I think I have a photographic memory.
No, I don’t mean that I remember everything I read (I wish!), but that photographs are often the keepers of my memories. Photographs can invoke such strong recollections, not only visual ones, but of all the senses.
The photo above, of me standing in the middle of a dry lake in Western Australia, instantly takes me back to the heat, the flies and the incredible other-worldlyness of the Nullabor Plain. Standing actually in the middle of a lake, even one with no water in it, just a vast pan of blinding salt, was amazing.
That trip really opened my eyes to the wonders of our incredible world, and looking through the photos I took transports me back there in an instant. Look at these orchids in Singapore. You can almost feel the tropical sunshine from here.
I’ve been doing a fair bit of looking through old photos the last month or so, finding my favourites of our 2019 round-the-world trip both to tip my memory for writing and to add to my album.
It was an interesting holiday...
Moscow in a snow storm
We left home in a blizzard, and we landed at Moscow airport in a snow storm. The white stuff seemed to bother the Russians not at all. They had no problems with snow on the runway. Just shovel it to the side. Pity the interior of the airport was not so organised that day.
Tokyo
Our first sight of Tokyo, was the rather English-looking architecture of the red brick façade of Central Station (once we managed to find our way out). It seemed rather comforting and familiar somehow.
Our first Tokyo meal was not familiar at all. We’d had to use plenty of sign language to get our dinner, but the spicy noodles, soft dumplings and the musical lilt of voices talking in Japanese and slurping in time, more than made up for any language difficulties.
The warmth of a Tokyo winter was a surprise too, as we posed in the sunshine in this city park. I remember wishing I wasn’t wearing my fleece-lined boots and agave hoodie that day.
Singapore by night and day
Our next stop, Singapore, was an assault on all the senses, with steamy days and balmy nights. The Singapore i light show was a wonder of colour and sound.
And the orchids in the botanic gardens assaulted my eyes with their variety.
Australia
The Nullarbor Plain
Australia’s Nullabor plain assaulted the senses with its size and barrenness. Driving across its vastness, I’d never seen so much emptiness, though it was certainly not without trees, despite its name.
I came to love the peacefulness and these vast skies. Just as well as we were there rather longer than expected, what with one thing and another.
Chile
Santiago de Chile and Valparaiso were a riot of colour from the pavements to the houses themselves. Landing there an hour before we took off from Sydney was quite a feat.
And where there was a blank space, the street art took over.
In Viña del Mar, even the clock was made of colourful flowers (and yes, it told the correct time too).
The end of the World
Seeing the mountains of the Andes from an aeroplane was simply stunning. Who needs seat-back entertainment when you have this view from your window.
These photos of the fragile beauty of Patagonia and the Magellan straits still have the power to make me relax instantly, and to gasp in delight. Look at the size of that sky above, taken from a bus window on the bounciest journey ever.
It was a different sort of barrenness to the Nullabor, full of life gaining a foothold in the most unlikely places. And our ship was small enough to cruise into the tightest spots. It looks like a toy against the background of mountains.
Here, fittingly, is our last sunrise of the trip, over Cape Horn, 'the end of the world'.
You can read of our adventures travelling around the world in my brand-new travelogue memoir Bento Boxes, Boomerangs & Red Foxes. On sale now as an eBook, paperback, hardback, and free to read with Kindle Unlimited.
https://amazon.com/dp/B0BTJ8PLYY