Recent content by Rockman

A chamois leather is excellent for wiping moisture off your kit. Well worth having in your bag. Mike

You don't need a passport to travel to the Irish Republic as it is part of the Common Travel Area. You just need photo ID if you are flying or going by ferry. http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/customs-travel/Enteringtheuk/arrivingatukborder/travellingtocommontravelarea/

You can also try Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour - lots of lovely photogenic red squirrels there. Mike

Mull is a surprisingly big island. Don't forget to figure in travel times to your plans. Tobermory is colourful, though small. Duart Castle is worth a visit. Loch na Keal has some great views. Ulva is small and lovely for a walk with your camera. Iona is a must-visit. Check out this site...

Learn about exposure (getting just the right amount of light through the camera to hit your sensor). Experiment with the aperture (size of the "hole" that lets light through your lens) and the shutter speed (opening the "door" to your sensor). Once you have an understanding of how this affects...

Pay a visit to Calumet on the Hagley Road. They have a good selection of 120 film fresh out of the fridge and the prices aren't too bad. I paid £4 per roll of HP5 from them a couple of weeks ago. Mike

You can get a rotating angle finder that attaches to the prism finder that would be a compromise solution. Mike

Buy the "hairy dieters" book. Eat their food and count your calories honestly. The weight will gradually fall off. You don't need diet fads or special shakes or to live on lettuce. Mike (16kg less than last year)

I'm a teacher too (when I retire I am going to spend the September in the Hebrides). Anyway you will need to stock up on either Smidge or Avon Skin So Soft (though this is a bit greasy) to deter the midges from eating you alive. Midge nets (worn over the top of a hat) are a useful last resort...

Loch Coruisk is one of the most remarkable lanscapes in the British Isles. It's worth taking a trip over to Raasay and walking up Dun Caan for a spectacular 360 degree panoramic view. Avoid July and August if you can. Mike

St Kilda is amazing but difficult & expensive to get to. Worth it if the weather's good. On Harris there are lots of lovely places. Luskentyre Beach is a must. The "Golden Road" is worth exploring. If you can get out there the islands of Taransay and Scarp are worth a visit. Catching the...

Possibly better protection against fraud but you don't get protection from the card issuer through section 75 of the consumer credit act if something goes pear-shaped with the deal or the item. Mike

The figures given are an average, so the number of cars won't make a difference. If it was a total figure then it would. American cities sprawl a lot more than British cities. Their housing density is generally a lot less than ours because they have bigger houses, large garages and much bigger...

If an insurance company writes something off it becomes theirs, you get money instead. They "buy" it off you for its value before it was broken. Mike