Once upon a time I used to rely on internet reviews of everything. Now I read them, but take them with a very small grain of salt. Take, for instance, my new Cosina Voigtlander 50mm f1.1. Some bad reviews. Some say I should spend $9500 more and buy the Leica version. Some say it's soft and dreamy wide open. Some say it's too big. A lot of people are dicks. If this lense is poor, then my eye for photography needs some serious work.

My last post showed some of the backyard results mounted to the M body. Shooting 400ASA film at 800ASA leaves a little to be desired as it really is my street set-up and not anything close to fine-art. So, with my $20 eBay special Leica M-mount to m4/3s adaptor I went to work, again in the backyard (too many beers while floating in the pool to build up the motivation to go anywhere). The images speak for themselves.

Too big? Nope. (That is A LOT of glass though!)

Soft wide open? Nope. (Image left at f1.1, image right at f16)

Image quality poor enough to justify spending an extra $9500? Um. Nope.

Focusing is a dream on the GF2. A tap on the screen brings a close up of the section you tapped, focus, tap again and the image changes back to full view for framing, shutter, presto! At f1.1 there's little  a small margin for error!

I love this lense. So, don't listen to anyone on the net, except me. Go and buy this lense.

Note: There were a lot of great reviews, but then I'd have nothing to write about.

The new commute. It's hard to take.

After I shoot a pile of digital I sometimes wonder why I bother shooting film. Then I develop a roll and know exactly why. It's personal and maybe you don't see what I see in the following images, but I love everything about them; digital makes me feel dirty.....and I have a new lens!

First, some from Kevani's visit.

Second, CV 50mm f1.1. WOW! Even makes my backyard look all stylie! Can't wait to get onto the street with this thing.

Every time someone visits me I rack my brain for ideas, all those touristy things you have to show people when they are somewhere new. Luckily I've been out of town for three years, so it was great to get out and about with Kevani and check up on all the old haunts.

We found bike paths along the river, mountains to climb, pubs to drink at and restaurants to try. Lots of home cooking and a lot of time in the pool.

We headed over to Magnetic Island for Australia Day. Of course we hired a Moke and got exploring.

Such a unique place, we even found a secluded rainforest waterhole for a quick skinny dip at the end of a hike.

And what a view from our cabin.

Back on the mainland it was more fun. Paddleboarding and kite flying with Elroy.

And a quick trip to Little Crystal Creek, with the obligatory stop at Frosty Mango of course.

The final 24hrs were packed with bikes, pubs and paddleboards.

Almost too good a week of new and old stuff.

Film to come.

A matter of days after passing through Brisy with Dave it was time for Tim's Bucks and to catch up with Kevani again.

Kevani and I spent our time exploring the modern art galleries (including the Mattise exhibition), cafes, pubs and cocktail bars of the city; with a very late night Ferris Wheel ride thrown in. We had a great time and I won air hockey, just sayin'.

Good to see she enjoys kids rides too.

Then, off to Tim's Bucks. Secret men's business agreements prevent me from divulging......anything really. So here's a very small glimpse of the goings on.

It was epic! Thanks Mike!

A day of driving saw us in Newcastle. Seemingly dead, the iPhone soon assisted us to find the place to be in town, a redeveloped wharf area where we enjoyed quite a few cold one's.

Next morning, back in the car and on a mission to the holy land, Byron Bay. Dave could hardly contain himself, and he was the one allowed to drink on the road. Soon enough we were there, at the Big Banana.

Then Byron!!!

A swim, then a ride, then the pub. Simple.

I guess if you wake up in your clothes from the night before you know it was a good night. The next day was a slight blur, it started with some paddleboarding in the surf, then a ride, then a swim. Then the pub before lunch time.........self explanatory.

I found Dave the next morning and we went for a swim before heading for Brisbane, he needed at least one emergency stop. Wet and wild was awaiting us and it was oh so awesome, as usual. I may be a full grown man, but I can scream like a girl.

Clwedd, Jen and Hanna were nice enough to let us stay at their's. A nice dinner and a few beers in West End that night and the next day we were on the cycle super highways following the river through the city.

Out of town after lunch in an attempt to cut the Brisbane-Airlie leg in half. Let's just say there isn't too much to do at night in Rocky, and they certainly do notice when two out of towners arrive at their pub. Nice night though. Next day more of the same, bitumen, 'til it was time for a beer and a swim in a chlorinated beach.

I woke the next morning to Dave asking what time check out was, it was already 10:45. There are photos that I can't post on here......and Dave has an inexplicable disdain for chicks from Norway. Another great night and the last on the road.

The 4 hour drive to Townsville seemed like forever, but we made it, enjoyed a home cooked meal at a friend's and the next day I moved in to my new house. A couple of days and nights showing Dave around my third home town and it was time to drop him at the airport. The first day of driving seemed like weeks ago, always a sign of a great, fantastic, holiday!! Nice one Dave!!

When I told people that I and an old school mate were going to drive from Adelaide to Townsville along the coast including a New Years eve at Falls Creek, I must admit I was met with quite considerable envy from those gentlemen of my age, bound to........other things. So before the trip even began I knew it was going to be a once in a lifetime event, it turned out to be just that.

We left before dawn and were crossing the Murray as the sun came up. We had over 1000km to cover in the first day, which was New Years Eve, so we had a little motivation to arrive at the University Ski Club as early as possible to enjoy the festivities.

The terrain changed considerably over the day, 'til we were atop the mountain!

We met up with Tom, Nic and Kevani who were busy preparing a package of food and drink to take to the very top of the mountain for a sunset dinner and drinks. This of course included the Metallica rich night time 4wd trip back down......

Back at the club we enjoyed drinks until count down. The building emptied and somehow we found ourselves on the twister square. The rest, well, most of the rest, is a blur.......

The next day Tom took us to his secret waterhole for a swim. It was the 'secret' waterhole we could see from the mountain the night before, and in our opinion was only secret because it was an ordeal to get to and it was f*cking cold. Even so, it was fantastic and apart from the ice cream headache it gave me, freshened me up quite well after a night of no sleep and over indulgence.

Then the paddleboards and the kite came out by the lake for one of the most beautiful days of relaxation I've had in a while.

Soon the rest was over and we were on the bikes for a lap of the dam.

Drinks in a very Christmasy pub before a few quiet one's and a rest prior to departure for Newcastle.

Thanks for inviting us Tom, a New Years I'll never forget.

So it was the usual trip to Adelaide to spend time with friends and family before the migration to Townsville. If my last weeks in Canberra were busy, I kept up the momentum in Adelaide.

Rather than explaining my photos or sharing an anecdote I'll explain how the average day for me went while staying at my bro's house at Henley: rise around 9am, quick bite to eat, paddle board from Henley jetty to Grange jetty, coffee and another breaky at Cibo, coast ride or city ride for a late lunch and beer or two, return to Henley for night time activities, repeat. Here's some glimpses of the ordeal.

Henley really is a nice spot.

And there's mermaids.

Of course my favourite part of any post is the filmy goodness, but to be honest the Leica remained fairly unused due to the active nature of the trip. Even so, here's some tones of grey.

Then Dave and I packed our bikes, boards and some beer and left it all behind in search of b........

My last couple of weeks in Canberra sure were eventful thanks to those I wanted to make the most of spending time with. I visited the old haunts one by one for the last time and caught up with many of the people I'd met over the three years in location.

There were drinks at the Sculpture Garden, where almost every one I hadn't seen for months seemed to be hiding.

There was a Thursday night dinner at Taze where we ordered the entire first page of the menu, then headed to the Wig and Transit for ladies night.

Rach and I had a last paddle on the lake, one of our favourite past times, apart from eating Bubble-o-Bill's, so we did both.

Then of course a final meat fest at Jon's backyard was the call. A flagon of still cider, home brew, meat, vegie combo, fertilisation of the lemon tree, good music and good times; before some yoga of course. (Sometimes I can't choose the best photos of Rach so you get them all....)

Ooooh, and Steve decided to tease me with a VERY nice Merckx he stole from the internet.

Of course that wasn't enough though, so we sourced enough helmets and bikes from Jon's shed to convey us all to the city. The Knighstbridge, some pretentious new place in Garema Place, then The Phoenix. I spent a considerable amount of time in the mosh pit, then it was time to get home. One bike didn't make it and rests in peace at the bottom of Lake Burley Griffin, much to everyone's disbelief; this of course meant I had to run home....... Ever-caring Jon then shouted us all free Berocca!

After the house was packed I crashed at goddaughter Zoe's house. Her parents are great and even fed me for a couple of days before I headed back to Adelaide with a full car and an Elroy.

See you soon Canberra, as a visitor this time.

Well me thinks this'll be the last post for the year, considering my time from now 'til well in to 2012 will be spent packing my abode, driving, riding, SUPing, eating, drinking and pretty much not sitting in font of a computer, it's a safe bet.

So here's a few to round things off.

Firstly, everyone knows I believe motorised transport is the devil's work, in general, and you've probably heard me espouse that 'four wheels carry the body, while two wheels carry the soul'; this machine straddles the line but in my mind is perfectly okay. Jon's bike moments after we picked it up from the shop with a brand new paint job and general workover, pretty!

Digital street life while in Christmas shopping hell.....(BTW, don't go sunglass shopping after Christmas drinks, it's so easy to think the 'second pair half price' justifies the price when you're a little tipsy).

....iPhone life.....

....and while removals are also hell, luckily I have friends like Jon, Rach and red wine to help clean and remove shit......

It's out of Canberra in less than a week, my time here has been good, bad and ugly but wow, the memories from the last three years are endless and varied. I will be back and if not I have certainly made countless friends for life.

So, if I don't speak to you before then, have a great Christmas and see you in the New Year!