Rainy Ben

A rainy rainy day/evening in London..... I thought maybe it would brighten... but no. There were no good photos at all, but these two made me really laugh. Unmistakably the Houses of Parliament... but I really don't know how!!

London at Dawn 24 November 2007

After weeks and weeks of trying when my alarm went off this morning I could see that the cars had a good layer of frost, I could see planes in the sky.. we were going to have a sunrise!!! Quickly I hopped in my car and headed up to the London Eye and Hungerford Bridge. It was worth all the weeks of frustration, the sky was utterly amazing. I am so pleased with some of my pictures I think they are some of my best ever. The colour in the sky really was this wonderful, and however pleased I am I know that I did not do nature justice

The sky and the River Thames really were this colour, it was wonderful

By now I had crossed the Hugerford Bridge and was North of the river heading towards the London Eye, Luckily I looked over my shoulder and saw the sky lighting up the Hungerford Bridge.


and the London Eye before the sun was even peeping out

The sky was changing so fast, sunrise was quickly upon me.....

This was actually the first shot I took, while it was still dark ...

Sun starting to rise 24 November 2007

Back again onto the Hungerford Bridge, The sky colour was changing rapidly.. I was starting to get puffed out constantly jogging to get the next shot.. I am sure the few early birds around thought I was mad and just a very few minutes later...

The sun started rising almost directly behind the London Eye, which gave for some very peculiar effects on the photographs.

I think this is one of my favourite photos I have ever taken of the London Eye...

Sun up 24 November 2007

It's gone Eight by now and the traffic wardnes will be out and about, so it's a quick dash accross the Hungerford Bridge for the last time catching the first rays of sun

and finally, well I know this has nothig to do with sunrise, but I did like the reflection of the Eye in the water.. and the cold was numbing my brains at this point

Cold and foggy at Whipsnade Safari Park

A free Saturday at long last, no children playing rugby, going on dates, going for lunch/tea/supper.. bliss. Remembering a happy day at Whipsnade in the summer and having Annual Passes we decided to have a day out there. What can I say.. it was sooooooooo cold, and misty, and damp, and drizzly..... The only animals that seemed happy were the elephants. These two particularly seemed to be having a great time... quite stood out in the gloom at Whipsnade

This lion was the first animal that didn't look blimmin freezing, however mainly this is because about ONE minute after we got there he started licking his mate....*sigh* I expect you can guess what happened next????? I think that photo better be on the pay per photo site!!. Typical male 10 seconds and it was all over!
and back to lunch!

As we drove around the safari park I spotted a Hawk Harrier flying overhead... thinking I had discovered a new species existing in the UK I screeched to a halt, and discovered the Birds Of Prey flying display. Well I say flying... apparantly Birds of Prey don't like cold and foggy days either, and were pretty much refusing to fly... The hawk harriers went back inside faily sharpish and then the Eagle obliged us with a bit of pottering around for a while. TBH I got too cold, and went for lunch!

Gosh this zebra looks cold and miserable! The cheetah, posed for about three seconds then he ran away, presumably to get warm!

Even the rhinos were cold by now so we packed up and went home. . . . .

Oh go on then.. I know this is the real reason you have stayed with this particular post this long.... you knew I would have this particular photo now didn't you!
Ax

p.s. Am just loving his expression.. I wish we could see hers more clearly I reckon she was lying back and thinking of Africa (hope it was a very quick thought then!!)



Oh yes.. and you remember those happy little elephants at the beginning and that rather adorable elephant calf that was having such fun playing with his friend.. the other young(ish) elephant.. well he wasn't having lots of lovely innocent fun.. he was a naughty, randy little elephant, whose mother should have taught him better.....

Sunset in Wandsworth

Everyone who knows me, knows I complain, quite a lot actually... moan, moan, moan, moan, moan. However the person I moan the most to is my aunt... and the main topic for moaning, the lack of suitable sunsets in London. Well tonight there was a sdpectacular, in fact I may not need to complain for several months! The first photo was taken on my way to collect Jamie from school. Just so you can place it, I took the photo from right outside Gordon Ramsay's house!!! Hope he wasn't watching!

and twentyfive minutes later after I had collected Jamie, the view from the same spot!

and then on the way home the colours were so incredible that I stopped again... There was nothing 'clever' to take them through, but hope you can start to imagine how amazing the first ever London sunset was!!

Anya's own AutumnWatch

All in all this week has been really really crappy. I don't know what exactly has gone wrong but it has been coming at from from every conceivable side. I decided to head to Kew for a look at the autumn colours and kick lots of leaves. Sadly it was raining as I set off, but decided I could kick things n the rain as well as in the dry. . . . . Her is my very own AutumnWatch! Watch out Bill Oddie, I'm on the case!

the last leaf left on the tree....... but the colours are superb

even the evergreen firs are obliging!

It was raining as I drove to Kew, but kindly the sun came out. However there was still a lot of rain underfoot

more lovely colours. . . . . . .

This one is thinking about autumn

I like the sun filtering thorugh the boughs

I think this one should ne entitled 'Cast Adrift'