The Life's Way: #LivefortheStory

Showing posts with label #LivefortheStory. Show all posts

Wednesday, 3 June 2020

Indian Ocean at #Tsitsikamma National Park @SANParks #GardenRoute #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

A video journey of the Indian Ocean at Tsitsikamma Nature Reserve till the road is built. The rest of the journey from the car park is generally done on foot via mountain hikes and this is one of the most beautiful places in Garden Route. The suspension bridge is around 2kms walk and hike from this place.

There are so many options at this venue from stay options to good food to adventure sports - you can easily spend some days and nights here.

Indian Ocean at #Tsitsikamma National Park @SANParks #GardenRoute #SouthAfrica

Next time if I have to go to a place on Garden Route, I will book accommodation here and stay for 5-6 days here and come back. I really loved this place and would definitely want to go back to nature, mountains, and the Indian Ocean. The video and pictures are taken using Canon 77D with a USM 18-135 mm kit lens. Cheers!!!

Sawubona!

Contact Aashish Rai Jain at thelifesway@gmail.com or editor@thelifesway.com to send your products, launch event invites, and services to be consumed. #TheLifesWay #PhotoYatra #7YearsofTheLifesWay. Follow me on www.instagram.com/thelifesway for all travel-related photo posts. Namaste!

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

The Chiffonnier with Style and Elegance #JohannesburgCBD #SouthAfrica

Hi Friends,

South Africa is definitely a Rainbow Nation - not only in terms of its diverse cultural and rich heritage, not only in terms of its different nationalities of people living here but also in terms of the way their body moves on the beats and how they dress.

You might be rich or poor - the quality of cloth might be good or bad but the style quotient and the statement it makes it huge and impactful. The lady is a ragpicker in Johannesburg CBD and on one of my Instagram meets I asked her permission to take her photos and offered her some money. She was very happy to receive the money but in all this, I forgot to even ask her name after the greetings. Look at her confidence in the first picture just like a professional model will hold their gaze.

I was not aware of his fact till now when I thought of posting her picture on the forum so this is one of the biggest mistakes we do in our lives that we are occupied in our skills so much that we forget to give the other person proper respect and take them for granted. Lesson Learnt!

The photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Canon 100D and prime Lens or nifty-fifty 50mm lens in Johannesburg Central Business District, South Africa.

Sawubona!!!

Sunday, 17 May 2020

Air Show @Rand_Show #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Rand Show is one of the annual events in Johannesburg, South Africa which goes on for at least 2 weekends and weekdays in between which means around 9 days in total. The tickets are fully booked online before the start of the show as the show offers the best of South Africa under the multiple roofs of Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec.

Air Show @Rand_Show #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

The place is too big to be walked in a single day and that's why people take a weekend ticket or start as early as possible when the gates open on weekends. The place is full and there are lines everywhere as it offers plenty of activities, food stalls, African arts and crafts, and various other popup shops from around the world. The parking is huge and you have to park your car right in front of the entrance gates which is showcased on your tickets else you won't be able to find your vehicle after the closing time of the show.

Also, Rand show offers various kinds of Air Shows as per the schedule performed by various divisions of the Military and Air Force of South Africa. This is a pleasant sight where you will see various military tanks, vehicles, aircraft where you can enter and take photos too. The forces will also explain the functionality of each and every vehicle in detail.

The airshow is one of the best highlights of this big festival and can be watched from the open-air auditorium easily and also from any place you are standing around the same. I could take some shots using Canon 77D - 18-125mm USM lens at the event in 2019. I hope you will like them as I totally loved the aircraft with the wings design and South African flag on the tails.

The show took me to my memories of my class XI and XII when I used to study in Kendriya Vidyalaya in Air Force Station, Sirsa and we used to see MIGs flying and sometimes performing for us especially once a year or so.

Sawubona!

Monday, 4 May 2020

Fun Continues @FourwaysFarmers Market #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

It was so difficult to finish covering the marketplace in a single post hence the post continues to this part where we will get more insights into this lovely place called Fourways Farmers Market. Look at these lovely slices of watermelons which will definitely bring water in your mouth whenever you see them.

The market has a parking lot and can take up to 50 cars but it gets fulled very soon and then you have to park inside the Montecasino parking which has fees of R10 and is just 10 minutes' walk across the road to the venue.

The place also offers a lot of local artists to come and perform in front of the happy audience and there are always some kinds of special programs which are advertised in advance for you to schedule your visit to the venue.

There is local African food in plenty along with Mexican who are making the South African markets a big fan of their products. Sushi and Italian Pasta is anyways everyone's favorite and you will find so many Italian restaurants at every corner of the road.

Here is a food truck of prawns and many more items which were selling like hotcakes and people were queuing on the side of this shop a lot.

There are so many passionate people who are on the other side serving the food to inspire you to enjoy the great food made with passion.

The people come there just looking their best and if I say this is a fashion capital then it won't be wrong too. There are many people who were taking a lot of photographs to be shared on their Instagram pages and this place is totally worthy of their efforts too. All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Canon 100D camera using a 50mm Prime lens.

Sawubona!

Sunday, 3 May 2020

Weekend Fun @FourwaysFarmers Market #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Fourways Farmers Market is one of the weekend markets which offers a great place for a couple or family or friends to go and chill out for the whole day or at least for breakfast or brunch or lunch as per their availability. The market serves the best of many kinds of food items from coffee to mocktails to muffins to hot dogs to Craft Beer.

Weekend Fun @FourwaysFarmers Market #Joburg #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

The entry ticket is just R20 but payable in cash per person and you are welcome to bring your pets like dogs etc too. Inside, your credit or debit card can work to buy from water bottles to any kind of dessert or food from several food trucks.

I always wanted to go there and one day Canon had a kind of learning session there and I attended the same and afterward took a round of the market. The market is right opposite Montecasino Bird Gardens which I have featured in many posts and is in the center of Johannesburg.

All the photos are clicked by Aashish Rai using Canon 100D and a nifty-fifty Prime lens (50mm). The market is totally colorful and it was so hot that day that mini-sprinklers are used to keep the place a little bit cold. The parking is totally full within an hour or so so you have to park at Montecasino and walk for around 10 minutes to reach the place.

The farmers market has shops serving cold drinks to cocktails to watermelons to donuts to several kinds of jams and marmalades etc. The shops even offer several kinds of bags and local African jewelry to buy.

There were plenty of food shops which I have never seen in any other marketplace or they don't have any shops and if you become a fan of their products, you will have to wait till the end of weekdays to come to this market, stand in the queue to enter the market flashing an R20 currency note and then find your favorite food truck to order and enjoy the delicious food.

Not only this place offers great food but also a great venue to go and click some of the street photographs and candid shots of the crowd enjoying themselves of course with their permission.

Sawubona!

Saturday, 2 May 2020

Flowers Are Divinity Smiling On You @SANBI_ZA #Lowveld #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Flowers are something which brings Smiles to each and every one of us from time to time and this is a single flower shot that I took at Lowveld Botanical Garden in Nelspruit, South Africa using Canon 77D and kit lens.

Flowers Are Divinity Smiling On You @SANBI_ZA #Lowveld #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

All these photos are straight from the camera and no filter has been applied or no saturation has been done on these photographs to maintain nature's best smiles on all of us.

Flowers have full biological names for petals, filament, Stigma, Style, Ovary, Anther, Pedicel, Sepal and so many other technical names which I used to learn when I had biology and botany as a subject in my undergraduate or high school.

Lowveld Botanical Garden is one of the national gardens maintained by SAN Parks in South Africa and I have been to most of them and will share in detail about that garden in some other post.

There is so much detail in the focus in different photographs in this post telling us that we are all born with many strengths and weaknesses and shall work on improving them and showcasing them to the world for their appreciation or criticism. Similar is the life I am living on The Life's Way where I share my content and photographs with the users from around the world searching for without our knowledge. He can appreciate our efforts or say that this photo or review is such a waste but our efforts were pure in nature as it's a service we are doing with our whole heart and with passion without any financial benefits whatsoever. Let's continue to do so!

Cheers!!!

Tuesday, 28 April 2020

Howick Falls in #KwaZuluNatal #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Howick Falls is nearly 95m in height and Umgeni River water forms the main source of this fall. The beauty of these falls is amazing and KwaZulu Natal as a province is one of the most beautiful states with all its natural beauty.

Howick Falls in #KwaZuluNatal #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

This comes when you are traveling from Johannesburg to Durban via N3 and there is a small detour of around 10km from the main road to get to the inside town of Howick and see this beautiful waterfall.

This is the only fall where you don't have to walk more than 10-15m to see the same after parking your car. There is plenty of parking for at least 10 cars.

The viewing area of the falls is right on the edge of the road and can easily be reached by anyone. There is plenty of shops and restaurants around the falls to get cold drinks, beers, etc.

There are many local shops selling South African cultural key rings, collectibles and merchandise made by the local artists and villagers.

This falls causes a lot of accidents and many people have died around this falls as you can see there is a community living right near the edges of these falls. Also, many people try to dive into the pool underneath and lost their lives because of hitting the rocks, etc.

It was really great to visit these falls for the first time and there were free community washrooms that were clean. It was too hot weather when I visited the same and I immediately went to buy the cold drinks at the shop nearby. I also bought a copper bangle for myself to wear every day from the local shops along with some keyrings.

All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Canon EOS 100D camera at Howick Falls, South Africa.

Sawubona!

Saturday, 25 April 2020

Crocodile Stood Still #DinosaurPark #Sudwala #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Crocodiles are one of my favorites wildlife animals due to its capacity to stay calm till the time of the attack and they can still themselves like made of rock or something fooling other animals and even human beings.

Crocodile Stood Still #DinosaurPark #Sudwala #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Recently, we went to Sudwala Caves which is one of the oldest caves in South Africa which has not been uncovered fully and it is believed that the stalagmites and stalactites inside are thousands of years old.

Next to the caves, there is a Dinosaur Park which has all the kinds of dinosaurs in their full avatar made up for kids to learn and enjoy. This park has a separate ticket and it gives you a walking tour to see all the animals in an artificial jungle setup.

Though there is not much for adults they definitely need to go as there are some crocodiles at one end of the park which is far in a deep hole.

But at the start or the end of the park depending on how you start the tour - clockwise or anticlockwise, there is this small wall which has these two big crocodiles which look like artificials and kids can easily climb the wall.

My daughter and her friend were totally fooled and they thought it to be not real or alive but then I showed them the breathing mouth which was pulsating and it was so dangerous.

All the photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Canon EOS 77D camera.

Sawubona!

Thursday, 23 April 2020

Lotus in the Pond @Walkersons Hotel #Dullstroom #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Last few days I have been thinking about my life and it didn't give me enough courage to come and open the laptop as I was totally uninterested and demotivated to do anything.

Lotus in the Pond @Walkersons Hotel #Dullstroom #SA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

But when I thought about myself a little longer, I found that I have qualities which even if no one can see now but the process of improvement is going on and the qualities are improving.

I am like a Lotus which despite being surrounded by dust and mud and water flourishes and gets directly to the garlands of the Almighty Lord.

I am like a Lotus which despite being surrounded by people who have no big dreams flourishes by his own hard work and no support from anyone.

I am like a Lotus which not only grows using the resources available to him but also gives back his beauty, fragrance and stems to the community.

I will help not only blossom myself fully but also the people around me. My touch and friendship will grow them too.

One day will come when I will meet nature and the five elements and then my legacy will grow and make this pond a view to cherish.

All photos are taken by Aashish Rai using Canon 77D at Walkersons Resort during a Day visit to Dullstroom which is around 265 km far from Johannesburg, South Africa. Whilst day entry is free, this only allows people access to the hotel building and surrounding gardens, horse riding & pre-booked spa treatments. Day visitors are NOT permitted to roam around the estate for walks, fishing, or photography. The hotel is situated on a private estate and as such has to follow the rules of the Homeowners Association. Guests who are booked into the hotel / self-catering houses on the estate have full access to all areas and facilities but this is restricted for day visitors.

Sawubona!

Tuesday, 21 April 2020

Owl On Its Own @MontecasinoZA #BirdGardens #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Montecasino Bird Garden is really different from the Zoo as there is more interaction with the birds at the venue. They offer flights of birds program every weekend at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm depending on the weather.

Owl On Its Own @MontecasinoZA #BirdGardens #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Montecasino offers 3 types of rewards card which offers you discounted tickets to the Bird Gardens. The lowest card offers around 30% discount on the entry tickets and can be made at the venue using your passport.

This little one was too cute and flew from the entrance point to the place where the trainer asked him/her to.

The owl traveled too fast and I could only take some photos using my Canon 77D camera. Even while flying he kept his eyes on his/her target.

They have really sharp eyes and can turn their head up to 270 degrees too. As he was near the stage and we were sitting right on the second stairs, I could take these photos which I could never take earlier.

You will immediately fall in love with so many birds at the Montecasino Bird Gardens where the tickets are just around R80 without any discounts.

The trainer gave the bird a piece of meat for following her instructions and giving viewers something to enjoy on that particular show.

The owl had confidence like he/she is there on the stage to receive the Oscars and looked at all the audience sitting on both sides of the stage.

In the end, Owl is just asking will you keep me on my own or will you come to meet me at Bird Gardens in Montecasino, Johannesburg, South Africa and enjoy your best days of life.

Sawubona!

Namaste!!!

Saturday, 18 April 2020

Rhino & It's Horns @RhinoandLionSA #PhotoYatra #TheLifesWayCaptures

Hi Friends,

Rhino is of the Big 5 animals South Africa is famous for and what a beautiful animal this is but is mostly sought-after by the poachers because of its horns.

Some people believe that Rhino horns can give them some kind of power to fight some of the deadly diseases which is totally superstition as these can also be cured using allopathic medicines.

In some of the big national parks like Kruger National Park, they don't even map the spots at camps for fellow travelers where rhinos are roaming as poachers are trying every day in the night to kill either an elephant or rhino.

Rhino loves to stay and roam with its family and is purely vegetarian but has power equivalent to many big animals like elephants.

What happened with us at the Lion and Rhino Nature reserve when we first traveled that a rhino came charging as we kept our engines ON of the car and it was disturbing him a lot.

With the kind of horn this rhino has, he could easily turn the car upside down and even kill some people as the sharp horn can easily penetrate anyone.

He came almost at the corner of the road while we backed our vehicle in reverse and took it as far as we can from the spot.

Rhino is one of the most aggressive animals and that is the criteria of Big 5 in South Africa. The hippopotamus is also big but his anger gets cooled down immediately and doesn't like to chase people whereas Rhino will chase you till he can.

In the end, what everyone needs is to spend time with the family taking care of them and protecting them. But we as a human need to protect animals like Rhinos from ourselves only and all those superstitions that horns can take our sickness away and not medicines. All these photos are taken using a Sony Cybershot point and shoot camera at Lion and Rhino Nature Reserve, Johannesburg, South Africa. This private nature reserve is around 35 km from the center of the city and belongs in the area known as Cradle of Humankind which will be covered in the posts later.

Sawubona!!!