South Africa Safari - Kinetic Snapshots

Armed to the teeth with digital cameras, we rolled into the African bush - Schotia Reserve and Addo Elephant National Park. Few expected to emerge uneaten. And thus we were treated to a pride of lions, a pair of rhinos, herds of elephants, a parade of giraffes and assorted bovines. And the roar of a wild, wild wind. For some reason, they wouldn't let us climb down from rover to pet the hungry lions.

The Garden Route - Kinetic Snapshots

From Cape Town, I hopped the Baz Bus to ride along the Garden Route. First stop - Hermanus. Where right whale watching can be done seasick-free from shore. Whales seen, the next stop was Mossel Bay. Wind swept coast around from the town. Those rodent-like critters are Dassis, whose closest genetic relative is the elephant. Next stop - Wilderness (cool name). Grotty weather till the sun emerged just before I left. Enroute to Storms River Village, we crossed the Bloukrans Bridge with the world’s highest bungy jump (I’d done my once-in-a-lifetime jump in New Zealand). Off the ground and into the trees with a canopy tour in the Tsitsikamma Forest. Taking a walk in the forest, I ran into some baboons - pardon the big foot fuzzy images. I finished in Port Elizabeth with a safari which is another video entirely. Backtracking, I ventured into the Kleine Karoo to Oudtshoorn. Driven up to the Swartberg Pass, I was tossed out with a mountain bike to make my way back. Passed ostrich ranches. A tourist show, where they paid thousands of rand, and which I secretly filmed from the road so you can view it for free. Then regretfully paid to enter an ostrich farm with ostrich riding - yee-haw! Finally, before returning to Cape Town, I ventured as far as I dared on a shitty bike in the vinelands of Stellenbosch.

Cape Peninsula, South Africa - Kinetic Snapshots

South of Cape Town to Hout Bay. Hopped a boat to Seal Island for a look at...guess...seals! Then onwards to Boulder Beach to look at African penguins looking at us. A short bike ride on shitty bikes. Finally to the end at the Cape of Good Hope, the most south western tip of Africa.

Cape Town, South Africa - Kinetic Snapshots

Spring in the Mother City. On walkabout in the city, I stumbled upon Green Market Square. After climbing Table Mountain, sans cloud cover, I rode back down on the cable way. I was lucky, nabbing a hard to get ticket to Robben Island. We were shown the prison by a former political prisoner named Nande (apologies to the gentleman if I’ve mispelt his name). You’ll have to wait for the photo/video to see Nelson Mandela’s cell. The V & A Waterfront is gentrified and tourista-fied, though still a working port and ship yard.

Scandinavia 1979

Back in 1979, I travelled from Oslo to the west of Norway to work on a farm in a village called Grimo, tacked to the side of a steep fjord. There I picked apples, pearls, plums and strawberries in the chilly rain. The discomfort was offset by inhaling the wonderful scenery that never grew mundane. When that ended, I hopped a train to Stockholm, Sweden. I stayed in a hostel that was once a sailing ship, the af Chapman (cool). In Denmark, I took only one photo, which was a funny billboard advert. As it’s The End appropriate, I’ve included it. The razor sharp imagery was taken with a pocket instamatic camera.  And the musical accompaniment is Äppelknyckarjazz by Movits!.

Great Falls, Maryland

Great Falls, Maryland. The cataracts where the Potomac River crashes and splashes through rocks, boulders and chutes. The other side of the river is ingeniously named Great Falls, Virginia. Actually, I'm testing a new camera, editing application and video format under the guise of mouse-click tourism. Don't tell anyone, OK.

Ski Austria 1979

1979. Austria - land of the kangaroos. I arrived in the town of Kitzbuehel to learn the art of skiing, immediately after the world ski championships ended. Nevertheless, I still garnered a gold medal in Ass Über Tits Gefallen. After a day sliding down the slopes, there was apres-ski unwinding mit ein Bier. Incredibly shot with a pocket instamatic camera for state-of-the-art grain and lack of focus. The musical accompaniment is Ski Austria by The Veloroo Sinfonika Swing Band Hot-Cha-Cha Orchestra.

The Stewart-Colbert Rally

30 Oktober 2010. The Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear on the National Mall. As I was with the bike, ; I couldnt crawl on my belly like a reptile through the forest of legs to reach the front. But everyone has already seen what happened up on the stage (except me :-( ). So instead, heres the crowd that made it happen. The musical accompaniment is Love Train by The O'Jays.

Wandering Europa

Back in the early 80s, Europe was still a wild and untamed continent. Intrepid backpackers trailblazed the land armed with rail passes and thumbs powerful enough to stop a speeding vehicle for a lift. This particular journey began in the north of Norway above the Arctic Circle to the outback of Kiruna, Sweden. South to Stockholm, with a ferry excursion over to Suomi, the land of the Flying Finns. In Turku, there was Beatles memorabilia with a bust of Lennon and a flag saluting the song Back in the USSR. Helsinki built a church from an abandoned UFO. Heading west again to Copenhagen, just in time for the Folk og Land Fest, a rain storm and some artsy night shots. The trail went south to the Netherlands. Amsterdam and then the Cool Peoples Congress in Woerden. A meet-up with wild and crazy backpackers at a hostel in Paris. Then on to Switzerland for Basel + Allschwil, Romanshorn and Bulle before crossing the Great St Bernard Pass into Italy. Alas, all roads lead to Rome. The musical accompaniment is Wanderlust King by Golgol Bordello.

Snowmageddon 2010

6 February 2010 Arlington, Virginia - The biggest, bloody snow storm since the last Ice Age (and without hyperbole, mate). Odin must have been angry. Wear appropriate clothing when viewing this video to avoid frost bite. The musical accompaniment is Unstoppable by E. S. Posthumus.