Happy Earth Day 2011

This year, in honor of Earth Day, I scanned some of my favorite images from various places around the world. Yep. Most of them are old-school prints I had to scan.

Erg Zhigaga, Sahara Desert, Morocco. We slept on bedrolls in the open air during our desert camel trek.  From here we went to an oasis where we watched with jealosy as a dog cooled off in a little trickle of a stream (It was 120 degrees in the shade). After the oasis... sandstorm.

Elephants in Parc W, Niger, West Africa

We traveled from the capital city of Niamey to the park in hopes of seeing wildlife. Nature did not disappoint. The night before I took this photo, while sleeping in a tent, we heard lions roaring. They sounded like they were right outside our tent. We were assured they were miles away, but we didn't sleep much that night.

 Rice Terraces, near Marinduque, Philippines. I lived in the southern Philippines, in Cebu, but I took a trip up north with my host family. Rice terraces like these are common in rural areas of the Philippines.

Machu Picchu, Peru. We hiked about 30 miles along the Inca Trail, crossing a mountain pass at 14, 000 feet, to reach this ancient city. I loved the tree in the middle of the open area. I spent some time sitting beneath it writing.

 

Water Spout, off the coast of Cebu, Philippines. My host dad owns a seaweed farm that grows carageenan. The farm is a large building set on stilts in the ocean. Divers harvest the seaweed and dry it on large bamboo racks before shipping it. During dinner one evening, everyone raced to one side of the building looking out over the ocean. I was shocked to learn that this is what they were watching. We had no choice but to watch it and wait, seeminlgy forever. It came straight toward us, then eventually turned and went exactly the opposite way it had come.

Aldea Salamandra, Near Puerto Quito, Ecuador. I was a volunteer headed for Bila Bilogical Reserve on an Earthwatch Expedition called Ecuador's Rainforest Butterflies. We stopped here for an overnight on our way to Bilsa from Quito. I found my cabana in the chiparo tree quite comfy.

Happy Earth Day, everyone. I hope you can get outside and enjoy it a bit today.