antsbk, Author at Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent

An engine rebuild in Kaleum

March 25, 2013 by antsbk

Kaleum, Sekong Province, Laos Last night’s hotel in Kaleum definitely wins the Gold Medal for the worst hotel of the ride so far. I parked the Panther outside yesterday afternoon and was handed the key to Room 1 by a … Read More

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Adventure | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

The Road to La Hap

March 24, 2013 by antsbk

I’ve been so busy riding, navigating, sweating, trying not to fall off and finding enough food for myself that I haven’t had time to blog. Apologies. Here’s a brief taster of what life on the Trail is like… I woke … Read More

Adventure | Feature articles | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

A day in the field with MAG

March 14, 2013 by antsbk

DURING THE VIETNAM WAR MILLIONS OF TONNES OF ORDNANCE WERE DROPPED ON THE VIETNAMESE COUNTRYSIDE. AN ESTIMATED 30% OF THESE BOMBS FAILED TO DETONATE AND TODAY, IN QUANG BINH AND QUANG TRI PROVINCES, 100% OF COMMUNITIES REMAIN CONTAMINATED WITH UXO. … Read More

Cities | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

Meeting The Pink Panther

March 8, 2013 by antsbk

Finally, after months of planning and procrastinating about this trip, I’ve made it to the Start Line in Hanoi. Most importantly, I’ve been united with my mighty Trail steed - the Pink Panther - and what a glorious beast she … Read More

Adventure | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

The best motorbike in the world…

February 19, 2013 by antsbk

WHY CHOOSE A PIFFLING LITTLE HONDA CUB TO TRAVEL THROUGH SOUTH EAST ASIA ON? WHY NOT SOMETHING MORE SUITABLE? WELL, THE TRUTH IS, THE HONDA CUB MIGHT JUST BE THE BEST ADVENTURE MOTORBIKE ON THE PLANET. HERE’S WHY…. Although laughably … Read More

Adventure | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

Why go it alone?

February 12, 2013 by antsbk

In a few weeks time I’ll be loading my panniers, polishing my pistons and setting off solo down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. For the best part of two months it’ll just be me and my trusty, ever-so-slightly-bright-pink Honda C90 … Read More

Adventure | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

A short ride in the jungle…

February 6, 2013 by antsbk

Back in October a TV director I work with alot rang me: “Do you want to do a couple of weeks work setting up a new series for ITV?” The subject was the massive recent surge of elephant and rhino … Read More

Adventure | General | Ho Chi Minh Trail

The Next Adventure….

October 31, 2012 by antsbk

Right, enough namby-pambying around with television crews, drivers and translators. It’s time for another proper adventure. The sort where I find myself lost in the middle of the Southeast Asian jungle and survive on nothing but twigs and peanut butter … Read More

Adventure | Feature articles

Testing the Ice

September 25, 2012 by antsbk

AN ATTEMPT TO REACH THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC CIRCLE IN A 1993 URAL SIDECAR…. There are two basic prerequisites for a motorbike trip: a motorbike and the ability to ride one. We had neither. Instead we had tweed, a tap-dancing comedian … Read More

Cities | General

PHOTO ESSAY: A stroll around old Tbilisi

September 5, 2012 by antsbk

Ah, Tbilisi! What a magical metropolis. Having spent a few days here this week I can see why Pushkin, Lermontov, Tolstoy, Gorki, Steinbeck et al have all been seduced by her exotic charms. But alas, the city’s historic old quarter is … Read More

General | Travel Tips

An Insider’s Guide to North Norfolk

July 30, 2012 by antsbk

North Norfolk, perched on the shoulder of East Anglia, is most famous for its miles of sandy beaches. But this remote corner of England has a cornucopia of other delightful things to see and do. Here’s a potted guide to … Read More

Adventure | Cities | Feature articles

Battling the Bosphorus

July 23, 2012 by antsbk

NAVIGATING ISTANBUL’S GOLDEN HORN BRIDGE ON A HONDA C90 On a 3000-mile trip around the Black Sea by Honda C90, we had to cross the terrifying Golden Horn bridge across the famous Bosphorus. Navigating this in a lorry is bad enough. … Read More

General | The Occasional Rant

How you can help with the UXO problem in Laos

July 19, 2012 by antsbk

During the Vietnam War, the small Southeast Asian country of Laos gained the deadly accolade of becoming the most bombed country per capita on the planet. 30% of those bombs didn’t explode, and today the problem of UXO is still … Read More

Adventure | Feature articles | General

Bombs and bikes: riding the real Ho Chi Minh Trail

July 10, 2012 by antsbk

[wowslider id=”6″] “You’ve got to ride a dirt bike like you’ve stolen it” said Digby through gritted teeth, as he accelerated through a particularly gnarly section, the wheels weaving between rocks, mud spraying up from the bike in all directions. … Read More

Adventure | Travel Tips

Don’t spill the milk or walk over the lassoo pole

July 1, 2012 by antsbk

A Brief Guide to Mongolian ger etiquette…. If you’re lucky enough to be packing your bags for Mongolia this summer, the likelihood is you’ll be spending a night or three in a ger, the traditional felt tents of the … Read More

Author: antsbk

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