The Wonky Camera

Hi there,

My name is Lynda or as some of my family, friends and followers call me Mrs Wong and more recently Mrs Wonky.

This nickname came about from road trip to Victoria nearly 20 years ago, when 2 girlfriends and I hired a soft top Saab and drove out of Melbourne city and into the sunset -a little like Thelma and Louise but without the ending! Head scarves optional.

We had the best week away, and at one stage as we were walking to the lookout of the 12 Apostles, I had gotten out of the back seat of the car -yes got the short straw plus I had the shortest legs, so there I am with a video camera, a DSLR camera and probably another camera gadget, and my friend Lindy said to me “You like you just got off a tourist bus with that many cameras”! The name Mrs Wong was born and so was the wonky camera.

Over the years it got shortened to the The wonky camera, as it was quite a mouthful, and more recently I have changed my instagram handle back to my real name Lynda Watton, with a link to the wonky camera website.

4 years ago, I joined an incredible community called the Travel Bootcamp.

I went along to the very first Bootcamp in Sydney to listen to these gals who had become influencers in their own right. I knew there was something missing in my creative life I loved taking holiday photos and as my partner Steve and I have a love/hate relationship with posting on Facebook, the idea of creating blog evolved.

More recently as you may have seen in my comments on Instagram, I have been doing a course through the Travel Bootcamp called Basecamp. It’s based on the fact that if you want to be a creative, you need to set boundaries for yourself, plan, be consistent, be visible, turn up- all whilst having a great time and enjoying what you do.

As was quoted on the first day at Basecamp- you wouldn’t turn up to climb Mt Everest without the right equipment, clothes or a sherpa to help you get there would you ?

B C – before covid- I was so busy planning our next adventure, I didn’t have time to refine my skills or think I needed to and now during lockdown, it has been an incredible opportunity to slow down, embrace who I am and just be a better me.

I dream of being back in Morocco and want to take that road trip to WA with my daughter and see the whale sharks, I mean nothing happens unless we dream right ? But right now being a part of this incredible bootcamp community has been a wonderful way for me to take myself to that next level. What ever that is – really I don’t even know what that is and yet I just know I have been in a better head space, just doing something for me.

Last week I met a lady who lives 3 suburbs away from me. I met her through Travel bootcamp, and we met for coffee. Then last week we organised to go out Hornby Lighthouse on South head in Sydney Harbour for a few hours. It was lovely to see someone else’s perspective of the lighthouse and we both had a great time.

Too funny not to share, her son Tom and my son Jared, went to the same high school together, we have mutual friends and yet we had never met ? Crazy right.

I LOVE a wonky shot of anything. Angles and lines and just off centre. Like many others around the world, I also love to tell a story about where we have been and having the blog creates wonderful memories for me and whoever follows along. A friend asked me this week to post more of my India photos and my daughter Jess said as much as she loves all the beach and sunset pics I’m posting, she likes my travel pics and stories better.

Tonight whilst I was sitting in the spa in my backyard, looking up a the sky changing colour, watching the palm trees and bamboo sway in the breeze, I could have been anywhere other than Collaroy Plateau in suburban Sydney, and it crossed my mind that even though aren’t travelling far right now, you can still travel in your mind, or via Instagram or even when you cook.

I hope you all are having a lovely weekend. I’m off to make spanakopita whilst I wear my business class Qantas Jammies and imagine I’m sitting on the Caldera in Santorini Greece with the sun on my face at Franco’s bar, with opera music playing, an espresso martini in hand and a few yummy olives.

Love Mrs W.

PS this photo above IS at Franco’s bar in Santorini – circa 2015 with my gorgeous daughters….