The islanders thread ;) - winner announced!

[yatsunil]

I live on an island! Singapore is just 275 square miles but contains about 5 million people. If you drive in any direction for more than half an hour, you'll find yourself in the sea

I'm in. Thanks for the chance.

Linus

 

[Primble]

We don't have too many islands around, but, there are a few uninhabited around my daily fishing spots. These are my spots, the islands are on the other end of the Lake.

Most nice of you Duncan and I probably don't need any more knives.

P.S. - I really enjoyed seeing all the lovely places where some live and some visit - I thought I would share some of the pretty spots near my location.

Going to bed - sunrise not far away - hope the fish are biting about daylight.

Best regards,
Mr. P

 

[KBA]

I have never been on on an island. Not even a small one on a lake. Growing up in the south (Tennessee) the woods were always my escape. I dream of going to New Zealand but would love to swim out to Wild Goose Island in Glacier National Park and spend the weekend just soaking it all in. Thanks for the chance.



Pic used from mountainhikingsite.

 

[VictorLouis]

Not an island dweller myself, but my wife is from the Philippines (northern Luzon). Here is a picture that I took during my visit there


Not any sheep there, but more than a few of these


Most of the rice is grown in fields in the lowlands, but these are more interesting

Gorgeous! My ex is from southeastern Phil and I wondered if any location scouts for Hollywood had ever seen the tropical beauty I saw on the way to her place. . The bull is actually quite docile, they are called Carabao....and those are the rice terraces at Banaue, IIRC.

 

[RobbW]

I've held off posting in this thread because I don't have any digital pics, but I lived as a child for three years in the South Pacific, on the Tongan island of Tongatapu. My dad taught English, history and geography at a local high school there. I have distant memories of our lives and friends there, and my sister was even born in the nearby Nuku'alofa hospital. I have many fond memories of Tongan friends coming to visit us after we returned to the USA. We hosted lots of traditional feasts for them as they would immigrate and visit us, and they threw lots of feasts for us when we visited them.

All my photos are old, yellowed prints or slides, and I'm reluctant to subject them to the bright light of a scanner.

One interesting historical tidbit: I saw and touched the carapace of the living Tu'i Malila, the tortoise given by Captain Cook to the Tongan Royal Family in 1777. Thus, I had a direct connection to Cook and the Tongan Royal family for the previous (nearly) 200 years. Cook picked up the tortoise in Madagascar as a food source for his sailors (tortoises traveled well aboard ship in the days before refrigeration), but instead ended up gifting it to the Royal Family when he arrived in the Friendly Islands (the old English name for the Tongan Islands). Tu'i Malila was gigantic to my childhood eyes, and had been badly burned in a fire at some point, but it was amazing to witness a living being that had itself witnessed Cook and so many Royals.

 

[quattromori]

Time's up!
After some conversation about it, the choice is made, and I am very happy to announce it...but before that, I want to thank everyone who took the chance and posted in this thread, not just for entries, but also for the pleasure of being a part of it. Great pictures, awesome places, nice stories, and the deep blue sea all around
I also want to thank Duncan for being the real promoter and host of this thread, and Sue for being, once more, the judge of this game.
So, here's the winning picture:

Post #29 and fellow member HWF you are now the lucky owner of one of GEC's best patterns (in my personal opinion) and also one of Charlie's outstanding SFO's. Please PM me with your shipping address, and congratulations (and if you don't mind, we'll take our turn in that sweet spot in Key Largo...)
Thanks again folks!

Fausto

 

[Jack Black]

Congratulations, that's a beautiful pic! Fantastic stuff guys, great thread, and an outstanding giveaway :thumbup:

 

[Campbellclanman]

And when you have to leave to go back to work -give us a yell so we can grab that spot for a short while!

Honestly....it was fun watching Sue trying to work out the winner, she had a LOT of trouble trying to narrow down to the finalist.

Fausto my friend - Thank YOU Sir for being such a Great Host, Thank you to our Mods Frank and Gary, and especially to our fellow Blade lovers - Cheers everyone.

 

[meako]

that was a phenomenal world pictorial of islands. well done and congrats to HWF.

 

[2Dead]

Congrats HWF!! And thanks for a great thread!! I loved all the pics and stories as well.

 

[RRaconteur]

Congrats to HWF, and thanks to our hosts and all who contributed to the scenery. 😉


Michael

 

[hartlogan]

Heres a few from Sues and I first Hike we did a few weeks ago-the weather was okish..but as we climbed up to the Waitakere Ranges..the clouds were low-and when we started hiking-it just rained all the time lol...here are a few pics-not so good because of the weather..

Our other Hike was the other day, that was stunning - but very hard work - but worth it - we made our way down to a lovely small waterfall - with a little pool underneath - you could have swam in it - so we stopped on the rocks beside the pool set up our billy and had a cuppa there...

I've been seeing all the lovely places you all come from, but I'm just stuck on this island with meako...... Kidding, of course.

Australia is a lovely place, and would encourage all of you to consider a holiday here, and to especially to New Zealand as well!
(Actually maybe not, I think Australia might have a tough time competing with New Zealand's beauty. Just Australia....)

Whereas Australia has 8 out of the top 15 including the first 6 most venomous land snakes* (Jeremy Clarkson voice) IN THE WUURLLLLD!. Western Diamond Back Rattler ranked #18-.at #17 is the Eastern Small Eyed Snake-I found one in my back garden last year which had been dropped from a great height by a Kookaburra (the worlds greatest bird).
They'll never admit it but New Zealanders are jealous of that. You would be to if your toughest creature was a parrot that has been known to eat meat.
Legend has it that it was the sight of Duncans legs that blinded the snakes and made them all swim across to Australia.

*Thats not to say the most dangerous or highest death rates simply venom power.
Hey Duncan whats the little railway? it reminds of a place i visited there once long ago -they had a little mine loco which took you up the hill.narrow gauge railways are fantastic.

I love seeing all these pictures. I'm headed to Gladstone, Australia on July 8th for a 18-24 month "working holiday", and I definitely want to get out and explore both Australia and New Zealand. I might have to solicit y'all for suggestions on where I should spend my time on 3 day weekends and holidays.

 

[HWF]

Wow! Thank you very much for your generosity Fausto and Duncan! Of course, you are all welcome to visit anytime! Just let me know when you'll be down. That knife is beautiful and it will be treasured forever. Thank you again for the great giveaway and for all the wonderful pics! Awesome.

Hugh

 

[hartlogan]

Congrats HWF, I think you're going to enjoy that one :thumbup: