Back from Northern Ireland

I realise that I am quite often back from somewhere.

It is like a meal. First find ingredients (what to take with), then prepare and cook (what to visit, timetables, …), serve it (spend or take the journey) and digest it (what I call : back from …)

I think each part has its interesting sides.

What to take with
I start making a list sometimes months before the departure.
First of all I make a table a kind of calendar to have a global view of every day. This view will serve to decide the amount of clothes to take, when the places have to be visited, where we expect to sleep if itinerant, and the main or foreseeable events.

For the stuff to take with I use a Palm application (HandyShopper) that I have adapted the normal way for my own use.
Each item is linked to different categories of classification : by type (kind of item), by usage (related to), by owner (who uses it), by location (where is it), by trip (when to use it)

Type : Appliances, Accessories, Equipment, Leisure, Clothes, etc.
Usage : Computer, Car, Home, Communication, Music, Hiking, etc.
Owner : My children, My wife, Myself, Someone else.
Location : Rucksack, Suitcase, Bag, Pharmacy box, car, etc.
Trip : Summer holiday, Winter holiday, Week-end, Short hike, Long hike, Cycling tour, etc.

So when I prepare the list, by selecting the different categories I get only the items related to and then I can find and select them easily. By the way most Items have two locations, the usual one and the one when travelling.

Example : My hard hiking boots. They won’t appear neither if I chose a cycling tour or a few hours hike. They will appear if I choose a long hike.
They belong to Equipment, Hiking, Myself, Rucksack, Long hike.

The swimsuit won’t appear in winter holiday. If I know I will need it I can select it manually.

When I take the laptop with me I ask to be shown everything related to computers and then I can pick up the items I need.

What to visit
When preparing, I like to gather information from several sources not only tourist ones but also historical.

I use different guidebooks and each one has its own approach. Not to make them a special publicity but I mainly use : Guide Bleu, Lonely Planet, Guide du Routard, Guide Vert Michelin, pocket Berlitz and then I collect information from the Internet.
Concerning maps I use the Michelin ones when possible.
For hiking of course the 1/25000 when available.

I check the opening hours and days. I categorize following my interest and also depending on the possibility to go again to the place. If I know I can go again in the future I don’t charge too much the agenda.

During the journey
I try to stitch as close as possible to what has been foreseen. If needed some plans can be altered.

I take as many pictures as I can. When possible I use a tripod, and I try to use the flash only when it is absolutely necessary.

I write down, in a draft notebook, the main facts, situations and thoughts of the moment. They will guide me later to write de diary. It is important to write down directly the name of the places, otherwise you can spend a lot of time trying to finding them in a map later.
I try to know always where I am, related to the country, to the place of stay, etc.
If camping I draw (sketch) sometimes the way the tents are placed, the fire camp, related to the landscape; that helps to remember day by day.

After the journey (back from …)
I write as soon as I can the diary. Make a backup of the pictures and select them by deleting the similar views, the bad or irrelevant ones, etc. I do not usually correct them with a computer software. What was done, was done.

From the huge amount of pictures, I make a selection that represents more or less 20%.
This selection is what I publish in a site giving the access to everyone who is interested in watching/seeing them. I send then the link to my friends.

I try to update my blog and share my experience with everyone.

I think I am going, since now, to make a kind of video montage with a sub-selection of the pictures selection in order to be stored in a CD and be shown in a standard DVD reader. So people who don’t have access to The Internet can watch some of the main facts of the journey.
At the same time that can be a nice moment to spend with friends, have some refreshing drinks and appetizers.

By the way for those who could be interested in the real Back from Northern Ireland click on it.