A Fiery Lift Off - Chiang Mai

It's early in the morning, and the park is filled with hot air balloons hurriedly trying to set up.  For each balloon, teams of people work together to attach the basket, test the burners, and roll out the balloon itself.

Then comes this.

The pilot pulls the levers to let the maximum amount of fuel to feed the burners.  Preparing for liftoff, and to fly in the sky.

The Thailand International Balloon Festival happens yearly in Chiang Mai around November.  You can read more about the festival here, and check out a photo essay my friend Dan shot of the same event over at Canvas of Light.

Shot November 25th, 2011

Introducing: Too Many Adapters!

So things have been a little quiet around here recently, and no it’s not just my typical blog posting procrastination at fault… this time. (though there was some food poisoning)

Both travel and tech are things that Dave (of What’s Dave Doing) and I have been talking about for over a year since we first met up traveling in Vietnam in mid 2010.  After subsequent meetups that year in Cambodia & Thailand, then Canada in the summer 2011, the idea began to take shape.

When we both happened to make the move to Chiang Mai, Thailand a few months back, the wheels were finally put into motion.  We gave birth to a website.

We named it “Too Many Adapters”

Click to read more ...

4 Xmas - 4 Continents

2009 in New ZealandI hadn't even realized it until a few weeks ago, but xmas 2011 was my 4th xmas celebrated in as many continents.  Admittedly, I use the word "celebrated" pretty loosely as I'm neither religious, nor into the gift-giving, commercial bonanza that Dec 25th has turned itself into.  Traveling, and my first xmas away in 2009, was a much needed break from the hustle and bustle that the end of the year inevitably brings back 'home' in Canada.

2008 - North America

Winter of 2008 in my hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada was particularly cold, even by Saskatchewan standards.  The temperature didn't get warmer than -25c for 24 days straight, a new record.  A day spent shuffling around town to visit family, it was cold, and the last one in Canada for awhile.

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12600 Monks, One Street - Chiang Mai

A sea of orange pouring through the streets.  12600 monks, in their exceptionally bright robes like 12600 burning candles.

The occasion was the alms giving ceremony in Chiang Mai, with the public urged to bring donations of canned & non-perishable food.  This year, the donations would be turned over to the victims of the disastrous flooding that has recently taken place in Thailand and made news headlines around the world.

On an early morning last month, I woke up to witness the ceremony... (click for the full gallery)

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Lunar Eclipse - Chiang Mai

The last lunar eclipse of 2011 happened this evening.  For the uninitiated, this event happens when the earth casts its shadow from the sun onto the moon, and it happens roughly 2 times a year on average.  If you see it, and whether or not it's full or partial depends on where you are on our lovely planet Earth.

Even though the clouds conspired to obstruct my view for much of the evening, we were able to sneak a peek here and there.  This shot, taken as the eclipse crawled towards totality, was about as clear as a shot that I could get.

I wanted to be an astronaut.  I mean, as a kid, who didn't?  A bit of a space nerd, I used to launch rockets and point out stars and constellations to anyone within earshot.  I've seen more than a few lunar eclipses myself, so it was a little strange to hear that it was the first one for so many people I was with tonight.  Oddly enough, most of my memories of lunar eclipses involve 4am alarms in the dead of Saskatchewan winters.  Needless to say, it was a little milder in Chiang Mai this evening.

Shot Dec 10th, 2011