So, finally, my Morocco via Madrid - April/May 2010 set is "done" on Flickr, with mini diary entries composed en route.
Phew. A long job, particularly getting them (approximately) mapped.... It's been lovely having Phil uploading his photos too at the same time.
Part 1: DIY London to Casablanca via Madrid
* Day 1: London to Madrid
* Day 2: Madrid
* Day 3: Madrid to Casablanca
Part 2: Intrepid's Colours of Morocco tour
* Day 1 (DIY day 3): Casablanca (arrival day)
* Day 2: Casablanca / Rabat / Meknès
* Day 3: Meknès / Volubilis / Fès
* Day 4: Fès
* Day 5: Fès / Midelt
* Day 6: Midelt / Merzouga / Sahara Camp / Erg Chebbi
* Day 7: Sahara Camp / Merzouga / Todra Gorge
* Day 8: Todra Gorge
* Day 9: Todra Gorge / Ouarzazate / Aït Benhaddou
* Day 10: Aït Benhaddou / Tizi n'Tichka Pass (2260m) / Imlil / Aroumd
* Day 11: Aroumd / Essaouira
* Day 12: Essaouira
* Day 13: Essaouira / Marrakech
* Day 14: Marrakech
* Day 15: Marrakech (departure day)
You may spot that some of the evening photos have snuck into the next day's archives..... I forgot to adjust my camera clock at the start of the trip and I can't be bothered to update all the EXIF data. Sorry!
Clearing the digital decks before my next trip....
I've made five online purchases today, in preparation for The Trip.
From Waterstones.com
From amazon.co.uk
- Ring Cyba-Lite Sprint Led Headlight
- Pair of Trekrite Hiking / Walking Poles
- Trekmates Micro Fleece Sleeping Bag Liner
- Hama Lens Cleaning Pen
Not the most high end items, but I think that they'll do. Now - beer time!
After much research and picking of Stuart's brains, I suggested that dad and Tom and their respective families buy me the GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr Lite DPL700 for my birthday. I've griped before about how hard it is for my to geolocate the photos from some of my trips to more off the beaten track destinations (Hello Annapurna Circuit! Hello Bhutan! Hello Central Asia!), and a easily portable gadget which promises to do all that for me seems the perfect traveller's treat.
Even though the GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr Lite is now Mac-compatible, the packaging doesn't yet say so and my heart dropped for a time until I unpacked the box to find the A4 print out of their Quick Start Guide for Mac enclosed.
First challenge, how to open the unit to get the battery in. I think I've mastered that now, but only after the same kind of struggle I have with getting the back off my various mobile phones over the years. I'm sure there's a knack - but usually it eludes me. Nails are of no avail.
Next up - downloading the software (always a doddle with the mac - phew) and syncing the time on my camera. "Syncing" suggests something rather more technical than looking at the server time or an online display of local time (aka Google-ing "local time") and manually adjusting your camera's clock setting to match - but that's all it is.
So now I'm all set to take the PhotoTrackr out for a stroll - Hazel and I are shopping in central London tomorrow and I'm planning to map the route.....
The software download page (case sensitive URL I discovered) comes complete with a link to the GiSTEQ PhotoTrackr Mac User's Guide, which I'll be reading in more depth tomorrow.
A slight delay in posting my forms off to the Chinese Visa Application Service Center, after Wild Frontiers advised changes to how to complete the application form. But by 9.30am my application was heading off towards Holborn via Special Delivery. Hopefully I'll have something back towards the end of next week.
Sara at WF had also heard from their local agent confirming the equipment being supplied during camping etc, and 4-season sleeping bags will be provided.... but there are no guarantees as to condition or quality. Sara was able to tell me that we'll have porters/yaks to carry our three days' kit during the Mt Kailash kora, which helps on the 'which rucksack(s) to take' front, so tomorrow's kit shopping will focus on a head torch, trekking poles and a fleece liner.... I'm hoping Phil's Sugru will arrive in time to mend the split betwixt sole and upper on my left foot walking boot......
It's taken me a fair few hours to add all the details of this summer's expedition onto my Where next? page, but Wild Frontiers' Himalayan Journey from Lhasa to Kashgar just gets better every time I look at the itinerary and pre departure information!
I've also worked out my kitlist which I've now added into my trip prep spreadsheet - I started tailoring the one for this trip yesterday, adding details of the itinerary so that I could work out how many days I'd be in China for my Chinese visa application. Talking of which... I've filled out the visa application form and I'm going to post everything off on Friday, once I'm back from S&S Rotterdam. The Chinese Visa Application Service Center's Procedures of Application by Post looks straightforward, and I really like the fact that there is a process flow diagram and a checklist (in the Visa Instruction >> Forms for Download area) on website.
I got the Lonely Planet guide to Tibet out of the library yesterday too, and did a bit of flicking / reading. There's a section on trekking, which includes the Mt Kailash kora. Based on that and my Annapurna Circuit experiences, I'm definitely buying some trekking poles and I may whip up a fleece liner too - assuming I can borrow a four season sleeping bag (Phil!).
Now I just need to get to grips with my Gisteq PhotoTracker Lite gadget and software - this year's big birthday present from TJBR and dad and Jean.