Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2015: The South Bank / East Coast Edition

When I started writing this post I was sitting in bed, wearing a jumper, a cardigan and my dressing gown all to avoid having to put the heating on. Today the heating's on.

Add to that the fact that my tomato plant leaves are turning yellow. And between the pair of us James and I have sorted out 4 bags of clothes to donate to charity. All in all something tells me there's a change of season ahead ...

Which is why I'm glad that I've almost found all 21 items on Rinda's Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt list, because in just 3 weeks' time it'll no longer be 'summertime'.

There still remains one elusive category "No.4. People playing a board game or card game" and, while I know I could mock one up by telling James to whip out his Top Trumps and smile for the camera [now there's an insight into our private lives you weren't anticipating when you dropped by today ...] I'd much rather stumble across the scene naturally.  A bit like how I did with today's topic.

3. A person walking a dog (or other animal). 
I'll get to the dog in a moment [which is something you won't catch me saying very often!] but first allow me to just lead you up to it ... [dog, lead, see what I did there? Ah ...]

When we booked a hotel on London's south bank last month we had no clear idea about what the area was like. We knew it faced the river and had the London Eye somewhere behind it ... and that was it. It wasn't until we stepped out of the hotel's front door that we realised what a constant stream of people drift their way by it along the Thames-side footpath.

Soon, like two twigs in a game of Pooh Sticks, we merged with the stream and found ourselves meandering up and down the waterfront like everyone else. [At least when you're following a river you can't get too lost]. 

Although ... I say 'meandering up and down the waterfront like everyone else' except ... not everyone else meanders.

• No, the tourists stumble around recording themselves using selfie-sticks, and stop dead in their tracks to take photos without warning. 
• Meanwhile the locals cycle and run to and from work; tucking-in their elbows as they sprint by, to avoid jabbing the hoards of passers-by who have fewer demands on their time. And, to my surprise, they even scoot past on scooters. Dressed for their day job in the city. Scooters the likes of which - where I live, you never see being ridden by anyone over the age of 15!   

So, with all this life flowing around me it was an ideal place to try to find someone walking along .. whether or not I could spot an animal there too was a different matter. Eventually I captured this one which is a little uninspiring, but it gives a feel of the place I suppose: 

I've mentioned this before, in my Month in Numbers post for August, but after a frenetic 3 days in the capital I was ready for an altogether slower pace ...  

... which lead me, sedately, to finding someone walking an 'other animal':  

I'm not sure if I could have found anything quite as polar opposite than a dog amongst the London throngs and city skyline ... and a gentle donkey ride along an almost empty beach on the North East coast.

But I guess that's what travel's for? To change your scenery from time to time.  [And maybe to swap dogs for donkeys ...because I know which ones I'd rather find on a beach!]

Julie :-)

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If you'd like to catch up on my 20 successful Scavenger Hunt discoveries then drop by my earlier posts here:

• The London edition 
• The old book edition
• The Hamlet 'ticket booth' edition
• The 'Out & About on Holiday' edition
• The 'Lincoln City Centre' edition
• The 'Town Centre' edition
• The 'Haven't I seen that outfit somewhere before?' edition

And you can visit curator of the hunt - Rinda - here at her blog Gallo Organico to catch her regular round-ups and link posts.

Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt 2015: The London Edition

Hi hi. 

Did you catch my post earlier this week, the one where I blurred the lines between rational adult on holiday and complete Sherlock super-fan? A post which, for balance, also involved gnomes and black-bean burgers?  Well, if you didn't read it, you'll want to go catch-up ... because that's quality journalism you're missing out on right there..  

But not so quick! Because I've got more scavenger hunt photos to share as I'm almost finished my version of the 21 items we needed to find! 

So, have I mentioned I've been to London? Once or twice? Well, ever since I knew I was headed there I'd been holding off photographing this next particular category as I thought a snapshot of the Thames would make the ideal document of my mini-break.

The thing is ... as you'll see, I didn't really stop at ONE photo ...

20. A natural body of water
The Thames, glittering in the morning sunshine:

The thing we came to realise about the Thames is that it's so ubiquitous you can see it from all kinds of locations throughout the city.

So much so that while our hotel sat right on the river with the front door being just metres away from the water's edge we could also see it from our room located at the back of the building:

And we couldn't really go far without bumping into [although, happily, not falling into] it. So here are a few additional takes on my chosen 'natural body of water ...

... with essential London landmarks in the background:
The London Eye:

Tower Bridge:

And while we're on the subject of bridges here's a glimpse of the Thames taken...

... while on a bridge:

... and while under a bridge: 

... then with the tide out: 

It was a little strange to hear the tidal lapping of the water, a familiar sound from closer to home where the coast is just a few minutes drive away, but not necessarily something I thought I'd hear in a city.

And from moving with the tides we go back in time to  ...

...when it froze over:

 One of a series of plaques depicting the frost fairs held between the 17th and early 19th Centuries when the Thames would freeze over.

And while we're on the subject of doing brave things on the river [I'm much more of a landlubber] ... here's a view of the Thames ...

... from the back of a boat:

 My friend Kirsty and I took a trip up and down the river, to and from Greenwich, and it was on our return that we sat in the splash zone, with various small boys and other people who didn't mind getting wet when the engines were going full speed.

While I was there I took this photo as proof that, this summer, I did at least one activity that required the creation of an official 'Escape Plan':

Makes me feel almost adventurous. Almost.

And finally, for today, here's yet another shot of the Thames, again with an famous London landmark in the background [the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben] only this time, in the foreground, I've sneaked in another Scavenger Hunt category:

21. A photograph of you with a sign reading "2015 Summertime Photography Scavenger Hunt".

I'll admit that I did worry if I'd feel silly holding that up while on a very crowded bank-side footpath; then I saw just how many tourists were selfie-sticking with gay abandon. And I got over myself!

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I've now got just 2 categories left to find and my summertime hunt will be at an end!

Is that autumn I can feel in the air? *starts thinking of what to document as the days begin to darken *

Julie

p.s: If you'd like to catch up on my discoveries then do drop by my other Scavenger Hunt posts here:

• The old book edition
• The Hamlet 'ticket booth' edition
• The 'Out & About on Holiday' edition
• The 'Lincoln City Centre' edition
• The 'Town Centre' edition
• The 'Haven't I seen that outfit somewhere before?' edition

And if f you wanted to join in the hunt then you still can, it doesn't end until summer does. Just visit Rinda as it's her brainchild and you can share your discoveries either via your blog, or on Instagram with the hashtag  #‎rindas2015photohunt or even join the Facebook group and make sure to visit Rinda's blog to catch her regular round-ups and link posts.