[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498586839710{padding-bottom: 3% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”2/3″ css=”.vc_custom_1498587762071{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”6188″ img_size=”medium” onclick=”custom_link” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”6359″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdFJUKmkzBI”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6196″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https://www.roughguides.com/articles/rough-guides-podcast-solo-female-travel-today/” css=”.vc_custom_1537642020647{padding-top: 3% !important;padding-right: 7% !important;padding-bottom: 4% !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”6192″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https://www.roughguides.com/articles/rough-guides-podcast-solo-female-travel-today/” css=”.vc_custom_1537642049170{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-bottom: 7% !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6063″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498575543813{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
When Rebecca Lowe set off solo from the UK for Iran by bicycle, her friends thought she had taken leave of her senses. But although she had to endure gropers, extreme heat and heavy-handed police, most of the people she met were a long way removed from stereotypes [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6063″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498575722840{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Rebecca Lowe’s friends thought she had taken leave of her senses when she set off on an 11,000km, year-long cycle from the UK to Iran. Her article for the BBC News website attracted a huge amount of interest from readers. Here she tells the story of her journey in pictures [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6066″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498576582596{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
‘Iran is a prison,’ the woman told me as she showed me around her small, sparsely decorated flat. ‘Women have no value here. I desperately want to leave, but I can’t.’ [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1858″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2016/jan/15/rebecca-lowe-cycling-middle-east-refugee-camps” css=”.vc_custom_1498582444060{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_text]
I’m very much of the Ranulph Fiennes school of thought: “plod forever” and take one step at a time. I began my trip on 29 July last year from my flat in London. I’ve now made it to Jordan, via France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Serbia, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Turkey and Lebanon. [read more…]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1861″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498582660996{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}” link=”http://cadillacaimhigh.economist.com/the-virtues-and-hardships-of-travel-journalism/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498580313555{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Six months ago, I was a full-time journalist in the City, doing a job that I loved. I specialised in international justice and the law, and enjoyed considerable freedom to choose my own stories and travel [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6090″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498582670362{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”5988″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498578271757{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” padding_top=”10″ css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1454682027679{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6076″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_video link=”https://vimeo.com/223322214″ css=”.vc_custom_1498581943001{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6078″ img_size=”full” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image image=”6081″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”http://www.manototv.com/videos/vt134/vid10334″ css=”.vc_custom_1498578149513{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6099″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_single_image qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” padding_top=”10″ css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1454682027679{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”5709″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1480437517820{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”6087″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1862″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1473416971856{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}” link=”http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/blogs/insider-secrets/how-to-cycle-from-london-to-iran–with-no-training”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498582165919{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Awake at 6am, then 6.15am, then 6.30am. Today’s the day! I try to ignore it, but I know it’s time. My arm doesn’t even hurt too badly anymore, my last surviving hope for delay. I had a typhoid jab a week ago and since then it’s felt like I’ve had nightly wrestles with Floyd Mayweather. For the past few days, I’ve had vivid images of me as that heroin addict in Requiem for a Dream, my bicep going mushy and gangrenous as I cry out deliriously, heroically, that I’m going no matter what – only to be dragged off by medics and sedated. [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”5992″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1486998683198{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”5989,5985,5986,5987″ onclick=”img_link_large” custom_links_target=”_blank” column_number=”2″ grayscale=”no” images_space=”gallery_without_space”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” side_padding=”5%” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][vc_single_image image=”1855″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1454682515894{padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498582349141{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]Cycling World, Nov 2015 [read more]
Cycling World, Dec 2015 [read more]
Cycling World, Jan 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Feb 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, April 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, May 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Aug 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Oct 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Nov 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Dec 2016 [read more]
Cycling World, Jan 2017 [read more][/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1860″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1473417015123{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}” link=”http://www.afar.com/magazine/i-biked-through-albania-alone-as-a-woman”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498582088020{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
The road is blocked by goats again. It really is the last straw [read more…][/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” side_padding=”5%” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6009″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498582329908{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}” link=”http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4230898/British-woman-reveals-hugely-welcomed-Iran.html”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498583601713{padding-top: 5% !important;}”]
Many people in the West have Iran pegged as a ‘hostile country’. But here British adventurer Rebecca Lowe reveals that when she visited Iran last year as part of a journey by bicycle across Europe and the Middle East she discovered a people genuinely curious about Britain, ‘extraordinarily welcoming’ and an underground party scene where ‘gallons of spirits and wine’ were drunk – and even drugs such as cannabis and ecstasy taken [read more…]
[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” side_padding=”5%” css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1473073120623{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”4733″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1473417164514{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}” link=”https://www.facebook.com/vision1013FM/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498582113596{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”4736″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”http://www.livebeyond.co/podcast-episode-8-rebecca-lowe-journalist-cycling-around-europe-and-middle-east/”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498582122088{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
We join Rebecca in Cairo, Egypt about two thirds of the way through her adventure [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6117″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498584341498{padding-top: 5% !important;}”]
Benji Hyer interviews the journalist about her eye-opening trip around the Middle East to find out what lies beyond the headlines [read more…]
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1473078362517{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1486999299091{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4745″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ css=”.vc_custom_1473078464951{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1486999288272{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4746″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1487000333634{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4747″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1486999247311{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498583854214{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”4742″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498583863056{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”4720″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_outline” border_color=”black” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1473417676993{background-color: #ffffff !important;}” link=”http://siol.net/novice/svet/britanska-novinarka-ki-bo-na-kolesu-skusala-predstaviti-drugo-plat-bliznjega-vzhoda-394113″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498583676936{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Britanska novinarka Rebecca Lowe je na posebni misiji [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6111″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498583656445{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Ha attraversato venti Paesi e raccontato con le foto le vite di chi ha incontrato. “Volevo dimostrare che l’Africa e il Medio Oriente sono altro rispetto all’integralismo religioso. Ho trovato tanta umanità. E gente pronta ad aiutarmi” [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6112″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=””][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498583667592{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
Rebecca Lowe egy évig járta kerékpárral a Közel-Kelet országait. Egyedül, nőként egy olyan világban, amelyről nem sok jót hallunk a hírekben [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6001″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1487000242136{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”5999,6000″ onclick=”img_link_large” column_number=”2″ grayscale=”no” images_space=”gallery_without_space”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6120″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498584718694{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1498584688307{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
The day I found myself squatting semi-naked behind a small adobe hut, frantically scrubbing myself with an economy wet wipe while scouring the vast, parched landscape for sand snakes and lurking male voyeurs, was a bad day [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6126″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498585784138{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_text]
English journalist Rebecca Lowe set off on a cross country bike ride with a difference in July 2015 [read more…].[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6127″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498586087246{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][vc_single_image image=”6173″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=””][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”6123″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1498584918745{padding-top: 5% !important;}”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1530699581627{padding-top: 5% !important;padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]One bike, three continents, twenty countries and eleven thousand kilometres to ride. Last year, journalist Rebecca Lowe spent 12 months cycling from England to Iran – by herself. Despite not training at all for the eye-opening adventure, she meandered out into the unknown and discovered a lot along the way… [read more…][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1530701752113{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”6176″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”img_link_large” qode_css_animation=”” css=”.vc_custom_1530701824474{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1530704503351{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”]
[/vc_column_text][vc_gallery type=”image_grid” images=”6182,6183,6184″ onclick=”img_link_large” custom_links_target=”_blank” column_number=”2″ grayscale=”no” images_space=”gallery_without_space” css=”.vc_custom_1530704464028{padding-bottom: 5% !important;}”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1487000409585{padding-top: 4% !important;padding-bottom: 2% !important;}”]
A video of the final throes of the journey, entering Tehran (with a flat tyre and no lights!) at 10pm on Monday 20th June, after an exhausting 160km slog through the desert in 48C heat.
[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”3964″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”http://vimeo.com/177583139″][/vc_column][/vc_row]