Home and the things we love and miss
Each time I return home from an extended time abroad, I am engulfed with a mixture of emotions and impressions. And each time it is different. Last time, it was…
Take On Asia – Free Photobook and Round Up Part 1
I am back in the UK! Yes, that happened fast you say. Indeed, I’d been keeping my return quiet so I could surprise my mum for her birthday. But now…
In Search of the Aral Sea – From Khiva to Moynaq, Uzbekistan
Rather than retrace the direct route to the main road via Urgench, cycled along the smaller roads for a short cut towards Nukus. Riding through small towns and farmland. Uninspiring.…
Photos of Khiva
I pushed on towards Khiva, rather than camp – it would have been the crap kind of camping. Where you have to hide and make no noise and try not…
Elliq Qala – A tour of the 50 Fortresses (well, 6 to be exact)
Because it had taken three hours for the taxi driver to find 3 other passengers, it was well after dark when I arrived in Tortkul. So rather than cycling out…
Photos of Bukhara
After Samarkand, came Bukhara. On the route I’m cycling west, at least. It was the same for those merchants from the East trading along the Silk Road so many centuries…
Photos of Samarkand
Samarkand was founded around 700BC by the Sogdians. It became one of the greatest cities in the world at the time due to it’s central location on the Silk Road,…
Video of DR Congo Train Journey
For those who followed my trip through Africa, you’ll know that I loved the Congo. And sometimes hated it too! But mostly I loved it and those experiences in my…
Video of Dogon Dama Mask Ceremony in Mali
Another short video I made, this time showing the fascinating Dogon culture in Mali… a funeral procession and dance I saw when visiting the village of Djiguibombo: Video of Dogon…
Video of Biking the Guineas’ Backroads
Well I’m back from another trip and finally have some time to spare. I thought it about time I put together some of the videos I took while biking through…
Video of Cycling across the Sahara
I’ve just created a short video of the cycle from Morocco through the Western Sahara and Mauritania. You can check it out on my new website: Helen’s Take On… video…
Video of 2 weeks on the Niger River
I’ve just put together some short videos I took while on the Niger River… unseen footage until now… You can check it out here on my new website: Helen’s Take…
What’s Next
The big question (when you arrive is Cape Town after 20 months cycling nearly 25,000km) is ‘What next?’ Well, here’s the answer…. http://helenstakeon.com/blog/whats-next/ As you can see, I’ve set up…
Namibia (part 2) – The Dry
Not much mentioning of the bike recently? Apart from one puncture (the first since Ghana, 8,000km ago) it’s been a smooth ride. Good tarmac roads since I left Lubumbashi –…
Namibia (part 1) – The Wet
What’s not to love in Namibia? Beryl Markham, a remarkable woman who grew up in East Africa, wrote: ‘So there are many Africas. There are as many Africas as there…
All About Lions in Botswana
I left Kasane, with the words ‘I’m surprised you’re still living’, still ringing in my ears. The road from Kasane south to Nata passes through game reserves. This means more…
Notes on Zambia – Is this really Africa?
Sometimes when you cross a border, you instantly know you’re in a different country. Perhaps a new language, a new uniform, now driving on the other side of the road.…
Last Days in the Congo
Just a short note on my last days in the DR Congo. (Will write about Zambia and Botswana shortly as will happily hole up here in Namibia somewhere just to…
Photos of Makgadikgadi pans, Botswana
There is a lot of wildlife in Botswana. Lots of it is in the national parks, but there’s plenty on the roads too… To be honest, I haven’t been doing…
Photos of Chobe River Wildlife, Botswana
After crossing the border into Botswana, I stayed a couple of days in Kasane, at Thebe River campsite. One afternoon I took a river boat cruise down the Chobe River.…