Month: March 2011
-
A Bike Tour In A Day (Part 2)
Something about the English countryside always strikes me as being somehow more voluptuous, more rich and thickly-coated than that of our European neighbours. Even at the very outset of spring, the ground seems to be sprouting almost uncontrollably; a contrast to the bare trees and tortured brown patches of Scandinavian grass I’d watched scrolling past […] Continue reading →
-
Writer’s Blog: Probably The Biggest Journey Yet
I am about to embark on something so colossal and terrifying that taking even the first step feels utterly preposterous. I’m talking about the attempt to take several years of my life, untangle the knotted stories, and reassemble them into hundreds of thousands of words in between a front and a back cover — which […] Continue reading →
-
A Bike Tour In A Day (Part 1)
“I feel like I’ve been electrocuted.” I slumped on the leather sofa in my friend’s front room in a quiet London back-street. The words formed in my mind but when I opened my mouth only a discordant groaning emerged. There was nobody else in the room to hear me, anyway; I could hear the clatter […] Continue reading →
-
What Makes A Good Trip Great?
My Scandinavian winter cycle trip was by far and away one of the most rewarding periods I’ve spent on the road — even more so than the excellent experience I had in Mongolia last year. What made it such a success? I think it boils down to a few key points. Continue reading →
-
Video: Letter From Lapland
Making a film of my cycle tour in Norway and Sweden this winter was never part of the plan. But long hours in the saddle tend to generate ideas. It’s short — only two minutes — and sweet. Enjoy! Continue reading →
-
What Does It Mean To Finish A Journey?
“So comes the end of another adventure, and a return to daily life.” This would be an easy way to wind up the story, now that my Arctic trip is over. But I want to examine the idea more closely: What exactly is meant by ‘adventure’? Does it really end so neatly? And should ‘daily […] Continue reading →
-
Overland From Bodø To Oslo, And A Bit Of Bad Timing
You never quite know what you’re going to get with Couchsurfing, but the cards really fell in my favour in Bodø. I wound up staying with a lovely couple, and rather than trudging around the streets in the rain to occupy my time, I helped them to move house. Continue reading →
-
Day 27: To Bodø, The End Of The Line
So here it is, after four weeks on the road; the signboard that tells me that my final destination is a mere 60 kilometres distant. Fuelled by coffee and pork chops, I set about demolishing this finishing stretch, wrestling with trucks and cars over the right to use the asphalt. Continue reading →