Category Archives: Travel

AstrophysicsPhotographyTravel

Mike’s Hawaiian Dispatch

Leave a Comment 66 Views

In 2011, the Center for Astronomy Education requested applications for young scientists and educators to attend a week-long conference on astronomy education. The conference promised to impart the latest in pedagogical research to help develop a new crop of talented astronomy educators. As someone with years of tutoring experience under his belt, plus an astronomy curriculum I wrote for the Center for Talented Youth, I thought this was an excellent opportunity to improve my skills.

Oh, and one other thing. The conference was in Hawaii.

More specifically, the conference was held in a resort on the northeastern shore of Hawaii’s Big Island. Despite being the largest of the Hawaiian islands, Hawaii’s Big Island contains a disproportionately small fraction of the state’s overall population. Part of this has to do with geography. The Big Island is extremely hilly, and a substantial portion of its surface is covered in metamorphic (i.e., volcanic) rock. Moreover, instead of Oahu’s spectacular beaches, the younger Big Island features many more rocky, cliff-like coasts. It also lacks a Pearl Harbor and the military workforce needed to service it.

However, that does not mean the Big Island is without its appeal. The island contains 10 different climate zones, spanning everything from hot desert (e.g., Ka’ū) to alpine (e.g., peak of Mauna Kea). After my time with the conference had concluded, I took the opportunity to drive all around the Big Island, capturing the photos that you can see by clicking on the gallery button below.

These photos largely focus on four areas. The first is the low-elevation interior containing windswept hills, biological reserves, and even a cave. The second is Mauna Kea, one of the highest, driest, and darkest locations on Earth, and an absolutely ideal location for astronomical research. The third is Volcanos National Park, home to active volcanos that are usually expelling lava, though unfortunately not on my trip. The fourth is the Kohala coast in the northern section of the island, which I toured via helicopter.

PhotographyTravel

I visited Iceland and Paris in 2010. I’m finally ready to share what happened.

Leave a Comment 1404 Views

It’s been almost twelve years since I visited Iceland and Paris in winter. I brought my now-ancient Nikon D40 with me, and captured images all along the way. Our flight was technically a one-stop from the U.S. to Paris, but we managed to secure a multi-day layover in Iceland. It provided a great, but limited opportunity to explore the capital of Reykjavik and the southern coast. Click on the button below to see what transpired.

I do want to share one story from the trip that didn’t make it into the photo collection. We had driven east out of Reykjavik with the goal of traversing the southern coast, then turning north at the edge of the island. We didn’t make the turn north until after the sun had set, and the instructions we had received regarding the location of a town we could spend the night were vague. We didn’t have GPS capability, and the deep December cold was settling in.

We saw an isolated house at the end of a long driveway off the main road. We pulled off, approached the home, and knocked on the door. A graying Icelandic man answered the door. Behind him, dark wood paneling and furntiure colored in deep orange and pea green was illuminated by some incadescent lamps. It looked straight out of the 1970s.

We asked the man for directions to the nearest town with lodging. He looked confused, and replied to us in Icelandic, a language we had not heard since our arrival two days earlier. We pointed at our rudimentary map and pantomimed the best we could, but the best we got from him was a gesticulation over the next hill. We thanked him the best we could and headed blindly in that direction.

The advice was good enough, because lo and behold, over that next hill was a sizable hotel, with what looked to be close to 40 rooms. There were no lights on inside and the front door was locked. Closed for the winter season, we thought.

We approached a trailer on the outskirts of the hotel property to see if we could obtain more information. We knocked, and a woman in her nightgown opened the door. She was not expecting visitors, but she did speak English. After we explained our situation, she instructed us to wait where we were, then shut the door. A few moments later she reemerged and led us towards the hotel. She produced a set of keys and opened the door for us. She flipped a couple of breakers, turning a subset of common area lights on. We could see a large, but dimly lit reception area in front of us disappearing into the darkness. To our left and right, long hallways shot off the entrance, leading 40 yards in either direction.

She instructed us that we should just pick any room that we liked, then departed. As we gained our bearings, we couldn’t help but feel like we were in The Shining. An isolated hotel at the edge of the country, surrounded by snow, completely empty…well, except for us. We decided to try out the piano, sending full, rich sounds echoing throughout the vacated premises.

The next day, I drove our stick shift vehicle back to the airport and we departed for Paris. This was my first time visiting France in any capacity, and the city blew away my expectations. I had adopted the popular image of a culturally rich city overflowing with green spaces, romantic boulevards, and people bustling about. But this was winter. And what we found instead was a cold, wet city drenched in artificial light. The photos I captured in the gallery below reflect the spirit of the place as we experienced it at the time.

PersonalPhotographyTravel

Tamil Nadu’s Top Station

Leave a Comment 3642 Views

At the boundary of the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu lies Top Station, an idyllic hill location that stands at the highest point of the Munnar-Kodaikanal Road. Top Station is about one mile above sea level. On clear days visitors are afforded wonderful views of the surrounding countryside. On days like the one depicted in this video, clouds roll over the mountains providing the calm sensation of being in a cloud forest.

 

PersonalPhotographyTravel

Good Morning, Windermere

Leave a Comment 3185 Views

Continuing with the theme of my travels through India, today I present an interactive panorama from the state of Kerala.  The images that comprise this panorama were taken at the Windermere Estate near Munnar, Kerala at sunrise.  Here the sun rises over the eastern mountains while the hills cascade downward to the south, disappearing into the early morning haze. Here’s the location:

 

To see the full India photo gallery, click here.

PersonalPhotographyTravel

On Boats in India

Leave a Comment 3021 Views

The Indian state of Kerala is referred to by many as the “Venice of the East” by virtue of its many channels, backwaters and lush green vegetation. One of the more popular attractions in the city of Alleppey is a houseboat tour. In this video, I chronicle what it is like to take an overnight excursion on one of these boats.

In the second part of the video, I head east into the mountains to the Mattupatti Dam Reservoir near the town of Munnar. We rent a paddleboat and take it onto the water for a first hand look at the reservoir and beautiful surrounding area.

PersonalPhotographyTravel

Indian Bustle

Leave a Comment 5590 Views

As a first-time traveler to the Indian metropolis of Chennai, I was struck (not literally, thankfully) by how chaotic the traffic situation is there. I found that there are generally four types of vehicles – small sedans, large vehicles like buses and industrial trucks, tuk tuk taxis and motorbikes. Each of them operates with minimal care for the others. Motorbikes will zoom in between other vehicles at traffic lights, traffic laws are lax and collisions are common.

In this video I chronicle what happened on a relatively simple drive to dinner across town. Then, I take a tour through a garment store in the city of Alleppey, Kerala and discover that Indian hustle and bustle is definitely not confined to the roadways.

PersonalPhotographyTravel

A Photographic Journey Through Chennai and Kerala, India

Leave a Comment 3217 Views

In January of 2009 I travelled to India for the first time. Upon arrival we began by spending several days in the 9 million-person-strong metropolis of Chennai. We meandered along the Bay of Bengal on Elliot’s Beach, enjoyed multiple excellent South Indian lunches at Morgan Idlii’s and even went to see Slumdog Millionaire! We were also able to spend time with friends, both old and new. I was fortunate enough to meet Fugan – a former Peace Corp member in South America, current Buddhist monk and exceptionally talented musician.

Next, we flew across the subcontinent to the southwestern state of Kerala. Unlike much of India, Kerala is a land of blue skies, green mountains and tranquil waterways. A hired driver transported us to the city of Alleppey where we took an overnight houseboat tour on Lake Vembanadu.

Finally we drove high into the eastern mountains to the town of Munnar. Using the lovely Windermere Estate as our base, we viewed countless hills converted into tea plantations. We rented a paddleboat to explore the Mattupatti Dam Reservoir and visited Top Station, the highest reachable point in the region. At a mile above sea level, we experienced Top Station as being continuously blanketed by a rolling sea of whispering clouds.

Below I have included my full photography gallery from this trip. I hope you enjoy it.

PersonalPhotographyTravel

The Top 16 Things I Brought Back from India

Leave a Comment 6254 Views

The day after the first inauguration of President Obama, I flew halfway around the world to India armed with little more than my old Nikon D40 camera and a kit lens.  I travelled onto lakes with active fishermen,

 and onto mile-high tea plantations,

I explored tropical lakes, cloud forests, narrow channels and even a dam.  I have uploaded what I feel are my top 16 photos on the page below.  I encourage you to exercise your sense of adventure, click this link or view what follows on this page.  In a couple of days I will unveil my full gallery of images.

 

 

PersonalPhotographyTravel

Photos from Rome and Vatican City

Leave a Comment 2880 Views

I would like to announce that my Rome photography gallery is finally finished and available for viewing!  Click the image below or this link to check it out.  For a smaller, elite gallery of only the very best photographs, click here.

button_rome

While working in Germany during the summer of 2008, I took two short excursions outside the country.  The second was a weekend trip to Rome with my friend Will Newman.  We holed up in small room near the city center and set out to explore the sites.  These included the Colosseum and nearby home of the ancient aristocracy, Palatine Hill.

We passed by the Trevi Fountain on our way to Vatican City.  The Vatican offered some excellent photographic opportunities including the magnificent interior of St. Peter’s Basilica and the view of surrounding Rome and Vatican City offered from its dome.  Finally, we passed through the Vatican’s enormous museum en route to one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Sistine Chapel.

© Copyright 2014. Theme by BloomPixel.