Latest news with #Thirsty
The Hindu
21-07-2025
- The Hindu
The Hindu former photographer Ch. V.S. Vijayabhaskar receives rare honour
The Hindu former photographer and veteran photojournalist Ch. V.S. Vijayabhaskar Rao has been conferred with the prestigious Honorary Fellowship of the Federation of Indian Photography (Hon. FIP) award, making it a proud moment not only for the journalism community, but also for the Telugu-speaking people. This rare recognition is awarded to only one individual globally each year, based on exceptional lifetime contributions to the field of photography. Mr. Vijayabhaskar, with decades of service as a photojournalist and art photographer, earned this honour through his dedication and artistic excellence. A retired chief photojournalist of The Hindu, Mr. Vijayabhaskar worked with several publications including the Indian Express, Andhra Prabha, Deccan Chronicle, and Andhra Bhoomi. Even post-retirement, he continues to pursue photojournalism with passion. Currently serving as president of the Andhra Pradesh Photojournalists' Association, he is also a guest faculty member at Acharya Nagarjuna University. An explorer of wildlife photography, he has travelled across India and even to Kenya to document nature. His photograph 'Thirsty' was featured in the souvenir of the Royal Photographic Society's 150th anniversary in London. He has also won UNESCO awards twice and served as a judge in numerous photo competitions worldwide.
The Advertiser
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Advertiser
Polished Copper wins the Cup, Thirsty the camel steals the show
Port Stephens cameleer Emily Parrott left the competition in a cloud of red dust when she won the Jundah Camel Races Cup. She was riding Polished Copper, a camel she owns and trains at Oakfield Ranch with her husband Luke. Stablemates Geoffrey and Foxy Lady were hot on Polished Copper's hooves, while Barry finished third. But it was the lovable Thirsty who won over the crowd last weekend. The Parrotts are following the inaugural Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail through Outback Australia, stopping off at four camel races along the way. It's a month-long celebration of camel racing, storytelling, music, desert flowers, markets and community designed to bring tourist dollars to tiny outback towns. The camel train is in Birdsville this week, then heads to the Bedourie Camel Races (July 12), the Boulia Camel Races (July 18 to 20), and the Winton Camel Races (July 26). Parrott also won the recent Marree Camel Cup on Polished Copper. "We're going all right," she said. "It's been nice to see the camels perform well, even though we weren't able to get them as fit as we'd like them to be as our paddocks were flooded. "At Marree we got first, second and third in the Cup, and first and second in the Plate, while at Jundah we got first, second, third and fourth in the Cup." And Thirsty? What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in personality. "He's been a little bit underwhelming on the track," Parrott said, laughing. "He's been stopping at the crowd for pats. He's there to get a photo with everyone and take them on rides." So popular is Thirsty that he was invited to Birdsville Hotel on Wednesday for a beer with the locals. Parrott is a second-generation cameleer who's been racing camels since she was 14, having grown up with them at Anna Bay with her father, Rod Sansom, a renowned animal trainer. "When I started riding there was only me and another lady, and we raced against all these other fellas. Now it's mostly female jockeys," she said. "The reception from the people has been outstanding, Jundah especially - the town just goes above and beyond to make you feel special, and we can't thank them enough. "We also won the dog race at Marree, my son Cooper came second in the high jump at Jundah, and we came third in the sheep mustering. "We've been all-rounders, and the team has been having a hoot competing in all sorts of different events." Port Stephens cameleer Emily Parrott left the competition in a cloud of red dust when she won the Jundah Camel Races Cup. She was riding Polished Copper, a camel she owns and trains at Oakfield Ranch with her husband Luke. Stablemates Geoffrey and Foxy Lady were hot on Polished Copper's hooves, while Barry finished third. But it was the lovable Thirsty who won over the crowd last weekend. The Parrotts are following the inaugural Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail through Outback Australia, stopping off at four camel races along the way. It's a month-long celebration of camel racing, storytelling, music, desert flowers, markets and community designed to bring tourist dollars to tiny outback towns. The camel train is in Birdsville this week, then heads to the Bedourie Camel Races (July 12), the Boulia Camel Races (July 18 to 20), and the Winton Camel Races (July 26). Parrott also won the recent Marree Camel Cup on Polished Copper. "We're going all right," she said. "It's been nice to see the camels perform well, even though we weren't able to get them as fit as we'd like them to be as our paddocks were flooded. "At Marree we got first, second and third in the Cup, and first and second in the Plate, while at Jundah we got first, second, third and fourth in the Cup." And Thirsty? What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in personality. "He's been a little bit underwhelming on the track," Parrott said, laughing. "He's been stopping at the crowd for pats. He's there to get a photo with everyone and take them on rides." So popular is Thirsty that he was invited to Birdsville Hotel on Wednesday for a beer with the locals. Parrott is a second-generation cameleer who's been racing camels since she was 14, having grown up with them at Anna Bay with her father, Rod Sansom, a renowned animal trainer. "When I started riding there was only me and another lady, and we raced against all these other fellas. Now it's mostly female jockeys," she said. "The reception from the people has been outstanding, Jundah especially - the town just goes above and beyond to make you feel special, and we can't thank them enough. "We also won the dog race at Marree, my son Cooper came second in the high jump at Jundah, and we came third in the sheep mustering. "We've been all-rounders, and the team has been having a hoot competing in all sorts of different events." Port Stephens cameleer Emily Parrott left the competition in a cloud of red dust when she won the Jundah Camel Races Cup. She was riding Polished Copper, a camel she owns and trains at Oakfield Ranch with her husband Luke. Stablemates Geoffrey and Foxy Lady were hot on Polished Copper's hooves, while Barry finished third. But it was the lovable Thirsty who won over the crowd last weekend. The Parrotts are following the inaugural Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail through Outback Australia, stopping off at four camel races along the way. It's a month-long celebration of camel racing, storytelling, music, desert flowers, markets and community designed to bring tourist dollars to tiny outback towns. The camel train is in Birdsville this week, then heads to the Bedourie Camel Races (July 12), the Boulia Camel Races (July 18 to 20), and the Winton Camel Races (July 26). Parrott also won the recent Marree Camel Cup on Polished Copper. "We're going all right," she said. "It's been nice to see the camels perform well, even though we weren't able to get them as fit as we'd like them to be as our paddocks were flooded. "At Marree we got first, second and third in the Cup, and first and second in the Plate, while at Jundah we got first, second, third and fourth in the Cup." And Thirsty? What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in personality. "He's been a little bit underwhelming on the track," Parrott said, laughing. "He's been stopping at the crowd for pats. He's there to get a photo with everyone and take them on rides." So popular is Thirsty that he was invited to Birdsville Hotel on Wednesday for a beer with the locals. Parrott is a second-generation cameleer who's been racing camels since she was 14, having grown up with them at Anna Bay with her father, Rod Sansom, a renowned animal trainer. "When I started riding there was only me and another lady, and we raced against all these other fellas. Now it's mostly female jockeys," she said. "The reception from the people has been outstanding, Jundah especially - the town just goes above and beyond to make you feel special, and we can't thank them enough. "We also won the dog race at Marree, my son Cooper came second in the high jump at Jundah, and we came third in the sheep mustering. "We've been all-rounders, and the team has been having a hoot competing in all sorts of different events." Port Stephens cameleer Emily Parrott left the competition in a cloud of red dust when she won the Jundah Camel Races Cup. She was riding Polished Copper, a camel she owns and trains at Oakfield Ranch with her husband Luke. Stablemates Geoffrey and Foxy Lady were hot on Polished Copper's hooves, while Barry finished third. But it was the lovable Thirsty who won over the crowd last weekend. The Parrotts are following the inaugural Desert Champions Way: Outback Camel Trail through Outback Australia, stopping off at four camel races along the way. It's a month-long celebration of camel racing, storytelling, music, desert flowers, markets and community designed to bring tourist dollars to tiny outback towns. The camel train is in Birdsville this week, then heads to the Bedourie Camel Races (July 12), the Boulia Camel Races (July 18 to 20), and the Winton Camel Races (July 26). Parrott also won the recent Marree Camel Cup on Polished Copper. "We're going all right," she said. "It's been nice to see the camels perform well, even though we weren't able to get them as fit as we'd like them to be as our paddocks were flooded. "At Marree we got first, second and third in the Cup, and first and second in the Plate, while at Jundah we got first, second, third and fourth in the Cup." And Thirsty? What he lacks in speed, he makes up for in personality. "He's been a little bit underwhelming on the track," Parrott said, laughing. "He's been stopping at the crowd for pats. He's there to get a photo with everyone and take them on rides." So popular is Thirsty that he was invited to Birdsville Hotel on Wednesday for a beer with the locals. Parrott is a second-generation cameleer who's been racing camels since she was 14, having grown up with them at Anna Bay with her father, Rod Sansom, a renowned animal trainer. "When I started riding there was only me and another lady, and we raced against all these other fellas. Now it's mostly female jockeys," she said. "The reception from the people has been outstanding, Jundah especially - the town just goes above and beyond to make you feel special, and we can't thank them enough. "We also won the dog race at Marree, my son Cooper came second in the high jump at Jundah, and we came third in the sheep mustering. "We've been all-rounders, and the team has been having a hoot competing in all sorts of different events."
South China Morning Post
16-06-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Every storey has a story in a Cheung Sha Wan tong lau with cafe, bookshop, event space
Fred Lam was trekking 4,000 metres above sea level in Nepal. There, he got a call about renting a tong lau in Hong Kong's Cheung Sha Wan neighbourhood. 'Many people who love reading and travelling – whether they're backpackers or book lovers – dream of opening a cafe, a bar, a hostel or a bookstore. I was lucky,' the 45-year-old said. 'In this one building, I got to fulfil three of those wishes.' With this five-storey building, Lam fulfilled his dream of opening a travel-themed bookshop last December. Called Thirsty, the ground floor has a Turkish-style cafe. On the second floor is a bookshop. The floors above host a range of events. Lam manages the bookshop, while his partner runs the cafe. From February to April, the space held discussions on travel, book club gatherings, film screenings and more. 'My idea of a perfect bookstore is quite old-school. It's a place where people and books can find each other,' Lam said. 'I hope this place can be a gathering point ... for people to connect, both intellectually and emotionally.' After taking his daughter to school, this Hong Kong dad stops to sketch A space to connect and explore The owner explained that the name 'Thirsty' represented a longing for knowledge, experience and action. 'My ideal is for this place to be somewhere couples can hang out for a few hours, see an exhibition [and] have a coffee. I want it to be a one-stop spot,' Lam said. While it might be tough to make money, he believes this space can help people explore and connect. 'Books give a sense of life ... If someone wants to learn, they can actually find real knowledge here,' he said. Thirsty has travel-related books on everything from philosophy to writing and city guides. It also sells books about hiking, running, cycling, food, architecture, art and museums. Another section focuses on helping people explore and understand Hong Kong's history, geography and culture. Lam also hopes that hosting events can help the business stay afloat. The shop owner shared that a school library club once brought about 30 students for a visit. Thirsty hosted a book talk for them and provided refreshments, and each student was also given money to buy a book. Thirsty's rooftop is a space for community events. Photo: Edmond So The meaning of travel Over three decades, Lam has visited more than 100 countries. It all started in 1996 after Lam finished Form Five. He left Hong Kong alone for the first time to spend a year travelling in Australia. 'Travel to me meant being like a sponge,' he said. 'I was thrown into a completely unfamiliar world and just absorbed everything.' Over time, he embraced his long journeys to new places. He experimented with different ways of travelling, such as volunteering, cycling and hiking. After spending two years travelling the world, Lam returned to Hong Kong and launched a travel agency to guide others on their journeys abroad. 'To me, the meaning of travel is always evolving. It's a constantly shifting mode of life,' he said. Now, he is focused on his work at Thirsty. Here, he hopes to help people 'travel' through books, drinks and events. 'This place brings me a lot of satisfaction,' Lam said. 'If it can become the only travel-themed bookstore in Hong Kong ... that would be incredibly fulfilling.' Reflect: Do you think bookshops are important? Explain. Why this story matters: It is not easy to keep a shop open in Hong Kong these days. But Fred Lam believes in Thirsty's mission of bringing people together to explore new ideas and places. It takes a lot of work to build spaces for people to connect.
South China Morning Post
15-06-2025
- South China Morning Post
Thirsty – cafe, bookshop, event space – is a refreshing spot in Hong Kong
Last year, while trekking 4,000 metres above sea level in Nepal, travel writer and restaurateur Fred Lam was on a call negotiating the lease for a tong lau in Hong Kong's Cheung Sha Wan neighbourhood. 'My girlfriend passed by the building and saw a tiny A4 paper that said 'for rent' ... She said it was the tong lau of her dreams,' the 45-year-old recalled. 'When she told me the price, I realised maybe this could actually work.' This was not Lam's first attempt at turning his love for travel into a tangible space. During the pandemic, he and his partner opened Lonely Paisley – a cosy culture hub and restaurant with globally inspired dishes. But the space was cramped, and Lam had long dreamed of opening a travel-themed bookshop. Last December, that dream became Thirsty: a five-storey building where each floor tells a different story. The ground-floor Turkish-style cafe, I'm Thirsty, flows into the second-floor bookshop, Thirsty for the Unknown. Upstairs, a multipurpose space, loft and rooftop host events gathering Hongkongers around the theme of travel. From February to April, the space held up to 20 events each month: discussions on travel, book club gatherings, film screenings, community running groups and more. 'My idea of a perfect bookstore is quite old-school. It's a place where people and books can find each other,' Lam said. 'I hope this place can be a gathering point ... for people to connect, both intellectually and emotionally.' Thirsty for the Unknown features books related to travel, as well as Hong Kong history and culture. Photo: Edmond So Thirsty for the unknown The owner explained that the name 'Thirsty' represented a longing for knowledge, experience and action. Lam manages the bookshop, while his partner runs the cafe. 'Many people who love reading and travelling – whether they're backpackers or book lovers – dream of opening a cafe, a bar, a hostel or a bookstore. I was lucky,' Lam said. 'In this one building, I got to fulfil three of those wishes.' 'My ideal is for this place to be somewhere couples can hang out for a few hours, see an exhibition [and] have a coffee. I want it to be a one-stop spot.' While running a bookshop in Hong Kong is a risky venture with almost no financial reward, Lam believes in its deeper value: a bookstore gives a space its soul. 'Books give a sense of life ... It's about substance. If someone wants to learn, they can actually find real knowledge here,' he said. 'Honestly, I don't have high expectations for book sales. If the bookstore can just earn enough to pay our staff, I'll already be satisfied.' Bookstore helps locals quench their thirst for knowledge about Hong Kong While the shop owner admitted they had not yet broken even, one big advantage they have is space. Lam hopes that revenue from renting out the event space and the cafe can help cover other costs. He shared about an event where a school library club brought 30 students for a book talk, and each student was given money to buy a book. Shelves in Thirsty for the Unknown include books on travel philosophy, travel writing and guidebooks. They also stock titles involving travel-related interests, such as hiking, running, cycling, food, architecture, art and museums. Another section focuses on helping people explore and understand Hong Kong's history, geography and culture. There is also a spiritual section with books about religion and mindfulness. One corner of the shop features hand-picked souvenirs, such as Turkish jewellery and Nepalese incense. 'We can't stock every book,' he said. 'But my hope is that people walk in and feel the curation is thoughtful. If someone loves to travel, they'll find books that suit their interests, maybe even discover something unexpected.' The meaning of travel Over three decades of travel, Lam has visited over 100 countries. In 1996, after finishing Form Five, Lam left Hong Kong alone for the first time to spend a year travelling in Australia. 'Looking back, travel to me meant being like a sponge,' he said. 'I was thrown into a completely unfamiliar world and just absorbed everything. I was totally clueless – just soaking it all in.' Over time, he embraced the life of a backpacker, going on long journeys and experimenting with different ways of travelling, such as volunteering, cycling, hiking and writing. After spending two years travelling the world while writing, he returned to Hong Kong and launched a travel agency to guide others on their journeys abroad. 'To me, the meaning of travel is always evolving. It's a constantly shifting mode of life,' he said. Save money – and the planet – at Hong Kong's Repair Cafe Lam is now working on a book chronicling his three decades on the road. 'I'm planning to write a book this year because next year marks 30 years since I began my journey,' he said. But ever since opening Thirsty, he has cut back on his tours abroad and is channelling the spirit of exploration into his local initiatives. One project includes organising walking tours in Hong Kong, including one that explores deaths and crimes in Cheung Sha Wan. He is also focused on developing Thirsty as a way to expand his definition of what it means to travel. 'This place brings me a lot of satisfaction,' Lam said. 'If it can become the only travel-themed bookstore in Hong Kong and a unique space, that would be incredibly fulfilling ... It's all part of the journey.' Stop and think: What is the purpose of each floor in Thirsty, and why has this venture fulfilled Lam's wishes? Why this story matters: As many Hong Kong shops struggle to stay open amid a tough economy, Fred Lam's work with Thirsty shows the importance of dedication and creativity to build meaningful spaces that bring people together.
