Duplo's blog

Hi All,

Actually feels a little odd writing a Duploworld update again after more than two (almost 3 actually) months of absolutely no activity on this blog. Something I am not very proud of admitting as I actualyl quite like community here and the people hanging around here.

I promised back then, that i would slowly be comming back and then stayed away for nearly 3 months, something that may actually not make a lot of sense, but there has been plenty of good reasons for it.
I do not really owe anyone an explanation, but I will at least try, without getting into too many details.

What really matters to me

Is what you see above, being out there in the rough arctic nature, camera in hand or on tripod and just taking in the solitude and magnitude of my northernly paradise.
I have been doing it when ever time permits and since my last post here, walked litterally hundreds of kilometers in the mountains and this ofcourse is largely an explanation of my absense from this community, I am out there where my passion lies - the arctic nature.

Ice covered fiord

Now to get to these places travel is often required and I do travel a fair bit around in Greenland and will be doing it much more durign this summer, I got another 10 days scheduled in the area around the disco bay, where the first photo in this post are from and thus marking the beginning of the "Greenlandic Summer Photos 2009" album.
The photo above is from the fiord in kangerlussuaq, all covered in ice during late spring, ice thick enough to walk on and too thick for any ships to reach the harbour. Winter has been long up here only, the last 2-3 weeks has marked the spring and the arrival of summer.
I have by the way updated the "Greenlandic Spring Photos 2009" gallery with about 20 new photos, the one above being one of them

The magic of the midnight sun

Now most you probably remember talks about a wedding and a move back to Europe and New adventures ahead.
Now it is no lie that this year so far has been new "adventures", it has formed nothing at all like I had imagined and I will cut the story short by saying that in many ways it has been perhaps the most difficult year for me emotionally ever.
Status is that for now i am staying where I am, in my arctic paradise. I am back in charge of my own life and while it has been difficult, it has also been and still is a completely new beginning.
A beginning where no things are being taken for granted and where my sole focus is on taking in as many adventures as I can possibly manage.

The downside is that my posts here are likely to stay somewhat irregular in pattern and at times a little far in between. It will also mean that I will be a rare guest on the blogs that i like to read, but you are all in my thoughts and I will do my outmost to follow up on what you are doing, even though it will not be on a regular basis.

What I can promise though, is that you will still be able to enjoy images of my arctic paradise on this very blog, photography has proven the one consistent part of my life and who I am.

Iceberg at night

So with the photo above I will end this very personal, yet probably incoherent update on what has been and is going on in my life.

Thanks for reading and as allways do take care

Thomas

Current season is SPRING
Please click the photo to the left to go to my "Greenlandic Spring Photos 2009" Gallery

Below are the links to the seasonal photo groups, please refer to the individual group for a complete list of Galleries:
- Spring Photo Network
- Summer Photo Network
- Autumn Photo Network
- Winter Photo Network
- Christmas aorund the world

Want to know more? Maybe join us? visit the individual photo group to learn how

Hi All,

And welcome to what is perhaps the first real Duploworld update in quite a long time, the reason for my absense is very personal and I do not think this is the place to share it in any detail, nor do I think I am quite ready for it anyway
Knowing that I am slowly recovering from it and that I am slowly getting my energy back to actually blog again and share my beautiful surroundings and adventures with you will have to do for now

Greenlandic Sled dog

Well as some may recall I did write a fair bit about the dogs themselves during my summer adventure series, but to recap a few things about this rather unique breed of dogs.
They are working dogs and they are the only breed of dogs allowed above the arctic circle in Greenland.
This alone may seem odd at first, but there is a reason for it, for many of the drivers these dogs are a way of life and their life may well depend on the these dogs and have been bred almost to perfection for countless generations. Beside bringing a regular pet dog close to these dogs may very well end up by the pet dog ending up as food for the sled dogs. In fact one a warned that these dogs are wild animals when visiting dog territory. They are usually not dangerous to Grown adults though, but there are incidents with children being attacked or killed every year.
Just as you regularly see stories mainly in danish medias about maltreatment of these dogs.
Now I am not claiming that no maltreatment takes place and I admit that at first glance the treatment of the dogs seems both extremely rough and unusual.
resting in the sun

But during my two days with a number of drivers and their dogs, I also came to reexperience the extremely close relationship between dogs and drivers, how much the dogs seems to love what they do and even got to try my hand at assisting a driver in getting dogs and sled ready for a ride and getting the dogs bag to their respective yards after the drive.
Getting these dogs in and out of their harnesses requires both strength, practise and a bit of guts.
Man meets sled dog

Now the temperature these two days were in the -20C to -30C range and anything from windy, foggy, snowy to a couple of rare hours of sun, and as you will see from the clothing that calls for quite extreme clothing, not to mention that it put my fingers and the camera gear through quite a test too.
Luckily the people arranging these trips knows that turists will need to borrow clothing and has a plenty supply of seal fur clothing to put over what people usually think is clothing enough, which it never is
Crossing the lake

Now these dogs are fast, very fast, each sled has 10-20 dogs in front of the sled and you do know the terrain here, it is not exactly as flat as in the photo above and the ride i not exactly smooth, but extremely fun. I was there to shoot, thus had the additional challenge of often hanging off to the side of the sled inches over the snow and rocks racing by us or even trying to stand up on the sped at full speed to get some shots, but even without it that additional challenge the ride is quite a thrill as you are basically sidding on a wooden sled 15cm off the ground at very high speed
going Down hill

The rides up often measn running along the sled, but downhill is another story entirely.
Here the driver is behind the sled standing on a chain padded belt to creat friction while the dogs are behind the sled to act as breakes and still we were going down hill real feast, fast enough to send the sled flying at times and if asked politely the drivers can give you a really thrilling ride
Overlooking Nalluarsuk

Now why do trip lik this one might ask, well the photo above, which is from a viewpoint over the Nalluarsuk fiord, is one.
Nalluarsuk is a side fiord to the famous Ilulissat Ice fiord and an impressive view indeed, but most of all it is a chance to experience the traditional Greenlandic way to travel, the Greenlandic Sled dogs doing what they love and were born to do and above all it is good fun

Now I have uploaded a whole lot more from the trip in my Greenlandic Winter Photos Gallery, I really do think they are worth a look I have even added a few additional winter photos, just to make sure that I had something interesting to show you all:)

Thanks for reading and do take care

Thomas

Hi All

And welcome to a Duloworld update on winter and connectivity issues.

To start off it was great getting back to Greenland after having spend New Years in Denmark.
However I had a nasty suprise waiting for me

A little over two weeks without internet connection... a litttle over two weeks!
THus I have not been able to check back here for a while, but now I should be back online, on a permanent basis
why life is good

ohh yeah sometimes it does not take much to enjoy life, what you see above are central elements of why I truly love winter
Snow falling, my snowboard a pair of gloves and a hot cup of coffee

Aside from the usual photography - and yes more updates will follow soon - my snowboard will be getting a lot of attention this winter
Afterall the slopes are just across the road from work

Ohh well, just wanted to let you all know that I am alive, well and back online again.

Update to follow soon

Do take care you all

Thomas

I would like to wish all of you and your loved ones a Merry Christmas and happy New Year.

Hi All,

This Duploworld update is mainly to let you all know that I am now finally ready for Christmas, the gifts has been wrapped in christmas paper, I am with my family in Copenhagen and the only one still awake.

A perfect time to sit back relax and take a peak at what you all have been doing since my last round of visits, something I will begin doing just a moment from now.

It has been a busy time, lots of travelling and meetings in Germany and Copenhagen.
What however reminded me most of Christmas, was to see the AirCraft that brought me from Nuuk to Kangerlussuaq take off again on a dark and snowy morning.

Arctic Aviation

It may not be very special to you all, but the print is beautiful and so was it to see what my time in Greenland in many ways has been centered around.

Enough said, now I will go see what you all have been doing.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and do take care you all

Thomas


P.S.
Do nt forget to take a photo at 1800 hrs. tomorrow