PHOTO-A-DAY CHALLENGE

Sunsets, Crowded Markets and Flying in the Sky

Week 70 of the photographic documentary of my daily life

It’s been my first week back in Thailand and the start was easier than expected. I hadn’t organized transport or accommodation for me before leaving home. I thought it’d be easiest once I was there.

I just booked myself a room for three days hoping that would be enough time to sort it all out. After two flights and a one-day quarantine in Bangkok, I was free again.

On day one I drove down from Bangkok to Sriracha where I will be based for the next few weeks or months. After dropping all my luggage in the room I headed out again on a search for a bike.

A scooter is the transport option number one in Thailand. Unless you need to drive long distances it’s the easiest and cheapest option to get around. But you surely should have some previous experience on a bike or at least know how to get around in hectic and chaotic traffic.

While saying that, I learned to ride a scooter in Thailand. Never driven a bike before. Was maybe not smart, but I did it anyway…

Last night I still managed to organize an apartment. I was rather surprised to get it sorted on day one.

I went today to the dropzone saying hello to friends and colleagues. It’s windy season, so I didn’t get to jump but at least I could get the keys to my new one-bedroom apartment (I guess you’d rather call it a studio) and witness this sunset from my tiny balcony.

Friends invited me to come to the market. I didn’t know about this place and wondered if I had lived here previously for a year and not knowing about it. But I was told it only opened a few weeks before.

This was where Sriracha Tiger Zoo used to be before they had to close due to bankruptcy. I wasn’t surprised to hear this. The zoo lived almost exclusively of Chinese tourists and since the pandemic hit they had barely any Chinese coming into Thailand.

But so now I got the chance to visit a market within walking distance from my new apartment. The market was crowded but not too full.

Every single person was wearing a mask. Not one person was wearing the mask underneath their nose or somehow else. Even children were wearing masks. I stopped once because I saw two younger children without the mask but saw then they were eating chips.

It doesn’t seem to bother anyone here. They appear rather comfortable with wearing them. Saying that I also must say people have worn masks in Thailand's pre-pandemic life. I had too. Because of smog and air pollution.

Today I got back in the air. Did three jumps. A little different from my last jumps in Germany walking to the plane like a seal, wrapped up in 7 layers of warm clothes.

Today I was surely sweating more than I was freezing.

Here you can see me looking up, checking the canopy after opening. This was a tandem skydive. My passenger is still a bit overwhelmed by all the adrenaline rush.

Another windy day at work.

After spending some time on the ground repeating with a student all his skills required for the first jump and killing more time scrolling through my tablet, eating lunch, and doing whatever else, I decided to grab my camera and do a photography walk.

I came past a tree with these lovely Plumeria flowers and after capturing some in full bloom I saw this withered one on the ground and decided to take it in focus. It’s not always about the most beautiful item or the one shining the brightest. Beauty can be found in so much more.

Do you know what I love most about my job?

It’s this. The view.

My office view.

And this is why I travel the world, jump out of planes for money to be able to share the views from my office chair with you. I hope you’re appreciating it…

Wait, this one is actually better. Of course, the ocean. Life is always better at the ocean. On the beach. So what am I actually doing up here? Let’s go to the beach.

(More about that in next week’s photo essay.)

This has been my week in photographs. 7 days. 7 photographs. Anyone can join. Once. Or weekly. It doesn’t matter. We welcome everyone! Dennett was the one starting this photography challenge in summer 2020 and many have participated ever since.

Erika / Eileen / K. Barrett / Juan / David / Mia / Susan / LensAfield / Kim / Barbara / Diana / Barb / Sandra / Shruthi / Ellie / Pene / Olive / Gustavo / Jane Frost

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