travel – Page 2

South Africa Explored: Johannesburg

on January 7, 2012December 12, 2015 By Malavika 18 Comments

First and foremost, I would like to thank you all for giving me the honor of being Freshly Pressed for the 4th time in 9 months. The lucky post was How to start your day like a rockstar and believe me, waking up to an inbox full of blog comments, likes and subscriptions definitely made my morning routine that much more rock-star-ish.

To my new followers, I recently returned from a 2 week vacation in South Africa (and a couple of neighbouring countries). Here are some of the photographs from my time in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Continue reading “South Africa Explored: Johannesburg”

Arizona Explored: The Grand Canyon

on August 4, 2011December 9, 2011 By Malavika 4 Comments

My family and I decided to take the Grand Canyon Airplane tour – or, also better known as Pukefest 2011. We sat in what could only be described as a small car with propellers, and there were times when I wished that we could just crash into the stupid ass canyon just to avoid this overwhelming and unbearable nausea. Everyone was so sick! There was puke on the floors, and most people had their faces buried in the puke bags. It was a great experience 😉

I tried so hard to keep my mind off my nausea. I tried to think about things that made me happy, but even that made me feel sick. I thought that if I ever wanted to torture my very worst enemy, there would be nothing worse than if I cursed them with nausea. This would be my torture-method of choice. I also thought about how it was really smart of the flight organizers to conveniently take our souvenir photograph infront of the aircraft before we took a ride in the death-plane rather than afterwards, because I don’t think anybody would stick around for a photo afterwards and want to be reminded of this unfortunate time of their life. I didn’t even want to look at the picture at the end of the trip! I kept my (empty) puke bag as my souvenir 🙂

I spent the entire 45 minutes just trying to remain calm and focused. I wasn’t frightened or panicking, but I wasn’t really in the best place either. And then this really freaky thing started to happen! I started to feel my hands start to clench together and I physically couldn’t open them. I noticed really strange spasms in the skin of my hand, which I thought was my blood pulsating or something. I (silently – gotta stay classy ladies) freaked out! I couldn’t open my hands! I couldn’t even take many pictures, and if you know anything about me, you will know it must take a LOT for me to stop taking photographs.

At the end of the flight (THANK GOD) I asked Devaki’s father what the crap was up with my hand. And he was surprised to inform me that it looked like a sign of tetany, or a tetanic spasm, which occurs when someone is losing too much carbon dioxide during hyperventilation (usually during a panic attack – which is why people breath into paper bags). It was so strange because I wasn’t hyperventelating at all, and I never really felt “panicked”, just really sick and wanted to get off the airplane as fast as I could.

For days after this TRAUMATIC GRAND CANYON EXPERIENCE, every time I saw a the “Grand canyon tours” sticker anywhere at all, I instantly felt sick!

Ok enough of my disgusting little story.

And of course, not to forget, the grand canyon itself!

Was it pretty cool? Yeah, sure. I guess. Beautiful, with texture and depth that is hard to even truly comprehend.

Was it worth the constant nausea? No.

Would I go again? Not for a long time yet. And if I did, probably if I was in a car, and in the area. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it.

I think the photographs will speak for themselves. Enjoy!

The Hoover Dam.

Los Angeles explored: Hollywood and Venice Beach

on July 26, 2011December 9, 2011 By Malavika 68 Comments

First of all, I would like to say what an honor it is to be Freshly Pressed AGAIN, for the second time! I didn’t think lightning could strike twice. Hallelujah!

As an introduction – below are are a selection of photographs from my recent trip to LA/Vegas and San Diego. Not that I need much of an excuse to take photographs anyway. If you like what you see, check out these links to my photographs from Laguna Beach, San diego and the beautiful flowers there, and universal studios. Watch this space for my Vegas (I ♥ Vegas) and Grand Canyon explored series coming up soon.

Make sure you Have a look at what’s hot on my blog.

I hope you enjoy your stay here! Subscribe to my blog. I’m a photo junkie who likes to write. You can’t go wrong with that.

The mexican city – in downtown LA.

Inside the oldest house in LA!

The restaurant from Rush Hour! I loved that movie.

Hollywood starwalk.

At Grauman’s chinese theatre

The Rockwalk at Sunset Boulevard.

Eeek, so exciting! My claim to fame.

Inside LA ink. They asked me not to use my flash inside the store. I am such a rebel with my flash photography!

Venice Beach. My favourite place in LA!

Found some local bboys.

Befriended the local bboys 😛

An amazing little art store. I love this artist’s work so much, and I would love to collect a few pieces to display in my home one day.

Our in-the-car photoshoot while we waited for everyone to hurry on up! Devaki was practicing crossing her eyes.

Ireland Explored: Ashford Castle

on February 20, 2011June 10, 2014 By Malavika 5 Comments

Ashford Castle. The architecture and gardens were so beautiful. And it was also a lovely day, which only made things even more perfect!

Walks in the sunshine, amongst the trees.

The romantic bench under the romantic tree.

This is a little stone fishing house built near the monastery for the monks. Apparently they even had it set up so that whenever they caught fish, a bell would ring inside the abbey so that the cook’s would know that there was fresh fish available. Smart monks!

The remains of the abbey.

Inside the abbey.

Ireland explored: the cliffs of moher

on February 17, 2011June 7, 2011 By Malavika

I have been lucky enough to live in this beautiful little country, and I take up any opportunity I have to travel around and take photographs of some of the things I see. Last weekend my godparents from England visited me here in Galway and we went on a day trip to the Cliffs of Moher, just outside of my city.

This is what I saw with my eyes

This is what I felt with my heart:

because

My weekend away with Marie in Donegal

on February 10, 2011June 7, 2011 By Malavika 2 Comments

This is Marie and she is beautiful.

Marie pointed out that when you take “vacation pictures”, they are all pretty much pictures of you infront of stuff. So here is a picture of me infront of some stuff.