Speaking on Saturday, October 3, 2026, we have :
1st: Duncan J. D. Smith – Only in Tangier: A Stroll through the Moroccan Port City.
Join independent travel writer and self-styled Urban Explorer Duncan JD Smith on an illustrated journey through the streets of Tangier. Duncan’s recently published guidebook “Only in Tangier” is the result of a one-year-long exploration of the storied Moroccan port city.
He will reveal Tangier’s ancient walled medina, bustling New Town, and little-known suburbs. Including the Petit Socco and the Teatro Cervantes, the Street of the Beats and the Cave of Hercules, the tomb of Ibn Battuta and the Cinéma Rif, an abandoned Spanish bullring and Africa’s first pet cemetery.
Duncan is the sole author and publisher of the ‘Only In Guides’, a growing series of idiosyncratic city guides aimed specifically at independent cultural travellers.
Find out more at:
- www.duncanjdsmith.com
- www.onlyinguides.com
- https://www.facebook.com/duncanjdsmith/
- https://www.instagram.com/onlyinguides_theurbanexplorer/
- https://x.com/OnlyInGuides
- https://bsky.app/profile/onlyinguides.bsky.social
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/duncanjdsmith/
2nd: James Merriman – Scrums, Mountains and Tracer Fire – Ten Days in Afghanistan
James Merriman is a travel writer based in North Devon, who has travelled to over 160 countries, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was recently longlisted for the Bradt Guides New Travel Writer of the Year 2026.
In this illustrated talk, James shares the story of a ten-day journey earlier this year through Afghanistan, travelling from Kabul to Herat, Bamyan and Mazar-e-Sharif during a period of heightened regional tension.
Describing himself as an “Anxious Explorer”, James reflects on travelling through a country that is so often viewed through the lens of conflict. From securing a visa in Dubai and passing through Taliban checkpoints to witnessing the spectacle of Buzkashi, exploring the empty location of Buddha statues of Bamyan, and experiencing the generous hospitality of ordinary Afghans, the talk offers a personal account of a country that continues to surprise visitors.
Illustrated throughout with James’s own photography, the presentation combines practical travel experiences with stories of the people, landscapes and moments that stayed with him long after he returned home.
Find out more at:
- Website: https://www.jamesmerriman.co.uk
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/jamesmerriman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mezzarino/
Date & Time: Saturday 3rd October 2026
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
- £7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below (Log in))
- £10 for non-members. (save £3 if you join at this meeting)
- a recording to watch later will be available to members and non-member ticket holders.
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Tickets will be available nearer the time. Please sign up for meeting updates to receive notifications.
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