Mike Burns from ExploreVan

Mobile Internet – keeping yourself connected on the road.

Whilst some take to the road to get away from the world, for a lot of us keeping connected is important, whether it’s to work, keep loved ones up to date, research locations or just for entertainment.

In this talk I’ll share over 20 years of experience of mobile internet and communications.

I’ve taken insight from my day job in Technology Innovation, keeping over 10,000 field operatives connected on the move, to be able to test and share different options for connecting to the internet to suit every need and budget. 

I share lots of my experience, hints, tips and reviews on our  ExploreVan.uk YouTube channel.

At the session we’ll look at what’s important to consider when picking a solution and discuss the pros and cons of equipment ranging from £50 to over £500 to help you to pick the best options to suit you. 

We’ll also have a range of MiFi’s, Routers and Antennas that we have used, for you to get hands on with.

 

Many thanks to the Seminars Manager Gavin A Fernandes for all the time-comsuming work arranging these talks … especially in the middle of the pandemic when confidence was low.

It all seems so easy now restrictions have lifted, it wasn’t at the time!!!

 

To give you a taster of what type of seminars are featured, here follows a selection of previous talks:-

www.facebook.com/popskis.private.expeditions

 

12:15

London to Cape Town - The Sidecar Guys

Back in 2017 Matt Bishop and Reece Gilkes set off trying to circumnavigate the globe on a scooter and sidecar. The pair had only passed their motorcycle tests 6 months before and had barely done 100 miles on their scooter and sidecar! With zero mechanical expertise and a reputation for poor planning and stupidity, the first chapter of the journey would see them thrown in at the deep end as they set off to drive from London, across Europe, down the length of Africa to Cape Town, all on/in the very same scooter and sidecar. Many people who waved them off at the Ace Cafe on October 21st 2017 predicted they wouldn’t even make it to Paris. Were they right? Find out in this talk!

Matt and Reece hold the extremely niche Guinness World Record for the longest journey by scooter and sidecar. From 2017-2019 the pair became the first people ever to circumnavigate the globe by scooter and sidecar and are now often referred to as The Sidecar Guys.

The pair travelled 34,000 miles through 35 countries, crossing 5 continents. The biggest challenges on their trip were scooting through the Sahara, climbing the dizzy heights of the Andes and a Siberian winter that saw temperatures drop to below -40˚C.

Since then, the pair have released a book about the adventure called Our Ridiculous World (Trip) and have also founded “The Armchair Adventure Festival”. The festival was launched back in April 2020 as the first ever completely live virtual adventure festival. Since then, it has grown into a brand new in-person event that will be taking place at Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, Cornwall from 24th-26th to September 2021. The festival will consist of live talks from world leading adventurers, activities including mountain biking, kayaking, paddle boarding and live music from one of the best bands the South West has to offer. At the “Adventure Overland Show” you’ll be able to purchase discounted tickets to the festival, their book and of course they’ll only be too happy to sign your copy. www.asseenfromthesidecar.org

 

13:15

South America - Just Go For It!   - Neil and Pat Hay 

In 2012 Neil and Pat quit their Jobs and set off on a new life. The dream was to travel the world in an overland truck. A bare chassis was sourced in and the truck build began in Germany and was completed in the UK.

In 2017 the vehicle was shipped to Uruguay and they set off south towards Tierra del Fuego.

Since then they have driven 60,000 km through 8 South American countries .

They have hit an altitude of over 5000m and temperatures down to minus 25ºC .

Their presentation will briefly cover the building of the vehicle but will mostly focus on their journey up until Colombia when Covid 19 arrived and they had to abandon their dreams and head back to the UK in March 2020. They will be returning when it's safe to do so.

Whilst back home, for fun they have been conducting interviews with fellow travellers that can be seen at www.up4overlanding.com

For more information

www.Cloud9ontour.com

www.cloud9isborn.blogspot.com

 

14:15

Amongst the Headhunters of Nagaland - Alan Palmer

Headhunting, nineteenth century colonial conflicts and World War Two battlegrounds all remain very close to the surface in Nagaland today. Alan picked out the evidence for each of these on his overland journeys along rough mountain roads through this beautiful and now peaceful corner of India before finally arriving at the vibrant tribal celebrations of the annual “Hornbill Festival”. 

Alan first began exploring remote parts of South and Central Asia in the 1980s, trekking through Pakistan’s wild northern frontier from the remote Hindu Kush to the glaciated Karakorum and onwards through the Indian Himalayas. These experiences would shape his contributions to two guide books, "Pakistan" (2007) and "The Silk Road” (2012).

More recently, he has focused upon the rarely-visited corner of tribal North-East India, including Nagaland, home of the Naga headhunters, and Arunachal Pradesh, the 'Land of the dawn-lit mountains', plus the unfrequented regions of northern Myanmar.

In 2012 he founded "Trek in Morocco”, now “Yak Travel”. As director, he specialises in organising treks and 4x4 tours for individuals and small groups throughout Morocco, North-East India and Nepal. www.yaktravel.co.uk

15:15

Along the Roof of the World in a Land Rover Defender - Gerry Mulligan

Gerry Mulligan has been travelling the world in his converted Land Rover Defender for the last three years.  His travels have included a Silk Road trip to Mongolia and back to the UK via Nepal and Pakistan, a journey which was covered by Land Rover Monthly magazine, plus, also serialised in the same publication, a circuit of South America which finished just before the first Coronavirus lockdown.

 

He has clocked up more than 70,000 miles in 57 countries, including travelling along the borders of Afghanistan and Iraq, through Iran, being in protective custody in Pakistan and suffering full engine oil loss in the Gobi desert 125 miles from civilisation.

 

 

He will share insights from his years of travelling and some images of his Silk Road tour across the roof of the world.  You can follow his regular travel blog on www.celtic-rover.com

 

16:15

Campervanning Around the World - An Interactive Q&A - David Birt and Carol Darwin

In January 2020, Carol and David arrived in Uruguay, having driven their campervan across Canada to Alaska and then down to Cape Horn, a journey which started in 2018 and was to continue in Africa had the pandemic not scuppered their plans.

They have been travelling in some sort of campervan or other, on and off since they married in November 2011, first in New Zealand, then all around Europe from the Russian border to Turkey in 2013.  The following year, they drove to the Moroccan Sahara via France and Spain and in 2015 they started driving to Australia via Central Asia, but only got as far as Kyrgyzstan where they had to abandon that journey for medical reasons. In 2016 they managed a trip to Sicily and in 2017 they drove around the ‘top end’ of Australia.

David and Carol will present a short talk with pictures from their travels but invite the audience to interact with questions and for everyone to share their knowledge and experience.

 

SUNDAY

11:00

We Built a Stealth Campervan in Shielded Isolation - Shaz & Daz

"We are Shaz & Daz, you can find us on Instagram: @shaz.daz {forever in 'BLUE jean'}
We have both taken early retirement due to ill health, and being old school bikers we also had to hang up our leathers. This was one of the hardest things we were forced to do.  Daz was a commercial and industrial tyre fitter and I was a hypnotherapist and sports therapist. I also taught Reiki healing.

We have both travelled extensively, visiting numerous places around the world, but never explored or ventured much in our own country. We love working in our garage and workshop and make artwork from old bike parts and other motor vehicle parts. We recently moved from South Wales and we are settling nicely on the beautiful Cardigan Coastline in West Wales. We love the open road and we're not quite ready to give it up yet. We hope to travel and explore every part of the UK and Ireland, so we decided to build another campervan. As our priorities have changed, our campervan requirements have also had to change.  Due to our health we were both in lockdown on the vulnerable list and were in shielded isolation. It was during this time we decided to build our second campervan on our driveway...

We will be talking about our campervan build and what it was like to construct and source everything whilst in shielded isolation in full lockdown. We’ll also explain the  history behind the name 'BLUE jean' and why we chose a VW T6 with an alternative interior and layout.

We will give a very brief comparison talk about our previous campervan build which was an ex-ambulance. Last but importantly, we'll also talk about the advantages of being 100% stealth, and end with an open Q&A session."

 

 

 

 

12:00

One Life, Share It! (Round the World on a Tenner a Day)  - The Chick Family

“My name is Gracie Chick and I’m seventeen years old. In 2019 me, my parents and my brother and sister spent ten months driving 7430 miles around the coastline of the UK, living on just a tenner a day (£5 for fuel and £5 for food between all five of us) in a tiny 1968 Morris Traveller campervan called Mo that my Dad and brother built.

We originally took on the challenge to raise money for charity, but our journey soon became so much more than we could ever have imagined.

Travelling with purpose, open hearts and a teapot allowed us to meet thousands of people from every background and took us on a journey so unique, that to our knowledge nobody has ever experienced anything like it before.

Although we stayed in our own country and lived on a tiny budget, we constantly experienced the kindness and hospitality of strangers, learnt about different cultures and ways of life authentically through being embraced into the heart of communities all around the UK.

Eating amazing food, we found hope and inspiration in ordinary people making a positive change in an uncertain time, and most of all, experienced the immense power of human connection.

I want to share our story because our experiences do not have to be unique to us.

No matter where we travel, the people and places do not change, but if we change the attitude that we travel with, then the experiences we have will almost certainly enrich our lives in exceptional ways.

I want to let our fellow travellers into the secrets we stumbled upon and talk about how a new and intentional way of travelling based around people - not places - can open up so many incredible opportunities in a world which seems to be getting smaller.

As a family we’ll hold a Q&A session after the talk to answer any questions you may have about our journey, travelling as a family on a budget, the difference that travelling with a different attitude can make, plus anything else you might be curious about.”

 

 

 

13:00
Solo Female Vanlife in the UK and Beyond - Destination Bulgaria! - Kat Towers

World traveller, podcaster and campervan fanatic Kat Towers from VFFs Vanlife Podcast shares her experience as a nervous female driver travelling solo through France, Germany, Austria, Hungary and Romania to Bulgaria, and how the challenges she faced along the way helped her conquer her fears by discovering a love of challenging herself!

Kat is a professional musician, podcaster and writer who fell in love with travel at a young age.  She has flown in a rickety plane over Everest, picked fruit under Mount Fuji, ridden sled dogs in Alaska and spent a birthday at the Taj Mahal!

Kat has been obsessed with campervans for years and has designed and renovated two vans with her boyfriend Pavel. She recently completed a 4000 mile solo round trip to Bulgaria and back passing through 8 different countries, which taught her a lot!

She documents her adventures and chats with other UK vanlifers on VFFs Vanlife Podcast.

 

14:00

On Foot Through the Atlas Mountains of Morocco - Alan Palmer

The High Atlas Mountains, the tallest in all North Africa, include more than 400 peaks above 3000m, often only approachable in a 4x4.  Alan has been visiting them for over 30 years. In this talk he describes the popular ascent to their very highest point, Jbel Toubkal (4167m), and to the summit of the glacier-carved massif of Ighil Mgoun (4068m). His tour, however, also extends to rarely frequented stretches of the Western High Atlas Mountains, as well as to the more southerly, desolate Anti-Atlas Mountains, dominated by the impressive volcanic plug of Jbel Sirwa (3305m) and the magnificent wilderness of Jbel Sahro.

Alan first visited Morocco during the death-throes of the ‘hippy era’ towards the end of the 1970s and has since returned, perhaps 40 times, leading 4x4 tours around the country and trekking extensively through both the High Atlas and Anti-Atlas Mountains. He writes regularly about Morocco and recently updated the chapter on The High Atlas in “The Rough Guide to Morocco”.

The culmination of his experience is Trailblazer’s "Moroccan Atlas - The Trekking Guide" (second edition, 2014).

He continues to return to Morocco annually, keeping himself busy by exploring new routes for a planned third edition.

In 2012 he founded "Trek in Morocco”, now “Yak Travel”.  As Director, he specialises in organising treks and 4x4 tours for individuals and small groups throughout Morocco, North-East India and Nepal.

www.yaktravel.co.uk

 

 

15:00

Morocco, Fast and Slow - Mark Hadley

Mark's experiences are in Morocco, from two-week dashes to 5 month wanderings.

"We love Morocco. It's so accessible but definitely on a different continent. From mountains to coast, from waterfalls to desert, it has so much on offer.

It is cheap, safe and friendly. We have made five trips to Morocco from short dashes at Christmas time, to slow indulgent five month expeditions.

I'll share how we did the quick trips and give an insight into our long slow journeys and will happily answer any questions."

 

 

As for the next 'event, the Late Summer' edition of the joint "Adventure Overland Show + "International Campervan Show"  17-18 September 2022, if you can provide a talk based on travel either in a 2WD or 4WD vehicle, or less wheels such as an aventure bike, then please email myself Tom McGuigan at 4x4trading@talk21.com

 

NOTE: Seminar speakers for the 'Late Summer' edition of the event will appear here when confirmed.

Meanwhile, if you wish to get a taster of the last pre-Covid event held way back in September 2019 (three shows since were cancelled during the Coronavirus pandemic), read on ...

 

Here follows the first of the confirmed Seminars at the 'Late Summer' edition of the show (28-29 September 2019), the precise timings of which will be announced on this website just prior to showtime. A final definitive list will be available at the gate upon arrival at the venue:-

Ian Hunt - "Glaciers to Deserts - a Taste Of The Americas”

From Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego.

A 4 year journey in an Isuzu NPS75H expedition truck along the PanAmericano, Carraterra Austrális and a lot of places in between.

 

 

 

 

 

Neil Foulks - "New Zealand on a Budget"

“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 me by that famous overlanding Yorkshireman Ian Coates. Full of enthusiasm I quit my job and set off just 3 weeks after The Overland Event 2017. I then spent 6,000 kilometres travelling around both of New Zealand’s islands.

My diary entries laid down the bare bones of a trip for anyone sticking mostly to the tarmac and staying in hostels to keep the costs down.

A guide, a travelog and a story all in one ebook and paperback, I’ll be presenting about the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’ with book sales afterwards.

 

 

Sonia Ennals & Jim Wintour - "Overlanding The Silk Road.  A journey from London to Australia in our Landcruiser”

Spanning 2018/19, their talk covers the route and highlights of what they saw during their 16 month journey from London via Iran and China to Australia.

Subjects covered include logistics such as guides, best Apps, visa’s/border crossings, travel, the vehicle itself (a 1993/4 'cruiser), insurance and mishaps!

The latter includes getting stuck in a bog in the Pamirs, Central Asia, alone at 4,300 metres off road - this alone is a story worth relating for technology played a major role in their rescue.

Jim & Sonia's exploits can be found via their blog - www.landyonthesilkroad.com

 

Graham Field– "Who am I and how did I get here?"

A light-hearted presentation of how one little comment on a TV game show, turned a nomadic life into a low budget lifestyle of motorcycle travel. An old KLR 650 bought off eBay for £750, continues to blindly lead me to distant destinations, South Korea, Iraq, Siberia, and darkest Mexico to name a few. A life of perpetual learning and forgetting again, proving that intrigue and determination will take you further than skill, ability, experience, sponsorship, research, as sat-nav and money ever will.

A compulsive traveller, with a compelling manner of honesty who doesn’t suffer fools but manages to tolerate his own outlandish behaviour, Graham is the author of three books, which incidentally he’s recently recorded as audiobooks.

Twice nominated as 'Most Inspiring Adventure Rider' by Adventure Bike TV. He is a resident co-host on Adventure Rider Radio RAW with Sam Manicom and Grant Johnson of Horizons Unlimited. Columnist for ABTV, he also writes articles for various publications worldwide.

Travel on his mind, bikes in his blood and little in his wallet, Graham's low budget journeys of humour and honesty have inspired many to hit the road in search of their dreams. A solo traveller at heart, his observations and occasional relations, take his readers with him to Mongolia, Iraq, the Arctic Circle and many other distant destinations.

NOTE: Located in "Travel Author's Zone" (ground floor of the racecourse's main grandstand), Graham will be available for book-signing and a chat throughout the weekend.

 

Mark Hadley - "Apps for Overlanders"

See what's on my android smartphone.

Apps that really made a difference to our travels.

Tips, tricks and pitfalls to be wary of.

It's a talk with plenty of opportunity to ask questions.

 

 

 

Lara Platman- "Adventures in the Outer Hebrides"

Lara returns to the show to talk about her adventures in the Outer Hebrides where she spent 6 months in a tent and 1 month on a croft creating the publication “Harris Tweed, from land to street.” Lara will present photographs  from the book, whilst reminiscing about her times amongst the landscape,  weavers, mill workers and croftsman in what she describes as the “most life changing period of her life so far”.

Lara is returning with her 1964 Series 2a Land Rover, of which she fully restored herself, so no doubt she be talking about that too as she plans to travel with her classic Landy next year.

NOTE: Located in "Travel Author's Zone" (ground floor of the racecourse's main grandstand), Lara will be available for book-signing and a chat throughout the weekend.

 

Duncan Gough  “Back Roads Iberia” – The REAL Spain of small towns and villages off the beaten track”

In this presentation Duncan draws his talk from more than 30 years of journeys in Spain. Mainly but not exclusively by motorbike.

The emphasis of the presentation is on the REAL Spain of small towns and villages off the beaten track, of unusual and interesting places that few tourists may have found.

It is also about the Spanish character and culture, and how to make the most of interactions with this generous nation.

Also covered are some of the more important legal and road safety issues, with a dash of ornithology and history thrown in for good measure.

 

 

Seminar 1 (Saturday):-

Marcin Burzynski- “Is Eastern Europe safe? How to prepare myself for new destinations”

Eastern Europe is seen by many as an “alternative” place to go on amazing overland adventures. If you’ve already explored the old favourites either independently or part of a 4x4 tour (very often the Pyrenees as a first excursion followed by  Portugal or Spain, then as confidence grows, more challenging terrain like Morocco), the lands of Eastern Europe and beyond provide a fascinating destination – and one which is much easier to access than you might assume.

It’s human nature that we crave more adventurous destinations, so Polish-born Marcin is the man to set you on the right road … or track! Having run 4x4 tours in Eastern Europe for over a decade now, he has the experience to guide you through the do’s and don’ts of such a trip.

In a nutshell, there is something for everyone in this talk, so whether you own a fully equipped overland vehicle and have yet to venture beyond 4x4 shows, individuals who have dipped their toes in the water but wish to explore fresher less well-trodden parts of Europe and surrounding areas, or seasoned travellers who have already visited one particular region but are looking for more specific experiences as a target of their journey, this is the talk for you!

Within the overland scene today there are several excursions that offer something other than merely “heading South”. You can find trips to North Kapp, Iceland, Poland. Then there are also tours for more extreme travellers such as in Georgia, Mongolia or Russia … even African countries. We however like to concentrate on somewhere that’s a lot closer to home in terms of distance and geographical location, if not culture – Eastern Europe.

We invite you to our speech about “Is Eastern Europe safe? How to prepare myself for new destinations”, which will take place during the Adventure Overland Show on Saturday 28^th September – exact time to be announced.

 

Seminar 2 (Sunday):–

Marcin Burzynski -“Eastern Europe - why I should go there? What is there to discover?

It is well known that the main tourist destinations for 4x4 owners tend to be southern Europe and North Africa – the Alps, Pyrenees, Spain, Portugal and Morocco are amongst the firm favourites. Understandably so, for they are beautiful places in some beautiful countries and as long as there are new drivers then folk will always be interested in those places.

But what if you have visited all those countries with almost all the companies that offer these type of tours? Here the question arises … where to next?

Did you know that Transylvania and its haunting castles is part of the beautiful Carpathian mountains located in central Romania? That’s a place to sink your teeth into! (SORRY!!!) Do you like the history of World War II? If so, were you aware that the biggest and longest underground fortification is located in Poland – and this labyrinth can be visited? If these attractions are not enough, you can drive in your 4x4 through the deepest canyon in Europe, second only to Arizona’s Great Canyon!

To ensure a peaceful, value-for-money holiday whilst exploring the nooks and crannies of the world, make certain you choose the right tour operator. Knowledge of routes, local traditions and customs of the countries you pass through is the basis for an interesting and safe trip.

We invite you to our speech about “Eastern Europe - why I should go there? What is there to discover?”, which will take place during the Adventure Overland Show on Sunday 29^th September – exact time to be announced.

 

Bernard Smith - "Touching the World"

'Touching the World' is the acclaimed story of a round-the-world motorcycle journey many in the media claimed to be far too dangerous to attempt. Across the globe on TV and radio shows, in newspapers, people often posed a very simple question ... “Are you both mad doing this?”

Now, in one of his very rare appearances (explained in the presentation) Bernard Smith will light up a very different world in words, video, and pictures. You will learn why he and a blind woman named Cathy Birchall set out to circle the world on a 27-year-old BMW.

The published story was to become one of the few unique motorcycle books to ever top the book charts in 2013.

As the Reader’s Digest, Classic Bike, Motorcycle Classics, Bike Magazine, Motorcycle News, Overland Magazine, The Guardian, The Telegraph plus a myriad of other newspapers and magazines noted, the story is -

... "rueful, irreverent" ... "incredibly vivid" ... "unfailingly honest" ... "becoming a powerful love story in a book crammed with astonishing achievements" ... "essentially and brilliantly, one is forced to become a third person on the bike" ... "from the first day and mile Birchall and Smith’s journey is truly remarkable" ... "their virtuoso written tale of shared experiences are told with humility and compassion" ... "emotionally tender, humorous, sometimes depressing, insightful, it is much more than ‘motorcycle adventuring’" ... "ultimately it deserves a wider audience than it will ever get as a mere bike travel book" ... "given the right exposure it may well become a surprise mainstream hit.”

Come along for a rare opportunity to hear the tale of a blind woman and her companion who set out to circle the world.

“All you have to do is trust me.” (Bernard Smith, 2008)

For more information, pictures, videos, literary reviews, and orders please visit www.worldtour.org.uk

'Touching the World' is available in print, audio, and E-book versions. It is also available in Braille from The Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) Library and other local blind associations.

 

 

Kev Keane - “Bushcraft for Kids”

Bushcraft means different things to different people. Working with children doesn’t mean a gang ho survival approach. To Kev, “it’s a way of getting outdoors in a natural environment that we need to look after. Not chopping everything down and having a big fire. Nor does it mean sitting in an armchair in Facebook”.

During his talk Kev will go over the rule of 3 and go on to say that getting kids outside gives them life skills, exercise, well-being , self-esteem and learning to make their own risk assessments. They will learn to think on their feet and work things out for themselves.

Subjects include:-

Tarps and shelters – the importance of staying warm.

Knife skills – learning to use a knife as a tool, not as a weapon.

The law – when and where it’s possible to carry a knife.

Fire lighting and fire lays – easy when you know how!

Food – bushcraft and wild cooking with very little pots and pans.

The workshops will include … carving a butter knife, natural cordage making, making a woodland lamp, making a woodland loom, bread baking on an open fire and plenty more.

 

Steve Stewart - "Steve and the Tiger Riding the Americas"

After a career in the Army spanning four decades Steve Stewart decided it was time to move on and fulfil a lifelong dream. And so he set off with basic plan and only one aim; to ride his Triumph Tiger the length of the Americas, from the most southerly town on the continent to the most northerly, visiting lots of places in-between.

Ride along with them from; the windswept plains of Patagonia through the arid heat of New Mexico to the ice roads and sub-zero temperatures of Alaska. They battled the elements all of which seemed to conspire against them. And, if Mother Nature wasn’t difficult enough there were the added problems of border bureaucracy, mechanical issues, multiple police encounters, muggers, injuries, family illness and sadly bereavement.

Live the dream or the sometimes scary nightmare of what life is like on the road. Meet some of the characters along the way the good the bad and the ugly. Full of the joys of motorcycling; with gravel tracks the length of the UK, roads of perfect tarmac and with more bends than you could ever dream of.

From heart-pumping encounters in Peruvian alleyways to arse clenching white knuckle rides and crashes. Experience the ups, the downs, the highs, the lows and the sometimes loneliness of the solo adventure rider.

Nobody said it would be easy, that’s why it’s called Adventure Riding!

 

Paul 'Raptor' Allen & Chris 'FMA' Marper  – “Raptor’s Garage on YouTube - Building an Amateur Media 4x4 Adventure Channel”

A look behind the scenes of Paul & Chris who are growing a successful YouTube Channel recording Overlanding vehicle builds, Green Laning around the UK and trips across Europe.

Discover the story behind how it all started, how they plan to grow the Channel even further, what camera equipment they use, what it takes to build the vehicles, the editing process and why recording your adventures can be so rewarding.

 

 

 

 

Saturday: Ren Withnell – “Excuses For Adventures”

The author of a blog called BikesAndTravels.com, Ren is a regular chap trying to keep a regular life interesting and fun, with a limited budget and time.

A short talk about motivations and ideas for simple, achievable and yet challenging adventures. Afterwards there'll be a forum to share your own ideas and learn other folk's too.

 

 

Sunday: Ren Withnell – “Scotland … Recommended!”

The author of a blog called BikesAndTravels.com, Ren is a regular chap trying to keep a regular life interesting and fun, with a limited budget and time.

Beautiful Mountains and the wee beasties. Wonderful coast and variable weather. As easy or as hard as you like. A seminar focusing on getting the most from the northerly bits of Britain.

 

 

 

 

Philip Crompton – "The Life Story of Sarah, an Overlanding Marshall Ambulance / Sankey WT Trailer"

This talk will review the history of 'Sarah', the Mk 2A Land Rover Ambulance built for the Dutch Army by the Marshall Motor Group in the 1970s, to its recovery from a field in Belize to its current re-purposed role as an Overland Trailer.

Description and pictures of the re-build and re-designation in to a trailer, including the research of technology and the successes and failures of what works and doesn’t.

Phil took it to 17 countries last year and off-road over 4 mountain ranges.

A further discussion can be had later in the afternoon for those interested in her journeys across most of Europe since. Budapest to Barcelona, Tirana to The largest Ice Cave in Europe near Salzburg.

 

 

Ian Harrell - "A talk, a chat, a vehicle walk around - just don't expect 'arty photos"

Having travelled the Americas for 3 years from Halifax-Alaska Ushuaia and all points in between, Ian and his trusty 3.5 ton Australian-built Toyota Land Cruiser HZJ79 camper have just returned minus one vital piece of kit – his lap-top containing all his photos! How incredibly frustrating!!

So, bang goes the all-singing, all-dancing slide show presentation he had planned, however … “I am still keen to come along, and if visitors would be interested, do a group chat wirh a Q & A session and perhaps a vehicle walk around after?”

Believe me Ian, arty photos of pretty places are one thing, only what folk come along to see at the Seminar Sessions are the presenters themselves. The stories, the advice, the pitfalls, the highs and the lows of course, in many cases the mode of transport is irrelevant. Not so in your case as the ‘cruiser is an unusual beast in the UK, but you take my point.

Yes, please come along. Having travelled six navigable continents, your knowledge will prove invaluable!

 

 

 

FURTHER SEMINARS TO BE ADDED WHEN CONFIRMED, PLUS A FINAL DEFINITIVE LIST (including timings) WILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE GATE UPON ARRIVAL.

 

As we are often asked about the speakers at previous events, for your interest hereafter is a list and descriptions of the Seminars at the 'Spring' edition of the show (27-28 April 2019).

 

SATURDAY

10:00-11:00  Room 1       Lara Platman

Big Red’s restoration.

10:00-11:00  Room 3      Ida & Cezary Kolodziejczyk

A little 35,000 km motorcycle ride from Europe to Africa via The Middle East.

***************************************************************************************************************************

11:00-12:00  Room 1       Zoë Cano

On yer bike.

11:00-12:00  Room 3      Mike & Sue Wood

Survival without Satnav – navigation for the nervous?

***************************************************************************************************************************

12:00-13:00 Room 1         Jacqui Furneaux

7 years, 20 countries, no plan!  Hit the road Jac!

12:00-13:00  Room 3       James Davis

Personal security when overlanding.

***************************************************************************************************************************

13:00-14:00 Room 1         Ben Coombs

To the bar – the story of the Pub2Pub Expedition. 

13:00-14:00  Room 2        Duncan Gough

Back Roads Iberia” – The REAL Spain of small towns and villages off the beaten track.

13:00-14:00  Room 3       David Lovejoy

Bushcraft & overlanding, they go hand-in-hand.

***************************************************************************************************************************

14:00-15:00 Room 1         Dave Lee

Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

14:00-15:00  Room 2      Kirk Pearson, Alan King, Darren Roberts

‘SmartTrail’ – How driving UK greenlanes can lead to worldwide overland adventures.

14:00-15:00  Room 3      Graham Naismith

Overlanding with a family.

***************************************************************************************************************************

15:00-16:00  Room 1       Billy MacLeod

Helping veterans through adventure.

15:00-16:00  Room 2      Ben Coombs

Survival of the quickest – Across Africa … in a Porsche!

15:00-16:00  Room 3      Matt Bishop & Reece Gilkes

Around the world on a scooter with a sidecar.

***************************************************************************************************************************

16:00-17:00 Room 1         Ren Withnel

What is an adventure? Dream big but learn to make any travel an adventure.

16:00-17:30  Room 3       Maximillian ‘Max’ White FRGS

No gear and no idea: a loop of planet Earth.

SUNDAY

10:00-11:00 Room 1        Richard Matthews

Where to start with overlanding.

10:00-11:00  Room 3      Matt Bishop & Reece Gilkes

Getting sponsorship for your trip and do you really want it?  How we got sponsored to ride around the world on a scooter with a sidecar.

***************************************************************************************************************************

11:00-12:00 Room 1         Ren Withnel

Scotland – Recommended.

11:00-12:00  Room 3        James Davis

Exploring Morocco’s Empty Quarter: Expeditions to the Remote Rekkam Plateau.

***************************************************************************************************************************

12:00-13:00  Room 1        Duncan Gough

Travel to bring the world into ‘you’, not ‘you’ into the world – ways to travel and ways to record your adventures.

12:00-13:00 Room 2         Neil Foulks 

Road Trip New Zealand.

12:00-13:00  Room 3       Kirk Pearson, Alan King, Darren Roberts

‘SmartTrail’ – How driving UK greenlanes can lead to worldwide overland adventures.

***************************************************************************************************************************

13:00-14:00  Room 1      Dave & Angela Spinks

Medical emergencies abroad – take heed.

13:00-14:00  Room 3      Dave Lee

Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

***************************************************************************************************************************

14:00-15:30  Room 1      Maximillian ‘Max’ White FRGS

How you can make an award winning documentary whilst living in a bike shed.

14:00-15:00 Room 3      Richard Pyshorn FRGS of Survival Wisdom Ltd.

The psychology of survival – the will to live.

 

SATURDAY

10:00-11:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Lara Platman“Big Red’s restoration”

A Photojournalist by profession, in 2018 Lara completed a solo 500 hour (19 month) nut and bolt restoration on Big Red, her 1964 Series 2 Land Rover –

this while at the same time building a house!

Plus, when commissioned to photograph the Isle of Hebrides, she slept in a tent for nearly 7 months through snow and summer, before eventually moving to a croft at the final month.

An interesting character for sure.

 

 

10:00-11:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  Ida & Cezary Kolodziejczyk“A little 35,000 km motorcycle ride from Europe to Africa via The Middle East”

Ida and Cezary have travelled on a motorbike, mostly 2up around various corners of the world such as The Himalayas, North to South America, Asia. The last adventure was 22 countries across Europe, though Iran and the Middle East, down the eastern coast of Africa to Cape Town.

Spending 8 months on the road they would like to share their experience and memories from their travels, some tips on how to make it happen, what is essential and what we learned for the next adventure.

This will cover documentation and visas, camping gear, parts for the bike, tips on how to open yourself for an adventure prep, budget and time versus unexpected situations, adjustment to what you meet on the road - plus - daily life on the road: Food, sleeping, people, border crossing, money, ATM’s ... and importantly, how not to kill each other when travelling 2up!

 

11:00-12:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Zoë Cano“On yer bike”

Author of ‘Bonneville Go or Bust – On the Roads Less Travelled’, ‘Southern Escapades’, ‘Chilli, Skulls & Tequila’, ‘Hellbent for Paradise – Tales from Aotearoa’, Zoë has had the spirit for adventure travelling from an early age.

A dedicated biker, some of her many exploits include a challenge to row the entire length of the River Thames from its source in the centre of England to Greenwich, travelling solo through the Amazon (setting up a Charity for drawing attention to and helping protect the Amazon Rainforest, our planet’s heart),

walked distances along the Great Wall of China, navigated on horseback the Peruvian Andes, the Moroccan Atlas Mountains and with the wildlife migrations across the Kenyan Masai Mara, and crossed the American Continent solo, without assistance, back-up or sat-nav, on a classic Triumph Bonneville T100.

11:00-12:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  Mike & Sue Wood“Survival without Satnav – navigation for the nervous?”

Hosted in the main by Mike Wood, his credentials are certainly impressive … 33 years in the British Armed Forces (a host of ‘specialised’ branches), schooled in all types of navigation techniques, Combat Survival instructor (Desert, Tropical, Maritime, Arctic). 3 trips to Morocco solo, unsupported to Western Sahara delivering medical and dental packs to remote communities.

Built (and still building) 2 overland camper Defenders, the latest with an Alu-Cab roof. If you need to know about navigation, Mike’s your man!

Also, to add a little spice to the talk, alongside him will be his better half Sue.

Apparently she has some strong views on the subject from a non-driver’s perspective – they are a team after all – so to hear both sides of the coin will be mighty interesting.

Don your tin hats folks, it could get messy!  Tom Mc (Event Director)

The title of the seminar says it all, what on earth do you do when your SatNav packs up? Nowadays we are increasingly becoming dependant on electronic navigation, in fact technology in general.

Of course all this wizardry can be brilliant, but only when working. Mike and Sue explore the strengths and pitfalls of SatNavs, and importantly what to do when things go wrong!

12:00-13:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Jacqui Furneaux“7 years, 20 countries, no plan!”  Hit the Road, Jac!

Traveller, motorcyclist, writer, speaker, Jacqui reveals the story of her unexpected and unplanned lengthy journey through 20 countries with her trusty 500cc motorbike. It tells the reasons for this epic trip and how a six-month holiday became a seven year way of life in Asia, Australasia and the Americas. Hear how a 50 year-old nurse becomes a mechanic and adapts to life on dusty roads and goat tracks from the mountains to the sea, through barren deserts to lush jungles.

Topics covered include … How it all started; the 500cc Enfield Bullet motorcycle; the travel method and tips on how to do it; benefits and disadvantages of being female in this activity; triumph over adversity; people met along the way; highs and lows, fun and fear!

The talk lasts for about an hour including time for questions. It’s peppered with pictures but is NOT a slide show of beautiful landscapes and sunsets. It will appeal not only to motorcyclists and travellers but to anyone who could do with a bit of inspiration to follow a dream.

A book about her travels on a Royal Enfield entitled 'Hit the Road, Jac!' was published in September 2017.

12:00-13:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  James Davis “Personal security when overlanding”

Canadian born and UK based, James ‘Tembo’ Davis has been overlanding and working in international security for 30 years.

He has lived and worked across Africa and currently advises a network of over 100 humanitarian organisations working in some of the world’s most dangerous areas.

He will present tools and tips that anyone can use to make clear and informed decisions when assessing actual risks facing overland journeys.

 

13:00-14:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Ben Coombs“To the bar – the story of the Pub2Pub Expedition”

In the summer of 2017, Ben and a colleague set out to achieve the impossible – a road trip from the northernmost bar on the planet, to the southernmost – in a classic TVR sports car!

Their planned 27,000 mile route from just 700 miles from the North Pole to Tierra del Fuego at the southernmost tip of South America crossed 25 countries on 3 continents, and took in everything from the High Arctic to the Peruvian Altoplano … to the deserts of the American west … to the endless gravel tracks of Patagonia. Coping with temperatures of over 50°C and altitudes of almost 5,000m above sea level, it pushed their trusty steed to the limit.

Exactly why this self-imposed challenge came about and how they implanted their madcap scheme – all will be revealed.

The phrase “The lengths some folk will go to get a decent beer” springs to mind!

13:00-14:00 (Room 2 - Sat)  Duncan Gough  “Back Roads Iberia” – The REAL Spain of small towns and villages off the beaten track”

In this presentation Duncan draws his talk from more than 30 years of journeys in Spain. Mainly but not exclusively by motorbike.

The emphasis of the presentation is on the REAL Spain of small towns and villages off the beaten track, of unusual and interesting places that few tourists may have found.

It is also about the Spanish character and culture, and how to make the most of interactions with this generous nation.

Also covered are some of the more important legal and road safety issues, with a dash of ornithology and history thrown in for good measure.

 

 

13:00-14:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  David Lovejoy “Bushcraft & overlanding, they go hand-in-hand”

How bushcraft compliments successful overland travel.

A self-confessed, adventurer, cynic and overland nut, Dave’s spent a ridiculous amount of his life travelling near and far – on foot, canoe, boat, motorbike and by 4×4.

In his spare time he is a builder for, designer of, teacher and instructor, plus ‘friend on the phone’ for many overland travellers.

Also Captain of a group entitled ‘Beardy Overlanders On a Budget Society’ (yes … BOOBS), he and the group can be found in the grandstands complex virtually opposite the white marquee that houses the Indoor Trade stands.

It’s open house so make sure you call in and say “hello!”

 

14:00-15:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Dave Lee  “Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail”

Vietnam; the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War/Second Indochina War 1955-1975.

Dave has been running motorcycle tours in Vietnam for many years.

You will be surprised how accessible this beautiful country (North and South) can be.

 

 

 

14:00-15:00 (Room 2 - Sat)  Kirk Pearson, Darren Roberts and Alan King“SmartTrail – How driving UK greenlanes can lead to worldwide overland adventures”

The seminar will include sections on expedition planning, preparation and kit, plus a large section on route planning featuring “SmartTrail” – the ATUK bespoke greenlane route planning database.

 

 

 

14:00-15:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  Graham Naismith“Overlanding with a family”

Frustrated with commuting and the 9-5 regime, in 2008 Graham, his wife and 3 young daughters decided to buy a 2001 Toyota Landcruiser Amazon 4.2L TDA  and drive 30k miles overland from the UK to and around Australia via China.

The seminar details the preparation, sponsorship, the journey, what they got right and wrong, the dangers, the myths and, probably the hardest bit, the coming back.

Ten years later he’s written a book which will be launched at the show.

 

15:00-16:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Billy MacLeod “Helping veterans through adventure”

Veterans In Action (VIA) is a charity that helps veterans who have suffered the effects of war or who have found the transition to civilian life difficult.

VIA take a non-therapy approach and instead use the outdoors, adventurous activities and expeditions to help veterans rebuild their confidence, self-esteem and self-belief.

Over the last 9 years VIA have undertaken a series of walking expeditions covering 13,500 miles across the UK with over 500 veterans suffering from PTSD.

In 2017 VIA started a new project called Veterans Expeditions Overland. The intention was to strip and build 1 x Land Rover Defender 110 and 3 x Land Rover Discovery 1’s, preparing them to expedition standard.

The finished vehicles were then used to undertake an overland expedition driving from the UK to Greece and back with a group of veterans suffering from PTSD. Unfortunately one vehicle took a 75m tumble down a mountain in Bosnia rolling 7 times. All occupants walking away unscathed, a testament to the team’s mechanical skills! Having self-recovered back up the mountain post-event, the team repatriated the bruised and battered vehicle back to the UK and are now preparing to rebuild it.

15:00-16:00 (Room 2 - Sat)  Ben Coombs“Survival of the Quickest - Across Africa.  In a Porsche”

Ben has been undertaking overland journeys for over a decade now. His vehicle-based travels have so far covered around 90,000 miles in about 80 different countries, always in a relatively ill-advised 2wd steed.

Particular highlights of his travels so far include the subject of his talk – England to South Africa via the likes of Syria, Egypt and The Sudan in a classic Porsche, a mere 13,500 miles crossing 26 countries … … driving a Bajaj Auto-rickshaw TukTuk 2,000 miles across India and Nepal, from Calcutta to near the Kashmir border … a 14,000 mile blast from England to Singapore via Vietnam and Cambodia with a 1990 V8 Chevrolet Corvette and ’78 Rolls Royce …

cycling across Iceland’s barren interior … several miles off the coast of Estonia, driving on the frozen Baltic Sea in a Jaguar XJ6 … heading over the High Atlas Mountains to the Moroccan Sahara in a classic Rover P6 … tackling the 2006 Mongol Rally in an Austin Mini … emulating Top Gear by riding the length of Vietnam on a decrepit 110cc Honda … a crazy jaunt through Arctic winter blizzards in a little Fiat 126 … and just last year he completed a 27,000 mile journey across 25 countries, from the northernmost bar on the planet to the southernmost, at the wheel of a TVR Chimaera sports car.

The latter by the way is the subject of his seminar on Saturday (27^th April 2019).

15:00-16:00 (Room 3 - Sat)  Matt Bishop & Reece Gilkes“Around the world on a scooter with a sidecar”

Matt and Reece will talk you through their 34,000 mile journey around the world.

They arrived back in to the UK in January 2019 as the first people to ever circumnavigate the globe on a scooter with a sidecar having travelled through 35 countries in 15 months on the road.

The final part of their journey saw them drive 10,000km’s back from Vladivostok, Russia in winter!

The lads faced driving temperatures as low as -40C and they certainly got the charity challenge they were after – their journey raised money and awareness for the fight against modern slavery.

 

16:00-17:00 (Room 1 - Sat)  Ren Withnel“What is an adventure? – Dream big but learn to make any travel an adventure”

So … what exactly is an adventure? Do you really need to travel 10,000 miles?

Do you have to take 6 months off for an expedition?

Can adventure only be found in far off lands or can it simply be something that fits into a week or even a day.

Does it need to break the bank?

We encourage you to stop fretting about trips not being far enough or long enough or difficult enough to be worthwhile or fulfilling.

Dream big but in the meantime learn to make any travel an adventure.

 

16:00-17:30 (Room 3 - Sat)  Maximillian ‘Max’ White FRGS  “No gear and no idea: a loop of planet Earth”

The Global Convoy were determined to see the world and meet all the wondrous peoples it contains. They bought cars for £150 and totally clueless, set off across Europe, Central Asia, Siberia and then over to the USA and south to Argentina.

Years from now, when academics intone about the DIY backlash to a modern society drowning in tech, then the Convoy’s story will be cited. The kids from Global Convoy are the new broom and they shovel in rosy-cheeked youthful enthusiasm at its best. No money, no gadgets, no fear — these are the kids your parents warned you about! – Austin Vince (Award-winning film director, author & adventurer).

 

SUNDAY

10:00-11:00 (Room 1 - Sun)  Richard Matthews"Where to start with Overlanding"

Devonian born, Richard has taken on some mad overlanding trips.

Completing in the Mongol Rally, the first Global Convoy Circumnavigation of the World as well as a variety of other crazy trips around Europe.

But where do you start when heading out with your own overlanding trip?

There's a fair chance Richard will have the answer!

10:00-11:00 (Room 3 - Sun)  Matt Bishop & Reece Gilkes “Getting sponsorship for your trip and do you really want it? – How we got sponsored to ride around the world on a scooter with a sidecar”

It took Matt and Reece two years to plan their circumnavigation of the globe.

They spent very little of that time looking at maps.

Instead, they spent most of their time working out how they were going to pay for it.

Go along to their talk, find out how they managed to get the money and kit they needed to go around the world and get some helpful tips on getting your trip sponsored.

 

 

11:00-12:00 (Room 1 - Sun)  Ren Withnel“Scotland – Recommended.”

Beautiful Mountains and the wee beasties. Wonderful coast and variable weather. As easy or as hard as you like.

A seminar focusing on getting the most from the Northerly bits of Britain.

11:00-12:00 (Room 3 - Sun)  James Davis “Exploring Morocco’s Empty Quarter: Expeditions to the Remote Rekkam Plateau”

Morocco has always been one of the favorite destinations for adventurous overlanders, but few have ever set out to explore the remote and little known Rekkam Plateau, also known as Morocco’s Empty Quarter.

Long dismissed by those looking to see all the better known Moroccan attractions, the vast interior of the Rekkam often remains unexplored.

After several expeditions to this remote area, James Davis will present a video and talk about what everyone has been missing: wide open desert plains, wind carved valleys, old roman forts, real Bedouin nomad camps, sand dunes and a a real sense of discovering something new.

James is a long time overlander, author, military veteran and founder of Popski’s Private expeditions.

12:00-13:00 (Room 1 - Sun)  Duncan Gough  “Travel to bring the world into ‘you’, not ‘you’ into the world – ways to travel and ways to record your adventures”

In this presentation Duncan talks about how to make the most of travel.

Thoughts on language, culture and society that an awareness and practice will mean the difference between interacting and assimilating, or merely passing through.

 

 

 

12:00-13:00 (Room 2 - Sun)  Neil Foulks  "Road Trip New Zealand"

Laying down the bare bones of an itinerary which you may wish to take or create your own from my journey, I concentrated on the state of the highways, cheap accommodation and the beer, along with some jokes and funny situations I ended up in along the way.

Keeping it simple and to the point, Road Trip New Zealand is packed full of information to make your trip just that little bit easier.

What started off as a motorcycle trip quickly became something different as Karma made the important decisions for me along the way.

With no plans and the open road at my feet, I covered 6,000 km in 25 days on my journey around both Islands of New Zealand at the end of the winter when the tourists are scarce and the roads are almost empty.

Road Trip New Zealand is available as an A5 size paperback or as an eBook on a memory stick.

 

12:00-13:00 (Room 3 - Sun)  Kirk Pearson, Darren Roberts and Alan King“SmartTrail – How driving UK greenlanes can lead to worldwide overland adventures”

The seminar will include sections on expedition planning, preparation and kit, plus a large section on route planning featuring “SmartTrail” – the ATUK bespoke greenlane route planning database.

13:00-14:00 (Room 1 - Sun)  Dave & Angela Spinks“Medical emergencies abroad – take heed”

The ultimate nightmare scenario of all overlanders? Quite possibly!

Dave & Angela of Polaris Overland share their experience of having to deal with a medical emergency in a remote country overseas, where no one speaks English and the administration has no idea how to deal with a foreign patient. The horror of an Uzbek State Hospital, how choice of travel insurance is critical.

A presentation telling the story of Angela's emergency surgery (and of course the associated implications) after coming off the Pamir Highway in Uzbekistan.

13:00-14:00 (Room 3 - Sun)  Dave Lee  “Riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail”

Vietnam; the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War/Second Indochina War 1955-1975.

Dave has been running motorcycle tours in Vietnam for many years.

You will be surprised how accessible this beautiful country (North and South) can be.

 

 

14:00-15:30 (Room 1 - Sun)Maximillian ‘Max’ White FRGS  “How you can make an award winning documentary whilst living in a bike shed”

Most award-winning documentaries have huge budgets, scores of specialists and can take years to finalise. This one was stitched together by some broke friends in a bike shed and took just over a month!

The Global Convoy have honed their skills of budget to record your next travel and videography and have made just about every mistake in the book! Whether you want to make a feature-length film or just want to record an overlanding trip, they’re here to share all the tips and tricks they’ve learnt along the way, as well as common film-making pitfalls.

From pre-adventure storyboarding and equipment requirements, through to interview techniques and the final editing process, they lay everything out step by step, followed by a Q&A at the end for any individual specific questions.

14:00-15:00 (Room 3 - Sun)  Richard Pyshorn FRGS of Survival Wisdom Ltd.“The psychology of survival – the will to live”

Tales of human survival in extremis have always held a public fascination: think of climber Joe Simpson, frostbitten and starving, dragging his broken leg for four days to reach his mountain camp in Touching the Void (Simpson, 1988). Or the Uruguayan rugby team who survived an airliner crash in the Andean mountains by eating the flesh of their dead friends before a small team left to seek help in Alive.

There exists a natural admiration, a mix of respect and incredulity, for people who have endured life-threatening duress; who have faced death and come through alive whilst others around them have perished. We tend to view such survivors as possessing a quality above the ordinary; a strength of character, a purposefulness or drive to overcome the crushing physical and psychological duresses they encounter: a so-called, ‘will-to-live’.

Excerpt from a paper “Survival Psychology: the won’t to live”, published by Dr John Leach of the University of Portsmouth, the UK’s leading expert in survival psychology. Having worked with John and other leading survival psychologists at the UK Military’s survival school, where Richard was the former training manager and John Hudson is the current Chief Instructor of UK Military SERE Training.

Survival Wisdom was formed to help travellers and explorers, to understand how things can develop on a remote journey, and learn how to tune in and sense when things are tumbling out of control, develop both physical and psychological measures to react more effectively in emergencies.

Richard Pyshorn FRGS will deliver a 45 minute brief on the fundamental concepts of Survival Psychology which is vital for any expedition or remote journey emergency plan. He will also take questions on survival planning and strategies.

Some of our clients who have benefited from our participation and training courses:

Mike Perham – Yachtsman Former World Record Holder

Coxless Crew – World Record Holders

Channel 4 TV series “Mutiny”

As Seen from The Sidecar – First around the world on a moped and sidecar

Teri Hatcher – Hollywood actress

The British Sailing Team

Great Ormond Street Hospital

John Hudson (one of the founders of “Survival Wisdom”) – Discovery Channel’s “Dude You’re Screwed” Series 1 & 2

Ed Stafford – Discovery Channel’s Versus John Hudson “First Man Out” series

… plus many more!

 

 

PREVIOUS SEMINARS

"Here's what you could have won" ... to quote Jim Bowen, host of classic 80s/90s TV programme 'Bullseye '

Purely for your interest as they've clearly been and gone, the following talks took place last September at the Adventure 'Late Summer' Show 2018. The list will however give you an idea of the variety the seminars, plus of course you may still want to contact the speakers via the links provided:-

We are indebted to the following speakers, all of which are non-paid it has to be said ... each and every one a dedicated enthusiast in their own right, only too willing to pass on their considerable knowledge for those that follow.

 

SATURDAY [Sept 2018]

10:00-11:00   Paul Crittenden“Get Out of That - Vehicle Recovery”

When your vehicle loses traction, breaks down, or gets stuck, whether it’s in a remote desert, a vast salt pan or a muddy riverbed, it’s a little too late to start thinking about how to recover yourself and your vehicle safely and successfully. Paul has almost 100,000 miles of 4x4 exploration on four continents under his belt, including a 4½ year circumnavigation of the world. In this session he’ll share how he prepares himself and his gear for those hopefully rare occasions when forward momentum is lost.

 

 

 

11:00-12:00   Emma Print“Encouraging More Women to Say Yes to Overlanding – Some Tips and Tricks for Live on the Move”     

Emma has spent seven years living and working in confined spaces; from the heat of a 4x4 in the desert and the cold of a Rocky Mountain winter, to the trials and tribulations of a superyacht chef. Along the way she has accumulated experience learned the hard way, that she will pass on so that you don’t have to!

 

 

12:00-13:00   Duncan Gough“Travel to Bring the World Into ‘You’, Not ‘You’ Into the World"

Author Duncan Gough will be talking mainly about one of his favourite destinations – Spain – and how as a cultural and geographical bridge to Africa and Arabia it is a great place to develop significant techniques for making the most of your travelling.

NOTE: At 14:00 hrs on Saturday in the "Adventure Travel Author's Zone" (located in the main grandstand), Duncan will be giving an additional talk entitled “Writing Your Adventure” - Travel Writing techniques to get the best from recording your travels. Whether your transport is 2 or 4 wheels or even more for that matter, the concepts for writing blogs to full-blown books is basically the same.

 

 

13:00-14:00   David Lovejoy“Bushcraft & Overlanding, They Go Hand-in-Hand”

How bushcraft compliments successful overland travel. A self-confessed, adventurer, cynic and overland nut, Dave's spent a ridiculous amount of his life travelling near and far – on foot, canoe, boat, motorbike and by 4x4. In his spare time he is a builder for, designer of, teacher and instructor, plus ‘friend on the phone’ for many overland travellers. Also Captain of a group entitled ‘Beardy Overlanders On a Budget Society’ (yes … BOOBS), he and the group can be found virtually opposite the white Semiar Sessions marquee. It’s open house so by all means call in and say “hello!”

 

14:00-15:00       Paul and Marilyn Longden                   “Overlanding in North America”

Everything you wanted to know but we're afraid to ask. 10000 miles of guns, bears, private healthcare, language difficulties, escort agencies, probably the world's friendliest people and some amazing landscapes. Vehicle of choice - a 1996 Mercedes 814d van, possibly the only one in North America. What could possibly go wrong?!?

15:00-16:00   Linzi Anne Allcock & John Bowling“Converting Overland Vehicles”

The pros and cons of the different vehicles; how they practically cope on the road/when travelling; mistakes; the ultimate overlanding vehicle + showcasing the latest project called ‘Icarus’.

 

 

 

16:00-17:00   Van den Bout and friends   “Kalahari from Buckinghamshire to the Bush”

Our Journey Around South West Africa. Planning the trip, the route we took, the complications and the recommendations.

 

SUNDAY [Sept 2018]

10:00-11:00   Jenny and Gavin Lowrie“Ruby the Landy Drives the Americas”

Jen and Gav spent 2 years in Ruby, their Land Rover Defender 300 Tdi driving across the Americas, returning at the end of May 2018. Their talk will include a whistle-stop tour of the planning and preparation for the trip, useful kit, the journey, the breakdowns, the magical moments and the things they learnt along the way.

 

 

 

11:00-12:00   Austin Tucker  “Through The Alps & Pyrenees in 4 Weeks”

What it's like to live out of your rig for an entire month off-road through some of the best areas Europe has to offer overlanders, plus what to plan for.

 

 

12:00-13:00   Bill Lawler       “Adventure Overlanding Across Three Continents With Our Xpcamper”

For for the last 18 months Bill and his wife Julie have been touring in their V2 XPCamper. Starting in California they have done both American continents from Alaska to Patagonia. They shipped from Uruguay to Belgium early this summer, have just left Russia en route to Stratford-upn-Avon via Spain. They intend to cover Africa, Asia and Australasia in the next two years.

 

 

13:00-14:00       Jo Vansittart and Bruce Lee“Travelling Around Southern Africa”

Our trip across Southern Africa over the winter of 2017 travelling in Betty Buster, a 4WD Mercedes T2 814 Vario converted by Bruce. Having shipped it down to Namibia we spent 5  months travelling round the southern states of Africa from Walvis Bay to Durban via Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

14:00-15:00   Paul Crittenden   “Creating an Overland Vehicle That Works For You”

There are no end of people exerting that theirs is the ‘Ultimate Overland’ vehicle build,  but is this an irritating concept and a dangerous fantasy? It’s easy to get drawn in by the excitement and technical hype and create something shiny, expensive, and impressive -  but unsuited to your actual needs. Currently on his third overland vehicle build, in this talk Paul will help you to think about your build in a different way, and come up with solutions and answers that work for you.

 

15:00-16:00   Richard Matthews“Overlanding in Central Asia with a Budget Vehicle”

Based on his adventures on the Mongol Rally and the Global Convoy Expedition, Richard will be talking through his experience of overlanding through Central Asia in more impractical vehicles and what the benefits are for taking this novel approach.

An Adventurer, Public Speaker and Expedition Planner, Richard will open your eyes what can be achieved WITHOUT breaking the bank!