EmptyCrate Software. Travel. Stuff.

In 2006 we took a three week trip to Europe. I carried an Averatec 3270 notebook for those three weeks. The notebook was light (4.5lbs) and portable (only 12.1") but it was still too much for a backpacking trip. It's possible that one of the newer ultra portable netbooks, like an Eee or Acer Aspire One would work well, however, I wanted to mention the latest toy that we took on a one week trip to Mexico.

I recently acquired a Nokia N800 Internet Tablet. The N810 is now the predominant model, and they are about the same price. The N810 adds a keyboard and GPS, so it's a reasonable upgrade.

It's been now more than a year since we got back from our trip to Ireland, and sometimes I just think about going back there. I don't know really how to describe it, but I feel like the country is a part of me now. I've been to most of western Europe but Ireland, and particularly the Donegal region, has affected me than any other country I have been to. You can read about our trip here, if you want to.

During March and April of 2006 we toured Switzerland, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. On the trip we managed to capture some amazing pictures and logged our first experience hosteling. Read on for more info.

Here is a collection of trip reports on trips that we have made.

After leaving the Black Canyon we made our way towards Silverton for our first night's stay. The drive up to Ouray, which is on the way, was amazing.

But the drive from Ouray to Silverton was quite possibly the most beautiful drive I have ever made. The pictures can't do it justice, but here's a shot.

Silverton

From Durango we drove east across the state to the Great Sand Dunes National Park. (National Park #3 for this trip.) The Great Sand Dunes, like so many things in Colorado, are massive. It's impossible to try and describe the scale of these things. The tallest dune is 750 feet above the surrounding landscape. There is a very shallow, very wide creek that runs through the dunes that many people treat like a beach.

Sand Dunes