UK Panoramas

Here are some more shots from our UK holiday (Click each one for a much wider version!)

Inside Windsor Castle

View of the Docklands from the Observatory at Greenwich

The family walking in St. James Park, near Buckingham Palace

Stonehenge

View of the Serpentine in Hyde Park

The National Gallery, Trafalgar Square and Nelson's Column

Ever since I had my dSLR, my interests have been piqued by the concept of panoramas. To me it's mind boggling while insanely beautiful; it's eccentric and mystifying (the latter describes immersive, or VR panoramas). To that end, I invested in an ultra wide angle lens, a Sigma 10-22mm. That lens sort of got me started due to very wide angle shots, with the only problem that pictures were warped near the edge of the field of view. The quality is very very good and I loved the pictures that came out of Istanbul.

So, I next tried another technique : the multiple panning shot technique using my normal zoom lens - and used software to digitally blend and merge the pictures into one continuous panorama. My poison of choice is Adobe Photoshop Elements 6.0; it's a cool piece of software, but you do need a serious kit to run it fast (mine takes forever to complete tasks on a 3 yo Tosh). While preparing for this post, I also found this website that have these amazing immersive VR panoramas. I'll probably try doing that when I invest in a proper tripod and rotating head... I hope I can find a printer in Malaysia to print some of these; I'd love to mount them on my walls one day!

4Es in the UK

The explorers at Trafalgar Square

Alhamdullillah, after being 11 years away, and after a year of planning, researching, saving and swearing, we finally made it to the UK, specifically London and some spots in the south and west of England. Our rendezvous was on Monday 23rd June, in London where Baba, Mama and Fyan came in via Dubai, while the 4Es traveled from Khartoum via Doha. Our trip lasted about 10 days and I'm glad that everything went to plan (except some last minute changes).

I know Ckn will be doing a day by day breakdown (like with previous 4Es outings), hence I'll just do a simple post to list down the experiences and things that we enjoyed (and a few that we didn't!)

Meeting a Beefeater who served in Malaya, at the Tower of London

What we enjoyed on our trip...

1. Buying an off-peak travel card and taking the London Tube
   
2. Crossing over to the Eastern hemisphere at the Greenwich meridian line
   
3. Finding (and buying) seven Ben 10 action figures - at Woolworth's and Argos
   
4. Experiencing Stonehenge
5. Revisiting 10 Upton Close, Henley-on-Thames, where I lived 27 years ago
   
6. Doner kebabs (got to love those unhealthy meat products!)
7. Strolling through Hyde Park
8. Enjoying a street performer's breathtaking show at Covent Garden
   
9. Taking pictures - with a total of 4 photographers and thousands of snaps
10. Meeting Penn Steynor - my mother's English friend since the 60s
    
11. Learning the history and tales of wharfs and canals on the River Thames
    
12. Getting a sun tan - in England
13. Shopping
14. Finding the Ckn Pfordtens' family coat of arms
15. Catching a west end show - the Lion King
16. Having an interesting conversation with a London cabbie - on Malaya, the Empire, and God
17. Picnicing on the grounds near Templeman Library, at the University of Kent
18. Witnessing Ehsan giving his mom a buttercup flower
19. The weather; it was perfect throughout the trip despite the forecasts
20. Testing the hot springs at the Roman Baths
21. Being treated courteously, wherever we went

Ezal & Ckn posing at the Tower Bridge ...auuw!

What we did not like...

1. 6 hr transit times at Doha Airport, each way (thankfully, we all slept have way thru it on the way back)
2. Early shop closing times
3. Getting tired from all the walking
4. The Security, The crowds in Heathrow Airport
   
5. Changes at the immigration hall in Khartoum upon our return - really tested our patience and nearly spoilt the whole holiday
   

Thanks go out to

1. My family for being such sporting travel buddies and were so helpful with us and the kids
   
2. My friends Shahrin Imran, Raja Zurina, and Azam Abdullah(who all live in the UK) and Salina (who still thinks of the UK), who all helped fill in the blanks
3. and last but certainly not the least, My Ckn - the inspiration, the support and for being such a good packer!!

4Es at Stonehenge - it was my first visit too

Henley-on-Thames - the annual Henley regatta would have started a day after we left for home...

Though it was hard for us all to say goodbye to London, I felt happy knowing that I've finally fulfilled my plans to bring my wife and children to show them the country where I spent 10 years of my life. Who knows; maybe next time, I need not wait another decade to return?