The 2013 annual review continues!
2013 was the year of portraits and deserts. India, Namibia, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka; some of my favorite photos were taken in these countries. They had some stories to tell. I shared the 21 destinations of the year 2013 last week, and now, here are the 21 best photos of this year’s travel. Why 21? I don’t know, seems like a cool number.
Namibia night sky
The winning photo of 2013 ATWS Photo Contest (thanks ATTA!), the campsite under the Southern Milky Way captured the great moment we all are fond of. Every night for five days, we pitched tents, sat around the campfire, and shared a story or two.
Varanasi
This is the place to go to take strong portrait photos. I met some charismatic people here, and he was one of them.
Bushmen woman
I met her right before I left the site. She was shy at first, but showed interested in my camera besides of her enthusiastic friend who called me over to take picture of her. A young mother she is, and a wife of a great hunter in the tribe, has beautiful eyes and innocent face.
Sri Lanka train
Sri Lanka Railway is one well-operating machine. Train schedule is accurate, easily accessible online, and tickets are quite cheap. The extensive train tracks are not only convenient, but also extremely scenic. This photo was taken from the train from Colombo to Anuradhapura, and the train broke down shortly after this photo.
Rajasthani man
He was a musician working at the Mehrangarh Fort, the biggest tourist site in Jodhpur. You can recognize the Rajasthani men by the golden jewelry, colorful turban, and wicked mustache, like him.
Bhutanese pilgrim and his smile
Bhutanese elders spend their days at a local temple, talking to friends and praying. He was sitting next to his friend, seemed like they’ve been known each other for several decades.
Bhutanese woman
I met her on the way to Thimphu from the Indian border. We stopped the car to look at the local produce they had; homemade cheese, butter, and fresh herbs. She’s wearing kira, the Bhutanese national dress for women.
The Namib Desert
This is the Namib Desert, along the coast of Namibia.
Bushmen man
This old man who probably didn’t know what he looked like, burst out laughing when he looked at my camera LCD.
Old Delhi street
One of many streets of Old Delhi.
Bhutanese school kids
They are wearing gho, the Bhutanese male dress, for the school.
Building a fire
Bushmen Master Kudu showed us how to build a fire with wood sticks and a bird’s nest. Check out this video of the cheering in their language.
India woman in Varanasi
She dressed up for the night’s Hindu ceremony at Dashashwamedh Ghat.
Philippines sunset
Probably the best selfie ever. Taken in Bantayan Island of the Philippines.
Rajasthani musician
A musician at Jaisalmer, India. He wasn’t playing for money; he was just playing for music.
Malaysia
One of my favorite places in Malaysia; the Cameron Highlands.
Indian monkey
One day, Black Face Monkey (Gray langur) tribe invaded the High Bank of Rishikesh.
Sri Lanka wild elephants
Finally saw wild elephants in the forest; in the eco-park in Sri Lanka.
Thar Desert
We crossed a fraction of the Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, on the back of camels.
Loreto sunrise
Sunrise over the Sea of Cortez, from Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
Winter is coming
One very cold day here in Fredericksburg, VA, I went out to capture some of the beautiful formations on the tree.
I think I shared 22 photos.. Oh well, I believe the more the merrier! What’s your memorable moments of 2013?
Happy holidays everyone!
