105 days Europe Adventure

[BrownBoots]

Woah. I'm totally amazed by your shots. Do you intend to accept any disciple? Haha. Never fail to come back to your thread to look at your pictures. Maybe you can elaborate on how some shots are done?

Thanks bro. I don't think I'm qualified to accept disciples yet, just an enthusiast, not a pro. :embrass: but if I do ever start a workshop in future, you be the first to know. :bsmilie:

The elaborate part is a bit vague, maybe you can specify which ones you referring to? Basically most are shot with tripod and GND as mentioned.

Awesome aurora borealis shots in lapland. I am sure there are more right? I can imagine the excitement of almost able to touch them as if they were really close up.

Yup, there are more and some from Norway but not as impressive than the ones you've seen so far. Saw the Aurora for 3 nights in Jokkmokk but this one is probably the closest encounter ever.

the aurora is one of those things I have to see in my lifetime. Lovely shots and it must have been ethereal...

Yes, this is a must for all travel and landscape people. Ethereal...a very fitting description, a new addition to my limited vocab. Hope you don't mind I copy this for my blog. :bsmilie:

 

[BrownBoots]

#67 Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides.
We were fortunate enough to experience or rather survived an unique landing on Traigh Mhòr, a beautiful beach as a runway for the Barra Airport. This is the only airport in the world to use a beach for scheduled flights and flight times are subjected to tide situations. On darker days, the cars in the airport parking lots would keep the headlights on to provide the approaching pilots added visibility sine the beach runway is only lighted by natural lighting.

Despite a sign that reads "Keep off the beach when the windsock is flying and the airport is active", people are free to wander the beach and have fun picking cockles. Little wonder the airport is billed as one of the most dangerous airport in the world. This infamous reputation exacerbated with the rain certainly doesn't help in quelling our nervousness in taking a propeller plane, a small one that is, for the first time. The free lunch that came with the 3hr flight delay did ensure we would not vomit with an empty stomach should the ride got rough though..

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[BrownBoots]

#68 Isle of Barra, Outer Hebrides.
Day broke as we made our way past the long stretch of sand dune and beachgrass towards Barra Airport after packing up our tent. We were to take the local school bus there back to Castlebay, the town of the island where we took a rest before hiking to the highest point of Barra, the 383m tall Heaval.

On the school bus, the local kids, probably primary school age, were very curious and amused to see us seating with them like two overgrown kids. I supposed they do not see much Asians in Barra, especially with large backpack ones. In fact, we did not met a single Asian throughout the days in the Hebrides, obviously still unmolested by the mass tourism of Edinburgh.

The local folks at Barra are also one of the most lovely people we've met on the trip despite their 'rugged & stern' appearance. Even strangers who drove passed us gave a friendly wave or an acknowledging nod as we trek 1.6km along the narrow country road to the foot of Heaval.
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[asthio88]

Yup, it was really fun and unforgettable despite getting into sticky situations sometimes.

There was no group, just the 2 of us backpacking ourselves.

We spent a total of 31.5k consisting of the below:

Transportation: 12k (excludes flight to/fro SIN.)
Lodgings: 9.7k (hostels, cheap hotels, wild camps, sleep in cars)
Food: 1.8k (self catering, energy bars, dry food)
Tickets/Tours: 8k (includes 5k for Svalbard expedition)

Hope you enjoy the coming photos.

Thanks for sharing!! That's a lot of $$$ but considering that 105 meaningful and unforgettable days, I guess it's all worth it. I really admire your 'courage' in backpacking and I believe lots of planning and time has been invested, do continue sharing

 

[BrownBoots]

#69 Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides.
Volcanic tube of Camas Sgiotaig, the Singing Sands.
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[BrownBoots]

Thanks for sharing!! That's a lot of $$$ but considering that 105 meaningful and unforgettable days, I guess it's all worth it. I really admire your 'courage' in backpacking and I believe lots of planning and time has been invested, do continue sharing

You are most welcome! $$$ can be earned again but memories like these stay with you forever. Best investment one can possibly have.

Thanks for visiting my thread.

 

[BrownBoots]

#70 Jokkmokk, Lapland.
After a bout of 'violent' activity, the Aurora began to somewhat settle into a calm and smoothing belt. This being the last Aurora image in Lapland to be posted, although is not of much spectacular compared to the others but it exemplifies the low altitude at which the Aurora was hovering from the ground. Stop short of flying a plane through one, this is probably the closest encounter you can get with the Aurora.
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[sodium99]

#65 Jokkmokk, Lapland.
A dramatic change of form for the Aurora Borealis as she drifted to my overhead position looking to devour me any minute.

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looked so intimidating! got radiation or not?

 

[BrownBoots]

looked so intimidating! got radiation or not?

It sure is but I don't think it has got anything to do with radiation since it is a phenomenon caused by the collision of the solar wind and photons in the atmosphere instead of some nuclear plant leaks.

 

[emlee]

Great thread. It shows the effort you put in to get such great images.

 

[BrownBoots]

Hi emlee, thanks for dropping in with your comments.

 

[BrownBoots]

#71 Isle of Eigg, Inner Hebrides.
Rippled sand patterns decorated the whole stretch of beach at Laigh Bay during low tide.
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[BrownBoots]

#72 A contact sheet of all the images taken at Lapland, Sweden to bring a closure to this filler series.
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[BrownBoots]

#73 Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides.
Butt of Lewis, the most northern point of the Outer Hebrides, is often battered by storms, high winds and monstrous waves of the North Atlantic. It can be really heart-stopping to stray anywhere near to the edge of the cliff where a sudden gust of strong wind and seemingly unstable overhangs can easily send one falling over ten stories to the violent Atlantic ocean.

On many of the magnificent cliffs here, nesting seabirds seem unperturbed by the scores of angry waves that so often precariously threatened to overrun their safe haven.
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[chiangkxv]

Looking forward to more. :lovegrin:

 

[Beserk]

Inspiring series!! waiting for more.

 

[BrownBoots]

Looking forward to more. :lovegrin:

Inspiring series!! waiting for more.

Thanks guys! One last image for the Scotland chapter.

 

[BrownBoots]

#74 Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides.
A full arching rainbow began to emerge over the vast plains of the Scottish Highlands after a downpour.
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[fibredrive]

Another lovely capture on #74. one of those Wow threads in CS! Good job bro!

 

[BrownBoots]

Another lovely capture on #74. one of those Wow threads in CS! Good job bro!

Thanks bro, that's a very great compliment to the thread. Pity I failed to nail the exposure for this #74. wished I had +1/3 or maybe +2/3 for this.