"If I had a Magic Wand?" Neilzonwheelz's Profile

VT has been a wonderful experience for me, I have found it enriching, informative and bloody funny. I'm thankful to live in Perth, which is not only a stunning place, but it has some of the best VT characters one could ever meet - plus Auckland. They know who they are, kicking their heels up just a couple of weekends ago ;0)))))
I'm very lazy, so don't expect too many tips & the like.I hope u enjoy whats here & feel free to ask about anything, well almost anything,LOL.

I'm not much of a writer as can be witnessed by my empty pages, just picures. This is a postcard I found which I thought might entertain visitors who through fate end up on my home page!
The Aussie male is well cultured, well dressed, well manered, speak multiple languages, some ladies consider us "buffed" lol, and the manners of an englsh gentleman.
So Ladies, without further ado, i present the Aussie Gentleman.

I find travel so incredibly fascinating, not just the history or culture of the country you are in, but of the travelers who are there. Their stories vary from being totally memerised and absorbed to shoot me now, please.
I'm always grateful for meeting the former because of the inspiration it provides, even the latter because it makes one aware how easy it is to become niave and opinionated.
Me, I enjoy traveling by myself because of the freedom it affords me, to stay luxury or very very basic, to eat well or lose lots of kilos,lol. To be able to say I like this place & stay a little longer, to wander through the backstreets of life.
That said, I'm not lonely - I see this question asked on many travel forums and I'm surprised. Whether I stay at the top of town or budget, one still comes into contact with local or traveler via tours, day trips, a interest or even a few beers! Traveling alone may make you feel vulnerable and of course at times you are, but overall, you find yourself pushing your comfort zones, learning, managing and most of all, engaging life.
To the independent single traveler, I lift my glass and shout "salute"

Village near Apamea Ruins - Syria

For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to do a photography course but due to my lifestyle I was never able to do because most courses are run in consecutive weeks, something I cannot do as I'm away 2 weeks every month.
After returning from Uruguay and Argentina I was very disappointed with the pictures I had taken, something I think we have all experienced at some stage. It really surprised me how depressed I was with the results, it was frustrating to see so many wonderful sights and not be able to "capture" them perfectly.
Recently I happened to be talking to a lady in a store and we started talking about photography as you do right! She expressed great passion about a course she had recently completed and that was enough to convince me to see if I could be squeezed in. Fortunately I could with alot of chopping and changing and I have already attended one class. I immediately picked up tips I wish I had been able to apply on my previous trips. This course has re invigorated just not my passion for photography but also spilled over into other subject areas.
Like many here on VT I harboured a secret desire to become a travel correspondent, but my sparse pages aren't condusive to such a career, unless I can invent the talking picture, hmmmmm.
Most of my photography has always been of landscapes, architecture and the Quirky. Taking pictures of people in their natural environment has always made me uneasy, not so much about a peoples customs, but am I really invading privacy?
Children are easygoing natural subjects, they are inquisitive, joyful or uncertain and that always makes for a great picture. Adults on the other hand, except on rare ocassions are very guarded or uneasy. As the world get's smaller I feel that the "innocence" of capturing a natural portrait has all but disappeared. I was astounded that it is now a crime in France to take pictures of people in public and even more serious if taking pictures of children. The latter has spread throughout the western world and I'm sure it will eventually spread to all the coners of the globe.
Sadly, a few corrupted minds aided by technology have tarnished what was once a very rewarding experience of capturing the subleties of human existence. Just remember that famous memerising portrait of the young Afghanistani girl with bright green eyes. Perhaps such moments will never be available again..........