My plans to cosy up all winter by the fire were put on hold this week, when I got an email telling me I'd been chosen to take photographs in Tibet for Leica cameras. Eep! I'd entered a writing & photography competition, and, not really thinking I'd ever actually win, lazily picked "Tibet" from a choice of ten sunnier, more accessible destinations. Leica will give me money, a camera, and warm clothing, and as long as I send them pictures from Lhasa before the end of February then my route, bookings, and travel plans are entirely up to me.
Well, I may as well have stuck a pin in a spinning globe. I knew nothing about Tibet until this weekend, when I started googling it with a rising sense of panic and alarm. And now I'm going there, in February, on my own. I know! I'm as startled as you are.
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JEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-LOUS!
ReplyDeleteThat's amazing, well done. I'll have the camera after, if you get sick of it.
i'm not startled at all. and you'd better send me a postcard.
ReplyDeleteNo better woman. Can't wait to read all about it.
ReplyDeleteWow! can't wait to hear all about it!
ReplyDeleteSend postcards! Rosie, I'm going to be emailing you my blog posts so you can publish them for me. Modern friendships.
ReplyDeleteThanks guys x
Brilliant, do you get to keep the camera for ever? Which model is it?
ReplyDeleteIf they can get it to you right away you could go out to the Sugarloaf and replicate an Everest base camp in about half an hour.
I have a feeling that Everest base camp might be a little like Antarctica in the Werner Herzog documentary.
Congratulations! This is a great opportunity, and you will be fantastic as usual.
ReplyDeleteYou're not the first person to suggest that Conan. "Ah, just google some pics of the mountain and book yourself a nice break in the Bahamas...".
ReplyDeleteIt's the new Leica V-Lux 2, which was designed with "explorers" in mind. Think it's quite lightweight and compact, but is still a Leica so it will make me take pictures like a pro. I hope.
Good lord! How exciting! Can you not bring someone with you?
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to make it as far as Vietnam afterwards and have Conor meet me there for a holiday. It'll be my birthday and I'll be DYING to see him.
ReplyDeleteBut the Tibet part I'll do alone. I'm also looking at taking a train across China to get there.
Steal a yak.
ReplyDelete(Bloody well done, btw.)
Was just about to say what Katherine above said
ReplyDeletejealllouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuus
So very, very envious. Congratulations you jammy dodger.
Bloody hell. Congratulations Annie! What a great excuse to see Tibet now
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic opportunity. You go girl! I look forward to a Tibet journal as fabulous as the Yankee journal. And you don't even have to go to the top of Everest, just pooter about at the bottom!
ReplyDeleteAnnie! That is AMAZING! Well done!
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to be in Tibet, I'd say it would be pretty much criminal not to come and visit me in Nepal no?
That is so amazing.
ReplyDeleteAfter your pictures depicting your trip around America - these will be ace photo's.
Eh, let's not compare it to the American photos just yet hey. It's easy taking pics in America. Argh, difficult second album syndrome :(
ReplyDeleteSC: How much longer are you going to be there?
Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteWhat a prize!
Enjoy every minute of it, you deserve it.
Can't wait to see the end result!
Hi Annie, congrats on being a fellow winner! Yes I was just as alarmed, I had actually picked Tibet as my destination of choice but changed it at the last minute because I figured Africa would be nice & warm :) I have been up to my eyeballs in stress trying to work out flights, tours and just trying to put Zanzibar and Livingstone on the map... I think I've nearly got it sorted. Having to fork out quite a bit of my own cash to make it happen tho... you too?
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to get my hands on that new camera! :) Happy travels and looking forward to reading your blog entries
Annie I'm just back from Everest BC, can dish out some advice on gear etc. Hugh
ReplyDeleteWell, that's just all sorts of amazing. And it inspires me to start randomly entering contests just to see if one sticks!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I still need to get that first book, by the way. Will chat with you about that soon.
Need a guide? I know all the best places.
ReplyDeleteHi May Lee and congrats to you too! Yes, I think I'll go well over the travel allowance, but I had been saving up for a trip somewhere anyway, so that kind of worked out well. I'm also probably going to go about this the long way round – I'd like to take a train through China to get there, instead of flying into Nepal.
ReplyDeleteHugh, that would be great! I'll email you, thanks.
Tensing, you spelt your name wrong.
Brian, I already have a copy of my book with your name on it. Been meaning to send it for yonks. Email me your address and I'll post it over to you.
Congratulations! Can't wait to see what you experience!!
ReplyDeleteI'll be here until mid Feb at least, maybe longer... There will be *only* Mount Everest standing between us, imagine that!
ReplyDeleteDan the man went through Tibet on his epic cycling-round-the-world trip a few years ago so might ber able to give you a few pointers if needed?
Btw, do we get to see what the winning entry was?
Wow. That is absolutely brilliant. You lucky bugger. Not luck I know - we create our own luck and so on - but still. Wow. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteYou may like to check out the blog of a rather remarkable lady who's just come back from Tibet:
ReplyDeletehttp://gullible-gulliblestravels.blogspot.com/
Epic.
ReplyDeleteWhat Tim said (not the yak bit).
Hope you're not scared of heights.
Yay!!! Annie! x
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Annie.
ReplyDeleteI've been around Tibet a bit: http://skinflicks.blogspot.com/2007/05/why-irish-builders-should-move-to-tibet.html
I'd be happy to suggest places to stay, some great places to photograph (highest swimming pool in the world?) and some people who might help you organise things on the ground.
I went in via Chengdu, which has the added benefit of allowing you to see pandas. Beats Nepal or that dodgy train the Tibetans all hate.
Well done, Annie; you're the very woman to tackle the assignment with individuality and flair.
ReplyDeleteWhat a ridiculously small world it is when half a dozen people on here are able to offer useful advice to you on life in Tibet within 48 hours of you posting. Back in my trancy days, Last Train to Lhasa used to be one of my favourite albums. Now you'll actually be able to catch it. Amazing.
ReplyDeleteI know, it's crazy and great. Thanks to everyone who sent advice and congrats. If anyone has any recommendations on a specific mountain guide from Lhasa, please let me know.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know you had "Trancy days", Will.
Amazing! Well done Annie, that sounds so deadly, can't wait for the Tibetan blog posts.
ReplyDeleteSick with envy.
ReplyDeleteThat's an amazing prize Annie. My God, well done. I hope you have a real adventure. We'll all look forward to the end product.
ReplyDeleteGo Annie, go! :D Congrats! :)
ReplyDeleteListen Annie I know we don't even know each other but all you really need to know is that I am really good at carrying suitcases and making tea and I don't snore and I do have this gut feeling that I should go to Tibet ... so, if you happen to get a follow-up competition-bonus that you can take someone with you, I'd be happy to oblige!
ReplyDeleteHUGE Congrats! Can't wait to travel vicariously!
What an amazing opportunity! Congrats to you, and I can't wait to see some of those beautiful photos.
ReplyDelete