Hiking - Big Group Hike

Good Morning Blog,

Today is my big worry, is to lead a big group of my friends to hike Tree Top. I counted and roughly, there are 21 of them in total which includes young kids. Kind of stress... Whether is the distance too much for them or too boring? Many...

Meanwhile, I will be bringing a new lens which I borrowed from a teacher.

It will be my photography day :D One standard 18-200 lens and another one is...

IT IS A MACRO LENS! My dream lens! If I own a DSLR. This small part costs more than my waifu. I can't afford that...

No trisuit today as my friends won't be comfortable seeing a shortie, ugly and untoned person in 'swimming suit'.

Bright and sunny day today!

Time to use my teleport machine! Beam Down!

Meeting some teens as they are busy with their phones and waiting for late comers.

Quite stressful as leading a group of 20 people taking bus and coordinating. Lucky I got some friends who help me in the middle and watch out at the last line.

Long and heavy shadow showing my stress level

Prepare to cross road together.

I take out my 18-200 DSLR and snap my first subject - big Fern!

Sometime, still need my 'photographer's help' for this group photo

SMILE!

I am quite comfortable taking pictures with 18-200 lens

But when I take with Macro Lens... I know I have not seen enough! Small movement or wind movement, you will get BLURRY pictures.

(JH's shot) I shall pass my 18-200 DSLR to JH. He will want to do something during the whole trip. My green shoes for easy identification.

(JH's shot) Lucky we are sheltered by the trees :) Walking in the wood is cooling and relax

(JH's shot) But because the pavement is rather curvy, some fast walker tend to be ahead and while slower will fall out behind, creating a big gap. I have to look back and fore constantly, ensure they won't lost their way.

(JH's shot) He loves to take pictures with light rays like I do. I don't know DSLR can do better :3

(JH's shot) We still have a long way to go

(JH's shot) Lucky for them, Route to Tree Top from Venus Drive, is new path. Should be easy and non-slippery.

(JH's shot) After 2 km+ which take us 40 mins to arrive Ranger Station. Everyone finally has a chance to rest their foot. For me (no time for photo-taking), everyone is safe for the moment but I have to ensure everyone drinks up and go for their toilet break.

(JH's shot) The monkey will never fail to attract visitors' attention and one of my fears for visitors who visit MacRitchie for their first time - NO FOOD or holding plastic bag!!!

(JH's shot) One of my favourite shot for the day. When this boy grows up, I will confirm show him this picture and he will appreciate his mother's love, as she has to carry him whenever he decides not to walk.

(JH's shot) JH really took a lot of forest shot but I can only keep those... Clear and focus one. XD

(JH's shot) How I wish I can look like a handsome dude than this double-chin, thick-necked monster. That's why I don't like others to take pictures of me. I guess It is CONFRMED. NO more.

(JH's shot) Anyway, time to walk up the slope to Tree Top which make many youngsters struggle.

I asked everyone to gather for everyone as everyone will take some time to catch.

Some will wait down here. Lucky for us, there is no long queue before or after us.

(JH's shot) Time to cross over the bridge.

This is JH - a SUPER TALL Titan. His height is 195cm and he is just 16 years old! With that height... There are a lot of advantages.

For me, I need to raise my hands to capture this.

(JH's shot) For JH, he just takes pictures normally and still achieve what I need to push my limit for.

(JH's shot) With the help of his zoom lens, he can capture something interesting.

(JH's shot) Somehow he can see even more "water" of Upper Peirce. I can photoshop a dinosaurs on his shot.

Besides JH is holding to one of my DSLR, I let a young girl, XX, who is a primary 4 small girl, holds one of my digital cameras so that she won't disturb her mother while attending to her son. With her height, she is roughly 150 cm. Check out the scene she sees from her own eyes.

(XX's shot) Look at her left and right. She can't see much!

(XX's shot) She can only see things around her at this height.

(XX's shot) But at least, when she raises her hand, she still can snap this but no much greenery.

As for my camera (not macro), I can take wider angle and coverage.

But fail to snap a great one here...

Well... Who cares. Just be content with whatever you have.

And stay positive :) Only staying positive matters than having a great height but living in misery of demanding/hoping to get an extra 0.01cm taller.

ooo! A monkey visits the bridge - one of Greatest worries! I prayed hard that it won't do anything funny at such height.

(JH's shot) Lucky, it just walks and inspects everyone.

(XX's shot) The monkey seems to miss her. LOL

One more group photo before we climbed down from the peak. Okay... that green shoes are too eye-catching

(JH's shot) Time to go down from long long stairs

(JH's shot) Just when I decide to take pictures of something, JH snaps me in action.

At least through macro lens, it can capture things which I always like to see and 'feel'.

(JH's shot) Finally, we return back to Ranger Station and engage another 40-50 mins of 3 km walk back to Venus Drive.

With Macro Lens, and carrying worries, I can't stand and take pictures slowly as I want. I just used back 18-200 DSLR, I can snap something fast and quick before it hides itself.

Like this pond skater. What a BIG pond skater! Anyway, it moves so fast which I barely capture it with Macro lens. I still have a lot to learn.

But I still love Macro Lens as it can capture a world which we don't usually use to view.

Even though difficult to focus but it does bring a new whole perspective than...

this.

But really... Need a lot of practice to see the different world clearly. (if you able to sense what I meant here deeply)

Anyway, I am glad everyone is safe and enjoy the whole hiking :) I feel like a kor-kor (elder brother), watching everyone. I have to thank some of my friends who help out to look after the slower ones and Mother Nature to keep some undesirable attention away to them.

:) Thank you.

Jeff