The PsychloTherapists

The PsychloTherapists

Mark & Jutta Brayne's Blog

  • Home
  • Blog
    • Cycling
      • Danube Tandem 2018
      • BalticTandem2017
      • eBikes France 2017
      • Tour Aotearoa 2016
      • New Zealand South-North 2012
      • Cirencester-Budapest and Back 2008
    • Aspergers
    • Miscellaneous Musings
    • Climate Change
    • New Zealand
    • Canals
    • Media/Journalism
  • The BBC Past
    • Old BBC Radio Features
      • Past Features and Recordings
      • Selection of China Features ’84-’86
        • Biking in Peking 1984
        • Birding in Peking 1985
        • Wham! in Peking 1985
        • Tibet Spring 1985
        • Xinjiang Features, Spring 1986
        • Peking’s English Corner
      • Yugoslavia Autumn 1988
      • What Happened to the Revolution – Romania 1991
  • Climate Change
    • Journalism and Climate Change – a wake-up call
    • Climate Reflections from Aotearoa/New Zealand…
    • Therapy Today on Climate Change
  • Barbershop
  • Contact
  • 1000km down the Danube

    Great 1000-km tandem trip just concluded into Budapest from Regensburg, through 12 days of baking Central European heat down the shockingly dry and low Danube (climate change, anyone?) and with warmest thanks to stoker Jutta on the back and steed Daisy below. Both arriving in rudest of health, though one of the two did need…

    mbrayne

    August 18, 2018
    2018 Danube Tandem, Cycling
  • Musings on Russia, 45 years on.

    To say that Russia and the ex-Soviet space is complicated (think war journalist Arkady Babchenko, whose back-from-the-dead story unfolded during our spring 2018 trip here) is something of an understatement. As we’ve travelled (not by bike this time), we’ve of course been aware and on occasion reminded of unpleasant undercurrents that remain, both Soviet and…

    mbrayne

    June 4, 2018
    Media/Journalism, Miscellaneous Musings, Russia
  • BBC Response to my Complaint over Humphrys Today interview with Blair on Brexit

    Rather than posting the full story on Facebook, here’s the concluding exchange BBC’s response to my complaint last month over John Humphrys’ interview with Tony Blair over Brexit. First their response, then my response to their response, then my original (3rd in this series) complaint. 9 February 2018 Dear Mr Brayne, Today, Radio 4, 4…

    mbrayne

    February 15, 2018
    Media/Journalism
  • Daisy’s home, fully resprayed and refurbished, with a tough new Rohloff.

    mbrayne

    January 6, 2018
    Cycling
  • Riga to Tallinn (almost) – five days and 466km

    After three weeks on the road with Daisy our tandem, from Warsaw through Kaliningrad (didn’t see any Iskanders, but BIG Russian manoeuvres about to happen) and Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia (saw three British NATO trucks, seriously intimidating if you’re a Russian), we’re almost there. Mileage to be confirmed, and a selection of Riga-Tallinn photos below,…

    mbrayne

    August 28, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
  • Inside Soviet Spy Centre in Latvia.

    105 km yesterday from Koldava to Riga airport, whence we cheated and hired a car today to visit the fascinating former Soviet Cold War eavesdropping station at Irbene – once so secret that from its inception in the mid-60s right through to 1989, the Americans had no idea it was there. And yet, it was…

    mbrayne

    August 23, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
  • Klaipeda, Lithuania, to Kandava, Latvia, 310km

    This from deepest Latvia, with 320km further on the clock in last three days, from Klaipeda (Lithuania) to Kandava just short of Riga. (Route here. ) Photos below (with captions) speak of Europe’s longest (definitely not highest) waterfall, in Kuldiga; of truly beautiful Baltic coastline; of old stately homes; local pride at being member of…

    mbrayne

    August 22, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
  • Kaliningrad to Klaipeda – 220km or so in 2 days.

    Kaliningrad to Klaipeda – 220km or so in 2 days.

    Blimey – having an interesting time on FB in Klaipeda putting photos into an album and creating and ordinary post. Looks a right mess at this end, and probably even worse at yours. Pouring with rain outside with 800km ahead of us to Tartu in Estonia, where we’re now thinking of taking a train for…

    mbrayne

    August 19, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
  • Leaving Kaliningrad – with mixed feelings.

    As old Soviet hands (Jutta and I did after all first meet in Moscow 43 years ago in 1974 when we were both working there), we head out of Kaliningrad/Koenigsberg towards EU-member Lithuania today with mixed feelings. The Russians we’ve met here since crossing on Daisy from Poland five days ago, have been unfailingly kind…

    mbrayne

    August 17, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
  • Grom Gusev to Kaliningrad through Friedland – with added Napoleon surprise

    Here’s our route over the past two days from Gusev/Gumbinnen to Kaliningrad/Koenigsberg – and a mighty interesting one it was too. https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/embed/1918353884 178 km, average moving speed of 14.7 kph, and a completely delightful overnight stay (after late-evening thunder run to nearly 10pm) at new private Amelia Hotel in Pravdinsk (terrible name), formerly Friedland. Hugely…

    mbrayne

    August 16, 2017
    BalticTandem2017, Cycling
←Previous Page
1 2 3 4 … 24
Next Page→

Blog at WordPress.com.

  • Follow Following
    • The PsychloTherapists
    • Join 41 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • The PsychloTherapists
    • Edit Site
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar