The thing I think I’m most looking forward to when I get up into the Atlas Mountains is the stars.
Every time I go home to Wales I’m amazed at the number of stars I can see, the way the night sky just comes to life in a way that no-where in London or the South East can match. Then I start to imagine what the night sky must be like when there’s nothing within 100 miles of you, no Cardiff or Newport spewing out watts and watts of unwarranted light into the night sky.
What treasures await me whilst I sit outside the tent, hot chocolate in hand gazing up at an unpolluted sky.
I think there are numerous PhDs, philosophical excursions and romantic comedies to be written by exploring what it is about certain people that they appreciate dark skies and a clear view to the edge of everything.
Seeing the Milky Way is almost as unusual now as seeing an eclipse for many (perhaps most) people in towns and cities, which is a real shame.
You wouldn’t happen to be taking a camera with the ability to take decent pictures of the night sky, would you?
Well… now you mention it… no. Well I’m taking the standard Casio 8m jobbie which in theory can take a decent night sky photograph – but the SLR all depends on what room I’m left with on the bike… tripod may be of use but I’m pretty sure I’ve got no-where to strap that!