Greetings from Bike the Earth:-Dear GlobetrottersWonderful to get your news as we are in mid Australia on BIKE THE EARTH – www.biketheearth.net (Please check out at least the first page of our website).
We have done 3500 km, connecting communities, inspiring initiatives, on ABC Television, on the radio, and in the media, with some great testimonials for the work we are doing!
Portobello Gold…party celebrating Mike Bell’s 26th year as Landlord !!
Gaz Mayall and the, eight piece, Trojans trying to set up in a space that a three-piece combo would find small! So like a jigsaw being slowly put together it took about forty five minutes to set up, as each musician emptied their instrument cases and then had to carry them out through the milling crowd filling into the bar, to give room for the next musician to set up. The Portobello Gold Hotel/Pub with a large and extremely visual restaurant with good food is not small but the area where the bands play is smallish. The popularity of this place is renowned round the world, with President Clinton having been here for the food as well as to appreciate the ambiance of a very different bar.
Especially on Sunday nights when the music is live with free entrance and where there has been live music for many years. A place where many groups get a chance to show off their talents in Portobello Road, West 11, getting rarer and rarer in these small venues in London. This is one of the places that I take foreign visitors when they visit London, this night was even more special than usual and I took a Brazilian presenter, who wasn’t familiar with Portobello and she loved it.
The sound of a great rocking band and as Gaz says, “We do what we want. Where else will you hear Little Richard, old ska, drum’n’bass and a Louis Armstrong record from 1928? We’re like musical chefs, mixing the ingredients.”Gaz Mayall is a musician, DJ, producer and record label owner. He’s the host of London’s longest running one-nighter, Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues – now in its 28th year – and the founder member of the ska band The Trojans. He also runs his record label Gaz’s Rockin’ Records. The son of legendary British blues musician John Mayall and a friend from way back when; Mike photographed many of the famous groups when he travelled with a friend who worked for the ‘Melody Maker’ to many of the gigs of that era. The bar is full of the images of groups and famous musicians of that time. Interestingly Gaz played a Hohner Melodica, not often seen or heard around now. It was basically a windblown mouth organ – built into and operated by a keyboard. The band played Rockabilly, Rock’n’Roll and Ska and as one of the musicians was Scottish and it was nearly ‘Burns’ night, we heard an amazing hard rocking bagpipes for a couple of numbers, like I’ve never heard ever before!
The crowd of all age groups and mostly regulars of this bar jumped with no room to jive, clapped and stamped their feet in appreciation of a great night of enjoyment and fun. So much so it felt like it was being at a friend’s party – Which of course it was: Mike Bell’s party in Portobello land.
Tony is a long time GT member and widely involved in many adventures, including my trip with him to western Brazil & the Ashaninka people 🙂
This edition is a whirlwind catch up on a raft of articles, news & anecdotes. Since mid January this year I’ve been somewhat distracted – I’ve moved house and welcome my daughter into the world ! There is no doubt my priorities are changing quite rapidly as I realise the full nature of the changes that I’m part of, but travel remains a key part of my life and something I’m looking to share with said daughter 🙂
As to this edition – regulars Tony Annis & Mac are back with us, there’s a quite a few meetings from all branches to read about and there’s some items to make you smile I hope 🙂
What else is happening across the wider travel world?
From Guillermo Masutti in search of long lost friends:-
HI:
Fourtysomething years ago, I met in Buenos Aires an English young man named John Wonnacott. He travelled with his friend Ferguson (Scottish I think) they were Globetrotters members and I was a member myself due to his advise.
They stayed in Argentina for about two years and we were very good friends.
They taught English at St. Brendan’s School in Buenos Aires, where I was the Discipline and Sports Master at that time.
Time passes, life passes and we lost contact.
Now that new ‘cibernetic times’ are born, I’d love to get in touch with them again.
If like me, your idea of a long distance cycle trip is a mountain bike ride around Richmond Park, then you might wonder whether Stephen Lord’s “Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook” is for you. My review copy sat with me for six months, waiting for me to find a way in and to answer that question…
Adventure Cycle-Touring Handbook, Picture courtesy of TrailBlazer Guides
See TrailBlazer’s web site for more details of this updated edition including ordering information, reviews & excerpts to browse –
And for more of an insight into Stephen Lord, trying reading this interview with him by the Travelling Two web site http://travellingtwo.com/5032.
I should have had no fears about tackling “Adventures Cycle-Touring”…its narrative is ‘full of get out there and do’. Consequently I felt myself drawn into this particular long distance world. Through both the Globetrotters club & the Royal Geographical Society I have met & talked to a number of long distance cyclists but I was never sure I understood their drive & reasoning. Now by sifting through this hardcore almanac of matters cycling I can shine some light on what motivates these ultra travellers…
On a general level “Adventure Cycle-Touring” had me reminiscing about my early days of planning my round the world trip – full of possibilities & differing uncertainties. It is absolutely crammed with help, facts & anecdotes…at times its detail could overwhelm nervous travel planners J There is an absolute bank of information within…what to look for in a bike, what you need to know about maintaining the bike & your fitness and what you should pack for your very own epic !
New travel names also help to widen the possible enjoyment & reach. Bill Wier writes engagingly on India & China…how can a reader not got charmed by his opening paragraph on the sub continent as it reads – “Exotic, enticing, though sometimes exasperating, India will entertain you like no other country – and cycling provides the best way to experience it!”. Or Tom Kevill-Davies as he adds a culinary taste to adventure cycling via his alter ego ” The Hungry Cyclist” from page 233 onwards. These guys show us the diversity of adventures to be had…
As with any review it is not easy to succinctly critique what you read and still convey the subject matter in such a tightly packed review. So as pointers for potential readers I thought on some of the following:-
What I Liked ?
· I enjoyed reading about cyclists such Peter Gostelow or Alastair Humphreys…people who have a wider, more well known public appeal and yet are keeping true to enjoying what set them off in the first place. These hardy souls get back into their saddles almost immediately their current trip has finishes, searching for new challenges that they can take on & then recount to attentive audiences.
· Inserts throughout each of the chapters – giving a people perspective across a whole range of experiences, whether about routes travelled or the mechanics of a trip. I particularly liked “Planning Schedule” on page 12, the “Trailer Alternative” on Page 54 and “You cannot be said in Sumatra” on Page 172 – they are neat encapsulations that give the reader the sense that they can also dip into this text, as well as work their way through it.
What needs a touch more polish ?
· Whilst there are continental route maps, there is a lack of useful, detailed maps to illustrate journeys described within each unfortunately. Admittedly readers might buy their own or use internet based sources, but having all this information in one space builds up the reading enjoyment and usefulness of the guidebook.
· The final chapters of the guidebook seem to suffer from ‘packing too much in syndrome’. For example the glossary of terms is just a single page and the Appendices are neither overview or detailed help.
· A couple of final nitpicks that if resolved could help deliver an even more authoritative handbook. One being…do females not travel as long distance cyclists and/or they less publicised ? And the best is not made of all of the colour photographs, as some are not placed in context of the chapters they refer to – it would make for a stronger use of the images if they all illustrated their relevant stories.
Martin Wright, a Globetrotter who unfortunately died whilst in the saddle, covered much of the globe in a style that this handbook reminds me of – lightly impacting his surroundings, not rushing and engaging all experiences with an open mind. Overall Trailblazers Guides are up there with the best of the guidebooks on the travel guides market – they are for independent travellers by independently travelling authors. They are not glossy or hotspot orientated…they get you travelling. Long may they be on the road…
Competition time – the first person who can tell me who first cycled round the world & when, then they can have my review copy of this handbook for free ? Send your answers to theant@globetrotters.co.uk and announce the winner in a following edition.
Or do you know someone who could benefit from a helping hand into the wider world ?
What is the award ?
Each year the club offers up to two £1,000 awards to give out for the best independent travel plan, as judged by the club’s Committee.
The deadline to receive applications for the next award is 31 May 2011.
See the legacy page on the club’s web site for more details, where you can review previous winners’ trips and/or apply with your plans for a totally independent, travel trip.
If your idea catches our eye we’ll take a closer look at what you’re proposing and give you feedback & maybe a helping hand on your journey of a lifetime !!
If you enjoy writing & travelling, why not write for the free Globetrotters eNewsletter ! The Ant would love to hear from you: your travel stories, anecdotes, jokes, questions, hints and tips, or your hometown or somewhere of special interest to you. Over 15,000 people currently subscribe to the Globetrotter eNewsletter.
Email The Ant at theant@globetrotters.co.uk with your travel experiences / hints & tips / questions. Your article should be approximately 1000 words, feature up to 3 or 4 jpeg photos and introduce yourself with a couple of sentences and a contact e-mail address.
A new year edges out of the wintery days and we have a raft of articles, news & anecdotes to recount for you…
Hot off the press – introducing the Globetrotters Club new President John Pilkington 🙂
John Pilkington, Picture courtesy of Tony Annis
John arrived at the London branch December meeting, expecting to renew a number of friendships & acquaintances and deliver his booked talk on travelling through the ‘Axis of Evil’.
However John left London with more than he bargained for – club members Jeanie Copland & Jacqui Trotter also invited him to become our President…and according to Tony Annis who was in the audience he “was enthusiastically endorsed by the whole audience”.
John’s involvement in the club has now come full circle, as he once helped make tea [during a meeting] for the club many years ago.
You will get to hear more from John over the coming months but like me I’m sure you’ll welcome him aboard & wish him luck !
Congratulations John 🙂
What else is happening across the wider travel world ?
· the Adventure Travel Show returns to London in January 2011, http://www.adventuretravellive.com/, where the club’s very own Dick Curtis will be organising a travel advice stand once more. Hopefully the volunteers can continue to help would be travellers make sense of all the possibilities the exhibitors highlight 🙂
If you don’t fancy volunteering you can still benefit from the club’s friendship with the show’s organisers…members can get a discounted entry to the show itself…simply the club’s Members’ Area on the web site or contact me for details via email.
· Hot on the heels follows London & Birmingham’s Destinations Travel shows – http://www.destinationsshow.com/, where more mainstream travel options get their airing as well
· I’ve also got news of another discount for club members – this time it’s courtesy of www.travelwritingworkshop.co.uk. Organiser Peter Carty is offering “…[for] the workshop…in central London…there is a discount of £10 for your members…the next workshops are January 29th and February 26th 2011″.
John Pilkington – A stroll through the axis of evil – Lebanon, Syria, Iraq & Iran
Photographer, documentary maker, traveller but above all brilliant lecturer on his travels around this wonderful world of ours and in doing so gave an excellent, entertaining slide show on his latest trip. “A Stroll Through The Axis Of Evil” A play on George Bush senior’s words of a few years ago…John’s route took us through the Euphrates, the Caucasus and the Valley of the Assassins to finish on the Persian Gulf.
To read more about John & his travels visit his web site at http://www.pilk.net/
Dick Curtis – It all started in Kashmir ….
Former London meetings organiser, Wasps rugby union number one fan & all round personable chap Dick took us back to an earlier point in his life and explained what first set him on his travels and his subsequent adventures in Kashmir. Many of the audience appreciated Dick’s standpoint and in listening to him, remembered their own experiences of independent travel…an excellent compliment to John’s engaging first half.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden at 2.30pm the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September.
