Five years ago we went on a trip to the sunflower fields. There were three car loads of people and I thought the intention was to spend the best part of the day photographing sunflowers. Instead we spent the best part of twenty minutes, before the rest of the party declared it was time for lunch. I recall sulking for the rest of the trip. Ever since then I have vowed to return for an extended sunflower photo session; and yesterday was the day.
Our plans called for an early start; so by 1000 (early for me) we were on the road. We were heading for Lopburi, which requires you to head to Bangkok and then turn right-ish. Fortunately, my navigator fell asleep so we didn’t get lost and arrived at a field full of rather puny sunflowers by around 1400. But lunch was next on the agenda and she who must be obeyed (who had now awoken) announced we would head to a nearby dam for a tasty snack.
True to form, she immediately directed me down the wrong road, but we eventually arrived at a large pond. I had imagined throbbing turbines. sheer cliffs of concrete and rushing waters. None of that, just a lot of water and souvenir stalls selling T-shirts with slogans announcing “I came to the dam and there wasn’t one”. But no restaurants; so back on the road to a shack for a rather overpriced and uninteresting lunch. Now for the sunflowers.
She who must be obeyed had done some research and downloaded a map which indicated the location of various sunflower fields. We drove past a few where the prolonged rains and floods had clearly done nothing to encourage growth. But there were some excellent fields a little further away (I assumed, as the map was not to scale as I was about to discover). After forever we arrived at the spot where a particularly wonderful display was to be found; except now it was a ploughed field. The sun was sinking and I was yet to point my camera at a sunflower; desperate times. So we returned to the field we had arrived at some two hours before.
It turned out to be a perfect location with a few exceptions. The sunflowers were too small, and the sun was setting behind the them as they wilted after a long day in the sunshine. And it was almost dark.
Knocked off a few shots, none of which I am pleased with. She who must be obeyed offered an option to find a resort and then come back in the morning; but I decided to just drive home. Sunflowers are uninteresting little fuckers anyway. Stopped at the service area for some food and I will admit to having a product from MacDonalds. It was like eating the flabby fat from the underarm of Susan Boyle and I thought I might vomit.
2100 and we were home. Six hundred kilometres and a few shitty pics, won’t be doing that again.
Comments 🔗
2010-12-01| biggrtiggr saysMcDonalds fry in sunflower oil…….. injury to insult, or somesuch phrase
2010-12-01| Ron saysYou will do it again. Maybe not to do sunflowers but another excursion will happen with similar results.