SOLSTICE SUN

Getting used to seasonal shifts in daylight hours has been one of the hardest things to adapt to since moving to Europe. Although I spent many years in New Zealand when I was young, I lived near the equator long enough to consider daylight hours of equal length all year round as normal. Still, I finally got my little hound over to the UK a couple of weeks ago so my new daily routine involves getting up an hour earlier (groan) to be dragged comatose around the countryside.

IT'S ALWAYS SUMMER IN PROVENCE

I recently went on a short trip to Vergeze, a small sleepy village in the South of France. Time to shed the heavy coats and get a welcome respite from the northern cold snap.

FORET

Fly agaric toadstool

During my most recent visit back to France, I took the hound for an autumnal wander in the forests of Saint Amand les Eaux (Parc Naturel Régional Scarpe-Escaut). Decent forests are pretty few and far between in the north so it was a nice change to get out and about in a woodland. Lots of mushroom and toadstools on display, so I tried my hand at a little microcosm style photography.

PASTORALE

One of those typical medieval style country villages full of quaint lanes and half timbered houses, Chilham has become one of my favourite spots to visit on a lazy sunny Sunday afternoon. There are also pretty extensive walking tracks around the village as it's part of the South Downs Way. This quaint summer scene of grazing sheep and ripening apples was just too perfect.

FNQ

During my latest trip to Australia, I went on a quick 5 day dash over to far North Queensland. I haven't been here since I was a kid, and on the itinerary was a tour of the Atherton region, the Daintree and a bit of Barrier Reef action. Although the weather was mostly cold and overcast (well, except for in those first couple of pictures...) it was a pretty fun excursion...aside from the gut heaving excursion out to the reef which left half a boatload of passengers being violently ill, myself included (check out my sexy sea legs).

KINGS OF THE ROAD

Road trains are the most common forms of goods transport in Australia. Huge trucks cover large distances every week, and travel the length and breadth of the country.