My Top Ten Photos of 2012

Here are my top ten photos of what has been a quite extraordinary year.

1. London 2012 Olympic Stadium,12th July 2012.

Rain lashes down on the poncho attired opening ceremony volunteer cast for a marshal rehearsal. We were there for approximately 5 hours dancing (and singing) in the rain. It was the first time we had seen the seat lighting in operation and couldn't resist taking this photo on my HTC phone. The glorious British summer couldn't dampen our spirits and the drummers/marshals thrived in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of participating in the Olympics.     

2. London 2012 Olympic Stadium, 25th July 2012

This picture was taken by my wife who attended the second opening ceremony dress rehearsal with my mum. All cast members (and many games makers) were given two free tickets for their families. This picture shows the end of the 'Pandemonium' opening scene where the industrial revolution chimneys retract back into the stage and the forged centre ring is hoisted up to meet the other Olympic rings for a dazzling finale. I am somewhere on the far side of the stage towards the right of the picture with my drumming group - 49. 

3. London 2012 Olympic Stadium, 9th August 2012

As well as being a cast member of the opening ceremony, I had managed to buy tickets for the evening athletics in the ticket ballot. The evening in question had men's 200m final which would feature Usain Bolt and a Jamaican gold, silver & bronze and the men's 800m final which provided a world record! As athletics fans from childhood (my dad was a sprinter in his youth), it was a dream come true to be at the Olympic games athletics and one I was able to share with my sister Debbie. This photo is not only one of the best we've ever had taken together but it shows us in the stadium in our Team GB colours. A very special picture. 

    

4. Backstage of Olympic Stadium, 12th August 2012.

This picture is special for a few reasons. Firstly it is taken just before I entered the Olympic Stadium for the last time as a cast member of the closing ceremony, secondly it was taken on my 39th birthday and thirdly it is with one of the great new friends I made during the Olympic ceremonies, Natalie. I wasn't overly keen on the costume of shorts, sock suspenders, jacket and blue bowler hat with lightbulb but I wasn't going to complain - after all I was in the centre of the stadium for the closing ceremony. 

5. Table Mountain, 23rd August 2012

Laura's prize for winning The Guardian's 'Been There' travel photography competition (http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2011/dec/28/been-there-photographs-year-2011#/?picture=383572093&index=10) was a 5* safari. We decided to make the most of it and travel around South Africa for a week or so before heading to the game park. The weather was gloriously sunny upon arriving in Cape Town and with no 'tablecloth' of cloud on top of Table Mountain, we dumped our bags, jumped into a cab and headed up there. I had previously been there in 1999 so it was very special to be with Laura this time. 

     

6. Ngala Game Reserve, 2nd September 2012

The only one of the 'big five' that I hadn't seen in previous safaris was a leopard. 30 minutes into our first game drive we encountered this beautiful creature up a tree. We sat mesmerised for another 30 minutes during which time she turned her head and I was able to take this picture. We were so lucky with the rest of the safari too and managed to see not just the big five, but as our driver called it, 'the magnificent seven' 

    

7. Mud Baths in Dalyan - Turkey, 26th September 2012

My wonderful parents kindly decided to take the family away to Dalyan in Turkey in September. It was brilliant to spend time together in a wonderful place. The highlight of the week was hiring a boat for the day which took us out to sea, to the beach and up the Dalyan river finishing at the mud baths. 

   

8. Star Wars set near Tozeur - Tunisia, 29th December 2012

As someone who went to the cinema to see the original Star Wars movie in 1977, the opportunity to visit the set built for The Phantom Menace was one to take. After a 4x4 ride over sand dunes in the Sahara, we arrived at Mos Espa. To say I was excited is an understatement.   

9. Chott el Djerid Salt Lake - Tunisia, 29th December 2012

This is a special picture to me for two reasons, firstly it was sunrise on the amazing salt flat in Tunisia but mainly because Laura and I have had an amazing year and I am so proud of her and her achievements this year including her published article in the Guardian  (http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/oct/05/safari-south-africa-been-there-photography) and subsequent photo assignments and awards. 

    

10. Sahara Desert - Tunisia, 28th December 2012

The perfect end to my top ten pictures, the sun sets on 2012.

  

Ten Things I've Learned in 2012

1) I learned more about education in less developed countries. 
I thought education was in a bad way in England until I was invited to Nigeria for the Every Nigerian Child Project Summit. Little money feeds down to the schools and teaching quality in many places appears dire. A DfID project in one area found that 86% of Year 4 teachers could not complete the work they were asking the students to do. I also learned about some of the strategies and attempting to improve education here. 

http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/encp-education-summit-abuja-nigeria.html 

2) I learned that I can remember some weird things. 
In April I was listening to The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show in the car and heard a caller regale 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' to prove he was a 'child of the 80's'. "But that's the 90's" I thought and from somewhere in my head I suddenly remembered the old 'Um Bongo' advert. I sang it to myself and then called the radio station. 5 minutes later I was singing it live on national radio, twice. And guess what? I won tickets to see Kasabian live and acoustic in a tiny 180 capacity venue in Soho.  

http://podcast.as34763.net/oconnell/20120423103059.mp3
(from 30:51& 49:45)

With Underworld's Rick Smith. Earphones not in.

3) I learned how mass choreography works at events like the Olympic Games ceremonies including hours of rehearsals, hours of hanging around and using radios and in ear headphones.

http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/my-story-london-2012-olympic-opening_29.html 






4) I learned that I have a great deal of tolerance of the British 'summer' weather and patience when required to hang around for hours on end as part of an ensemble.

Practising dance moves in the Olympic Stadium during the English 'summer'

Hanging around in the Olympic Stadium

5) I learned that I have no tolerance or patience with drummers who feel the need to tap or bang incessantly on their plastic/metal bins/buckets. It drove me nuts.  

6) I learned that working with Danny Boyle, Rick Smith and Mike Dolbear (opening ceremony) was infinitely more rewarding than working with Kim Gavin (closing ceremony).


7)  I learned that driving around South Africa in winter is a joy, both beautiful and with hardly any other cars about.

8) I learned the difference between a leopard and a cheetah.

leopard

cheetah

     














http://stephendcook.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-safari-diaries-part-1.html


9) I learned that despite doing the world's biggest bungy jump in 1999, I have no desire to do it or any other again. I did however meet the guy that tied my feet up in 1999. 

10) I learned that God really does answer prayers. 

The opportunities that have presented themselves to Laura and I in 2013 are answers to some big prayers. Since leaving the English education system in 2010 I have been searching for opportunities where I can develop/create/influence an education system/structure that;

a) is not purely about academia and obsessed with grades.
b) allows every child to flourish, whatever their academic ability.
c) offers opportunities in enterprise, creativity and other intelligences.
d) is ultimately child centred and is not burdened by league tables and dubious judgements.
e) is free of morons that believe every lesson must be a prescribed 'formula' and accompanied by a three page learning plan,data demonstrating progress and a seating plan.
f) respects the professionalism of good and proven teachers.    

The opportunities at The Craig Bellamy Foundation in Sierra Leone answer my prayers and fulfil Laura's long time calling of working overseas. She will be able to further her visual communications career and we will both be serving God.
We start in September 2013. http://www.craigbellamyfoundation.org/ 

Iceland: Volcanic Multicoloured Mountains

Landmannalaugar is a region near to the Hekla volcano in Iceland's Highlands. 

It is stunning. 

Volcanic activity can be seen as steam rises from the surrounding rocks.

Near the lodge there is also the opportunity to have a dip in the hot springs. 

 

Hope you enjoyed! 

 

Work & TRAVEL: Malta

I received a call in late November from one of the teacher training providers I work for that went something like this:

Company: Hi Stephen, would you like to do some delivery in Malta? It's very soon though, between 2nd to 5th December?  
Me: Yep

So after scraping ice from my windscreen at -2 degrees Sunday morning just gone, I arrived in 18 degrees sunny Malta in the afternoon. 

A lovely welcome

Malta sits in the Mediterranean Sea, just south of Italy and east of Tunisia. 

I delivered training on Monday and Tuesday 8.30 am - 1.00 pm and with my flight home booked for Wednesday evening, I had just over a day to explore.

Valletta 

In the capital Valletta I mooched around and visited the very good war museum. In 1942 the island was awarded the George Cross from the King for 'heroism and devotion' for their war effort. 

Mosta

Mosta is dominated by Rotunda of Mosta (Mosta Dome) which is also the third largest unsupported dome in the world. 

        
Mdina

Situated right next to Rabat, the 'silent city' of Mdina is a small fortified town which was also the old capital of Malta. narrow streets divide the fabulous architecture.

  

St Pauls Cathedral, Mdina

Mosta Dome from Mdina

And finally, I met Miss Malta 1984 who is now one of the teachers at the school I did the training at. Here we are with footage from the 1984 Miss Universe competition behind!