Podcast appearances and mentions of antonia bolingbroke kent

Nothing beats the sight of a top predator as it hunts. In the British Isles that means looking up. Our birds of prey are bouncing back after decades of shooting, poisoning and habitat loss. Buzzard numbers are up by 80% since 1995 and Red Kite by 2000%. Peregrine Falcon are thriving in London and Marsh Harriers have returned to our wetlands. Helen gets up close to Black Kites and an Eagle Owl at the Owl and Raptor Centre in Kent and travel writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent describes the extraordinary migration of tens of thousands of birds of prey through the Batumi Gap on the border of Georgia and Turkey.The RSPB's Mark Thomas and Robert Benson of the Moorland Association discuss the threat that birds of prey still face on some of Britain's shooting estates and Jennifer Ackerman, author of 'What An Owl Knows' joins Tom and Helen to explore the science behind the night-hunting skills of so many owls.Producer: Alasdair CrossAssistant Producer: Toby FieldRare Earth is produced in association with the Open University

Kate Adie introduces stories from Myanmar, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mexico.In Myanmar, tens of thousands of people have been killed since the military seized power in a coup in 2021, halting the country's tentative transition to democracy - a further 2.5m people have been displaced. Quentin Sommerville has spent a month in the east of the country, living alongside resistance groups fighting the junta the jungles of Karenni state on the border with Thailand, and Shan state, which borders China.In a visit to Kyiv this week, Germany's foreign minister urged Western governments to supply more air defence weapons to protect Ukrainians from what she described as 'the rain of Russian missiles.' Jonathan Beale met with a Ukrainian military unit known as The Peaky Blinders, which is defending territory near Kharkiv with armed drones.The world's largest inland body of water, the Caspian Sea, is shrinking at an unprecedented rate. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travelled to Mangystau, in western Kazakhstan, to find out why this is happening, and how it's affecting the people and the wildlife along its coastal communities.In the city of Tijuana. right on the Mexico-US border, 3,000 men are incarcerated in La Mesa Prison, living six to a cell, and sharing a tiny bathroom. It's a claustrophobic and monotonous regime, so any distraction is welcome - and that might come in the form of a visit from a group of mostly elderly nuns. Linda Pressly joined them on a mission to provide spiritual support – and some small comfort.Series Producer: Serena Tarling Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Sophie Hill

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world. Bordered by Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan it spans 371,000 square kilometres and bridges Europe and Central Asia. It's fed mainly by Russia's Volga and Ural rivers and the sea is not only rich in oil and gas but is also home to numerous rare and endemic species, including the Caspian seal and 90% of the world's remaining wild sturgeon. But the Caspian Sea is in crisis. Climate change and the damming of Russia's rivers are causing the coastline to recede at an alarming rate. The sea's levels have fallen by a metre in the last 4 years, a trend likely to increase. Recent studies have shown that the levels could drop between 9 and 18 metres by 2100. Last June Kazakh government officials declared a state of emergency over the Caspian. Iran has also raised the alarm with the UN. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to Kazakhstan for Assignment to report from the shores of the Caspian Sea on what can be done to prevent an environmental disaster.

The Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water in the world. Bordered by Kazakhstan, Russia, Iran, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan it spans 371,000 square kilometres and bridges Europe and Central Asia. It's fed mainly by Russia's Volga and Ural rivers and the sea is not only rich in oil and gas but is also home to numerous rare and endemic species, including the Caspian seal and 90% of the world's remaining wild sturgeon. But the Caspian Sea is in crisis. Climate change and the damming of Russia's rivers are causing the coastline to recede at an alarming rate. The sea's levels have fallen by a metre in the last 4 years, a trend likely to increase. Recent studies have shown that the levels could drop between 9 and 18 metres by 2100. Last June Kazakh government officials declared a state of emergency over the Caspian. Iran has also raised the alarm with the UN. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to Kazakhstan for Crossing Continents to report from the shores of the Caspian Sea on what can be done to prevent an environmental disaster.Presented by Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent Produced by Caroline Bayley Editor, Penny Murphy Sound Engineer, Rod Farquhar Production coordinator, Gemma Ashman Dombyra played by Yelnar Amanzhol

Cyprus is one of the main resting stops for songbirds as they migrate between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For centuries, Cypriots trapped and ate a small number of migrating songbirds, as part of a subsistence diet. But over recent decades, the consumption of songbirds became a lucrative commercial business and the level of slaughter reached industrial levels . Millions of birds were killed each year as trappers employed new technologies to attract and capture birds. The methods used by the trappers are illegal under both Cypriot and EU law. In the last few years, both the Cypriot authorities and environmental groups have been fighting back, dramatically reducing the number of birds being trapped. But it remains a multi-million dollar illegal business which has increasingly drawn in organised criminal gangs. For Assignment, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent sees the trappers in action, and meets those determined to stop the mass killing of birds.

Cyprus is one of the main resting stops for songbirds as they migrate between Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For centuries, Cypriots trapped and ate a small number of migrating songbirds, as part of a subsistence diet. But over recent decades, the consumption of songbirds became a lucrative commercial business and the level of slaughter reached industrial levels . Millions of birds were killed each year as trappers employed new technologies to attract and capture birds. The methods used by the trappers are illegal under both Cypriot and EU law. In the last few years, both the Cypriot authorities and environmental groups have been fighting back, dramatically reducing the number of birds being trapped. But it remains a multi-million dollar illegal business which has increasingly drawn in organised criminal gangs. For Crossing Continents, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent sees the trappers in action, and meets those determined to stop the mass killing of birds. Presenter: Antonia Bolingbroke Kent Producer: Alex Last Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Production Coordinator: Gemma Ashman Series Editor: Penny Murphy

As a shaman, Sipa Melo is the beating heart of tribal faith and culture in a remote corner of north-east India, tucked in the shadow of the Himalayan Mountains. He's a healer, a story-teller and a protector of the natural world. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent joins Sipa for a week of ritual, performing ceremonies to mark deaths and births and maintaining taboos that help preserve this mountainous region's indigenous culture and its rich wildlife. She hears about his determined efforts to encourage a new generation of trainee shamans and his worries about the changing values of the region as roads and hydro-electric dams end its isolation from the booming cities to the south.

Kate Adie presents stories from Thailand, Israel, Laos, Switzerland and Ireland. Thailand is standing at a crossroads, with many wondering if the country can move on to a more dynamic, democratic future in the forthcoming election on 14th May. Recent polls put progressive parties ahead, and on target to win a majority of the seats - but can they overcome the conservative status quo? Jonathan Head has been on the campaign trail with one of the young, progressive candidates hoping for change. Israel has been in the grip of nationwide protests over the right-wing coalition's plans for judicial reform, but Israeli Arabs have been conspicuous by their absence. Rhodri Davies spoke to people about why this is in an Arab city in northern Israel. Laos is the most bombed country in the world per capita and is still suffering the consequences of American air strikes 50 years ago. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent heard stories of the dangers posed by unexploded ordinance to farmers and children. In Switzerland, thousands of older Swiss women, nicknamed 'Climate Grannies' are bringing a case against their government to the European Court of Human Rights, claiming the government's lack of action on climate change is putting their health at risk. Imogen Foulkes heard about their fight. And finally, as world leaders, both past and present, have descended on Ireland recently, and after Ireland's victory over England in the Six Nations Rugby grand slam, James Helm reflects on Irish soft power around the world. Series Producer: Serena Tarling Producer: Louise Hidalgo Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross

50 years after the last US bombs fell on Laos, they're still killing and maiming. In an effort to stop the march of communism, between 1964 and 1973, America dropped over two million tonnes of ordnance on neutral Laos: on average, a planeload of bombs was released every eight minutes, 24 hours a day. This is more than was dropped on Germany and Japan in the entire Second World War. Laos, today a country of just 6 million people, remains the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita. Five decades after the war, these deadly items remain a persistent threat and daily reality for communities across Laos. More than 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO (unexploded ordnance, unexploded bombs, and explosive remnants of war) in Laos since the war ended in 1975, with people still killed and injured every year. Around half the victims are children. But UXO doesn't just kill and maim, it renders agricultural land useless and prevents economic progress. Although Laos is rich in natural resources, its development has been crippled by the legacy of the war. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to Laos to tell its story 50 years on. Producer John Murphy (Photo: Clearing unexploded bombs in northern Laos. Credit: MAG / Bart Verweij)

50 years after the last US bombs fell on Laos, they're still killing and maiming. In an effort to stop the march of communism, between 1964 and 1973, America dropped over two million tonnes of ordnance on neutral Laos: on average, a planeload of bombs was released every eight minutes, 24 hours a day. This is more than was dropped on Germany and Japan in the entire Second World War. Laos, today a country of just 6 million people, remains the most heavily bombed country in the world per capita. Five decades after the war, these deadly items remain a persistent threat and daily reality for communities across Laos. More than 20,000 people have been killed or injured by UXO (unexploded ordnance, unexploded bombs, and explosive remnants of war) in Laos since the war ended in 1975, with people still killed and injured every year. Around half the victims are children. But UXO doesn't just kill and maim, it renders agricultural land useless and prevents economic progress. Although Laos is rich in natural resources, its development has been crippled by the legacy of the war. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent travels to Laos to tell its story 50 years on. Producer John Murphy (Photo: Clearing unexploded bombs in northern Laos. Credit: MAG / Bart Verweij)

The roads and byways of the British Isles are home to a new generation of travellers. Alongside the traditional Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities there's a booming sub-culture of van dwellers who prefer the open road to bricks and mortar. For some it's a lifestyle choice. They spend the summer moving from festival to festival, picking up casual jobs as they go. They celebrate their light touch on the planet and those who can afford it take the snowbird route for the winter, heading south through Spain. For increasing numbers, however, there's less glamour in 'van life'. Rapidly rising rents force them into vehicles and a long, cold winter searching for welcoming roadside stops with toilets and taps. Travel writer and broadcaster, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent has spent many months living out of her own battered VW van. She understands the fantasy and the practical difficulties. In the New Nomads she hears about both sides of van life and discovers new challenges on the horizon. For many travellers- traditional and new- the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act of 2022 feels specifically designed to make their lives as difficult as possible. It creates a new offence of “residing on land without consent in or with a vehicle” and makes it easier for the police to remove unauthorised encampments. Fresh ideas are helping the increasing number of van dwellers. In Bristol, brownfield areas are being turned into temporary spaces for vans and caravans. The residents are happy with these cheap and cheerful campsites but demand far outstrips supply. Unless more affordable homes are built it seems inevitable that more and more young people will have little choice but the open road. Producer: Alasdair Cross

The past week has been one of contrasting emotions in Ukraine. The country celebrated a dramatic and unexpected development: an attack on a key bridge linking Russia with Crimea was seen as a major strategic blow to Vladimir Putin. But days later, Russia launched some of the most widespread missile attacks of the war. Paul Adams, says there is a lingering unease in Ukraine about Putin's next move. Last month, a bold counter-offensive by Ukraine's military in the country's east led to a retreat by Russian forces. But as the Russians left behind cities they occupied for months, allegations of atrocities they committed began to emerge. Sofia Bettiza met some Sri Lankans held captive in the city of Kharkiv. A shocking attack on a nursery in Thailand's north-east stunned the country. Jonathan Head was in the village of Uthai Sawan, and reflects on the part that the hardship of life may have played in the tragedy. After the Soviet Union collapsed, Tajikistan slid into a 5 year civil war which cost 100,000 lives and forced a million people from their homes. Among the pursuits of daily life that has suffered amid the violence is bee-keeping. But, thanks to a conservation initiative, it's seeing a revival says Antonia Bolingbroke Kent. A dream inspires a visit to a fishing village in Romania across the Danube from Ukraine. Its name is Periprava – once the site of a Communist-prison camp, now razed to the ground. Nick Thorpe was given a tour of the secluded, small community, much transformed. But despite its charm, the sound of sirens can still be heard across the waters – and a colder reality breaks the spell. Presenter: Kate Adie Producers: Serena Tarling and Ellie House Editor: Bridget Harney Production Coordinator: Iona Hammond

Nature and wildlife tourism has surged in recent years. Millions of us seem to want to want to follow in the footsteps of David Attenborough; meeting mountain gorillas, ticking off Africa's big five mammals or hitting the waves to meet whales and dolphins. But is wildlife tourism good or bad for the world's most sensitive environments? The Covid-19 outbreak gave us a sudden, unexpected opportunity to answer that question. Some of the most magnetic natural places on the planet lost their international tourists for two years. Naturalist and broadcaster, Mike Dilger has been to the cloud forests of Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands to gauge the impact. Both of these extraordinary environments depend on tourism to pay for their protection, but should they continue to rely on travellers emitting vast quantities of carbon dioxide to get their fix of hummingbirds and marine iguanas? Mike is joined in the studio by Fiore Longo of Survival International, travel writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent and Vicky Smith from the eco-travel website, Earthchangers. Producer: Alasdair Cross

It's not easy fighting for nature in many of the former Soviet states. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent reports from Tajikistan, on the trail of the snow leopard and the extraordinary people who protect them. This high corner of Central Asia is home to the world's biggest species of wild sheep and goats, prey of arguably the most beautiful of the big cats- the extravagantly furred snow leopard. After the fall of the Soviet Union a vicious civil war killed 100,000 people and saw many more displaced and starving. Kalashnikovs and hungry people are never good news for wildlife and, sure enough, the wildlife of the mountains was decimated. In the last few years local conservationists have taken it on themselves to declare reserves and persuade their neighbours to reduce their hunting. With minimal funding from the government and international agencies these conservationists have had to find their own ways to pay for the protection of the reserves. Most of the money to employ rangers has come from selling licences to hunt small numbers of Marco Polo sheep, Ibex and Markhor wild goats. It's a controversial approach but, in sheer numbers of endangered species, it seems to be working. Can the improvements continue as climate change brings ever harsher winters and drier summers and regional instability keeps the wildlife tourists away? Antonia meets the conservationists trying their best to protect their wildlife in the face of enormous odds. Producer: Alasdair Cross

Hello Boys and Girls,Today's Interview is with Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, author of "A Short Ride in the Jungle: The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle". She's going to tell us about her journey and some of the how she did it.Special Thanks to our Sponsors:  Tobacco MotorwearShinko TiresScorpion Helmets Wild-Ass SeatsUClear Digital Motorcycle CommunicationsThe Motorcycle Men is supporting: David's Dream and Believe Cancer FoundationThe Gold Star Ride Foundation  Don't forget to get over to YouTube and check out the Ride with Ted videos. Thanks for listening, we greatly appreciate you support. Ride Safe and remember....    .... We say stupid crap so you don't have to.Support the show (https://www.paypal.com/donate/?token=zPl7v5FjoO6fCov5rwbFo35sxmoOIUqUhcR1q1UVtP34xAVolJzW0aJ6GNSdljsPAT4MC0&fromUL=true&country.x=US&locale.x=en_US)

Travel writer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent moved to a cottage deep in the Welsh Black Mountains at the end of October last year, arriving just two hours before the autumn lockdown began. She’s pretty much been in lockdown since that day so, unable to go anywhere or see people, has spent the months exploring the mountains from her new front door. She’s walked hundreds of miles, OS map in hand, exploring this new landscape - its ancient sites, high ridges, wooded valleys and peaty uplands. Antonia immerses us in this place and its wildlife, and hears stories from her new neighbours - people who know every crease of the hills and every bird call, as well as the area's history, myths and legends. While reflecting on this exploration, she explores the process of the unknown becoming home. Producer: Sophie Anton

Follow travel author Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent on one of the toughest motorcycle journeys on the planet: six weeks and 2,000 miles through the near impassable mud and steep mountain slopes of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Crossing Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, The Ho Chi Minh Trail was the main military supply route during the Vietnam War, moving men and supplies from communist controlled North Vietnam to the American backed south. Today, it’s slowly disappearing, overrun by jungle, deforestation and the advancement of the modern world. In riding the trail, Antonia wanted to explore this rapidly changing region and important part of history before it’s lost forever.She also wanted a proper adventure. The Ho Chi Minh Trail that most people ride is the modern tarmac friendly version. Few people attempt the original route over the muddy guts of the Truong Son Mountains in Laos. Even fewer trace it south into the wild eastern reaches of Cambodia. Antonia did both; and she did it on her own with nothing more than a 25-year-old shiny pink 125cc Honda Cub, she named the Pink Panther, for company. It’s an incredibly beautiful place, filled with shimmering jungles, limestone mountains and small tribal villages where tourists rarely go. But it’s also marred with tragedy. During the war, the Ho Chi Minh Trail was bombed on average every eight minutes and the scars are still visible today: entire villages made out of war scrap, bomb craters big enough to fit a double-decker bus and, most tragically of all, UXO (unexploded ordinance).As much as 30% of American bombs dropped during the war failed to explode and 40-years later they are still primed and hidden in the thick undergrowth of the forest. To date, UXO along the trail has killed more than 100,000 people, many of them children. This is an incredible adventure story about one of the most difficult motorbike routes on the planet. But it’s also a story about the legacy of the Vietnam War that is still affecting the people who live along the trail today. Are you ready for a wild ride? Let’s go. Highlights include: · Heading out on one of the wildest motorcycle rides on the planet, 2,000 miles through remote jungle, over steep and muddy mountain slopes · Discovering a remote part of South East Asia few travellers get to see, deep in the jungles of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia · Learning about the history of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the most bombed place per capita in the world, and the tragic legacy of the war still affecting people to day · Hearing about Antonia’s close call along the Mondulkiri Death Highway, one of the most dangerous stretches of road on the planet. Let’s just say, it nearly lived up to its name · Being inspired to achieve anything you set your mind to. Antonia chose to do this journey solo to test herself, to prove to herself she could be self-reliant, to see how strong she really was. What she discovered was that if you’re determined enough, if you want something bad enough, you can do anything you set your mind to. Who’s the Guest?Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is a travel author, broadcaster and public speaker with a particular love of wandering alone through remote regions. Her website is www.theitinerant.co.uk and you can find her on twitter and Instagram @antsbk. The full story of this journey is available on audiobook at Audible, and other audio book platforms. www.armchair-explorer.com / @armchairexplorerpodcast. This is episode is sponsored by The Great Courses Plus - head over to www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/armchair for thousands of videos and audio content, for free, for a month. It's like Netflix for your brain.

Last month a fire burned down the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, which had been hugely overcrowded. The cause was arson, but what was the real reason, and who stoked the fire once it was lit? Gabriel Gatehouse has been investigating the blaze, and Europe's dysfunctional migration policy. In Kenya, schools have reopened this week for the first time since March, at least for some year groups. The seven-month closure was to help stop the spread of Covid-19. But how have schools, teachers and students been faring in the meantime? And what's it like being at school now? Anne Soy has been finding out in Nairobi. Hong Kong has been a gateway to China, while enjoying freedoms such as a free press that do not exist on the mainland. But following months of often violent pro-democracy protests, and a new security law imposed by Beijing, the territory's identity is changing. Can it keep its status as a global powerhouse, asks Karishma Vaswani. Arunachal Pradesh, in India’s tribal Northeast, is home to more than 20 tribes – among them the Tibeto-Burman Idu Mishmi, one of the few to have retained their animist beliefs. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent attends a rare Mishmi festival – and learns about the decline of the number of shamans, and a novel solution to the problem. There have been weekly demonstrations, some met with police violence, in Belarus ever since the disputed election in August. Protesters have been calling for the resignation of long-term ruler President Lukashenko. All a long cry from when Ash Bhardwaj went cycling in an ancient forest in the country, on the look-out for a Soviet-era relic - or so he thought. And then he too had a run-in with the KGB.... Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya had nothing to do with politics until recently, and has now become the main opposition candidate for the presidential election in Belarus on the 9th of August. She became a candidate when her husband, a leading opposition leader, was suddenly jailed. Jean Mackenzie was able to meet her, and the other women taking on President Lukashenko who has ruled for 26 years. In Australia, relations with its main trading partner China are the worst they've been for decades, over issues ranging from the coronavirus to tariffs on beef and barley. And Australians of Chinese descent are increasingly becoming the victims of racist abuse. Frances Mao, Chinese-Australian herself, reports from Sydney. Florida has reported a record high daily death toll from Covid-19, and governor Ron DeSantis has been under pressure to toughen up restrictions. There is no state-wide requirement to wear masks, but individual cities like Miami have imposed them. Attitudes to the virus remain quite divided, as Tamara Gil has been discovering in Miami. Laos was neutral in the Vietnam war, but was heavily bombed by the Americans anyway, as their North Vietnamese enemies ran supply routes to American-backed South Vietnam via the country. Unexploded ordinance from that time are blighting lives in Laos decades later, as Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent found out. If a common language divides Britain and America, as they say, then how much more does a separate language divide Britain and France? The single word postilion or postillon in French sheds quite a lot of light on what makes these countries so different, says Hugh Schofield in Paris, who is fluent in both languages. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius

Travel writer and adventurer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent had just returned from months of exploring the jungled hills of remote Nagaland in north-eastern India when the COVID-19 crisis struck. Now she’s in lockdown in Bristol, with plenty of time to reflect on her trip and on the meaning of travel in general. The Naga are a Tibeto-Burman people made up of an estimated 70 tribes whose lands straddle the mountainous border between India and Myanmar. With a unique culture to defend, Naga militants have been involved in a decades-long struggle for independence that has cost an estimated 200,000 Naga lives. But there are most famous, or perhaps I should say notorious, for their traditional enthusiasm for head-hunting. Chris Cummins asked Antonia, or Ants, as she likes to be called, to explain the culture of the head-hunters

Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel and her CDU party have been in the political doldrums in recent years. But as Jenny Hill reports, polls suggest Angela Merkel has risen in popularity thanks to her calm, scientific approach to the coronavirus. The same is true of Bavaria's regional Prime Minister, who has a good chance of succeeding Mrs Merkel. Singapore had been hailed for how it dealt with the coronavirus, but now there is a significant new surge in cases. Karishma Vaswani reveals that the virus has been rapidly spreading in the crowded, government-run dormitories for the thousands of migrant workers the country relies on. Ireland is still trying to form a government after the surprising general election result in February in which Sinn Fein got most first-preference votes. In part this was due to its stance on the country's housing crisis. Chris Bowlby ponders whether reunification with Northern Ireland is now more likely. The most radioactive area near the former Chernobyl nuclear power plant has become a forest wilderness. Monica Whitlock visits two scientists at a research station there, and hears that while there are no other humans, there are nosy wolves and helpful elks. The Naga people of remote northwestern Myanmar live as if forgotten by the outside world. But they have been sent a young teacher by the government. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is taken in by his happy and optimistic nature. He even rigged up a karaoke set with a monk. Presenter: Kate Adie Producer: Arlene Gregorius

The Naga people of north-east India and Myanmar have long been famed for their hunting prowess. In the days of traps and catapults a balance was maintained but the influx of high calibre guns and the arrival of the Chinese Medicine Trade have wiped out much of the jungle wildlife. Tigers and Asian Black Bear are now very rare sights and even deer are increasingly hard to find. Travel writer, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent visits Nagaland to meet the local tribal people who have decided that enough is enough. They've banned hunting around their villages and created their own wildlife refuges. Already the signs are positive, with the revival of the Amur Falcon which was once hunted by the thousand and now nests peacefully in enormous flocks in the forest canopy. Producer: Alasdair Cross

In Brittany there’s been some concern about how the UK’s long goodbye to the European Union will affect it’s fishing fleets. Last weekend France reminded Britain that the UK exports most of its fish production to EU countries. Post-Brexit negotiations about fishing rights, security arrangements and a host of other issues promise to be far from straight forward. But Julia Langdon finds many people in the historic port of St Malo are not that bothered about what’s just happened on the other side of the channel. They have – as it were - other fish to fry. Two guards who worked at a prison in Yaroslavl, north east of Moscow, were jailed last month for abusing an inmate. Despite official claims that Russian penitentiaries are cleaning up their act, prisoners, their relatives and human rights activists tell a very different story. Oleg Boldyrev investigated another recent case. The Naga, a Tibeto-Burman people made up of dozens of different tribes, inhabit the mountainous borderlands of India and Myanmar. Administered by the British from the middle of the 19th century until after WW2, at least 200,000 Naga have since died fighting for an independent homeland. Although an official ceasefire was signed in 1997, there’s still sporadic fighting between the Indian Army and Naga rebel groups. Antonia Bolingbroke Kent sensed the tension in a remote village straddling the Indo-Myanmar border. In a small village in western Cameroon a martial arts academy has become a Mecca for local youth. With a judo area, boxing ring and top quality instructors it is a hive of activity in an otherwise sleepy rural community. Zak Brophy was made to sweat for the story when he visited but as a reward his boxing coach took him to meet his dad. A spate of deadly bear attacks in Romania has raised fears that the number of Europe's largest protected carnivore is getting out of hand. Fatal encounters between bears and humans have become disturbingly common. Many believe the steep increase in the bear population is down to a 2016 ban on trophy hunting by environmentalists. But Jeremy Bristow discovered that the bears are far from the only danger in Romania’s forests.

There's been violence for several days in Barcelona in reaction to the jail sentences handed out on Monday to Catalan separatist leaders. Guy Hedgecoe has been on the streets as demonstrators and riot police clashed. He says there's no end in sight to this deepening conflict. There's a general election in Canada on Monday, and Justin Trudeau is hoping for a second term as prime minister. But the man who was once an emblem of hope and progressiveness has seen his reputation tarnished. Jennifer Chevalier in Ottawa says he's now got a fight on his hands. There was much excitement last week in Ethiopia when it was announced that the prime minister Abiy Ahmed had been awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize. But at home, despite considerable achievements, his popularity has diminished, as Tom Gardner reports from Addis Ababa. Recycling rubbish can be a lucrative industry. But in Romania that’s been made harder by government regulations on private companies. Nick Thorpe has been to find out more. The Svaneti region of north-west Georgia is spectacularly beautiful and home to a particular ethnic group. the Svan. They number only a few thousand and their cultural traditions are under threat. But they are generous hosts. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent drops in for lunch.

On this episode of the LagomMind Podcast we had the pleasure of talking to the inspirational adventurer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent. Antonia's career in adventuring began when a friend asked her to drive a pink Tuk-Tuk from Bangkok to England raising money for MIND. Since then Antonia has been on some amazing adventures like solo motorbike rides through Arunachal Pradesh in northern India and the Ho Chi Min trail. Our conversation with Antonia looked at her adventures and how she got through a period of intense anxiety and panic attacks to get back to exploring the world. It was really lovely to chat to Antonia and if you enjoy this episode you can find more of her work here: Website- http://www.theitinerant.co.uk Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/antsbk/ Twitter- https://twitter.com/antsbk?lang=en

Travel writers Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent and Lois Pryce talk to Julia Wheeler about their extensive solo travels by motorbike in many regions all over the world including India's Arunachal Pradesh, Iran and South America. Hear about their epic adventures and the discoveries they've made as they talk about venturing off the beaten track, banish myths about … Continue reading Solo Motorcycle Adventures: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2019

Travel writers Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent and Lois Pryce talk to Julia Wheeler about their extensive solo travels by motorbike in many regions all over the world including India’s Arunachal Pradesh, Iran and South America. Hear about their epic adventures and the discoveries they’ve made as they talk about venturing off the beaten track, banish myths about … Continue reading Solo Motorcycle Adventures: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2019

There’s something about exploring remote places, especially those which haven’t been overrun by the regular tourist crowds. Connections are made with locals who share their stories and lives. And wild and unknown destinations are discovered. In this episode of ARR, Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent talks about riding the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Vietnam and her motorcycle trip in the far North-East corner of India, in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. Thrilling adventures in far off places. For more go to https://www.adventureriderradio.com.

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent talks to Julia Wheeler about her latest book Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains. A mountainous state clinging to the far north-eastern corner of India, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the world’s least explored places. Travelling some 2,000 miles, Antonia encounters shamans, lamas, hunters, opium farmers, fantastic tribal festivals and little-known stories from the … Continue reading Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent talks to Julia Wheeler about her latest book Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains. A mountainous state clinging to the far north-eastern corner of India, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the world's least explored places. Travelling some 2,000 miles, Antonia encounters shamans, lamas, hunters, opium farmers, fantastic tribal festivals and little-known stories from the … Continue reading Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2018

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is a travel writer, TV producer and director of Edge Expeditions. She’s written three books, penned numerous articles for magazines, set an unlikely Guinness World Record for driving a tuk tuk 12,500 miles from Bangkok to Brighton and filmed in remote locations from Bolivia to Borneo and beyond.  Her latest book, Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains: A Journey Across Arunachal Pradesh – India’s Forgotten Frontier. Show notes Living in Bristol and growing up in Norfolk Being inspired by her parents and her grandmother Family holiday Going straight to University and using her holidays to travel Deciding to drive a tuk tuk from Bangkok to London in 2006 “Ting Tong" the bright pink tuk tuk and raising £50K for the charity MIND Quitting her job, planning the trip, and raising the funds! Getting ill in Bangkok Taking a month to cross China How the trip changed her perceptions of herself Adjusting back to real life after the trip The Ho Chi Minh Trail adventure and how it evolved Loving the history and the research behind the trips Travelling by herself & being terrified The day that stands out in her mind Having a scary day in the Cambodian Jungle… Treating writing like a job Being a self motivated person and being consumed by what she does Her latest book…. Money -how she funds her trips… Getting to the remote parts in India Getting drunk with the nuns! How happy and content the people seemed Her routine while travelling Missing her boyfriend & hot baths while being away Edge Expeditions Future expeditions Wanting to go to Pakistan Advice and tips for travel Talk on 2nd Feb -  London - Destinations Website Social Media Website - http://www.theitinerant.co.uk

Tough Girl Daily PODCAST! Saturday 7th October -  Women in Adventure  #WAExpo  Show notes Alarm goes off at 4.50am! Driving to Bristol with Kat Arriving at the Women in Adventure Expo Catching up with members of the Tribe Check them out - www.womensadventureexpo.co.uk Problems with WEXpo… Too many choices Catching up with Mollie Hughes & Bex Band Open water swimming…. with Alice Gartland Listening to Beth French (Potential future guest!) Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent - great story and new book coming out! Overcoming self limiting beliefs with Anoushe Husain (climber) Catching up with Adelaide, Gemma, Jo, Arry, Squash… Trying to vlog it! Deciding to head home at 5.30! Getting advice…. and not loving it! Home at 10.15pm Did you follow along on instagrm stories? (Follow @toughgirlchallenges) Catching up with women IRL (In Real Life) Too focused? Needing to socialise and make more of an effort to meet people A blog post? (Probably not!) Make sure you subscribe!!! BIG LOVE XX

In our weekly update we travel the world. To Argentina, where Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham worked as gaucho, before he co-founded the Scottish Labour party and later the Scottish National Party, to un-discovered islands with Malachy Tallack and finally to the land of the dawn-lit mountains, India's forgotten frontier, with Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent. For more information and to book your tickets visit http://www.bordersbookfestival.org or call 0844 357 1060.

Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, better known as Ants, is a travel writer, TV producer and world traveler. In her latest book, A Short Ride in the Jungle – The Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorcycle, she tells the story of her 6 week, 2,000 mile journey from Hanoi to Saigon on a 25-year-old Honda Cub motorbike named […] The post Ho Chi Minh Trail by Motorbike with Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent : TPZ 106 appeared first on The Pursuit Zone.

Libby Purves meets Barry and Bob Cryer; violin maker Florian Leonhard; adventurer Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent and choirmaster Andrew Gant. Father and son Barry and Bob Cryer have co-written a new show, Mrs Hudson's Christmas Corker. Set in the kitchen of 221b Baker Street, the Christmas special reveals what really happens below stairs at the home of Sherlock Holmes. Veteran comedy writer and performer, Barry is a regular on Radio 4's I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Bob is a writer and actor who has appeared in TV shows such as The Bill and Outnumbered. Mrs Hudson's Christmas Corker is at Wilton's Music Hall, East London. Florian Leonhard is a violin maker, restorer and dealer. He matches soloists with violins, mentors young talent and advises artists such as Julian Lloyd Webber. He trained at the prestigious Mittenwald violin school in Germany and has been making and restoring fine violins since he was 18. Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent is a travel writer and adventurer. She is presenting a talk at the Adventure Travel Show about her two month motorcycle trip along the Ho Chi Minh trail. Her other exploits include riding from Thailand to Brighton in a pink tuk-tuk; organising the world's longest horse race in Mongolia and surviving an attempt to reach the Arctic Circle on an old Russian Ural motorcycle with sidecar. Antonia is at The Adventure Travel Show, Olympia. Andrew Gant is a musician, writer, choirmaster and composer. His book, Christmas Carols: From Village Green to Church Choir, reveals the stories behind 22 Christmas carols. He lectures music at the University of Oxford and led Her Majesty's Chapel Royal choir at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Christmas Carols: From Village Green to Church Choir is published by Profile Books. Producer: Paula McGinley.

Richard Coles and Aasmah Mir are joined by TV presenter and novelist Fern Britton. Tom Hart Dyke recalls his traumatic kidnap experience in the jungles of Colombia and how it led to the creation of a world garden, Gary Enstone relishes his job as a conservator of Kipling's old home and Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent explains why she rode the Ho Chi Minh Trail alone on a pink motorbike. Jimmy Osmond chooses his inheritance tracks, JP meets an Abba super-fan and a bunch of city lawyers get down and dirty in their office roof-top allotment.Fern Britton reveals her passion for gardening as 'The Big Allotment Challenge' begins on BBC 2 and the accompanying book is published. She talks about her life as a writer and her love of Cornwall as her fourth novel, 'A Seaside Affair' is out on April 24th.Tom Hart Dyke's book about his kidnap and the idea to create a world garden at his ancestral home Lullingstone Castle is 'The Cloud Garden'. Lullingstone Castle has just opened for the summer season. Gary Enstone, as House Steward and conservator at Bateman's in East Sussex explains how dust, water, and 10,000 visitors a year can play havoc with historic properties if not meticulously tended, and why he likes to taste the dust. Bateman's is open all year round.Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent says the biggest challenge on her two thousand mile motor-bike ride through Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia was going it alone.JP Devlin meets Abba super-fan, Jason Tuazon-McCheyne from Melbourne, and Jimmy Osmond, chooses his Inheritance Tracks - Moon River by Andy Williams and 'He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother' by The Osmonds, reflecting how close he is both to his siblings and his four children.Producer: Dilly Barlow.