The new My Expedition Shop!

After a lot of researching and tweaking, I have finally knocked another item off my bucket list today. Incidentally, I hate the phrase "X things to do before you die", but I digress. I launched an e-commerce site. There I said it. I actually can't believe it and I will probably need to hear myself say that many times over the next few days before I actually believe it.

To put this in context, way back in about the year 2000 or 2001, I bought a hefty book on how to set up an E-commerce website. I looked it over and thought I would sit down and do it but like so many things, it never happened. There were so many unknowns, apart from the programming itself. Like tax. (Does anyone else think the taxation system in ANY country is way too complicated to fathom?) Like what to sell. Like who posts it? And how the heck do you make a profit? And so on. Anyway, I bottled it and goodness knows what happened to that book, but things have moved on since then.

Luckily, there are sensible people who have realised that not everybody wants to re-invent the wheel when it comes to the E-commerce architecture. I discovered the possibilities of Shopify and well, I have done it and it is up and running as of today. (Yes, another reminder to self!) Time for a hand fist in the air and a "yahoo"!

As this blog might suggest, I love going on expeditions and getting kit for that can often be a struggle. It is spread over numerous stores and websites. It is like shifting through grain sands looking for that tiny speck of gold. So, I decided to gather all the kit in one spot and sell it myself.

So here it is: myexpedition.shop.  The doors are open. We are open for business. Whether you are looking for the lightest tent imaginable to a great big glamping canvas tent, we got it covered. My Expedition will be rolling out more products over the coming days and the plan is to make it the dream team of expeditionary kit. Why not drop by and tell them Mel sent you. 

How to Pack for a Bicycle Tour

FREE Download!!!

"How to Pack for a Bicycle Tour" explores the sort of items you might want to take with you on a bicycle tour. It comes with 4 varieties of packing lists to suit different kinds of cyclists. Handy to make a list of your own. 

Here is the link and the book is FREE: How to Pack for a Bicycle Tour

EuroVelo 1

The EuroVelo1 runs along Europe's western border and is 9,100km in length. It takes in the fjords of Norway, the wild Atlantic Way of Ireland, the beaches of France and Portugal.Why is it so long? The simple answer is that it meanders (a lot). I asked someone who cycled some of the Wild Atlantic Way and he told me that he often had to divert 500m down the cycle path, divert back another 500m elsewhere, only to advance a few hundred meters on the original route. 

Last month, I cycled a good stretch of the route from Rennes to Biarritz. I met a Spanish cyclist who had cycled from the south and we met in Rennes. He raved about it and found it relatively flat. He advised me to take the route from Rennes to Nantes. I did cycle part of it but I quickly got frustrated with how serpentine the route is. I wanted to reach Nantes in a day. I got there on the next day. Had I stayed on the EuroVelo1 route, it would have taken me an additional half day. I emphasise that at least for me that is a negative. I met Americans in Biarritz who came by the EuroVelo1 route and said I had missed a very nice section that ran by a canal that leads into Nantes. I did, however, re-embrace the EuroVelo 1 for much of the journey from La Rochelle through Rocheforte and on to Bordeaux. I was glad I did as the view of the beaches was spectacular. The only caveat that cycling through highly touristed areas was slow going at times: with bathers crisscrossing one's path, you have to keep your wits about you. I was glad I made the decision to take a breather from the bike and go for a dip in the Atlantic. From La Rochelle to Rocheforte offers some of the finest coastal cycling in France in my opinion. 

Along the coast between La Rochelle and Rocheforte

So, what is the route then? 

Norway Route

EuroVelo1 begins in Nordkap in northern Norway and runs along the coast of Norway. Tromso and Bergen are two stand-out points along the way.

EuroVelo 1 in Norway connects to EuroVelo 12, 3, 7 and 11 and covers over 2500 kilometres from Bergen to the North Cape. The route takes you along Norways beautiful long coastline with fjords, the view of high mountains and many islands that is often accessible by ferries. The section is not fully realized so it's a good idea to contact local tourist office or Cycling Norway for more information. (Source: http://www.eurovelo.com )

 UK Route

If you begin in Scotland in Aberdeen, you head towards Inverness via National Cycle route 1. Then from Inverness, you travel through Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond National Park via National Cycle Route 7 to Glasgow. From Glasgow you can continue to the coast and take a ferry to Belfast. I cycled through Cairngorms National Park (on a Land's End to Inverness cycle) and I found it breathtaking; the sweep into Inverness coming from the south is breathtaking.

Further south in Britain the route picks up from the Irish route at Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, goes along the Celtic Trail. It then links up with Bristol, goes through the Exmoor National Park. Along viaducts and former railway lines the route then follows the Devon Coast to Coast route finishing in Plymouth via National Route 27.   For more info, see http://www.sustrans.org.uk

Irish Route

In the Republic of Ireland the Atlantic Coast Route (EuroVelo 1) - described here from North to South - starts at the village of Newtowncunningham in County Donegal. From here the route is signposted for almost 200km on quiet rural roads, to Donegal town. The route then joins the North West Cycle Trail which is signposted as far as Sligo town. After that much of the route is not yet developed or signposted. However, there are some notable exceptions to this in Co Mayo and Co Limerick where the route joins the Great Western Greenway for almost 42km and the Great Southern Trail for 37.5km respectively. Both of these sections are constructed on former railway lines and are mostly traffic free. After this there are some further signposted road sections which are part of existing regional and local routes in Counties Clare, Cork and Waterford. However, much of the route in the southern part of the country is yet to be developed. Eventually the route arrives at Rosslare on the East coast, where cyclists can connect with a ferry to Wales and continue on the Atlantic Route through the United Kingdom. (Source: http://www.eurovelo.com/en/eurovelos/eurovelo-1/countries/ireland )

(I will continue this post later with info on French, Spanish and Portuguese legs of the route.)

A Bicycle Touring Packing List for a Gadget-lover!

The Technophile Trolley bag list

• ·         4 Ortlieb Pannier bags
• ·         1 barbag (optional)

Gadgets

• ·         1 Smart phone, with apps, such as, maps.me installed
• ·         Rechargeable lights with usb
• ·         An independent source of power: a dynamo hub, a solar panel or combination of the two
• ·         A phone charger with 1 usb plug
• ·         1-2 backup battery. (Ideally, 20,000mAh)
• ·         1 laptop/notebook
• ·         1 reading device – Kindle, Nook or iPad
• ·         iPod and earphones
• ·         Bicycle computer
• ·         Front and back lights. (USB rechargeable)
• ·         1 camera with backup batteries & charger
• ·         1 Go Pro camera
• ·         A tripod and/or a selfie stick
• ·         A journal & pen/a Dictaphone
• ·         Rear view mirror
• ·         Mosquito head net
•  

Cooking

• ·         1 stove: MSR whisperlite /Vango ultralite stove/Kelly Kettle jet stove
• ·         Fuel: gas canister/fuel bottle.
• ·         Cooking pot – steel, not aluminium
• ·         Bowl
• ·         Mug
• ·         Titanium cutlery

Camping

• ·         1 tent, freestanding
• ·         A down sleeping bag
• ·         1 silk sleeping bag liner
• ·         1 air mattress/self-inflating sleeping mat
• ·         1 eye mask
• ·         1 pair of ear plugs

Clothes

• ·         Bicycle helmet and gloves
• ·         A light weight puff jacket or gilet (sleeveless puff jacket) or fleece jacket
• ·         1 rain jacket and pants
• ·         1 pair of cycling shoes (or) 1 pair of trekking shoes
• ·         Cycling tights
• ·         3 pairs of socks
• ·         2-3 pairs of shorts
• ·         2-3 cycling tops – mixture of short and long sleeved
• ·         3 pair of underwear.
• ·         1 buff
• ·         1 cap
• ·         Sandals/flip flops (optional)
• ·         Sundry
• ·         Sunglasses
• ·         2 spare inner tubes & patch kit
• ·         Mini-pump or floor track pump
• ·         2 tyre levers
• ·         Toiletries
• ·         1 quick drying towel.
• ·         Sunblock & After-sun lotion
• ·         First Aid Kit
• ·         Insect Repellent
• ·         1 penknife
• ·         1 bicycle multi-tool
• ·         Plastic zip ties (3)
• ·         Chain lube and rag.
• ·         Duct tape
• ·         Spare clipless-pedal-cleat bolts
• ·         1 Derailleur cable
• ·         1 brake cable
• ·         Spare nuts and bolts
• ·         Spoke wrench
• ·         Pedal wrench
• ·         Spare spokes and brake pads
• ·         Chain tool 

Is there anything you would change in this packing list? Feel free to comment below. For additional advice on packing, read How to Pack for a Bicycle Tour. 

Chyawanprash: Why every household should have a jar!

Probably the Best Hotel room in Norway!

Ultralight tents that are ultralight on your pocket

Is it possible to get an ultralight tent - for hiking or cycling purposes - for under £100? The short answer is YES and there is quite a lot to choose from. In this post, I will consider a number of options out on the market. (For further information and reviews on each, click on the links provided.)

Naturehike Taga Ultralight Backpack Tent One Layer Cycling Tent For 1/2 Person

First off, here is the lowdown of the specs:

• Ultra lightweight tent ,minimum weight,2.3lb(1person),2.75lb(2person),simple structure but large space.
• Tent fly: 20D Nylon, silicone coated〔4000mm waterproof index〕Tent floor: 20D Nylon, silicone coated 〔4000mm waterproof index〕Poles: 7001 aluminum poles
• High-density B3 mesh provides good ventilation.
• Only need to set one aluminum pole, super easy to pitch.Applicable for cycling, hiking, backpacking, and camping.anti-UV, Anti-wind, anti- rainstorm.

I particularly like the light green version of this tent, which allows the stealth camper the opportunity to blend into the countryside and not stick out like a sore thumb. For a one-man tent, its weight of 2.3lb is quite reasonable. This would work well for someone on the Camino trail. The price ranges from £92-£102 so it's at the upper end of our price target. Overall, a good buy that will facilitate many an eventful adventure. 

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GEERTOP Ultralight 1-Person Waterproof Personal Bivy Tent - Fast Easy Setup - Only 2 Pounds 2 Ounces

I've tried a bivvy bag once and I can't say I was entirely comfortable with the experience. This bivvy tent, however, offers a better compromise between a bivvy bag and a tent: with a tent-like cover it takes away the feeling of vulnerability that one can get when one's head and face is exposed to the elements.  

Here are the stats:

• ULTRALIGHT and PORTABLE: Packed weight is 2 Pounds 2 Ounces, suitable for your backpacking. Packed Size: 1'7" x 4" x 4".
• QUICK SET UP: Two-pole frame system with shock-corded aluminum poles allows for fast easy setup and dismantle.
• WATERPROOF and BREATHABLE: (1) Fully Seam Taped + Waterproof Coating + PU5000MM = Able to Anti Moderate Rain. (2) Mesh door in the top and ventilation window to ensure breathability.
• For 1 PERSON: 7 ft 5 in x 2 ft 6 in x 1 ft 2 in H , enough room and comfortable to you.
• Perfect for 3 SEASONS of CAMPING and HIKING: Summer, Early Fall and Late Spring.

The big takeaway here is the price: £49.99 (at the time of writing). You can't go too far wrong with that. It certainly shows that bivvy tents are a cheap and light option when traveling light. The weight difference, however, is not that considerable between it and an ultra-light tent, which offers more space and comfort. But if you want a bit more adventure, a bivvy tent certainly gives you that. It also offers a more discreet camping profile. 

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NatureHike Outdoor Tent With Skirt Double-layer Waterproof Camping Tent Lightweight 4 seasons Tent

The stats:

• Applicable seasons: 4 Seasons
• Tent fly material:Gray/Light green: 20D Nylon Silicone Fabric;PU4000mm;Green/Orange:210T plaid cloth;PU3000mm
• Tent bottom material: 150D oxford cloth; PU3000mm
• Rod material: 7001 Aviation aluminum frame
• Features: Portable, Windproof, Waterproof.Breathable, Stable, Light Weight, Easy to be built up.

The NatureHike Outdoor tent is not ultralight at 1.5kg (or 3.3 pounds approx.) but it certainly is lightweight for what it offers you. The big standout feature is that it is a 4 season tent and not merely a "just about"  3 season tent. This is achieved by its double layer construction. A tent that you can use in winter for around the £100 mark is great going. 

Get yourself a FREE ebook "How to Pack for a Bicycle Tour"

Just follow this link and enjoy a FREE useful guide to packing for a bicycle tour. . 

Which is the Best Kindle to bring on a Bicycle Tour?

When it comes to the Kindle you get a lot more bang for your buck these days. For the record, I still own the original Kindle Fire. It is still working great, despite a cracked-glass screen. (Never leave a Kindle plugged in where your other half might walk in and trip on it - take a lesson from the wise.) The current/latest model (as of 2017) is Kindle Fire 10. Here's the tech info:

The all-new Fire HD 10, now with a brilliant 10.1” widescreen 1080p Full HD display with over 2 million pixels. The new Fire HD 10 is 30% faster with a speedy quad-core processor and 2x the RAM, plus 32GB internal storage and up to 10 hours of battery life — now only £149.99. Fire HD 10 also introduces Alexa hands-free for the first time on Fire tablets — just ask Alexa to play or pause a video, find music, dim the lights, set a timer, show your calendar, and more simply by using your voice. 

I have never had many complaints with my Kindle as regards speed: it is usually much quicker than my Mac or Asus notebook at starting up, and it rarely freezes on me. The 10-hour battery on the Fire 10 is quite amazing. I think my current Kindle's battery lasts about 3 hours when using it to do a mixture of reading books and surfing the net. The Alexa voice command feature is a huge advancement on my current model, though to be honest, I can't see how this would be much of a time-saver over using your fingers, though I suppose dictating writing or searching for items would be much easier. On this model the feature is hands-free, you only have to say Alexa and at the rest is at your command.

The introduction of a camera was one major advancement on the Kindle allowing the user to skype with family and friends while traveling abroad. And there is something cool about being able to bring friends on a virtual tour of the house or gardens. It is definitely a step up on my old model.  

The Kindle 7 tablet (it is a 7'' tablet hence the name) offers amazing value at just £49.99. It offers comparable features to the Kindle 10 for a third of the price.  It lists the following features:

• The next generation of our bestselling Fire tablet ever - now thinner, lighter, with longer battery life and an improved display.
• Beautiful 7" IPS display with higher contrast and sharper text, a 1.3 GHz quad-core processor and up to 8 hours of battery life. 8 or 16 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot for up to 256 GB of expandable storage. Available in all-new colours: Black, Marine Blue, Punch Red and Canary Yellow.
• Alexa gives you quick access to the information and entertainment you want. Ask questions, play music, get the news, weather, control your smart home and more - just press the home button and ask. (Enabled via an over-the-air software update)
• Enjoy millions of movies, TV shows, songs, Kindle eBooks, apps and games - including Amazon Video, Netflix, Facebook, Spotify, TuneIn, Instagram and more.
• Prime members get access to over a thousand books and magazines, more than two million songs, thousands of movies and TV shows and secure photo storage - at no additional cost.
• Watch downloaded videos offline anywhere with a Prime membership or Netflix subscription.
• ⭁←Enhance your entertainment experience with features you only get from Amazon - including ASAP, X-Ray, On Deck, Blue Shade and Fire for Kids Parental Controls.

So, which would I bring on my next tour given the choice? If it was just based on a weight comparison I'd probably choose the Kindle 7 at 295g versus the Kindle 10 at 500g. But then the larger screen on the Kindle 10 does offer a level of comfort when reading on tour. Then, there is the storage capacity the Kindle 7 offers 8 or 16 GB (which is truly astonishing when you stop to think about it!) whereas the Kindle 10 offers 32 or 64 GB (expandable by up to 256 GB! That is just a mindblowing amount of storage space: think about the number of books and movies you could bring with you on tour!) If I was being frugal I'd bring the 7, but if I fancied a bit of comfort and luxury on the trip, I wouldn't hesitate to bring the Kindle 10.

Yes, I believe I am overdue a newer model. You know now what to get me for my next birthday.

Every household should have a jar of this stuff

I had this tenant once, a Spanish woman, she came out of her room one day. She looked a state, far from her chirpy self. She was in bed all day with the flu. Her nose was red. She was sneezing, coughing and she ached all over. I felt sorry for her. I said "take a spoon of this: it may help." "What is it?" "Chyawanprash!" (I pronounced it Cha-van-prash). I explained it was an ancient Aruvedic treatment, thousands of years old, made of fruit, roots and herbs. No preservatives, no colours, no suggar, preservatives, nothing medical: just pure goodness packed into one jar. She gave it a shot. She took just a half spoon and went back to bed. (It was Sunday and she expected to have to call in sick the next day.)

I am reminded of this as I had a cold coming on yesterday. Long story short: I was working in an unheated room without wearing a jumper. I took two spoonfuls of chyawanprash, once I felt the telltale signs of a sore throat. Today, I got up: no cold, no sore throat. It just works that stuff does.

How did the Spanish girl fare? I met her the following day - that time- she had got up on the Monday morning and went to work, feeling great. I knew the chyawanprash was good but I didn't expect that.

I gave a jar of it to a female friend who was recovering from a flu and she told me she ran 5km the following day.

I know this doesn't prove anything and I would love to run an experiment on a wide range of people to see if they have the same experience. All I  can say is I wouldn't have my medication cupboard without a jar of it and it isn't even officially termed medicine.

Have you ever had it? I'd love to hear if you have had a similar experience. Leave a comment below.

Formatting Book Issues

I've been getting Smashwords rejections of late. Let me explain. Smashwords is a website that allows authors to publish their ebooks. The thing is I keep getting told that there is some inconsistency in my formatting. Except I've checked it and can't see what the problem is. It is a right old palaver.

So, I am toying with the idea of going through Ebook Maker next time I plan to publish a book. It promises to greatly speed up the whole process so that you have a polished book in the right format. It might just be the solution I need.