Confused

Confused
Originally uploaded by Terz.

A confused Kingfisher got my attention today.

Was on a smoke break outside the studio when I heard the tok-tok-tok of something organic striking a hollow metal tube. By the time I ran in and got my camera, this little fella was already a couple of inches away from his original spot and looking sheepish.

I'll so miss this place when the developers it'll be more lucrative to tear down the entire street and build a condo in its place. Not many of these little tucked-away estates left in Singapore, and none of the new condo developments have any sort of real character.

***

Back in Singapore. Got about 400 pics from the trip in Phuket, but I haven't really gotten around to editing them yet. I'm guessing 50 pics would be a good selection for 200-page book - there are at least four other chapters with work by other photographers.

Been a bit nua because of the inactivity compared to the four days I was going all over the place and shooting, complete with the stress of losing 150 images because of equipment failure.

But I'll say this: Phuket is worth a visit. Phuket. Is. Worth. A. Visit.

Go there.

Go there because the people there need the tourist dollar to survive. Go there because the hotels and other entertainment places along Patong Beach have been rebuilt, restored and renewed, so new we could smell the paint and varnish of the walls and furniture. Go there because the beaches are empty. Go there because the food is excellent. Go there because the scenery is beautiful and the sunsets are amazing. Go there because the people are still as wonderful as ever.* Go there because people need to feed their families.

* (Beware, however, of the Indian nationals who have taken over some of the stalls along the streets. They're almost all over the place now, and they're not very good at bargaining. Well, to be fair, they're great at bargaining, but unless you want to pay up to three times more than what you'd pay at a stall run by a Thai for an imitation tee-shirt, I suggest not going to them.)

But go there anyway.