118 hours and 24 minutes

Last week I took a trip for 118 hours and 24 minutes. Yep, I counted. That's just the kinda gal I am, and also shows I don't take trips often.

I counted many many different allotments of time while I was away. I categorised things into time frames. I made note of the seconds hand on my watch often. I'm not sure why, but it did help me keep track of my head while the days whizzed past, and does mean that I can tell you:

I spent .125th of a second taking the obligatory shot of the harbour bridge. And a further 30 seconds waving to the crazies who were climbing it.



96 hours confirming a new friendship. Bianca Dopson and I have been friends for over a year, but had never met till we arrange to stay together for a few days in Sydney. I've always known she's a fabulous photographer, but now I also know that she can make me laugh until I'm crying, is extremely kind-hearted and has a beautiful way of looking at the world through her camera lens.



My trip would have been a bit ho-hum without Bianca to share it with.

I spent 8 hours at an Australian Community of Child Photographers workshop day where I listened to Mercury Megaloudis and Nicole Boenig-McCrade tell us why photography is their passion and their life.

45 minutes were having lunch at a choclatrie. It was only 45 minutes because Bianca and I were late for a photography shoot. We still managed to consume a praline and chocolate milkshate, a cheese platter and these chocolates. Maybe it was lucky it was only 45 minutes because I could have eaten everything they offered.



I spent 15 minutes trying to explain to Bianca that I had a crush on James Matthison (post Idol, of course) when we saw him in Darling Harbour. He spent an hour dancing with a yellow umbrella.



There was 3 hours dedicated to 5 models, 14 other photographers and 'The Rocks'. The model shoot was organised by Naomi, and gave me a chance to hang out with other like-minded people who think talking f-stops and ISO's is wonderful.



It took 7 minutes to convince Ashley to lie down in the middle of a busy road. 7 minutes well worth it!





There was a good 20 seconds before I recovered from the fright this guy gave me when he popped into my shot.



I spent 45 minutes locked in my hotel room when the door wouldn't open. I then spent 2 hours in the spa in the new (upgraded) room I as given due to unfortunate sticky door.

I spent 8 hours at PMA, wondering the stalls, fawning over the latest and greatest in the photography world and considering pimping myself to Nikon so I can get a new 24-70mm 2.8 lens.



4 hours was spent at the Heartfelt exhibition where I laughed, cried a little, and managed to spill my champagne on the floor not once, but twice.

Too much time was spent negotiating the best way to sit in a plane seat. I've worked it out too - there's just isn't a comfortable way so give up trying.

4 hours was spent at the Brisbane Powerhouse photographing Whint and Dallas for their sweetheart session.



2 minutes was spent posing for this shot with Whint while we tried to instruct Dallas who was taking the photo. Never put two photographers in front of the camera. They think they know everything.



And 118 hours and 24 minutes was spent thinking about Miles and Ryan. Yes, even when I was sleeping. And yes, they were still in one piece when I returned to them. Of course they were. But even though I knew they would be fine, it didn't stop 118 hours and 24 minutes of motherly worry. It was my first ever trip away from them.

So while 118 hours and 24 minutes were spent laughing, photographing, flying, relaxing and revelling, the same amount of time was spent with my heart tied to invisible strings reaching to my sons.

I loved every hour and every minute of my trip, but I also love my heart being home.

* Meaghan