Mario’s on the crossroad

I still can’t forget the last night in south Africa on 1st October 2015. Actually, I remember that like it was yesterday. As we were closing to the civilization from the wonderful Namibia, the night sky was more and more effected by the light pollution. But Mario Runkas, my friend and such a great photographer, couldn’t just give up the idea of the last “touch” to the Milky Way before he leaves the southern hemisphere and maybe will never see this beautiful part of the night sky again. Staying at a hostel in Delareyville, South Africa, and watching the purely clear skies the last night, we spontaneously took the car and left the city. In about 30 kilometers north-west Mario found a secondary road and followed it a few more kilometers, when finally stopped and got out the car. Then he just sat on the capote of the Land Rover and started to gaze in the Milky Way for so long. He was incredibly calm and quiet. I just realized he was in his life-crossroad, asking himself: Why do I have to return back to the polluted Czech Republic? Will I ever see this beauty again? Why are the people so ignorant to not stopping the expansion of the light pollution in Europe? I totally understood him and I took shot of this memorable moment to remain me that over and over again. Mario’s last look in the center of the Galaxy and the Magellanic clouds, with visible Gegenschein behind his back, was one of the most emotional moment of the Safra-Go.cz expedition in south Africa of the fall 2015. Used Canon 6D Baader IR modified, Samyang 24 mm, f2.0, ISO 8000, 34×13 seconds panorama.