The people of the desert in Rajasthan dress in colourful attires. The ladies wear bracelets of bright hues and the men in colourful headdress. It's like they're trying to match the vivid red colour of the sandstones of their surroundings. But the people of New and Old Delhi are not to be surpassed, they too are colourful.

This desert city in Rajasthan has many magnificent jewels of architecture. The Umaid Bhawan palace, now used as a hotel, is the last of the great palaces of India. It was build in 15 years and completed in the 1940s. The 347 room palace was designed by Designed by renowned Edwardian architect Henry Lanchester on commision from Maharaja Umaid Singh. Perched on the high ground overlooking the city is Mehrangarh Fort, an imposing red sandstone fort with magnificent palaces inside. Jaswant Thada is an elegant white marble cenotaph built in commemoration of Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. And just a short drive north of Jodhpur are the Balsammand lake palace and the old capital Mandore.

Delhi, the new and the old, both have some magnificent buildings. In a very quick tour around Delhi I managed to capture the images of the Presidential Palace, the India Gate, Safdarjung's Tomb and Purana Qila in New Delhi and also the magnificent Red Fort in Old Delhi. The second part of the photo series are of stuff found on the streets of Jodhpur in Rajasthan, notably the beautifully formed potteries, forming nice, curvy geometric patterns....

India is a vast country, it encompasses the extremes of physical geography. It has high mountains (well, part of Himalaya is there!) and low areas. It has arid desert areas with less than 300mm annual rainfall and it has Assam with 3000mm annual rainfall. Indeed, Assam seems like it's submerged underwater at the end of July 2007. That's why it's so green with rice fields and forests. And among the forests some towering old oil structures could be seen, for this is an area that has one of the oldest oil fields in Asia....

The northern part of India is a harsh country, the sun shines very strongly, the land is dry, dusty, the people live a hard life. These photos try to capture these aspects of India....

India has many colours - the ladies wear many hued saris, even the men wear colourful clothes. The fruits in the streets, the brightly painted transports, the bollywood posters, all these add to the myriads of colours that is India.....

I'm going on another trip to Derawan Island in Berau Sea, East Kalimantan next month. I flicked through my photo album from the last trip (April 2005) and found photos that have not been published. In the last trip we stayed at Sangalaki island which house the turtle conservation organisation. During a surface interval we got this wonderful rare chance to witness the struggle of these little babies digging out from under the sand, across the beach to reach the waterline. We cheered the little ones as they struggled hard crossing the beach, climbing up and down mounds, leaves and plants which must look like a big jungle to them. Then as they reached the water we prayed hard so that they will survive the gulls or fish or other predators that are waiting for them out there.....

These were taken during my 7 week posting in the UK during the supposedly autumn of 2006. I came bringing warm clothing which in the end weren't needed because that year September was still summer. Nowhere was the cold wind or rain, instead it's glorious sun and an explosion of colours! Not even my pair of crutches could stop me from walking around the countryside to capture these rainbows.....

Most people think Lombok is the trio Gili Air, Gili Trawangan and Gili Meno. But they're wrong. There are other gilis (means 'island') in Lombok, some of them are really stunning with blue water, gorgeous fringing reef and beautiful white sand devoid of people. Really one of the best kept secrets. One of those places is Gili Nanggu in South Lombok. The serene landscape will capture your heart and you will never want to leave.....

People often ask me why I'm so crazy about diving. It's difficult to explain but I hope this photo collection will give some answer. It's them, the beautiful monsters, my underwater friends............

A rainy day in Ambon is not something spectacular. This island in the middle of the beautiful Molucca Sea has the highest rainfall in the area. On such a day in early April this year the rain suddenly came in huge drops and with the rain came out the little kids. They took their boat out and went fishing. When the rain abated, the children took the boat back ashore and they swam and played in the water with joy.

Singapore, the city state where cleanliness, order and system reign, is my home now. Many people say that this fine city famous of its strict rules and heavy fines is so perfect it's sterile and characterless. Not according to me. Singapore has a blend of different races, people and cultures. This mix is reflected in its buildings, streets and people roaming the streets....

What else can I say, except that seeing these beautiful wonderful playful creatures jumping up and down and splashing the water is like nothing on earth. We hope that gorgeous places like the waters of Bunaken in North Sulawesi will remain full of these smiling dolphins......

In the island of the gods, Bali, our primate relatives are respected. In Ubud in the Monkey Forest our monkey cousins live, play, mate and breed freely and happily.

The beauty of Ubud is created by both nature and man. The lush green rice fields and coconut trees are complemented with artistic statues and temples, and flowers. This album shows a diffierent kind of beauty - it's the beauty of a girl, my friend Deedee, who posed for me with the beauty of Ubud as the background....

These are photos taken from my diving trip in Bali in mid August 2005. Bali is probably well known enough that I don't need to show yet more photos about it. But who knows there are still new things you can get here through my eyes and lenses? Certainly it has so many colours and different facets that you can probably always find something new. Here are some of the things you can find in there.........

These are my friends Deedee and Ninta, who are my willing impromptu models. In the midst of the ruins from the Dutch era in the islands of Purmerend (now Bidadari) and Kuiper in the Jakarta Bay, without make up or proper preparation, with minimal photographic equipments, I captured their beauty....

Anyer is a popular beach resort for Jakartan, located in the west coast of Java about 120km from Jakarta. Sanghyang, 10 km off Anyer beach, is an easy diving destination for Jakartan divers who can only spare a weekend. This volcanic island offers white carbonate-sand beach and a wealth of underwater life, while Anyer offers a gorgeous sunset. Photos taken with Canon Rebel EOS 300D and Sigma 28-300mm lens.

This is where it all began for Jakarta. The old harbour Sunda Kelapa was the busy old port where spices, which was the reason the western countries raced to colonialised the archipelago, used to be traded in the 15th and 16th century . Today many wooden boats are still operating to transfer goods around the archipelago. The boats are colourful, giving the old harbour scenic views. Lean muscly guys carry bags of rice or planks of wood across from the boats to the pier, walking with ease along a plank of wood above brown water, as if it's a runway. A feat of strength, balance and courage. Little canoes provided transport for people from the harbour to their houses along the river. People sell food, jamu (herbal drink) and souvenirs for tourists. Lively scenes!

I fell in love with Wexford, where my very own leprechaun comes from. It's an unforgettable moment - walking through the streets of Enniscorthy, the windy Vinegar Hill, the sunny Irish Heritage Park and the misty and windy Kilmore Quay and Hook Peninsula........

the photos are about Dublin, that nice vibrant city with its pubs and old buildings and its tumultuous history! And of a walk in the past among the gravestones and the ruins of the monastic city Glendalough

Even the names already sound so beautiful and strong - The Ring of Kerry is already famous with its beautiful scenery, and the Rock of Cashel looks so strong in the top of the hill.....

The wild lands of the Burren in County Clare fascinates me. It's a rocky landscape dotted with pink little hardy flowers. Also with the remains of the past - rock forts, castle ruins - and that mysterious place - the Poulnabrone dolmen, appropriately cloudy and misty when i was there.

I fell in love with Connemara instantly! It's a beautiful wild bogland, eeriely empty, especially in its misty atmosphere. Inishmore was sunny when I was there. It's so enchantingly beautiful....

The Royal Holloway University of London was where I studied for my master degree. In this beautiful campus surrounded by forest and lush greens I had one of the best years in my life..........

London, it's a city I consider my home away from home. All these beautiful landmarks, i will never ever forget.............

London in the spring can be so delightful, especially on a glorious day like this. Some clouds brood in the sky but the the sun shines gloriously sending warmth and smiles to people. On the street people look happy and there are lots of great street performers. On such a day I decided to make the London Eye my model of the day...........

It's a glorious spring morning, a proper sunny morning for The Changing of The Guards ceremony. The crowds waited eagerly outside the Buckingham Palace, and the friendly London Police and the mounted police helped to keep the spectators in line.........

These are photos from my diving trip to Tulamben and Menjangan in Bali. Beautiful clear blue sea, gorgeous sky. Now I know why it's called paradise. Underwater photos taken with Olympus C-5060 and PT-020 housing, land photos taken with Canon 300D with Sigma 28-300mm lens

Photos taken from Sahabat Museum's Plesiran Tempo Doeloe het Paleis van de Gouverneur-Generaal trip, visiting Cipanas and Bogor Palaces, both used to be the palaces of the Dutch colonial Governor Generals, and now the Presidential Palaces.

The islands Sangalaki, Kakaban and Maratua off Berau in East Kalimantan have a wealth of natural beauty, as you can see in these pictures. Manta rays, turtles and myriads of sea creatures roam the sea, and the white beaches were pristine - beautiful under the sun. The underwater photos were taken using Olympus C-5060 and PT-020 housing, while the land photos were taken using Canon Rebel 300D and Sigma 28-300mm lens.

I never thought that Cilegon, that place full of industrial compounds and factories, could be photogenic too. That's why I didn't bring my Canon Rebel camera when I went on that diving trip to the site of USS Houston wreck. Passing the area after the dive I was gobsmacked by its beauty in the fading sunlight - so I snapped it with my underwater designated compact digital camera - Olympus C5060.

Topeng Monyet or Monkey show is quite popular among children in 'kampungs' or middle-low class urban housings like where I live. The group consists of a monkey and two or three guys playing percussion music. Personally I feel very sorry for the monkey :( It's sad to see it being yanked here and there. I hope the owners give it enough food. But maybe the owners are so poor they can't do much. All photos were taken using DLSR camera Canon 300D with Canon 70-200mm lens

These are underwater (and some land) photos taken using my compact digital Oly C5060 and its PT-020 housing during the diving trip to Sebesi and Sebuku, two volcanic islands to the north of Krakatau. Sebuku eastern shore hosts the wreck of Evertsen, a dutch destroyer downed shortly after HMAS Perth and USS Houston in the same Sunda Strait Battle. Read more at http://my-musings.blogdrive.com/archive/143.html

This land, which was until recently torn apart by religious conflict is once again at peace. Even though the towns retain some visual evidence of the violence which took place the land itself is beautiful, and the people warm and friendly. These photos were taken during a one-week diving trip in the island of Ambon. Photos are taken with Canon EOS 300D and 70-200mm & 28-90mm lenses.

The Baduy people live in the mountainous and forested landscapes of inland West Java. They are a unique people who folows their strict traditional rules closely, The Indonesian version of the Amish. They are not allowed to follow the modern life as we know today, and should preserve their traditional values and culture. There are two kinds of Baduy People, Baduy Dalam or the Inner Baduy and Baduy Luar or the Outer Baduy. The Baduy Dalam people live deep in the mountain. The men wear white attire with headscarf, the women wear black cloth wrapped around their bodies. They have a stricter set of rules and we are not allowed to photograph their villages. The Baduy Luar people live closer to modern civilisation and have less strict rules. They can wear black and blue coloured clothes. I was lucky to be able to visit both people, and observed their unique culture.......

Lombok has three little idyllic islands in its northwestern corner. Gili Air, where we went to for a one week diving trip during the Idul Fitri season, is one of those paradise-like islands. The people were warm and friendly, both who were celebrating the Idul Fritri and those fishermen who still have to work in the holiday season.... Photos are taken with DSLR Canon EOS 300D and 28-90mm & 70-200mm lenses.

It's not easy working on an offshore drilling rig - especially in a prolonged assignment. Stressful tasks, long working hours, graveyard shifts, limited activities and loss of privacy are some of the difficulties. However, you get a lot of chance to see the beauty of nature - sunrises, sunsets, storms...... These pictures were taken with Canon EOS 300D with 28-90mm and 70-200mm lenses during my offshore hitch to Charley Graves and Ocean Sovereign drilling rigs in the Natuna Sea

Semarang, the capital of the Central Java Province is one of the oldest towns in Java. It has been an important port town since 15th century. It has many beautiful old buildings with Chinese and colonial architecture. These photos were taken during a Sahabat Museum trip to Semarang.

Still from the Sahabat Museum trip to Semarang, this album is on Gereja Blenduk and Lawang Sewu. Gereja Blenduk or the 'Domed Church' is probably the most iconic building in Semarang. Lawang Sewu, the building with the 'Thousand Doors', is I think the most beautiful building in Semarang. Unfortunately many Indonesians know this building only because of its infamous 'ghosts', not for its rich history and beautiful architecture!

On a trip with Sahabat Museum crowd to Semarang we were very lucky to be invited to this beautiful ceremony called King Hoo Ping. It was held in Tay Kak Sie Temple in Gang Lombok, Semarang. In the ceremony offerings are given to friends, family, ancestors, both dead or alive. Food were abundant and it was distributed to the needies........

These are the photos of the metropolitan city of Dubai and its peple, who come from many different parts of the world. The photos are taken in Dubai city and Dubai port.

This is a collection of portraits the faces of the people of Islamabad, from a security guard and driver to a street kid following her mum and sister selling flowers, from an unknown guy walking on the street to someone close to me, heart and soul..... Photos taken with Canon EOS 300D and Canon 70-200mm lens

Ujung Kulon, the last haven for wild animals at the western tip of the overcrowded Java, is home to the almost extinct Java rhinos. However the chances of you to see them are pretty small. But you get to see other animals there, wild and the semi wild ones. In Peucang islands there are lots of monkeys and deer who are not afraid of humans. We went there for a diving trip and the underwater life was abundant. Apart from looking at these animals in the small fishing village where we departed from Java we had a glimpse of the way of life of those people who live off the sea......... All photos were taken with Canon EOS 300D Rebel with Canon 28-90mm and 75-200mm lenses.

The now benign but once belligerent mother Rakata watching calmly its feisty child Anak Krakatau. It was a beautiful calm scene we saw that day, but in August 1883 the scene wasn't this tranquil. Rakata was once part of a huge complex of 3 volcanoes - Danan, Perboweatan and Rakata itself. Blowing up in mighty explosions which sent 20 km3 of material into the air and a huge tsunami, it left a small chunk of itself - Rakata - and a huge caldera, now occupied by its growing small child Anak Krakatau. Mostly barren at the surface, it belies the wealth of life of its underwater world, which teems with myriads of fish and invertebrates! These were taken with my then still new Canon 300D and 28-90mm canon lens

England in the spring - everyone so loves the sun. Parks are full of people sleeping, playing, eating, enjoying the sun. These are my first photos made using the then brand new DSLR Canon 300D. I was still playing around with it and the Canon 28-90mm and 70-200mm lenses.