2024 Massanutten Resort

Sony A7IV ■ f/7.1 ■ 1/500 ■ ISO 100

We have been going to Massanutten Resort since early 2000. My wife signed up at a kiosk at Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, PA and we received an invitation to spend a weekend at their resort for free. Little that we know that it was for a timeshare pitch. Long story short, we bought a time share.

During that time the maintenance fee was around $200 per year. It seemed reasonable enough since you can spend a week on only the maintenance fee. It was great for us since our kids can enjoy amenities at the resort. Then they built a water park which can be used all year round. The resort was great because it catered to families as well as golfers. Did I not mention that they have a few golf courses, I was told that one course was designed by Jack Nicklaus. 

Then the kids grew and the time for Airbnb and the like came sprouting and the allure of timeshare sort of disappeared. Not to mention the maintenance fee skyrocketed, especially after Covid. I am currently paying around $600 per year. It is still cheap for a week’s stay. The unit that we bought has 2 bedrooms and there is a sofa bed in the living room, 1 master bathroom and a common bathroom and kitchen. Laundry is shared between the downstairs and upstairs unit.

We have been paying the yearly maintenance fee without even using the unit. I had it used one time and just asked for the maintenance fee in return for the use. This year I am thinking of listing it for rent on the resort website. I think the resort owner was also changing since they may be finding out that some if not all unit owners are letting other people use their timeshare units.

Last year, we decided to use it just to get away for a bit. It was roughly a 5-hour drive from us, so it was not that bad. I thought I could bring Cooper with us, but we must pay about as much as a kennel would charge and the dog must be behaved, which my dog failed miserably. Cooper had to stay with Sinjin and Ruchi since they were not able to come with us due to work.

The resort changed a lot, most of the activities that used to belong to the resort were now managed by other operators which were no longer included as perks if you are a resort owner, that was a bummer.

I have a collection of pictures taken from the first time we came here up to last year. Surprisingly, I just had over 50 pictures taken. I might link other pictures taken through the years.

2024 - Akshardham Temple

Sony A7IV ■ f/7.1 ■ 1/1000 ■ ISO 100

My son’s in-laws came to visit them in their apartment and planned to visit the newly built Hindu temple in Robbinsville, New Jersey. It was our first time seeing the temple and I could not believe that it was huge.

Currently, it is open for anyone to visit but had to schedule visit time to accommodate everyone. Clearly, the place is not yet complete because there were still a lot of uncompleted construction areas.

I was able to take pictures, mostly outdoors since they did not allow any recording device to be turned on inside the temple. Understandable, it is a place of worship. It was so beautiful inside the temple, and you just need to take my word for it.

Regardless of whether you are Hindu or not, it is worth a visit. I may visit the temple again when it is not sunny to take a much better photos outside. Please click here to see pictures.

Denisha and Ash Engagement

Sony A7IV ■ f/4 ■ 1/1600 ■ ISO 160

My daughter just recently got engaged. Her boyfriend, Ash, asked permission from us before they went on a cruise to Bermuda last month. We saw pictures and videos they posted on Facebook on how Ash proposed. Even though they were with friends during the cruise, Ash wanted the event private. However, he did that during a tour they booked. Everyone that was with them witnessed it and congratulated them.

After they returned from their cruise, they came to our house and told us their wedding plans. They were choosing dates and planning on when they will be sending out “save the date.” I suggested to them that I can take their engagement pictures to add selections from the ones they took with the smartphone.

Good thing that the photoshoot was a family event. My wife, Sinjin, and his wife, Ruchi, joined us at Barnegat Light House to shoot pictures. Ruchi oversaw posing and Sinjin assisted holding reflector to direct light back to the subjects.

It was a cold, windy but sunny day. I normally would suggest either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the light is not harsh. After the shoot, we went to grab a late lunch before heading home.

I was able to finish my processing after a week and gave them a digital copy of the shoot. I hope that they will find a couple that they use for their “save the date” invitation. Click here for pictures