Tag: Lists
-
Why rickshaws suck (compared to regular touring bikes)
They have the aerodynamics of a brick If you’re camping, you ain’t gonna hide it You can’t lift them over walls/fences They are wider than many gates and cycle lanes (see above) They are slooow on the uphill and unstable on the down (and thus slow) You can’t lean them and they don’t have a…
-
Why rickshaws rule (compared to regular touring bikes)
Loads of space for kit Seat cushion doubles as a great mattress You have an instant and comfortable park bench wherever you are Better crowd support It stands up on its own (and you don’t have to unclip your SPD shoes at traffic lights) People are even friendlier than normal when you ask for help…
-
7 Signs of Support (for the long distance rickshaw rider)
The car honk – invariably positive rather than angry as displayed in the Pie Chart of Positivity (scroll far right) “That looks like hard work” – as I struggle uphill and riposte predictably with “Yeah, it feels like it too!” The wave – drivers passing on the other side of the road or overtaking and…
-
9 Ways in Which I’ve Suffered for My Art
It ain’t easy this life of mine, y’know. Sure, it’s all fun and games on the blog but I’d like to take this opportunity to illustrate to you just how tough it can be doing what I do. Here are some of the recent pains that I have had to endure for my art (and…
-
Honour the miraculousness of the ordinary (and 22 other tips for writing fiction)
I read a great feature in the Guardian recently with hundreds of tips from authors for aspirant writers. You can read the full list here but I’ve quoted a few of my favourites below: Jonathan FranzenInteresting verbs are seldom very interesting. Elmore Leonard: Using adverbs is a mortal sinKeep your exclamation points under control. You…
-
7 Reasons to go to the Altai
1 – You’ve never heard of it Or if you have, you’ll still have plenty of friends who don’t know where it is and will make the appropriate noises when you show them on a map. The Altai Mountains span four countries and the Russian chunk of them lies within the Altai Republic, a state…
-
8 strange situations in which I’ve found myself wearing lycra
I like cycling and I like lycra but I appreciate that there are some situations in which it is not the most appropriate attire. The problem is, I don’t always have time to change. Here is a list of some odd places and situations in which I’ve recently found myself lycra-clad. For easy visualisation (which…
-
What did you read last month? – Six of the Best, February 2010
I’m going for a slight variation for this month’s Six of the Best. I’ve put up some of my favourite articles below as per usual (please vote for any that you enjoy) but I’d also like to hear from you what blog entries and pieces of writing you discovered and liked in February. Just stick…
-
Some things I enjoyed about the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition
At the end of last year I was involved with the Kaspersky Lab Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition – a group of seven women from different Commonwealth countries who joined forces and skied to the South Pole. Here are some things I enjoyed about the expedition: The application form for team members made no reference to fitness…
-
The Dishwasher Dash (and 9 other ways I squeeze exercise into my working day)
One of the frustrating things about being desk-bound for the majority of my working days is the lethargy it threatens to instill. As such, I’ve been dabbling with a number of ways to squeeze in little tidbits of exercise to my daily routine. Here’s a few of them: Leaving my phone in the next room…
-
6 things you could learn from mad feats
1. You can make a living doing what you love Ranulph Fiennes is probably the most famous British explorer/adventurer out there but even he had to start somewhere. One of the turning points for me entering the adventure world was reading his autobiography and going through his realisation that he could turn his hobbies (mad…
-
5 Health Benefits of Cold Water Swimming
If you had to assign one attribute to the kind of people who jump into ice-encrusted lakes for fun, it would probably be: weird. But, if pushed for a second, I bet it would be: healthy. [divide] [divide] Overweight, lethargic, bad skin, thin hair. These are not adjectives often associated with those crazy freezing water…