believe me, luck had very little to do with it! 
As always, hints and tips for better photos always encouraged.
CD and I had just finished a lovely picnic with Squiddy and Batty and their partners in New Zealand in January (midsummer) when I noticed a tiny movement in the bouquet of red lilies on the picnic table. A closer look revealed a tiny mantis about two cm long prowling around among the blossoms. While the others put the dishes and leftovers away, I fetched my two cameras and the tiny insect and I spent the better part of the next hour studying each other.
When I think of Thailand many, many things come to mind. I think of all the good Thai food, I think of chaos in the form of driving, I think of warm weather, I think of tuk tuk's and songthaews and I also think of elephants (chang). The first elephant I saw was in Phuket. We had been living here for two months and we had family in town and we all spent a week in Phuket.
