Did you catch Nick78’s run in with the Kenyan police over on Experiences this week? It happened when he was passing through Moyale, the Kenyan town on the border with Ethiopia. He was caught taking a picture of a war memorial. Apparently it was near a government building and he was accused of being a spy, or worse, a journalist.
It reminded me of the time I was arrested in Africa, in Uganda, just after crossing from Kenya. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t me who got arrested. It was my friend Tracy. I just went along to the police station for moral support. Tracy’s crime, like Nick’s, was taking a photo near government buildings. She hadn’t taken a photo of a war memorial though. Rather, she’d turned her lens on a boy with a head shaped like one of those aerodynamic helmets that Olympic cyclists wear.
This was pre-digital days, so she couldn’t just offer to erase the offending images. The police chief insisted she remove the roll of film and give it to him. He duly placed it in his drawer full of other confiscated film and Tracy lost all the photos she took in the Masai Mara. I remember wondering why he was keeping them.
But I digress. Make sure you read Nick’s tale. It’s a good one. And while you’re over at Experiences, check out Liam Kennedy’s story about gatecrashing a party in Jodhpur.
Over on the Forum, Carmen13 asked if anyone had had an interesting Halloween and trishd said she’d spent it in Transylvania, in fancy dress, in Dracula’s castle. Pretty much stopped that Forum thread dead.
Things are lively over at Just Back From this week though. Hmoat01 has been paddling through the Broads in Norfolk and reckons it’s the best way to experience the place. Alan Taylor, meanwhile, was a little further north in Lincolnshire, checking out a couple of prodigal paintings at Houghton Hall. He also got to trudge up to Lincoln cathedral and suggests you could spend a couple of days taking in the sights here. Twenty-eight has been to Nepal and Tibet and was entranced by the hectic whirl of colours. Harshp, meanwhile, has been trekking in Madagascar and recommends trekking over 'tsingy' in Ankarana National Park.
I’m pleased to report that the Photography section is awash with nostalgia with 20-year-old travel photos from Julia69, satkinson, treacleminer, steve48, Angela R and Mattyboy876. While you’re there, drop by vkhaitan’s impossibly colourful set from Diwali, danny2798’s pics from the Florida Keys and boffin116’s fruity set titled London Portraits. Mattyboy876’s images from events in the Netherlands is worth checking out as well.
Until next week...
