10 days and 945km: The India Project.

So, uh, I have some really exciting news. For the last few months, I've been mustering up the courage to let this plan loose on the world. To put it out there that this is what I wanna do, and after talking to a few people who I really trust and respect, I finally feel confident in doing this.

Without giving away too much of the plan, in a week and a half, I'm going to India to look into the silk & cotton industries, and into families working from their homes. I want to see if I could legitimately make a positive difference to the horrendous socioeconomic gap present in India, and this is the starting point. I'm scared as all hell, because it's a bit of a crazy mission to be embarking on, and as much as I've seen poverty depicted on TV and in photos, I know that seeing it first hand will be something completely different. But I keep reminding myself that this is just a starting point, a stepping stone.

I'll be travelling through the south of India for 10 days with my Uncle and cousins, who lived in Ooty for 2 years, and whenever I can get some access to the internet I'll try to update the blog. I'm gonna be spamming you all with a ridiculous amount of photos (if you add me here), madly writing down ideas and taking notes on potential ways to make a difference, and trying to avoid getting sick despite eating food that's going to be hotter than anything else I've ever eaten.

So there you have it, a wonderfully vague outline of the biggest project I've ever taken on. I'm excited, nervous, scared shitless and absolutely glad to (hopefully) have you all on board :)

10 days and 945km.
Should be interesting... :P

Oh and while I'm on the topic of India, everyone should check out The Shaanti Project! I only discovered it tonight but what these guys are doing is incredible, and it would be great to see them getting truckloads of support :)


Over and out.

A trip down memory lane... Part 2

I've got a temp job at my little brother's school doing admin for the arts department, and there is so much jazz coming out of there! I see now why two of my brother's are jazz musos. It's fantastic! I'm yet to hear anyone play this song, but it seemed appropriate anyway, not to mention the part where I'm a little in love with this duo :) 

And now it's time for part 2 of my trip down memory lane. Most of these are from a school kayaking trip that I went on in year 11. We went kayaking in Shark Bay for 4 days and it was absolutely incredible. Once you get a few hundred metres off the main beach, almost every sign of civilisation vanishes, and the wildlife up there get more and more impressive. There are sharks, turtles, stingrays, sharks, stonefish, stingrays, sharks. By far the most amazing part of the trip began though with a large splash a few hundred metres from where we were paddling. And then another one. Aaaand another one.

Lots of jokes were made about a monster tiger shark that was coming to eat all of us, and eventually one of the leaders went over to investigate. A few minutes later, he was waving manically at us all to come over. There were 40-50 dugongs - mothers and babies. It was absolutely breathtaking. It was the only thing I've ever encountered that could get a group of teenage girls to shut up. We just sat on our kayaks, in absolute awe, for at least 30 minutes. Finding a beach to set up camp didn't really matter anymore, we just wanted to watch these amazing creatures slowly pulling themselves along under the water. We were in such a state of disbelief that we didn't even think to take the opportunity to add to our thousands of photos. 

Shark Bay
2008

Shark Bay
2008

I would like to live in that tent right there please.

Oh hai there Mr Ant.
School Ball 2009

Knees don't work?
Use Dad as a leaning post!

So, anyone wanna go to Shark Bay with me for a few nights? :P

Have a great weekend everyone! :)

A trip down memory lane... Part 1

Every now and then I somehow end up trawling through old photos, whether they be the photos that are archived away in boxes around our house, or those that live in random files on my Mum's computer. No matter where I go hunting though, I always find things that make me laugh, that make me cringe, and that make me remember the good times, even if at the time I couldn't really enjoy it. 

It puts life in perspective once again, which is something I seem to constantly be losing and finding again. If anyone has a trick for holding onto that one, could you let me know please? :P

Hope you like le foto! :)

They were so little!
February 2007

Padre's 50th. Us being our usual crazy selves :) 
October 2008

Shit quality? Who cares!
We were such cool kids.

According to my father,
knowing how to pick up a bobtail is vital to one's education.

Wearing pink in honour of seeing my only female cousin :P
January 2011

February 2009

I've always loved this photo of mother-dearest :)
February 2007

Who knew attempting to clear out my usb could be so nostalgic?

Until next time! :)

PS. Terribly sorry about the ridiculous gap in posts. I'm back at uni and I've taken on a pretty heavy load, so I'm still trying to get back into the swing of things. I promise to try my best and start posting once a week again! :)