Desert Snow – The Book of Take On Africa
It is a long time since I posted a blog here. Many of you will have followed my subsequent journeys on my newer site Helen’s Take On… and will know…
Bike Equipment Review – After 25,000km
I wrote a review of the bike equipment after a year on the road, from Yaounde in Cameroon, after 17,000km. Now, having completed my ride to Cape Town, after 25,000km…
Clothing Review
Keen shoes – Targhee II I just love Keen shoes! These lasted the duration of the trip – that’s over 24,000km of cycling and walking when the roads were too…
Camping Equipment Review
Tent – MSR Hubba Hubba This tent was a great choice – a two-man tent which is free-standing and can be put up inner only meets all the needs of…
Planned route across DR Congo
I’m currently in Kinshasa and really enjoying it here. It’s a busy city in complete contrast to Brazzaville just over the river. I’ve been planning the next part of the…
Thoughts on a Rohloff-Equipped Bike
I debated a long time whether to get a bike with a Rohloff hub, or a regular dérailleur system. In the end, not knowing much about bike maintenance and being…
Equipment Review
This is quite a thorough list of how the bike, panniers and racks have held up and problems I have had. Most people won’t want to read beyond this intro,…
Article for Explorer Mikael Strandberg
Last week I was asked by explorer Mikael Strandberg if I would write an article for his website. How could I refuse?! The tricky part was he said I could…
Equipment List – updated
Below are three photographs showing all the gear and equipment I arrived in Africa with on my bike. I have since got rid of the MSR stove and fuel bottle…
Interview with Brian from Korean-World
I’m hoping to do a podcast interview with Brian in the coming months, but for now the internet connections in this part of West Africa are too slow. So, for…
Travelling without books doesn’t mean nothing to read
I’ve recently started reading again. This happens periodically. I won’t read a single book for months and then something will spark my interest and I’m off. All my spare time…
Equipment List
Here’s a list of what I am going to take with me. Details where known are provided and I will update the list as I buy things. (Items marked with…
Not So Crazy Afterall
When I first had the idea of cycling from the UK to Cape Town, I’d never heard of anyone who had done such a crazy thing. I had met and…
A New Bike
For months I have been deliberating what I am going to need to take on my trans-African bike ride. Listing the basic kit I need is easy; the difficulty is in…