The Cactus Trip Diaries

Alain Buffel writes:

I bought my first cactus (Mammillaria hahniana and still in my collection in the greenhouse) back in 1978 and a second plant followed the next week.

I was offically infected with the cactus and succulent virus and there was and still is no cure for it. Wanting to see the world of the plants that I grew my first ‘plant-expedition’ followed in 1991 to go and see the then still very exotic world with a 6 week trip to South Africa.

To make a long story short, I never recovered from that infection either and travelling the world to see plants in habitat became a second passion, never to end again. Some 20 trips later I still feel passionate by growing plants, mainly from seeds brought back from habitat plants. This resulted in a trip to Australia in 2018. This the  story of that trip:

Join Alain at his Webinar at : Sunday 13 September – 11:30 Central European Summer Time
(= 10:30 British Summer Time)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81144723794?pwd=SVA5MTFDYytqOUgrSk9oQ3RFN0hWdz09

Meeting ID: 811 4472 3794
Passcode: BuffelRoo

Join Dr. Jonathan Clark’s ‘Cacti & Succulents in 3D’ Webinar on Sunday 13 September 15:00 PM European Summer Time (= 14:00 British Summer Time) by following: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84737413362?pwd=am9FZFV4eTVlamxuSHBZbmZlZmVvQT09

Meeting ID: 847 3741 3362
Passcode: DrYClark

Jonathan Clark writes: I have been growing cacti and other succulents all my life since school days, and I have always been interested in technology, especially computers, plus photography. My interests also include anything and everything that enables creation and showing of 3-Dimensional images. I have already given many 3D cactus and succulent talks in ‘real’ 3D, taken both in habitat and in cultivation – my aim being to bring a ‘full immersion’ view of cactus habitats to the audience. However, that uses the same technique as the cinema and requires a special screen and glasses. Since everyone will just be viewing the talks this weekend on their home computer screens, that are (mostly) not 3D, it has been quite a challenge to work out a way of giving a 3D talk that can be viewed on normal 2D screens. The method I’ve worked out does NOT need polarising or ‘funny-coloured’ glasses. I will be showing pictures taken during trips to Mexico, including Baja, that I went on with Paul Klaassen and others, as well as pictures taken of plants in cultivation.

Paul writes: Jonathan’s parents must have had quite a sense of humour giving him a middle name starting with the letter Y. There is already a Doctor Who, so he is Doctor Why! Enjoy the images! We hope to persuade Jonathan to write up how he did this (perhaps in Cactus World?) I’d love to know how to do this AND make it look good in webinars!

And that is it! Feel free to stay until the janitor switches off the lights. Have another drink with friends! Make plans to meet up next year for the Second Weekend in September 2021, hopefully at Duinse Polder in Blankenberge, Belgium.

Normally we would be on the ferry to Dover, gaining an hour before we reach England. Some 3 hours after disembarking I arrive home, rushing to unload the car before dark. Tomorrow the race begins to move all my plants back into the greenhouse for winter, until May next year when they move outside for summer sun and rain.

Thank you to all the presenters and people who sat through the test presentations to minimise any ‘problemettes’. Many people have thanked me to help us to get us through these strange COVID 19 days. Check this page for announcements for future get togethers.

Stay Safe!
Cheers!
PK