Nairobi National Park

After several weeks “on the road”, a free morning in Nairobi provided a wonderful opportunity to spend some hours with friends visiting Nairobi National Park. It is many years since I was last there, and people have said that building encroachment as well as the new railway and roads are increasingly affecting the lives of the wildlife. However, following two days with rain and an early start, we were very fortunate to have a sunny morning during which we saw a wealth of animals and birds. I very much hope that the images below capture some of the beauty and richness of Kenya’s wildlife.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

V Queue istors should, though, be warned that passports/identity cards are needed to enter, and that payment (currently US$43 per foreign visitor) is required by card rather than cash. It was amusing to reflect that the introduction of digital payment means has led to lengthy queues; although it may have reduced fraud, it has certainly lengthened the time it takes visitors to enter the park!

Many thanks to Pauline who collected us from the hotel, and our driver John who did a great job in locating the animals!

Hungarian music and dance, at Telecom World 2019

One of the highlights of the ITU’s Telecom World this year was the generous hospitality of our Hungarian hosts. Preceding the impressive (if slightly concerning) drone display over the Danube, there was an excellent performance of music and dance in the recently refurbished neo-Renaissance Castle Garden Bazaar complex overlooking the Buda riverfront. I hope that the images below capture something of the evening’s entertainment. The men dancing were truly spectacular!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Tram 37A

“Tram 37A” would make a great title for a novel! Travelling every day on this tram in Budapest provided a fascinating insight into life across a transect of the city that not many visitors glimpse. From the hustle and bustle of Népszinház u., past the decaying Fiumei úti nemzeti sírkert (Kerepesi cemetery), across railways lines and road junctions, to the railway station at Kőbánya felső. The images below provide just a quick overview of the everyday life of Tram 37A! Perhaps the novel will come later…

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Drones over the Danube, from Buda to Pest

The Hungarian government arranged an extraordinary drone display last night as part of their generous hospitality for this year’s ITU Telecom World event in Budapest. I have never seen anything quite like it, and I hope the photos below provide just a glimpse into the technical and artistic success of this occasion.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

So many thoughts sprang to mind! In the future, drone displays may well take over from fireworks and laser shows! But more worryingly, just imagine that each drone carried a small explosive payload, that the drones had facial and gait recognition capabilities, and that they were programmed autonomously to track you down… There are many different futures: we need to ensure that the negatve aspects of digital technologies are mitigated, so that their positive aspects can flourish.

It is without doubt appropriate to thank HE Mr. István Manno, Head of the Protocol Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary for his indefatigable work to ensure the strongest possible relationships between the ITU and the Government of Hungary, and especially for all of his efforts to make this evening event such a success.