Real Grade 1/144 - RX-78-2 GUNDAM - WiP 7 - Final satin finish

This is everything after a spray of satin for the final finish. Give the last protective coat a few days to dry before assembling everything together.

Got all the extra shield, bazooka, beam sabers and manipulators from the other RG Gundam kit i have for the GM conversion which has been on hold for a few months. The Kick-A$$ Gundam Hammer is form the 30th HG kit.
Ian

Morocco Trip - Day 2 - Ourika Valley

The second and last full day spent in Morocco was a day trip to the Ourika Valley and the foothills of the Atlas mountain range.
First part of the day was spent driving towards the Atlas to the foothills where the native people of the Morocco make there dwelling, the Berber. In one of many of some 17th century mud house village we had a traditional breakfast and what i particularly enjoyed was the mint tea served by the lady owner, using almost a fist sized piece of sugar!
After that a camel ride, then a 2 hour hike to see a waterfall. Then a 2 hour hike back down to have a lunch with what could possible be the best view ive ever seen while eating my well deserved food.










Using the ice cold water run-off from the mountains to cool the drinks. Classic holiday glass bottle Coke Cola, apparently you are only 20 minutes away from a coke anywhere on earth and this was from a 2 hour into the atlas foothills!






All and all a very nice day and very different from the city of Marrakesh.
Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RX-78-2 GUNDAM - WiP 6 - Decaled

All decaled! and the longest decaling session ive ever done. Over the last week or so ive been researching the 1/1 Gundam erected at Shizuoka and trying to apply every decal on the 1/1 to my 1/144 and it took me almost 2 of the Bandai decal sheets to complete (more or less).

Once i give the entire model a very gentle clean with cotton wool i will seal all these down with a nice satin coat finish as soon as i can, i know from experience that if i leave this unprotected that i will either scratch off a decal or one will come off will im handling it and will be lost forever.

Think my attempt to add the little notches with cut up decal worked out great.











Start the core fighter soon too, copying the 1/35 U.C. Hardgraph for that.
Ian

Morocco Trip - Day 1 - Majorelle Garden

About mid-day in Marrakesh, we caught a taxi across town (for only £4!) to the beautifully peaceful Majorelle Garden or in the French Jardin Majorelle. Spent about 2 hours here at about high noon and surprisingly cool and relaxed with the glaring sun overhead.

Little history is that is was designed and built by French artist Jacques Majorelle who extensively used lots of really bright blue which later would be name Majorelle Blue. Opened to the public after World War 2 and bought by Yves Saint Laurent in the 80's, whose ashes are spread throughout the garden.

Highly recommend if you go to Marrakech, was not really on my list for places to visit but if i found out about if after coming home and not visiting i would have really been disappointed.



















Ian

Real Grade 1/144 - RX-78-2 GUNDAM - WiP 5 - Started decaling...

Recently started to decal up the torso and head and realised that the little dashes on the Gundams yellow collar are missing.

Not sure if its even called a collar but each panel line that goes horizontal across on the yellow section below the head should have 2 small dashes on each line aligned with each other.  Don't really want to cut them in with a knife so i might try cutting up a decal and adding them that way.

Wonder if i explain what i wanted clearly, kind of hard with out a reference photo to compare against.
Ian

Morocco Trip - Day 1 - Marrakech

Back from my little trip to Morocco, leaving old rainy Blighty for some lovely sunning weather after 6 months of clouds.
Really very different country to the usually i would visit and the first Muslim country, lots of culture and rich heritage and a very friendly people, maybe too friendly for those of  reserved British disposition.
First day was spent in Marrakech, which is the old imperial capital, visiting nearly everything there was too see and was exhausted after a very busy day.



















During the day Marrakech is like most hot places ive imagined, quite and laidback but really comes alove after sunset, above is the one of thesquares in and the world Djemaa el Fna.
Ian

Anti-terror cutlery.

Anti-terror cutlery., a photo by AntSizedMan on Flickr.

Anti-terror cutlery.

Real Grade 1/144 - RX-78-2 GUNDAM - WiP 4 - Repainted greys

Reassembled after repainting all the grey pieces an even light shade of grey, big time advice is to make sure you get the colours correct before assemble. These real grade kits feel like they only want to be put together once and a quite difficult to take apart, broke the vulcan cannons on the head which are of course the smallest parts on this model and amazingly i didn't loose them.

Decaled up the beam rifle today too, which was nice and simple.

Will start to decal the gundam next week i hope, off to Morroco for a short break tomorrow.
Bon Voyage.
Ian

Japan Trip 2011 - The last days - Ameyoko, Akiba again and then home.

My last day in Japan i decided to stick around the area the very nice hotel i was using Akihabara Washington was which of course was spent mostly going to lots of awesome shop in Akiba and also a visit to the interesting Ameyoko, with it unique markets under the railway. Tried on the last day to eat everything that i had not yet tried and see bit and pieces i missed. Saw a dental laboratory on last late evening stroll, which is exactly the same as the one i work in, i mean everything the same, made me wonder about the possibility of working as a Dental Technician in Japan for a year, if i can improve my Nihongo.

The it was the trip home the next morning where i mopped all the way home knowing that it will be a couple of year until i get to return.

































And that all for Japan, which was a amazing!
Ian