Dustin Main's A Skinny Escape
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Who is Dustin Main? Media Now Contact
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Dustin Main's A Skinny Escape
Escape into the Real world

Photo of the Day - Night Visitor

"The Night Visitor" - Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

"The Night Visitor" - Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

 

Funny sign (for me at least) @ d'Lagoon in the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia

Mar 27th, 2010

 
Photo of the DayDustin MainApril 6, 2010Perhentian Islands - MalaysiaMalaysia, Perhentian Islands, Asia, SignsComment
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Photo of the Day - Flying Over Binalong Bay

Photo of the DayDustin MainApril 10, 2010Binalong Bay - Tasmania, AustraliaBlue, Binalong Bay, Dustin Main, Australia, Tasmania2 Comments
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New Zealand: Nelson Jazz & Blues Festival

Photo Essay, JourneyDustin MainApril 4, 2010Nelson - New ZealandBlue, Nelson, Green, BlackSandDiva, Yellow, Music, Orange, New Zealand

Tours to Myanmar | This Myanmar Life | Who is Dustin Main

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The Wildest Ferris Wheel Adorned in neon lights, yet powered by humans, this is the ferris wheel that rules in Myanmar Imagine for a moment, powering through the crowd for a seat. There are no formal lines here. Drop your 1500 kyat (~$1USD) in the hand of the person who looks like they're in charge of the chaos and hop on. Seriously, there is no time to waste Young guys, maybe a dozen or so, work the ferris wheel, both as ground control and above. Yes, above Seated on your little seat, perhaps sharing with one and facing two others, you nod. You're all in this together now. You're moving up as they let the people in the next pod hop off, and new customers hop on. You look up, and there are a couple of guys in flip flops, standing on the inside of the ferris wheel. They move along the internal frame of the wheel, shifting the weight and causing the wheel to turn slightly so people can disembark and refill Soon, you're at the top of the wheel, looking out over the festival grounds where thousands of people have gathered. You look around to the other passengers, waiting for the look of excitement about what's to come to show on their face. Usually, it's like a light form of terror instead. What have you gotten yourself into? Too late for that now A whistle blows, and you look down. 6-8 of these flip-flop wearing young men quickly scale the ferris wheel, careful to do it all at the same time. Then, when they are all in place, another whistle is blown and they all shift to one side, and their weight causes the wheel to begin to turn To be continued tomorrow #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Taunggyi #Tazaungdaing #fireballoon #ferriswheel #Myanmar #burma #shanstate #neonlife #MyMyanmar #MyanmarMagic #tbscommunity #bbctravel #documentary #nightlife
A Simple How-to Guide to Fire Balloon Take a 9m (30ft) tall balloon that your community came together to make of paper. Paint it beautifully and intricately over the course of months. Inflate it with the hot air and smoke from giant flaming torches dipped in petrol When fully inflated, spin it around to show the 10's of thousands of people gathered to witness the event in the Shan Hills of Myanmar. Have some of your friends bring out the block of fireworks that have been handmade for the occasion, maybe 5000 or so. Attach this contraption to the bottom of your balloon with a few ropes With your friends and neighbors singing and dancing around you, light the fuse and release your balloon into the air, and watch the fireworks launch from it as it moves higher and higher into the sky Dance to the drums as the sky is lit up with your handy work and the crowd cheers all around you. Relish the moment #UnTourToMyanmar #MyMyanmar #Taunggyi #fireballoon #Tazaungdaing #fireworks #runforyourlife #documentaryphotography #documentary #Myanmar #MyanmarMagic #myanmarigers #exploringtheglobe #digitalnomad
Wandering the Maze It's been quiet around here as I've been wrapping up year end paperwork for the business, planning upcoming trips, and planning tours My recently launched "Un-Tour to Myanmar" for November has been the fastest selling tour I've ever launched, so I'm going to add another in October. Stay tuned for that, and come photograph with me in The Golden Land My camera has been in the shop recently, and I even received pictures of it in pieces this evening. Have I ever told you about that time a queen ant took over my camera and hundred of ants came crawling out of it over the course of about 10 days? I should write about that sometime... And that isn't even why the camera is in getting repaired But these days, I'm dreaming of markets, like this one in Lashio, which is one of my favorites in all of Myanmar #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Myanmar #Lashio #burma #marketday #MyMyanmar #documentary #documentaryphotography #magnumphotos #MyanmarMagic #bbctravel #passionpassport #digitalnomad #thediscoverer #everydayasia #myanmarigers
Taking What The Land Gives Tin Tin (23) has farmed this land with her family as long as she can remember The land in the plains of Bagan are hardly optimal for farming. In fact, the soil is so poor that only a few low-value crops grow here. Some beans can make it in the sandy ground, including pigeon beans which are mostly sent to China. These hard beans need to be boiled for a long time before eating, and that adds it's own cost. They're just not worth wasting the limited resources for using these themselves here Tin Tin's family plants peanuts on their land. Harvest time is the beginning of winter here, but the temperature is hardly cool. Stints of working for ~20 minutes are bookended by breaks under the large tree to gain respite from the sun. Hats, long sleeved shirts, and natural thanaka smeared on the face help keep those sun rays at bay. The latter, a natural sunscreen / cosmetic made from the bark of the thanaka tree, is popular here in Myanmar The oxen are tied together and drag a wooden structure on the ground behind them, with metal poles attached to dig deeper below the ground. Oo Than Lo, her father, steps on this contraption to keep it down while coaxing the animals to move ahead. This pulls at the roots of the peanuts, lifting them out or the ground as they pass Tin Tin and her younger brother Ko Chin (18) pick up these bunches, shake off some of the sand and dirt, and toss them into a pile for later. They've been here since early in the morning, and they'll be here until late in there afternoon before heading back to their village, Minnanthu, a couple of kilometers away Tin Tin has finished her schooling, but jobs in her field are tough to come by as the education system is poor at best. Either wat, it's her hope that farming the land here won't be part of her future for too much longer #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Bagan #burma #Myanmar #peanut #farming #documentary #documentaryphotography #tbscommunity #everydaymyanmar #everydayasia #warmtones #oxcart #MyMyanmar #MyanmarMagic
The Real Night Lights We just don't appreciate the stars the way we should, but at least being in Myanmar helps It's been a little shocking to hear from people in my travels that they haven't really seen the night sky in their life. I mean *really* seen. Light pollution in so many cities has gotten to be so bad that in many large cities around the world, you can't see more than a star or two when looking up into the cosmos from the street Admittedly, I'm a bit spoiled, growing up in a place where I could see the northern lights from my front door It makes me think about adventure. I've always been interested in space, from being in space club and launching rockets as a kid, to a recent trip to the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral where rockets are literally launched into orbit How thirsty would I be for the adventures I currently take on if it weren't for those days in my childhood dreaming about my future as an astronaut? Hard to say But in a small village in Northern Shan State, where a battery runs some LED lights to help light up the room while cooking over the fire, I remember that the adventures are out there, on the ground and above Thanks to the team at @maoutfitters for helping me out on this adventure #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Lashio #Myanmar #burma #everydayasia #documentary #documentaryphotography #shanstate #bbctravel #guardiantravelsnaps
The Women Building Myanmar's Backbone Myanmar has been improving their roads rapidly over the past few years or so, and it's already making a positive impact on the economy as well as increasing the mobility of the citizens. Newer, wider roads mean that more vehicles can take more goods, and travel times are often significantly reduced. The difference year to year is noticeable. But before we get too far ahead, the roads are still a far cry of what most consider normal around the world. It's a work in progress to say the least. And as it turns out, much of that work is done by women. Much of this roadwork is done by hand. Barrels of tar are laid down over a pit, and cut open. A fire is started from underneath to heat the tar, some of which is used to keep the fire going below it. Beside, a woman mixes the tar with pebbles, to create a gooey mixture used to patch busted up parts of the roads (of which there are many). It's not a glamorous job by any means, and often not necessarily a chosen one. Many of the women doing this type of work are farmers, and doing it because a crop went bad, and there isn't enough money to be made in the fields. Sometimes, it's just the best of the limited options out there. #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #Burma #documentary #Myanmar #shanstate #roadwork #passionpassport #bbctravel #everydaymyanmar #travelon #everydayasia
Colours of the Markets It's a routine. Early morning, before sunrise, sellers at the street markets head out in the dark to the local fruit and veggie wholesalers. Digging out their phones, they search for the setting to turn on the flashlight, and shine it on the big piles of produce to inspect it. If you're going to be selling this stuff to your customers today, you had better have the best Here in Shan State, much of this stuff comes from nearby, and in some cases direct from the farmers themselves. The cool mountain air and available water make this the prime location for growing in the country. That's great for the sellers, and great for the buyers (like you and I!) Too But getting the best goods is only half of the problem for the street seller. The next: How do you stand out on a street filled with selling pitching the exact same stuff? There is a pride in their displays that I often find with street sellers around here. Sometimes, at first glance, you might miss it. In fact you might just see a pile of stuff, or some lightly organized chaos. But stick around for a bit and you may just find the method to the madness. Organizing the goods again between sales, slapping piles of packaged goods with a cloth on a stick to knock away the settling dust from the air, or just sizing up the competition from down the street to make sure they can continue to stand out. It doesn't stop So when you have a chance, put the camera away and take a minute or two and really watch the action take place. It's been going on since before you woke up this morning, and chances are they'll still be there long after you've headed away with your basket filled with fresh fruits and veggies too #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #everydayasia #everydaymyanmar #MyMyanmar #visitmyanmar #documentaryphotography #documentary #passionpassport #thediscoverer #atlasobscura #shanstate
Join me on the "Un-Tour to Myanmar" in November for Food, Festivals and Photography This super-small group journey (max 8 people) is happening at my favorite time of the year in Myanmar, and around my favorite festival: The Tazaungdaing Fire Balloon Festival So this November 8th to 21st, join me for a unique experience in Myanmar. Hear the stories of the people, witness unique festivals, and capture this moment in history with your cameras (and your hearts) For the past 7 years, I've been traveling to Myanmar, working on my documentary project "This Myanmar Life." This fascinating country has made a huge impact on my life over the course of nearly 20 trips and 2 years on the ground. And I'm excited to share it with you It's a little hard for me to believe, but this is the 7th "Un-Tour to Myanmar." And if you've been thinking about a unique experience in this special land, I can honestly say that now is the right time for you to come. There are so many stories waiting for you to discover So check out the link in my bio for more information, and check out my stories feed this week for pics from my previous 6 "Un-Tour to Myanmar" adventures #UnTourToMyanmar #ThisMyanmarLife #MyMyanmar #burma #MyanmarMagic #documentary #documentaryphotography #visitmyanmar #passionpassport #thediscoverer #bbctravel
Cafe Chernobyl When you picture the aftermath of a nuclear apocalypse in your mind, what does it look like? Abandoned buildings? Trees without their foliage, and a world devoid of colors? This was one of the reasons I went to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in winter Honestly, it's pretty true. An overcast winter day has it's way of sucking the color, and life out of a place. The wind whistles through the barren trees as you make your way through snow that goes up to your knees with each step. It's a feeling, and it comes out in emotions and in my case, photography That made this cafe, in the abandoned city of #Pripyat, extra special. Located on the river going through the city, this would have been as hip of a spot you could find in the Soviet Union in 1986, or at least around these parts Pripyat, a town of ~50000, was made for local workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The average age around here was about 26, and this was a great place to be. Good jobs, a fully stocked modern grocery store, and excellent amenities and parks As I approach from the cafe from the front, the faded colors of the stained glass windows give a hint of color. Around back, I pass through a side door, avoiding debris strewn about the ground from damaged walls and a ceiling that is slowly collapsing. And then I enter this room With the backlight of the last hints of daylight pouring through, the colors of the windows hit my eyes in a way nothing else has here for the past three days in the zone. Stretching 6m (20ft) tall, they're beautiful enough to be in any metropolis today I've never been terribly interested in human history, partly because I find it hard to put myself in a place while trying to imagine what it was like at that time. But here it's a bit different. The #Chernobyl disaster happened during my lifetime, when I was a young child. Standing here, I'm beginning to understand what it was like to be here This was a place of joy, of hope, and of possibility. The hope of nuclear power that would eliminate all of our energy worries. A new world Today, it's a lone bright spot on a landscape that shows us what happens when something goes terribly wrong
Cooling Down Since leaving Ukraine a couple of weeks back, I've been consuming documentaries on long flights and reserving books at the library to have at the ready. The more I learn about the story, the more I want to know The Chernobyl nuclear reactor site had 4 functioning reactors in 1986, but the actual plan was to have 12 total within a few years. This cooling tower, for the 5th reactor, was partly built at the time of the disaster in April of '86, and abandoned as it was As I wandered in, it felt easy to get lost in the enormity of it. Looking up, listening to the echo of the walls, I had to be careful not to lose my focus. Taking that next step could be dangerous. The floor is riddled with debris, made up of twisted metal and busted concrete, some covered in a thin layer of slippery ice. Needless to say, it's easy to trip and lose your footing, and this isn't the sort of place you would want to test your tetanus shot's validity The base at the center of the tower is the most dangerous, as radioactive material that came from the nearby reactor fell down from above. I didn't walk there This mural was one of the few I found in my time in the exclusion zone, perhaps showing one of the workers who was tasked with cleanup duty in the days or weeks following, and with the most minimal of safety precautions While many people died in the days and weeks after the disaster, it's likely much less than you think. I'll delve into that in the coming weeks... #chernobyl #ukraine #nuclearpowerplant #documentary #documentaryphotography #yomadic #passionpassport #bbctravel #thediscoverer #streetart #chernobylzone #coolingtower
Discovering Chernobyl This trip was years in the making Ever since I was a young nerdy kid, I have been fascinated with nuclear power. This mysterious energy that we couldn't see with our bare eyes, but had so much potential for good in the world And how things can go terribly wrong 8 years ago I had my first trip to Chernobyl planned, before the permit was revoked a few weeks prior. As they say, better late than never Nearly 33 years on, some places have been ransacked, with metals taken and sold for scrap, and other things like bedding disintegrated. But in the many villages around, with windows and doors that have mostly kept the elements out, you can have a sneak peek at life back in the Soviet Union in the mid 80's. Pictures of Stalin mark the walls of classrooms, while chemistry sets collect decades worth of dust Like many of my favorite places, the sense of discovery is high here... You don't know what you'll find as you enter a place And I can't wait to go back #chernobyl #ukraine #documentary #documentaryphotography #sonyalpha #passionpassport #bbctravel #soviet #chernobylexclusionzone #fallout #nuclear #darktourism
Epiphany Traditions are a funny thing. If they've always been around us, we feel like they are completely normal. On the other hand, seeing someone else's can often feel like looking into a different world Epiphany in Kyiv is a curious one for my outsider eye. With roots in Orthodox Christianity and the baptism of Christ, a cross is cut out of the frozen Dnipro river on January 19th each year. A priest then sanctifies the waters in preparation for the event Scores of believers gather around on the shore and atop the ice on the river around the cross. One by one, the shed their heavy winter jackets, warm hats, mitts, and everything else until their underwear (and sometimes more...) Each person then enters the waters, most dunking their entire head, some in more dramatic fashion than others. Afterward they rush out, walking barefoot on the cold ice to a towel and their hopefully dry clothes It's thought that plunging into the near-freezing water 3 times will rid one of illnees and cleanse the soul I for one was feeling just fine watching from the sidelines, and still am :) #kyiv #kiev #epiphany #ukraine #documentary #documentaryphotography #iced #coldasf #dnipro #passionpassport #bbctravel #thediscoverer