MacBook Pro

When a new laptop was required and I went Apple. :)

Nagoya in miniature

This is an effort to use a photoshop technique to make a photo of full size landscape look like it is a miniature. Below is the real Legoland which I have also applied the same technique to.

Hong Kong

Each year I have the opportunity to teach Masters students at Hong Kong Polytechnic University. I love the city and wish I coud spend a bit more time looking around with a good guide. This trip was busier than normal with five teaching days and only a four nights stay. I stayed in the Regal Kowloon which is well located to HKPU and also shopping areas around Nathan Road. It is also right near the water where the nightime view across Victoria Harbour to Hong Kong Island is fantastic


The Cross Harbour Tunnel area by HKPU is hot and smelly due to all the traffic but did afford an opportunity to have a go at nighttime motion photography. I also tried to capture that "Blade Runner" feel at Cameron Road.

Coming back from the University on my last evening I walked into a restaurant blessing which was an amazing sight.



Of course you cannot travel to Hong Kong without crossing Victoria Harbour on the Star Ferry. The cheapest and one of the best boat trips in in world has become modern. You can now pay for your trip with your Octopus card.
I usually get to visit Stanley Market and/or The Peak. This time I didn't get to either - The Peak would've been fruitless anyway as there was so much cloud cover throughout my visit. Although I enjoyed this trip I have been travelling too much of late and I'm grateful this trip was my last for a considerable time.

New home

We recently moved to a new house in a small village in Bedfordshire. We are lucky enough to have lots of lovely countryside right on our doorstep.



This river is just a couple of minutes walk from our house.

Huddersfield

Huddersfield always seems to be hot and sunny which I guess is more to do with the time of the year that I visit rather that the consistancy of the weather. The railway station is one of the finest in the UK - resplendent in fading Georgian spendour.

There is a bronze of ex-Labour Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, outside the station and the station also boasts its own pub - The Head of Steam. You can access the bar from both the street and also the train platform. I would recommend a visit to anyone (especially if you are not driving as the beer seems to be on constant flow).

Japan visit - Kyoto - Kiyomizu Temple

Kyoto is the old Imperial base and thankfully much was spared from bombing in WWII. We visited the Kiyomizu Temple one of the most popular attractions in Japan. Inside the main temple building there is a large urn-like bell which you can kneel at and hit with a beater to bring you good luck.

Peter made friends with some of the thousands of school children that were visiting the temple. Apparently attending Kiyomizu it is the classic school trip.

Our guide for the day was Chikage who is currently undertaking a PhD at Cranfield. Her help throughout our trip was invaluable.

Mount Fuji

Mount Fuji taken from the Shinkansen as it momentarily slowed a little as we sped past Mishima. Apparently it is rare to catch a glimpse of Mt Fuji now as there is too much smog.

Japan visit - Shinkansen - The Bullet Train

The morning after arriving, Peter and I took the Shinkansen to Kyoto. If you are travelling around Japan the best and most cost efficient way is to buy a JR Rail pass BEFORE you go. It gives you unlimited travel on Japan Railways (JR) and you get to travel in First Class (we even got a compartment to ourselves on one trip), with reclining seats and foot rests. Not to get too geeky but this is the newer 700 series train.

Japan visit - Day 1 - Tokyo

My first time to Japan. Every year the Air Transport Research Society conference moves to a new location. I was fed up to miss out on Rio last year so I made sure I could get to the conference this year.
Arriving at 7.00am after travelling for 18 hours (Air France is not por moi) we dropped our bags at the hotel and not being able to check in until the afternoon, Peter and I went to the Imperial Palace (not much to see) and then walked through the downtown area past a water park where lots of kindgergarten children were taking their lunch.




What amazed me was that kids with so much fun and life and enjoyment could grow into the salarymen we saw on the metro and Shinkansen (bullet train) who never smile, exclusively wear dark suits and are almost grey.