I flinched also and blood ran down my arm. Ahh, yes, the good old days. Needles in one arm and air gun in the other. Then the 'gama G' shot in the butt during the 'short arm' inspection. Then out on the 'grinder' to do a bit of exercise so the body parts did not get sore from the shots. Another memorable day in boot camp.

Its purple because ice cream does not have bones.

I am a drama and thriller kind of guy. 'Old Guard' if you are into that type of action movie.

one of the first cameras I put in an Aquatica housing for underwater photography was my D300. I started with the D200, then the D300, and quit after the D7000 as the housings and assorted underwater equipment cost more than the cameras did. I still have my D300 and D7000 with housing and domes and strobes etc. Great platforms all. With the additional costs now for air travel (there are 50 lbs plus just for underwater equipment, and then there is dive gear, etc) it got too expensive to travel with. On my last trip through the South Pacific, I realized that it is all getting too heavy for me any more. Everything I have is outdated now, so I just have expensive cameras and great memories, and together we are just gathering dust this year. I had to have a pacemaker implanted after my last adventure, so now I am the one that is battery operated, and my diving days are over. Looks like it will be iPhone from here on out.

I also have 3 Nikons, with assorted lenses, flash equipment, RRS tripods, etc. I was a SCUBA diver as well, so along with all of the equipment for cold water diving (drysuit, thermal gear, hoods, gloves, depth gauges, etc) and warm water diving (assorted wetsuits), fins, masks, extended range dive equipment, cave equipment, add to that the additional 50 lbs. of equipment for underwater photography added as well (camera housing. underwater strobes, an underwater tripod that attaches to the housing, arms for extending strobes away from the housing, etc. And then there are the weight restrictions for airline travel, and the extensive security checks in back rooms every time I ventured out of the country with that equipment, that made each journey a true travel adventure as well.
In January, I added one more powerful, lightweight piece of equipment after a trip to the other side of the world and down to the southern hemisphere, (I live in PA here in the US, and traveled through the South Pacific islands to Australia and New Zealand on a 6-week adventure) that makes most all of this equipment null and void. I became 'battery-powered' when a stopwatch size piece of equipment was implanted in my chest ( a pacemaker), and that has changed everything. Now I have barrels, suitcases, and backpacks full of equipment that is of little or no use to me. Now comes the decisions with 'what to do with all this stuff'

I love to see people smiling, laughing, and enjoying life right now. great portraits.

My error for where smoke was coming from, but it did cover Sydney on Dec 2 when I was there from wherever it was coming from. I forgot just how large Australia is. (The entire US would fit inside the borders of Australia. Aussies are amazing and fun to travel with)

The second cruise from Sydney to New Zealand was on the RCCL Ovation of the Sea. Awesome ship with almost 5000 people aboard. The largest cruise ship travel for us. Everything aboard the ship was amazing. Boarding and departure ran so quickly and smoothly, food was great, and people were great fun. About 80% of people onboard were Aussies. We Would definitely cruise on that ship again. (We have traveled on several Celebrity ships, RCCL before on smaller ships, Princess, and Norwegian. Also, a Viking River cruise which is a different type of cruise and we look forward to doing more)

Enjoy your cruise travels.

I just returned from 5 weeks in the South Pacific. I started in Tahiti and went to Moorea (beautiful Island) Bora Bora, Pago Pago, Fiji (two ports) Vanuatu, and New Caledonia (want to go back soon as it was awesome) and final port, Sydney. All aboard a Norwegian Cruise ship. Spent 4 days in Sydney (second time there, two years ago spent 5 days there) Never enough time in Sydney. Opera House for sure, but the Rocks area is full of Australian history (spent a day just following the history there). Botanical Gardens etc. Day trip to the Blue Mountains with a stop at an animal rehab (basically a zoo with all Australian critters) Then boarded another Cruise ship to New Zealand. Made 4 stops on the Northern Island from Bay of Islands down to Tauranga. I was aboard the cruise ship that lost 44 passengers and crew to the Volcano eruption. Not only was everyone on the cruise ship deeply affected by the loss, but Maori Warriors also came to the ship on the second day in port (our trip spent two and a half days in port when we were supposed to only spend a day there) and offered a prayer ceremony alongside the ship. Very emotional. When we left this port, our itinerary was completely changed and we did not get down around the southern island part of New Zealand. Then it was back to Sydney and a flight back to PA (another dreadful experience as American Airlines pilots had run out of flying hours in LAX so there was not even a plane in SYD to bring us home. We ended up on a packed Qantas as all AA passengers were switched in Sydney. 6 of 13 hours with the kid behind me kicking my seat on the way to LAX, but that's another story). 90% of the trip was awesome, but things change unexpectedly, so have a plan B as a just in case. I did not get to the places you have listed, but the fires in Western Australia had put so much smoke in Sydney that at times you could not even see downtown as we came back from the Blue Mountains. I hope your trip is filled with many great photographic opportunities and many great memories like mine was, but have a plan B if possible.

Here is what I listen to. It is for some of us oldies who like to listen to oldies or numerous different types of music. www.tropicalglen.com I can have it playing in the background while I continue on the 'Net' or whether I am just working at my desk.

When my mother was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer, she called me and said: "I am 84 years old, was married for 51 years and it is terminal. What did you expect?" I flew back home to Alaska a week later to see, and be with her. She was sitting on her couch with her two cats at her feet, doing what she loved--working on crossword puzzles (she was really good with them) the night I arrived. 10 days later (on Mothers Day) at 2:00 PM with my younger brother and I by her side, she took her last breath. 17 days from diagnosis to her last breath. It is a nasty disease, but my mother was not in pain, and went peacefully in her own bed. She is buried on top of my father in the National Cemetery (for military veterans and their wives) at Fort Richardson in Anchorage Alaska. The front of the headstone has my fathers information (Lt. Col., Pearl Harbor Survivor (he was there on Dec 7th, 1941), WWII POW, Korean War Veteran, (He was a squadron commander of B24's in WWII and got shot down over Germany. When the war ended he learned to fly Jets and flew combat in Korea. He retired as the XO of the Air National Guard in Alaska after 35 years of service) and on the back of the stone is my mothers information. The military contacted me and asked if they could use something I had written about my mother from her obituary and so it is inscribed on the back of the stone. It says that "She was as tough as an Alaskan Winter, but could be as soft as new fallen snow". There are several other military men and their wives buried in the same area as my mother and father. I envision them all together having a great time together where ever they are. ALS took my father, and Pancreatic Cancer took my mother. I am honored to have had the parents I had.

Exactly what I thought when I lost my daughter 6 years ago. I envision her doing all the things she was not able to do while on this earth.

a golfer visits a new course for the first time. As he prepares to take a swing at the ball, a golf Pro over the speaker in the clubhouse comes on and says "Excuse me sir, but the Men's Tees are behind you". The golfer ignores the voice and again prepares to take a swing when the voice comes on a bit louder and a bit more forceful and says that the Men's Tees are behind him. Again he ignores the voice and prepares his swing. This time the voice is very loud and forceful and says, "Sir, the Men's Tees are behind you, you are on the Women's Tees". The guy finally turns around and says to a bystander, "can someone please go tell the Pro in the clubhouse that this is my second shot"

Hickam is where my father was on Dec 7th, 1941. Squadron leader of B24's on their way to Tripoli in North Africa. It was out of Tripoli on a mission to Nuremberg that his plane was crippled and he headed toward Switzerland to spend the rest of the war because he knew his plane would not make it back to Tripoli. On his way over Austria another gunner brought his plane down and he spent a couple of years as a POW. He escaped 3 times and was recaptured twice. Finally liberated by the British as he and another American officer were found hiding in a Barn (along with two German Officers trying to defect as well). The things Dads generation fought for and many did not survive (I lost an Uncle on the beach in Normandy) is sure not where things seem to be today. Our generation had Viet Nam and this generation has ????? There are soldiers, sailors, and Marines fighting in the middle east for several tours of duty, but it is not something their peers are not doing. Different world from the Greatest Generation to where we are today.

Only reason I got out of the military was because I hated to work for people dumber than I was (and I definitely was not the sharpest knife in the drawer between 17 and 21 years of age). One stripe made them more intelligent supposedly. Shoulder/collar bars, well that is a whole new story. I was probably the only Boatswains Mate (#1 sea going rate) that has zero days actual sea time. Joined the Navy to 'See the World' (that was the slogan then) Went to Florida, Bahamas (where I began scuba diving) and finished in Conn. I had seen a map once or twice and was pretty sure that was not the 'world'. Making up for that now that I am retired. So far have been to 60 countries on 6 continents. Adding 10 more in a couple of months. Been able to be on Scuba in over two dozen countries, and 10 states in the US. Love retirement but did not realize time would go so fast though. :-)

A Army friend sent me this (and I am a Navy Man)

DoD was conducting an All Service briefing and posed this question:

What would you do if you found a scorpion in your tent?

A Sailor replied: I'd step on it

A Soldier replied: I'd smash it with my boot

A Marine replied: I pull the stinger off and eat it.

An Airman replied: I's call room service and ask why there was a tent in my room.

Got to love the Air Force :-) (My Dad, older brother, two nieces and a nephew are all Air Force Veterans and I was the black sheep of the family USN '66-69')