Curiosity and Wanderlust

Trapped in Toulon

bphotography — Wed, 27 May 2015 12:01:21 GMT

The force of the slowing train caused my resting head to dip forward abruptly. I peered out the window, squinting as my eyes adjusted to the midday light. It seemed odd that there would be a station here, all I could see was tall yellow grass. Glancing around at the other passengers I spotted several confused looking faces, then the engine shut off.

This is the point when travelling alone feels like not such a great idea anymore.

Murmuring began in the carriage, first softly then increasing in intensity as time went on. I had never cursed my inability to speak a language other than English more.

After some time the familiar crackling of speakers hushed my fellow passengers and the weary voice of a man filled the space. I listened to his tired yet bouncy French and waited for him to repeat the announcement in English. It didn’t come, the crackling stopped and groans filled the air. Something had gone wrong. Conspicuously I looked around the old carriage hoping to spot lips moving in a way I understood. No luck. My eyes fell to the lap of the woman next to me, she was writing a text.

“Ah, excusez-moi, parlez-vous anglais?” I said in my terrible French accent. She looked up, her eyes turning down slightly in what I can assume was pity, “non” she replied with a half smile. Returning her smile I turned my head to the window.

Moments later I felt a nudge at my arm, it was the woman. “We here” she said in a thick French accent, pointing at the pulsating blue dot on the map she had bought up on her phone, “problem there” she moved her finger just ahead of the blue dot, “we move here” she slid along the screen to a spot marked ‘Toulon’. “Merci” I nodded looking at her kind face as the trains engine chuffed back to life and we began our diversion. This was not where I was meant to be.

Pulling into Toulon I had no idea what to do, I stared up at the train schedule, watching as numbers changed to ‘retard’ - late. I cursed under my breath, “I know right?” a voice in a familiar tone chimed from next to me. I turned to see a smiling boy of about my age, “I’m Ben,” he said, holding out a hand that I all too happily shook.

Ben was Australian too, and was also traveling alone. We made the most of our unexpected stop over, walking around the city we had only just found out existed. A few hours later with the trains back up and running we parted ways to head to our intended destinations, grateful for the unlikely companionship we had found trapped in Toulon.

Photos: Africa

bphotography — Fri, 22 May 2015 17:02:00 GMT

Images from an archaeological dig in Africa in July, 2014

Photos: My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

bphotography — Mon, 7 Nov 2011 22:20:00 GMT

I have a lot to learn and the desire and determination to do so. Photography is more than just a passion for me as I hope to make it part of my career. I am going to start University in February to study a Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts and when I finish I hope to use my degree to incorporate my passions for travel, science and photography in a career (hopefully) with National Geographic. I love Photography, a single image can do so much – it can cause sorrow, outrage or happiness, it makes something real that words alone cannot and that is truly powerful. A photograph involves a person intimately and that is why I strive to take a better shot in order to show truthfully and beautifully a story whilst capturing moments in time to make the viewer feel they were there experiencing the adventure beside me. I am eager and willing to learn, I will listen and focus in order to boost my potential as a photographer, express myself and grow with a mentor. I hope to develop all the knowledge and experience Jason can teach me in order to contribute back to the art of photography the way he has. My 5 photographs tell the story of my time ‘living with Dragons’ and the journey I have had. The boys depicted are all children I have lived with as their matron in a boarding school called the Dragon School. I chose to move from rural Australia to Oxford as part of my Gap year, the photos are a story of fun times and reliving childhood whilst also growing up myself and now as I come to the end of my time here I realise I am fading out of the lives of the children I have become so close to.