Youngest son joined us for dinner tonight. We had Chicken Adobo. Delicious.

His partner is still out in Australia, she's got another four weeks there.

Thanks to ISO I now have the AP article. I don't expect to produce anything as stunning as those photos but we'll see what, if anything, I can come up with.

I shall install Faststone on my netbook - then if I get anything good I might post a preview of it here, since I can use their satellite internet connection.

I have the 17-70 and I do like it, but given you have a K7 I would keep the 18-55 and sell the 17-70. The 18-55 will not raise much cash, and can be included with the body if you sell the camera on at a later date. Plus it is a WR lens.

The 17-70 minimum focus is 28cm, the 18-55 is 25cm. I find the 17-70 is not good at close focussing.

Oh another Pentax baby! How wonderful, congratulations to Daniel and partner!
I hope we might get a sneak peak at the new Miss Bridge?

I have a mini Maglite .

Oh and a travel towel - though it isn't part of my camera gear.


Interesting set. I do have a couple of the other things too.

My must have accessories are a spare charged battery and a spare blank SD card.

SMutje -there are camera bags on wheels which may suit you, but they ain't cheap.

Wow! Thanks for that link Anton - there are some amazing photos on there.

Icelandic horses are also high on my list of things I want to photograph. Now I could go to a friend of a friend who has some, but photographing them in Iceland would be so much better .

Thanks for the offer - I'll PM you my e-mail address.

So when are we all going on a PU trip to Iceland?

I'm just waiting on confirmation of my cabin for my trip. In theory it is all going ahead, but they are having computer problems so can't confirm it all yet.
€1600 for 12 days, half board, flights and 4 excursions. It would have been cheaper if I'd gone for an inside cabin.

Impressive!

Which Optio did you buy>

They wake you up on board if they see the aurora, plus they keep a check on predictions, so you can decide whether or not to go to bed in the first place.

Thin "camera" gloves are on the list .

I realise they are unpredictable of course. I may see nothing. It may be cloudy every night, who can say. But if I do get to see them I'd love a photo of them just to prove it, to others and to my self.

The predictions aren't great - not enough solar activity yet - I shall have to go again in a couple of years

I am actually really looking forward to the trip, watching the scenery go by, visiting some interesting towns along the way, and a dog-sledding excursion too. The lights are a bonus.

Of course I could be bored out of my head by day 3. We shall see.

I'll be going on one of the older (but not the oldest) ships, so it won't be luxurious, even though it costs the same as the luxury boats.

Iceland is on the wish list too - I have seen photos of it from friends whose daughter lived there for a few years - she went on holiday and didn't come back until two children and two husband later .
September/October appeals or March - more chance of aurora round the equinoxes.

I'm not proud - I'll buy from whatever supermarket is convenient for me.

That is usually either Tesco or Sainsbury's as they are just off the motorways leading to the Channel Ports.

If I find a good farm shop the cool box gets stocked up with illegal meat. There is one not far from my sister-in-law in Kent - Romney Marsh lamb, and excellent beef and pork.
(Reminder to self - take two cool boxes in April :wink

When we lived in Wantage it was Waitrose and the local shops. I haven't been in a Waitrose for ages.

Here I shop at Appie (Albert Heijn) because I can walk to it. I can't stand our local butcher and we long since lost the greengrocer. We have a Lidl too within walking distance which occasionally has good British beer on offer. That is the only reason I go in there.

My son, on the other side of town, has an Albert Heijn, a good butcher, a baker, a greengrocer and a Turkish supermarket just two minutes walk from his house.

We have all the restaurants within staggering distance, he has all the good shops.