Photographs I Never Got

In the past few months since returning home, I have:

• Had a summer job in Oxford and somewhat repaid my travel expenditure
• Returned home to Suffolk and wandered around in a state of barefoot denial
• Bought a flat in Stratford
• Lost a flat in Stratford
• Started an MA in Journalism and consequentially had to squat at a friend's for a month
• Moved to North-West London until further notice.

Whilst I'm enjoying London life, my course, having a routine and all that comes with it, I do miss travelling- a LOT. These days I often find myself in bed going through photos when I should be sleeping.

I have some photos I'm pretty proud of. They're sporadically posted on www.rachaelpells.com , but here are a couple of my favourites:

Isla Los Brasiles, Nicaragua- May

Some boys digging in the sand for crabs. This was taken as I was leaving the Surfing Turtle Lodge with a group of friends. A special place, but one where I got pretty badly sunburnt. 

Caye Caulker, Belize- March

The first stop outside of Mexico. This was the typical evening view from the roof of the boat I would sit on (at the cat sanctuary…). I found peace here.

Santa Maria, near Antigua, Guatemala- April(?)

There was really too much to see in Guatemala. Enough volcanoes and jungles and scenic views to spoil you. Maybe that's why this photo makes me so happy- it was just a day trip with a friend to a tiny little town with nothing too special about it, but we met these gentlemen sitting watching the world go by. This sums up the culture for me.


But then of course, there were the photos that I didn't get.

• Waterfall jumping in Costa Rica - after hiking to some natural pools in Uvita, I spent a long time with a group of friends contemplating the jump. Of course after watching some local boys do it, I trusted that I was unlikely to die and went for it. One girl took a great photo of me doing this as well as some video, but sadly her phone was stolen the next day.

• Zip Lining in Costa Rica- similar story. It's pretty hard to take photos of yourself doing such things. Those Canadians never sent me the photos they said they would. Bitches. The lesson here is that I really should have taken more of my own photos in Costa Rica…

• Portraits- I should have taken more portraits. I have a lot of great ones, like Doniel from El Ostional and the Cuban cigar lady. But I wish I'd taken more of friends I met. I should have taken one of Ariel playing his guitar in Guadalajara. The man from Walmart in Playa del Carmen and the guy who'd just made his millions in Liberia.

But these things are all etched in my mind and my journals. Maybe one day I'll find these people again and collect their faces complete with the lines of new experiences.