Life back home

My Photo scholarship 2010 entry

Tanzania | Thursday, September 30, 2010 | 5 photos

After working for 6 years in a small shop I felt like I needed to get away from it all. I planned my dream trip around the world, not thinking it would really happen but I'd always wanted to travel and I had saved some money so it was a possibility.

I ended up booking the trip and it was the best decision I ever made. I returned with my life savings gone, but I returned with memories that are so valuable. I'm glad I made that difficult decision.

The trip finished in Tanzania, where I'd booked a trek to the summit of Kilimanjaro, the climax of a great adventure. While in Tanzania I booked a relatively cheap safari to the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater, the location of the first four of my photos.

They probably aren't my best but they are the ones which tell a story I want to share. East Africa is the birthplace of humanity. Our ancestors who spread around the world over many thousands of years all originated here. A foreign place of tribesmen and tradition, I somehow felt at home in a way I haven't felt anywhere else. I want to encourage everyone who is able to visit to do so.

I love nature so my photos show a small glimpse of some of the native animals in their natural environment. The fifth photo is symbolic, it is a photo of the sun rising, taken from the summit of Kilimanjaro.

The trip was responsible for sparking an interest in photography, which I now love. I can't say I truly deserve this but I would treasure the experience as I'm passionate about nature, I have a certificate in natural sciences and I've also found a real passion in both photography and travel.