Yearly Archives: 2025

Just Mad (RV) about our Camper

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Mad RV Warrior 1

If you travel around New Zealand, at some point you’ll see a rental vehicle from ‘Mad Campers.’ They’re a fun bunch of guys who specialise in campers that get you to the wild parts of this country that other campers can’t. The good news is that they’ve moved into retail; the better news is we bought their first Mad RV Warrior. This beast is a beauty! 

Mad RV Warrior 2

With its Old Man Emu ARB upgraded suspension, this Toyota Hilux SR 2.8DT 6AT 4WD Single Cab just purrs along pretty much any track. If you’re the backcountry fishing, hunting or skiing type, this is for you. And if the going gets tough, the tough get going; the domestic unit can be hitched up on legs and the vehicle itself driven out from underneath as a flat bed ute. Can it get better than this? You’d better believe it!

Mad RV Warrior 3

There is space. Lots of space! One side unit takes an inflatable kayak, all our hiking gear, all our camping gear and all our fishing gear. The same unit on the other side takes golf clubs, tool box and outdoor clothes.

Mad RV Warrior 4

The sleeve compartment above the cab takes the legs, electric cable, hoses, a spade, skis and, of course, two pairs of Red Bands.

Mad RV Warrior 5

We specifically asked for sturdy access steps: tick! Extra large windows: tick! 140 litre fridge-freezer: tick! Blinds and insect screens on all windows and vents: tick! Diesel air heater: tick! Water heater: tick! Self contained shower and toilet: tick!

Wanna look inside?

Mad RV Warrior 6
Mad RV Warrior 7

Check out the stylish stainless sink and hob. And OMG…. So much inside storage space! And another request the guys delivered on: the couch and table can be converted into a spare bed. Take a look below!

Thanks, MadRV. Rockstars!

Mad RV Warrior 8
Mad RV Warrior 9

The Fall of Icarus by Andrew McCarthy

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The Fall of Icarus by Andrew McCarthy

We’ve been blogging here since 2013, and a few times we’ve wandered into space. I remember writing about Chris Hadfield’s stunning photos of Earth from the International Space Station, and about the James Webb Space Telescope in a tribute to good ol’ Hubble. Space keeps coming back. It’s endlessly fascinating and has captured my imagination since I was a kid.

So imagine my excitement when I came across Andrew McCarthy’s photograph “The Fall of Icarus.” The photo shows a parachutist falling in front of the sun. At first, I thought it must be AI-generated, because these days it’s getting harder and harder to tell what’s real and what’s not. But the story behind the photo is even more remarkable than the photo itself. And yes, it’s the real deal.

McCarthy photographed his friend Gabriel Brown through a telescope from the Arizona desert. Brown jumped from a paramotor from a height of about one kilometre. The two coordinated the timing and position by radio, and it took six attempts to get it right. To make Brown appear so small against the sun, McCarthy used an extremely long focal length and shot from roughly 2.5 kilometres away. He also used a hydrogen alpha filter on his telescope, revealing details on the sun’s surface that are normally invisible.

https://youtu.be/rDYtdUMMbxQ

Honestly, who does this kind of stuff? As a photographer myself, I am in awe. This is more than a stunning photo. It is a tribute to the people out there who put their heart, skill, and patience into creating beautiful stuff. There is passion, precision, and a sense of wonder in every part of it. I love it, and this is exactly what Talking Beautiful Stuff is all about.

If you visit McCarthy’s website, Cosmic Background, you’ll find a gallery full of truly beautiful cosmic photographs. I could easily fill all the walls in my apartment with his work. I went ahead and ordered a smaller, limited edition print of The Fall of Icarus. It arrived beautifully framed, complete with a certificate of authenticity. I can’t wait to get it up on the wall. It’s the ultimate conversation starter. I love it! Thank you, Andrew. I cannot wait to see what you do next.

A needle in the granite

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Nal Hunnebostrand 1

We’re in Sweden for a few days to visit dad (grandpa), who lives on the country’s west coast, a place close to my heart where I spent every childhood summer. We stop in Hunnebostrand, one of the many old villages that once thrived as fishing communities. These days, they’re popular summer destinations for those keen to enjoy the fresh air, salty sea, good food and cold beer. But we’re not here in summer. It’s October, grey, drizzly and quiet. Still, I love it. The smooth granite mountains, the wide open sea meeting the sky. It feels timeless.

Nal Hunnebostrand 4

As we leave the restaurant after lunch, I notice a strange pillar on top of a mountain. Despite the wet and slippery rock, we decide to carefully climb up and see what it is. When we reach the top, we find a needle-shaped sculpture about five metres high, rising straight from the bedrock. I touch it. It’s solid granite, carved from a single block.

Nal Hunnebostrand 3

Bohuslän, the region we’re in, is famous for its stone industry and granite quarries. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Bohus granite was one of Sweden’s major exports, used in buildings and monuments across Europe. You can still find traces of old quarries all over the area. I can only imagine the skill and effort it took to shape a piece like this, cutting, forming and erecting a perfectly balanced stone needle on top of a mountain.

Nal Hunnebostrand 2

But why a needle? Google doesn’t offer much, but I learn that the sculpture is called Needle (Nålen) and was created by German sculptor Hubert Maier. The town of Hunnebostrand purchased it and placed it here as part of an outdoor granite sculpture park. Someone from the local municipality told my mum that large sewing needles (stoppnålar) like this were traditionally used to repair fishing nets. Now it makes sense. A needle in granite here is perfectly symbolic of the work of human hands meeting the timeless strength of nature. Brilliant!