Author Archives: Erick Redcloud
Visiting Pereira, Colombia - First Days Dining - Nightlife - Things to See
I am waiting in terminal 2 of the Bogota airport. In an hour I will be in Pereira. What are my thoughts of Pereira before I get there? Well let me ask you, what do you know of Pereira? That is okay, Not many people know much of Pereira or have even heard of the place. I’ve been told that Pereira has some the most beautiful women in Colombia. It is also Center hub for the coffee coffee farms. If you want to learn more about the coffee area this is where to go. There’s also a bunch of nature that surrounds Pereira. For all these reasons, this is why I wanted to go and visit Pereira. But I found that Pereira was different than all of that, and my first days, I found a party town, and great places to eat.
First Impressions Not Good
An hour goes by, and I land in Pereira. My impressions from the airport are not good of this place.The airport was dirty and small, Which is strange because this is an international airport. People who were kind of rude as well. Much different than the other sections of Colombia I have visited. But I can’t judge a city by just this one situation and this one place. After picking up my luggage I head on out to grab a taxi, where I tell the taxi driver the address to my hotel. The hotel is Hotel Benidorm in Pereira..
Hotel Benidorm Pereira
Let’s start talking about this hotel. Hotel Benidorm Pereira I chose because it was a budget hotel that I could write about. The place was kind of small, but no different than any others budget hotels. I also picked this place because it was locally owned. I was greeted as my taxi pulled up, they opened the door for me and grabbed my luggage and started checking me in. They proceeded to show me to my room. The room looked average, not big, kind of small and was enough to just lay your head.
Hotel Benidorm Pereira Lobby - iPhone
The one thing I was hoping for was a window with a view. Because of no outer window the room seemed really dark. The only window that was in the room did not even close. This is security’s concern for all my camera equipment. It was a budget hotel, I could not complain to much about the room. Hotel Benidorm does make up for all this with good service. Which comes later. For the night I decided to take it easy. I slept in the room and wait for the next morning. In the morning the hotel served free breakfast. I took advantage of this. The breakfast consisted of eggs, arepa, coffee and juice. It was not bad, it was like eating something from home. Following breakfast I decided to take a walk through the city or set down in a little bench area and enjoyed a morning in a small little park. There a many small parks and plaza through out the city, to sit down and relax.
Walking Around Pereira
The next stop was a Cemetery name San Camilo where I proceeded to take some photos of the cemetery.
Mary Statue in the center of San Camilo Cemetery - Pereira
Testing the wide angle aspects of my new lens San Camilo Cemetery - Pereira
As I started to walk out I was told that I was not allowed to take photos. Good thing it happened as I was walking out.
One more shot of San Camilo Cemetery before leaving
Time to Eat Lunch
Afterwards I headed to eat at Crepes & Waffles my favorite chain of restaurants in Colombia, they are great because they use fresh ingredients. They even had a bottle of my favorite beer available.
Monserrate Red in a Bottle from my favorite brewing company in Colombia Bogota Beer Company
After eating I went back to my hotel to work and rest. For the night was going to be busy for a night with my friend. It was her birthday. At this point I asked the front desk for some places to take her for our birthday. They gave me some great ideas of where to go including a Peruvian restaurant named Piura, Las Cayanas an international restaurant known for its sauces, Lenos y Parrilas Argentinian cuisine. I contacted my friend and we headed out to Aly Torres Restaurant (my choice) but instead the taxi took us to El Mirador. A nice fancier restaurant on top of a hill over looking Pereira. It was a great place to eat but not great for vegetarian like myself, so I had fish (which I don’t eat) and enjoyed some wine. The place is kind of on the pricey side, but still not bad for an American income. There was live music which set a good tone and atmosphere.
Enjoying wine and the view of Pereira from El Mirador
After dinner we to the nightlife, which is heavily on the street of Circunvalor where enjoyed a live band playing rock music at M.E.L.M.A.C. I really enjoyed the environment here. We had fun that night. The next day was sleeping in. Due to the bottles of wine and many beers. I woke up and had Crepes & Waffles at Victoria Plaza again and then proceeded to take photos of street performers. That was the extent of my first few days of Pereira and some of the places to eat and visit.
Singers On The Streets of Pereira, Colombia near Plaza Largo
Street Performer in Simon Bolivar Plaza, Pereira, Colombia
In all I liked Pereira. It was a great place to get some good food and dining as well as enjoy the night life. There the city was easy to walk around and enjoy the various Plazas and parks and enjoy the day. What do you think of Pereira? Have any questions? Ask away. Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know so I can help. Happy travels 
Travel Photographer’s Lens - Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Review
Prime lenses are awesome! They are faster (wider aperture) and cheaper than most other lenses. One of the issues of prime lenses, especially as a travel photographer, you can never get close or far enough away with the lens you are using. You could try changing lenses, but by the time you have finished switching lenses the subject has changed or is gone. That is why it’s very important to have a good zoom lens. For the longest time I relied on my prime lenses for my micro 4/3 set up, but like mentioned, zoom lenses are a travel photographers amazing tool. You will never know when a great opportunity for a shot will come and you do not have time to move in place and compose. For that reason is why I fell in love with the Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 lens. Here are some of my thoughts this month.
Specs
Here are the specs to the Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro Lens
| Focal Length | 12-40mm |
| 35mm Equivalent Focal Length | 24-80mm |
| Lens Construction | 14 Elements in 9 Groups |
| (Aspherical ED lens, 2 Aspherical lenses, DSA lens, 2 ED lenses, HD lens, 2 HR lenses) | |
| Dust & Drip Proof | Yes |
| Focusing System | High-speed Imager AF (MSC) - Linear Motor Drive System |
| Angle of View | 84 - 30 Degree |
| Closest Focusing Distance | 7.87 inches |
| Maximum Image Magnification | 0.3x |
| 35mm Equivalent Max. Image Magnification | 0.6x |
| Minimum Field Size | 58 x 44 mm |
| Number of Blades | 7 (Circular Aperture Diaphragm) |
| Maximum Aperture | f2.8 |
| Minimum Aperture | f22 |
| Filter Size | Diameter 62mm |
| Dimensions | Diameter 2.7″ X 3.3″ |
| Weight | 13.47 oz. |
| Box Contents | Lens Cap(LC-62D), Lens Rear Cap(LR-2), Lens Hood(LH-66), Lens Case(LSC-0918) Instruction Manual, Olympus Worldwide Warranty Card |
| Related Accessories (Option) | Protection Filter (PRF-D62 PRO) |
The Build
This talk about the builds first. Build this lens is amazing. I really like the feel of this. The past Olympus lenses are made of plastic which make them lighter, they just don’t feel… industrial? Profession? Durable? The Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 was design with pros in mind that would need to use it in rugged situations and feel is important, Olympus successfully did just that with this lens. The drawback of this is that the lens is heavier than my other lenses and does add more weight and size to the camera. That is nothing compared to the Canon equivalent.
Olympus 12-40mm 2.8 Pro From Side
Other nice features of this lens is that the there is a built in customizable button that is perfect for OMD users. I have set my button for Aperture preview, although I don’t find it very useful. Taking suggestions on what else to program the button for. Antoher nice feature is that the focus ring is nice and smooth it also pops out for manual focus usage.
Singers On The Streets of Pereira, Colombia Example of Sharpness
Sharpness
Sharpness of was something that impressed me. I thought it would not live up the Canon equivalent, boy was I wrong. I was impressed with the sharpness factor. The main reason for this is the good depth of field it can handle. As you change the f-stop to a 5 or higher it tends to lose it’s sharpness. I also find that the sharpness on infinity lacking when set to 12mm but gets better as you come more to 20mm-ish. This is nothing that most people would worry about.
San Camilo Cemetery, Pereira, Colombia Distortion at 12mm
Distortion and Vignetting
Distortion at 12mm is definitely there, and expected at something that wide. There is little distortion as you start to zoom in more. I did not really notice a distortion at the max 40mm but I have read stats there is a slight distortion
On reading stats, I read that there is slight vignetting when using extreme wide and extreme zoom, but I found almost none, or if there was it was not noticeable to me. The only thing I can think of is that the OMD E-M5 is compensating for it it’s programming.
Chromatic Aberration on the lens is there, but not very much. I have mostly only seen it when shooting at 12mm but not so much when zoomed in more. The chromatic aberration is very slight compared to lenses I have owned, no lens is perfect.
Street Performer in Simon Bolivar Plaza, Pereira Colombia - Speed of the Lens
Speed
Speed on this is amazing. Focus speed is faster than my Canon equivalent but not as fast as the the prime lenses I have by Olympus. Speed of photography is great too. Due to the 2.8 constant aperture I can grab some fast subjects well, and do not need to stop it down to prevent to from too shallow depth of field. I was impressed with picking up moving people.
Cons
There are two drawbacks I would have to say about the lens. One of which is the price. For a micro 4/3 lens it is pretty expensive, but it is well worth the price. The other drawback being that it is not an inner focus lens. Meaning that when you focus the outer part of the lens extends and protracts. That is not a bad thing, the bad thing is that it does not have a lock on it. I have broken two lenses in the past by forgetting to lock them and when they were jostled when carrying around the pressure on the lens broke the bearings inside. I would hate that to happen to this lens too, since it is expensive.
Pros
- Great Range of Zoom
- Constant 2.8
- Great build and feel
- Very little Chromatic Aberration
Cons
- Expensive
- No zoom lock for transportation
Model In Front of Window - This lens also good for Model Photography
Conclusion
As a breakdown I would say that the 12-40mm 2.8 lens by Olympus is a great lens. It would say it is a must lens for anyone who wants a good carry around zoom lens. It fits perfect for a travel photographer as it gets good range as well as amazing quality.
What do you think? Does this review want to buy this lens? Perhaps it does not want you to buy the lens? Let me know what you think. Feel free to ask me questions. Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know so I can help. Happy travels
How To Be A Travel Photographer – Choosing a Camera Part 2
Okay so let’s buy a camera. You’ve already decided whether you’re going to go with the DSLR or a mirror–less system. But which camera? Which brand? Which model? There are many things the factor when trying to figure out which brand or model you want. A major factor can be something like price. Or it could be because you like features. Or perhaps you just like the way it feels. Maybe it’s all about the technology. Maybe we can look at these little further.
Sensors
So the last article we talked about whether to choose the point-and-shoot, DSLR or mirror– less system. I’m assuming you’re going with the DSLR or mirror–less system. This next factor is something that every guy likes to look into and that’s the technology behind cameras. When we are talking about technology we simply mean the sensor. Everyone says the bigger the sensor the better. Let’s talk about what that means. There are many kinds of sensors to worry about. The three main kind are full frame sensors, APS-C sensors, and Micro 4/3. But what do all of these mean?
Full Frame
Let’s start with a full frame sensor. A full frame sensor is a full sensor design off of a 35mm camera. The sensor is as large as a sensor would be if you were shooting with a 35mm camera. Full frame sensors are commonly used by higher end DSLRs. Some of the benefits of a full frame sensor include higher pixel density, and no crop factor to worry about. What higher pixel density does is gives you more pixels when you take a picture. But this is great for his long exposures without having a lot of dots and less noise. Another benefit of a full frame sensor is that you can shoot with wide angles without worrying about cropping out some of the Image. Some of the drawbacks of a full frame sensor is the cost factor. Full frame cameras tend to a cost a lot more.
APS-C
Another kind of sensor is an APS-C sensor. And APS-C sensor is a smaller sensor than a full frame sensor. It is used by mostly DSLRs but not limited to mirror-less cameras. Some of the benefits of an APS-C sensor is that it is cheaper. The drawback to this sensor is the sensors have a bit more grain and grit at lower light situations as well as longer exposures. Also is a crop factor of 1.5 to 1.7 depending on the brand of camera. Crop factor is the zooming on the image compared to a full frame camera equivalent (Nikon/Sony 1.52x, Canon 1.62x and Sigma 1.7x).
Micro 4/3
The last sensor we will talk about is the micro 4/3 senses. Micro 4/3 sensors of the smallest of the sensors we will be talking of. They are about one quarter of the size of the full frame sensor. Micro 4/3 sensors tend to be used, but not limited to, mirror-less system cameras. The drawback of Micro 4/3 sensors is that they tend to be a bit more gritty and grainy during long exposures and low light situations, but many companies have tackled this problem compared to earlier models. The big drawback is the depth of field is not as shallow, meaning the blurring of background is better on the full frame sensors over the micro 4/3 sensors. The benefits are they are much cheaper, especially for the lenses because everything is smaller and they are very lightweight. This is why I switched to a Micro 4/3.
Thinking In Price
Price is a HUGE factor of making your big decisions. There are plenty of factors when looking into the price of a camera. As mentioned in the post for part 1 DSLRs tend to cost more than most other cameras. But Beginning level DSLRs start at a cheaper price of of $450 but lack more features (which will be mentioned later) and tend to use an APS-C sensor.
As for full frame cameras are the most expensive as they start at the price range of $1500 and go up in price from there.
Nikons tend to cost more for DSLRs than Canon, but tend to carry different features. Sony is a great alternative to price compared to Canon or Nikon
Cheaper than DSLRs are the mirror-less cameras, which start in the $200 range and some profession level ones starting $900
Some of the leaders are Sony who tend to use an APS-C sensor compared to Olympus and Panasonic who use a Micro 4/3 sensor. Those three are the main leaders. Since Olympus and Panasonic both use Micro 4/3 sensors, they also have interchangeable lenses between brands. Also in the game is Fuji.
Features
Features are something to consider when buying your camera. A swiveling rear viewer could be great for getting angle and shot that you desire like on some of the mid range DSLRs from Canon and a lot of the Lumix series have. Other features to consider. Some cameras have touch screen controls, which is great for those who compose on a screen. Some cameras have stabilization built into the camera which allows a person to save money on the lenses which can gain more price for the optical stabilization. The key to all these features is to make sure you are getting the features you want for the kind of photography you are taking.
How Does It Feel?
Lastly, do some research. Read the reviews on the cameras you are interested in. Check out what other people are saying about the camera. But do not just go by the reviews or what I am telling you. Some one may suggest a camera to you and after you buy it, you realize it is too heavy for you, you do not like where the buttons are set and can not stand the viewer. That is why it is important to try the camera out before buying. Head on down to your local camera store and just ask to see the cameras. Take them for a test drive and see how they feel in your hand. Play with the buttons and see if they are easily accessible to your. The worst is buying a camera you can not stand using.
Conclusion
With so many cameras to choose from there are many factors to consider. Finding the right prices is key, but also knowing what you want in features in technology. Don’t forget to test drive the camera out, so that it feels right for you. Do you have questions about a specific camera? Feel free to ask. Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know so I can help. Happy travels
I Can’t Afford to Travel - Tips On Stay/Hotels For Cheaper
So I mentioned before. You do not have to be rich to travel. The previous article showed you how you can save a lot of money on a flight. Although a flight is the largest portion of the travel, it is not the only expense. Let’s take a look at the next largest expense while traveling. Yes, that is right, it is finding a place to stay. Here are some tips that will help you save money while traveling. We’ll take a look at alternatives of places to stay, Great resources to help you save money and how to get a bargain.
Hotel Alternative - Hostels
So yes, hotels are dang expensive. They are hands down the most expensive part of your trip outside of the flight. So let us look at some alternatives to hotels. You don’t always have to stay in one. I know I know, you don’t want to stay in a hostel either. It is perfectly fine, because hostels are not just for backpackers anymore. I can tell you from experience that I’ve stayed hostels that has had a better environment than an actual hotel. Hostels are trying to change their image to be more than that dark desolate place that makes you cringe or fear for your life by the guy who talks to himself one bunk over. Now you can find very comfortable private rooms for a fraction of the price of a hotel with amazing look and feel. Some hostels I have stayed at that made me feel comfortable and safe are Sam’s VIP in San Gil, Colombia, Hostel Suites Obelisco in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Che Pampas en Rosario, Argentina. Many can be found on hostel booking websites Hostelbookers, HostelWorld and Hosteling International.
Hotel Alternative - Apartment
So maybe you do not want to stay at a hostel? What is the matter? You do not want to end up like that movie? Well, how about an apartment? I know what you’re going to ask. Aren’t apartments expensive? Actually, they are not. With websites like AirBnB, Wimdu and 9flats you can get an apartment for a good price. ($25 Credit towards first time use of Airbnb) What is great about an apartment is that you are living in the city you are staying in you’re visiting but in actuality you are just visiting. You’re the greatest thing about apartment you get a local feel. I don’t mean feel like that kind of feel, I mean feel as if you were a local. You get to learn what a local does and you get to get advice from your local host. So do it get an apartment check it out.
Hotel Alternative - Staying With a Friend
Because just from a place from a friend to. Nothing says wow what a friend just invites you to their place. Your fee time for I got to stay in the extra beds of my friends houses or apartments. What’s great about this is you save a lot of money. And, You also get that local feel. Food is also cheaper as well. But, what if you don’t have a friend in the area visiting. Well enter CouchSurfing and BeWelcome. These are great places to find new friends who are willing to take people in. They are both a networking tool to just meet people. So when you do not have a friend in the area check out these alternatives to stay
Getting A Hotel Cheaper
Okay, Okay, I get it. You do not want to stay in a hostel, you do not want to stay in apartment, and you don’t want to stay at some room of a stranger with blue hair. I get it you want to be pampered. So let’s talk about hotels. The smart thing to talk about is WHEN to book a hotel. Most hotels offer early bird discounts so booking early is a great feature, but not always the best. Too late and the prices might go up. It is a matter of supply and demand. Trying to travel during a busy season and with little amount of rooms available the prices with be much more expensive. The opposite also applies. Traveling during non-peak season with many rooms available a hotel will lower the price is much more. You can even us this to your advantage. If you are walking around looking for a hotel to stay at you can bargain for a different price. After all they would rather rent a room for a cheaper price than to have no one at all. Also ask about club and memberships. A lot of hotels offer a discount to different memberships.
Resources
Some great places to find good pricing on Hotels are Kayak, Booking.com, Hotels.com and Venere. Kayak has an advantage where it can send you weekly or daily alerts of prices of a hotel, much like it does with it’s flights. If you are a looking for a good price on a hotel at the last minute check out HotelsTonight. And if you want to make sure the hotel, hostel or BNB is a good place to visit check out review ons TripAdvisor.
So a place to stay does not have to be expensive. you can save a lot of money by staying with a new or old friend. Going with a swanky hostel, living like a local in an apartment or just knowing how to strike a deal at a hotel. What do you think? Do you have any tips on how to stay cheaper? What are you tips? Do you have a question? Ask me, leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know if you have more questions. Happy travels.
How To Be A Travel Photographer - Choosing a Camera Part 1
So, you want to be a travel photographer? But first you need to buy camera. But, which camera do you buy? Hopefully we can help you with this dilemma. There are many things to consider when buying a new camera. Some of things to consider is the price, flexibility, feel, and just plain old do I like it. Let’s see if we can help you with these decisions.
Let’s first take a look at the three different types of cameras you can purchase. The three main kind of cameras you can purchase are a point-and-shoot, DSLRs and mirror-less systems. We are first going tp look at what each of them have as benefits and as drawbacks. Let us start with the point-and-shoot.
Point-and-Shoot
So what is a point-and-shoot? What kind of obvious what it is from the name. You point and you shoot. It is one of the easiest cameras to use. So why go for point-and-shoot? Well some of the benefits of a point-and-shoot happen to be that they are really compact, low in cost and very easy to use. There are some drawbacks to using a point-and-shoot as well. One of the drawbacks is that they have low image quality, especially when it comes to lowlight situations. The majority of point-and-shoot cameras miss a lot of the manual control features that allow the shooter to override the settings to create great effects with your camera. Another drawback of a point-and-shoot cameras is the lack to interchange lenses which takes away from the versatility of using the right lens for the right distance/lighting/environment. Point-and-shoot camera is perfect for someone who wants to travel and take snapshots, but not so great for someone who wants to become a travel photographer.
DSLR Pros
What most photographers tend to use is a DSLR. Some of the most common DSLRs are made by Canon and Nikon but are not the only ones to choose from. Some of the benefits of a DSLR are manual controls overrides to help create effects with your camera. Like long exposure blurs or freeze framing fast action. DSLRs use a mirror that show the photographer what the camera sees when looking through the viewfinder. The benefit is so that you can look through lens and see what the camera will take a picture of. A DSLR has interchangeable lenses so that you can have the right lens for the right situation you are in. There are a lot of accessories and add-ons that work with DSLR cameras which expand what can be done with the camera. This includes flashes for lighting, timing release cables for time lapses and a bunch of others.
DSLR Cons
So what are some of the drawbacks of the DSLR camera? Well, if a lot of professionals are using it, then they must be expensive. And that is true. Now you can get an introductory DSLR for a good price. But as you want to get more features, the price starts to jump off a bit more. The DSLR can range anywhere from US $500 to $7000. DSLRs are also very heavy, due to the pentaprism and mirror. As you start adding on more extensive zoom lens it adds even more weight to the camera. Some lenses are heavier than the actual camera itself to the point where you have start lifting weights just to carry the lens. Lastly the biggest drawback of DSL are is the learning curve to understand the many buttons and dials. This can be intimidating to some people.
Mirror-less Pros
Let’s take a look at the last kind of camera. The last kind of camera is a growing fad in photography currently. This kind of camera is called a mirror-less camera. It is a cross between a point-and-shoot at the DSLR. About a year ago I switched to a mirror-less system. It works for what I like to do but it may not be for everyone. Let us take a look at the benefits. Like a DSLR, A mirror-less system uses interchangeable lenses. This means you can use the lens for the right situation that you need to capture the distance/light/effect. Unlike DSLRs, mirror-less systems are lights in weight; almost as light as some point and shoots. Mirroless systems are definitely not as heavy as its brother the DSLR. Mirror-less systems are a lot cheaper compared to DSLR costs. The get as low as the average point-and-shoot in price. Lenses are a lot cheaper for a mirror-less system since there is less glass that needs to be designed in the lens. And like DSLR there are many accessories you can get to help you get the desired effect for what you need, but not nearly as many accessories as an actual DSLR.
Mirror-less Cons
So what are some of the drawbacks of a mirror-less system? Some of the drawbacks is the crop factor. The crop factor is from a smaller sensor causing a lens to zoom in more compared to a Full Frame DSLR camera. This can be a benefit as it allows you to zoom in a lot but a drawback if you are shooting for wide-angle tight areas or landscapes. The other drawback to mirror-less systems are a greater depth of field, this creates less of a bokeh affect and also blurs out less of the background. Lastly, the viewfinder of a mirror-less system is a digital viewfinder. The drawback of this is getting used to a digital viewfinder versus an optical viewfinder that the human eye is used to. Another drawback of the digital viewfinder is that it eats up a more battery.
A Breakdown
So now we know the strengths of the point-and-shoot, DSLR and the mirror-less system. Let’s take a look at the breakdown of those again. Below is a chart to help you out.
Pros
- Light Weight
- Easy to Use
- Inexpensive
- Cost range $25 - $900
Cons
- Lack of Controls
- Lack of Accessories
- Not Upgradable
- No Interchangeable Lenses
- Low Quality Images especially in Low Light Situations
Pros
- More Control
- A lot of Accessories/Add-ons
- Interchangeable Lenses
- Mirror to see what Camera sees
- Higher Quality
- Greater Depth of Field
Cons
- More Expensive
- Cost Range $500 - $7000
- Bulky and Heavy
- Huge Learning Curve
- Constant Maintnence
Pros
- Light Weight
- More Control
- Interchangeable Lenses
- Good Quality
- Less Expensive than DSLR
- Cost Range $200 - $1300
Cons
- Accessories but less than DSLRs
- Crop Factor not good for wide angle
- Battery Life
- Digital Viewer takes time to get used to
- Great Depth of Field than DSLR
Your Decision?
So here is the first decision to make. Which system will you go with? What will be best for your situation? Whether is a budget something to worry about? Perhaps being weighed down in something to consider? Perhaps you do not even want to learn to use the camera in general? What ever you choose I am sure it will be the perfect for you. Check out part 2 for more tips.
Have any questions? Ask me. Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #PTCamSys, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know if you have more questions. Happy travels.
Looking Back at 2013? - Plans In The Works
Happy new year everyone!!! You know it’s new year. You know how you know it is a new year? When you look at every website and every website has a look back on what they did in 2013. Who wants to look back? Steve Jobs never did. I am a Buddhist and we don’t ever believe in looking back. We don’t want to look forward into the year 2014 either. Instead, Buddhists live in the now. I want to tell what PathlessTravels is doing now. The things we’re working on now runs of range from making sure new posts happen every week to creating a beautiful masterpiece of art for your eyes to look at. Why don’t we take a look at those plans that we’re working on now.
More Posts
Are you ready? Are you ready, for more tips and tricks? That’s right you heard it. More tips and resources on travel. That’s why you come here right? You want to know how to travel better. But even more you want to know how you can do it easily. We’ll now it will happen with more of those tips.
OMD E-M5 Silver
More Photography
And this is happening because that’s my passion. I love to travel, I bet you do too. But another one of my passions photography. So that is what you will see more of as well? You got it, There will now be more photography posts. The beauty of some of the most amazing places in the world captured to inspire others to visit those places. This website is now going to make it feel like you were there with stunning realistic photos.
Photography Tips
But, where does that leave your photos? Sometimes her photos just like look like they were snapshots. Sometimes they look amazing. Wouldn’t it be nice to make those snapshots all look amazing? Well, that is what we are working on now as well. More tips on photography. Now when you go traveling you won’t have to take those boring snapshots, instead you will have amazingly beautiful photos to show off to your friends and family. Those tips are being worked on right now for you.
Newsletter
So, hurry to keep up with all this? That is good question right? Plan that we are working on now, is a newsletter for you to keep up to date on all the new tips on photography travel and some of those amazing bonuses well. Be excited to get some amazing updates in your e-mail box.
Villa De Leyva Outside of Bogotá
A Big Move
But here’s some other news for you. A personal plan that I have is moving to the country of Colombia. My home city being the city of Bogotá. What does this mean to you? Well you see, something we are planning now is a new website. This new website will be a city guide on the city of Bogota and it’s surroundings. That means more resources of things to do, events, places to eat and place to stay while in the city of Bogotá. Look forward to the website GogoBogota.com.
Online Schooling
Again I mentioned my love for photography. I want to share this love with others who also love photography. That is why an online photography school is being planned as we speak now. A way for photographers can gain and hone their skills to become a fantastic photographer. More to come later in the year.
Buddha In Bali
Book
Lastly, this website has some amazing photographs on it. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to have a collection of all that photography all in one place? A plan in the works now is a digital interactive book of PathlessTravel’s photography. Amazing photos for eyes to gaze at as inspiration gets filled with new places to want to visit. All of this in the palm of your hand.
What Does This Mean To You?
What does this all mean to you? With more posts each week, it means more resources of you the reader to gain the right tools to travel where to your dream destinations. More resources to take beautiful photos while traveling with photography tips. Inspiration of places to visit with amazing photography every week. And if you miss a tip or photo, a newsletter will available to help catch up on the missed articles. A school to gain and hone skills on photography as well as a beautiful interactive book will awe photography lovers. And all of this will be free. Yes, I said FREE. What do you think about that? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #PTFree, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to know if we are going the right direction. Happy New Years and Happy travels.
New Years Photography Around the World
Yeah, you know it. You are sitting on your butt at home this New Year’s Eve. It is what you did last year and it is what you’re going to do this year. That is completely fine. I’m sitting at my home this year as well. Except I’m sick. But, that is only for my excuse for this year. There was no other excuses for the other years. So, here are some inspirational pictures of places where you wish you were this New Years Eve night. Maybe it will inspire me for once as well.
London
London New Year’s Eve by Richard Barnes London, on Flickr
New Year Eve London 2008 (Fireworks) by T@H!R - طاھر, on Flickr
London New Year Celebrations 2009 by ed.tang, on Flickr
Dubai
Cartagena
Sydney
San Francisco
Of course my home town is here
San Francisco New Year’s Fireworks 2007 by canbalci, on Flickr
So now you have some seen some great photos of places to be on News Eve night, why not get off your butt and check out what is going on near you. Unlike me you are not stuck in bed. Enjoy your New Years Eve night no matter how you spend it. Have a Happy New year.
Have some amazing New Years Eve Photos? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #PTNYE, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to share those amazing photos you have with others. Happy travels
I Can’t Afford to Travel - Tips to Getting Your Flight Cheaper
“You must be rich” That is what everyone tells me. “I could never afford to travel like you do.” This, something I hear all the time from people. Everyone tells me they can’t afford to travel. You know you have said it many times yourself. In reality, anyone can afford to travel. I did it when I was making $200 a week, it just takes the right information. The next series of articles will help you understand the easiest way to travel. First let’s tackle that problem of not affording to travel. First we will tackle the best times to travel, the best times to buy and resources to help you get your flight that you want.
When To Travel?
So, when do you like to travel? Let me guess, you want to go during Easter/Spring Break vacation, or perhaps as summer starting, or maybe just before the school year starts. Let me tell you everyone else is thinking the same thing. And the airlines know this too. These are the peak times of travel. But, what is it mean to be a peak time. It means it’s the time of the year where everyone wants to travel. And what that means is there some more demand. More demand for something causes prices to go up. And that means airlines make these high demand times expensive to fly.
So, when are the best times to travel? Oddly the best times when you don’t want to travel. Let me give you an example, right when school starts. Like late January and early February. I don’t know many people who travel during this time. Picking up a round-trip from San Francisco to Bogotá for $350 wasn’t just a steal but was easy. The difference was that it left and returned Late January and early February.
Let’s talk the opposite option. Let me tell you about a trip to India. In the summer around July a flight to New Delhi from San Francisco was $1600 round-trip. But same flight from the same airline in September, when school was in session, was a mere $960 round-trip. It makes sense to go during non peak times. As a break down that would be Mid January to early March (before Spring Break); September to early November.
Days To Leave?
What days do you want to actually leave on? Doesn’t make sense to leave on a Friday? I know that seems convenient. But so does everyone else. Looking for flights that leave on a Friday will make your ticket price much more expensive. Same with tickets leaving on a Sunday or Monday. The reason for this is those of the days that ever has to get back to work. And Fridays are the days that Everyone wants to get away for the weekend. So some of the best days to buy your flights are Tuesday’s Wednesdays and Saturdays. Having your flights leave on these days can help you save your money.
When To Buy?
Choosing the best dates to leave isn’t the only thing that matters. Knowing when to actually buy your tickets is also something to be aware. Flights general meet their most optimal price for purchase about 6 weeks before you date. That is usually the best time to make your purchase. If wait for the last minute, like a business person would need to do, then they charge more thinking your flying off on a business’ budget. similarly buying your flight too early can be expensive. Looking for a flight 6 months ahead of time would be set at a flat fee that would be really high, usually the airlines do not start adjusting prices until about 3 months or so before dates.
Also knowing which day to actually make your purchase is also some great knowledge to have. For example if you were to buy on a on a Friday, then the prices will be higher. Same with weekends (unless you are purchasing from a South American Airline, from experience has told me). The best time to purchase is Tuesdays at around 3 PM Eastern time. The reason for this is that this is the real time that all the other airlines have already priced matched everyone else. On weekends is when they start lowering the prices as everyone starts doing a bargain-hunting. But by Tuesday everyone has already price matched each other.
Do not believe me? All this information I have found out through the statistics of the website www.farecompare.com. FareCompare is a great website that offers a lot of advice on how to travel cheaper.
Resources
Why don’t we get some resources to help you find out the best days to fly and keep track of it all. Because we all know it’s a pain in the butt to keep looking every Tuesday and figuring out when the best prices. And the worst part is trying to figure out which website and which airline and which… let me help you. Here are some amazing websites that can help you with that.
One of my favorite websites is kayak.com. The reason for this is that kayak.com actually gives you alerts for when prices drop. When you sign up for an account one of the options is to have e-mail alerts sent directly to you sent directly to you based on the criteria that you want. There is even an amazing app that you can get for your phone. This way you can get alerts directly to you right away. Just do a search of when you want to go and where it will give you the best times and you can also set an alert for it. You can also set it up for a broad search so it can find the best deal for a whole month. Kayak can also track past trends to show when a price is most likely going to drop and if the price you are buying at is statistically the best price.
Another amazing website you should check out is www.farecompare.com. Their computer lists a whole bunch of websites that you can check out getting you the cheapest fare out there. farecompare.com also gives you a way to get alerts for when the price drops occur. One of the best features is you can see your home airport and get instant alerts and tweets of deals that are coming up. Check out fair compare.com for more information.
Other great places to book is CheapOAir.com, a great place to get a range of cheap airfare.
Conclusion
Is it really expensive to travel? Well if you can land $760 round trip to Argentina in October, the answer is NO. You just to be armed with the right knowledge and tools to help you get there.
Have you ever gotten some great deals? What are you favorite websites and tools you like to you use? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #PTFlyCheap, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to share those resources you have with others. Happy travels
Politicians Should Travel More - Perspective from Traveling
Don’t you think it is horrible how the US Government is so polarized? Every day you hear about how the Democrats and Republicans can not seem to come together to work on a budget, decide a law or even just get anything done without bickering and fighting amongst each other. Basically the politicians just don’t want to listen to the people. Instead they follow their own ideals or the ideals of their party. There tends to be no middle ground. There seems to be a very black and white kind of thinking behind things when it comes to the US Government.You know what the funny thing is? It is not just the government that thinks this way, but instead all of us think that way. You, your neighbor and even myself. To most people it seems there is THIS WAY or THAT WAY and no middle way. Another way of saying this is “If you are not with me than you are against me”. You know that saint and you know what I am talking of.
After traveling there is a realization that there are so many ways to any idea, problem or situation. There is no right or wrong; no black or white; instead a whole world of many colors with different ones that can be mixed to created a whole new outlook. Traveling can help anyone gain perspective, including yourself. With that gain of perspective by many it cause this world to stop this world from looking so colorless.
What is Perspective?
Let me ask, what is the definition of perspective? I am not talking about the the ability to draw and make it look realistic. I am asking about this definition:
a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view true understanding of the relative importance of things; a sense of proportionThe words here the really understand here is “true understanding of the RELATIVE importance of things” We can not tell what is relative without knowing all possible views right? If all your life you have lived in a small farming community town then farming is all you know. If are lived your life in North Korea the whole time then you probably think Ill Kim is a god. Perespectiveonly comes when you are experience more things in life. If you are a farmer who also also lived in silicon valley, then you might be exposed to how technology can better help farming.Now imagine if you travelled more and learned more customs from all over the world. How different people think and how you fit into the whole grand scheme of things.
A Little Story
Let me tell you story. This is a story to help understand perspective. This occurred during my visit to Philippines. I visited a friend who invited me out to Leyte to a small village that not many know of called MacArthur. My friend lived on the beach. I know that sounds exotic now, let me tell you that when you hear about the living conditions it will not seem so exotic. You see my friend was poor and lived in a hut that was basically made of sticks and metal sheets. there was no running water, no plumbing, the bathroom was an whole in the group just outside of the house. The stove was made up of sticks that ignited the flames. and there was no electricity. By an American’s standard, it was subpar to live here. The place was a happy place for my friend and her family, it was home to them and it made them happy (and currently is not there after the typhoon.)
My friend also took me to visit her cousin when we were in Manila. She live on Wagas, an area of Manila where a lot of the population lived shacks similar to my friend’s in Leyte, the only exception was that they had electricity. Most of the people in this area slept on the streets rather than a comfortable bed, and if they did sleep in a bed it was in their small shack, where they shared the bed with all of their family members. Again this is a situation where most Americans would not want to find themselves in. To these people it was home to them and it made them feel happy.
The Return Home
On my arrival back home to USA, I was made aware of the 99% movement and the Occupy Wall Street movement. These were people who were mad at the 1% of Americans were wealthy and wanted more from them. It made no sense to me at all. I had just visited people who lived in shacks and these people were complaining about the wealth of others, with out having perspective of how wealthy they seem to other people in the world. Most of these protestors had access to running water, electricity and most of the time a place to sleep. It is hard to cry that you are of the poor when you are walking around with hi-tech smartphones and tablets while protesting. If only I could have taken these people to where I had just come back from. What would they have thought after experiencing the kind of experience of Wagas or Leyte?
Conclusion
So now I ask the question of you. Do you feel you have all the facts of making the best decisions? Do you feel your government does? Maybe our officials need to gain a bit more perspective. Perhaps they should travel more. Maybe we all should travel more. What do you think? Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #pathlesstravels, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, we want to share your outrageous stories with others. Happy travels
Help Aid Leyte, Philippines - Food for Friends in MacArthur
Where I have been
“Where have you been?” If you have not noticed I have not really been around lately. I have been around, but not really here. Was I wandering around in a lost hole? Did I travel to a remote jungle in South America? Perhaps I was secluded on an Island with Adriana Lima? None of those actually occurred. On November 7th I had lost contact with my good friends. My friends who treated me really well. It was all because of Yolanda, a whirling power of speed that ripped apart anything in her path.
About Leyte
A year and a half ago I went to visit a friend I got to know online. She had invited me to visit her in the small village of MacArthur, which lies on the island of Leyte, Philippines. When I asked people what there was to do there. People said there is nothing to do on Leyte; that is what I wanted to do, nothing. I headed off to Leyte to visit my friend. On arriving my friend greeted me and took me in to enjoy the splendor that was the Island of Leyte. We spent time getting to know Tacloban City and relaxing on the paradise like beaches of MacArthur. It was full of amazement and wonder.
Today, the place is ruins. What used to be rows and rows of houses now look like piles of match sticks from the air. That saddens me. As a matter of fact it saddened me since the incident happened. I had no clue what do. I felt helpless.
My Friends In Need
My friend Jessa, the friend I meet in Leyte, is the inspiration of this website you are visiting now. If was not for her the website would not exist. The website was created to help her break into photography and learn travel journalism. I too was learning at the same time. Jessa, a young 20 year old girl, helped me explore my kid side while explored Leyte; as did most of the extremely friendly people I meet on Leyte. Everyone had such a laid back attitude on the island and always found a way to laugh. Although Jessa’s backyard was a beach, she lived in a simple hut without electricity, plumbing or running water. Today, it is nothing but a pile of sticks. No electricity, no water, and no food.
The aid relief is there to help, but food is still scarce. And for my friends who are in a village an hour and a half away from Tacloban, it is hard get this aid. One of my friends told me that all they do all day is wait, because there is nothing else to do, and hope that aid comes that day. So they go and get food for themselves instead of waiting. The biggest problem is that food has more than doubled in cost on the neighboring islands and the western cities of Leyte.
Give, Aid, Help
So what do I do. I do not know. I thought and thought about what could be done. I came up with the idea to up and leave and join the aid efforts in Tacloban and then making my way to MacArthur, offering my skills as a photographer. But I had obligations at home made that not possible. Here is the solution. Why not aid my friends in helping rebuild their family. Since mainly they need food, why not start them a fund to buy food, for themselves and their neighbors. So that is what I am doing.
I started a fund to help feed my friends and the people of MacArthur Leyte. The fund all goes to the people of MacArthur buy food and supplies to live. It is all setup through GoFundMe.com. The fund will go straight to help my friends Jessa, Cha Cha, and “Funny Paniki” to help them get food to eat. Do not trust me or the fund? That is fine, you do not have to. Check out these following links of some other reputable aid foundations. Just know that donations through my fund will go straight to the people:
Leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using #pathlesstravels, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know, what you think about the disaster. Do you know any friends who were caught up in the mess? Thank you and please share