You asked for it, the universe delivered. Another glorious week has drawn to a close, leaving behind a swathe of interesting news stories and tidbits of information to hand your hat on. Whether it is NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s blockbuster contract eligibility or the reveal of a wine industry secret, the last seven days delivered no shortage of future water-cooler conversations, and we’ve got a few more. To usher in the weekend, we’re offering up our latest and greatest, with another instalment of Man of Many’s Staff Favourites. Read on to find out more.
Olympus XA2
Nick Hall – Editor-in-Chief
I am a bit of a sucker for film photography, and while I love using my old Canon AE-1, it’s not exactly inconspicuous. Its large size and increased weight make taking it with me, alongside my work gear, gym clothes, study material, and everything else that I have to carry to and from work, nigh-on impossible. I really wanted to shoot every day, so a few weeks back, I picked up an ’80s-era icon: the Olympus XA2 35mm point-and-shoot.
Compact and minimalist, this tiny gadget represents the bare minimum for a 35mm camera. It lacks features such as aperture controls or shutter speed gauges; instead, it employs a rudimentary focus system that is simultaneously straightforward yet bewildering. The sound produced when taking photos isn’t particularly pleasing, and there’s always uncertainty regarding whether your shots will turn out well, poorly, or somewhere in between. This unpredictability might be precisely why I enjoy using it so much. As part of my ongoing effort to reduce reliance on digital devices and embrace analog experiences, adding this device seems like the ideal representation of going against technology trends.
Favorite Article of the Week:
Bottle Shock: How Marc Fennell is Revealing the Wine Sector’s Most Sordid Revelations
Roam and Snooze at Taronga Zoo
Scott Purcell – Co-Founder
The Roar & Snore experience at Taronga Zoo offers Sydney residents an authentic taste of a safari adventure, priced around $669 for two adults, which is absolutely worthwhile. Among numerous events featured on Man of Many, this one stood out with its ideal backdrop where you can savor beverages while watching giraffes stroll past against the stunning urban skyline during sunset.
Soon afterwards, we settled into a canvas tent offering views of the harbor and city lights. The keepers led us on a nighttime adventure illuminated by flashlights, where lions roared deeply, sun bears welcomed us for an evening meal, and various nocturnal creatures became active. We fell asleep to the faint sounds of large lions calling out and woke up to monkey screams echoing around. After breakfast near the water’s edge, as the zoo was not open to general public yet, we strolled down deserted pathways which gave us a sense of exclusive access behind the scenes.
I came with ambivalent feelings towards zoos, but Taronga and its caretakers soon changed my mind: many of the resident animals are either rescued creatures or those born in captivity who couldn’t survive in the wild; meanwhile, the final pair of Asian elephants was recently relocated to an expansive sanctuary in South Australia. The newly opened Tiger Trek lets visitors explore a simulated Sumatran rainforest environment, which has prompted over 130,000 emails advocating for companies to cease using unsustainably sourced palm oil. Every cent earned through Roar & Snore goes toward Wild Futures—a project aimed at constructing cutting-edge wildlife care facilities in both Sydney and Dubbo. This means you can enjoy sleeping overnight at Roar & Snore feeling good about supporting conservation efforts, waking up to one of the city’s finest harbor views, knowing that your visit contributes directly to protecting Australian fauna.
Disclosure: Man of Many received a complimentary stay thanks to Taronga Zoo.
