Kolyma Highway Photos – Winter Biking – 2000km Yakutsk to Magadan
Well, there are many stories to tell from the last couple of months. The 2000km from Yakutsk to Magadan was a fantastic ride, made all the more memorable by the…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Photos of South Africa
Cape Town!! I made it. After 24,600km and 1000+ beers! It’s a great feeling! Anyway, here are some pics from the last bit of the trip from Namibia into South…
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 –…
Photos of yet more hills and desert in southern Namibia
From Sesriem I took a short trip to Sossuvlei to see the dunes there. Pretty stunning but dunes nonetheless. And I’ve seen a lot of dunes now! But with all…
Photos of Central Namibia – Coast to Dunes
From sleepy Swakopmund on the coast I headed south to Walvis Bay. Then it was a tough ride inland across the desert, up the Gamsberg Pass and down the Spreetshoogte…
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.…
Photos of the Namibian desert – To the coast
The latest photos are from the ride from Uis to Henties Bay on the Namibian skeleton coast. Apart from sand, sky and my bike, there wasn’t really much else to…
Photos of Damaraland, Namibia
Well after a week of wet marking my entry into Namibia, things started to brighten up. Not only did the sun come out, but I got off the tarmac roads…
Photos of Botswana and Northern Namibia – Rainy Days
The road from Botswana into Namibia was good smooth, flat tarmac. The rain however was not so much fun! Plenty of wildlife though and lovely places to camp… So here…
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…