h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I am just working on the first part of your African Adventure. Sadly the artwork hasn't yet appeared so I will use the baobab picture for now.
Did you want to use just the Prologue and save section one for its own article next week? I agree that we need to come up with a short explanatory paragraph to head each section... a short precis of the prologue, perhaps?
'Quite some time ago, El (my better half) and I had made ourselves a promise - we would take off for a while, travel the world, have a little fun. The aim was to do a wide variety of stuff – some touristy things, some mountains, see some friends and family. This journal covers just the African section of our time out. Most of it dates from notes I took in the evening and I have allowed hindsight to creep in in some places though.'

shazz

Hi Shazz

Nice to hear from you again. Hope your computer problems or whatever it was have gone away.

The prologue on its own is a bit boring - how about the prologue plus days one and two, so that the reader gets a bit of a feel for the trip? This would have the added advantage of cutting down section one which is a little long. (In fact a few of the sections are a little long, as you noted.)

I've slightly amended the introductory text -

This trip stems from a promise that El (my better half) and I had made to ourselves - when her exams were over we would take off for a while, travel the world, have a little fun. The aim was to do a wide variety of stuff – some touristy things, some mountains, see some friends and family. Most of this journal dates from notes I took in the evening - I have allowed hindsight to creep in in some places though...'

I guess each article will need a short title as well so for the first week "Prologue and Ngorongoro crater" or similar?

Thanks for your help

sprout

Fingers crossed all is back to normal. I have my internet connection back and am feeling a little better and Greebo has returned from her short break.

I will make a note of the introductory sentence for use starting from next week. I agree that the first two days will (hopefully) grab the readers interest so I'll add those now.
A good idea for the titles as well. I just had 'Prologue' obviously so will change that. They can also be used for the byline on the Post front page.

shazz

Shazz

I think days three to seven works as the next section, and I suggest "The crater highlands" as a title.

Cheers

sprout

shazz

Hi again

I didn't hear from you re how much to use this week so I hope that you approved of my cut-off point.

I hope that you like the new addition to your space.

shazz

Hi Shazz - good editorial judgement on the cut off point. How about the rest of the 'safari' for this week - days 11, 12, 13.

And for a title - Vikings on Lake Victoria - ? Or Sayanora Serengeti - I'll leave you to choose!

Oh and thanks for the badge - between that and Wotchit's bus I was spoilt last week...

Cheers

sprout

Excellent timing, sprout - just on my customary Tuesday Postal collection service.

I rather like the Vikings tag so I shall probably go for that one.


shazz

Was away looking at salt mines last week - I like your title for last week though

Let me know if you're happy to chop up the rest of it as you feel - I certainly trust your judgement!

As for this week - the whole of Kilimanjaro, or just the first half?

If just the first half then mud, glorious mud sums it up... If the lot then perhaps simply "climbing Kilimanjaro"?

sprout

- will get right on it.

shazz

Dar + the first day of Zanzibar?

"Port life" would sum up both those days OK I think.

sprout

Yes, that works very well

shazz

Hi Shazz

I guess there's another two or three weeks worth and then it will be over!

I might write an epilogue, I'll have a think about it.

Beyond that, I've got two ideas for future material.

1) A short series of mountaineering/climbing tales, entitled the adventures of a mediocre mountaineer. I've got two on site, A2537228 and A2557974 and one more off site. I suppose there might be material for 6 or 7 of these, depending how much interest there is.

2) Something to raise the profile of the masses of work accesible on hootoo via the search engine, called seek and ye shall find. An example is at A2597015. it would be possible to do lots of these, but as they make heavy use of the search facility, they need to be written on the work computer, outside of work hours. (like now). Which is not always easy time to find.

Any thoughts - would it be possible to alternate one and the other, thus making it more probable that I keep up with the pace?



sprout

I see you are online, so I'll take the opportunity to bump this one up a bit...



sprout

Hi sprout.

Yes, sorry about the delay. Things became a little hectic last week and this forum got buried.

By my reckoning there are 3 episodes left (I think - I haven't actually got my Post folder open as yet this week). An epilogue would be good too.

I've had a quick look at your suggested pieces and they look excellent. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, nostalgia... Snowdonia and the Pyrenees! You do realise a series on mountaineering will make this place seem even flatter to me eh?

Anyway, both that and the search engine idea are brilliant and certainly you could run them alternately. If Greebo is feeling better I'll see if we can rustle up a banner graphic for them also.

shazz

My turn to bump this up I think...

shazz

Certainly is!

OK - I started on an epilogue for time out, will try and finish it this weekend and send it to you.

In the meantime I have three search engine pieces ready, I would suggest in the following order:

A2641808 - Hair
A2597015 - Blue
A2675063 - Grass (95% finished - will add the last link soon)

I can't do any more of these until the search engine is working properly again, hopefully they will sort it soon.

On the mountaineering stuff

A2537228 - Lliwedd
A2557974 - Taillan
A2667729 - Curbar

Are all finished - I will add at least one more - cheese climbing in the Avon Gorge... And I'll think about others - maybe an Alpine one and a Tatras one.

Looking forward to appearing regularly in hootoos favourite magazine soon!

sprout

'Cheese climbing in the Avon Gorge'

You certainly know how to whet an expat's appetite!

I'll see if we can get some artwork for your 2 new series - we agreed to alternate them I think?

shazz

Our highly trained artist is working on graphics for you as I type.

We'll run the epilogue this week and then start with one of the series next week. Any prefs as to which way round to proceed?

shazz

Lets start with the search engine stuff as when search works again I could produce a few of these. The climbing stuff has a more finite amount of material. I could do one on the Ardennes as a special 'near to Netherlands' concession to the editor, but nothing really interesting has happened to me while I've been climbing there!

sprout