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On Travail

Image | | andy townend

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.

St. Augustine

The clue to this post is in the title, which is a clumsy attempt to wrap multiple concepts into a single pithy phrase.

Among my resolutions this year were to write and shoot more. Rather dismally I have failed to respond well to my own resolutions. This does of course make choosing next year’s resolutions so much easier, as I plan to have another go.

However, I am happy to report that I have read a lot this year. And I will write about that also. In due course, the fullness of time, and so on.

I have also travelled a great deal. A very great deal. And, that is also something I intend to write about on the same terms as above.

I am not comfortable with my personal carbon footprint this year. So, trees will need to be planted. Probably enough to stock a decent sized hillside.

What prompted this post was my need to share (other than on my FB page) my journey home.

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variations (on a theme)

Image | | andy townend

‘We know that we fear to win
And so we end before we begin’
U2 – Every Breaking Wave

take the

shot,

if you don’t, you’ll

never

know,

will

you?

For WordPress weekly photo challenge ‘variations on a theme’

*Shot with Nikon D700 and Nikkor 80-200mm f/2.d ‘push pull’ lens at f/2.8, 1/4000s and ISO200*

sindjelićeva

| andy townend

A pedestrian reflection from Belgrade.

For WordPress weekly photo challenge – pedestrian

belgradestreets

“To be a wave understanding the influence of the moon;
To be a tree and read the memory of the leaves;
To be an insignificant pedestrian on the streets”
– Dejan Stojanovic

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Images captured on a late Summer evening with my Olympus OM10 and 100 ASA black and white film.

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A to Z

Image | | andy townend

Ever wondered what it would be like to work as a consultant, travelling the world, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, stretching yourself intellectually and emotionally, being wined and dined?

Passing straight through the lounge doors at the airport?

A silk carpet, leather seats.

Flying the blue. Not Ryanair yellow. Not Easyjet orange?

Welcome to my world.

Here’s an A to Z of what it actually feels (looks) like.

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usoro uso

| andy townend

A celebration of creativity in Akwa Ibom, over on nigeriastreets

nigeriastreets

Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and often referred to as the ‘Giant of Africa’, is a Federal Republic made up of 36 States.

Akwa Ibom, located on the coastal southern part of the country in the ‘South South’ sits between Cross Rivers State and Rivers State. Created in 1987, from the former Cross River State, Akwa Ibom is home to over five million people.

The State capital is Uyo with a population of around half a million.

This week, I was lucky enough to be part of a group visiting the Usoro Uso art exhibition, a celebration of contemporary Nigerian arts and craft featuring some outstanding work from artists of Akwa Ibom.

The exhibition opened on 8 June 2017 and is on display at the Ibibio Union Museum, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The exhibition is slated to close on 22 June, 2017 so, if you are visiting…

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seven weddings

| andy townend

‘Seven weddings’, last week, over on nigeriastreets, more to come soon from my travels in Nigeria.

nigeriastreets

Let there be spaces in your togetherness, And let the winds of the heavens dance between you. Love one another but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls
– Khalil Gibran

Today, I attended seven weddings.

Well, not intentionally. I was invited to one, and found myself inadvertently attending seven. Which, incidentally, brings my weekly tally to eight weddings in two continents in the last week.

And that wasn’t the only surprise of the day.

The wedding was that of a colleague and friend here in Abuja, where I have been living and working over the last six months. The time has flown by.

To be invited to a colleague’s wedding was an immense privilege. And, perhaps, we really only get to know a culture by seeing how people are hatched, matched and dispatched?

Well, I can’t comment…

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