Category Archives: Travel

Travel Tip #6: Don’t get Locked in the Castle

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Travel Tip #6: Advice from a Purple Hippo

It is important to be aware of closing times when visiting historic locations.

Exterior ruins of Huntly Castle situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

One can easily become enthralled to the point of distraction when visiting fascinating castles.

Arrow loop in Huntly Castle

While this is usualy a good thing, it can lead to disaster if one is not aware of the castle’s closing hour.

They are serious when they say closing time is at 5:30

When a castle closes they lock the two means of entrance and escape that the entire place has to offer.

This bright window may appear to be a way out, but the fall is much too long

You may see what appears to be an exit.

A glimmer of hope

But it never is, you will quickly learn that castles were built as defense structures, making exiting them quite difficult.

These iron bars were easy for me to slip through, but I could not leave my camera crew behind

Once you understand that there is no means of escape, you must phone the local police and inform them that you seem to have gotten yourself locked in the castle and could they please come let you out. When phoning the police it is also helpful to know the name of your prison, which is why Travel Tip #5 is so important.

Waiting, sheepishly

Once you have phoned the police, wait about an hour until they send someone to extract you.

Travel Tip #5: Remembering Where you Are and Were

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Travel Tip #5: Advice from a Purple Hippo

After a while, all those castles and gardens are going to start looking the same.

By the time you get home you may have a great deal of trouble identifying where you were when you took a specific picture.

Huntly Castle situated in Aberdeenshire, Scotland

To minimize this unfortunate occurrence, try taking pictures of signs and markers when you arrive somewhere new. This way you will have an information starting point when you are going back over your photos.

Close-ups of the signs will help with readability

This travel tip can also help if you get lost or stranded somewhere, see Travel Tip #6.

Everything is Larger in London

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A common theme that I noticed in London is that everything is rather large.

The tree trunks were tremendous.

Cross-section of a stump at Kew Gardens

The gold coins were giant.

This gold coin at Harrods was huge!

The columns were colossal.

Just look at this one, it is covered with bathroom tiles!

Minton tiled column in the Silver Galleries at the Victoria and Albert Museum

And the kitty cats were massive.

There were several cats at Trafalgar Square

He did not seem to like being called “kitty cat”

Burrower’s Photography Tips

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A few tips to help you perfect your travel photography.

First, set up your tripod.

Second, attach camera to tripod.

Third, assume the position.

Fourth, wait for the decisive moment!

Fulmar peering

Fulmar soaring

Fulmar above the rocks at Troup Head

Herring gull soaring in the blue sky

Herring gull carrying lunch home

Razorbills and Guillemots at rest and in flight

Gannet in flight, note the awesome light blue bill

Soaring gannets

Gannet with a snack

Gannets taking off from cliffs at Troup Head

Gannet seeking

Gannets, the spotted one at the top is not yet an adult

Gannets, they are watching you

Unidentified Soaring Bird (USB)

This little stoat was running about the cliffs

Cliffs of Troup Head

Gannets in a circular pattern at Troup Head

I was also able to see two puffins, but they were both very grumpy and did not wish to be photographed.

These photos were taken at RSPB Troup Head nature reserve in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. For more information about the reserve and the birds that they protect go to RSPB Troup Head.

Highland Cows

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No trip to the Isle of Skye would be complete without a photo shoot with a hairy coo (Highland Cow).

 

This pheasant saw the hairy coo in the background and decided to go the other way.