Speaking this month we have:

1st: Chris Burrows – My Berlin

Chris lived in Germany from the late seventies to 1996.
Chris was first in Munich and then I went to live in Berlin. After I came back to London I took members of the Hampstead Photographic Society on many visits and road trips around Germany.

2nd: Rebecca Lowe – The Slow Road to Tehran

In July 2015, as the Syrian War raged and the refugee crisis reached its peak, Rebecca Lowe set off on her bicycle across the Middle East. Driven by a desire to challenge preconceptions about this long-misunderstood region, her 11,000km journey took her through Europe to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran.

This is Rebecca’s talk about an odyssey through landscapes and history that captured her heart (and her stomach), but one – plagued by punctures, fearsome heat, repressive police states and an obscene number of kebabs – which also frequently came close to defeating her.  

Rebecca Lowe is a freelance journalist who specialises in human rights and the Middle East. Publications she has written for include the Guardian, BBC, Evening Standard, Independent, Huffington Post, Economist, Sunday Times Magazine, Daily Mail, and IranWire.

Rebecca’s book about her journey through the Middle East, The Slow Road to Tehran, was published in March 2022 by September Books in the UK and will be published in September 2022 by MVG Riva in Germany. She was previously the lead reporter at the International Bar Association, where she focused on human rights, and in 2018 she contributed to the adventure travel anthology The Kindness of Strangers: Travel Stories That Make Your Heart Grow. Rebecca is a Fellow at the Royal Geographical Society, and holds a BA in English from Cambridge University and an MA in Journalism from Stanford University.

 Find out more at:

• Website: http://www.thebicyclediaries.co.uk
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/reo_lowe
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reo_lowe/
• Book: https://septemberpublishing.org/product/the-slow-road-to-tehran/

Date & Time:

Saturday, September 3, 2022

Doors open at 14:00 GMT in London, a condition of entry is proof of vaccination or a COVID lateral flow test within 48 hours or a positive PCR within 90 days having completed any required isolation, the easiest way of showing this is with the NHS Covid Pass which lets you show your COVID-19 status in a secure way. We will be carrying out temperature checks and asking visitors to confirm they do not have any symptoms on arrival.

We would ask that anyone with symptoms or who needs to isolate participates via zoom.

Last month meeting was very successful, the hall is well ventilated and we had no cases following the meeting.

The zoom meeting opens at 14:00 with the talks starting 14:30 GMT (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

For forthcoming meetings we have

• £3 for members to cover our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
• £6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
• a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications for future meetings.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking this month we have:

1st: David Redford – Around the Horn

A description of two journeys to the Horn of Africa in 2018 and 2019, taking in Ethiopia, Djibouti and Somaliland.Encounters along the way include Lucy, a Chinese railway, one of the lowest places on earth, a camel market, hyena feeding, a Mig fighter and a cheetah sanctuary

David Redford is a retired hospital doctor who has fed his wanderlust by adding independent journeys to visits to low income countries on behalf of NGOs working in the field of maternal health.

2nd: Tharik Hussain – Looking for Muslim Europe

In 2016, following in the footsteps of the 17th century Ottoman traveller, Evliya Celebi, Tharik Hussain and his family went on a road trip across the Western Balkans in search of an indigenous Muslim Europe.

The result is his highly-acclaimed book, Minarets in the Mountains; A Journey into Muslim Europe, which was longlisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize and shortlisted for the Stanford Dolman Travel Award. 

In this talk, Hussain explains why he had to ‘search’ for a Muslim Europe that has actually been there since the 8th century and in the process helps us better understand why Europe remains so uncomfortable with its Muslim self.

Find out more at:

• Socials: (Twitter) @_tharikhussain (Instagram) @tharik_hussain 
• Web: www.tharikhussain.co.uk

Date & Time:

Saturday, October 1, 2022

Doors open at 14:00 GMT in London, a condition of entry is proof of vaccination or a COVID lateral flow test within 48 hours or a positive PCR within 90 days having completed any required isolation, the easiest way of showing this is with the NHS Covid Pass which lets you show your COVID-19 status in a secure way. We will be carrying out temperature checks and asking visitors to confirm they do not have any symptoms on arrival.

We would ask that anyone with symptoms or who needs to isolate participates via zoom.

Last month meeting was very successful, the hall is well ventilated and we had no cases following the meeting.

The zoom meeting opens at 14:00 with the talks starting 14:30 GMT (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

For forthcoming meetings we have

• £3 for members to cover our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
• £6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
• a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Tickets will be on sale soon…

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking in December we have:

1st Doreen Tayler – Curious Christmas Customs

Boxing Day!  What’s that all about?  And why do we eat turkey and mince pies during the festive season?  If you think we have our funny ways, how about the town where running in your red underwear on New Year’s Day is a custom, or the place where you celebrate the season by pooing?

2nd Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes, the sidecar guys – Siberia.

Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes are ‘The Sidecar Guys’. They are called ‘The Sidecar Guys’ as they hold the very niche Guinness World Record for the longest journey by scooter and sidecar.

During a 15 month trip they travelled for 34,000 miles through 35 countries and 5 continents to successfully circumnavigate the globe by scooter and sidecar.

Matt and Reece will be talking about the Siberia portion of their around the world journey by scooter and sidecar. 

They still do all sorts of different 3 wheeled adventures and recently completed a 10 day trip from Seattle to Los Angeles on a Ural motorcycle travelling across the Idaho, Nevada and California Back Country Discovery Route.

They run a sidecar experience centre in the UK and are also the hosts of The Armchair Adventure Festival, a festival based in the UK with the sole focus of celebrating any kind of adventure travel.

Find out more at: https://asseenfromthesidecar.org/

Date & Time:

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Doors open at 14:00 GMT in London.

We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participates via zoom.

The zoom meeting opens at 14:00 with the talks starting 14:30 GMT (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

Admission costs in advance:

• £3 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
• £6 for non-members. (save 50% if you join at this meeting)
• a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.

Please reserve seats in the hall in advance as this speeds up entry at the meeting and allows us to plan staffing, we may charge more for unreserved tickets.

Please sign up for meeting updates to get notifications.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking this month we have:

1st Ben Harris –  Expedition Tanganyika

Ben will be speaking about his unsupported kayaking expedition on Lake Tanganyika. His aim was to kayak the lake from its southernmost point in Zambia to its northern tip in Burundi, making him the first person to solo kayak the longest lake in the world.

However, it soon became clear that the lake had other plans. Ben was hit by challenges from the start. The trip soon became less about covering the ground, and more about overcoming the obstacles on the way. As he paddled northward, Ben capsized in crocodile infested waters, caught a bout of malaria and got chased off by a hippo. However, the lake had not yet thrown up its biggest challenge. Two weeks in Ben was hit by disaster, and the trip was forced to take an unexpected turn. He is looking forward to giving the talk on the 8th January.

See https://www.kayaktanganyika.co.uk/

2nd John Pilkington – China by the Back Door

Starting in Samarkand, John crossed the Pamirs to Kyrgyzstan’s oldsilk-producing city of Osh.

On an earlier trip, guards shooed him away from the Chinese border, but in 2011 he made it through to Kashgar, and explored the previously off-limits Taklamakan Desert.

We’ll have a quick look at the Jiayuguan gate on the Great Wall, before finishing in Ürümqi which has been transformed from sprawling hovels into a modern Chinese city.

These are the lands of the Uyghur people, whose lives and culture have been uprooted in the decades since his first visit

New Year Party – Postponed

Unfortunately due to Covid-19 we will not be able to have our New Year Party after the meeting at the hall, we invite members and visitors to a local pub..

Date & Time:

Saturday, January 8, 2022

Doors open at 14:00 GMT in London, a condition of entry is proof of vaccination or a COVID lateral flow test within 48 hours or a positive PCR within 90 days having completed any required isolation, the easiest way of showing this is with the NHS Covid Pass which lets you show your COVID-19 status in a secure way. We will be carrying out temperature checks and asking visitors to confirm they do not have any symptoms on arrival.

We would ask that anyone with symptoms or who needs to isolate participates via zoom.

Last month meeting was very successful, the hall is well ventilated and we had no cases following the meeting.

The zoom meeting opens at 14:00 with the talks starting 14:30 GMT (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

For forthcoming meetings we have

• £3 for members to cover our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
• £6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
• a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.
• We have had confirmation that the Church of Scotland hall is open and we will be running this meeting as an in person at the hall plus we will be streaming it on zoom and will be following the same procedures as the west end theatres.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For Zoom online tickets:

Speaking this month we have:

1st Helen Crisp – Madrid – Midnight City

Helen Crisp relates the story of a city and its people through the centuries, with a nod to well-known attractions and sights, as well as hidden gems.

Madrid is Spain’s art capital, with its ‘Golden Triangle’ of museums and myriad art galleries, Madrid is also a city of dazzling nightlife, with a profusion of cafés and bars.

Spain’s top city for tourism, Madrid attracts more than six million visitors a year. This is the story of a vibrant, energetic city, one that remains an enigma to many outsiders.

2nd Neil Foulks – Road Trip New Zealand

“If you’ve got money, your health and time, then do it. New Zealand is the best place in the world.”

That was the advice given to Neil by that famous overlanding Yorkshireman Ian Coates. Full of enthusiasm he quit his job and set off just 3 weeks after The Overland Event 2017. Neil then spent 6,000 kilometres travelling around both of New Zealand’s islands.

Find out more at http://naffphotographer.com/

For forthcoming meetings we have

• a donation £3 for members to cover our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
• a donation of £6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
• a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.
• We have had confirmation that the Church of Scotland hall is open and we will be running this meeting as an in person at the hall plus we will be streaming it on zoom and will be following the same procedures as the west end theatres.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For members online tickets:

Date & Time:

Saturday, November 6, 2021

Doors open at 13:00 GMT in London, a condition of entry is proof of vaccination, a COVID lateral flow test within 48 hours or a positive PCR within 90 days, the easiest way of showing this is with the NHS Covid Pass which lets you show your COVID-19 status in a secure way. We will be carrying out temperature checks and asking visitors to confirm they do not have any symptoms on arrival. We would ask that anyone with symptoms or who needs to isolate participates via zoom.

Last month meeting was very successful, the hall is well ventilated and we had no cases following the meeting.

The zoom meeting opens at 13:30 with the talks starting 14:00 GMT (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

For the second month we will be running a hybrid meeting welcoming visitors to the hall in London and on Zoom simultaneously.

Speaking this month we have:

1st Jacqui Trotter -Headed Home Part 2: Kyrgyzstan & China

Jacqui Trotter talks about her journey overland back home from London to Australia via Kyrgyzstan & China

2nd Two mini-talks from Annc Freeborn and Eric Hayman

Eric continues his talk that was interrupted last month.

Date & Time:

Saturday, October 2nd, 2021

Doors open at 13:00 BST in London, a condition of entry is proof of vaccination, a COVID lateral flow test within 48 hours or a positive PCR within 90 days, the easiest way of showing this is with the NHS Covid Pass which lets you show your COVID-19 status in a secure way. We will be carrying out temperature checks and asking visitors to confirm they do not have any symptoms on arrival. We would ask that anyone with symptoms or who needs to isolate participates via zoom.

Last month meeting was very successful, the hall is well ventilated and we had no cases following the meeting.

The zoom meeting opens at 13:30 with the talks starting 14:00 BST (London time see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive early so we can deal with any issues with joining.

For forthcoming meetings we have

• a donation £3 for members to cover our costs. Members will be emailed a ticket code link allowing access to this option or you can access it from the members area.
• a donation of £6 for non-members, non-members may join the club for £12 per year and get this and future meetings at members rate for £12, members can also watch the 3 previous online talks, members also receive Globe our members magazine and our annual members calendar, why not join and enter your pictures.
• a catch up to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.
• We have had confirmation that the Church of Scotland hall is open and we will be running this meeting as an in person at the hall plus we will be streaming it on zoom and will be following the same procedures as the west end theatres.

For in person Tickets at the hall:

For online tickets: