January 15, 2020

UK Leaves the EU

As the decade opened, the United Kingdom officially withdrew from the European Union, marking a historic moment with significant economic and political implications.

When I had originally heard the news that we had voted to leave the EU I was gobsmacked. I intuitively felt it was a bad idea and going to have negative consequences.

January 1, 2020

Tech Innovations at CES 2020

I attended a call with a tech specialist on CES 2020. CES 2020 showcased a variety of groundbreaking technological innovations across different sectors. Here’s a brief overview of some key innovations:

NEON Artificial Humans: NEON, a project by Samsung’s STAR Labs, introduced lifelike AI avatars that could interact and engage with users in a remarkably human-like manner. These artificial humans were designed for tasks such as customer service and personal assistance.

January 19, 2019

Coming up for a Name for Prepare, Pack, Pedal

These were some of my first attempts at names for my self-published book Prepare, Pack, Pedal which is a practical guide to going cycle touring.

Coming up with a name is a process. You may have to brainstorm many ideas before you come up with the one you settle on.

A ‘how-to’ book

Guidebook to cycle touring
How to go cycle touring
How to go adventure cycling
Execute a cycle tour
Prepare and do a tour
Adventure cycling how to book

Include a subtitle

Take off on your bike - the complete guide
Escape on your bike- the complete guide to prepare and go on any kind of cycle tour

Road to Freedom

November 20, 2018

Using Wordpress, Twitter, GPS to document a multi-day hike in Spain

In 2016, I did a hiking expedition, named Bajada, in Spain starting in the Sierra Los Velez national park, walking a dried up watercourse and finishing at the coast at Mazarrón. It was part of a project themed on water for the Joya Arte e Ecología organisation.

I wanted to share the journey on social media, a website and live from the field.

How?

I decided to do this through the following strategies:

November 14, 2018

Gift for a cyclist who likes reading? Between Worlds - The Promise of the Road

Between Worlds chronicles a real journey of discovery from the harsh winter of Georgia to the wilds of Mongolia by bicycle. A lone ride which began in Tbilisi and continued through Armenia, Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal ending in Mongolia.

Architectural Observations

It is full of detailed architectural observations that question the nature of the spaces we inhabit and encourage consideration of the profound effects of architecture on our thoughts and habits.

November 6, 2018

20 Ways to Refresh Your Body and Mind (updated)

Go for a run

Running increases oxygen to the brain.

Write / sketch

Help you get ideas out of your head and make new connections.

Make noise

Create a distraction. Scream to let go of excess energy.

Be alone

Sometimes being alone can help to gather yourself.

Get into nature

Nature always provides positive energy.

Wander

Walking without direction is healthy and helps to gather thoughts.

Visit an art gallery

Looking at great creative cultural works can be inspiring.

October 19, 2018

The Genesis of Outward Bound

Innovative Education

Outward Bound is an innovative educational idea put forth by Kurt Hahn that has survived and flourished for more than sixty years. This is truly remarkable because so many educational fads have come and gone in this period.

Is it that the concept is so adaptable that it can be applied to many settings or that the rationale and philosophy is timeless and has a universal appeal?

Unity of Purpose

The creator, Kurt Hahn, is no longer present but his influence within Outward Bound and other educational initiatives is still very much alive. He was a man who had a unity of purpose without a unity of focus which, in part, accounts for the versatility and adaptability of the programs. Outward Bound was no exception to these tenets and was born out of some unusual and somewhat serendipitous circumstances.

September 28, 2018

Nomadic Dreams Mobile Living Solutions

When I was studying at Goldsmiths in London back in 2011, I had just returned from a few years of travelling and I played around with the idea of continuing to be nomadic whilst living in London. Partly because of the rent, but also because I had become quite used to sleeping in a tent in a different place each night whilst cycle touring.

I considered if it might be possible to find a place to camp in London. This isn’t easy to do. The idea of camping in a cemetery daily was too much. I never actually looked for campsites in central London. A quick google shows that there is a caravan and motorhome club park in Sydenham, but generally campsites aren’t common in Central London.

May 15, 2018

One year of cycling to work

When I moved to London I mainly cycled to get around. Of course other modes of transport offer benefits, but cycling offers freedom, health benefits and is low cost. If your job is more on the sedentary side it can provide a much welcomed way to get the blood pumping to start the day and a wind down after work on the way home.

I recently came upon this post detailing an experience of cycle commuting. If you are thinking of starting cycling to work, hope it inspires.

March 25, 2018

The Wander Scale

When you go travel from point A to point B you can either go via a direct or indirect route. Travelling over land, geography and route play a part.

A large, direct road probably offers the opportunity to travel at at higher speed. A smaller, indirect will probably offer less potential for a fast journey.

I did a project on my Goldsmiths Masters project inspired by the “Dérive” - a theory invented in 1956 by Guy Debord which involves walking around the city and paying attention to the psychological affect of the surroundings.