Free Travel Photographer of the year exhibition in the Royal Geographical Society in South Kensington

Yesterday was hot HOT and awesome sunbathing weather, so I wont tell you about what I did then, well, there's not much to say....I'll tell you about what I did the day before that...


I went to the Travel Photographer of the year exhibition in the Royal Geographical Society in South Kensington. Its free (that's why I went!!), and it features photo's taken by both professional and non-professional photographers... of all ages - I was really impressed by the winner of the child's 15-18 category who has captured horses beautifully.


There were lots of different categories and one called ‘cultures and traditions’ which was won by Sergey Anisimov who had taken a really gross picture of a skull of a reindeer in the snow. Eww, but really good.

There was one image that stood out for me, and as I wondered over I had to breath 'wow' under my breath - it was of children and adults sitting on top of a fast moving train - you can tell its fast moving because the lush greenery surrounding the train and framing the image perfectly is blurred with the colors smudging into each other. The children directly in front of the photographer are looking into the lens, they are not posing - just holding on to the roof for their lives!!! What everyone is wearing adds amazing vibrant color to the photo. 90% of photos taken could have a better or the same effect if taken in black and white - but this is in that tiny 10% of fantastic color photos.

I know that there will be four days of ticketed photography talks and workshops with speakers such as Gavin Gough, Colin Prior and Steve Bloom (July 17, 24, 27 and 28; £25-£150), but there are other, free :D, small talks on multiple times every day. For example, the one I went to explained how a camera works. And I learnt why pirates cover one eye with a patch - no, its not because every single one of them had had one of their eyes gouged out (as I had previously thought); its because as they jumped below deck, into the dark damp living quarters on another ship to commandeer it, they swapped the patch over to the other eye which wasn't accustomed to the dark, and the one that was (because it is obviously dark under a patch) would aid them in fighting the ships residents!!

The exhibition  is on until September 2013.

A flavor of London.... some of the snaps I snapped whilst walking around Westminster (London)

The view from outside Gabriel's Warf (southbank)

The Globe Theater

A shiny cafe that was attracting
both people and magpies

Millennium Bridge

The shard - London's newest
and tallest building

The golden hind - docked on the Thames

London Bridge

Tower of London and the city

 After crossing London bridge....

Looking up at St.Pauls

Trafalgar Square
(Please note: an effect was added for added effect)

Big Ben
(Please note: I put an effect on this photo... it is not really that majestic)

London Eye

No, its not over just because I crossed the line.....

JOG ON CANCER

... in 29 mins and 19 seconds to be exact, on one of the first hot days of British summer 2013.  I had just completed the Epsom 5k for Race For Life Cancer Research. My eyes were set ahead on a bottle of water, which I glugged down in about 30 seconds, followed by another 2!! I made my way back through a crowed of pink spectators cheering on the runners - ''Jog on Cancer'' ''Watch out Cancer... We're coming to get you''!!! - to our designated meeting place and plonked myself down on the ground. It had only been 5k but that was enough in this heat!!

Looking slightly crazed at the end!!

We had arrived a few hours earlier (I was running as part of my boarding house group) in our minibus. We had parked up, and got our numbers (mine was 20033) and positioned ourselves around the front of the stage where a man appeared to get us all moving and warmed up for the run. Then the event manager appeared and taught us all the 'race4life' dance which we then proceeded to do. We then were divided into 3 groups; the 'runners', the 'joggers' and the 'walkers' . I positioned myself at the back of the runners/the front of the joggers - this was my first fundraising run and I had no idea about the standard!! The horn blew and we were off - racing for life!! My friend disappeared off into the distance and I gradually moved away from the group. The course was quite tricky -uphill, downhill, uphill, downhill, then up hill again!!!

Yep - there's the top

The atmosphere was what can best be described as happy!! There were huge cheer's from the spectators, children running around, runners smiling as they crossed the line, on by one. Of course there were the promotional people from companies giving away free drinks etc who added to the good atmosphere.. Every one was dressed in pink - some had T-shirts with slogans; some had dressed up their dogs!! Including my house staff - one of which was wearing exactly the same top as me!! :/ slightly awkward, but oh well!! Another even had its on doggy baby grow :/

Dressed up smartly for Race4Life!!

The 'doggy-grow'!!

After we had all completed the race we decided to stay a bit longer in the sunshine - it was really nice and at 2 hours and 20 minuets the final 'racer' crossed the line - we all lined the path and cheered!! 

I would strongly recommend entering in a race for life event next time, no matter what your ability or background. Its well worth the day out and the money goes to such a good cause... ''as we race for life... others fight for life''..... 

Flags flying high for Race For Life

Limbo in London Southbank

When you come out of Waterloo station, and go through the tunnel and up the stairs, turn left. You will see a really cute beer garden with fairy lights and happy people, if you walk through it you will notice the entrance of a large red and white circus tent. Coming from this tent is the smell of low hanging smoke and an inviting glow. If you enter this tent, you can watch a show called Limbo.

Once inside, you take your seat around a surprisingly small stage set in the middle of the tent. That glow noticed from outside is the only source of light and it comes from light bulbs hanging down above this stage.

The show begins. It starts off quiet weirdly - and the contortionist guy freaks me out and I can't watch - I'm wondering what I've got myself into. But then my opinion completely changes. The acts come on, one by one, athlete after athlete, entertainer after entertainer. There's a guy I named 'money man' who seems to display the limits of human strength with some gymnastics on top of some iron bars. He could dance too, and did a wonderful performance with another 2 men. There was a French man as well who did an act climbing and falling (!!) down a pole, a woman who breathed fire and another woman who was an awesome tap dancer!!

I really enjoyed it!! I found it inspiring. This group of young entertainers traveling the world, having fun, doing what they love to an awe-struck audience. And as I walked out the tent, I couldn't help wondering what it would be like to join them - I remembered back to my IGCSE results day - where I did surprisingly well and my dreams of joining the circus and riding round on the backs of horses with feathers on their heads was shunted by the burden of higher education.