- \n\n
- Aalborg instead of Sofia<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Day 1: stations, a simple room and Restaurant Sanya<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Day 2: Aalborg Zoo and a city determined to give me stairs<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Day 3: Randers Regnskov, then a much longer walk than expected<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Day 4: Frederikshavn finds and a fish burger on the train<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Skagen: the sea, small finds and a museum missed by 22 minutes<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Day 5: a lighter bag and a quieter Aalborg day<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- Packing up and heading home<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- The money I actually recorded<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n
- What stayed with me<\/a><\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/QFR9D5KP\/RAS-8461-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A resting lion at Aalborg Zoo, photographed with my Nikon D7500.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n This is the trip from my side. We travelled together, but we often split up during the day and met again later. Shilka could happily spend hours looking through Blu-rays. I wanted animals, water, old things, photos and whatever interesting detour appeared on the map. Having separate plans worked better than making either of us follow the other around.<\/p>\n\n\n
Aalborg instead of Sofia<\/h2>\n\n\n
Sofia had been the original plan. It was cancelled for reasons I do not need to go into here, and Aalborg became the replacement. I had seven days of vacation and used five for the trip, leaving a day beforehand to get ready and a day afterward to land again before work. Coming home late and going straight back to normal life the next morning does not feel like a break to me.<\/p>\n\n\n
Shilka handled the train tickets and hotel booking. We had our own rooms and paid for them when we arrived. I like travelling with someone while still having a door I can close at the end of the day. After hours outside, I want my own space to unpack, charge batteries, look at photos and stop talking for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n
My hotel stay, including breakfast, cost 3,518.20 DKK<\/strong>. I had set aside 9,066 DKK<\/strong>, leaving 5,547.80 DKK<\/strong> after the hotel. Across five days that gave me an allowance of 1,109.56 DKK per day<\/strong> for food, transport, drinks and finds. That was a planning figure, rather than what I actually spent each day.<\/p>\n\n\n
There was no schedule locked down to the hour. We had ideas and talked each morning about what made sense. Weather, energy and mood matter more to me than following a plan just because I wrote it earlier. We had split up on our Zagreb trip too, although we did it more often this time.<\/p>\n\n\n
I also use Google Maps as a collection of places for future trips. I save somewhere interesting when I come across it, even if I have no immediate plan to go there. That is how places around Rebild, Rold Skov, Himmelbjerget, Ry and Bl\u00e5vand end up waiting on my map. The trouble starts when I am nearby and think I might as well see just one more.<\/p>\n\n\n
Day 1: stations, a simple room and Restaurant Sanya<\/h2>\n\n\n
Copenhagen Central, much too early<\/h3>\n\n\n
Our train left Copenhagen Central Station at 13:44<\/strong>. I got there around 10:00<\/strong>. Shilka was not due until roughly 12:40, so I had managed to turn the departure into several hours of waiting.<\/p>\n\n\n
I was hungry and did not have much at home. Going into town with all my bags, buying food and then taking the bus sounded more awkward than taking the bus straight away and eating at the station. That was how I ended up at Joe & The Juice with a Pick Me Up juice, a Spicy Tuna sandwich and a muffin.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/Mq8Y0YB\/1000021695.jpg\")
<\/a>The same station meal before I opened the boxes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Joe](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/rG0cG2WT\/image-1776672746116.jpg\")
<\/a>My station breakfast at Joe & The Juice: juice, a Spicy Tuna sandwich and a muffin.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The total was 180 DKK<\/strong>. It tasted fine, but I definitely noticed the station price. The juice was the apple, strawberry and banana combination with ice and olive oil. The sandwich had tuna mousse, tomato, jalape\u00f1os, Tabasco and vegan pesto in Joe\u2019s Classic Bread. I wanted something with a little bite, and it did the job. Whether the convenience was worth 180 DKK is another question.<\/p>\n\n\n
I keep a close eye on money when travelling. Debit cards and keeping the trip money separate work well for me because I can see what I have left. The train to Aalborg had already been paid for, but the hotel was still going to take a large part of the budget when we arrived.<\/p>\n\n\n
Once Shilka arrived, we went into 7-Eleven for food and drinks for the train. There was also a chicken wrap I had bought for the journey. I forgot I had it, and by the time I remembered at the hotel it had gone bad. It went in the bin. A small, stupid waste of money caused by forgetting what I had packed.<\/p>\n\n\n
The change in Aarhus<\/h3>\n\n\n
The journey involved changing trains in Aarhus. I do not particularly enjoy changes: get off, find the track, check the time and hope nothing has moved since you last looked. This one was easier because the DSB app showed the departure times and platforms. We knew where to go before getting off the first train.<\/p>\n\n\n
That was a useful app moment. I still have my usual complaints about travel apps using phone battery, GPS and data. During this trip I was complaining about Rejsekort-style tracking and joking that at least the DSB points made me feel I might eventually get a soda back for the inconvenience. But having the platform information ready helped with the change.<\/p>\n\n\n
The rest was normal travel-day waiting and sitting. I took a train selfie, looked out, checked the time and finally felt that we were on the way rather than still preparing to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/n8q4s9Z1\/1000021712.jpg\")
<\/a>Arriving at Aalborg Station with our bags.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Travellers](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/Rxg3jRD\/1000021713.jpg\")
<\/a>Another view along Aalborg Station\u2019s covered platform.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n Our base at the B&B Hotel<\/h3>\n\n\n
The hotel was about 500 metres from Aalborg Station<\/strong>, from what I remember. That was exactly the kind of location I wanted after hours on trains: pick up the bags and walk there, without working out another bus or paying for a taxi.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/0yJvg2pq\/1000021715.jpg\")
<\/a>My room at the B&B Hotel: a simple base for sleeping, charging batteries and repacking.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n My room was basic: bed, desk, TV, space for the bags and a bathroom. There was a bottle of water too. The bathroom had a sink, mirror, toilet and shower, and it was fine for what I needed. I do not need hotel luxury when I intend to spend most of the trip outside.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Hotel](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/TxC06WRf\/1000021718.jpg\")
<\/a>The desk, entrance and space for my bags back at the hotel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Wall-mounted](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/N2mDTcZV\/1000021716.jpg\")
<\/a>The TV and curtains: another small part of the room I came back to.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Hotel](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/pj49BzGP\/1000021720.jpg\")
<\/a>The bathroom, with me caught in the mirror.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/Df5wFZRy\/1000021721.jpg\")
<\/a>The shower behind the glass screen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The room became a place to sleep, shower, repack and charge everything. Reviewing photos was less successful. I had brought a laptop, but it was so slow and laggy that I gave up trying to inspect the files properly during the trip. Much of the close reviewing happened afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n
The first buffet<\/h3>\n\n\n
After unpacking, we went out for dinner at Restaurant Sanya<\/strong>. There were not many people there when we arrived, but it looked fine, so we tried the buffet. We ended up visiting Sanya twice during the trip<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/3yyhn2BT\/image-1776707269919.jpg\")
<\/a>A plate from one of our two visits to Restaurant Sanya.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Mixed](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/Wpcg7pn4\/1000021724.jpg\")
<\/a>Another plate from our visits to Sanya: rice, noodles, sushi and warm dishes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The menu I photographed listed the evening buffet at 208 DKK Monday\u2013Thursday<\/strong> and 228 DKK Friday\u2013Sunday<\/strong>. It included soup, sushi, salad, Mongolian barbecue, warm dishes, fruit, coffee, tea and soft serve. Those were the prices on that visit, rather than a current price guide.<\/p>\n\n\n
I had a mixture of rice, noodles, chicken, spring rolls, sushi, meat, vegetables and prawns, with a large 75 cl cola<\/strong>. My buffet and drink came to around 270 DKK<\/strong>. The salmon and fried chicken were not dry, and the sushi was fine. For a buffet, that already put it ahead of a lot of places I have tried.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Large](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/DHjdPRN0\/1000021726.jpg\")
<\/a>The large cola alongside the buffet food.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Restaurant](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/YF0B65Tf\/1000021723.jpg\")
<\/a>Sanya\u2019s evening buffet menu as I photographed it on the trip.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n It was one of the better Chinese buffets I remember visiting. I am not pretending it was a luxury meal; it was solid food at the end of a long travel day. Then we went back to the hotel. Getting there, checking in and eating was enough for day one.<\/p>\n\n\n
Day 2: Aalborg Zoo and a city determined to give me stairs<\/h2>\n\n\n
Breakfast, then an early walk<\/h3>\n\n\n
Breakfast at the hotel was simple but useful: eggs, yogurt, cake, juice, coffee and cacao. We talked about the day, and I decided to go to Aalborg Zoo while Shilka did his own thing. Spending hours with animals and a camera is easier when I can stop as long as I want without worrying that someone else is bored.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Breakfast](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/6RYBprVB\/1000021742.jpg\")
<\/a>Breakfast at the hotel before another day on my feet.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"White](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/3mR6X8vH\/1000021743.jpg\")
<\/a>My breakfast drink at the B&B Hotel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The zoo opened at 10:00 on my visit, and the walk from the station area was around 1.9 km<\/strong>, or roughly half an hour. The morning was cold, around 6\u00b0C<\/strong>, with a forecast of about 16\u00b0C<\/strong> later. I walked part of the way with Shilka before continuing alone. At one bridge I had to look twice because the path appeared to be for bicycles, but there was a pedestrian crossing as well.<\/p>\n\n\n
I was early enough to explore nearby before going in. That turned into a walk through Skovdalen and the Skovrock area<\/strong>, photographing the empty outdoor stage and stepped seating. Morning sun and tree shadows were cutting across the stone. I tried different exposures, climbed up for a view back down toward the stage, and photographed a cartoon-dog graffiti detail that reminded me of Goofy.<\/p>\n\n\n
I continued up to Aalborgt\u00e5rnet<\/strong> and took both a tight upward view of the tower and a wider version with the neighbouring building. One showed the structure more dramatically; the other helped me remember the place around it.<\/p>\n\n\n
Nearby, I photographed a statue from several angles and also photographed its plaque. My notes recorded Hunner med kineserpige<\/em>, Carl Johan Bonnesen, 1935. Taking the plaque photo was the useful part for later sorting. I should do that more often with animal signs too, instead of coming home with hundreds of photos and trying to remember every name.<\/p>\n\n\n
What I was carrying<\/h3>\n\n\n
The main camera was my Nikon D7500<\/strong>. I had the 200\u2013500mm f\/5.6<\/strong>, 70\u2013200mm f\/2.8<\/strong> and 18\u201355mm kit lens<\/strong>, GPS, three batteries, the charger, two power banks and the usual smaller things in the bag.<\/p>\n\n\n
I estimated the bag at around 6\u20138 kg<\/strong>, depending on what was in it. That was an estimate, not a weigh-in. The old iron tripod added its own contribution. I had bought it used for around 400 DKK, and the head was a little loose where it attached, even though the locks worked. I would like to improve that part eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n
I carry the tripod along the bag, secured with the straps so it hangs near my leg. I am used to carrying gear, but that does not make it weightless. Most of my normal photography is walking, seeing something, taking a shot and moving on. I sometimes wonder why I bring the tripod when I use it so little. This day it did get some use, particularly around the birds and pond with the long lens.<\/p>\n\n\n
Back at Aalborg Zoo after many years<\/h3>\n\n\n
The zoo visit was on 21 April 2026<\/strong>. I had not been there since around 2008 or earlier, as far as I could remember. It felt smaller than the place in my head. That might say more about my memory, or about spending much more time at Copenhagen Zoo since then, than about Aalborg Zoo itself.<\/p>\n\n\n
I started the animal photos with the 200\u2013500mm<\/strong>. The pond and flamingos took a lot of my attention. I tried resting poses, head details, curved necks, feeding birds and reflections. I took many variations, probably spending longer there than I expected.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/FCh2qzC\/RAS-7447-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A flamingo preening beside the pond at Aalborg Zoo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Close](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/ZzwGcXwp\/RAS-7579-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A closer look at the eye, beak and soft grey feathers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The light kept fighting me. Pale flamingo feathers were bright in the sun, while the ducks on the same water were much darker. A setting that looked sensible for one could look wrong for the other. The same problem returned with black fur, pale animals, black-and-white markings, reflective water and deep enclosure shadows.<\/p>\n\n\n
I shoot in manual mode and, on this trip, was choosing ISO myself. My usual method is a quick look at the camera screen, an adjustment if needed, another shot and then moving on. I have the histogram turned on, but I am still not comfortable reading it. I mostly judge the result by eye. That is a description of how I worked, not a claim that my method is the best one.<\/p>\n\n\n
Some pictures still looked soft to me even with a fast shutter speed. That was frustrating because I felt I had already dealt with movement. I could not tell for every frame whether it was focus, a narrow sharp area, the enclosure barrier, movement, camera shake or just my expectations when looking closely afterward. I am keeping that uncertainty rather than pretending I found one explanation for the whole set.<\/p>\n\n\n
Even on the tripod, I could see a little movement through the viewfinder when the shutter fired. Between that, the loose head and the long lens, it gave me plenty to think about. Animals also have their own timing: turn the head, blink, disappear behind a branch, or move just when I press the button.<\/p>\n\n\n
Ducklings and their security team<\/h3>\n\n\n
The ducklings were especially difficult. Tiny, fuzzy, fast, low to the water and changing direction constantly. Cute does not mean easy to photograph. One moment they were running around, then they were swimming, and the bright water or ground kept making their little faces harder to see.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/LhtBcYyk\/RAS-7886-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>One of the tiny, fast-moving ducklings that kept me busy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"An](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/S4vG0kDg\/RAS-7892-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>An adult duck alongside a duckling. The parents certainly noticed my camera.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n When the mother and father noticed me, they came rushing down and started complaining. At least that was how it felt from my side of the camera. I was trying to take a duckling photo while the parents acted like security guards. It was funny, but it did not make the job easier.<\/p>\n\n\n
Faces, feathers and a little lemur<\/h3>\n\n\n
I worked my way through much more than the pond: a monkey occupied with a pine cone, tapirs, resting pigs and goats, long-eared animals on the grass, dark birds, a hippo-like animal eating, ostriches, zebras, giraffes and pale horned animals. Some gave me a clearer eye or a useful moment of behaviour; others stayed awkward behind fencing, shadows or a messy background.<\/p>\n\n\n
The black monkey was a good example of the exposure problem. I wanted enough light to show the face, hands and fur without losing everything bright around it. The pine cone gave the photos something to be about beyond a straight portrait.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/JWfQ6jh9\/RAS-7711-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A monkey busy with a pine cone.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/0vdY5yb\/RAS-7737-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A tapir, caught in a clearer moment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Black](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/vCmN1yD4\/RAS-7804-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A goat looking straight toward me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Two](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/jvPhBrzV\/RAS-7623-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>The long-eared pair taking a rest on the grass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"An](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/2BW9VpF\/RAS-7974-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>An ostrich framed by black-and-white feathers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"White](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/xtsPdCTx\/RAS-8426-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A white bird with a dark neck, framed by its enclosure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n I liked the clearer giraffe view much more than the one with a barrier dominating the foreground. The ostrich had that rush of black-and-white feathers, the meerkat stood upright on its rock, and later there was a tiny lemur clinging behind an adult. Those were the kinds of details I wanted to bring home.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/JFpWZg5y\/RAS-8068-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A closer look at one of the giraffes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"An](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/ZRvqtJR9\/RAS-8298-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A meerkat standing tall on a rock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Two](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/gbTgDnW1\/RAS-8532-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Two lemurs together, with those bright eyes catching my attention.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/wZ99Knjr\/RAS-8623-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A little lemur clinging behind an adult.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n I also photographed the polar bear in the pool, the resting lion shown at the start of this post, and indoor skeleton and skull displays. Those darker displays were another change of conditions: glass, reflections and very different light from outside.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Polar](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/M5DPtMrn\/RAS-8360-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>The polar bear lifting its wet head out of the pool.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Male](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/JjWMFMvZ\/RAS-8454-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Stepping back from the lion portrait to show the rock and enclosure.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"An](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/sv1BVk9V\/RAS-8415-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>An indoor skull display, photographed through the glass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n Then there were things that only looked alive. I photographed artificial flowers convincing enough to make me look twice, and the zoo\u2019s dinosaur models supplied the obvious joke.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/ksNkm0K4\/RAS-8644-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>The dinosaur that almost ate me. A model, thankfully.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n Yes, I was almost eaten by a dinosaur. Fortunately, this one was a model. I had enough to carry without becoming lunch myself.<\/p>\n\n\n
Between the bigger animals, I kept noticing smaller things too: a bird spreading a wing on the ground, or an insect on a yellow flower. Those little pauses belong to the day just as much as the lion and the giraffes.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/CFqTG6H\/RAS-8660-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A bird spreading its wing on the ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/xtn6nmYT\/RAS-8691-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A small winged visitor on the yellow flowers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n Later I switched to the 70\u2013200mm and handheld shooting<\/strong>. The big lens is useful, but after hours of carrying it I felt the weight. The shorter lens was easier to react with as I moved around. The metadata in the photos records both lenses during the zoo visit, with the kit lens appearing later too.<\/p>\n\n\n
Battery anxiety, a burger and brain freeze<\/h3>\n\n\n
For a while I thought I had forgotten the camera charger. I had three batteries, so it would not have ended the trip immediately, but it was still an annoying thought. In Zagreb I had made one battery last almost four days. I normally switch the camera off between shooting and use live view mainly for video. This time, watching a battery fall toward 25% and then 10% made me pay more attention.<\/p>\n\n\n
After around two and a half hours inside, I needed food and a sit-down. The weather had warmed up and I was tired enough that I could almost have fallen asleep during the break. I bought a burger menu with fries and soda, plus a large slush ice. The total was 174 DKK<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n
The fries had grill seasoning, which I liked. The slush ice was good too, until I drank it too quickly and gave myself brain freeze. Apparently enthusiasm does not make my head immune to ice.<\/p>\n\n\n
Before leaving, I bought a cup and a fridge magnet for 104 DKK together<\/strong>. From memory the split was around 64 for the cup and 40 for the magnet, but the combined amount is the useful figure. Entry had cost 211 DKK with a 15% discount<\/strong>. Entry, food and souvenirs therefore came to 489 DKK<\/strong>, before the rest of the day\u2019s purchases.<\/p>\n\n\n
M\u00f8lleparken, Noah\u2019s Ark and Kridtgraven<\/h3>\n\n\n
I could have gone straight back to the hotel. Instead, I checked the places saved on my map and continued toward M\u00f8lleparken<\/strong>, then Noah\u2019s Ark<\/strong>, then Kridtgraven<\/strong>. That was where the zoo day became a much longer Aalborg walk.<\/p>\n\n\n
There were stairs. Then more stairs. By a certain point I was convinced Aalborg had decided to test every part of my knees. The bag strap was also making my arms complain. Walking with camera gear, hills, stairs and constant stops for photos feels very different from walking the same distance empty-handed at home.<\/p>\n\n\n
I liked the green areas and the smaller things between attractions. A city made only of shops, traffic and roads gets dull for me much faster than a route with trees, water and odd little corners. At one point something sent my mind off toward the Japanese AE86 Trueno and anime, which had almost nothing to do with Aalborg. That is also how my walks go: the route stays in one city while my head wanders somewhere else.<\/p>\n\n\n
Kridtgraven was one of the peaceful parts. There were ducks and coots, clear water in places, and people sitting by the lake. Some girls were feeding the birds. A couple on a bench were quietly reading and looking over the water, one leaning against the other. It was an ordinary scene, but it felt almost like a calm moment from a film.<\/p>\n\n\n
Then a big fish appeared near the edge. In clearer water it seemed to have a blue-purple sheen and some red near the tail. I thought it might be a carp, but I did not have a certain identification. The coots were bothering it and seemed to nip at its tail. I had the 200\u2013500mm on again and tried for a better view from the other side.<\/p>\n\n\n
That was a different animal memory from the zoo: something happened in front of me, and I had to respond without knowing it would be there.<\/p>\n\n\n
Counting down to the hotel<\/h3>\n\n\n
The tracker said 12.5 km<\/strong> that day. I thought it had missed some of the zoo walking, but I cannot turn that feeling into an exact extra distance. Whatever the number, the weight and stairs made it feel long.<\/p>\n\n\n
I started counting down the route back: 2.8 km, 2.5 km, around two, then 1.1 km, then 550 metres. There was some side stitch too. Seeing the hotel finally felt like reaching a checkpoint after a long game mission.<\/p>\n\n\n
I had taken a roughly 500-metre detour to Rema 1000 for something to drink and hand cream because my hands felt dry. I remember the cream being around 5 DKK. Later, iced tea gave me an excuse to use the zoo cup. I washed it with the bathroom soap I had available, poured the tea and finally stopped moving.<\/p>\n\n\n
That evening we ate at Fumo Pizzeria<\/strong>. The pizza was good and had a decent amount of pepper. After a day like that, food and a seat were enough.<\/p>\n\n\n
The newer 20,000 mAh power bank<\/strong> had also earned its place in the bag. With the phone busy running Maps, ChatGPT and, when I used it, Spotify, it still gained charge while plugged in. My older power bank struggles with that now. I estimated I had used about a quarter of the newer one\u2019s capacity that day; that was my impression, not a battery benchmark.<\/p>\n\n\n
Day 3: Randers Regnskov, then a much longer walk than expected<\/h2>\n\n\n
Humidity, glass and noise<\/h3>\n\n\n
The visit to Randers Regnskov was on 22 April 2026<\/strong>. It felt very different from the open-air zoo: plants close around me, humidity, water, indoor light and animals appearing between branches or behind glass. There was something to look at in almost every direction.<\/p>\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/4ZBpgtdF\/IMG-9347-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A path winding between tropical leaves at Randers Regnskov.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n It was also difficult photography. Low light in one place, reflections in another, then water, movement, foliage and people passing through the angle I wanted. A place can look wonderful to my eyes and still be awkward for the camera.<\/p>\n\n\n
I used both a dedicated camera and my phone during the trip. The Randers Regnskov photos selected here are from my iPhone 13 Pro<\/strong>. I also have separate camera photos, including an angle I worked on behind a waterfall, trying to keep the bird visible and show where the water hit the pool. These phone pictures are their own part of the day.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Visitors](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/PzM606md\/IMG-9339-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Walking beneath hanging roots and leaves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Wooden](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/1Jz12wRc\/IMG-9346-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>The wooden walkway continuing into another leafy corner.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Rock-lined](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/kVsK6XsZ\/IMG-9349-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A little stream running between the rocks and broad leaves.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n \n\n ![\"Small](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/vCgJ5dfQ\/IMG-9304-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A small huddle behind the enclosure glass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Dark](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/7Jsj0vfw\/IMG-9305-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>A scorpion tucked against the rock.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Large](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/sY01sbL\/IMG-9344-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Reptiles among the logs and rocks, viewed through the mesh.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The aquarium gave me colours and faces to work with, and I photographed signs as well as animals. The sign photos are useful later, but a sign alone is not proof that I photographed the animal described on it. Some reptile identities were uncertain in my notes, and I would rather leave them uncertain than attach the wrong name.<\/p>\n\n\n
\n\n ![\"Colourful](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/RkvgSWMg\/IMG-9315-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Colourful corals, anemones and fish in the aquarium.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"A](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/tP3Q1nRS\/IMG-9322-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Face to face with one of the aquarium fish.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Close](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/cSRDMDN3\/IMG-9329-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>Close enough to see the fish\u2019s eye and patterned scales through the glass.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n ![\"Silver](\"https:\/\/i.ibb.co\/R4Hbm6p7\/IMG-9333-JPG-classic.jpg\")
<\/a>One fish close to the glass, with the rest of the school behind it.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n The noise was the difficult part of the visit. There was a group of children, possibly a kindergarten or school group, and an adult talking loudly over them. Another adult was trying to quiet the children. To me, the loud adult voice made it worse. After a couple of hours I had a headache and wanted a quieter environment.<\/p>\n\n\n
I still enjoyed looking around and got photos I wanted to keep. After the indoor parts, I also explored the outdoor displays and photographed the
- Day 1: stations, a simple room and Restaurant Sanya<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n