Travel app helps to get the best shots

If you’re anything like me, and most people, you love taking photos of your travels to share with friends and family. But what about sharing with strangers so they can get the same great shot? A new social photography app has been designed to help you do just that. 

Picfari allows travellers to post images of the best places the visited city/country has to offer, along with the exact geographic data and camera settings for that shot. A Londoner might capture Big Ben at its best, Westminster Abbey at its most gothic or Buckingham Palace in its most royal light.

Wherever you are, it will encourage you to post your photos for other Picfari users so they can visit the exact same location to get the same picture, allowing the photography network to grow. 

The app’s photographic features are, at the moment, limited and London is yet to make it to the list of ‘Top Destinations’ so I’d better get shooting! 

Picfari allows users to get the best shots

Source: www.boston.com/business/technology/appsampler/2013/04/travel_app_helps_you_pick_your.html

Making Memories with Travel Tatts

According to Lonely Planet, the following is a list of the top 10 places to get a tattoo:

1. Wat Bang Phra, Thailand

2. North Island, New Zealand

3. Fez, Morocco

4. Yokohama, Japan

5. Las Vegas, USA

6. Amsterdam, Netherlands

7. Miami, USA

8. London, England

9. Tahiti

10. Delhi, India

But what do you think? Personally, I think a few of these (5,6,7 & 8) are a tad on the obvious side but nonetheless great cities. For the others, I was pleasantly surprised. The place which most excites me on that list is number 9, Tahiti. 

For as long as I can remember, and for some unknown reason, I have wanted to go there. Of course, I know now why I want to go there – for the culture, the lush green rainforests, cool blue ocean and the main reason, for the surf!

Unfortunately, I don’t think this will be the place where I will get my first – (apparently I’m already planning more… you know what they say about it being addictive!) – tattoo. 

I’ve thought about getting one for a while now but would like to wait until I’m travelling and can turn it into a memory at the same time. Of course, going under the needle in London it would still be a memory, but wouldn’t mean as much to me as permanently, and artfully, marking my skin if it were done in the country that my memory and reason for the tattoo actually related to. 

I’ve been a lover of Ancient Egypt since childhood. For as long as I can remember I’ve been in awe of the living habits of the Ancient Egyptians and the skills and creativity that came with it – (think Giza pyramids and Valley of the Kings).

So, I need to book a plane back to Egypt for a third visit, and find a friendly looking man with a relatively steady looking hand to plaster my inner wrist with the key to life, or an ankh as it’s otherwise know.

My only worry is, Cairo, Egypt doesn’t feature on Lonely Planet’s top 10. What a dilemma!

-R

 

Words and photo: Rachael Doyle

Info source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10857236

“Wanting to be …

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” – Kurt Cobain

I’ve come across so many great quotes lately that I thought it might be nice to share them with you in the hope that they may inspire.

November 2012 quote of the month comes from Kurt Cobain, lead singer of alternative rock band, Nirvana, who spent his short lived rock ‘n’ roll life encouraging people to “Come as You Are” – making this the perfect quote to epitomise the messages of his raw musical talent. Anyone a fan?

Fifty Shades of Literature

As part of my ‘Literary Adventure’ (which may take me a while!), I decided my first post would be about the Fifty Shades trilogy. I’ve finally found the time to finish all three books and to my surprise – mainly because I’m usually a classic literature lover – I thoroughly enjoyed them.

I didn’t ever plan on reading E.L James’ latest ventures but after reading the first book, bought for me as a present, I realised I needed to delve into the other two since I couldn’t seem to put it down. Obviously, anyone who enjoys reading loves it when they find a book they just can’t put down but, this time around, it was different. This is no reflection of the topic of the book in any way, only a personal reaction, but for some reason, I felt almost ashamed to like the books so much.

Although I love my classic literature, I like to try to stay away from following the crowd so when I heard everybody talking about this new, risky, sexy book, I think a part of me didn’t want to like it. Safe to say, I felt the complete opposite! I loved all three! It was refreshing to read something so daring and different but I wouldn’t want to read the same genre of novel too much otherwise, it wouldn’t be as exciting.

The first of the three took me by surprise, which I’m sure it did quite a few people but, once the story began to deepen in the second, I was lost. I found myself reading it whenever I could, desperate to know what Christian would do next to fight his dark past or what Ana would say to try to convince herself she was in a normal loving relationship.

After finishing the books, I’ve realised I found myself feeling connected to the character of Ana – something which I never thought would happen but which made me realise, James’ writing is so captivating that she managed to make me feel like I was a part of something I know I never would be!

Being such a clever writer that you make your reader feel involved in the plot is one thing, but writing so that you challenge a reader’s preconceptions and opinions on literature, is one step further.

I’m interested to know if anyone else felt the same way as I did before reading them?

No longer ashamed,

-R

‘Fifty Shades’ of black and white

Literary adventure

Literary adventure? More like a literary maze… Photo:www.1stwebdesigner.com

Has anyone else got a ‘books to read’ list?? I’ve had a ridiculously long list for a ridiculous amount of years now and I realised today I’ve actually never made a start on it. Sure, I’ve read a few here and there but for some reason have never seriously tried to cut it down, I just keep adding to it. The never-ending list is mainly full of classics from Dickens, Fitzgerald and Hemmingway and includes some modern twists.

So, I’ve decided to make a start, reading and blogging my way through the list, although I’m currently reading the first of the 50 Shades trilogy so I guess they’re now at the top!

Here it goes…

Hello world!

I’m new to blogging so, bear with me. I thought I’d give it a go and write about the things I love – mainly travelling, literature and everyday life. This is also a personal sort of project. I’m currently working at a publishing company as an Editorial Assistant and would love to one day, be able to write about my travels to different countries and my insights and knowledge of new cultures and their history so I’m using this to practice, learn and improve my writing.