I signed up to do the Small Worlds Expedition 2 even though I knew I had two holidays booked in - one with my family, the other with my friends.

As I write this a long time after the event, I can't remember why I didn't even try to attend the beginning of the expedition, which I could have done, do my holidays, and catch up when I got back. In hindsight, not doing that was a mistake. I would have been able to attend waypoints 0 through 4 before having to go away. By the time I returned, the expedition would have been up to waypoint 8 and I would have only missed 3 meetups.

Instead, I made the eleventh-hour decision to 'buckyball' the expedition, and ended up missing all the meetups.

On 6-July I switched from my Python to my DBX and set off.

The WP0 meetup was on BD+31 2290 4 c at -5.1/-74.76.

Just yesterday I visited an active Thargoid structure for the first time. Since then, it's been discovered that Thargoid technology does not react well at all with Guardian technology. Someone tried activating the central Thargoid machine using Guardian Relics with spectacular results:

I happened to have some Relics in my cargo hold, so I headed to the closest active Thargoid structure on Mel 22 Sector ZU-P c5-1 4 a at -63.5266/8.0136 to try it myself.

There I found Commanders Sebbedan and eastw00d and we all enjoyed the light show! Keep a good distance between the machine and your SRV - you will take damage, maybe enough to be destroyed!

An active (presumed) Thargoid structure had recently been found on HIP 14909 2 a at -26.4561/-27.4742, so naturally I had to go and see for myself.

To open the doors to get inside, your SRV needs to be carrying either a Thargoid Probe or a Thargoid Sensor. Inside the structure you find Thargoid Uplink Devices. In the center of the structure is a large room with three receptacles. Put one each of a Sensor, Probe and Uplink Device into the receptacles to activate the machine:

Amazing stuff. I have no idea if it's supposed to be a galaxy map or not. It just looks so cool.

At long last, after 3 years playing Elite Dangerous, I've finally got up to one of the so-called "end game" ships - an Anaconda.

Of course, I purchased it from a Li Yong-Rui controlled system, HIP 20485, so I could get the 15% discount.

That was a few days ago on 5-June. I'm now in the VV Cephei system admiring the view of the red super-giant.

However, if I turn to look the other way, there's something bright and shiny catching my eye...

NGC 7822 seems like a great place to take my new Anaconda to stretch its exploration legs.

On 3-June some commanders started reporting sighting alien spacecraft (presumably Thargoids) performing some sort of mysterious activity at one of the known 'barnacle' sites on Pleiades Sector OI-T c3-7 A 6 at -42.7793/-21.7215.

When I got there, there were already several other commanders grouped around the barnacle pair, waiting...

Eventually, we were rewarded!

It's a very well-done sequence, especially from inside the SRV.

The power goes off, so the SRV freezes up. If you're right by the barnacle when the Thargoid appears you can even be sucked up the beam towards the Thargoid! No damage is done and the beam is shut off before you get too high or even anywhere near the Thargoid.

Back in the Python, I've visited the Generation Ship Thetis in the Nefertem sysyem.

All the generation ships seem to have sad stories of failure, but when you think about it, it's to be expected. All the successful generation ships would have landed, been broken up, formed colonies, and become systems in the known galaxy. It's only the unsuccessful ones left to drift in space.

I bought a Beluga a few days ago, and decided a good shakedown cruise would be to take it to visit the newly discovered (only 2 days ago) generation ship - "Lycaon" in the Alaunus system.

The Beluga seems a fine ship for travelling, so long as you avoid the "mailslot". Somehow I launched and got out the mailslot the first time I undocked without touching the sides, but every single time since I've got tangled up and threatened by the station for blocking the entry.

So, I'm going to keep the Beluga for a special occasion - in a hangar on a planetary base! I think Wollheim's Inheritance will be a good place.

I'm back out visiting the Guardian Ruins. This time on Synuefe TP-F b44-0 CD 1.

It orbits a barycenter with its neighbouring CD 2, which is close enough for some spectacular views at the right time.

Got the mission-runner Python down onto Skardee 1. Cooked things a bit, but as soon as I dropped out of supercruise things rapidly cooled down to stabilise at 50% with almost everything turned off once I'd landed. I noticed that with all pips to engines they ran noticeably cooler.

Getting off was a different matter: 215% heat and quite a bit of damage.

Nervi 3 A @ 22.61/113.06

Missed out on the flying an SRV into orbit bit. Lots of canisters scattered about the mountain. Very rugged.