GORM TEPERCon Dao Island
Posted on March 17, 2018
I haven’t posted anything in a while – very sorry. Has been a very busy end to 2017 and a busy start in 2018. I have also changed jobs in that time which was a little intense. The good news, and also a cause to the lack of posts is that Vanessa and I had a good long trip to Vietnam (again). So there should be plenty of new material coming up. As we are also on the brink of spring, I hope to grab some nice spring shots too soon.
The beach in front of our resort. 5D Mark III and 24mm 1.4 lens.
So I have decided to break down our trip is sections, and this part is about Con Dao. These are remote islands about an hours flight south of Saigon. The islands are known for their prisons during the Vietnam War, which is a bit depressing. However, they are also home to Vietnam’s best beaches, nice wilderness, and six senses resort.
We took a flight from Saigon with Vietnam Air Services Company (VASCO). It was a windy landing and one to remember, but the airline is fine and ATRs are always bumpy. We stayed at a Vietnamese 3 start resort just out of town. Con Dao Resort is walking distance from the main town. But the best way to get around is by motorbike. We rented a bike for a couple of days.
VASCO flies regular flights from Saigon to Con Dao with ATR-72s. 5D Mark III with 35mm 1.4 lens.
The islands are pretty quiet, and the people are surprisingly laid back for the Vietnamese. There are not that many roads, and not that much to see, but the place is very relaxing. We checked out the local temples, beaches and the main town the first day.
Roads are pretty quiet on the island. 5D Mark III with 85mm 1.2L II lens.
Local shrine was very picturesque. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 Art lens
The markets in Con Dao are well worth a visit. 5D Mark III with 85mm 1.2L II lens.
The beach just in front of the airport is also quite nice. Its also a good place to see incoming flights which go right overhead. Taken with a 5D Mark III and 12mm 2.8 fisheye lens.
The second day we looked at a lot of the prisons from the war period. Some were built by the French for political prisoners, and some were later built by the Americans. All offer horrific conditions. It was hard to understand why such measures were needed, but good to see them.
Walking above the cells in the French built prison. An incredible place which asks many questions. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 Art lens.
To prevent the prisoners from climbing up the walls and escaping, the guards would break arms and legs. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 Art lens.
The American prison was obviously made on a tight budget with no concern for human life. The clammy, dark, and cramped interior is just a disgusting place to be. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 lens.
The next day we rode up to the start of the national park. You need a special permit to enter the park, but it’s easy to get at the park office. We then took a hike to the other side of the island. On the way we traveled through dense jungle, and encountered a bit of wild life including monkeys. Finally we made it to a very remote little beach. It was quite rocky, but very nice in general. There are coral reefs just off shore.
One of the locals, Con Dao National Park. 5D Mark III with 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS II lens.
Somewhere in the national park. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 lens. Polariser.
An interesting fellow, a couple of kilometers from the water. 5D Mark III with 100-400mm 4.5-5.6L IS II lens.
Nice to be off the beaten track. It did not look like there were many visitors to the park. 5D Mark III with 24mm 1.4 Art lens.
The rest of the time, we just hang around town. There are some nice cafes and restaurants. I would recommend Con Dao to anyone visiting Vietnam. It’s a welcome change from the usual rush. I think it has Vietnam’s best beaches, and easy access to nature. There is still not too many tourists there, and the remote parts are very authentic.
Same old fantastic Vietnamese food. 5D Mark III with 35mm 1.4 Art lens.
Sitting on the sidewalk, waiting for our dinner. 5D Mark III with 35mm 1.4 lens.
The mandatory beach photos! Con Dao. 5D Mark III with 85mm 1.2L II lens.
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Reflecting on Travel
Posted on May 24, 2017
Hi all! I decided to make a fun photo and use it as a new featured photo in my travel albums landing page. I thought it would be cool if it was a pile of old maps and travel stuff…
My travel junk… or is it memories?
To be honest, I could have done a better job technically, and used some flashes and stuff, its a bit unevenly lit.. but anyway. I have a heap of travel books, maps and old stuff lying around which I got from my many travels. It turned out to be more about reflection on travel experiences than anything else! You can click on the image to make it larger. Some of the stuff in there includes:
- My collection of travel books… I currently have 40+ Lonely Planet books. I just ordered another one, ‘Great Britain’. Although my favorite which I use for inspiration is Lonely Planet’s ‘The Travel Book’, its super cool and has a couple of pages for every country in the world. Lonely Planet
- Some Polish money which I got from a friend while on university exchange in Norway… Never actually been to Poland yet. Although I’m told I’m going this summer :s.
- A gangster style roll of Vietnamese money. We have been there so many times, and always have lots of notes left over. Due to inflation the roll is worth about 4 bucks… and not worth stealing.
- Some iron-on patches. About 10 years ago I thought it would be cool to have patches from all the places I visited all over my bag.. never happened, and now I don’t like the idea.. Anyone want some patches?
- The Killing Fields of Choeung Ek flyer. This is from Cambodia, where we visited the sights of Pol Pot’s regime. Very chilling, and worth a visit. Thousands of people were murdered here with primitive tools, include women, children and babies. See here for more information. We also went to s21, the school that was converted to an execution processing center. See here for more information.
- Some boarding passes for an Etihad flight. Not a huge fan of Etihad, but its who we used to relocate to Germany from Australia just over a year ago now.
- A trail map of ‘Mueller Hut Route’ in New Zealand. Many years ago, my friend and I hiked up to the Mueller Hut, in the Mt Cook region of New Zealand. We camped on the snow at around 2000m. Interestingly, 30mins from the hut lies Mt Oliver. This was the first peak that Sir Edmund Hillery ever climbed. He would later be the first to scale Mt. Everest in 1953. See here for more info.
- Fraser island map. Fraser Islands has world heritage listing and is one of the biggest sand islands in the world. Located just off the coast of Harvey Bay in Australia, its a magnet for holiday makers, and 4WD enthusiasts. Its great for camping and the interior lakes are crystal clear and incredible for swimming. Info
- Da Lat city map. Da Lat is one of my favorite places in Vietnam. This mountainous village is nice and cool, and has great markets. Its famous for its flowers and fruits, and there are also a number of waterfalls to see in the region. Best way to see it is by renting a motorbike. Info
- Japan rail card. No visit to Japan is complete without experiencing the bullet trains. The train system in Japan is among the best in the world. Its quite expensive, but get a JR rail pass when you visit to have access to anywhere in the country. Info
- My trusty GPS. This is an older one now, but you can still load all kinds of maps to it. Great for exploring. I bought this tax free on board M/S Norröna while in international waters, headed for Iceland. Info
- Faroe Islands bus schedule. Public transport is pretty efficient in Denmark. Even on its extreme territories, there is good public transport. The Faroe Islands has a population of just 25,000 people, and yet taking the bus was a good way of getting around. Info
So whats next?
Well I certainly plan to continue my travels long into the future! There are so many places still to see and experience! This summer I plan to get some short trips in around central Europe. We also plan to visit the UK this summer for a couple of weeks. I really want to see Scotland. In autumn, I have no idea… but I know we are hosting Christmas this year in Bavaria.. Something about a visit to Vietnam in February for Tet, lets see what happens. Here is my ultimate bucket list for the next 3-5 years!
- A visit to Greenland – min 4 weeks
- A visit to Iceland – minimum 2 weeks
- A visit to Borneo – min 2 weeks
- Take the Trans-Siberian railway to Beijing
- A visit to the Pacific Islands – min. 4 weeks
- A visit to Burma – 2-3 weeks
- Visit the Falkland Islands and South Georgia
- Visit North Africa, including Tunisia and Morocco.
- A visit to St. Petersburg
- A visit to Croatia and Greece.
- A visit to Costa Rica
- A visit to Patagonia.
Looks like I’ll be busy! Happy shooting and hope you enjoyed my memories!
Oh yes, nearly forgot! Here is where I used the photo! Travel Photography
Another great trip to Vietnam!
Posted on December 13, 2015
We had another fantasitc trip to central Vietnam this year! I want to share some of the photos I captured from our trip. Most are from magical Hoi An where we stayed for a week. Click on th image below to see the entire album. Most of the images are taken with Sigma’s fanastic Art primes. Hope you enjoy!!
Kids selling lanterns, Hoi An. 5D3 | 24mm 1.4A | f1.4 | iso1250
Vietnam
Posted on January 30, 2015
Vietnam is a great place for photography! The streets are bustling, landscapes are vibrant and the people are charming. I’ve traveled to Vietnam four times now and i’m absolutely in love with the place!
GORM TEPER 