Fourth continent. Increasing the pace in the saddle. And now on the blog, for I’ve ended up quite a bit ahead of it, much more than I’d ever intended. On the ground, running out of Canada as the story unfolding online has me starting out in Alaska. So, time to speed things up a little. Few more posts each day. Something for everyone.
Emma, my trusty steed, safely resting up in Sydney for a few weeks. Fleeting visit to New Zealand. Visiting friends. And a spot of exploring. In search of a glacier. Bit of practice for Alaska. Plus the usual cast of characters. One poor soul just waiting to cross the road before I pitched up. Got away after about twenty minutes.
Few insights into life travelling on the buses. And living in hostels. Not forgetting a few handy hints to help you sound like a local. But, alas, no Hobbits. Or French military tourists. Still, lots I hope for you to enjoy over the forthcoming days…
As ever, I’m a little ahead of the blog. Now south of Brisbane, Queensland’s capital. Over half way down Australia’s eastern seaboard. Ploughing south towards Sydney. Making the most of the autumnal sun. Planes to catch. In the meantime, lots I hope to educate and amuse. Wrestling with city traffic, spot of snake handling, social faux pax with koalas, being spooked by dingos, French cuisine, some underwear confessions and even an impromptu visit to a village school. And the odd tame anarchist.
Just one last thing to do before hitting the road in the morning. Off to the beach. Keen geographer. Passing interest in geology. Sand quality. Research you understand. So I’ll do my very best to keep the scantily clad beach babes out of shot. Just wouldn’t be right. I’d hate to distract from the educational content. But first. Beer. Apparently you need a six pack. It was that or a bikini wax.
“Ken’s solo endeavour is a remarkable one, his stoicism and good humour an inspiration to others to follow the road less travelled” – Ranulph Fiennes
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Want to take another look at the mini-documentary “Nation of Convenience“? Download the latest podcast? See what kit Ken’s carrying, or discover Emma’s vital statistics? Learn about scams, or the nuances of Central Asian visas? Then click on ’resources’ at www.acrosscontinents.org, or just click here.
Whether you’re an intrepid expeditioner or an armchair adventurer, we hope there’s something for everyone. And over the coming months, we plan to add lots more content to entertain, amuse and inform.
"An expedition without reportage is called a holiday"
Using the last vestiges for broadband for a while, James the webmaster and I have made a few subtle changes to the site, and we’ve got quite a bit more planned to help keep things fresh and interesting. Some of our ideas may have to wait until my arrival in Hong Kong in early October, but I’d like to think it’ll be worth the wait!
But, for now, we’ve added a "Press Cuttings" section, and a new map showing my intended route across China. I’m particularly fond of the dragon, and the scale at the top – visit the route section of the website to take a look.
Inspired by the very positive feedback to "Nation of Convenience", a further mini-documentary is beginning to take shape. And, particularly for those of you who find accessing the videos tricky, James and I are exploring the world of podcasts. Of course, all the usual blog posts, video clips – with the obligatory shades, interviews with the team at Somerset’s 10Radio, and photos will be popping up along the way. Internet access permitting.
In the dull but necessary department, we’ve added Terms & Conditions at the bottom of each page, a prelude to us adding a lot more downloadable content for both the avid expeditioner and armchair enthusiast alike.
We’ve already assembled lots of useful information on the Central Asian visa game, common scams, as well as more technical stuff like comprehensive equipment and medical kit lists, and Emma’s vital statistics. Hoping to upload all this shortly, the Great Chinese internet firewall permitting. Ok, here’s a couple of quick samples – "What you need to know – scams" and "Emma’s vital statistics" (shown with a more reputable title) – just click on the relevant links at the end of this post. And we’ve lots more ideas for further content than there are nights in the tent to write it….
If you’ve not already done so, you can sign up for automatic blog updates, delivered straight to your e-mail account – click on blog, enter your e-mail address and press ’Subscribe’ – simple. Or join me on Facebook – link on my home page – lots of fresh content there as well. And to find out more about the UK charity, The Outward Bound Trust, I’m raising funds for, either follow the links on my own site, or just click here.
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