Take 1

So I got myself a new camera, mainly because I felt like it was time to step up to a better DSLR but also because I work with a number of photographers and have seen their gear.

I got a Canon 60D second hand of trade me, body and grip and some memory cards. I then proceeded to find the right lens. This is a mission with the number of lens types and the large variation in cost and quality and a thick layering of people's opinions I was completely confused with what to get.

I settled on a Canon 18mm to 200mm lens and a cheaper (and lighter) 18mm to 55mm lens and I am now on the look out for a wide angle lens.

Here's some examples of photos with the camera.

I am happy with the camera so far and now need to practice for the trip.

A ticket to ride....

Well I finally do have my bookings and tickets.

I had booked back in March but I discovered that the flight I had from Sydney to LA was cancelled due to the air line reducing its routes.

Well after much drama I finally got the bookings by shifting the dates slightly but it means that I will just get to LA for the 4th of July. I will only have a 6 hour stop over before boarding a plane to Washington that gets in at 6:00am on the 5th of July.

I am now flying Air New Zealand all the way to Washington, so that's not a bad thing.

Just got my international driving license and most importantly my ESTA which is a type of visa for the USA that all Visitors need, US$14.00 and you are in.

Roger and I (isn't that a Mike Moore movie) have booked a tour of Gettysburg for 9th July and plan to visit the other civil war battle fields by car. So we have rental for the weekend (7th & 8th) and hope to get to Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Harpers ferry and hopefully down to Richmond over two days.

In preparation I am re-reading (listening to) Shelby Foote's "The Civil War". I have purchased the audio books through audible.com. I also am going to load Ken Burns fantastic TV series on to my iPad to watch while traveling.

Man I am going to be civil war-ed out.........

The Journey begins here

So in July I am off to America.

So why am I going to America?

Well mainly to visit my friend Roger and do something we said we would do one day, visit the American Civil War battle fields, especial Gettysburg. But it's about having an adventure together especially around the things that we are interested in.

We are aging geeks. We both have been into computers since the 80's in fact that is how we met. We were both members of the Atari user group in Wellington. Roger was selling some games and I purchased one, I still have it on 51/4 inch floppy in its original box. It's called Star Fleet I: The War Begins. It came out in 1987.


We are both gamers, board and card gamers, war gamers, computer games on and off line. We play World of Wracraft as often as we can we some other friends. But our favorite game has to be Up Front.

So I intend to blog about the trip, share experiences and photo's. My next couple of blogs will be about preparing to go..........