Join us on Friday, September 19th, 2025 at 8 p.m. OLD YORK TOWER, 85 THE ESPLANADE, (SE corner of Church St.)
Dejan Ristic – “Greece-A Collage of Ancient with a Hint of New”
The presentation will explore a small sampling of ancient Mycenean, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and medieval sites on mainland Greece while ignoring the Greek isles. Dejan is an ancient history nerd and this was a month long bucket trip visit last October 2024.
Because this is sort of a historical travelogue, it might interest some of you to research or some of the places/battle sites before his presentation. (see the attached list)
1st: Lindsay Castro – More Than a Summit – How travel and trekking opened the door to reinvention and connection
What happens when life’s next chapter begins just as society expects you to slow down? In her late fifties, facing an empty nest, shifting identity and physical change, one woman chooses to trek in the high mountains of Kenya, Nepal, India and Ecuador.
What begins as a personal challenge becomes a journey of reinvention and purpose. Each step reflects transformation through uncertainty and growth, proving identity evolves rather than diminishes with age.
Along the trail, encounters with local communities and women’s initiatives deepen perspective, revealing how adventure can expand empathy, connection and meaning in later life.
2nd: Alan Palmer – Bhutan From Head to Tail – Journeying Along the Back of the Thunder Dragon.
In the past two years, Alan has travelled the length of the country, from the infrequently visited homelands of the semi-nomadic Merak peoples in the furthest east, crossing the land’s higher, cloud-covered central mountains, and arriving at the more recognisable sights of Bhutan’s classic west, all the while uncovering the country’s intricately interwoven history, religion and mythology.
Not content with this, however, he next trekked into the country’s spectacular north-west to attend the Royal Highland Festival, where, to his continuing embarrassment, he unexpectedly kept bumping into the king and queen.
Date & Time: [meetingdate]
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
£7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
Steve Foreman lived in East Africa for 30 years, spending much of that time working in the safari tourism sector.
He became involved with the Maasai people in Tanzania while managing a luxury tented camp perched on top of the Rift Valley Escarpment overlooking Lake Manyara National Park. On a regular weekly supplies trip to Arusha, he gave a young Maasai woman and baby a lift to the hospital there.
Taking her back the next day to the manyatta where she lived led to Steve growing close with the Maasai community there, learning about their culture, customs, and traditional way of life. He took part in several activities with the warriors in the bush and the elders eventually granted him honorary moran status, which permitted him to have a Maasai girlfriend.
He chose Marita, with the elders’ agreement, and stayed overnight with her on several occasions. Marita, like many adult Maasai women, was circumcised. Steve briefly addresses female genital mutilation (FGM) – a practice he firmly believes should be eradicated – and recounts a funny but slightly alarming incident that occurred when the warriors discovered that he himself was not circumcised.
Steve will also speak about his broader experiences in the manyatta – sitting around the fire at night, drinking fresh milk and cow’s blood, and one occasion when he became so ill that he had to be driven for treatment all the way to Nairobi, Kenya.
When his son Zak came to visit, Steve – and two Maasai warrior friends – also climbed Ol Doinyo Lengai, Tanzania’s only active volcano, situated out on the Maasai Steppe. Ol Doinyo Lengai means ‘Mountain of God’ in the Maasai language and is sacred to them. Although his warrior friends had heard of the mountain, they had never seen it, and Steve describes some of the delightful incongruities of the experience—such as the warriors later staying in his house, watching television, and sleeping on the floor with their swords beside them.
Steven James Foreman is an HM Forces Veteran (Army). In Africa for over 30 years, he worked as a safari guide, camp manager, and mountain and expedition leader throughout East Africa and Botswana. Now retired, he lives back in the UK with his teenage daughter.
Steve is an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (FRGS). He has written articles for many magazines including BBC Wildlife, Soldier, SCUBA, African Travel Review magazine, Land Rover World, The Dar Guide(Tanzania), and the Daily Mail.
Steve’s book Nomads and Volcanoes: The Shahsevan and the Maasai – and Their Sacred Mountains is a lively and often humorous memoir in which he explores the traditions and daily life of these two nomadic peoples. Through vivid storytelling, he reveals striking parallels between the groups, showing that time and geography have done little to diminish their shared ways of living. After the talk, Steve will be happy to sign copies of his book.
2nd: DAMIEN GABET – Details to be announced.
Details to be announced.
Date & Time: [meetingdate]
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
£7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
Come to Chihuahua with travel writer Russell Maddicks on the trail of Mexico’s Raramuri runners in the deep ravines and craggy clifftops of the spectacular Copper Canyon.
Russell Maddicks is a travel writer, author and co-author of guidebooks covering the Balearic Islands, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and Venezuela. His latest book Culture Smart! Costa Rica was published on 22 January. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @LatAmTravelist.
Unfortunately the previously advertised talk by Dom Joly has had to be postponed.
2nd: Jon Beardmore – The Galapagos Postman: Reconnecting the world one letter at a time.
Jon Beardmore is an adventurer, storyteller and accidental postman who spent a year travelling the world on a mission sparked by love, legacy and a handful of handwritten letters. Blending humour, heart and human connection, he explores what happens when you say yes to the unknown — and how a single letter can change everything.
The Galapagos Postman Challenge is an unforgettable tale of adventure, human connection, and purpose. After discovering the centuries‑old postbox on Isla Floreana — where sailors once left letters to be carried home by strangers — Jon set out torevive the tradition in a modern, global way. His mission: hand‑deliver 50 letters around the world.
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
£7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
1st: Jo Bradshaw – Mountains of Patience – Climbing Everest and The 7 Summits.
As the famous saying goes ‘All good things come to those who wait’ and this is particularly relevant to Jo and her 7 summits project. She will take you on a whistle stop tour to all 7 continents, from the jungle to the polar regions and everywhere in between whilst following in the footsteps of the first woman to climb all 7, Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei. What makes each mountain so unique and why on earth did she take on this monumental project whilst raising funds and awareness for children’s mental health charity Place2Be.
2nd: Maria Hickey – Japan Unfolded: A Cultural Journey with Maria Hickey
Join Maria Hickey (aka Sakura) on Saturday 3rd May for a unique cultural experience through Japan!
Maria, a passionate photographer, will offer you an exclusive look at Japan, showcasing its beauty through her lens. From lesser-known festivals to ancient temples framed by delicate cherry blossoms (sakura), you’ll explore a side of Japan that few get to see.
Having spent approximately three years living and working in Japan with programmes like the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, the Ship for World Youth Programme, Peace Boat and the GET Programme, Maria brings a wealth of authentic experiences. She’s even participated in the Queen Himiko contest!
As an avid artist with a love for crafting, Maria will also lead you in a hands-on demonstration of making an origami heart to take home. All you’ll need is a square piece of paper if you’d like to join in.
We encourage you to submit any questions for Maria in advance for the Q&A session.
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
£7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
Join award-winning journalist, podcaster and broadcaster Ash Bhardwaj for a captivating talk inspired by his critically acclaimed book, Why We Travel, covering what makes a journey truly meaningful, and why do some trips fall flat? Ash shares lessons from his global adventures and bestselling book “Why We Travel”. Blending psychology, storytelling, and real-world experience—from trekking across Uganda to soldiering in Estonia — Ash reveals how understanding your motivation can transform travel, work, and life.
Ash has reported from 50+ countries for the BBC, The Telegraph, Guardian, and more—and brings unmatched insight to the intersection of culture, purpose, and exploration.
2nd: Mary Fogarty – Sri Lankan voyages round my father.
Returning to Sri Lanka in 2023 – for the first time since 1986, when she went to visit her father who was working in Colombo – Mary was surprised by how much the country began to affect her.
She arrived at 3 am and only discovered what lay outside her hotel window three hours later – a beach of golden sand and the glistening Indian Ocean. Soon she was off to see bears in the national park, followed by Buddhas, stupas, temples and sacred mountains. In Kandy, visits to the Temple of the Tooth and the Botanical Gardens began to bring back memories of being there with her parents – with more and more flooding back at the tea estates in Nuwara Eliya and then the wonderful fort area at Galle, back once more on the Indian Ocean.
The country slowly took its hold of her, and she went back again last year to explore more memories and discover new ground. Now, with another trip looming, Mary outlines just why and how the country means so much to her.
Date & Time: [meetingdate]
Doors open at 14:15 in London and on Zoom with the talks starting around 14:45 (London see Event Time Announcer for local times), please arrive before 14:45 and switch your phone to “do not disturb” or silent.
We would ask that anyone with respiratory symptoms participate via Zoom.
Admission costs:
£7 for members. (Members can access a ticket code below or from the members area.)
