Keis ‘Inspiring Riders’ announced for 2021-22

I was very excited to discover that I was selected as a finalist in the Keis Heated Apparel ‘Inspiring Riders’ competition! 17 motorcycle riders have been selected to use Keis gear throughout the winter, and a few lucky winners will get to go on an adventure in Iceland in 2022. It’s such an honour to have been picked to take part in this project!
I’ve ridden through the winter since starting my riding journey but being able to stay warm has been a game changer, because let’s be honest, that wind chill can be vicious. Plus after having lived in Egypt I still haven’t acclimatised back to English weather! Anyway, I’ll be sharing lots of posts across my social channels so please join me there and do check out Keis gear for yourself.

Starting a PhD in 2020

EmmaLucy PhD Well, given that there’s a global pandemic and I can’t physically travel, what better time is there to start a PhD researching the theory of Travel Writing?! After 6 years of trying to begin this research, and facing various challenges, such as: losing 3 supervisors before even starting; breaking my arm then losing my job (thanks to 0hours contracts!) and consequently, all of my savings; it is a huge relief to finally be getting somewhere!

Both my BA and MA happen to have been at Bristol (UWE in the first instance, UofB for my masters) so it feels fitting that I should be returning – after nearly ten years – to complete my doctoral studies at the University of Bristol. Let’s be honest, it’s just an excuse to read lots of books. And then talk about books. And write what is effectively, a book. Then, ride around different countries on my motorcycle and do more research for my own travel writing book. Sounds like a good plan to me!

However, on a serious note, I have no funding and although I’ve taken out the government loan, I will be exploring ways to support myself throughout this period, so if you have any ideas, feel free to get in touch.

See you on the other side…when I’ll hopefully make it to Dr. EmmaLucy!!!!

More Ambassadorial duties added!

One of the things which I have realised over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic is the full extent of the kindness and generosity within the UK Motorcycle community. I have been volunteering as a delivery rider during lockdown, and seeing the difficulties which I have faced in strapping large food parcels and PPE to the back of my bike, Renntec Motorcycle Accessories approached me. They’ve asked me to be an ambassador for their fantastic products designed to help riders ‘get ready for anything’…
Their products are so popular that at the time their luggage carriers had sold out (they are back in stock now) so initially they sent me two of their brilliant Versa 30L dry bags to use until the carrier arrives. Not only have they been extremely helpful when I’m transporting tins and fresh fruit and cereal for those in need, they are well-made and waterproof, so even on the damp days the perishables have remained completely dry. They also come with more straps than you could possibly know what to do with; perfect for awkward loads and bulky bags!
Thanks ever so much to the team at Renntec for the opportunity to work together, and I look forward to being able to test everything out on some longer travels very soon I hope!

New Article Published

Riding in Sinai

In the midst of lockdown I was thrilled to be invited, by Jeremy Bassetti of Travel Writing World, to write a short article. It’s a brief insight into a mini-adventure I took last year, but from the perspective of how to ethically represent people we meet when travelling.

Read the article here

Ambassadorial Duties

Metal Mule ambassador EmmaLucy Cole
Metal Mule ambassador EmmaLucy Cole

Since announcing that I am not flying in 2020 I have been exploring ways to make travel more practical by motorcycle. Adventure motorcycles tend to be built with luggage in mind – whether they are equipped with hard metal containers, or just have space and design for soft luggage to be strapped on.

Beatrix bags However, my motorcycle Beatrix is a Triumph Street Scrambler so only has a pretty but small leather pannier on one side, and a tiny space to strap a bag on top… I’m having to pack very light! Which is fine for short journeys but thinking about longer trips, including taking a tool kit and spares, could be awkward and involve a lot of straps and ratchets!

So, I am honoured that Metal Mule, an award-winning UK-based Motorcycle Luggage System manufacturer, have selected myself and the adventure rider extraord

Flight Free for 2020

Flight Free PledgeFlight Free for 2020: if I am entirely honest, I struggled to make the decision to sign the pledge. I value travel not just for the excitement of seeing somewhere new, but for the potential for intensive learning about unfamiliar (and familiar) cultures, and the opportunity to share that learning in my academic research and public lectures in the UK. I have travelled, mostly solo, since I was very young and consider myself fortunate that I have been able to make travel part of my several careers. As a result of living in Canada and Egypt, my closest friends live thousands of miles away and I rarely get to see them even when I was flying. My studies are centred around travel writing and the Middle East, so choosing not to fly has enormous practical impact across all parts of my life.

If I think back, before flights were so cheap – and easy to book – I travelled less often and perhaps valued it more highly. I spent more time exploring the UK and was excited by the prospect of visiting unknown areas of Britain; but over time that faded, and flights to Italy for £9.99 each way were not only significantly cheaper than taking the train to London, the novelty was becoming addictive. The climax of my increasing flying habit came in 2017 when I took 19 flights to Italy, Greece, Egypt, Helsinki, Norway and Switzerland. They were mostly for work and research, but occasionally for leisure: Running in Norway such as flying to Tromso, Norway to go trail running in the snowy mountains, simply because I could.

Don’t misunderstand me; there isn’t a single trip which wasn’t educational and inspiring, and I didn’t ever take my ability to afford travel for granted, but looking now at the rapid decline in the health of our climate I have come to realise how indulgent and privileged my approach to travel has been. And what most concerned me when I added up the total flights that I took in 2017, was that I hadn’t even thought about it; I had just booked the flights.

After that recognition, I started to have conversations with friends, family, and colleagues about the downsides of flying – the effects on our health from being in the air, the inevitable environmental impact, and the forced fast transition from one culture to another. The process of entering one brightly lit, barely sanitised concrete box in the UK, sitting in a plane for a few hours, then alighting into another concrete box with doors which magically open onto another country seemed to deny that beautiful experience of slow cultural transition. Ethical adventurers have always recognised this, as they exalt the power of feet or pedals on long-distance journeys. As I read more, I began to question whether this unnatural transition of flying actively prevents us from being able to interact in an empathetic way to locals and wondered if a slower way of entering a community might create more intention to understand and interact. Becoming co-director of Vicarious Festival (the UK’s travel literature and photography festival), where we will be exploring ethical travel and diversity, my decision made even more sense and I look forward to hearing plenty of informed discussion about how we unravel the ethics, privileges, and impacts of travel at the event.

It took me more than two years to take action, and it was the tireless work by groups such as FlightFree2020, and public statements of non-flying by full-time adventurers such as Tom Allen, which gave me the courage to step up. Yes, one or two people at work have sniggered at me when I’ve announced my intention (which considering that I work at a University is somewhat chilling), but I have received nothing but support from loved-ones, for which I am grateful because any holidays abroad will now be more marathon than sprint!

Lisbon Conference For the next year – at least – I can only get to Europe if I cross the channel by boat or train. I can only attend academic conferences (which for a researcher is vital networking), if I use public transport or my motorbike. I can only do research in the Middle East if I travel overland. Every trip will have to be three times as long which will have enormous impact on my income as I am effectively a freelancer. I do recognise that riding a petrol-fuelled motorcycle is not ideal either, but riding 5 days per week, all year, apparently has less impact than one long haul flight. I am hoping to test-ride an electric motorcycle in 2020 but even then, living downwind from a nuclear power station in Somerset raises the question of how we generate future electricity as well. There are so many issues which need addressing and we must use everything at our disposal to make change happen.

So yes, absolutely, my commitment not to fly is about raising awareness of climate change. But it is also about finding ways of travelling which enhance the experience not only for the travellers themselves, but also for the people and environments we travel to meet. I find that I am excited by the prospect of travelling differently and of slowing down as I explore, and with the best possible excuse: making change happen.

Read a version of this article, published on the FlightFree2020 website

Advice On Buying A Camel

A message from Leon McCarron popped up on my phone. “Do you know anything about buying camels?” he asked.

For anyone else that might seem strange, but having spent two years living with Bedouin in Egypt, it didn’t really surprise me that someone would ask me that. “Well” I replied, “I know a little but I can certainly ask my contacts in Egypt for more detail”.

Leon was writing an article for Adventure magazine about the process of buying camels and wanted a little extra information on general pricing and food to supplement his current knowledge. We also share an intention to own camels ourselves one day, so it was a fascinating conversation (although admittedly one of the most bizarre either of us has ever had on WhatsApp!)

Click here to read the article in full.

Desert Dancing at the Royal Geographical Society

In 2018 EmmaLucy was accepted as a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) and shortly afterwards took the opportunity to audition for the 2019 Microlectures event, organised by the Younger Members’ Committee. She was successful and joined 5 other researchers and adventurers in the RGS Ondaatje Theatre, March 2019, to present an insight into a facet of her research in Egypt.

Having inadvertently spent 2 years living with a Bedouin tribe, EmmaLucy shared her unique research into the Dahiyya; an ancient dance where genders freely interact, but which now is often forbidden.

It is probable that this was the first time in RGS history that 400+ members had danced and chanted Arabic in the lecture theatre!

Click the link below to watch the 10-minute microlecture, plus audience questions hosted by broadcaster and anthropologist Mary-Ann Ochota

Click here to watch the full talk on the RGS website…