At 4am I dragged myself out from shelter to stand beneath the dull light of dawn, wanting to be gone without trace before any early risers made their way past on a morning jaunt. I had the joy of packing away under the rising sun. The light blue sky began to emerge behind the clouds, …
Cycling
Into The Peaks
The turning into The Peaks introduced one of the hardest physical and mental challenges I have faced cycle touring. As the hills continued, albeit none quite so steep as this first, I began to question everything. Why was I doing this? This is the Peak District, named as such for a reason. Why did I …
Lincolnshire Wolds on Wheels
Back on English ground, I took the opportunity to explore as I never have before. In the past I used a bike as transport within Leeds city, but generally took public transport for longer distances. This time, determined to see more of England and with a great desire to keep my legs moving, I made …
Koh Chang and Cat Ba – Tet Holiday Island Adventures
Not long after my arrival in Hanoi , Vietnam was celebrating Tet holiday (Lunar New Year). Everything was closing and many people were leaving town for a week. This resulted in two mini adventures I had not expected. The first, was spending just under a week in Thailand on Koh Chang island. A blissful retreat, …
A Resident in Hanoi
A couple of days after the peace of Taman Negara I was boarding a flight to Vietnam, returning to Hanoi, the starting destination for my travels three odd years ago. It was an odd sensation, feeling as though my journey had come full circle and, knowing the many changes that have occurred within during the …
A Trial Tour
The first day on my bike was without a doubt the hardest. Largely because it is not wise to set off at 3pm when you do not know how long a journey will take, but also because of the insistent headwind that accompanied me all afternoon. That said, I still (for the most part) thoroughly …