Whilst more and more of the world is getting wired to the broadest-band width, the places I often find myself seem to be less connected at slower rates. So here a few more tips and revisions about trying to travel and upload photos & blog.

1) Turn off automatic updates (found under control panel). This avoids a really long delay before you can even get connected.

2) Resize your photos, for blogs and to emails others, your photos only need a lower resolution and considerably smaller file size (eg 600 by 800 pixels is generally plenty) see earlier resizing post

3) Use the no frills methods, the normal flickr web portal for your web browsers is a bandwidth nightmare (I just had a week of hell trying to use flickr in indonesia, usually  waiting 10 minutes plus just to load the log in page! Other times I get a flickr is taking to long to respond message or it crashing out my net connection. You can also access flickr via the mobile portal (http://m.flickr.com/) from any computer and this is a very stripped down version. The biggest trouble for me is this portal does not have access into flickr groups. I also find that the standalone flickr uploader doesn't work on low bandwidth or from internet cafes. If it does work it takes for ever, so I end up using the http://www.flickr.com/photos/upload/ old fashion web page uploader, and patiently

Having lived in the UK for a couple of years now, I still find it a bit claustrophobic that you have to reserve ferries, trains or planes to get to and from the "continent" as the Brits call it. The Brits probably don't even think about it, but if I were living in Holland or so and returning from a holiday in the South of France, I would just push through and return home in the evening or early night, or a day early if the weather were bad. But with a ferry reservation to meet, it is a different story. This bring me to Troyes; we had occasionally seen a GB car on the campings south, but the Camping Municipal in Troyes was packed with the English and all returning home. We had stayed in Troyes before and loved the city and on our way back I had picked Troyes because it was a mere four or five hours drive from Calais. Funny that so many had come to the same conclusion ^_^

Camera: Pentax MZ-S, lens: Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO + ILFORD FP4+