Let 2016 begin! And may all your photos make for good memories.

Do your New Year Resolutions include one that says "Get fit!"? Get a bike! Or in the case of these bikes, rent one. These are in Budapest but they have a similar scheme in London and several other places in the UK, we even have one in Northampton. You sign up to the scheme to get a PIN, add some money to your account, and then borrow a bike from the nearest docking station. You can leave the bike at any docking station you choose and your account is charged according to how long you had the bike for.

Of course, in London where the scheme was introduced by the current Mayor, the locals have given the scheme a pet name: "Boris Bikes".

As Harry Hill sings, "Welcome to my World"

USAF C-17 Globemaster plane just after take-off from Christchurch Airport. In case you cannot see it there is a streetlight pointing it out. I only just had time to get the camera out and get off a quick shot (photowise) of the plane so no chance to miss the annoying streetlight...lol

And by total coincidence another plane, a model of Concorde outside Brooklands museum.

'Cumulus Gate Pavilion for Richard Pearse’ sculpture and Control Tower at the Christchurch Airport.

The clown in my Christmas wreath gets ready to jump off the front door as decorations have to be taken down by tomorrow...



... will he jump or get pushed?

A pub by the river near Uxbridge

Marianne Column at Town Hall Square in Kladno, Czech Republic. This was the city I was staying at my friend's place just out of Prague.

I've lately become intrigued by reflections on spherical objects. If the reflection is off the backside of a clear sphere, the image gets inverted. If the reflection is off the front face of an opaque sphere, as with a Christmas ornamental decorative ball, the image is right side up. In flopsymopsy's wreath photo and presentation of the dire circumstances of her heirloom clown decoration, I see a couple of reflective spheres. Is that blonde or platinum hair I see on the person using the camera?
An option to save the clown might be to send one of those small drones with a twine loop knotted at the end and let the clown grab hold, like one of those at-sea helicopter rescues (Thank you service men for doing those rescues).

LOL, you want to know if I'm blonde, mehaul? Sorry, but I've got very dark hair, and hardly any grey at all - my friends and family hate me.

The clown likes me though, I rescued him today - he lives to dangle somewhere else next year.

Bye bye northern coast of Hokianga Harbour as we cross on the ferry.

Part of a new business park in Yiewsley.



I discovered long ago if you make a mirror from a concave cylinder you will see your reflection the right way round. I'm amazed no one's ever made one as it's an obvious physical property, but I should claim the idea here for myself now it's been made public!

A field near Radlett

About to board the plane for the flight to New Plymouth.

I'm not taking that many photos at the moment, but here's one of Precious, enjoying her new cardboard box!

I thought you got a new kitten, Liz. Precious looks so little, cute, and silly.

A view of my patch, the shops in Burnt Oak Broadway a couple of miles north of here

She has been making me laugh out loud, playing in that box. She tries to catch her tail, then gives up and settles down to stare at me.

Hopefully I'll be posting new cat photos soon, I'm on a waiting list at the vets when one becomes in need of a new home.

A view near Box Hill in Surrey.

The Waimakariri River just after take off from Christchurch Airport, unfortunately the window was foggy so the plane photos did not turn out that great, especially the mountain photos and the photos on the flight back.

Have you all heard of the Powerball Lottery drawing about half the US states participate in? The grand prize tonight is said to be at least $1,500,000,000! I consulted my Crystal Ball, turned on the Power switch and got these results: There will be three (3) Powerball winners. They will pick 17-23-46-51-54 w/PB 24. Two will take annuity payments and the third, a group purchase, will take a lump sum for division. If only I had the $2 ticket price to spare.
In other prediction news, later in the day tomorrow will be Thursday afternoon.

Funny old alleyways like this are dying out fast, so I am glad I took pictures .I am really going to try and post more from my collection of Hong Kong places.

Before someone yells at me for posting people pictures , they are not.Hong Kongers are rather fond of scattering realistic statues about (at the moment we have a temporary display of nude men in the HK Park). These two gardeners can be seen from the big escalator going up to mid levels. They can be quite deceiving.

I never shout. I whisper. "One picture a day." And then I assume that the day has already changed in HK so I smile gently and know it was an easy mistake...

Please keep posting the pics, Ren, I love Hong Kong and can almost smell the street food from here.