Another long day, such as it is when seeing the sights and travelling here end there, so I'll keep this short.
Up at a leisurely pace (compared to yesterday) and off we went for a 30 minute drive to the funicular railway (cable car to you and me) that trundles up and down the final couple of miles to the (near) summit of Cairngorm, one of the premier skiing peaks of Scotland, and indeed the British Isles. Except that it's high summer and so there wasn't a skier to be seen. At the top, there is a cafeteria and viewing platform buffeted by considerable winds and so out we went for a breath of fresh air. In fact the air was so fresh it blew Jostein's baseball cap right off his own mighty peak, and away it went on an apparent journey into oblivion. Luck was on Jostein's side, and the cap came to rest only thirty feet below. The descent was easy, and Jostein loped off to retrieve his headgear. Later over a cup of tea, his face was longer than the backside of a Highland Cow and it transpired that he had lost the eyepiece of his beloved 645nII. He had looked every where on the surrounding viewing platform but to no avail. Undeterred, my son Stefan launched himself off in search of the pesky Pentax accessory, Jostein scowling into his mug of char. Well slap my ass and call me Sally, within three minutes Stef was back through the door to the cafe, face lit up in glee. Yes, indeed he thinks he has found it, 'come and see' - Jostein bounding out through the door like Baloo the Bear in hot pursuit. Sure enough, the nutty Norwegian returned triumphant, holding up his prize for all in the cafe to see: a small round reticule of glass and metal, and a wearing a grin that the Cheshire Cat would have been proud of. It had rolled off the viewing platform and lodged between a pair of small boulders - Stef had done very well to spot it - definitely man of the match there. Back down to the shack, er chalet for a late lunch, after which the girls went shopping for food, bless em, and Jostein and I took a shedload of kids out for a few hours. We ended up at three venues: a large lake with a sandy beach and plenty of photogenic mountains behind, a large dead tree (almost petrified in texture and colour), and a smaller loch with a sedate and peaceful shoreline. Kids romped and we chomped at the opportunity to do some decent shots, and we weren't disappointed. Watch this space. Right, time for the conclusion to this small series of diatribes. It's been such a smashing time, we have all really enjoyed it very much - all the more pleasurable by spending the holidays with people we have met on the internet, namely the PDML. Jostein is a real trouper, a real rock. He's such a knowledgeable guy and his photography is absolutely first rate. So, a big thanks to Jostein and Vera for making the effort to travel across the North Sea and visit these shores. They are stopping in on Mike and Cath Wilson near Newcastle before boarding a ferry for Norway at the start of the coming week. Have a pleasant voyage and we will see you again, hopefully soon. As for myself, it's been a hectic time - sightseeing always is. Family holidays are a compromise and you move at the pace of the slowest child in the party. With that in mind, it's no problem for me. I adjust accordingly, and it is a pleasurable experience. I have some nice shots in the bag, and I've now got a lot of work to do over the coming weeks - very exciting as I enjoy the editing, optimising and printing as much as the actual photographing. If I am truthful, I would say that I am looking forward (in a very different way) to GFM next year - that's a whole different ballgame and one that I would not want to miss in my lifetime. For now, I relish the recent experiences, the friends I have met up with (Jostein, Mike W, Gianfranco) and will savour those memories for a long time to come. Especially when I'll be staring at hundreds of pictures from the trip ;-) Time to raise a glass of Orvietto Classico to the PDML - here's to you - you are the list. Speaking of which, have I had a few drinks tonight? Hey, does a Norwegian Moose crap in the woods? Cheers, Cotty ___/\__ || (O) | People, Places, Pastiche ||=====| www.macads.co.uk/snaps _____________________________ Free UK Mac Ads www.macads.co.uk
