Not this time Sony, I am waiting for something very special from you :)

After the burglar took my Nikon D90 and all the lens, it was replaced by the Sony Nex 5, what was at that time supposed to be a very short term solution, supposedly until the arrival of the D700’s replacement. Several months (perhaps years (lost count here)) later the Nikon D700’s replacement is still a dream away, and with each click of the shutter on the Nex 5, I am finding myself becoming more and more obsess with the Sony.

I have never thought the smaller size would matter, but it really does, to have an APS-C in a much smaller package meant a lot less hassle to take out the camera just to take a couple of shots. I was so keyed up to get the FF D800 (or whatever Nikon was going to call it), but right now my decision have made a total u turn (perhaps because I am certainly not a professional). FF is still the way to go, but I am not going to put up with the weight nor the size of the ‘usual’ DSLR.

There is a rumour of a ‘Translucent’ FF from Sony that is supposed to be making an appearance in 2012, I am still in two minds about this route, splitting the light between the EVF and the Sensor is bothering me, although there are some massive advantages, but loosing the light? eeemmmm, frown, frown, frown…

I was excited about the Nex 7, and was already counting the money in my pocket (to give to the camera shop :) haa haa haa), but Nex 5 is still performing well, so I have decided to let this one go, perhaps the next Nex (Nex 9?) will be a mirror-less FF that will accept all Alpha mount lens, with lightening fast and 100% accurate autofocus, and EVF with 100% coverage, in body stabilisation, built in flash, built in GPS, and full weather seal, just realised I’ll certainly be waiting longer than the infamous D800/900.

Wow, I didn’t recognise you.

I’ve been to Vientiane (Laos PDR) twice previously, the first time was with Gio back in 2002, then with True Coffee back in 2007, and now August of 2011, I am back here again (another business trip although with a different company).

Wow, how she had changed admittedly nine years is a fairly long time, but the pace of change is unrecognisable, ‘Talad Chao’ (morning market) is no longer native, raw and interesting, instead there is a huge building (shopping mall) standing right in the middle and stomping the charm out of the place, and it isn’t even well designed (inside and out, just my take here).

I am not against advancement, they need and deserve every rights to have progress and improve the standard of living for their people, I just hope their laws, rules and regulations are strong, sacred and true enough to follow through with their urban planning, there is nothing worst than saying one thing and doing the complete opposite.

Luckily enough I had managed (not through design) to have taken 3 photos from the similar position, top of the victory gate, from 2007 to 2011 virtually nothing had changed (well perhaps the floor looks a bit dirtier, lol). But elsewhere the changes were drastic, they are growing fast.

 

Must do this again :)

 
I was working away overseas for a couple of days, on the day I came back Gio had organised with Vicky so that Daniel and Matt can spend an afternoon together. I now truly believe in ‘people’s chemistry’, to have someone that young to click so quickly is amazing.

On both side, Daniel mentions ‘Panop’ (aka Matt) all the time to his family although Vicky had a difficult time figuring out what Daniel was trying to say, on our side we always knew who Matt was referring to every time he mentioned Daniel, and the first time we saw them play together no words can describe it.

 

Now that Matt is moving to a new school and Daniel is staying put at Noddy, Gio and Vicky are still trying to make the effort to have them meet up, and believe me, it is an effort, both of the mums are so very busy... (luckily we don’t actually live that far apart, ten minutes by car on a good day).

I am hoping this will be the first of many visits, Vicky arrived with Daniel at the lobby, we then took Matt down to greet them, I wished I had taken the camera with me, just like north and south on a magnet they ran screaming towards each other lol.

I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story, the most difficult time for Matt was when we drove to Vicky’s place to drop them off, Matt was crying, and I mean really crying all the way home... :)

   

No pictures, leaving it to your imagination :)

Dear Matt,

This event took place on the Saturday August 13th, 2011. I shall never forget what happened on that early evening…

It was your shower time, and you were being your usual difficult self, the negotiation was finalised with a bath instead of a shower, ‘the big one’ was your code for the big bath (appropriately called on your part as the bath was actually big enough to fit three grown ups).

The water temperature in the bath was perfect, and it was ran to a reasonable height (you actually wanted to fill it right up to the edge, luckily I was still sober, so you lost that one). The routine ran without a hitch, so I’d left you alone in the bath so that you can enjoy your water time…

After a while, you went quiet… never was a good sign :) With my Spiderman like senses, I rushed to the bathroom to see you standing up, smiling from ear to ear! (another never was a good sign), in your right hand you were gently grasping something and slowly you raised it up and showed it to me every so proudly…

My face was one of absolute HORROR, my heart stopped pumping blood to my brain, the room began to spin, but I didn’t have time to pass out, the task in hand was too great…

For in your right hand was a small lump of ‘poo’ (there I said it), very, very unfortunately you have been eating your vegetable so you can imagine the state of the lump in your hand, no wonder why you were ever so gentle with it. I would like to apologise for my reaction, with hind sight it wasn’t the end of the world, I was only cross with you because I didn’t want you to be swimming in your own faeces, I can still see bits of floating carrots in my mind like it had just happened… (sigh…), when will the image fade I have no idea, but soon I hope :)

You of course are fine and dandy now, and will probably do it again if were given the chance… I shall never let you play alone in the bath again, never… ever… perhaps when you turn 23 or something :)

Love you,

Mum and Dad.

Getting back to normal (sort of) :)

A month had just rushed us by like a light wind from the bowel on a breezy day (obviously, boarding school still have an influence on my taste of what is funny) :) After Matt came out from the hospital most of the worst was over, the high temp. and the vomiting was behind us, the red rash was however still there although it seems to come and go now, every morning and every night.

We began to suspect everything that may be the cause of his allergic reaction, dust?, Washing powder?, fabric conditioner?, strawberries?, pillow?, teddy bear?, even bread (this came from the Dr.). After everything we think we got the right one now, for the past several weeks a room near us was being painted and some days the smell was quite overwhelming, then we noticed the correlation between the bad ‘paint smell day’ and the amount of rash he had. Keeping everything constant I believe the correlation can now be upgrade to a causation… :)

At the end of July, we decided to take a short break to the Rose Garden, that turned out to be another fantastic idea from Gio. To make things a little bit more interesting we decided to rent a Thai style house instead of staying in the Hotel, a change of pace was fantastic and it was just what I needed before starting a new job in August :)

Matt surprises us all in eating so many new things on this trip, from Pineapple (he calls it Mango), BBQ pork to jelly (that we believed he hated).

 
 



Apparently Rose Garden is over 30 years old and quite popular with the tourists. I liked the culture village, enough different activities there to keep things interesting, although it must be a bit annoying if there were too many people.

Matt had a chance to make a buffalo from clay (wow, what a mess), touched a buffalo, and feed the elephants. Enough to entertain us most of the afternoon.









I was totally paranoid on this elephant ride, with my weight and the heavy looking wooden seat I was convince the elephant was swearing at us with every step he/she took, lol.


























































 











 




From August on several things will change, well, for one thing, this new job of mine will eventually require me to travel a lot more, then there is Matt new school which will be a big change for the whole family (new time table for the whole house, lol), then the biggest change of all in November (touch wood), Matt’s little sister, I am more nervous this time round than the first, can not wait to hold her in my arms :)