Here and There: Thursday’s Special

Yakel guides at TBR

© irene waters 2016

Some countries allow you to be in a time warp — being both here and there at the same time. In Vanuatu the boys from the bush would occasionally visit. On this occasion they had taken Roger and I and the doctor at the time ,(Victoria B.C. looked after our hospital and the highly trained specialists that came took sabbatical from their normal jobs to man the hospital for six months), and his wife had employed these men to guide us through the rainforest from one side of the island to the other and back again. During the walk we were enmeshed in a world of the past, no trappings of modernity (apart from my camera) were in sight. On our return, as the nambas clad men sat as westerners on the edge of the pool, throwing back a tusker (beer) and sucking on a cigarette. The incongruity of the situation was not lost on me and  I could not help but be aware of the here and there.

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© irene waters 2016

In a small mountain hamlet in Vietnam, the here was very present in the building design, the décor and in those we encountered however Roger, a soccer addict, became immersed in the there as he watched Germany play a home match.

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© irene waters 2016

In Cambodia these steps were designed to put you there. They were so steep that to walk up was almost a crawl. Designed to lift your eyes to heaven and presumably that was where you went as you climbed to worship at the top, eyes still lifting upwards. However for those visitors retreating they were very much in the here and determined to get down without falling or sustaining an injury.

How often are we there

When we should be here

And sometimes

We are both here and there

Incongruities

Juxtapositions

Colliding worlds: life.

In response to Paula’s Thursday’s Special

About Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

I began my working career as a reluctant potato peeler whilst waiting to commence my training as a student nurse. On completion I worked mainly in intensive care/coronary care; finishing my hospital career as clinical nurse educator in intensive care. A life changing period as a resort owner/manager on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu was followed by recovery time as a farmer at Bucca Wauka. Having discovered I was no farmer and vowing never again to own an animal bigger than myself I took on the Barrington General Store. Here we also ran a five star restaurant. Working the shop of a day 7am - 6pm followed by the restaurant until late was surprisingly more stressful than Tanna. On the sale we decided to retire and renovate our house with the help of a builder friend. Now believing we knew everything about building we set to constructing our own house. Just finished a coal mine decided to set up in our backyard. Definitely time to retire we moved to Queensland. I had been writing a manuscript for some time. In the desire to complete this I enrolled in a post grad certificate in creative Industries which I completed 2013. I followed this by doing a Master of Arts by research graduating in 2017. Now I live to write and write to live.
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11 Responses to Here and There: Thursday’s Special

  1. Miriam says:

    Wonderful photos Irene and I love the way you transported us to both worlds. Great interpretations.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. Pingback: Here and There: Thursday’s Special — Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) – Welcome to the World of Ekasringa Avatar!

  3. Paula says:

    Irene, you have me impressed 🙂 I love the second one for the idea of the match on TV, and the symbolism of the third shot which shows something really extraordinary, but I am not oblivious to the first one either. Great entry for which I am very thankful. With your consent I would put the third one in the slideshow next week?

    Liked by 1 person

  4. Pingback: Thursday’s Special: Here and There | Lost in Translation

  5. Wow. That first photo is such a contrast of “here and there”. I love that one.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. What a fascinating view into worlds so different yet thrown together. I’d love to climb the Cambodian temple but don’t have the strength. Still, something I could achieve by practicing a behavior meant to lift myself spiritually.

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