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"In some ways, I think travel is about learning how to see, learning how to pay attention. It's an alarm clock in some ways, and it's a jumpstart to putting our senses on the setting where they're universally receptive. I think theoretically we could do that at our homes, and yet somehow, surrounded by familiarity and the routine we know too well, our eyes tend to close and we don't notice the things that are so wondrous for a visitor. But as soon as we physically start moving we awaken to the beauties around us." --Pico Iyer

Taking a leisurely flight over the Siberian Lowlands... a frozen masterpiece.

April 3rd 2008 05:57
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Comment by postmoderncritic

April 3rd 2008 06:05
Loved these... I flew over the Trans-Siberian at sunset (and what a long sunset it was!) a few months ago and glimpsed tiny little lights below, here and there, some in a cluster, presumably where communities were situated. It was fascinating.
I didn't enjoy the time it took to get to my destination from Narita, but the unusual flight plan's views was the biggest consolation.

Comment by Tracy

April 7th 2008 10:49
Wowee, Ash. These are incredible.

You must have a powerful camera and a dedicated eye.

Enjoy your travels, they look amazing!!!

Tracy

Comment by Ash

April 7th 2008 12:22
Hi Epiphanie

Flying over at night wouldn`t be as beautiful - you would miss everything! I think my return trip is a night flight so maybe I will be able to catch some sleep instead.... yawn!

ugggg it takes so long to get from Australlia over to the UK... I'm sorry i didn`t go via Africa so I could have a stiop over for a few days.... maybe next time!

Ash

Comment by Ash

April 7th 2008 12:24
Hiya Trace

nah i was just using a little Pentax camera here, I was really surprised at how well they came out actually. It was beautiful!

Looking for that Galaxy now

Ash

Comment by Tracy

April 7th 2008 12:39
Woweee....I'm inspired to try and take some snaps next time I fly. I don't think they will be as good as these, but it's definitely worth a try.

Enjoy that Galaxy, Ash!!!

Comment by Ash

April 9th 2008 12:19
Looking forward to seeing the results Trace.... I gave up the Galaxy for Monster Munch instead - but there is still time

Comment by Kleonaptra

April 29th 2008 00:45
Wow. Wow. Absolutely stunning. I would have been endlessly clicking there too.

Comment by Tracy

April 29th 2008 04:29
Oh yum, have them all and enjoy!!!

Comment by Ash

April 29th 2008 09:10
Thanks K

it was such a gorgeous flight it`s going to be boring being back on the plane and flying over all that gorgeous scenery in the dark this time!

Ash

Comment by Lilla

June 2nd 2008 08:58
Hi Ash,

Finally a chance to catch up to you as I am back on-line, such a long boring story, willt ell you about it later.. but these? Oh these are sublime, devine, georgeous.... wow.

I flew over this place (tashkent) in the early 1990's but it was at night and I missed this, only catching a glimpse through blizzards and darkness... oh these are superb!

Brave on sharing them, thanks... I can see it now...

Lilla ...

Comment by Ash

June 4th 2008 21:28
Hiya Lilla

Ys I was wasn`t looking forward to a day flight, but this was just incredible. The pilot told us on the way back it takes 7 hours to fly over this place and that`s 7 hours of scenery just like this. It really makes you wonder about the size of our planet I tell you!

Unfortunately on my return it was night so I also missed out on all of this so i was really happy I got to see it on the way over. Hopefully your next flight will be a day flight too!

Ash

Comment by Lilla

June 6th 2008 01:08
reading your response made cause for revisiting *chuckle* oh and here I am overwhelmed again by the soft plush velvety 'feel' of those first and sixth ones (from high altitude)... the folds and layers really affect me on all fronts Ash, all six senses gone off? They are like pencil skethes of sublime softness against the harshest background... so contradictorary..like me? *chuckel* perhaps or maybe it is a past life thing?

Again thanks so much for posting them.

L

Comment by Lilla

June 6th 2008 01:08

Comment by Ash

June 6th 2008 01:21
it`s only a pleasure I'm glad you got so much out of them - it truly was spectacular. I hope you are getting the full pictures - for some reason my computer chops half of them off??

The flight home I was lucky enough to have clear skies and see the stars (several shooting stars too) and the sunrise from the plane?? Absolutely out of this world... those pictures will follow but don`t really do it justice. It lingered for so long and the formations of the clouds were incredible.

The banner pic was in Ireland... another wonderful place to visit.

Comment by postmoderncritic

June 8th 2008 19:18
Hey Ash,

It's my second-last day in London now... it's been a very insightful six days!
Just to clear up - It was dusk when we flew over Siberia, so there was both natural light and artificial light below... it was really nice. 7 hour sunset, anyone?

Comment by Ash

June 8th 2008 20:51
Excellent Epiphanie

I hope you got to see some of this beautiful scenery below? I was blown away by the 7 hours it took to fly over this place - that`s some barren part of the world.

How was London? I wasn`t very impressed by how busy and how dirty it has become.... and dangerous??? YIKES!!! The only place I really enjoyed was Greenwich with those green rolling lawns and impressive buildings. But even the Cutty Sark is all closed up.

I left from London Waterloo after the Tutankhamen exhibit ( I REALLY HOPE YOU MANAGED TO SEE THAT IT WAS THE MOST INCREDIBLE THING I HAVE EVER SEEENNNNN!!!!!) and could see the London Eye through the ceiling and was tempted to walk along the Thames and go and see Big Ben and whatever but I was SO OVER PEOPLE by that stage that I jumped on the first train and was outta there.

The tubes were packed, the streets were packed, everyone looked so grumpy and was rush, rush, rushing everywhere and I felt so hot and dirty after a few hours in the city I couldn`t wait to get out of there and back into the countryside where i was staying. Although, really, once you have seen Big Ben and the london Eye and Buckingham Palace a few times you don`t need to see them again!

Can`t wait to hear how your six days were spent - Amsterdam now? woo hoo that place rocks too... don`t forget to go to Anne Franks place and have a coffee and cake at 'The Grasshopper' Oh and if you can, try and see a comedy show at 'Boom Chicago' - that place ROCKS! Of course the Heineken Museum and Van Gogh museum are great too.... oh dear you have sent me off down memory lane and started a few pangs of jealousy in me now

HAVE FUN GIRL!

Ash

Comment by Lilla

June 8th 2008 23:57
Ash,

I picked it for Ireland... and Im off to visit there (on your posts) now...

I was getting the whole picture at first, but today (just now) only half... yet full again on the commenting screen?

So its all over the place as best I can tell, but I got to see them full size once and they will stay with me for a long time... as did the few night scenes I glimpsed through swirling, cold grey when we landed at tashkent ... now there is another interesting story, my word.. *chuckle* gosh travelling is fun.

See you on the flipside...

Lilla ...


Comment by postmoderncritic

June 9th 2008 16:00
Hey Ash,

I might do the Tutankhamen exhibition when I return... I'm just about to leave for Paris!

What I did was: do a tour of the city on top a bus with one of those ubiquitous tour buses, see the Churchill Museum and War Cabinets, Westminster Abbey from the outside, Houses of Parliament & Big Ben from the outside, Buckingham Palace from the outside (in passing from a taxi, I'll admit - there were too many other things to do then ponder over the Queen's HQ for me!), Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery, the British Museum, the Tate Modern, the Tate Britain, the Hayward Gallery, the Photographer's Gallery, Portobello Road Markets, and walk around the Kensington area... am planning to do the Tower of London when I come back, and am still building the rest of the itinerary... didn't get to see the London-New York telescope but what can you do, can you tell me a bit about the Tutankhamen exhibit so I have extra incentive to see it?

London is pretty dirty, and I felt a bit overwhelmed by the crowds at Portobello Rd Market and the underground but at other times it hasn't been as bad as I might have expected.

I have a very packed itinerary for Amsterdam too, including the Anne Frank house and Van Gogh Museum, but no Heineken Museum for me - I'm just not into alcohol...

Hope you're having a great day,
Epiphanie

Comment by Ash

June 9th 2008 19:32
That`s excellent you got to see them properlly the first time Lilla.

I have so many from that flight and hope to get them printed soon - the patterns are just incredible I could talk about them for hours.

Travel is exciting that`s for sure.

Keep well

Ash xx

Comment by Ash

June 9th 2008 19:56
Wow Epiphanie

Sounds like you have done well with your time in London - I lived in England for two years and never got around to seeing what you did... amazing what one takes for granted hey?? Kensington is gorgeous... I`m convinced I`m going to meet a rich man and live in one of those apartments The high ceilings and those massive bay windows... ahhhh heavenly! What day did you get to Covent Garden? I hope you managed to see all the street performers? Yeah, I didn`t get to see the telescope either, like I say I was so over London after only a few hours, I just don`t do crowds and the city was heaving the day I was there, I couldn`t wait to get out of it, I felt physically sick actually.

OK the Tutankhamen exhibition?? It is mindblowing if you are into history, especially Egyptian history, which I`m a pushover for. It will take up quite a bit of your time because it`s at the O2 arena (or Millenium Dome) which is right on the other side of London and quite isolated, although Greenwich isn`t too far actually and there is a tube station which takes you right to the O2 (I think it`s on the Bakerloo Line) and you can get the 188 bus which will take you right to Greenwich.

There are 11 chambers filled with Egyptian artefacts including a chair which Tutankhamen used as a boy still with the original weaving on the seat. You are talking about things made over 3200 years ago which are still in tact. It`s excellently presented although you should spend the extra tenner and get the audio tour and the 3D movie with it.

It`s not only about Tutankhamen but also about Egyptian life during his time with a few others... their gods... well so much, I was in there for 3 hours just on the exhibit alone. Still to this day, even with all our modern 'knowledge' his death is a mystery (although they have a theory which I will let you find out if you get to see the exhibit). A boy king who was ruler when he was only nine and only ruled for ten years but is the greatest of the Egyptian pharoahs... ah it`s just amazing!!!

ahhhh Paris... lovely! I imagine you will absolutely love it there with all it`s postmodern architecture.... have a stroll down the Champs-Elysee and grab a coffee... to be seen of course! I recall being in Paris one day and needing the toilet at lunch time... ALL THE TOILETS SHUT between 1 and 2pm! I was in agony by the end of lunch It`s a pity you won`t be there for the Bastille celebrations in a month - they are out of this world! What`s on the agenda for there?

Sigh... I want to get back on the plane now!!!!! Have a blast. Thanks for coming back and sharing you are taking me on your adventure with you!

Travel safe

Ash xxx

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