The long way part last

On the move already!! 2 months of super covert mysterious operations have come and gone and 9 months on the road have already vaporized! Heart of Darkness, as you might have guessed is a complete success! Am now getting ready to skip town and return to Hong Kong, leaving Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa in a few hours! As wonderful as this trip was... I just can't wait to get back to my beloved HK! 9 months is a long time! And well +40 Celsius with 200% humidity is getting heavy!

I'll be arriving back in China on Friday afternoon and I'll Plog as soon as I can!

Until then... Check this sweet article I just stumbled on last night... Not only because they talk about me, mind you, but this Needles and sins tattoo blog is a pretty cool blog for those of you who're still into that tattoo thing!! Check it out when you get a chance!!



Ok ... I'm out! Making my way through the Arab Spring... Next stop Doha!

LUKU

I'm still alive, fear no longer beloved Plog followers!



It's just actually very hard to preemptively estimate when the power and the internet will be on at the same time down here, allowing me to blog! So please forgive my absence of the last few days… But after all ... T.I.A.

Not much to show but a lot has been achieved lately! I've also started making the final preparations to the last chapter of operation "Heart of Darkness" -The long way part 5, aka The Return to Home Kong! That's almost it that's almost all for this mysterious African adventure! On my way out on Thursday to the fair shores of my beloved Hong Kong and well, I just can't wait!!!!!

Here are some other related news for your reading pleasures _


-Edition REUSS is coming out with another one of they're chunky and full of goodness tattoo books! This one dedicated to what I do (wachamacallit "new skooly" "comic" "Cartoony") and I'll be in it too! I'll keep you up to date with when and where you might be able to get such an item in the months to come! This one book looks like an awesome project so keep an eye out!

-Also... For all of you out there who desperately miss seeing tattoos out here, start counting the days! I'll be back at the HK office and working again starting next weekend (not the one coming up… The one after that)! I'll warn you ahead however, you won't be seeing 3 pieces a day, every day like back when I was up in Copenhagen for a long time again so savour them!

-Finally... Thank you all so very much for the awesome comments on the last post!! I didn't think my sketchbook was gonna be such a hit!! I'll try to Plog more pages really soon! You guys rock!! And yes it's mostly all paint (acrylic) and only markers for some of the black outlines!
I'll do my best to Plog again before I take off on Thursday but it all, inevitably depends on the grace of the power god, locally known as the LUKU!



LUKU likes goats!! Got to buy a goat!


Plog ya later P P Ploggers ... Got to go perform a sacrifice now!!!

Archived ...

Today, ladies and gentlemen, I have decided to share.


Just thought it had been a long enough time without any doodles up here and at the same time my last sketchbook, is, I believe, my bestest ever to date. It's evolved into more of a painting book than a sketchbook but still with stuff I don't think twice about... Stuff I wouldn't "proper paint". So I chose a few random pages from the boat ride part of this last sketchbook to share with ya. Without the luxuries of a proper scanner however, I'm afraid you'll have no other choice but to deal with these not so great pictures... I'll eventually get them all scanned when I get back to the HK, very soon. Until then... Let me know what you think!










Hope you like...

Stay tuned for more EP-NEWS and random updates of the ever so mysterious operation "Heart of Darkness".




Captain Nick >>>>>> Out!

HAKUNA MATATA

Booya!



Ladies and gentlemen … I've just made it back (Yes it's true) to Dar es Salaam just last night ("civilization") and to my amazement, in one piece too! The ever so intense and mysterious operation "Heart of Darkness part 4" is therefore a complete success!

[Start this theme song before reading! Yes! This is an interactive, multimedia post!!]



Ok … Go!

I'm still shellshocked by this absolutely mind blowing experience! I don't think there's anything I could recommend more to anyone than this last 5 day expedition! Nothing in the world, I have ever witnessed, was so beautiful and all out amazing! I, once again, have to rewrite my top 5 of most awesome things ever! 5 days in the African bush have truly dumbfounded me and forever marked me! From chasing Lions in the great planes, walking next to giraffes in the thick jungle, being chased by elephants (while in a Land Rover) and following zebra herds through the planes of the Ngorongoro crater, a land untouched by time… I could go on and on! Seeing all this wonderful wildlife in it's natural habitat, so close and so free and in such a majestic setting!!! By far the most beautiful and extreme landscape I've ever witnessed and an experience that will forever amaze me! Nothing in the world that I can think of right now quite beats driving along a running herd of giraffes barely 10 meters away from you!

I can only recommend this to anyone interested in pure awesomeness!! And of course you can do it in the more organized touristic way but nothing truly beats hiring the local driver, the cook, packing the beat up (yet highly trusty) 20 year old Land Rover with camping gear and just taking off for a week in what seems like nothing short of uncharted territory!!! Beware however, I thought I had seen it all when it came to "ghetto-ness" but this part of the world has taught me new standards in that realm… Make sure you make your immune system push-ups and living standards sit-ups before you make it this deep!

As you might have guessed, I have shot the whole thing in every possible angle in glorious film and will be posting these gems (Most of which, National Geographic Magazine will most likely need for their next few hundred covers) on the ANALOG COMMANDO as soon as I start getting them developed in Hong Kong! But I did think to take a few quick digitals for this here Plog and to feed your visual hunger!! Here's a quick set, a brief peek at what it might have looked like down there… In the heart of Africa!











































































More Ploggables tomorrow !!! Until then … Here's another classic, themed perfectly for this post!!



ROCK!!



P.s. There should be no more Plogging breaks till I completely complete this mission and make it back to the HK on the 31st of March… I promise!

To the center of the Earth...

... Horizontally, that is!






Just got briefed all day by our local section chief and it looks like the next steps of this highly mysterious African adventure are happening as soon as tomorrow morning... At the crack of dawn!! This, one of the main reasons why I'm here, a life long dream and a real life adventure will however take me away, once again from the World Wide Webs one last time (I promise it's the last time for a while). Until I make it back from the wild and savage heart of the African continent on Monday prepare yourselves for some life changing picture posts as soon as I get back!!

Serengeti ... Here I come!!!

ZANZIBAR

Zanzimazing!!



Just got back last night from this absolutely wonderful and magical place! I was open to going when I first got the offer but only because it was a new place to discover… I mean I knew nothing much about it and expected nothing much either! As soon as I saw the coast however, I knew this place was a hidden gem! Zanzibar is absolutely fantastic and if you ever find yourself anywhere on the East African coast… You should absolutely consider a trip over!!!!

Zanzibar is very different from the Tanzanian mainland with a much more Arab cultural influence. The mix of cultures is beautiful and makes this Island a unique little African paradise!

Here's a few digi-shots from the last day on the island for your Plog-o-visual pleasures! Rest assured however, I do have an abundant amount of way awesomer shots on film!

Sunday from the coast to the market, before, during and after the rain >>>>

Zanzilicious !!

More Tanzanian Plogables tomorrow!!




We're all Japanese!

On an other note however … I can't help but drop a note about the catastrophic doom that has engulfed the East Japanese coast since last Friday! I think I've very rarely seen such destruction from any natural disaster and on such a scale! Just looking at the pictures gives me shivers! The tragic tally will be hefty I'm afraid and this tragedy is not even over yet with the risk of possible Meltdowns at 3 different plants! I can't help but have all my thoughts with my friends over there, their friends and family, my daily Japanese Plog followers, and all of their compatriots!

Unlike most other places usually hit by such horrible disasters, Japan has a relatively modern infrastructure and adequate emergency resources, this, if well coordinated should minimize the death toll drastically and help avoid additional unnecessary losses due to delays and lack of help resources like in last year's Pakistan floods!

But whatever the degree of readiness, and available resources, I'm sure any kind of help, in such an extreme situation might be welcomed!

US
EU
INT

And then there was more sailing involved...

Wut-up?!?


All is good down here! Lots of chilling and well... Nothing much else very productive can really be accomplished under a +34C and 200 percent humidity! At least not by me! So chilling and sweating in the shade is all you missed!

Tonight however, a few days mysterious expedition to none other than the magical island of ... ZANZIBAR is in preparation... How exciting! I love saying it!! ZANZIBAR ... ZANZIBAR! I will however, sadly have no other choice than to avoid bringing my trusted computer and therefore rob you of your Plogging right for a few days! I'll bring back some awesome shots, I promise!! And should be back after just a few days!!


This is a very big culture clash for me and I'm loving every second of it! There's nothing like discovering new awesome stuff!!!



Plog ya when I get back...
Captain Nick >>>> out!

Mambo Jambo

All is good! All is fine!

Finally made it early this morning after a very long day of flight catching, airport chilling ,customs and immigration officials paw greasing! I'm still loving this just as much as the South so far but this is very different!! Dar es Salaam, for a first time whitey, looks pretty much exactly like that place you see behind the people explaining the big problem, on the news! That place that looks exactly like most parents nightmares when their kid says -I'm going to Africa! I don't want to give it a bad name, it feels great to be hear and very chill but the contrast with the wealthier south west coast of the continent couldn't be bigger!!

Here's the ground successfully covered so far >>>




More news and digital shots asap!!
Until then, I'll try and avoid the law as much as possible to save some money for other things than "tourist sidewalk usage taxes" or "foreigner street crossing fees"!


Captain Nick >>>>> Out!

The long way part 3

Ladies and gentlemen of the Plog ... Here's how it goes ...


Just got briefed on the next part of this ever so mysterious African secret adventure and it looks like I'll be off in the morning again! True that! This time, I'll be flying in the wee hours of the South African morning to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania! Should manage to get there on Wednesday late late! I've got a few connecting flights to catch at different spots and a few different administrations to convince to let me through!! Let's see how that goes!

Wish me luck for the long day of tripping I have ahead of me tomorrow and I'll Plog ya as soon as I make it!!!



This whole getting deeper into Africa thing is very exciting !!!! I promise you many absolutely amazing shots!!!


As for all the great questions asked lately, please be patient with me... Lot's to do, lots to organize, but I will eventually find a few minutes to answer!!



Take care out there and stay lively !!

Captain Nick >>>>> Out!

Malawi Cob

... Rugby jerseys, shorts and flip-flops...

T.I.C.T.





More tomorrow ...
Until then ...
Stay Lekker!

On top of the world

Good day from the top of the world!



Lots was accomplished today! True story!! Amongst other things, I conquered a giant mountain (took 5 rolls in the process)! Cape Town is awesome!! I highly recommend this town to everyone!! Absolutely great place to discover and hang out in!!

Tomorrow I get to hook up with my elusive contact down here, our man in Cape Town who also happens to be an officially recognized "Mix Master"! I will be debriefed on my last operational operation doings but more importantly find out more about the next steps of this highly secretive and very mysterious operational operation aka, "HOD/The Long Way Part 3"! Until then ... Some shots and maybe even some of the thousands of doodles I filled my new sketchbook with while on the high seas!!



All is Lekker, ya?!

T.I.A.

Hello from South Africa, ya?!

Finally made it and in one piece as well! This 3 week ride was, as expected, absolutely awesome (mega northern European Winter storms included) and am already thinking of the next time I'll be able to merchant marine my way somewhere... Anywhere!! So operation "Heart of Darkness/The Long Way part 2" is a complete success!! No pirates ... No sea zombies ... Not even a mermaid or two!! But let me tell ya ... Sailing in this morning, looking at the mountains coming towards us, I think is the new top number 1 mostest beautiful thing I've ever seen ever!! Sure ... The giant Hump-back-whale coming up not more than 20 meters from where I was standing on the deck did help in making this morning astoundingly awesome!! But even without the large mammal coming up to say hi... The view coming in to Cape Town from the ocean is mind boggling!!!

I highly recommend it!

So now I'm back on land and on the world wide webs as well!! So rest assured, dearest Plog followers ... I have no near future plans that should take me too far away from this Plog anytime soon!!



Here's a quick digital brief idea of what it kinda looked like this morning!






























Rest assured, however... I got it on film ... Many films ... No like many many rolls!! 22 rolls of raw awesomeness so far so ... Get ready for some heavy film action on the ANCOM as soon as I'm back in HK!! True that!!


Now if you don't mind ... I've been dry for 3 weeks and just found out that a pint of "God's tears" is like just 27 Rand down here !!!!! I know right ... It's like stealing candy from a sleeping baby who's parent's aren't even there cuz they don't care and that part of the street doesn't even have cctv!! ... Yeah! ... Poor kid!





Catch ya later !
Stay fresh!