Who Is Rick Hemi?

Engineering : Property Development : Street Photographer : Designer : Scribble Writer : Overland Travel ​

We weren't born into this world to sit idle, to let life drift by twiddling our thumbs. We are our own destiny, to use whatever knowledge and learning we accept as individuals. Nothing is more powerful than the human mind. A single thought can lead to a path of opportunities. Nothing is impossible to accomplish if you pursue it.     

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Edge Of Extreme - Solo Overland Travel & Transit

Climbing up live volcanoes is an adrenaline rush, but it's not just the lava gushes, hot ash and the smell of sulfur and brimstone. It's all those spectacular panoramic views, and vistas on the way up and down any volcano that makes climbing them worth the effort. Pallets of cash on the street is rarely seen unless you're in a country that allows it. Imagine cash without banks?  Eradicating cash is imminent, a planned agenda by unified global establishments.  

I've been clocking up solo overland travel mileage transiting across, up and down continents for decades. Through the years my solo overland journeys have taken me throughout Africa, Central and South America, North, South and Central Asia, the Middle East, and all of Europe. I've also returned traveling through most of these regions many times over using different directional transit routes.
Although solo overland travel and transiting through continents is exhilarating, not knowing what to expect from one day to the next, dramas and sudden scenarios do occur, with some that have landed me in deep water without consciously acknowledging the risk factor involved until it was too late. On occasions, I had no choice to take certain routes directly through Red Zone regions having high risk levels of conflict at my own risk. At times, this cannot be avoided due to certain transit routes that pass directly through unstable regions.

Some long-term travel journeys have been more insane than others, while some humbling at the same time. If you think "Banged Up Abroad" is something - think again. Being dragged off a bush-bus along an isolated dirt track within the Putumayo jungle by the Colombian FARC, or suddenly arrested on the streets in Tehran by Iranian revolutionary police, and then shoved into a vehicle, and heavily interrogated, thrown into a jail cell (accused of spying). Surviving through a Cat 5 storm in the Roaring 40's in the Antarctica, and held by force on an island off the east coast of Africa not able to leave are actual events which are only the tip of an iceberg of different occurrences though the decades. Below, overland '85 snap of my XT 600 loaded with stuff in 40+Negev heat.

When freedom to travel was real and taken for granted — The 1980s -90s were the best decades of solo overland travel.  

You name it, and I've probably been there and done it. Self-driving all types of vehicles, vans and motorbikes, hitchhiking, and using anything with wheels on it moving in my direction. Using local trucks, bush buses, slow boats, packed out trains, cargo ships, boats, dugouts, and clapped out vans crossing continents beats flying hands down any day.    

Overland travel was alive and well during the 1980's, not like the plastic tacky travel environment seen today. 

Real long-term solo overland travel can feel like a grinder at times, especially when being accused of doing things that are either false or untrue. Through different regions of the above continents, I've been randomly shot at, bombed at, had guns pointed in my face, accused of being a voodoo doctor, evaded countless corrupt officials, accused of being a mercenary, a gold smuggler, an Israeli spy, a drug smuggler, a bikie gang member, an over-stayer, accused of selling passports, insane land border interrogations, accused of being a revolutionary socialist, and even labelled as a ganja smoking long haired hippie weirdo, amongst other things.

One never can predict, or know what's up ahead during any overland travel journey. Certain locations can become risky at a moments notice. Using common sense, quick reaction, instinct and judgement can prevent risk. Maybe there was some truth spoken by a Colombian military commander back in '91 at the edge of a jungle "Red Zone", when he said, "You're like a cat that came here with 9 live, but now you only have 8", If that had been true - I’d have certainly run out of lives a long time ago. Today, nothing has changed, I'm still going strong, enjoying overland travel journeys using any available means of transport. Absorbing the stimulation of different cultures, lifestyles, landscape, and wildlife, is a vibrant battery charge. Many ask what keeps me going? It's all the positive interaction levels and communication en-route with complete strangers.

Riding half-tamed Bolivian horses in the middle of nowhere, absorbing closeup views of the world's highest waterfall in Venezuela, and photographing snow leopards in the remote regions of the Himalaya, in subzero midwinter conditions beats laying on beaches all day.        

Himalayan highlands clean fresh air, natural vitamin D, snow clad landscape with diverse wildlife - 2020s

Solo Overland Travel - 1980s Onward

Above, a ten day emergency passport issued from the British Consulate, Istanbul. During the 80s, it normally took two months waiting time for western nationals to receive Iranian seven day transit visas. In 83, it only took one day using an emergency passport to get Iranian extendable transit visa. Pop in visits to British consulates and embassies in and around the Middle East was normal procedure during the 1980s. Presenting official formal request letters from British attaches guaranteed quick visa issues for Iraq, Syria, Saudi, Libya, Sudan and Iran.
Arriving into Israel via Allenby bridge across the Jordan in '83 with a Tehran issued NZ passport with used Syrian and Iraqi visas didn't even raise an eyebrow. Actually, the Israelis were more interested with my authentic Bowie knife, but gave that a miss when told it had been previously used in Kibbutzim harvesting date crops i.e. chopping date branches faster than hydraulic operated cutters.
Today, there aren't many independent solo overland travelers left from the late 1970s-'80s period, who are still on the road these days. Most have moved on, or taken different paths. The accumulation of visas through the continents have certainly mounted up over the decades. Many are always interested how many different countries I've visited, but it's easier how many countries I haven't visited - which I can count on one hand. If I were to quickly look through my stack of used passports, I can easily count 12+ visits to Chile, 10+ to India, 7+ to Israel, 8+ to Brazil, 6+ to Japan and so on. In the 2020s, nothing much has changed, I'm still offshore enjoying street photography, and taking each day as it comes. 

The days of additional passport extension visa pages are well gone for most countries. Extension pages were useful for long-term overland travel through the Middle East and Africa where rubber stamp happy immigration officials filled passports up in a matter of no time. NZ passports could receive 3 sets of additional page extensions making a grand total of 100 pages. I've certainly filled up a few 100 page passports with visas throughout the continents.

I quietly shake my head sideways at the millennial-Gen Z generation traveling today. They seem far more interested in how many countries they have quickly visited, thinking it's some kind of global trophy they're trying to accomplish in the shortest time period possible. Travel bloggers are the same, "I've been to 70 countries", "I've accumulated the most air mileage", "I've visited 85 countries now wow" My used travel visas above breaks all overland travel records, sorry guys, you'll have to clock up some serious overland travel journeys spanning a few decades to even get close.

People often ask what is my favorite still subject matter. Capturing people shots from all walks of life is right up there. A close second, bird and wildlife in the wilderness. Anything else solely depends on location.        

I was asked just recently why I shouldn't instead travel with a smart phone capturing images rather than carrying around bulky camera gear. I wouldn't expect anything else from a Gen Z offshore, who regrettably are born into the smart phone world. My reply was straight to the point, "Smart phone cameras, no matter the brand, or the amount of built in camera lenses have numerous limitations."

Street still photography offshore requires more than using junky smart phone cameras. Try telling that to the smart phone generation. 

Since 82, traveling offshore without photo gear has never happened. Some lenses being used in the 2020s are classic manual focus lenses from the 1980s. There's something unique taking time to manually adjust and focus for that one shot. Like anything in life, there are moments when the need to rush isn't required. Some of my favorite images have been captured with manual focus lenses. The 1986 Nikkor 800 5.6 ED AIS lens below is one of them.      

Life Is Short - Enjoy It

Most foreigners traveling through the planet suddenly high-tailed it returning to their home base countries in March 2020. The SARS-CoV-2 release certainly slowed down global tourism down to a mere dribble by May. 2022, I remained offshore enjoying probably more freedom than in most western countries. Programmed propaganda pressure by toxic MSM and governments were in lock-step by design. The constant bombardment, driven with fear, caused millions to be mRNA vaccinated believing the lies. Foreigners, including myself that remained offshore in central and South America, Asia and Africa, who did their own research before this event took place know what I'm talking about.   

What was the most washed part of the body through the planet in 2020? No not your hands - Your Brain!

The travel industry will never be the same as it was pre-Jan 2020. It's going to get expensive to travel. Many people by 2024 will end up selling off properties, their stuff, and everything and anything to purchase food, and rising living costs. Best advice — Downsize now, move out from big cities, and learn basic survival skills i.e. grow your own veges, potato patch, hunt for food etc. The pre-planned global reset by globalist mafia are playing their hand. It wouldn't surprise me at all, of upcoming mandatory personal ID QR-codes to move and travel by 2027. The elimination of paper passports and all cash, is an Agenda 2030 protocol. It's as if these elites roll their own dice to suit themselves well in advance for power and greed. It is highly probable, the SARS-CoV-2, is only a precursor plandemic for even larger sinister events to purposely happen against humanity. Dystopian smart cities, controlled food stocks, and full digital cashless coming down the pipeline.

Non Fake - Real Travel World

To capture images like below, one actually has to be at these locations taking them - Try It.

These image captures were taken by me at different locations through the continents showing examples of real time reality.

Old fashioned constructed coffins made from local wood supplies is still visible through the Mid East, Africa and Asia.

Travel and transiting through war torn countries in conflict isn't everyone's cup of tea. One can never determine, or know what's around the corner, or further down the road. It could be random sniper fire, an RPG attack, roadside mines, distance heavy artillery fire, or an invasive incoming missile. Above, a mild image of collateral damage in the Middle East. The real world outside safe comfy zones is untamed, as it always has been.

Breeding ocean sea turtles for human consumption is common practice in some countries along the Caribbean and African coastlines. I was in a region for a few weeks where turtle meat and rice was the main staple diet.

There are times on the high road transiting through countries where drought and famine is witnessed taking its toll on humans. This graphic image capture shows human skeletal remains that was completely devoured and finished off by vultures. 

Global unrest and rioting has increased mega-fold to unprecedented levels. Instability, debt, coups, government corruption, unemployment, devaluation of currencies, terrorism, MSM globalist manipulation, fear tactics, controlled political correctness, wokeness programming, indoctrinated diversity acceptance, and monthly changing regulations are some of the causes hitting populations around the planet. By 2025, the majority of global population will be forced to accept low socialist wage handouts, high food costs, rationed fuel, and controlled travel - An Orwellian globalist dream in the making!       

In Africa, street rioting, protesting and chaotic upheavals have been common practice since the dawn of time. Nothing has changed today, nor will it change tomorrow, next year, or in a decade from now. History repeats itself time and time again. A human's worst enemy are other humans controlling them. Western nations are just as bad, and haven't learnt from their mistakes. They have now become full on nanny states using any deceptive agenda to pacify their populations to keep power and control. For instance, the latest American Green New Deal is the icing on the cake. It will destroy America down the path to poverty, that's if 85% of the country's coal, oil and natural gas industry is terminated following the UN 2030 socialist agenda plan. The USA will not be able to function or be sustainable as a nation within a decade. Shutting down any country's energy production will create instant food shortages and supplies.
The American Gen Z generation have become so brainwashed filled with countless indoctrinated Marxist values. Individual self-critical thinking no longer exists. George Soros has never been a friend of America. George Soros wants Americans to be high. China, the UN and WEF want Americans to be high as kites. There's nothing more easier than to stone a nation pacifying their brains. People who are high on marijuana and other drugs cannot think intelligently, clearly and rationally, and don't have the ability to analyze the bigger picture. George Soros wants people to be stoned, so people can't see the obvious. A massive global human die-off caused by limited food production is what's coming. Remember the 2020 SARS CV-2 toilet paper chaos? Wait till food supplies are no more!         

Does your country allow the importation of Amazonian or Indonesian lumber/timber/wood supplies? Check your own home out for imported wooden decor products before screaming one-sided biased politics!
Outdoor tables and seats, exposed ceiling beams, inner exposed ceiling planks, all types of trendy furniture, trendy wide wooden floor planks, residential office doors, trendy bars and restaurant wooden decor, desks, dinning tables, outdoor barbecue tables etc.
If Brazil stopped using alcohol/methanol for fuel (85% of cars in Brazil run on alcohol), local farmers wouldn't be burning down Amazonian rain forests to plant maze crops to produce alcohol fuel. Brazil has more untapped off-shore oil deposits than the entire Middle East combined.
The world is dependent on fossil fuel petroleum products. Without it, there would be no more computers, cameras, smart phones, clothing, carpet rugs, shampoo, solar panels, wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries, bicycle tires, car tires, MC helmets, roofing, nylon rope, refrigerators, freezers, aircraft, aircraft fuel, oil filters, air conditioning units, sunglasses, insect repellent, bearing grease, perfumes, lipstick, disposable diapers, electric blankets, trash bags, paint etc.

Global warming climate change indoctrination originates from UN Agenda 21 (1992) as a global political tool used to silence all those who disbelieve it, or who are against it. Agenda 21 suddenly became an evil word when people understood what it meant - every bad ideas require a good marketing plan -Yes? Sustainability suddenly became SMART GROWTH, with connected buzzwords like BIODIVERSITY, LIVEABLE SMART CITIES, ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, GOING GREEN, FUTURE EARTH etc 
Effective execution of Agenda 21 will require a profound reorientation global reset of human behavior and control unlike anything the world has ever experienced ”Agenda 21: The Earth Summit Strategy to Save Our Planet (Earthpress, 1993) - Think Greta & Global Agenda 2030. It's ironic that Europe, Canada & the US have had a massive cold winters in the last few years. -What do you call that? Global Cooling? Mini Ice Age? I came through the 1970s and '80s climate propaganda — Nothing new here, only the angle of brainwashing.   

The countless offshore solo overland travel journeys through the decades have taken me through some hardcore regions. The image above, from the early '90s was captured from distance with an F2AS, Nikkor 200 f/4 AI and TC 1.4.       

Being at locations witnessing graphic wipe-outs and destruction on any scale can frighten the crap out of you. This 100 ton+ boulder had rolled and bounced down from a cliff face behind this property smashing through the 2nd level of the dwelling completely destroying it. Beware of where you decide to live, a million dollar view isn't worth dying for! 

The world as we see it with our own eyes, is far less kind to others than most want to realize, unless it affects us individually, that is, until it reaches our own doorsteps. The 8+ billion global population has accumulated more poverty, and has increased more corruption and greed than ever in recorded history. Don't expect any quick band-aid hand-outs in the future. Moving migrants integrating them into other nations is what the UNAgenda 2030 initiates - It's all about power control to subdue rich nations. Instead, the UN, IMF, World Bank, CFR mafia group would prefer destabilizing predominately western nations rather than fixing the main issue in third world countries - corrupt governments. The UN is corrupt actually, how corrupt is the UN?            

Some working environments are outright dangerous, and unsafe for those employed to do this type of work. Ship demolition has a high casually rate due to unseen dangers that may occur at a moments notice if safety regulations are ignored, or because of the lack of protective clothing and equipment.

Red zone regions are alive and well spread far and wide across Africa, Mid-East, and central Asia. Entering into, or transiting through any red zone is a risk without knowing who is in control of the territory. I've had my fair share of traveling through red zone regions and still remain in one piece. Some foreigners haven't been so fortunate. Extreme radical fundamentalists and undercover snitches are the main causes of being targeted and becoming a victim within the majority of Red Zone regions.  

Any sea rescue during violent storms is risky. This quick location snap-shot was captured in the Indian ocean showing a crippled cargo ship. The rescue ended up positive with all crew members airlifted to safety. I've had a few nasty deep sea experiences on board ships out in the soup. The North sea, Black Sea, Roaring '40s, and Baltic Sea are a few to mention. Ocean sea storms have a tendency to scare the living daylights out of you. When huge ocean swells suddenly happen close to other boats and ships moving from one position, and re-spotted again on the next wave at another position. When personally witnessing first hand, 2nd captains going out of the bridge to vomit, you know it's rough going.

An image during the FSLN elections Managua 1990. Below, a graphic image capture of a vulture eating the remains of a human corpse. Vultures will begin consuming soft tissue of carcasses first by starting with intestines and organs. 

Depending on what coverage and location, freelance political photojournalism can land anyone quickly into jail cells, a heavy slap around, photo gear smashed, seized, and then deported. For instance, Mexican journalists are kept in line by refraining to report negative bias on drug cartels, if they want to keep their heads intact. Heavy handed regulatory rules also apply in the Middle East and Central Asia. Unless one has the correct credentials and contacts, foreign freelance photo-journalists today can easily end-up with stiff fines, and a pile of black-bans, never to return entering certain countries. China has had hardcore regulations on local and foreign journalists since the Tibetan uprising in '87. Freely covering stories in Afghanistan and Pakistan today still holds the same dangers, as it was from the Mujaheddin days during the Soviet invasion. Foreigners who cross the grey line will eventually be black banned to revisit or to re-enter countries they've negatively published articles on. This includes older feed posts, images and articles on social media platforms by foreign journalists, yuppie travel bloggers and NGOs. Those who think they're exempt should reconsider some other form of work. Things have drastically changed in the 2020s.

There are times when the perfect snap shot shows a completely different lifestyle of what people enjoy doing. This local, who resides just on the outskirts of Harar township, shows his interaction skills with wild hyena feeding raw camel meat in his own backyard. 

Air Transit - The Golden Decades

Remember when airlines used to issue real flight tickets? Today you get watered down A4 versions that have zero value. Best jet - 747 400. Best long haul flights - London Buenos Aires, Sydney Joburg.    

A classic 1985 CCCP Aeroflot flight. Servings of roasted chicken and Russian vodka. Clocking up air long haul flight through the decades amounts to air mileage reaching Jupiter. The same goes for the massive amounts of overland transit mileage up, down, through and across continents. The majority of flights (and still in the 2020s) were one-way reaching other continents. I have rarely flown internally within any continent, unless it was necessary to do so i.e. border closures and difficult visa issues . Solo overland travel began at an early age. I've been fortunate enough to have clocked up hundreds of thousands of kilometers over landing through continents using basic land transport with zero accidents or injuries.
Below, when one could fly up front in cockpits and freely chit-chat with pilots, drink an ale, eat some snacks, and grab a few snaps. A bygone era shut down, first created and caused by PFLP terrorists in 1970 blowing up passenger jets in Jordan. Some idiots out there still think the word "terrorist" was invented in the 20th century.

Venus Transit - 2012

Did anyone else capture a shot of Venus in transit across the sun? If not, you'll be dead and buried well before the next event takes place.

Lunar tilt shifts captured within minutes. Lunar tilt shifts happen through 12-24 cycles. This shows you how deep the fake NASA rabbit hole goes. An impossible task the moon landings actually never happened. If sudden tilt shifts happened on planet earth, moving its axis a quarter of its diameter — You would feel it! Also, oceans would erratically move wiping out coastal cities around the planet. Lunar trajectory landings and take-offs would also be impossible to calculate, because of sudden two way directional tilt shifts. Image - DSLR Nikon full frame, Nikkor 800 5.6 ED AIS prime.      

My first close visual Orb/UFO experience dates back to 1974, within a remote region in the lower south island of New Zealand. Three other friends had also watched and witnessed the orb for approximately 20 minutes. It was a midnight goose bump event, especially when the Orb suddenly began darting back and forth sideways along the front of close-by mountain ranges, and changing into different bright metallic colors at the same time in total silence. Although a young teenager at the time, I still remember this event vividly.
Below snap, taken during a moonless night in the middle of nowhere within the Sahara desert. No, it wasn't a helicopter, or anything with combustible engines, it was dead calm, and totally silent. Some may assume it was lens flare, but then what were the moving objects I was looking at? These Orbs, the two of them produced their own bright metallic colors, and moved using their own energy source following each other across a cloudless night sky. There were no other airborne craft within a 360 degree eye vision circumference.
My own conclusion, Orbs and modern designed UFOs are man made using advanced secret technology. The next greatest global hoax will put the '69 moon landing hoax to shame.

Alt Om Foto - Denmark

Landscape photography goes back to the 1980s-90s roll film days. I had submitted a quick story line with a dozen or so snaps to a Danish photographic magazine, Alt Om Foto, where one page plus four images were randomly chosen, and published in their monthly magazine as a middle page spread. That was decades ago when cell phones and the internet weren't yet invented. The images used are of different topographic landscape formations within the Atacama region.

Roll Film Folios - Rooftop Japan 1990s

During the 90s, it was normal creating quick rooftop portfolios for foreigners in Japan. Shooting in black & white, and then developing negatives to A4 prints with a dozen or so images was sufficient enough to receive modelling work for most. These were great times of offshore travel, when one could do as they wish without being tracked and trolled by online search engines, internet surveillance, evasive cell phone tracking, big tech bullies, and by government and social media mafia. The mad world in the 2020s has no room for privacy. If everyone actually trashed their junky smart phones down the toilet, the world would be in a far better place today — it's not going to happen. Smart phone addiction is here to stay.

Many can't help themselves living in incognito, hiding like cowards using bogus names trolling through comment sections at who they disagree with, attacking those they dislike. Wokeness is the fall of the West. A part of the group think syndrome, people who can't think for themselves, refraining, self censoring of what they really want to voice. Group gang wokeness, is nothing more than group think Marxism  — wokeness 2020s

Digital age street photography, rapid fast get the shots no matter the subject matter. A few quick snaps using DSLR photo gear, a Swedish couple in Asia. Did they themselves like the finished images? I'm sure they did.

No flash, no reflectors, nothing fancy, just whatever natural light was available at the time - 12MP D3, 28mm prime lens.

Photo Contests - Portrait Winner

Now and then, we all get the urge to enter photographic contests submitting what we personally think maybe a winning image. Today, the chances of actually choosing the right image that may reach into the top 3 solely depends on the judges appeal and taste of any particular subject matter. This random street portrait, taken in India made it to number one in the "peoples"  category submitted in a global photo-contest. The image submitted, shown below, was captured in 2018, using a 2007 12MP Nikon D3 body with a manual focus 1986 Nikkor 800 5.6 ED AIS lens — both regarded as paperweights in the 2020s.

Landscape - Great Outdoors

They say patience is a virtue, and I totally agree with this phrase when doing landscape photography. The location above, Fox Glacier in New Zealand was an example of being patient. The early morning overcast grey sky weather had looked as though it was settling in for the day - typical Kiwi weather, but then suddenly the weather cleared an hour or so later revealing this view below capturing a clear shot of the mountain peaks and glacier. 

Below,  late afternoon snap of Namibian desert. The image was entered into a photographic competition (HOT) House of Travel, and nominated by judges from Canon. The image made it into the top five rankings.

Below, two regions I've revisited. Most have their own favorite locations they return to. These wilderness zones are in my top five favorite places escaping from urban sprawl.

Below, SLR 1980s roll film days. Torres del Paine, Patagonia during a two year overland journey from Puerto Williams (Cape Horn) to New York city (1988-91).

North Vietnam, captured at long distance (400+ meters) at an extreme angle. It was also a bonus to capture locals in the image planting paddy near the waterfalls.

Mainichi Shimbun - Japan

A three page article was accepted as a freelance submission straight off the street to one of the top magazine tabloids in Japan - The Mainichi Shimbun. The article documents a story line with image captures on the ongoing narcotic and arms trade within tribal territory along the Afghan - Pakistan border. Below original image, a Pashtuni with fresh loads of different varieties of  hashish packed in goat skins directly from the fields of Afghanistan. 
Entering red zones within areas of conflict always contain invisible elements of surprise, or danger when one least expects it. I've experienced transit drama through sensitive regions which do boil over from time to time. I've never had baggage or photo gear confiscated by authorities (touch wood), including two visits during the Iran/Iraq conflict. Following the rules and regulations as a visitor in any country is imperative - especially within the Middle East. Permits to visit or transit through any restricted zones are usually obtainable through the right channels, although some regions (grey areas) have limitations depending on who actually controls the territory. For example, Sudan, DRC, Venezuela, northern Kenya, India, Ethiopia, Somalia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Libya, Chad, Niger, and Myanmar all have red zones regions that are either classified as sensitive, dangerous, or in a state of conflict. Sensitive regions include structures which are usually military complexes, government buildings, airports, and sea ports where military hardware maybe visibly seen. Iran for example, is an easy country to travel through these days, but taking random snap shots - even with cell phones at sensitive nuclear power plants, or navy and military bases won't be tolerated. If caught, heavy interrogations is automatic procedure, including free accommodation in a jail cell, until deportation procedures are processed, which can take weeks, months, or even years depending on nationality. If anything looks sensitive, avoid even looking at it!

Location - Full Frame DSLR

Location is everything — Hamar group photo - Omo, Ethiopia 

India is one country that never fails to impress for random street photography. Each time on returning to India, I already know what's waiting for me - endless random street captures, street portraiture, landscape, and wildlife. That's the beauty of India - diversity in all directions no matter which state and province one travels through. My classic D3 12MP Nikon body is used as a daylight workhorse camera in the 2020s. Why some may ask? because it's 100% reliable. Why replace it if captures great still shots?
Foreigners offshore ask why I don't use smart phone cameras instead. I avoid overrated lightweight junk. Cell phone cameras struggle to capture simple stills. I've used different branded smart phone cameras with the same outcome — disappointing. Using cell cameras for time-lapse, location snaps and video is about it. Give me a DSLR and prime lens any day of the week — within any environment.

Tripod - 1st Item Packed Ready To Go.

A must have overland travel item offshore, is a reliable tripod and tripod head, including a robust heavy duty tripod bag. Using tripods guarantees in focus image captures, especially for long shot subjects and night shots. The positives using tripods outweigh the negatives, like extra baggage. The end result of having less wasted image captures using tripods pays off. Above tripod snap locations include regions through Asia, Africa and South America, Don't leave home base without one — tripod page         

Ahh, the days of total freedom when one could travel anywhere they wished and photograph anything desired, The 1980s and '90s was like traveling on a different planet compared to the insane crazy controlled 2020s. The camera below was one of two Nikon F2AS's used on this second overland journey through the continent (Argentina to Colombia via the Andean block). The Nikkor 50-300 f/4.5 AIS ED was an excellent constructed lens for still photography (low res snaps above from '91). The same model lens is used today for videography. Maybe someone out there has the above F2AS body as a paper weight collection, or still being used (1979 black #7930897). The other, a 1980 F2AS chrome body #8039572. I also had a third, an F2 #7754374. Contact me if you have one of these bodies.

Relaxing, chilling out on the river banks of the Mekong capturing random snaps can't be easier.

A rustic depleted villa spotted down a dead end side street totally overgrown subdued and abandoned. Around a month later the villa was pulled down and demolished. Discovering properties like this to photograph is usually by word of mouth.

The amount of times neglecting to take quick location shots, like above through the decades is mega-fold. It doesn't matter what's used to take location snaps, even with junkie smart phones is better than nothing. A Fuji X100 point & shoot took the above snaps. Below, a tripod shot with an AFS 14-24 2.8G lens and D800.    

Socialism - Broken Promises

The desert sands of Venezuela. I've traveled thoroughly through Venezuela twice, both times during the socialist revolution, which is now dead and buried in the sands itself. Marxist indoctrinated socialism will destroy any country to ruin on broken promises. Over the decades, I've traveled through many countries that have been overrun by socialist upheavals to personally give first hand accounts they all have failed. One has to ask why every man and his dog legally or illegally migrates to the USA, far away as possible from socialist reforms in their own countries? Anything dished out promised for free isn't free. Milking a country's backbone to the last drop never ends well!
Cuba had its Marxist revolution in the 1950's, and look at the Cubans today. Cubans are no better off 70+ years later.
The same for Nicaragua (FSLN), El Salvador (FMLN), Colombia (FARC/ELN), Ecuador (PCMLE/FICI), Peru (PCP), Bolivia (MAS), and now Venezuela, which was the 8th richest oil exporter, a vibrant tourist destination before the Chavas takeover in '99. Venezuela had had a vibrant healthy middle class population - now all down the toilet!

Socialist agendas start, by causing riots using sponsored funded protesters, propaganda graffiti splattered on walls, and left-wing MSM voicing the airwaves non-stop around the clock. Privately owned businesses begin to cease, shutting up shop, they are looted, smashed and torched. Government buildings, historical statues, and middle class citizens against socialist uprisings become targeted victims, by Socialist and woke crowds until complete submission.
​Marxist indoctrination begins by whoever controls the educational system allowing schools and university teachers and lecturers to reprogram youth to hate their own country and historical values — This automatically creates rebellion within nuclear families dividing youth and older generations of family, relations and friends.  
Of late, the intensity of radical liberal left within Western nations, together with MSM and big tech sponsors have repeatedly parroted their socialist nanny state agendas. This has now divided populations that are already cut in half self-dissolving down the toilet. The history of Socialist reform agendas under the pretext of misleading false promises that can never be accomplished is nothing new.
Shutting down any country's self-dependent energy, replacing it with Chinese made solar systems, and EV vehicles isn't going to work out very well further down the road. There's not enough cobalt worldwide. The enforcement of total submission and removing all freedoms, is only a stone throw away — UN WHO Agenda 2030.  
Forget the Scandinavian socialist model. Sweden, Denmark, and Norway have survived and prospered by free market capitalism, if they didn't, all three countries would resemble DDR (East Germany) when bananas and chocolate were rarer than a hen's tooth.
USA, the last powerful western nation, is being ripped apart and destroyed from within — all by design. We hear a lot of deep state handlers pulling strings, but there's more operatives involved decommissioning America as a Republic. Reeducated, reprogrammed, and brainwashed group think theory wokeness are only the tip of the iceberg. Reprogrammed followers are taught and led to believe whatever their Marxist handlers feed to them without questioning it. It's not coincidental. Netflix, Amazon, Hollywood, Disney and US MSM use the same biased programming propaganda. Today, you don't get an education, you don't just watch a movie - you get an indoctrination. America has become a nation of drug addicts mixed with endless avenues of woke paranoia. A nation full of internal spying spooks, local and foreign. In the past, one would travel to Cuba, Nicaragua, and Colombia for those who appreciate Socialism. Forget that today, one receives more Socialist indoctrination in the good old  USA, Europe and Commonwealth countries. The future is bleak for Western nations, it's all downhill from here. The populations are to blame allowing this to happen, caused by division.
History doesn't lie, nations rise and nations fall. Any nation divided within itself will not stand. They eventually self weaken to the point of total collapse. America is at these crossroads in 2022. The USA will rapidly decay away by 2030. Printing endless amounts of Fed dollars, and allowing free flowing migration crossing borders is pure madness. The shift of global power and big tech will reform itself in China, pulling the plug on America. The fact is, Americans will not use their personal arms and weapons for civil war, they will use them against one another when food stocks and gasoline run dry. Those who haven't a clue how to grow their own vegetables, plant seeds, and survive on what they self-harvest will be the worst affected when things begin to unravel. Living in big cities will become survival nightmares.

Socialist upheavals - Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Guyana, El Salvador, Guatemala. Name one country controlled under Socialism that has prospered for it's population — There are none. Western Marxist teachers, socialist lecturers and their students have habits to crash and burn anything they classify as capitalism, but ironically, they all survive on capitalist cash, free stimulus handouts, and drive around in western designed cars, fancy 4WD's, using flash smart phones, and designer clothing apparel produced, created, and made by capitalist western manufacturers.

Which country has prosperity today — Capitalist Costa Rica or Socialist Cuba?

The WEF-UN WHO 2030 Agenda, is in full swing, and always two steps ahead. By 2027, every person on the planet except for rich elites will become totally subjected to various forms of unified global brainwashing indoctrination. Civil liberties is an enemy of the elite class. All freedoms as we know it, will become obsolete and eradicated as we see it today. By removing freedoms and self-critical thinking from the people's minds, the captive of populations, is then easier to manipulate and control. For decades, the elites have used their power with different forms of depopulation agendas, indoctrinated programming, controlling MSM, the educational system, universities, big tech, social media, and through wokeness groups. Even the majority of Netflix movies are heavily baked with liberal leftist thinking propaganda. Nothing will be left un-turned. Populations must be dumbed down to the point of no return. Controlling the planet by using a single based central bank economic system with modified communist values, is all but ready to roll out. Middle class will become non-existent. The expense of owning private businesses and homes will become a bygone era. Combining collectivism, humanism with new age Marxist values will dominate the globe within a decade or so. Fear and chaos comes for free. Using chaos is an integrated part of globalist agenda. Food sources will become scarce, the most valuable assets for survival - No food source —  you die!
Legalizing marijuana is a perfect example of how to subdue and pacify populations with limited revolt. Promoting all types of sport has been used as a human pacifier since the Greek period. Today, MSM is the greatest enemy of mankind — the globalist voice box.
​The global elites are now in 6th gear without brakes. They're the bankers, government, MSM, tech giants, NGO's, and politicians. It includes the music, fashion, and movie industries, all in lock step. One eye symbolism, occultism, witchcraft, and satanic worship is part and parcel of the fashion elites and movie industry. The occultist elite have you covered in more ways than what most assume. They are programmed to be in your face non-stop on the airwaves, in magazines, online and in cinemas for one purpose only — to enter inside people's minds, destroying what ever brain cells are left. Below image, those who have been to Costa Rica and Cuba understand the difference between freedom and oppression.

Full Frame DSLRs - 2020s

There's always plenty of different locations to capture images. I'm not one that rushes out at full speed purchasing new photo gear stuff just because others do it.. If my photo gear works the way it should, there's no reason to update, unless something fails, which has never happened since 1982.

Some of my camera equipment is well past their use by date, like the 800mm 5.6 ED AIS lens above. It was first available in '86. Nikon had produced some serious lenses in the 1980s, this is certainly one of them. Since 2016, the 800mm 5.6 has showed 100% reliability within some of the most extreme conditions in locations that most probably wouldn't believe unless they were there to witness it for themselves. For example, the 5.5Kg lens has worked without issues in subzero temps of minus - 33C @ 4000 meters to plus +50C in blistering heat for weeks on end. My D3 & D3S 12 MP bodies are still functioning perfectly in the 2020s.

Reaching locations well off the beaten track can be a test of self-endurance. Photographing bird and wildlife within remote regions isn't guaranteed, the opposite to all those promotional safari parks seen online. It's all about how far you want to push yourself with determination not even knowing if you'll actually have the chance of capturing what you went there for in the first place. Some good advice — travel with real camera gear. Capturing disappointing subpar long shot images have no place in remote regions. Below, an 800mm 5.6 ED AIS functioning perfectly capturing images 36+ years since the lens was first produced in extreme environments - How's that?

I've never been a lover using smart phone camera junk for anything, and certainly useless trash capturing wildlife in the wild — Full frame DSLR photo gear works for me. What do I use in the 2020s? Old school stuff. Why, do you ask? Because everything still works and functions perfectly.

In the wilderness, location, timing and photo gear are combinations required capturing wildlife images.

Using basic transportation reaching the Sundarbans, is something every intrepid traveler should experience i.e. packed out suburban train and motor rickshaw. The chances of spotting swamp tigers solely depends on pure luck. Renting a bush boat for four days , sleeping onboard three nights, and having the vessel all to yourself wasn't cheap, but worth every cent. The cook, engine man, and boat operator were all top notch. During those four days, swamp tigers were spotted and photographed at three different locations. Some have spent seven days through the Sundarbans, and seen nothing. It took 600 hours (25 days), for a BBC film crew to finally spot and film a swamp tiger. Above image, Nikon D800, Nikkor 800 5.6 ED AIS manual focus lens — 2023. Below, South American jaguar — catch and release Pantanal, Brazil.  

Amir Kabir Hotel - Tehran 1983

Below, an original snap of Hotel Amir Kabir, central Tehran during the Iraq-Iran conflict. Amir Kabir was a famous hippie hotel during the mid 1960-70s era, where westerners would congregate hanging out en-route to Kabul, Swat valley and onward to Kashmir, northern India. During the 1980's, Hotel Amir Kabir was operating only with a very small trickle of foreigners passing through Tehran. The city, with 11 million inhabitants at the time, had a heavy anti-western presence in the air. Over half the hotel rooms were badly damaged in need of repair. Some rooms were without doors and missing windows.

Rooms that were available used a simple pipe protruding out the wall to wash and take cold showers. Whether this is the same renovated Amir Kabir Hotel advertised online is unknown, but if it is, the hotel has been completely restored losing its old charm that others may remember who had stayed there.
Overland travel and street photography originated from my first Mid-East solo journey through Pakistan to Egypt in the early eighties. The region at the time, had both positive and negative impacts where one could freely travel, and what one could photograph, and get away with as a westerner.
On the surface, locals weren't too fussed from foreigners grabbing random street portraits of them. Locals with religious status would usually avoid a lens being poked in their faces — which is understandable. There were three major conflicts in the region at the time. The Iran-Iraq conflict was in full swing, the Russian-Afghan invasion and Israeli-Lebanon war. Back then, camera gear was basic, a second hand Nikon F2 Photomic and standard 50mm lens. In today's sphere of photo gear, this would be old school paper weights.

Strolling around the streets of Damascus, Tehran, and Baghdad in the 1980's exposing photo gear was at times risky. Nothing much changed there, it's still the same vibe today within regions of conflict. One could feel the presence of undercover plain clothed police on the streets in Damascus, Baghdad and Tehran. It was even difficult to grab quick snaps directly opposite the US embassy and Israeli mission in Tehran without someone watching you. It doesn't matter how old images are, the above 1983 street snap was used in Die Woche 2021. Below, a random street snap taken in Tehran during the Al Quds protest (which I was not part of) — roll film 1987.

Red Zone Territory

Grabbing snaps during the 1980s within Red Zone regions was unique, there was limited MSM floating around, not like today's loony media circus, and certainly zero yuppie travel bloggers in sight. Above, a cache of Soviet small arms for sale on the open market in Pashtun controlled tribal territory during the '79 Soviet invasion.
Freelance photographers - no matter their nationalities, had a 2500 USD bounty dead or alive. This was a decree issued by the Soviet controlled Kabul government to shut any news of barbaric atrocities leaking out. Even today, there is still no official death count record of how many freelance photographers died supporting the Mujaheddin during this conflict.

Random Snap Captures

Personally, random street photography hasn't changed. My composition snaps have the same appeal today as they were decades ago. The only change was moving from roll-film to digital. I kept using roll-film cameras till '99 before taking the leap to digital. I enjoyed the winding of manual roll-film levers and sound of solid shutter clunks from F2AS and Mamiya RB67 bodies. The DSLR D3 shutter is a good enough substitute. Later model photo gear may have more user friendly options. Some of those older roll film cameras and manual focus lenses are still capturing great images in the 2020s. Street photography, and interacting with total strangers has always been an integral  part of any overland travel journey.

40 years between shots shows nothing much has changed with composition. I assume that's what is defined as consistency.

Grumman Ag Cats were first designed in the 1950s, this later version was probably first used for crop dusting.

Wild erratic weather can sometimes be unsurprisingly insane. High voltage strikes captured at 1am. Below, on this occasion, I had brought a single roll of infra-red film to Machu Picchu capturing a few images in infra-red, which came out as it should, a ghostly effect. Nikon F2AS, 24mm 2.8 prime, early 1990s, 2nd of three visits.

Below, an early morning stroll through the streets of Bogota captured this local using positive interaction.

Tribal Territory

Eventually, any overland travel journey through countries and continents leads to isolated tribal zones well off the beaten track. The above location was situated an hour or so north-west from Mon township. It was only by chance to have met this friendly 100+ year old Konyak headhunter, who immediately invited us onto his property. The positive vibe and open interaction was appreciated from both sides. 

Above, a location shot doing what I've enjoyed since the first time holding a camera. A thanks goes to Heiko who captured this snap showing the full ambience and interaction between both sides of the lens.

Above, one of many closeups using DSLR photo gear, captured with an AF 85mm 1.4D prime lens and D3S. 

Tiger claws, meerkat tails, hornbill bird bone and cheetah pelts are some of the wildlife cosmetic makeup used by tribal communities in Asia and Africa. Purchasing anything above should be avoided, including exotic bird feathers and wildlife pelts. 

Through the decades, solo overland travel and transit gave countless options to capture interesting subjects. Leaving home base without any camera-gear was unthinkable in the '80s, '90s and still continues now. On some rare occasions when roaming through side streets, or back alleys, I've regretted not carrying a camera or point and shoot to use on subjects. I know from past experiences, any particular scene, or subject matter won't be there or have the same ambience when returning the following day. Some say smart phone cameras are just as good to use, sorry, cell cameras are a last resort. DSLR camera bodies with quality lenses have always worked for me. 

Full facial tattoo and tiger tooth necklace are historic identities of Konyak headhunters, who scalped their enemies heads up until 1953.

North South Sudan

Both north and south Sudan haven't been spoiled by plastic tourism, or overrun from yuppie travel bloggers. Spending time through North Sudan is like being on another planet. Imagine traveling through a county having it all to yourself. It's virtually impossible, almost rare bumping into other western foreigners. Even the Antarctica peninsula tip is more overloaded - poor penguins! Visiting the Nubian pyramids is the opposite of the over-crowded Giza complex in Egypt - no fees, no hassles, no other people, no problem - just yourself absorbing the view.

Snap at the Nubian pyramids, Sudan. Below, the convergence of the Niles at Tuti Island, Khartoum. The Omduman bridge in the background was originally shipped from India by the English Empire reconstructed at this location in the 1920s. Taking images from the bridge is still prohibited in the 2020s - don't ask why. Even reaching the below location was a sensitive affair with boat police in the area, who insisted from distance to return back. Waving an A4 paper as an official permit did the trick. Point & shoot snap taken by a local.      

An Image For An Image - Tibet

It was illegal as it is today to hand out images of the Dalai Lama in Tibet. This has been protocol since Tibet was first opened to foreigners in May 1985. Smuggling a pile of DL images into Tibet from Nepal was actually quite simple. I was the only foreigner crossing the border during the winter month of January '87. At the time, in Kathmandu, I had met quite a few other foreigners who also wanted to travel overland through to Lhasa for the Tibetan new year festivities, but the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu at the time had placed a visa ban for all foreigners.
I had pre-planned well in advance and had grabbed a Chinese visa in Bangkok, already knowing the difficulty to enter Tibet from Nepal. It had taken 2 strained interviews of bureaucracy questioning before being granted a three month Chinese visa in Bangkok. Transiting from the Nepal-Tibet border during winter was difficult. The average temperature @ -20C had an added wind chill factor of -35C. The lack of transport was more like a survival transit journey that included rations of food supplies, and somewhere to sleep at night sheltering from deep freeze conditions.
After extensive overland transits, I found myself once again at a Chinese Embassy, this time in Pakistan. Chinese officials in Islamabad weren't so over dramatic, they had issued a 3 month visa entering China through the Karakoram-Xinjiang route to Kashgar, and onward to Golmud. The lower route via Mount Kailash was impassable in winter due to heavy snow drifts. Try doing the above overland transit routes today solo, and see how far you get - maybe 20km to the first checkpoint leaving Lhasa - if you're lucky, or an instant entry refusal at any of the border checkpoints on the eastern, western or northern perimeters of Tibet.

Chinese MSM not so long ago reported of Tibetans who have been jailed for up to 18 years for displaying or owning images of the Dalai Lama. This is typical Chinese hardcore control on ethnic minorities in one sentence. Today, Tibet is filled and over-flowing with Han Chinese from other provinces. 
​By 2022, China will have approximately 600 million functioning AI facial recognition cameras plastered on the streets throughout the country.
​It makes George Orwell's 1984 best seller a work in progress, especially when the Chinese Government uses George Orwell's 84 as a training manual. Think Global Agenda 2030. Personally, I have zero respect of CCP internal politics due to the suppression of minority groups and faiths (Tibetan, Uyghur, Kazakh, Falun Gong, Muslim Christian and Buddhists)  

The following is an exact extract from the below 1948 travel document. Some may have to reread it a few times to let it sink in - Tibet was an independent country before the Chinese begun their invasion of Tibet in 1950. The below document was probably one of many reasons China put the brakes on Tibetan self-rule advancement with Western influences. The rest is history of the Chinese crackdown and control of Tibetans in 1959.
"The bearer of this letter - Tsepon Shakabpa - Chief of the Finance Department of Tibet is hereby sent to Chine, the United States of America, the United Kingdom and other countries to explore and review trade possibilities between these countries and Tibet. We shall therefore be grateful if the Governments concerned on his route would kindly give due recognition as such, grant necessary passport , visa, etc, without any hindrance and render assistance in all possible ways to him. Seal of the KASHAG (Cabinet of Tibet), Lhasa. Dated this 26th day of the 5th month of FIRE-PIG Year (Tibetan)."

Danish Tabloid - Colombia

A submitted freelance article titled Farlige Colombia (Dangerous Colombia) published in one of the top leading Danish Newspapers - The Politiken. My first visit to Colombia was in 1989, when tourism was at zero percent, and assassination hits were full-on through the streets in Medellin, Bogota and Cali. During this overland visit, an Avianca passenger jet was blown-up by a Pablo Escobar suitcase bomb, and shortly after in early December, the largest terror explosion in Colombian history had detonated and destroyed the high rise building belonging to DAS (dept of security) killing 52 people, and injuring over one thousand citizens. The explosion was powerful enough to actually feel the pulse and energy where I was staying, it had  leveled several city blocks and destroyed more than 300 commercial properties. 

When In Africa

If there's a continent worth returning to, it's Africa hands down. Getting up close to wildlife beats looking at them in zoos.

Design - DIY Outdoor Slab Tables

Early proto styled slab table with 2 single uprights holding the top and moveable seats. Although the solid uprights when positioned held everything in place without a single bolt, later designed 12x12 inch 3 & 2 meter length beams were used instead.

DIY creative design is everything - years ago I was sick and tired of the usual boring outdoor tables on the market, so I designed and made my own. The finished concept was to enable a simple design that was tough, solid, and seat at least 12+ people, and hold its own weight without having a single bolt, screw, or bracket to keep the table stable without flexing or wobbling a millimeter. The timber, aged Macrocarpa, has minimal gum seepage, the opposite of old Man Pine and Gum trees. A finished coating is required to stop the wood from cracking under direct sunlight. Slab top and seat beams are first chainsawed cut forming a unique profile and shape of slabs. Above snap, a freshly coated 5 meter length table.

The following material is required to make your own monster slab tables. Two long thick slabs, one used for the top, the other cut in half used for seats. Two 3 meter 30x30cm ( 9ft 12x12 inch) beams for lower sections. One 2 meter 30x30cm (6.4ft 12x12 inch) beam cut in half for upper sections. A chainsaw, sander with a location working from start to finish out of direct sunlight until protective coats are thoroughly dry.    

Thick solid beams holding the top slab with no bolts or brackets with a perfect 70cm (27.7 inch) surface height. Below, slab off-cuts put to good use as outdoor seating.

Making your own designed slab seats from off cuts is simple enough, like these above examples.

A 3.3 meter early version slab table coated with two pot Extec. Macrocarpa timber will eventually crack and split if not coated with some form of protective coating. I've tried all types of different coatings, including transparent formulas with Extec being the best for long term reliability in direct sunlight and harsh winter weather. 

Below, an early proto 5 meter slab table made from oldman pine beside my driveway. Ongoing gum seepage is an issue with this timber. A warning to others, steer clear of oldman pine and gum for outdoor tables and chairs — even if coated.

Articles - USA

A brief published article on Big Cube Custom Nostalgia V-Twin engines. Not only were theses V Twins constructed and photographed by me, various other published articles, including front cover and middle page spreads in European and Down Under biker magazines were also written by me - not too bad for an old school dude.

132 cubic inch Knuckshovster by Rick Hemi                                                  120 cubic inch 2 carb shovelhead by Rick Hemi

Like anything, one can build and design their own stuff no matter the make or model. It could be Chinese custom lawnmower rebuilds, flathead Ford V8s, or a worn out 392 Hemi boat engines. American aftermarket Big Twins are the same. It's all about design, what parts are used, and how projects are assembled to sustain whatever punishment is given to them. Using cheap low quaility parts will dig deep into your wallet in the end. Best advice — buy American European made parts.

More cubes than most big twins, bolted into a hardtail frame numbing your bum — a nasty road rocket!

DIY - Lens Respray

A few years ago, I begun some cosmetic refurbishing to old used camera lenses that were badly scratched, or had lost their original protective coatings. Dismantling lenses is actually easy and simple with most lenses having the same basic OEM assembly designs. I discovered an automotive paint mixture that could be formulated into a flat matt finish having positive results guaranteeing a 100% non-chip scratch finish. Since then, I've sprayed numerous lenses like the below Canon 300mm f/2.8 finished in industrial matt. Not so long ago, I had sent a Nikon AFS 600mm f/4 lens to Nikon Japan for a full service which had been matt camo sprayed a few years earlier. The Nikon technicians were amazed by how durable the matt coating was when the lens was pulled down and reassembled without the paint scratching or chipping.

Videnskab Magazine

An image of a 15,000 year old human skull taken in the Copenhagen national museum - Denmark

Hemi Product Design - Rest Bags

Quality designed rifle rest-bags made in various sizes to comfortably fit any caliber rifle from .22 to 50 cal. Filling the bag with plastic bead for rifles, or sawdust for on the go, ensures a solid stable rest with minimal movement. Quick heavy duty velcro straps pulls the double jointed sections together for a perfect vertical position.

One of my long range rifles perched on a Hemi made rest bag, filled with solid plastic granules. Weatherby Mk 5 rechambered to 338 lapua magnum using 320 grain projectiles. Kickback was reduced with a muzzle break, or using a custom stainless suppressor. The Weatherby Mk 5 338 mag was more precise than the Rem 700P 338 mag.     

Below, an original Hemi designed rest-bag from 2006 still being used in 2020 in extreme high altitude sub-zero conditions. That's reliability of a quality made product design.

The 2006 rest bag design, is also used for photography when lag-time setting up tripods can miss the shot, or when tripods are impossible to setup in awkward locations (bustling city streets, heavy snow locations etc). Below, a Hemi rest bag holding 6.5kg of photo-gear. I usually fill rest-bags with sawdust, which is easily sourced locally almost anywhere no matter the country. The rest-bag in the image below was fill tested with ultra light polystyrene bead. The poly-bead did the job out in the field, including floating around in a dugout for 10 hours, although sawdust gives a snug fit for lenses and firmer foundation where ever rest bags are placed.

It's pretty hard to beat designing and making your own stuff, and then testing the product for reliability in extreme locations around the planet. Below, a Hemi rest-bag placed on a 4WD bonnet in subzero temps @4400 meters.

Hemi Product Design - Vertical Wall Wine Racks

These heavy duty wine rack holders are made from 4x4 inch (10x10cm) Macrocarpa wood with pressed alloy inserts to hold wine bottle necks in position. I designed the wine holders with square and round finishes. Because of the weight load of 10 bottles, the vertical racks mounting hardware and placement are positioned into the walls vertical and horizontal framing to ensure stability even through strong earthquakes.

Hemi Creative Design - Universal 6 Wheeler

Super lightweight six wheeler : Rear tilt door : Front storage box : 13" wheels : Dual disc brakes

Years ago I was tired of renting different worn out trailers moving stuff up and down the country, I'm sure I'm not alone here on this issue. Creating a design began by scribbling a concept on a half used paper napkin while sipping on red wine in a restaurant. From there, a six wheel trailer was all but completed within a month. The full rear tilt door was assisted with hydraulic shock rods, easing the door down to ground level. The 13" inch low profile tires made it a breeze to tow and glide along highways smoothly and safely. We are all gifted with different forms of creativity with many who may not even know they have it, and discover their creativeness through life by chance.

Print Media

Through the decades, I've had numerous published articles and images in editorial, front cover, and middle page spreads.

An example of a 5 page spread in a reputable biker magazine — I wrote the article, took the images and also built the bike.

Some articles have been republished numerous times over the years because the images hold their value.  

Submissions USA - 2020s

An image of a cephalopod used in discussion on the Hagman Report by Stan Deyo

Location Submissions - 2020s

Two location images chosen, and to be used for campaign advertising by a reputable US photography platform. Nothing beats being paid for those behind the camera location snaps. Of course, someone else has to be taking location shots of you at correct angles.

Leather Work - Design Create Make

Learning the art of creating something from leather is no different to anything else. It only requires a piece of tanned leather, some inspiration, a set of needles, thread, and sharp scissors. The rest comes from your own mind, the creative section we all have to make something from nothing. Learning how to saddle stitch takes about 5 minutes. 

I've lost count over the decades how many people I've met through the continents who have asked where I had purchased the belts they've seen me wearing. The belts construction are unique in design with a mix of bone, beads and leather, with each belt having a custom interchangeable buckle. The leather on two of the belts shown above are from thick straps from an 80 year old pack saddle. These belt designs may look simple to create, but are more difficult to make than what it really looks. These particular belts were made in the mid 90's and still worn today - that's handmade reliability for you.
The finishing touch of any handmade custom belt is the belt buckle itself. Choosing quality buckle designs is from the USA. Wing bling copies made in China don't last long, they fail and fall apart within a few months. The buckles above are authentic, made in NZ and the US. Both are designed with robust hooks made to last for years of use without breaking or snapping off.

Hand made custom designed leather work is something many people do just like myself. Since the early 80s, I've handmade all kinds of stuff from leather. The vest above is a good example. Originally, leather cut from old jackets and then hand stitched together creating a unique veat. This particular vest was made in the mid 90's. Since it was first worn, the vest has clocked up hundreds of thousands of offshore overland transit mileage through South America, Africa, the Mid-East and Asia. Amazingly enough, the vest is still being worn in the 2020s. Reliable for 26+ years. Another hand made replacement is in the works.
Below, a good classic 31K48 semi-industrial Singer sewing machine for leather work. I did a straight trade swap for it with a Winchester lever action .22 cal. The 31K48 came with enough boxes of new spare parts to last for decades.    

W49 Bowie - Overland Since 1982

Images of a custom handmade leather sheath pouch designed for a Bowie W49 blade I had made in 1981. The Bowie has been a part of my personal travel baggage, and has done extensive overland journeys through the Middle East, South America, Europe, Russia, The Pacific, East and Western Europe, Asia and Africa. This leather sheath and blade is still in perfect working condition in 2021 - that's 40 years of reliability. If this Bowie could talk, it would easily fill a 100 page non-fiction book on all the adventures, travels, and journeys it has completed overland throughout the planet.

A survived snap from the early 1980s during Purim in Israel with the W49 Bowie as part of a pirate dressage. The other two, also foreigners, from US and Sweden looked the part in their Purim dress wear attire. Purim, is a Jewish holiday commemorating the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, an Achaemenid Persian empire official, who was planning to kill the Jews in the empire, as recounted in the Book of Esther.

Classic Overland Journeys - I980s

In the 1980s it was normal to hand scribble out transit routes and share with others - not needed today. There are probably a few still out there who remember pen drawing their own overland travel and transit maps. Personally, Europe was far better off when countries had individual land border controls. My first visit to Europe in 82 was by hitching lifts and using trains getting through the continent. I've passed through Europe many times via the Mid-East and Africa. I had lived in Europe for some years, this made it easier to get around. Europe has lost its charm compared to what it used to have. Historical relics, monuments, and museums may still exist, but European nations have certainly lost their heritage, with feelings of despair, fear, left wing, right wing, political resentment, including triggered rebellion towards their EU handlers and controllers. Travel and hitchhiking through Europe was better off during the west-east block era.  

Classic solo overland travel and transit visas during the 1980s. Bush bus, train, truck, cargo vessel, passage ferry, van, self-drive, motorbike.

Traveling with cash dollars during the 1980s & 90s was by folding notes and placed into a money belt worn around the waist.

Most roll film cameras are dead and buried these days, but there are still those who still swear by them. My F2AS bodies ('79 & '80) had never let me down. They were robust camera bodies in their day. They were used through the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Middle East on different overland journeys. Lenses above, 500 f8N, 200 f/4, 135 and 24mm. I'm still using DSLR Nikon gear in the 2020s giving the same positive results and reliability like the above roll film stuff. As on any journey, photo gear, a cash supply with minimal clothing remains the same today. Above image taken with a '77 Nikon F2.
Below, a few classic snaps on the go during the 1980s when overland travel through continents was real adventure. It was the time before the narcissistic dopamine generation was born, you know, the spoiled rich kids, the triggered woke group think mentality living at home with mummy & daddy until they reach forty.
Japan was an excellent place to earn cash back then, and still is. During the mid 80s I was earning an average of 350 USD a day six days a week month after month. Lamu to southern Somalia was a peaceful transit location not like today. Old signage along highways were worth stopping for grabbing a snap. In Aleppo, meeting guys from west Africa, Tanzania, and Indonesia, and hanging out together in one of the roughest suburbs in Damascus for a few weeks, is hospitality still remembered.

Visas during the 1980s were issued quick and fast. A secondary passport came in handy for Israeli and Taiwan stamps, including other visas issued inside those countries. Crossing certain land borders with a pile of photo gear were hand written in passports, like above entering Peru (3 bodies, 6 lenses & accessories).  

Sleeping in my own tent under a tree pitched in the center of a main avenue in Islamabad wasn't an issue. One could roll up each Thursday at the Aussie Embassy sucking down a few ales, and eating steaks from the barbie, and then move along to the US Embassy till dawn sipping on Budweiser at the pool side bar. That's what I call being spoiled during transit journeys. Paranoia wasn't something to be alarmed about until crossing over into Soviet controlled Afghanistan, although not for females. I did catch peeping tom Pakistanis in Peshawar standing on stacked chairs peering through a thin narrow high hallway window inside a hotel steering down at an Aussie blond. It probably wasn't the first time, and not the last for hotel staff to experience close encounters with western females revealing naked flesh in rooms. Hidden cameras have replaced peeping toms - check your room out before striping down.  

Ginza : Lamu : Nanyuki : Damascus : Aussie embassy Pakistan : Mosscow : Istanbul : Berlin : Nullabor

Moscow and Berlin during the iron curtain days was a blast and a half. Prague, Budapest, Belgrade and Sofia truly had the rough East Bloc feel of Soviet communism. Hitching lifts from West Germany through DDR to Berlin was normal procedure. The only country I found difficulty hitching lifts in Europe was France. If I was female, it would of have been a different story. Greece, Spain, Morocco, Germany, Italy and Scandinavia were hitching paradises. Selling a multi-band Sanyo transistor on the streets of Prague for 5 times the value paid for train tickets and accommodation through the East Bloc. Istanbul and Ankara during the 80's were the hubs to grab onward visas into the Middle East for Islamic Iran, Iraq, and Syria.
Arriving into the land down under buying a $500 dollar '71 Falcon on the same day, for a full on road journey around Australia was more than simple. Try doing all the above today (2020s), and see how far you get. Reflecting back, overland travel during the 1980s & '90s postcard era had more freedom with minimal yuppie woke travelers. Even 747 Jumbo long haul flights were classier. No one cared, smoking, and consuming alcohol, congregating down in the rear kitchen chatting with air hostesses mid-flight - those were the good days of air travel reaching other continents.

Solo overland travel, Jan 88, hiking along the Sikkim-Indian border to the Nepali frontier reaching the highest viewpoint captured these roll film snaps of Lhoste and Everest. It was a time of unrest in north west Bengal. Darjeeling was a ghost town, there were no foreign tourists with many local businesses closed. The GNLF (Gorkha National Liberation Front) wanted a separate state. The hike to Sandakphu revealed the intensity of insurgency throughout the region. The Sandakphu summit was more than basic with one small building destroyed by militants. Camping out @3600m altitude inside a duck down sleeping bag was worth the journey the following morning to get a glimpse of Everest from 144km. Above snaps were taken with an SLR Nikon F2 and zoom lens.         

Welcoming signage in the west Bengal highlands enroute to Sandakphu in 88. The pink notice were the demands by the GNLF.  

Strolling through Ephesus in '98 without seeing other visitors is rare. All it took was rolling thunder, endless lightning strikes, and continuous downpours. Traveling through Turkey during the early '80s was different compared to the late '90s. There were minimal tourists, locals were super friendly, it was dirt cheap, and hitching lifts was easy.

One of those classic overland travel SLR snaps. Iran in '83 had zero tourism. The Iranian-Iraqi conflict was in full swing. Saddam was busily sucking out crude oil on Iranian turf which started the war. I completed a 2nd overland journey from north Asia through Iran 5 years later. Interacting with locals through Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan and Israel during the 1980s wasn't at all difficult. I had even applied for an Iraqi visa with used Iranian visas in my passport. Crossing Allenby bridge, the Israelis weren't even bothered questioning my overland journeys through neighboring countries.

A late '70s snap, one of my daily runabouts in Aussie, a Ford V8 352 Fairlane 500 during the good old days when gasoline was $0.09 cents a liter. This old V8 tank only required replacement head gaskets over a two year period. The engine didn't smoke, fume, or rattle. The transmission never clunked or leaked a drop. It loved guzzling endless gasoline. Watching "Once upon a time in Hollywood" brings back those days driving a 59'er.

1980s classic snap - traveling through Japan selling pictures earned more cash flow than teaching English full time.

During the early years of offshore travel, most foreigners were always looking somewhere to earn a few bucks. You name it, I've probably done it. Selling Colombian 18ct & 22ct gold in Costa Rica doubled my investment. Designing handmade wrist bangles made from copper, brass and leather sold well in San Jose. All it took were a few quality made pliers, cutters and materials with a good imagination to design unique pieces. In Taiwan, I was offered a few part time jobs teaching English. Better still, in Japan, I shared expenses with a fellow traveler investing in a pile of different framed prints. It was the 1980s, copies of sketched prints of Tom Cruise, Stallone, James Dean, Madonna and Michael Jackson sold like hot cakes. I even went further making stands elevating the larger pictures. It's all about presentation, even with junky framed prints, they looked the part and sold quicker. During the nights we would normally setup two displays at each end on the busiest night club streets. This automatically doubled sales. Driving throughout Japan selling junky pictures made a healthy profit, especially before national holidays and during festival events. An average intake mounted between $500 - $1000 US bucks per night! Far more profitable than teaching English on a monthly salary.

There were various pictures that would sell better than others. One idea that worked well, was to display four pictures together of the same subject i.e. four cats, four dogs, four landscapes etc. By doing this, most customers would already be deciding which one they wanted. Another experiment was displaying pictures that I personally favored compared to pictures that I disliked. All I can say, Japanese had different taste of what they wanted hanging their walls. 

Most tee shirts worn through the continents usually last no longer than two years, if that. This original classic Body Glove tee, first purchased in 1990, has outlasted all other clothing hands down. It has survived wear and tear, long-term overland journeys and transit mileage since first purchased, and is still  worn in the 2020s - that's 32+ years and counting.
Below, sharing time out with Kingsley at his home residence in South Africa pre-planning overland journey routes through the continent. Kingsley Holgate is a well known author, and intrepid explorer through regions in Africa.

Hemi Product Design - Custom Ammo Stock Holders

The inspiration designing ammo stock holders began when I had purchased a few cheap multi-fit holders made in China. They didn't fit tightly, an constructed from low grade material with minimal stitching that fell apart over a short time period. Designing and making top quality products yourself beats wing bling junk hands down.

Custom rifle ammo stock holders made with zero Chinese material. Heavy duty neoprene sleeve : Wide band bullet holder : Made to last.

Above, an H&R 410/45 colt with my own concept designs — ammo stock holder, strap, suppressor cover and rest bag.

Creating your own product designs and marketing, begins with the intended market scope within both wholesale and retail. These ammo butt stock holders were a big hit. Why was that? Because people wanted products made and crafted in their own country, even if it cost more. Top quality neoprene material, elastic ribbing and good stitching ensured a guaranteed lifespan of wear and tear. Hemi made ammo holders were custom made to fit each individual rifle stock butt. Not like wing bling universal ammo holders mass produced from China. ​

Six spare rounds on this rig is more than enough backup. The ammo holder above was put to the test numerous times within bushland and scrub with positive results having no twisting or movement of ammo. 

Never loose another bullet — Rim fire ammo stock holders loaded with backup rounds on different Brno semi-auto rifles.   

Quality heavy duty wide band keeps ammo in place with zero movement on the go through bushland and scrub.

A Brno ZKK 601 .308 with enough backup ammo to last for the day out in the field. Below, a Weatherby MK V .338 lapua magnum holding 9 backup rounds ready to go. The added weight carrying 9 extra rounds of this caliber is certainly felt. The half meter long stainless suppressor alone weighed two kilos. A better workout than being in a gym. The ammo holder never failed what it was designed for — A Hemi design.

Hemi Product Design - Creative Business

Above, a full set of Pet Care Fatz Sacs in camo at a reputable gun shop. These camouflaged designs were favored by deer and pig hunters and duck shooters. Thousands of Fatz Sacs were sold throughout New Zealand, because of two major points — quality made and made in NZ. Other imported Pet bedding struggled to match reliability and comfort that Fatz Sacs offered, especially for larger dogs requiring comfort and warmth where they plonk themselves. The Fatz Sacs line came in a choice of six sizes and five different colors.

Pet Care was created from inside an old farm barn on a 2 hectare property 5km out of town. Second hand industrial overlocker sewing machines were easy to find, because most of New Zealand's textile industry had closed down, or moved offshore to China. Sourcing rolls of heavy-duty material that could tolerate wear and tear, mud, damp, UV and to be waterproof at the same time was purchased through an Auckland importer sourcing material out of Taiwan. A strong, but ultra thin inner liner was designed to hold loose polystyrene bead. The bead fill, is secured inside the inner liner with a single small zip closure, and then placed inside the outer cover, which is then closed and sealed by a strong thick velcro strip. Fatz Sac design, quality, and reliability was thoroughly thought of before marketing it through various Pet shop wholesalers. Bead fill automatically forms to the shape and posture of dogs, and applies instant warmth — thus making it an addictive chill-out place that all dogs like. Fatz Sacs sold like hot cakes throughout the country — wholesale and retail, with large orders going out the barn everyday. Washing the outer Fatz Sac cover was by detaching the inner liner, and washing covers in washing machines. The topping of bead, when needed is with bean-bag fill easily sourced from 'Warehouse" stores through the country.

German shepherds showing how comfortable Pet Care Fatz Sac are. The XXL, is the perfect size for large dogs.The larger Jumbo ensured enough room and comfort for two large dogs,  like great danes. Pet Care Fatz Sacs were a small part of the many other pet bedding designs for both cats and dogs, including other pet accessories - All Made in New Zealand.

Hemi Product Design - Bolt Pouch Kits

One design leads to another, a simple innovated rifle bolt pouch that easily fits .22 to .50 cal rifle bolts safe and secure. The heavy duty 600D  Kadura material and velcro strapping ensures a reliable lifetime usage. Retail customers also order multi colored inner bolt holders for easier identification for triple and quad kits. Images — camo four bolt kit

Other Dislikes - Liars, Cowards, Snitches, Greedy Ignorant People.

Rock Concert - Middle East

While the rest of the Middle East were at loggerheads with each other in '85, international rock bands were in Israel.

Pick of the bunch motion movie tracks — one : two : three : four : five

Handmade - DIY Photo Albums

Large photo albums for all those classic roll film snaps

If you're anything like myself having thousands of SLR roll film snaps, then making your own photo albums is the way to go. As the images show, these albums were made extra large. Sifting for original negatives from the '80s and '90s and converting them to digital is normal procedure. The rest, the leftover snaps are then randomly sorted into albums, a non-destructible safe place for old images. I used thick cardboard sheets for the covers wrapped with durable fasson. Black Gainsborough sheets and rice paper between sheets were used for internal pages. A local guillotine operator is required to cut the finished measurements precisely. Four screw fittings firmly hold the albums together. Keeping all those worn torn, not so good, scratchy photos in selected albums is far better than having them stuffed in boxes or freely floating around in drawers.       

Berlingske Tidende - Editorial Spread

Weapons narcotic trade - Afghan Border

The above freelance article covered the weapons and narcotics trade along  the Afghan border. The article has been published several times around the globe, in Denmark, Japan and New Zealand. Today, the Afghan Pakistani border is still classified as a Red Zone region, due to the ongoing skirmishes and insurgency from various tribal and militant groups. 

DSLR D3S - Retro Shoot

How do you do a retro photo shoot? Find a collection of clothing, a willing subject, a location and some photo gear. 

The above location snaps were taken with a cell phone camera, the subpar quality of cell phone camera snaps are apparent compared to using real photo gear. I only used a 12 MP D3 body with two different full frame DSLR lenses. No reflectors, flash, or other tricks professional photographers use kept it simple.

The fashion industry is huge, retro clothing is a part of it. Retro wear has made a comeback in recent years. 

Tall and slim, Kristina from Russia, captured using Nikon's first full frame DSLR — 2007 12MP D3

Blogger - Snake Oil Venom

How to create malicous personal attacks on someone that you've never met or spoken with.

Poor little girl, You picked the wrong person that outflanks you in all directions. While you were still crawling around in diapers, I had already completed numerous solo overland journeys through the planet. Fresh little travel blogger flight puppies do bark a lot having little or no substance. As always, you can judge someone by what comes out of their mouth, what they write about, and their works they've done through their lives. This so called travel blogger gets a 1/10 rating.

Classic V8 4WDs - by Rick Hemi

One of many V8 engines I've owned and rebuilt. This particular Chev 5.7 liter cast iron engine received the full monty. This engine loved sucking gasoline like a tap turned on fed through a 4 barrel Dominator carb. I had my first V8 at 17, a 1939 Ford V8 sedan. V8's were running around all over place in the 70's. Today, the cost of fuel to feed these thirsty engines, is well above the roof, unless residing in a Venezuela, where it was only 1 US cent a liter for 98 octane the last time I raveled through the country some years ago. I've owned and rebuilt numerous American classic V8's, some receiving big cube replacement engines for increased power.
Those looking for rare 1965 through '77 coupes going for a dime are in luck. Venezuela has plenty of them. Even peeling off original badges and dash emblems through Venezuelan car junk yards will turn a tea chest of badges into liquid gold! Exporting Brazilian classic VW kombis offshore to the US, Canada, Europe and Japan, is another option earning good profit margins.. South Africa, also has piles of parked up VW popup rooftop kombis lying around slowly decaying rusting away. I was actually very close brokering a deal while based in Europe in the late 1990s exporting approx 90 Shah Harley Davidson bikes out of Iran. A Dutchman ended up getting the lot @ $100 a piece going or not going. Solo overland travel through continents opens up all kinds of doors for business. Not just lying around on beaches all day soaking up sun, knocking back  pina coladas, clicking dopamine socail media selfies. Below, the FJ45 flat deck restored with T/A 35's, super-low/overdrive Marks gears, and modified cast iron 5.7 Chev V8.

V8 4WD - Green Machine 

This early model

Nissan 4WD Chev 350 V8 : 1.5 meter extended chassis : Turbo 400 auto : All terrain T/A 33's : rebuilt by Rick Hemi

Made In Japan - Classic Toyota Hilux

A classic road legal 1982 Toyota Hilux hack runabout. It had enough power and torque with a V6 engine transplant to get through bog holes, and haul along mountain tracks and river crossings. ​

Smooth Roller - 6 Gear Turbocharged

New Zealand wasn't called the land of the long white cloud for nothing. Rainy days or not. I thrashed this black jet coupe through the country clocking up 4500+ kms. There's more on this road trip journey here. 

With dual radars onboard, speeding tickets were never issued — not once. This little 6 peed turbo coupe has a top speed of 270kph. 

Hardcore Travel - Memorabilia

Above, an original Greek arrowhead that was bartered for a bar of soap and toothpaste from a goat sheep farmer in a remote region in Turkey in the mid '90s. The Tibetan Thogchags was actually being worn around the neck of a rough clad dressed Tibetan, it was battered for two Dalai Lama images.  

No, this authentic hand woven belt with rough yak hide and rustic buckle wasn't bought in one of those Nepali tourist shops in Katmandu. In '87, I actually spotted a Tibetan pilgrim strolling through the street in Lhasa wearing the belt around her waist. I grabbed the belt from behind giving it a tug. Laughter from locals including from the female wearing it resulted in the quickest random belt buy I've experienced. The belt holds sentimental value for two reasons, the interaction when purchasing it, and knowing the belt was hand crafted and already well worn and used by a Tibetan in Tibet.       

Above, a Soviet belt buckle, was removed from a deceased Russian solider during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1986. 
​Note: The following images maybe graphic to some, but they are certainly not posted here for the purpose of any anti-Semitic viewpoint or against at Iranian citizens. The images of the below memorabilia are historical items that were obtained personally by me on two separate visits to Iran during the 1979-89 Iran/Iraq conflict.

​Both visits to Iran were during the 10 year conflict between Iran & Iraq. It was a time period when words "Like and Hate" were still in their dormant stage until the internet flourished into global social media dopamine addiction. Those born in the West who think they're in hardship wouldn't have clue of what real freedom actually means until it's completely taken away from them. I've personally experienced this in Iran. The 2016 movie - Septembers of Shiraz, directed by Wayne Blair, based on true events, is a reflection of that time period.       
The postage stamps above are only a few of the many propaganda stamps that were issued in the early stages of the Islamic Republic. The countries of France, China, USSR, USA, and the UK are visibly seen on the fingers on the UN Veto stamp. The two other postage stamps are directed at the US showing the takeover of the US embassy in Tehran in '79. Even today, the US embassy resembles a decaying structure that looks like something from Prague during the cold war days. The lower stamp above was issued in 1986, commemorating the bungled Embassy hostage rescue by Jimmy Carter in 1980. US navy helicopters collided in the desert region of Tabas - how embarrassing was that bungle? Below, a postcard I had sent from Tehran to another traveler with propaganda stamps showing proof these are not fake.

Below, I had removed a graphic "anti-Israeli" poster from a wall that was cluttered with a variety of other propaganda posters inside the Iranian immigration terminal on the Iranian-Turkish border before departing Iran. Iranian officials had actually watched me removing the poster off the wall, but didn't stop me taking it. The fold creases not only shows the age of this original poster, but the overland transit mileage it has also covered stuffed in a backpack through Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, Cyprus, including most of west and eastern Europe. Postage stamps and street posters are past examples how some governments were promoting their biased hate propaganda agenda against their enemies, well in advance before the internet had arrived. Large font pasted across the poster stops anyone using it elsewhere for their own purposes. 

Interacting With People - Works Anywhere 

Overland travel street photography hasn't changed one bit through the decades. The enjoyment of getting out capturing random snap captures of locals using whatever interaction skills required is always rewarding.   

Through the decades I've learnt to master the positive sides of interacting with strangers. Using camera gear has worked consecutively as one of various ways to open up dialogue with complete strangers. 

Using one's street instinct no matter where it is, or who it's with, is something that plays out as an important role when over landing through any country. Automatically interacting with locals has always been a great tool (or gift) that has opened many doors, and also saved my bacon a few times - including baggage. Giving a small amount of chit chat time even with street police is wise - just like in the above image in central Africa. Personally, interacting with locals through any continent has always created an open positive dialogue. 

Interacting with people is a large part of what overland travel is about - no matter their status, work, education or what faith belief system people are born into or follow. Sharing real time with locals beats anything that online offers. Traveling through countries different to your own without having the time to interact with people makes no sense.

Openly interacting with different people with different ethnic backgrounds has, and still is an integral part of any overland journey through countries and continents. Nothing has changed through the decades, interacting with strangers in the 2020s still remains the same, as it was back in the 1980s. Above, a local passerby who wanted to take a quick peak through the lens. Below, classic interaction with local Tibetans in Tibet created this group shot in the 19'80s.

Toxic Social Media - Addiction Is Real

I can switch off my smart phones for weeks on end no problem - Can You?

A worn out well used backgammon set — It opened up conversation & interaction with all different kinds of people through the planet.

The most common sight noticed among "travelers" today is the addiction of having smart phones or laptops switched on, vividly noticed in cafes, bars, and tourist ghettos. There's almost zero interaction at any table between a group of westerners sitting beside each other. Social media addiction and other online junk, is in total control. Social media platforms have thoroughly embedded themselves into every aspect of people's lives. FB, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram are the worst platforms for addictive behavior — the root causes for anxieties by the lack of social validation. Arriving to an open outdoor cafe in say Bangkok, Cape Town or Tel Aviv gives the same exact results — foreigners sitting around at tables getting a fix from their social status without any interaction between themselves. How sick and sad is that? One can also spot fluffy travel bloggers a mile off. They're usually cushioned as close as possible to wifi connections with fingers fast at work on keyboards. Today, if someone arrives at any trendy cafe hang-out without smart phones switched on, they're either classified as abnormal or a freak. The only way controlling social media addiction, is by switching phones off without touching them for a month. Social media addiction is worse than heroin addiction. Meeting, chatting and interacting with total strangers offshore, is by far healthier than toxic social media — Switch off your smart phone junk and get your life back.

Almost every image through this website has a story behind it. Immediately after taking this random street snap in Juba, I was confronted by a local, who aggressively spoke out "You're not allowed to take photos here - delete the image". Another local within the crowd which by now had gathered around me in a large circle begun arguing with the individual explaining there was no problem taking snaps. After a hot debate of screaming and yelling back and forth between themselves, the local who created the incitement insisted that I should go with him to the police station - What, a citizen's arrest? I refused, and told him to go the police by himself, and bring an officer to the location. I had ordered another freshly squeezed orange juice, and not even 5 minutes later, he returned with an officer, who then formally arrested me and escorted me by foot to the police station. While walking the 500+ meters towards the police station, I had warned this local that he was making a grave mistake, and the end result of all this would be embarrassing only for himself. He chuckled, and laughed saying "It's you that has breached the laws as a foreigner in South Sudan", "Not me". I had actually warned him a few times to re-think, but to no avail.
On arriving at the police station, most of the officers were sitting on chairs outside under a huge tree shading themselves from the sweltering 42C Degree heat. The commander began questioning what was this all about, which I then began to explain in simple terms. I told him that a group of locals were taking cell snaps of me, and  I had returned the favor and grabbed a group shot of them. I explained that I had made sure before taking snaps, that there were no visible government, or sensitive military compounds in the background.
I then pulled from my pocket an official document issued by the South Sudanese government that gave me permission to photograph anywhere in South Sudan. The commander read the permit, and then abruptly told the local that I was in my right, and had permission to photograph where I pleased. Before leaving the police station, I turned to the local who had caused all this to apologize while in front of all the police. He refused to do so, but the Commander forced him to apologize. My last words were what I had warned him about in the first place, that it would end up being an embarrassing moment for him and not for myself.

Tabi Mag Japan - 7 Page Spread

Publishing freelance work can be difficult and frustrating at the best of times, but today anything and everything is possible. I once had an exclusive story that was rejected by a main Danish tabloid (Politiken), but the article was accepted on the same day, and published as a full spread a week later by one of the Politiken's main rival competitors. Many freelance photographers sell their images to online photo stock agencies, but the rewards are not great - unless one can produce thousands of different images that are in demand. Publishing freelance work is a fierce battleground. A good article with a narrative with images to match may sell as an exclusive.

The Japanese tabloid and magazine market is massive with most publishers preferring to have the advantage of an exclusive article - which also pays a lot more. Never take rejection too seriously, It happens, and a normal occurrence for freelancers. Personally, my advice for street photographers who have been in transit mode over-landing through a few continents i.e. Europe to Asia for example, is to submit articles to the Japanese magazine market. This must be done in person. Japan is well worth visiting anyway. Worthy images with an added story line published in glossy travel mags is a bonus. (original digital raw files are a must). Story lines will require to be converted to Japanese, and proofread which isn't difficult if you have contacts.

Creating e-books is another alternative, but don't think it’s an easier route trying to earn from writing fiction jargon. Non-fiction material is far superior, and always in demand. A lot of thought, time, and energy is required to accomplish any e-book which can have the legs and potential to sell in today's mega online e-book industry. ​

Publishing A Book? - Choosing The Right Images

Author of I Am Guru, Katrina Wisbey had contacted me to use some of my images for her book which has now been published through Lulu publishing, and is found in bookstores or online through Amazon. Katrina's book covers a broad spectrum with vision and focus on personal self-discovery, empowerment, with plenty of soul food for healthy living in today's modern age. Katrina is an Australian social scientist and lecturer. For more info, you can go to the following Facebook link Cosmic Mindfulness

Random Street Photography - Full Frame DSLRs

One of many favorite types of street photography, is being right in the thick of it using a tripod. As long as tripods are placed out of the way, they won't be bowled over, or walked on by locals - which can happen. The above, a street scene within a bustling market where local laborers team up working together lifting and carrying produce. Some single loads weigh up to one tonne, requiring a dozen or so tough-guys to get the load up off the ground to head height. Half a dozen guys then share the weight on their heads manually walking and carrying the load in rhythm together. A great work-out for anyone interested to build some extra muscle. ​

A Location snap by Heiko Gatenberg. Solo overland travel capturing random closeup street portraits through countries across continents is part of any journey.

DIY Property Development - Rick Hemi

Purchasing - Renovating - Reselling

Purchasing run down properties that have the potential to turn around a double or triple amount of the original purchase price is rewarding if the property is renovated and resold within a short timeline. Choosing a rural property a few kilometers out from any town with 5-10 acres of land always has potential, and room to develop it into a great looking lifestyle block. I've done this a few times with properties that have old original classic style villas, or homesteads which are in need of renovating from the ground up. Ripping out and replacing old kitchens, bathrooms, and repainting, rewiring one hundred year old villas is hard work, but this is a part of the commitment for positive resale value. Doing all the labor yourself cuts cost considerably, and increases the learning curve to complete almost anything imaginable. The prime goal with any real estate renovation is to make a profit gain, and then move on to the next one. 
Above, a 10 acre property situated up in the foothills. An extra long driveway was cut out, curbed edged laid. A custom gate entrance using large beams milled from macrocarpa finished @ 40cm x 40cm x 3 meters was completed. A clean looking entrance automatically adds value, and is the first and last impression of potential buyers when entering or leaving any property of interest.

Below, mass planting of large varieties of native seedlings scattered over seven acres. Seedlings had plastic covers to protect them from hares snipping their tops off. A wide shelter belt of different flowering Eucalyptus Gum trees were planted around the perimeter of the block. This not only helps to protect new seedlings from prevailing winds, but also gives native birds, like Tui, bellbird, and wood pigeon a food source in the future, including a self sustained gum wood supply. My hard work (and enjoyment) planting this property paid off when nominated into the New Zealand environmental awards by the Greater Wellington Regional Council.
I did my bit - I've planted thousands of trees on every lifestyle property I've bought and sold - Have You? 
Has anyone actually heard ONE TIME from "woke pro-climate changers" who busily jump up and down on social and MSM (including most politicians & Hollywood idiots) if they have ever mentioned or voiced publicly to plant trees? Hello, is anyone home out there?

Above, rural bare block property development - planted native tree seedlings by Rick Hemi

The Same Property - 15 Years Later

They say never return to sold properties. Some new owners will rip out the hard work of previous owners, because of different or new ideas changing and modifying whatever they wish. This property is one exception, still containing what was planted, now a beautiful native bush paradise both for living and bird life. Drone images by Hamish —open for larger image. 

Above 2021, how this bare block of rural landscape looks 14 years later, now an awesome native bird life habitat.   

The first mission to clean up any run down property, is to clear all the rubbish, and junk accumulated over the decades. Operating a dozer to level and back blade around the dwelling area makes a fast simple job. This particular villa was originally built in 1905. A previous owner had the wooden piles replaced with modern concrete piles, a new roof, and had added an extended rear section for the kitchen and bathroom. The electrical wiring was also upgraded All the expensive repairs and additions were already done by a past owner.

Developing refurbishing old style farm villas is trendy in New Zealand. The home above, isolated in a rural region was in a dilapidated state in need of a complete make over before reselling. It was resold for almost double its purchased value within two months of being placed on the market. The same property, now with an established native bush block would easily sell for more than five times the original purchased price. Below, a small portion of the native tree seedlings planted in 2007 in 2021.

DIY Property Landscaping - Rural Lifestyle Blocks

Replacing worn out sheep fences on rural properties with wooden four rail fences makes a statement. Planting different deciduous and native evergreen trees should be done through the winter months to ensure the roots have enough time to reestablish themselves in the ground before the summer heat kicks in.

A truck with an overhead hiab was used to get this 10 ton rock to its new location. I did have another 10 tonne round boulder for a short period of time, similar looking to the Moraki boulders in the South Island placed in the same location. It was originally taken from the side of a bush gully where other smaller round boulders were in abundance, and also freely uplifted and removed over the years.
​The round boulder had to be returned, due to the crazy ownership of it. The one shown above was gifted in replacement of the loss of the 1st boulder. Talk about fuss over a boulder that was neglected until someone had interest in it that gave it some positive exposure. More on the round rock in About 2 at the bottom of the page.

I had asked for a quote from a local landscaper who specialized edge curbing gardens and driveways, but due to the rip-off pricing per meter, I ended up purchasing my own petrol Edgemaster curb machine. This was a good move and investment that paid off big time with the hundreds of meters of curbing it laid on these properties. Finished curbed driveways and curbed gardens automatically lifts the value up of any property.

A finished portion planted with native and deciduous seedlings, including a thick layer of mulch bark which keeps the seedlings root system moist and wet during the hot summer months. The majority of all my outdoor work was done and completed through the winter months. 

They say if a property looks good in the rain or during the winter months when everything is bare, then it's more likely to sell quicker during the cold months. This particular 5 acre property was originally the homestead of a large sheep and beef station that was approximately 1200 acres in size. The water bore is one of only a few originals left that has never run dry since it was first drilled in 1938.
DIY finished outdoor BBQ area that was originally overgrown grass feed for sheep. Adding unique designs to a run down property will normally increase sales potential to any property. In the end hard work and sweat does payoff.

450kg Mediterranean coal wood BBQ.  DIY outdoor chill out space that was originally overgrown grass pasture with sheep. Adding unique designs to run down properties will automatically increase value to any property. In the end, hard work and sweat does payoff.

The Round Boulder - Boulder Gully

Boulder Gully was known decades ago for its stash of various sized round rocks embedded in the ground. Many of those round boulders were freely removed over the years, with most of them being used for distinct icon ornaments on various properties through the Wairarapa region. I was told that a large round rock was still present at Boulder Gully. The rock had been laying just off the side of the highway, hidden behind bushes for years. I drove out to the location to see for myself if this was actually true, and sure enough, there it was! A huge large round boulder resting beside shrub bushes obscured from public view along the entrance of an old forest logging track. The boulder was situated in the middle of nowhere, and appeared to be abandoned with no claimed ownership. If it was owned, why would anyone leave such a huge round rock wasting away for years without picking it up and moving it to be openly viewed? Maybe it was just too big, or the hassle of moving a large round boulder, which required a Hiab truck that could lift this amount of weight.
After a couple of days, I managed to find a driver operator with a Hiab that could lift up to ten tonnes. We drove out to the location and had managed to lift the rock up after a few attempts. Heading back to Opaki, the rock was then unloaded at its new location in plain view sight, without even thinking there would be any issue with it. A week or so later, all hell broke loose, the local newspaper - Wairarapa Times Age (images above) had a full front page article  - "Whole Stole The Rock?" A Don Farmer special creating a Woke Article.
It didn't take long for those who knew where the new boulder location was to receive an abrupt visit from the local police. The detective who dropped in was looking very serious, and tried to pin me on theft of a rock. I replied, "Don't you have anything more important to do than running around looking for a round boulder from the bush? Like meth labs, dope crops, and gangland anarchy". 
I said, "If you're going to arrest me on theft charges of a rock, then you'll have to arrest all those through the years who also took round boulders from the exact same location".
After a brief discussion, the return of the boulder was agreed upon with no charges. 
I had contacted Bill Maunsell, the apparent "owner" of the rock with a formal apology telling him "Your boulder's coming home, it has now become one of the most famous rocks of all time in the Wairarapa, why not donate the boulder to be placed at the main roundabout in town for everyone to see?"

Since then, Bill Maunsell has gifted the rock as a memorial to peace at the entrance to the local Tinui Cemetery. Shortly after the return of Bill Maunsell's round boulder, I was donated a rugged looking 10 ton rock replacement, along with a few truck loads of one ton rocks. The local council gave consent to rock the road stopping yuppie boy racers hooning along this road after dark. Did it work? It sure did.

Property Development - DIY Edge Curbing

DIY property development : DIY self-curbing petrol powered Edgemaster — Rating 10/10

Self-curbing using Edgemaster petrol powered machines isn't difficult. One requires a quality made wheelbarrow (not Chinese made), medium size cement mixer (not Chinese made), stomper compactor (not Chinese made), string line, level and shovel. Curb edging large gardens, pathways and long driveways adds value to urban and rural properties.

Six different curb profiles come with curbing machines. I mostly used the highest profiles with slant and square edge finishes. You can even make your own profiles if necessary. A small magnetic level placed at the front keeps everything in check. Thoroughly washing down curb machines, and oiling moving parts after a hard days slog is imperative for free no hassle maintenance.     

A trailer is required for sand mix. On a good day, I'd go through one tonne of sand. The trailer above, a dual hydraulic ram full tilt lift with rear swinging detachable back lid did the mileage carting sand, rocks and bark. It was probably one of the best designed trailers I've owned.    

Above left, In the end, double row curbing, red stone chip with macrocarpa beams was used instead of schist rock. A mix of marigold and laurel trees completed the walkway. Using schist rock would of been dangerous to walk on when wet.
DIY edge curbing essentials : Edgemaster petrol - zero issues Rating 10/10 : Honda petrol powered mixer - zero issues Rating 10/10 : Honda petrol powered Stomper - zero issues Rating 10/10 : Ezipour wheelbarrow - zero issues Rating 10/10  

Rural Lifestyle Living - DIY Firewood Supply

Rural country lifestyle living firewood supply : 100+ year old macrocarpa : DIY felling - ringing - splitting - drying

Personally knowing farmers comes in handy for firewood. I'd usually offer a 1/4 of the take. The other positive of doing your own firewood supply, is the physical fitness one gets. Ringing, splitting. stacking, and then moving  re-stacking wood under cover ready to burn is a good workout. The above macrocarpa actually had a massive barrel, more than enough to make a 5 x 1.5 meter slab table. The mac was removed a long with a few other large trees only because of being in the middle of an unused farmers access lane way sold for property lifestyle blocks. My property block at the time is in the background.    

Rural lifestyle living DIY firewood supply : Top Left native river wood : Top right - Macrocarpa

Firewood in NZ was almost free and plentiful in the 1960s. Farmers with back country normally had scrub land full of trees like Kanuka and Birch. As a young kid, it was compulsive during the summer months to chop and drop trees for the following winter. My short time period back in NZ decades later was no different. Developing run down rural properties were still good investments before the 2008 crash. New Zealand was rapidly becoming far too expensive to reside in. The cost of living back then was already above the ceiling.
My offshore overland travel kicked-off once again where it left off - that was 14+ years ago, so now reflecting, I was correct with my own conclusions - NZ would become an expensive living hellhole.

Where do you get free firewood? Along the banks of rivers and coastal shorelines. These piles of wood were scavenged at a river close by. Through the winter months most large rivers swell up during heavy rains washing trees downstream. Most wood shown are native logs, with some that have probably been wedged in the river bank for years. I'd use an old chainsaw blade and chain. Waterlogged river wood would normally be coated in sand and stones. 

An old B-275 International tractor down at the local river scavenging firewood. The cost of one cubic meter of dry pine firewood delivered has now reached unbelievable prices. Below, the same river in flood.

Jumping into swollen rivers is as dangerous as swimming in oceans with undertow. During the dry season scavenged wood was extracted from the above river bed. A slow day collected reasonable size amounts of matai, birch, kanuka and rimu, including other excellent burning wood, like gum and mac — all for free.  

DIY - Custom Driveway Entrances

Designing, creating and making your own rural driveway entrances is simple enough, like the above examples.

Some DIY made items become sentimental, like the above hand chiseled name plaque that moved with me from property to property. Mangohino (Maori) — Shark tooth L. 2.3M

Adding custom main gateway driveway entrances adds value to properties — the first and last thing noticed by potential property buyers.

The above property had a 100+ meter long driveway with no gateway when first purchased. I used double steel frame gates with alloy inserts attached to 8 foot 12x12 inch beams. The custom gateway was positioned well back from the boundary line allowing an added frontal slow tapered picket styled fence on both sides. The front of the driveway beyond the picket fence already had a slight right curve meeting the narrow gauge dead end road.

Get inspired, design and construct your own driveways and entrances. This property ended up with a second entrance further up the drive to keep dogs at bay. The entire drive was also edge curbed. All main 12 inch square beam ends were soaked and heavily coated with creosote and cemented in the ground. Top beam ends were also coated with creosote and protected with 16x6 inch square tops. Pipe gates were galvanized and alloy sprayed. Like anything custom built, random maintenance including a fresh coat of paint ensures long life expectancy.
Today, you don't see many driveway entrances built with 12 x 12 inch solid beams. I used six beams for this rural gateway entrance. The pipe gate below wasn't yet completed. Circular designed inserts were later bolted in the upper lugs.    

Rural Living - DIY Landscaping & Planting

Creating bird life activity on any property is by planting the correct trees. Planting a numerous assortment of nectar flowering trees will guarantee a variety of different bird species visiting through properties yearly. Above, NZ Tui feeding on Pohutukawa and double flowering Camellia trees.    

Above property, nestled up in the foothills had excellent water supply running through it during winter. Too much rain on any property can cause all sorts of drama, flooding and damage. Creating channels following the original swale formations was dug out on this block. The appropriate drainage pipes were necessary to ensure the excess water flow left the property. Ponds flowing into each other were also created, including the planting of thousands of native trees, shrubs, and mixed seedlings giving the property the a real feel of nature surrounding it. Driveway and garden edge curbing mounted to more than a kilometer. The property was sold quickly for this isolated location. Looking at hill side rural properties for sale during the wet months is recommended. This gives a first hand account to see if over-flooding occurs and other related issues before investing. Never invest or live below mountains, on the edge of cliffs, or by creeks and rivers.

Rural bare block development. Planting native trees and shrubs on bare land begins with whatever one can collect and plant during the winter months. Swamp flax, Rimu and Lancewood prefer growing in damp environments.

Above, Sawtooth and smooth edge lancewood. I was fortunate enough to find a massive trove of lancewood seedlings that were moved during a wet rainy winter day. The replanting of 100's of lancewood was a success with no die backs. Below, planting out the entire hillside with native tree seedlings.   

Flax is the easiest native plant to move and reproduce. Large flax plants can be split into smaller sections and replanted without issues. During flowering season, flax provides nectar for Tui, Bellbird and waxeye. 

Planting flax, is best done through the winter months. This allows root expansion for flax to rapidly grow into healthy specimens like above.

The above list of native tree seedlings is what was planted on this block. In total, 1000s of seedlings were established, including a 10+ row of Ficifolia flowering gums planted on the backside as protection against prevailing winds i.e. north Wester. Ficifolia gums not only creates a wind block, but also produce nectar for native birds, and individually culled for firewood when required. One things for sure, every neighbor residing along this isolated location will always remember the long haired tattooed Maori, who they thought was a dak (gunja) smoking hippie leaving a legacy behind showing hard work and effort. One thing I've learnt offshore, solo over-landing through the planet — since 1978, is to never judge someone by the way they look, or their skin color. Instead, look at what they've accomplished.            

Hare, Possum and stoat eradication control, is an ongoing issue with young and older growing native trees. Using poison bait and traps isn't recommended, if dogs and cats freely roam on properties. A .22 cal Brno ZKM 611 suppressed semi-auto & spotlight at night did the trick. Above, hare shot the night before, chopped up shared to pets. Living rural, one requires dogs for increased security for scumbag thieves, and a few cats exterminating swamp rats.  

Planting native tree seedlings also involves eradicating hare and possums. Even with protective plastic tubes held with bamboo sticks, hare can still elevate high enough on their back legs snipping off the center tops of tree seedlings. Snipped seedlings are automatically replaced. The best time hunting hare, possum and other critters was usually after midnight. Domestic animals are put inside, in case of being mistakenly targeted. Shooting hare and possum using a suppressed .22 mag semi-auto with mounted spotlight from 50-100 meters distance was normal procedure, at least five times a week.

Living rural has its own issue and problems with thieving of property being one them. Security gates, alarms and cameras are all good, better still are a few dogs. Outdoor alarms, sensors and fixed cameras lack real time surveillance in certain situations. This is where mans best friend fills in the void. Having an established perimeter around dwellings and workshops allowing dogs to freely roam during the night works 100%. These German Shepherds did what they're good at - security.

Above, a young Ficifolia gum in flower, a Rimu seedling with the background of other native seedlings in protective tubes to reduce hare snipping. Below, the end result of planting a mass amount of native and nectar flowering trees, is to establish a large enough land space to accommodate an endless attraction for native birds to remain, breed and multiple without sourcing food elsewhere.   

Below, Manuka seedlings from seed sprouting up under a lancewood. During the summer months, I would collect thousands of Manuka seeds picked from green and red adult trees. The seeds would be dried and placed in soil around native tree seedlings that were already planted, especially around Rimu, Matai and Kauri. This helps protection through early stages of growth with slow growing native trees. On top of that, Lucerne trees were planted wide spread as a larger protective umbrella during the summer months shading native trees. Lucerne trees may look ugly, but they're an addictive food source for New Zealand's native Wood Pigeon. 

Cabbage trees and red flax were planted in clusters in certain areas around the property. I scavenged all my flax from various locations. Removing young cabbage trees replanting them elsewhere can be done if no damage is done to cabbage tree tap roots. It's far easier to purchase bulk lots from nurseries when winter begins.
All native trees on this property were planted through the cold season. It allows trees and plants root system to establish themselves. Planting native trees during summer has a risk of sudden die back, which equates to a waste of time and the death of trees that could have been avoided. As of the latest official property valuations, this property now has a 1.2-1.3 million dollar price tag.

Below, DIY cut out driveway, edge curbing, upper gateway entrance, native plantings, and large boulders.

DIY Property Development - Planting

Most large established nurseries have selections of 3-5 year old specimen trees. Die backs are common with trees remaining to long within the same barrel causing root bound issues. The above, a Golden Totara had symptoms of die back because of being root bound. Native trees with die back are usually sold at giveaway prices. It can take a year or two for root bound trees to spring back to life with rapid growth rate. The above property was sold shortly after planting this Totara, by now it's probably matured to at least 12-15 meters in height.

DIY - Rural Lifestyle Living

Rural lifestyle living DIY vege garden — Plant and eat non-GMO home grown food — Stock up on seed stocks.

Has the cost of fruit and vegetables hit your wallet yet? The only way of saving unwanted food expenses, is growing your own supply. One of the first missions of any property is preparing a vegetable patch. Rural property open vege gardens require protective fencing keeping animals at bay. Using netting for certain types of veges is also required, although stand alone hot houses is the better option, especially for lettuce and tomatoes. Depending on soil quality, the addition of fertilizer maybe required. This is easily confirmed using a soil tester.
The above snaps are quick examples of two different rural locations preparing and planting vegetable gardens. Three kinds of potato, sweet corn, carrots, broccoli, lettuce, silverbeet, parsnip, radish, cauliflower, tomatoes, baby tomatoes and cabbage were successfully grown and consumed from these gardens.          

Rural lifestyle living while developing property is rewarding when each corner of the block is completed and finished. This can be the simple task of planting a variety of fruit, citrus and olive trees and grapes.

Above, a hot house in the backyard with six rows of olive tree seedlings. In total, 40 Manzanillo olive trees were planted which when established would yield approximately 3-4 liters of oil per tree giving a volume between 120-160 liters of oil per year. Bark spread around the base of seedlings kept the ground damp with added bird netting  protection. 

Rural lifestyle living — DIY vinyard plantation, 100 Pinot Noir vines produces approx 800-100 bottles.

I enjoy drinking my reds, so I created my own mini vineyard planting 100+ Pinot Noir seedlings during the cold season. This particular property was right smack in the middle of grape harvesting territory. Setting up rows and planting vines is the easy part. Once fully established, adequate water supply and protective netting is necessary. Knowing exactly when to pick the harvest is essential for a quality tasting wine. Sugar and acid levels are measured using refracto and PH meters. Red grapes are usually harvested when showing a 24-28% Brix level. An estimated 8-10 bottles per vine from the 100 vines planted would approximately yield 800 to 1000 bottles of wine.  

Above, a layer of stones made sure the vines root system were protected from scorching heat during the summer months. This also saved wasting water from the ground aquifer. A vineyard, olive grove, including a variety of fruit and citrus trees were planted on this particular property. Added additions do pay off when the time comes around selling properties. This rural block was sold within a very short time period from when it was listed for sale. Below snap, a midwinter day spreading thick layers of bark mulch around planted shrubs and trees. This helps freshly planted tree seedlings root system to remain damp and protected during the hot summer months. 

Rural Living - DIY Custom Workshop

Designing a good custom workshop area inside a large enough garage automatically adds value to any property when it's placed on the market. The above and below images show the end result of a fully functional workshop on a property that was completely renovated from ground up and resold for double the purchasing price within a very short time period. Any extra additions will increase the chances to sell properties quickly. The same workshop bench design layout has been used multiple times on numerous properties. I've had up to 8 Harley engines spread along this table top design with no issues.

Rural Living - DIY Maintenance

Anything's possible if you know how to use a hammer, string line, plumb bob, level and handsaw. Manually digging holes and pounding dirt in and around posts isn't art, it's psychically hard work that pays off in the long term. DIY property development usually starts by cleaning up the previous owner's mess, or their half pie unfinished projects. As the saying goes, if you're going to start something, at least finish it, or nothing will be finished through you're entire life. Below, constructing numerous 4 rail fence lines — 2.4M H3 half rounds.      

DIY Rural Living - Backup Power

Lombadini 220/380V 25Kva diesel generator                                                        Honda Elemax 220V 6Kva petrol generator

Rural lifestyle living and property development is about being self-sustainable in the best way possible. Having reliable generators (excludes Chinese made junk) is not only a necessity, but worthy investments supplying backup power when required. Forget about solar energy unless living in regions with 300 days of sunlight. Deep cycle batteries also have use by dates that commonly fail well before their proposed expiry timeline. DIY rural property development requires a portable generator for electrical tools i.e. router, band saw, welder etc when working on isolated projects around rural properties.
The small petrol Honda Elemax 6Kva above was purchased 2nd hand and worked its guts out without missing a beat, and then resold for the same price I originally paid for it.
On one occasion, I was fortunate enough to find a mint condition Lombadini 220/380v 25Kva diesel generator with only 9 hours run time for under 1/4 of the retail price. The one tonne generator came with bonus custom solid beam supports and a large stainless steel fuel tank. Driving a thousand kilometers turnaround was well worth the effort, an investment that was later resold with double profit gain. Below, enjoying the landscape view en-route back to home base. 

Hemi Product Design - Low Profile Lens Rest Bag

There are times when tripods can't be used within bustling urban city over spills at certain spots. This includes inside wildlife parks when using a rented vehicle, because of the risk level of being devoured by a big cat if hopping out of a vehicle. I designed this particular soft lens rest bag for quick mounting on car doors (window down), which gives any heavy lens a cushion of stability with minimal vibration while grabbing captures of subjects. It can also be used on sidewalk cafe tables, or resting on anything that's solid enough to position a heavy lens when there's limited space and room i.e. on top of road/pavement safety rails, busy overpass walkways, or within any condensed area where a tripod is impossible to place. In Red Zone regions, the lens rest comes in handy capturing images from ground level without getting shot at. In regions of conflict, the low profile rest bag can be placed anywhere avoiding detection, and still capture long distant images without the necessity of using tripods. Holding, man-handling 6 kilos of photo-gear without the aid of a mono/tripod can only last a few minutes at a time. The lens rest bag gives multiple options of capturing tack sharp images, and protects heavy lenses from collateral cosmetic damage from ground scraps and surface bashing. 

Wilderness Wildlife - DSLR Territory

Using some form of camera gear in the wild is a must — Rhino Africa : Jaguar Pantanal : Primates central Amazon 

Capturing random shots of a baboon troop that suddenly appeared coming out from bushland - Southern Africa  

Wildlife photography is a part of my photography interests. Capturing images of animals and birdlife within their habitat has always been an agenda no matter which continent, or region it's in. There's something addictive when the possibilities or the opportunity arises to photograph certain types of wildlife, especially when getting up close without disturbing subjects. Image, a Purple Heron about to devour breakfast.  

Above, An 800mm Nikon f/5.6 tele lens mounted and ready on location to capture Himalayan griffon vultures within their habitat. Below, a steppe eagle from Mongolia devouring a carcass. 

American Biker Days - Mid 90s

Custom HD construction - Engine renovation - Drop ship distributor - Freelance writer

Rebuilding worn out thrashed Harley engines is big business. Constructing new custom projects from the ground up is even bigger. Renovating Harley engines is one of my favorite workshop attractions. It doesn't matter what model HD engine, or what year it was manufactured. They're all basically the same design to strip down and rebuild from 1931 up. Special tooling is required for Twin Cam engines, but the basic construction of HD and aftermarket engines haven't changed over the decades. New project constructions are always interesting to build, because of each customer's personal requests. Below, a loud noisy day up close using a Mamiya RB67 med format camera at the biker drags.

Big Twin World - Design Create Make Stuff

The Right Stuff - only quality reliable parts make V2 engines work the way they should when the time comes around to rebuild them. American billet machined CNC ductile iron cylinders, billet forged pistons, titanium valves, and Carls Speed Shop billet CNC machined Typhoon carbs are certainly proven aftermarket Harley parts that can be trusted. Using copy Chinese wing bling parts is cheaper, but don't cry when your engine blows to bits. Above images — 6x7cm medium format roll film.

Bike building projects are only as good by the person building them, including the selection of parts being used. I've seen some pretty shoddy bike builds that could of been better if they were completed using quality premium parts. Cheap made junk from China aren't worth the wrapper they come in. I've been down that road with different clients running on tight budgets. The above Evo 5 speed hardtail 230 rear, is an example using quality made parts from Europe and USA. Stock OEM 1340 engine and tranny with a selection of compatible aftermarket parts from Holland, Germany, Italy and Sweden were used for this build. Quality stuff may cost more, but guaranteed to out last any project assembled with wing bling junk. Best advice for others out there building their own rigs - Use American and European made parts, or suffer endless issues and highway breakdowns. 

The most important thing of any design is reliability hands down. The above V2 Hardtail battery holder is one out of many custom designs I've constructed proving anything properly made will last for decades. I've never trusted wing-bling made products from China. Shoddy workmanship, and cheap second hand grade material will always end up failing!
Batteries for V Twin rigid frames are usually hidden inside the center of oil tanks. The majority of Hardtail frames have a small dead space area between the front of the rear fender and the transmission. I wanted to design something simple enough to hold large batteries with plenty of cranking Amps without straps, or battery box covers, which are both ugly. First, I used a thick chunk of billet alloy plate. Approximately 20 milliliters was milled out to fit a battery into it. Four holes were drilled on one side of the plate and tapped for 3/8-UNC threads for adjusting stainless steel set screws. 
An added loose drop-in thin titanium plate with industrial grip type rubber glued to one side of it fitted directly inside against the battery. 
The simple task of screwing and tightening the four set screws until the loose plate gripped the battery totally secured the battery in place to handle any vibrating thumping journey along highways. A small drop of blue Loctite on each set screw kept the screws from unwinding out. The billet alloy Battery plate was placed on 4 welded tab lugs, and bolted down from underneath using 3/8-UNC S.S. 12 point, grade-12 military tank bolts. The finished design without having any cover, or ugly straps or other clutter to hold batteries in place gives a super clean finished look, and most important - solid reliability at peak revs on any highway, including extreme tensional vibration that rigid hardtails are well known for. 

I was fortunate enough to have the right contacts who owned and traded large inventories of second hand workshop machinery. They had some quality machinery passing through from time to time. The German Deckel FP1 above, could mill non-stop all day. I also managed to score a Swedish Strand floor drill press (gearbox model), including a Weiler LZD 220 lathe with a ton of milling drill bits and lathe accessories at super bargain prices — Quality made old stuff works! 

Old school custom hardtail Harley Davidson projects have never faded out, they still keep that classic nostalgia look alive in the 21st century.

One of my private workshops with Evo, and Shovelhead engines all receiving individual custom retro fits and make-over for clients. The six month winter in Scandinavia gives plenty of time to complete, and finish a multitude of engines ready for the short summer season. Below, another replica HD workshop I designed in NZ which also had a milling machine (Dekel), lathe (Wieler), floor drill press (Strand) including Tig and welding gear.

A totally clean spotless biker workshop with reliable machine gear and quality made tooling (Stahlwillie and Armstrong) for building, constructing and renovating HD engines is imperative for new customer projects. In the end, it pays-off big time with excellent feedback and plenty of new orders rolling in.

HD Evo V2 : 5 speed : Etalon frame : Fat Katz tank : OMP rims : 12" inch over SJP forks : 230 rear tyre : Billet alloy parts : stainless hardware

A classic rigid project in the making. An Evo with a 5 speed box was the drive train choice for this bike. It usually takes one thousand man hours to complete a bike project from start to finish. Nostalgic "old school look" Harley Davidson projects are always in demand in Europe and Asia. The below snap of a German Walz frame on the workbench waiting for its powerful payload - a 144 cubic inch mega bore engine and 6 speed transmission. 

Not the most typical Scandinavian biker garage. It just had enough room to build one bike at a time. The eight meter length workbench could hold seven engines. My favorite tooling machine, an FP1 Deckel miller had its place in the corner. Stop dreaming, build your own biker garage.

An automotive MC workshop isn't complete without reliable machine tooling. This 1961 German Deckel FP1 milling machine gets 10/10 for precision work and design. The above and below images show the raw and finished concept of a rear brake bracket to hold a 6 piston PM race caliper.

As the saying goes, if you can't find what you want — design and make it yourself. 

A Biker associate had made a few prototypes handlebar concepts that caught my eye. We got together redesigning a few versions that were more beefy and solid for the American market. The bars are constructed with 40mm stainless tubing, and tig welded and polished to perfection. This particular design were named Ram Horns.
There are many copy-cat designers floating around out there, who busily search the net copying other people's designs, and reproducing the same item in bulk using cheap Chinese labor. Those wanting to sell their own designed concepts  should already have some form of patent, and marketing products, as soon as possible when stocks are ready made and available. This gives an approximate 2 year window to earn full profits from products before those designs are recopied and mass produced in China.

Waltz rolling chassis, Knuckshovster, and Harman rigs. Below, an example of custom made engine parts designed and made be me.     

Got Noisy Neighbors?  Straight Pipes Kohler Twin 

When my distant neighbor made too much unwanted noise, this Kohler twin cylinder horizontal engine running straight pipes bolted in a wood chipper was started drowning out unwanted racket within the entire region. The Kohler operated at full peak revs mulching 100mm branches without hesitation.  

Solo Overland Through Continents - With Photo Gear

Clocking up 4600 km overland using trains, buses, vans, and 4x4 transport with photo-gear without damage is an art I've become used to over many decades. My classic Nikkor 800mm f/5.6 AIS lens was recently put to the test within extreme sub-zero temps @ -20C. It passed with flying colors with no cracked elements or seized internal womb-gear grease for periods of up to five hours per day for 3 weeks at altitudes between 3600m - 4500m during the peak of mid-winter in the Indian Himalaya. That's what I call reliability - Kudo points for Nikon.

There's never a dull moment carrying around photo-gear no matter what country or continent it is. Random street photography, landscape, portraiture, wildlife, and cultural snaps are always within reach. A part of the enjoyment with photography are the actual locations themselves. Images from a late summer journey up in the Himalaya.

The benefits of carrying long prime lenses in isolated wildness regions does pay off with image captures like above. The disappointment of only having junky cell cameras or point & shoots, is still something that's not understood or comprehended for those using them, until trying to capture long distant shots. It's virtually impossible to reach out in isolated wilderness terrain with small devices expecting good satisfactory results — I've tried that path.   

Through the continents I've met a few friendly enthusiastic locals offering their help and assistance carrying some of my photo-gear to certain locations. Most foreigners probably wouldn't dream of trusting strangers with camera equipment, but like this young local above, he was more than happy strolling around with me for a few days helping out. Since 1979, I've never dropped a single lens, or had a camera body failure. The only time I've ever smashed a camera body was once done on purpose to prove a point.
The humorous event had happened in Managua, Nicaragua. I was doing my own thing through the country. I had met, and joined a group of foreign journalists sitting together around an outdoor bench sipping local ales. One American journalist had his camera on the table. It was one of the latest Nikon bodies at the time. I was still using Nikon bodies from the 70's  era, an F2 and 2 F2AS's.
After guzzling a few drinks and chit chat, I had asked the dude how his new Nikon body performed. He replied and said "it's  awesome." I pulled my old F2 photomic out from my bag on the ground (it had no lens attached) and threw it on the table. There came sudden laughter and chuckles from around the table, because of the age of my camera. So for fun, I made an ultimatum with the owner of the new Nikon body. I said "what I'm about to do will prove a point that the F2 is one tough tank that your newer Nikon body probably won't match." He smirked and replied "hey go for it", So, I upped the anti, and made a deal that if his camera could survive the same test of what I was about to do, I'd give him my camera for free (he didn't expect something like the following)
There was a wooden pole just beside me that had a nail protruding out an inch or so above head height. I grabbed my F2 like a hammer, and then bashed the nail into the pole without mercy. I then wound off a few clicks to show the F2 passed the test. It didn't even receive any dents on the bottom side. Everyone just freaked out, especially the dude with his new Nikon camera. I said, "it's your turn, find a nail and bash it in with your camera, and let's see if it still works."
He abruptly stood up finishing his beer, calling me a crazy loco at the same time. He grabbed his camera and disappeared. After a few minutes of laughter around the table, another American asked me if I wanted to sell the camera. Well, I had 2 other reliable F2AS bodies, so I replied  "Why Not" $500 bucks with a 50mm lens - its yours. The cash was on the table and my F2 was sold on the spot. I asked the dude why the interest in the F2? He replied, " What you did is something I'll never forget for the rest of my life."

Well, without photo-gear this overland travel and transit site wouldn't exist, so at least a couple of snaps are appropriate to complement the various image captures through the website. Carrying a variety of lenses, and a couple of camera bodies through continents has been somewhat normal procedure through the decades. Today, this is classified as old school, most use over rated cell phone cameras instead. There aren't many solo overland travelers left from the 1980's era, like myself, that's still alive and active on the road traveling with a pile of photo gear. The majority of the millennial and Gen Z generation I meet these days prefer using lighter mirrorless cameras, or just snap away using wing bling smart phones. Maybe some of the image captures through this site may influence others towards street and wildlife photography rather than just selfie snaps for social media - who knows?  More on overland travel photo-gear here

Long powerful quality made tele-lenses rock. A location snap on the roof tops viewing across the Lima skyline in Peru with an AF-S Nikkor 600mm f/4 lens. Updated versions of the AFS 600mm lens are now lighter weighing only 3.8 Kg.

Location snap — Nikkor 800mm 5.6 ED AIS manual focus lens.

The classic 5.5kg 800mm f/5.6 manual focus lens still captures quality images. I'm positive those who are using the same lens would agree. It's clocked countless hardcore overland transit mileage offshore without issues. The 800 will still be used for some time yet. A mixture of example low res snaps taken with this lens can be seen here

Capturing closeup images in the wild like above can only be done using long reach prime lenses - Not smart phone junk!

Setting up a tripod with an 800mm f/5.6 AIS lens in Varanasi - Going to India? If so, this page has more than enough images and info to wet your appetite. Below, street portraits captured with the DSLR D3. The D3 just keeps on going, it won't die, a truly reliable full frame DSLR daylight workhorse even in 2020s.

Solo Travel - Road Trip New Zealand

The Other Side Of Aotearoa - New Zealand Sold Itself Out To China

Never criticize other countries until you've had a deep look inside your own country first!

Nitrate Ghost Farms : Lead In Drinking Water : Dirty Dairying : 1080 Poison : 100 Octane Leaded Avgas

Hangi - Natural Earth Oven

The above images show a prepared Maori earth oven Hangi. The bed layer of rocks were pre-heated until blistering white and then placed in position in the bottom of the hole. Large potato hemp sacks were pre-soaked in water for 48 hours.The food was sorted into wire made baskets with the meat placed at the bottom and then adding layers of vegetables on top of the meat. Once the food baskets are in position, linen bed sheets are then wrapped completely over the food trays sealing them to stop dirt from entering. Covering the entire earth oven with dirt from the hole ends up looking like like a mound.
This particular hangi had over 40Kg of prepared food. Allowing more time ensures the food will be completely cooked. Earth oven food will never burn, but if the food is pulled out too early, the chances of having half raw cooked food may result.
​As soon as the dirt seals the top of earth ovens, the process begins. The soaked damp hemp sacks laying on top of hot stones automatically creates steam, this then cooks all the prepared food slowly like a pressure cooker. The taste of earth oven food can't be described. The cooked lamb becomes tender soft and falls apart, including chicken and fish. The cooked vegetables end up having a mixed blend all of their own with a taste that melts in your mouth. Approximately 40 guests with most being European devoured themselves to bits, and couldn't resist having 2nd and 3rd servings. This was the largest hangi my friends and I have completed offshore. From preparation to completion, is what makes an earth oven event worth its labor time. Below, two NZ lamb, ten chickens, 10kg fish, mixied vegetables ready to be cooked on heated hot rocks and soaked hemp sacks. Food is wrapped in linen sheets — approx cooking time 6 hours.      

Is Everyone's Future Timeline - Already Predicted?

Maybe one can never foretell or predict their future unfolding until looking back realizing that it was meant to be. This classic school snap below from the late 60's was taken with a world map backdrop. It didn't have any importance at the time it was taken. Four plus decades later, I re-discovered this photograph, which correlates to the last 40+ years living off-shore with the majority of that time over-landing, and transiting through countries across continents.
​It does make one wonder if in fact, if everyone's timeline future has already been archived at an early stage within their own history records - Coincidence?

The completion of endless solo overland travel journeys through Africa, Middle East, Asia and South America has spanned over 4 decades. Some of the best journeys were on board bush buses, bush trains, hitching lifts, on cargo ships and self-driving through countries crossing continents. Images, classic snaps during the '80s postcard era.  

Offshore travel during the '80s wasn't complicated as it is today. One only had to plan which continent, jump on board a 747, land, and go from there. There was no fuss, no wokeness liberal left mindset indoctrination — it wasn't yet hatched, no one gave a crap about it. People back then used their own self-critical thinking skills deciding what they wanted to freely believe without peer pressure. Maybe that's why in the 2020s, I still hold those values without interference from MSM, social media, TV, and other propaganda controlled outlets. Nothing, but myself decides how I think, what I voice and what I do. Chucking out my last TV in 2008 was well overdue. Switching off from social media was even better. Netflix got the boot from the laptop years ago. Wasting energy being indoctrinated viewing liberal wokeness movies — No thanks. Freedom still exists, but one has to decide for themselves how to find it. Loosing contact with so called circles of friends will certainly have negative effect with some trying to detox away from social media platforms. 
T.V. — Tell A Vision, when turned on, you get a list of Channels. What;s on those channels? Programs — You've been programed your whole entire life — Channeling & Programing the human mind — Got it?

Since the late '70s, I've done the hard yards transiting solo crossing through continents. I've been fortunate to have completed so many journeys through the decades without any major incidents. The covid years slowed overland travel down to a trickle, but hey, I'm still out there, offshore doing what's possible. Any kind of travel will never be as it was. The world has drastically changed at rapid pace becoming more politically ugly. In saying that, getting out and about doing random street photography, landscape, wilderness wildlife, and street portraits still continues on in 2023.

Freedom to travel to any destination one pleases — enjoy doing it while you can before all freedoms are taken away. Most will not believe what's coming down the pipeline, even when all the signals forewarn what is going to happen. It's called ignorance. In the name of climate change, the majority of global airport hubs will shut down. It will begin within western nations and roll out from there. The UK has already given signs of this event to begin and be completed within ten years. People freely moving around on their own free will to travel, fly and self-drive will become non-existent by 2030. Globalist tyranny has more spider webs than what most assume — beyond the reset
Below, a mid-1980s roll film snap during a midwinter solo overland journey through Tibet.      

What's down the pipeline in the mid-2020s? Maybe building a log cabin within a secluded spot in Asia, maybe a chill out travel lounge filled with a selection of my own travel images in canvas on the walls, maybe building another V2 project powered with a hydrogen H20 cell, maybe nothing at all, who knows. One things for sure, having zero debt burden, is imperative in the world we live and travel in today.

Hey - Don't Tell Me About Vaccines!

I've probably taken more vaccine jabs than most people out there through the decades, because of solo overland travel journeys through the continents. Yellow fever, tetanus, typhoid, polio, cholera, hepatitis A, and gamma globulin are a few to mention since the early '80s. Keeping it short, experimental mRNA jab juice is about profit, greed, control and submission over populations. What happens when 3 billion mRNA vaccinated people have undiagnosed myocarditis?
If you've followed and believe MSM all your life - you'll probably believe anything they report i.e. touching ground soil is now considered dangerous, taking cold showers now causes heart attacks. Wow, now drinking coffee and sleeping in the wrong position post 2021 causes heart attacks. Swimming in oceans is now dangerous. Going to sleep may cause death — you can't make this stuff up. It's ironic the common flue just disappeared off the face of the planet, never to return since 2020 — What? The cause of Covid deaths is by the unvaccinated - What? No, it's the vaccinated who are dying from heart attacks and other related health issues caused by the mRNA "gene therapy" vaccine. 
The deception tactic being used since 2020, is Fear Psychosis, and appears to have worked on those who were bombarded 24/7 non-stop believing an experimental vaccine protects contracting the virus. One only requires to look at Israel, four mRNA jab shots and counting. it's not the virus that's doing the damage - It's the vaccine itself!
There are no such things as coincidences when the same coincidences are happening on a global scale all at once around the planet. Since the rollout of mRNA vaccines in 2021, the increased flow of sudden vaccinated death syndrome, vaccinated blood clot syndrome, vaccinated low sperm count syndrome, vaccinated pregnant women miscarriages, vaccinated female menstrual bleeding syndrome, embryo growth failure, vaccinated healthy sportsmen dying from sudden heart attacks all point to the mRNA vaccine - Not the virus! Coincidences are the highest ever in recorded history since 2021.  With no doubt, the mRNA vaccinated will continue believing Covid is the cause - not the vaccine. As always, MSM has done a fantastic spin using propaganda campaigns manipulating populations - follow the money!  MSM is also a virus — Switch on any TV channel, and get your daily dose of channeling programing.     
Remember the great toilet paper run in the Western world in 2020? It's amazing 5+ billion people around the planet use their hand to clean their bums. For centuries, people have used their hands to clean their bums. No sudden outbreaks of disease or death from people wiping their butts has ever occurred. Although now Monkey Pox, a homosexual related virus, is the newest propaganda rollout for non-homosexuals - Line up get your Money Pox jab - No Thanks!
No one is permitted to tell or expose hidden truth data of mRNA jab juice. Even Pfizer tried to seal their own data for 70 years, which tells you there's something sinister to hide. One only requires to trace the money flow, who paid off who, how many are still being paid off to keep their mouths shut, who's still being paid advertising and promoting jab juice, and who are enriching themselves with Pfizer stocks since 2019. Meanwhile, people under the spell believing mRNA gene therapy vaccines are good are playing Russian roulette.    

This is not fear porn - I've lost friends,, who suffered fatal heart attacks from the result of taking mRNA jab juice. In the early stages of promoting mRNA clot shots, I told them to wait - don't get it! This is what happens when MSM, government, doctors, social media, and employment pull together heavily promoting a "vaccine" that wasn't even 3 months old. Some have been fortunate only receiving saline.  The planet, is now full of trauma based mind controlled lab rats. The massive global aftereffects from millions suffering adverse advents, strokes, induced cancer, and heart attacks is beginning to take its toll, and will continue for the next few years without a murmur... crickets. 

August 2022 - Leaked video Israel ministry of health hides devastating report on mRNA vaccine injections

By using fear as a weapon, it has the power and ability to cause mass delusional psychosis over populations. This is exactly what has happened around the planet since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 Scandemic. Until one can actually see through all the smoke clouds of deception, and look directly at those who are controlling the fear narrative, people will happily bow and submit themselves under the global hypnosis agenda plan.
The world is a theater, populations have become happily rounded up herded like sheep to the slaughter - used as human lab rats. They have lost the grasp of how to self-critical think for themselves. They instead, follow down the path of their own demise, because they have lost the ability to question anything. Fear is used as a weapon inside the minds of weak people!

"The vaccine campaign will go down as the biggest scandal in medical history. Moreover, it will be known as the biggest crime committed on humanity" - Member of  European Parliament Christine Anderson.

Are these events happening in your circles of friends? 33 dead & sick friends since our wedding only 8 months ago - All 33 were vaxxed.

Japanese Expert - Vaccines poses 7 times higher death risk than Covid for young people.

Scandinavian countries halt Moderna mRNA vaccines due to increased Myocarditis and Pericarditis cases - Oct 2021

Woman perfectly explains why the vaccine narrative makes no sense - Aug 2021

mRNA Vaccine 98 times worse than the virus - Harvard John Hopkins report - Sept 2022

The virus wasn't just created for massive profit - it was  born political. The virus rapidly moved to countries that wanted massive lock downs. The virus moved freely through Africa without causing panic. The virus knew exactly when you walked into restaurants, but didn't infect those eating food with masks down. The virus is intelligent, it knew when you're exactly six feet apart from others and wouldn't infect you. The virus is so intelligent, it knew when night curfews began, it would only infect people from 7am to 9pm. The mRNA experimental gene therapy cocktail and constant wearing of masks were far more dangerous than the virus.

The common flue suddenly just disappeared off the planet in 2020, and then reappeared again in mid 2022 - How Ironic.

So, you've just had a PCR test and have been told you have mild symptoms of Coronavirus. If Coronavirus 229E was detected and used as CV-19 symptoms, this is nothing more than just a common cold.

They somehow managed to demonize coughs, sniffles, and having no symptoms at all, but normalized strokes, blood clots, neurological disorders and Died Suddenly - Misleading false information is in plain sight.

August 2022 - 18 percent of pregnant women in Pfizer mRNA vaccine trails lost their babies. This has been scrubbed off the internet.

July 2022 - four Canadian doctors die suddenly three from the same hospital all within 6 days of each other.
July 2022 - Norwegian 25 year old suffers continuous menstrual bleeding for a year since 2nd mRNA Pfizer jab.
Nov 2021 - Warning to vaxxed zealots, be careful what you say to non-vaxxed - Dead 2 weeks since 2nd mRNA Pfizer booster.
May 2021 - Israeli data showing the carnage of adverse events and death related to mRNA Pfizer vaccines.
2021 onward - Fit healthy sportsman and athletes  - 1114 dead from stroke and heart attacks after taking mRNA vaccines.
July 2022 - Vaccinated nurse speaks out  - The unvaccinated were the smart ones.
August 2022 - Within 9 months 14 young Canadian doctors die after receiving mRNA vaccines - MSM silent - Why?
August 2022 - Saudi businessman giving live speech collapses and dies from heart attack - Fully mRNA vaccinated.
August 2022 - 16 year old male dies of heart attack while playing frisbee.
August 2022 - 22 year old male dies of heart attack, never woke up - Australia.
August 2022 - 18 year old female basketball player dies in her sleep - Romania.
August 2022 - 36 year old film critic dies from massive heart attack - India.
August 8th-15th 2022 - 65 people who died suddenly - USA.
August 2022 - 24 year old Aussie female fully vaccinated mysteriously passes away - Bali.
August 2022 - 32 year old South African actress fully mRNA vaccinated dies of unexpected illness.
Sept 2022 - Hundreds of excess deaths every week - Holland.
Oct 2022 - 80 Canadian doctors dead since mRNA vaccine rollout.

In the beginning Pfizer mRNA was apparently advertised as 100% effective - Really? Did you believe that fake news?
"I would like to let you know that I have tested positive for Covid 19. I am thankful to have received Four Doses of the Pfizer BionTech vaccine, and I am feeling well while experiencing very mild symptoms" I am isolating and have started a course of Paxlovid - Albert Bourla - CEO of Pfizer August 2022. (Fox News is one of thousands of MSM outlets Pfizer uses promoting their mRNA vaccines)
Are you a confused vaxxed zealot? One only requires to research the ever increasing morgue deaths from January 2021 onward.

The miracle not heard around the world - 230 million people eradicated Covid using Ivermectin.

August 2022 New Ivermectin study Brazil - 92% lower chance of death

Above, my own prescription of Ivermectin offshore had totally eradicated a parasite in 2020. Coincidentally, the timing of taking Ivermectin also protected my body from Covid. Even mentioning the usage of Ivermectin in Western countries was forbidden. As usual, toxic MSM had banned together with their governments during 2020 running smear campaigns against Ivermectin funded by Pfizer-Gates. Like fools, many people believed Ivermectin was only used for horses i.e horse paste. Actually, Ivermectin was the miracle prescription to stop Covid deaths in its tracks. One has to question why would certain countries stop a 100% safe and effective medicine to stop Covid infection?  Millions of people around the planet would still be fit and healthy, but now are suffering from adverse advents and sudden death taking experimental mRNA gene therapy. For decades, Big Pharma have been expert professionals smearing its rivals to promote their own drugs and vaccines using fear narrative campaigns. Pfizer was on top of that in early 2020 - It worked subduing the global masses.  

Top tennis player, Novak Djokovic was banned to play in the 2022 US Open for one obvious reason - Moderna was a sponsor

Sitting back watching all this slowly play out through 2020 was like a pre-written script play. Brave new world psychological manipulation rolled out on global population in real time.  Governments and MSM were in lockstep with Pfizer-Gates and other Pharmaceutical companies. It's not logic to cut the hand off that funds you. Deceptive fear psychosis propaganda using coordinated scripts on global populations were in full swing in late 2020 onward i.e "safe and effective" "to be kind, be home, be safe", "get the shot", "we're all in this together". Understanding it all is simple — Misinformation today is profit. Follow the profit, follow the money, follow the greed and lust for control and power over people. Create fear and offer safety — It was never about Covid. It was all about the vaccine! Until one wakes up understanding the above, they will remain having fear psychosis symptoms embedded in their brains submitting with compliance without questioning why they're doing it — Covid Stockholm syndrome.

Embalmers around the planet still remain silent, only a few brave ones have spoken out about fibrous rubbery clots they've treated.

Eating good healthy food versus fast food junk wins hands down every time in the long run. In today's world of consumer food stuffs, the importance of knowing the difference between unhealthy food compared to quality grown food produce shouldn't be ignored. Before 2020, obesity and people with mineral and vitamin deficiencies were already causing mass casualties. The danger of being obese or unhealthy, is far more life threatening for those who've taken mRNA jab juice. The consumption of eating healthy food, fruit, and liquids containing high volumes of minerals and vitamin nutrients is paramount to combat diseases prolonging life longevity. Purchasing fresh food produce from local farmer markets is a good start. Growing your own vegetable patch is even better. The most difficult task for many, is avoiding fast food drive-ins and trendy snack bar locations serving subpar food and drink content. Another issue, is refraining from using canola oils, corn oils, margarine, tin food, white salt, commercially baked goods, and lowering the daily amount of sugar intake. Milk, meat and other forms of food produce from supermarkets will become mRNA induced — Globalist and big pharma depopulation slow kill has been an agenda for decades — Do your own research.  

Zinc : Vitamin D : Vitamin C : Fish Oil : Iron : Red Meat : Salmon : Eggs : Bio Honey : Fresh Vegetables : Garlic : Magnesium

Remember "my body my choice" - what happened to that? It disappeared straight down the toilet in 2021 never to return. Imagine the millions around the planet that are now suffering personal adverse health issues from taking mRNA gene therapy juice. What is known, many mRNA vaccinated have received all different types of health issues disrupting their daily life. How many are out there who've regretted taking mRNA gene therapy juice is unknown - the majority out there remain silent, but deep inside they know  it was the greatest mistake they've made in their life. Even well known media host Dan Bongino recently came out saying the mRNA vaccine was the greatest regret of his life. Programed fear psychosis used on populations using similar techniques will also be used when cash is suddenly eradicated, and replaced with personal under the skin technology to buy and sell - due time date 2027-2032.

Being a Kiwi myself offshore, I can't help shaking my head sideways. 90% of Kiwis will believe whatever their MSM and Government is telling them without questioning it. The below graph shows the rush to stock up on toilet paper, all those lock downs, shutting down international travel, quarantines and draconian regulations were a complete waste of time. From March 2022, it's the vaccinated who are dying, even though they were double and booster jabbed. Feb 2020 - Feb 2022 (24 months) - 63 deaths :  March 2022 - August 2022 (five months) -  2679 deaths NZ data

Double vaxxed New Zealanders seven times sicker in 2022 than pre-Covid 2019 - Kiwis don't get it - It's the vaccine.

Oamaru, New Zealand population 12681 - 94 freshly dug graves at cemetry - mRNA vaccine related deaths?

July 2022 - New Zealand is a warning case example. An island nation, the country came all out to keep the virus out of the country. Vigorous quarantine protocols were implemented on anyone infected. NZ never got the benefit of natural infection moving through the population. The New Zealand population were all highly vaccinated. The WEF Prime Minister - Jacinda Ardern was full on "let's go vaccinate the entire population with Pfizer juice." With no prior natural immunity, highly vaccinated and isolated, New Zealand has one of the worst global attack rates in morbidity and mortality rates in 2022. Unfortunately, the mRNA vaccine doesn't work. Firm data shows the highly vaccinated are being repeatedly infected and hospitalized and dying. The experimental mRNA gene therapy weakens a person's natural immune system to fully function. WEF NZ PM Jacinda Ardern says "We Are Your Single Source Of Truth", how ironic, the Chinese Government, and other Socialist Marxist Regimes say exactly the same words. Hey Kiwis, breath in slowly - there is no climate emergency

The Smell of Globalist Control — Is By What They Command You To Do!

We must flatten the curve :  We must be vaccinated : We are all in this together : We must submit and obey.

Power greedy Globalists share common values - To pillage taking control of what's not theirs.