Approximately two years before the start of the devastating
conflict that has broken the Middle Eastern country’s spirit, Will travelled by
train from Istanbul to Syria.
In 2009 Will found a country filled with extremely hospitable
& seemingly very contented people, together with majestic ancient cities,
incredible Roman ruins and well-preserved crusader castles.
Hear about Will’s life affirming epic trip, the colourful locals
he encountered and the spellbinding sights he experienced as he takes you on a
journey uncovering eight thousand years of history and also take time to
reflect on the travesties that have occurred there over the past eight years.
Globetrotter member Lindy will talk about her overland trip through Scandinavia which she undertook in the summer of 2017; starting in London on the Eurostar she explored the countries overland by trains and ferries, uncovering amazing landscapes, dined at some interesting restaurants in remote places (Noma, Fäviken and Kok’s) and came away with a love for the area.
The previously advertised talk by Oliver Dowson has had to be postponed
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
1st. Paul Gillingham – Exploring Orkney on Two Wheels
Paul uses his bike to explore all corners of Orkney, assessing the history and culture of its islands – both life-affirming and tragic – its wildlife, passion for music and glorious wildlife. We meet some interesting characters along the way and asses its stone monuments which pre-date Stonehenge.
Now retired, Paul taught history in UK, Canada, Tanzania and Hong Kong before becoming a Television presenter and radio journalist and broadcaster, producing travel features from around the world for BBC Radio 4, BBC World Service and Classic FM. He has written many articles on travel and a book, ‘At the Peak: A History of Hong Kong Between the Wars’.
2nd. Jessica Brooks – 21st Century Mongolia
Mongolia is predominantly sold as a stereotype – nomads, pristine wilderness and a land that hasn’t changed sincethe time of Chinggis Khan.
However, Mongolia is firmly embracing the 21st Century. This interactive talk is for those interested in learning a little more about the reality of Mongolia in the 21st Century.
Jess is from the UK but has been based in Mongolia since 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society – awarded for her work in Mongolia as well as having authored a published digital guidebook to Mongolia.
Jess is also the founder of Eternal Landscapes Mongolia, a registered Mongolian business and social travel enterprise that focuses on providing travellers with a real 21st Century insight into Mongolia that supports the local communities.
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
1st. Madison Plantier – My Chinese Double Life: How I Went From a School Trip in Beijing to Traversing the Silk Road
At the age of 16, Madison set off on a 10-day school
trip that covered the major landmarks in Beijing and Xi’an. Little did she know
that this simple trip would ignite a spark in her that was too irresistible to
deny. In short, it was love at first sight. By the age of 19, she had already
lived in China for three months, met a member of the Chinese Communist Party,
and been unwittingly part of a publicity stunt that involved her entering an
enclosure with four fully-grown pandas.
Over the years, Madison has dedicated herself to
deepening her understanding of this fascinating country through study and
travel. Her presentation will focus on the places she’s visited so far, her
recommendations for off-the-beaten-track travel in China, and her most recent
trip along the Silk Road, with a few funny anecdotes thrown in along the way!
Madison lived and worked in China for two years before starting her present position as an article writer and tour guide at TanSuo Cultural Travel, which specialises in off-the-beaten-track bespoke and group tour services in China. She is also currently studying for her Master’s degree in Chinese Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London.
In 2017, her dedication to the study of all things Chinese landed her a coveted position as one of only fifteen postgraduates that were accepted onto the first mentorship program launched by the London branch of Young China Watchers (YCW), where she was mentored by Edward Holroyd Pearce, founder of CRCC Asia. For the past two years, she has been invited to give presentations on traveling in China at the Adventure Travel Show. She is also a passionate martial artist, having spent one month studying Kung-Fu full-time in a Shaolin Academy and achieving her black belt in Tae Kwon-Do in 2017.
The previously advertised talk by Carol Kennedy on the “Lost Tribes of Colombia” has had to be postponed.
2nd. Alan Palmer – Across India and northern Burma: in the footsteps of Private Ernest Green, a very special, very ordinary Chindit.
A talk to mark the 75thanniversary of Operation Thursday
One afternoon back in 2003, Alan was unexpectedly asked by his mother, having no memory of her own father and knowing almost nothing of the circumstances leading to his death in Burma in 1944, if he could find out something of his story.
Her simple request set Alan off on a 15-year journey of discovery, a race against time, which started with tracking down and holding discussions with remaining survivors and ended with making five visits to India and northern Burma over the past five years. Following in his footsteps from Lichfield to Bombay, from Calcutta to eastern Assam, and from Henu Hill to Rangoon, Alan was able to patiently uncover evidence on the ground for the story of the Chindits, breath some precious lifeback into the grandfather he had never met and thereby restore some small part of him to his mother.
Alan is Founder and Director of YakTravel, a company which organises bespoke treks and tours through rarely explored regions of Morocco and North-East India.
He is author of Moroccan Atlas the Trekking Guide (Trailblazer Publications) and has also contributed to three other guide books, Pakistan and The Silk Road (both published by Insight Guides), and the Rough Guide to Morocco. Additionally, he regularly writes articles for travel magazines and delivers talks and presentations on North-East India and Morocco at travel clubs and shows, both in England and in India.
He is:
a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS)
a member of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs (RSAA)
a life member of the British Moroccan Society (BMS)
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
In 2017, Charlie Walker began an 8-month, 8,000km triathlon along the perceived border between Europe and Asia. The journey began on the Arctic coast of Central Russia on skis hauling a sled through deep mid-winter and ended on the Bosphorus in Istanbul.
The expedition involved danger from wildlife, remoteness and extremes of both hot and cold temperatures. However, Following the Line was not just an endurance feat, it was also an exploration into what it means to be Asian or European and the relevance (if any) of this supposed border in the modern world.
In this talk, Charlie will discuss what divides or unites the peoples either side of the line, and comment on the diversity of landscape, environment, religion and culture along the border that has traditionally demarcated ‘East’ and ‘West’.
Sam McManus, founder of YellowWood Adventures, has been to Iran three times in the past two years travelling extensively across this most fascinating of countries. He has gained a privileged insight into its culture by staying with local family friends each time in Tehran and Mazandaran on the shores of the Caspian Sea.
He has skied in the Alborz Mountains; hiked into the remote foothills where the notorious Assassins built their fortresses;marvelled at the Mosque of Whirling Colours in Shiraz; the palaces of Tehran (with the Shah’s Rolls Royce collection still intact) and the Garden of Heaven in Isfahan; even followed in the footsteps of Alexander the Great through the ruins of Persepolis – the ancient and unparalleled seat of the Persian Empire – which under the great Kings ruled 45% of the world’s population.
His talk will take us on a journey through the very best that Iran has to offer; incorporating its exquisite architectural achievements, peaceful mosques, glistening mosaics, blooming gardens, lavish palaces, Zoroastrian fire temples, the ruins of the greatest empire the world has ever seen, windswept desert plains dotted with windcatchers and caravanserais, fresh yoghurts with sizzling meats, glorious tapestries, meandering labyrinthine bazaars, and the legendary hospitality of its people.
This meeting is on the second Saturday in February, The Church of Scotland asked us to consider changing our date in Feb to allow the church community to celebrate Burns night closer to the actual date.
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
– Simon Finnimore – Random ramblings from round the world’ – Chiang Mai Thailand and Plovdiv Bulgaria two very pleasant surprises.
Simon spent 10 years based in the UK but working & travelling around the Middle East and parts of Africa triggering a passion for independent travel.
– Mary Fogarty – Pining for Pamuk, Plagued by a Princess
I went to Istanbul to follow in the footsteps of my beloved Orhan Pamuk (Turkish Nobel Prize winner for literature), seeking him out in all his favourite haunts around Galata, Karakoy and Galatasaray. But I also had to contend with the ambitions of my young companion, a princess from Morocco, who had very different ideas …
Mary Fogarty has been a member of Globetrotters for several years and seen a lot of the world. She grew up in Kenya, and has since lived in Mexico, Italy, Australia and Spain (boyfriends have had a lot to do with it). She now divides her time between London and Marrakech: she works as an editor/book reviewer in London, and as a translator and travel companion in Marrakech.
2. John Pilkington – To Eritrea and Ethiopia: Retracing a Victorian Expedition
In 1868 Queen Victoria’s government mounted an extraordinary bid to rescue a small clutch of European hostages in the Abyssinian highlands. They built a Red Sea port, then a railway across the coastal plain, and finally brought in 44 Indian elephants and took on 26,000 local people to serve the soldiers and carry their heavy guns into the heart of Africa.
A hundred and fifty years later, our president followed their route, partly on foot with a donkey, and compared Eritrea and Ethiopia then and now. He found today’s people spirited and energetic, living in dramatic and extremely challenging lands.
3. By tradition we follow this meeting with a New Year Party post-meeting – everyone is invited to bring food and wine or soft drinks (we are not allowed beer or spirits) and participate!
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
If there’s one thing that Laura’s certain of, it’s that we are all capable of much more than we realise – all it takes is a little self-belief and a hearty pinch of perseverance. Having quite literally leapt out of her comfort zone a few years ago whilst cliff-diving in America, she now enthusiastically encourage others through to think big, be brave and to start now.
Laura’s talks are about the importance of mindset when it comes to challenges of any kind. From the planning and logistics that go on behind the scenes, to the endurance capability of the human body and how to deal with the unexpected!
Laura Kennington is a British adventure athlete with a passion for the endurance capability of the human body. Previous adventures include solo cycling the world’s longest coastal route in Ireland, solo cycling Scotland’s North Coast 500 route, running the length of Fuerteventura (100 miles) in 4 days and circumnavigating three of the Channel Islands using three different sporting disciplines as part of a rather extreme triathlon! She has most recently returned from solo cycling 3700 miles along the North Sea-facing coasts of 8 countries, from Scotland to Norway!
A strong believer in the positive impact that adventure and sport can have on children and adults alike, Laura uses her human powered journeys as a platform to inspire and encourage others to get outside.
2nd. Russell Maddicks – Surprising El Salvador: Volcanic Peaks, Pacific Beaches, and Delicious Pupusas in Central America’s Tiny Treasure
In this talk, travel writer and guide book author Russell Maddicks goes beyond the media stereotypes to show the other side of El Salvador: a country of sleepy colonial towns with cobblestone streets; cloud-forest coffee haciendas producing the best beans in the world; isolated beaches sought out by surfers for their world class breakers; and unusual Mayan ruins giving unique insights into this mysterious Meso-American civilization.
A two-week trip around Central America’s smallest nation, gave him the chance to climb an active volcano and whiff the sulphur, try the local moonshine chaparro straight out of the copper still, enjoy an impromptu cooking class in how to make the nation’s favourite dish pupusas, and marvel at the country’s wildlife during an encounter with an endangered turtle.
He also visited the shrine of the Salvadoran human rights advocate and martyr Oscar Romero, a Catholic Archbishop tragically shot dead at the altar in 1980 who was recently made a Saint by the Pope, and interviewed a cheery ex-guerrilla who fought in the civil war during the 1990s and who now works as a park ranger to protect the country’s forests.
Every day of the trip brought a new surprise, whether it was learning that El Salvador produces the best natural indigo dye in the world, or trying a craft beer named Suegra (Mother-in-Law), because it’s dulcemente amarga (sweetly bitter).The lasting impressions he took with him are of fire-in-the-sky Pacific sunsets, the warm and welcoming smiles of the people he met along the way, and a nostalgic craving for Salvadoran street food.
About the Speaker
Russell Maddicks is a BBC-trained journalist and travel writer who has spent the last 20 years exploring the countries of Latin America and publishing his experiences in print, online and in social media. A graduate in Economic and Social History from the University of Hull, England, he is fluent in Spanish and loves nothing better than mastering the country-specific slang of the Latin American countries he visits.
He has worked as a reporter and editor at the Daily Journal newspaper in Caracas, the editor of a webzine aimed at the Latin American youth market called Loquesea! (Whatever!), and for 10 years worked as a regional specialist at the BBC covering political developments and general news across Latin America.
He is the author of travel guides to Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela, and has written articles for numerous international publications, including BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller, the Mexico News Daily, Latino Life Magazine, ArtNews, and Songlines.
In 2015, his book Culture Smart! Ecuador was awarded the Gold Prize at the Pearl of the Pacific International Travel Journalism Awards at the Ecuadorian International Tourism Fair (FITE) in Guayaquil.
An accomplished public speaker, he has given illustrated talks on Latin American travel destinations at the World Travel Market in London, the Globetrotter’s Club, the Telegraph Outdoor and Adventure Travel Show, Destinations: The Holiday and Travel Show, and at UK colleges and universities.
You can follow his Latin American travels on Twitter and Instagram
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
AGM: The clubsAGMstarts at 1:00 pm (card carrying members only),then at 2.30 the meeting begins
Speaking this month we have:
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape
The talk covers my solo trip through the middle strip of Madascar, encountering the precipitating landscape of the East, the animated civilisation of the Central region through to the mountains and valleys of the West.
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape 5
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape 1
Anh Nguyen – A Cultural Insight of Madagascar’s East, Central & Western Landscape 2
Adrian Alsop – The land that time forgot: a whistle stop tour of Iceland & the Faroe Isles
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
Tim Hannigan – The History Archipelago: Travels in Search of Indonesia’s Past
Encompassing 17,508 islands, a quarter of a billion people, 300 languages and 127 active volcanoes, Indonesia is a country on a staggering scale. But compared to the other Asian mega-states, India and China, it is little known amongst outsiders.
For the past fifteen years, journalist and author Tim Hannigan has explored the history and cultures of this enormous archipelagic state, mixing research in libraries and archives with motorcycling odysseys through the hinterlands of Java and Borneo, hair-raising bus rides in the mountains of Sulawesi, and stormy ferry crossings in Nusa Tenggara. From ventures into the crumbling Chinese quarters of Jakarta and Surabaya and investigations of colonial-era misadventure, to meetings with mystics, dragon-worshippers and witch doctors, he shares some of his most memorable encounters in a country where past and present are always in a formidable tangle.
Tim Hannigan – The History Archipelago Travels in Search of Indonesia’s Past 1
Tim Hannigan – The History Archipelago Travels in Search of Indonesia’s Past 2
Tim Hannigan – The History Archipelago Travels in Search of Indonesia’s Past 3
Tim Hannigan – The History Archipelago Travels in Search of Indonesia’s Past 4
Lindy Pyrah – Mauritania iron-ore train
The Mauritania iron ore train is the true definition of a cult classic: an epic overnight train journey involving hopping on a freight wagon full of iron ore in zero comfort through a dangerous country while experiencing the amazing Sahara desert and night sky.
Lindy is a train journey enthusiast and one of our Globetrotters committee members, she did the Mauritania iron ore train solo in January 2018 and would love to share her story of how she prepared, experienced and lived to tell the tale of this amazing journey. Normally desk bound for most of the year, Lindy tries to make the most of her small holiday allowance to undertake memorable adventures.
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
You do not need to be a member to attend, and we do not sell advanced tickets, please just come on the day, the doors open at 2:15pm and the program starts around 2:30pm with each talk lasting between 45 – 60 minutes.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
1. Jane Amelia Harries – Hiking the Camino Frances to Santiago de Compostela – sores, pain and bliss
At Globetrotters Jane will talk about hiking over 750 km along the Camino Frances, an old pilgrim trail from France and across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela, which she claims was one of the best months of her life – so far (she hopes).
Jane is the founder of Adventure She, an online magazine which aims to empower, educate and entertain (predominantly though not exclusively women,) through sharing stories of adventure. She’s also a training consultant and presenter who originally qualified as a solicitor. Specialising in tax enabled Jane to mix work with pleasure, as she indulged her passion for travel whilst working with some of the Big 4 Professional Services firms on three continents
Jane describes herself as a ‘soft’ adventurer, some might agree whilst others my doubt her claim. Her adventures have included rafting and canoeing for 17 days on the Zambezi River; and travelling across China by overland truck before heading down Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway to Islamabad and doing the infamous Marathon des Sables, a 6 stage race in the Moroccan Sahara Desert, once described by the Discovery Channel as the ‘toughest footrace on earth.’
You can watch Jane’s TedX talk about her MDS experience on YouTube at
She’s also been a runner-up in veteran women’s team competition at the Australian 24-hour Rogaining Championships; raced across New Zealand’s South Island on foot, by bike and by kayak; and sometime ago, found herself in Venezuela during an attempted coup, as a passenger in a six-seater, flying below radar detection as planes were being shot at!
2. Julian Elliott – Forbidden Access
Photographic stories of going beyond the norm in order to get access to unseen views and imagery.
Admission costs, we charge a small cash fee of £3 for Globetrotters members and £6 for non-members on the door to cover our expenses, tea/coffee and biscuits are included free in the interval between the talks.
London branch meetings are held at The Church of Scotland, Crown Court, behind the Fortune Theatre in Covent Garden the first Saturday of each month, unless there is a UK public holiday that weekend.
There is no London meeting in August, but we start afresh each September. If you would like to keep up to date with what’s happening at the Globetrotters London meetings and to be sent email reminders prior to the meeting, please sign up here
