The environment is everything that isn’t me
Albert Einstein
My own ‘natural’ environment is a city. I grew up in London and have lived there most of my adult life too. I enjoy the buzz of city life and the easy access to a wide range of restaurants, museums, galleries and other culture. And I like the convenience of having the essentials such as public transport and shops almost on my doorstep.
I can’t imagine living anywhere that didn’t have these pleasures and conveniences at hand!
But when I travel I like to experience totally different environments. I want to see how others live and be taken out of my comfort zone. So for Tina’s Lens Artists challenge this week I want to explore some very different environments, including the very different animals (and sometimes the people) who live in them.
As I sorted these photos (some of which I know I have shared previously) it struck me that many overlap. We can find water in the desert, areas of open grassland in the jungle. And I realised how many were taken in various national parks and reserves around the world. A reminder that natural environments will only stay that way if we protect and look after them.
As always, a click on any photo will open a slide show.
Coastal
Seals at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, England
Marine iguana, Espanola, Galápagos Islands
Hermit crab, Cano Island, Costa Rica
Pelican fishing, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica
Fishermen and egret, Kovalam, Kerala, India
Flamingos and fishermen's cottages, Faro, Portugal
Desert
Dunes in the Namib Dessert, with animal tracks
Machuca, a tiny village in the Atacama Desert, Chile
Camels in the Empty Quarter, Oman
A home in Wahiba Sands, Oman
A shop in the Empty Quarter, Oman
Guidelines for desert driving, the Empty Quarter, Oman
Grasslands
In the Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania
Elephants grazing (taken from a small plane), Botswana
Lion family in Chobe National Park, Botswana
A bee on a teasel, Yorkshire, England
Sheep farming in Swaledale, Yorkshire, England
Jungle
Cloud forest in central Costa Rica
Howler monkeys, Cano Negra Reserve, Costa Rica
Tiger in Ranthambore National Park, India
Ranthambore National Park, India
Jungle view at Tikal, Guatemala
Rhino in Chitwan National Park, Nepal
Mountains
Wildflowers in Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA
Chipmunk, Mount Rainier National Park, Washington State, USA
Guanacos at Laguna Azul, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
Deer at Hurricane Ridge, Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, USA
In Kamikochi National Park, Japan
Farming in the Himalayan foothills near Pokhara, Nepal
Wetlands
The Putana wetlands in the Atacama Desert, Chile
Ruddy ducks in the Putana wetlands, Atacama Desert, Chile
Turtle at Cano Negra, Reserve Costa Rica
Great Egret on the Rio Nosara, Costa Rica
Red Lechwe in the Okavango Delta, Botswana
On the Somerset Levels, England
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68 Comments
navasolanature
Another great collection. So varied. I grew up in London too, playing around the river and the rervoirs which are now thankfully the WWT wetland centre in Barnes.
Sarah Wilkie
I know that wetland centre quite well, it’s not far from us in Ealing. It’s a wonderful patch of nature in the city!
navasolanature
Yes, when in London we stay in Heston now but I love to visit the wetlands.
rkrontheroad
This is an excellent gallery, each section unique and beautiful.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Ruth 😊
Leya
Beautiful all of them, Sarah – you surely are well travelled. And I agree, the variety travel creates is envigorating.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ann-Christine, I know you value travelling too 😊 I hope you enjoyed Prague?
SoyBend
So many habitats, so little time. You have sure visited a lot of different environments, Sarah! I liked your grassland collection–especially the one of the lions.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Siobhan – I completely agree with your comment about ‘so little time’. I saw a sign in a cafe in Tirana today, ‘Life is like ice cream, enjoy it before it melts’!
wetanddustyroads
Your coastal photos are beautiful, but I absolutely love the desert photos. Then again … grasslands, jungle, wetlands – they’re all beautiful! Oh, but my favourite-favourite has to be the mountains. You have so many beautiful photos Sarah – thanks for sharing them!
Sarah Wilkie
Haha, you sound like me – unable to decide which environment you love best but finally settling on mountains 😃
Teresa
Aside from your people shots, your animal photos are simply awesome…love those lions, Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Teresa 😊 That lion family was wonderful to watch and photograph!
equinoxio21
A very nice selection. was that Tikal?
Sarah Wilkie
Yes – as per the caption! If I remember rightly it’s the view from Temple 4 🙂
restlessjo
Never boring, Sarah! Those monkeys, just ‘hanging out’ do make me smile.
Sarah Wilkie
It’s hard not to smile at monkeys, don’t you think?!
restlessjo
When they smile back, I’m in trouble, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
🤣🤣🐵
grandmisadventures
Really incredible and beautiful collection of pictures! That was the best geography lesson ever! 🙂
Sarah Wilkie
So glad you liked them!
maristravels
I’m sort of making a return but not able to read for long, so I won’t be leaving many comments on your posts, or your pictures, but rest assured I am enjoying them again. When I’ve worked my way through some more I’ll be in touch, meantime, lovely to find you still posting your marvellous stuff.
Sarah Wilkie
Always lovely to have you drop in Mari, but I totally understand that your visits have to be brief and limited 🤗
I. J. Khanewala
Superb photos. Love the action in the photos of the egret with the fishermen, and the lechwe
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much 😊 That beach in Kerala was full of activity!
thehungrytravellers.blog
And you live in one of the World’s greatest cities, too. Fabulous collection again…
Sarah Wilkie
Very true – ‘When a man is tired of London’ and all that!
norasphotos4u
Beautiful photos of these environments!!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Nora 😊
Monkey's Tale
Beautiful pictures of nature. I love the boat picture in Kerala. Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie 😊 That beach was so interesting for photography, much more so than any pretty tourist one!
Monkey's Tale
Definitely!
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Nice way to catagorize the different environments. All beautiful!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Suzanne, so glad you enjoyed these 😃
Teresa
Beautiful 👍👍👍 And I am like you and maybe because of the age, I now prefer comfort when travelling.
Sarah Wilkie
I don’t mind a bit of discomfort during the day but I want a decent room and comfortable bed – and good food!
Tina Schell
Enjoyed the way you broke these out Sarah, interesting to think of Mother Earth that way. Some beautiful creatures beautifully captured. Enjoy them all! For a city girl you sure have enjoyed some remote travels!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Tina 😊 This break down of environments was the first thing I thought of when I saw your theme! I love the contrasts that travelling gives me 😃
Anonymous
Just a perfect collection of gorgeous shots, Sarah! I always enjoy seeing your photos and travels.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much 😃 I’m curious who you are, as this has come up as anonymous.
JohnRH
Excellent!
JohnRH
Great selections, from ’round the world!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks John 😊
Alison
Such beautiful photos Sarah and good descriptions of all types of environments. I’m drawn to the beach ones the most.
As much as I travel I’m always happy to get home.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alison 😊 I love the sea but would choose mountains or desert landscapes over the coast, most of the time!
Alison
Yes I do like green hills and mountains that’s what was so good about Hong Kong
margaret21
Wow! A whole David Attenborough series in a single blog post! Like you, I’ve very bad at coming home from trips. It takes me days to reconcile myself to being home, despite being happy here. And it’s your mountain shots that call to me the loudest.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, that’s exactly it. I love living here and wouldn’t want to travel full time, but I hate that flat feeling at the end of a trip!
margaret21
Quite. I’ve never done ‘East, west, home’s best’.
Sarah Wilkie
Funny story. When I was a kid I had an autograph book and asked my grandmother, when she came to stay with us, to write in it. She wrote ‘East, West, home is best. My mother was not amused, given that Gran (Dad’s mother, needless to say) was our guest at the time!
margaret21
Haha! Tact not her strong point? 😉
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed not!
Pat
What a delightful post, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Pat 😀
Heyjude
Gosh Sarah you have been to so many places and you have such wonderful photos too. I think you’ll find though that they are seals at Blakeney Point not sea lions. Grey and Common seals. Do you ever visit other cities (other than Paris) on your travels or do you prefer something different?
Sarah Wilkie
Oh of course they are seals Jude – I’ll change that ASAP. Thank you 😊 And yes, we do visit cities. New York is a favourite that we’ve been to several times. In Colombia we went to Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena. In Nepal to Kathmandu. And so on. And we enjoy a European city break. Last year it was Sofia and next weekend we’re off to Tirana!
Marie
Like yourself Sarah, I love having everything to hand so can’t imagine living far from a city but isn’t it wonderful to be able to travel and see so much –
Sarah Wilkie
I agree – the best of both worlds! And I should have mentioned that we’re only 20 minutes from Heathrow for a quick getaway and painless return 😃
Marie
You can reach SO many places directly from Heathrow….
Sue
Love those a galleries, wonderful images, as ever, Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Sue 😊
Reflections of an Untidy Mind
Sarah, I love this very thoughtful post and the beautiful images you have chosen to show how important each of these different environments are.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much 😊
Reflections of an Untidy Mind
You’re welcome.
tobyo
Stunning photos!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much, glad you liked them 😊
Anne Sandler
Fantastic images of many environments Sarah! But, I bet it’s nice to come home to your city life.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne 😊 As much as I love living where I do, I rarely want to come home from a trip!