What would you do with a day in Amsterdam? The first time I found myself in the Netherlands, I was visiting my then girlfriend’s (now my wife) family to the north. As usual, we had a packed itinerary and only…
The Lake Below the Glacier
We had been in New Zealand for a bit over a week. Our Juicy Camper had carried us from Auckland, through Middle Earth and across the Strait to the South Island. We’d pointed further south along the rugged West Coast…
Busted Flat…
The song ‘Me and Bobby McGee’ was originally written and performed by Roger Miller, although you might recognize it from Janis Joplin, Kris Kristofferson or any number of other artists. I’ve always loved the song and it is one of…
Essaouira – In Search of a Dream.
We expected a lot out of Morocco. The weight of expectation has built, for me, for over 20 years from the first time I imagined wandering through a crowded medina in Marrakesh. It has been so long since I began…
Picnic at White Island
Anyone who has attended middle school should have learned that volcanos – in addition to being fascinating – can be pretty hot, and an altogether inadvisable place for a picnic. With this wisdom in mind, it may come as a…
New Zealand, Middle Earth and The Shire
About two and a half hours driving south of Auckland will take you to another world. Much has been said before about the hidden world spread across New Zealand, but until you actually find yourself in Middle Earth, it’s hard…
Last on Hill
RED LEADER: Our first red run The sun had fallen behind the mountain and the golden hue that hung like a shimmering halo above the peak had shifted to the icy blue of impending dusk. Apart from the brief racket…
Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary – WA: The South West
Welcome to the second Einstein’s Barber Shop Itinerary! This week, we’re looking at the first significant trip I took in Western Australia (and the trip during which I met my partner Linh)! If you’d like to download the PDF which…
Matara Island Temple
We had been on the road for almost 6 hours and although this stop was only brief – just long enough to drop off a couple of passengers and take on another collection of travelers and commuters – it was…
A short trip in a big state
Western Australia is massive. All that space houses a relatively modest population with a few far removed settlements – some of which are almost large enough to be classified as towns. In face, with the exception of Mandurah and perhaps…
Oxford evening wanderings
On any journey, time can become your enemy. Regardless of the length of time I have abroad, there are things that have to be cut from our list of things to see. In France, the list was long indeed and…
A few days in Berlin
When we travel, Linh and I usually like to spend a great deal of time immersing ourselves in one or two countries rather than flitting between a few well-visited, high-profile attractions. Most of our journeys involve some overland travel and…
Mid- Level detour – Hong Kong
Darkness had fallen over Hong Kong and a chilly wind had brought temperatures down to less than 10 degrees as I looked out over the city. The tramline that ran up Victoria Peak continued to ferry passengers, crushed in the…
Harvesting the fruit of a ten-year old dream
Ten years ago I was selling televisions in Queensland and doing everything I could to avoid the responsibilities of my still new adulthood (in some ways, little has changed). Elsewhere in the world, however a man and his wife had…
Extra cut! Hop Harvest
As I try to work out how to replace Barber Shop Photos with something else, I’m playing with video editing. Last weekend (Feb 20) Linh and I joined some friends in their inaugural Hop Harvest Party to celebrate their first…
An image of the Eiffel Tower
The change in gravity told me that the elevator had started to descend. There was no other way to know – besides perhaps the shift in the mass of bodies that surrounded me – that we were on our way…
Barber Shop Photos 27 – Kalbarri
This will be the last Barber Shop Photos for now. I’ve enjoyed sharing photos, but it feels a little like I’m just filling this spot rather than presenting something I’m proud to attribute to Einstein’s Barber. This will mean I’ll…
Barber Shop Photos 26 – An evening in Oxford
These shots are all the result of an evening walk through Oxford. We had no time to set up the tripod (which is tiny) so it was an exercise in breathing as much as shooting.
Barber Shop Photos 25 – Polonnaruwa
Polonnaruwa is a sprawling city ruin in central Sri Lanka. We visiting in late September 2016 and spent a couple of hours wandering around the crumbling temples. At one stage, I walked away from a car park with a small market…
Barber Shop Photos 24 – A winter’s Night in Berlin
This shot comes from an evening in Berlin. The weather was cool (around 2 degrees) and we had arrived in Berlin the day before after a week of snow. The snow had turned to ice and the mix of black…
Barber Shop Photos 23 – Karridale Cottage
Not all travel has to be far from home. One of the most rejuvenating short breaks I took last year was a weekend escape to Karridale Cottage and Hop Farm. I travelled to Karridale to help a mate out in…
Barber Shop Photos 22 – Don Khong
Near the southern boarder of Laos is an archipelago of islands in the Mekong River where tourists go to party during peak travel periods, If you travel there in late September like we did you should miss the worst of…
Barber Shop Photos 21 – Busselton
A lovely spot in South Western Australia. Great for a family outing. The jetty here lends itself to great photos, particularly on a clear day. Awesome angles and a beautiful palate of blues. Perfect for a dip.
Barber Shop Photos 20 – Nile Feluca
One of the highlights of my 2009 trip to Egypt was a two day cruise along the Nile River. This was special as we took a traditional Feluca, rather than the steamers that paddle their way up and down the…
Barber Shop Photos 19 – Jaresh, Jordan
In 2009 I travelled to Dubai, Egypt and Jordan. I love the landscapes in this part of the world and there is something magical about wandering through the ruins of ancient cities. Jaresh was unexpected for me as I was…