Getting off the hamster wheel

Just realised that when we were travelling, we hadn't the time to post the pix from Hampi. It's a Unesco world heritage site... Hampi dawns and sunsets can be spectacular, this is what we got! After jumping in a tuktuk at 4am, our driver dropped us off and said he would be back in couple of hours. We found ourselves at the foot of a mountain, with dogs barking and monkeys whooping. Whilst we started climbing in total darkness, we didn't know what we were going to bump into. I picked up all the stones we came across and probably wieghed a few more kilo's by the time we reached the summit. We declared to each other, once the ordeal was over, that yes, we had both been anxious. This shot was taken in virtual darkness with just a hint of light. But the long exposure makes it look brighter. A couple of minutes before the two of us, were wondering around trying to figure out which way was east.  We were so high up, we had an uninhibited view of dawn, so much s

A Lunar eclipse So it's the last day of January and were in Vagator, north Goa. By about 3pm the temperature tops out around 37 degrees and there's hardly any breeze, so we can't sit out for long. But this evening is an event that last happened 150 years ago! Picture taken due west at 18:30 (IST or +05:30 hrs GMT) But by 6pm it's cool enough for us to climb to the highest point and watch the sunset over the ocean on this special evening.  With a 400mm zoom lens, this is a picture of the sun taken around 18:30 or less than ten minutes before sunset. The colour changes are caused by the amount of low level polution running off shore across the Arabian sea to the horizon.  Picture taken due west at 18:40 So although the sun hasn't dropped below the horizon, due to the polution, the sea and the sky merge into this man made industrial soup.  Picture taken due east at 19:40  But today is special as its not just a day when the moon gets closest to