Do You Look Like Your Passport Photo?

Dunedin Airport, August 2008. Ajr

I remember reading once that if you do actually look like your passport photo, you probably need the journey. I thought of that yesterday when I sat in - of all places - Dunedin Airport, waiting for my flight home to Christchurch. The thought was prompted by bad weather and a bright, lime green Air New Zealand plane emblazoned with ‘holidays’ sitting on the tarmac outside in the pouring rain. It’s fair to say that Dunedin Airport isn’t exactly a pulsating international travel hub at the best of times; in mid-winter there are ‘empty’ terminals and hints of no-man’s-land…..which is probably why I was thinking of escaping. That said, I only ever need a tiny whiff of engine fuel to start me thinking of packed bags and passport scanning.

Roll on October and the enticements of Melbourne I say!

The Grass on the Other Side of the Fence

Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. 2007. Ajr

And here's my take on green grass.

A fabulous field with the flattened tracks of a farm vehicle

Suggestions of journeys and unseen places.

On Journeys

Dunedin.2007. Ajr

The best journeys are not necessarily the longest, the most testing or the most expensive. For me, a short journey across town can be as exciting and enlightening as any marathon event that takes me to the northern hemisphere. And, as this sign suggests, it’s not just about the destination – it’s about taking ourselves out of our comfort zones; it’s about leaving yourself open to challenge, discovery and discomfort; it’s about opening our eyes and really seeing.