india and elaine

i am looking forward to my visit to india this august. first, because it will be my first working holiday. second, as i am photographing two weddings, 1 week apart, i have at least a few days to tour the place, and see some sights.

the groom, my friend C, has booked the group in a 5 day tour around the southern region of india (more on this itinerary on a different blog).

so Adrian and my plan to see the Pink City-Jaipur is cancelled because the 5day leeway we have, is booked for a (free-expense paid) trip to see museums, elephant safaris, boat and river tour, a road trip to a tea plantation, as well as a few nights stay on a riverboat house (exciting!).

so, Taj mahal and Jaipur will be postponed for the next trip to india*grin*


***

what's exciting about this trip too is its a number of firsts for me. first to photograph a friend's wedding (someone who is not a stranger recommended by someone, or saw an advert of mine) . a first to do a back-to-back wedding, and a first destination one. the opportunities to do weddings abroad were few and far between and always on a wrong timing.

one was for a Majorca spain wedding--i had a wedding on the same day (plus my schengen visa expired already, and i hadnt enough time to apply for one), and another one was for Tanzania in December 2009(but i was about to go to Cebu--another blog entry).


another first for me, as its the first time, id be travelling with a group of friends to an entirely different country for an occasion where they could see me in action, and a first time to do two countries back-to-back (india and dubai).


im so excited about all these prospects.



***

all of C's friends are going to be there. some, i have met during his 30th birthday mountain hike. now that he works in the US, he is bringing some of his American friends too.


one of the people i will have the opportunity to stay in a house with (C is putting us up in a house), apart from our common friends, is Elaine W.

I met E during the mountain hike in the Peak District and eversince then weve been communicating via Facebook. She was one of the most experienced climbers that day, and she, (together with C) made me appreciate/like climbing.

Without E, i wouldnt have finished the climb, as i was so inexperienced, and i climbed before i could walk, lol. Hiking for 18 miles on plain land is tiring, try doing that on peaks and mountains.


She walked with me all throughout and she gave me verbal support all throughout, taught me the proper breathing, and techniques how to get down from slopes.


she was a great support and a very patient teacher as well, considering i was the slowest in the group (she climbed the Himalayas and Snowdon) but she chose to walk with me, and talk me through it. Considering she was fast and more agile, (its a mockery as i was the next youngest to C during that hike), she didnt show any impatience with the very "whiny" me.


And whats most awesome about this person, is that, she also was a Gymnast, represented Great Britain, to compete during Nadia Comeneci's time.

here's her Olympic Profile


here's some photos of Elaine during our climb..





that;s her, planning the next leg...(up until this day, i could not believe i climbed Mam Tor)






at this time, we were worried because the wind was too strong..we decided where to get cover..

this was after the climb, our walk back towards the B&B we were staying at





this was the during one of our "rests"

at one of the lower peaks on our descent..Elaine is like that, she goofs around.