Ta Promh Temple Ankor Cambodia
by Bill Bradley
(Dawin NT Australia)
Pen and Ink Wash
Last year I had a backpacking holiday in SE Asia and one evening I was having a quiet beer and I started chatting to another Aussie at the next table about my next days boat trip.
"Oh they keep you hanging around for ages he said, you have to wait until the boat fills up before they leave" and then he said something that I will probably always remember, "of course you'll be OK, you've got your sketchbook".
He had noticed me earlier updating my sketchbook, which is also part travel diary and part scrapbook.
He was right of course, I was OK. Boredom doesn't bug me at all anymore. Those long tedious waits when I can see my fellow travelers restlessly pacing up and down fly by for me.
I have sketches of the insides of boats, an Airbus 310, a long distance overnight bus, a stranded mini-bus and of course many and varied establishments that happen to sell cold beer.
Travel sketching is magic! When I am on my own it breaks the ice and starts so many conversations with the locals. I did an old Chinese restaurant sign in Chinatown in Malacca. An old guy looked at my representation of the Chinese characters and shook his head, I handed him the book and he did his version. That line of script is worth a dozen photographs to me.
The sketch in the photo was done was done from a small patch of shade over about three quarters of an hour on a very hot and humid day. There was a steady stream of camera clicking visitors, who spent on average five minutes taking in the scene, and then off to the next place before the heat got the better of them and they headed for their air conditioned hotels.
So, next time you go traveling, don't get bored, get sketching.
Cheers
Bill
Some of bill's drawings
**Note from Admin:
Hello Bill
What a great story you have given us here!
I visited your page. Your story there also had me completely enthralled. I just love your art style. Thank you.
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