The Naive Tourist

That is me!   It is a warning to watch yourself when abroad.   Was on my own with the car belonging to my then daughter-in-law driving up Phantom Canyon in Colorado when a couple of bobcats darted across in front of the car.   Being keen to get wild life shots I was out of the car in a flash along with my Panasonic FZ30 [ 8mp ] and stood on the edge of the road some ten/fifteen feet from the car.   I saw one of them across a field in a clump of trees watching me.  Even with x12 zoom [ 432mm Angle of View ] I thiought it was too small in the viewfinder but I carefully pressed the trigger.   Then I turned my back on it and walked back to the car.

Completely forgetting that there were two of them and afterwards I wondered .... was the mate sitting behind the bushes beside the road?   Gave me if not nightmares some queasy moments thinking about how silly I was to turn my back on such creatures.  particularly when I met up quite close to one in a wildlife park.   Even though he was behind wire netting I was very nervous walking away from him as he sat, head out of his den, watching me.

Full of enthusiasm for "Wild Life" I then ventured onto a long beach, quite close to home, and got too close to a grumpy old sealion.   He openned his mouth and I took my shot .... trouble was that I have a one second review for me to confirm I have the shot ...and I didn't see him lunging at me .... I beat a hasty retreat and he fortunately stopped chasing me ... I am sure he could have gone faster than I could run at 76yo then.

 

Firefly Abroad

They are re-building the road outside my house.  First they use a viscious grubbing machine to rip the old surface to pieces and then lay a nice new surface about two inches deep.   Here they are laying the final bit and with a two second exposure it is supprisingly sharp ...I was using a tripod ... but you will note the 'Firefly' .... well at least that's what my son suggested it could be ... LOL

The rig is continually moving forward.

A freindly fellow

Was upin one of the local cemetaries, an old and largely disused one I suspect, photographing the graves for reference for the local council website and had just finished the current part of the assignment when this freindly fellow decided to stay still long enough to enable me to get a shot of him.   No sooner had I pressed the trigger than FLIT he was off again .... so pure luck but  it was nice of him to help me .... near a decade since I had a similar chance and with my slow digital of those days I didn't get a shot.