Comments for That Emily Chappell http://thatemilychappell.com A cycle courier takes on the world Tue, 14 May 2013 20:58:30 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on We, the disposable by Cudzoziemiec http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/05/we-the-disposable/#comment-8059 Cudzoziemiec Tue, 14 May 2013 20:58:30 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2788#comment-8059 The flipside of being moved on from privately owned public space is just down the road from where I am (yeah, where you ate all those cakes, remember!) in Turbo Island. I don't know who named it that but it's a triangle of grass and concrete at the junction of Stokes Croft and Jamaica St in central Bristol. Because it's private property (it obviously used to be a house, though now there's only a billboard fixed to the end wall of the next building and a mural behind it depicting - true fact - my son's schoolfriend, though not in a recognisable form!) the local drunks are legally able to sit there intoxicated, though in practice they usually sit on the wall - could be a legal edge case there (sorry!). But the whole area is more scruffy bus station than Google-client bistro anyway, which is doubtless why it survives in this form. The flipside of being moved on from privately owned public space is just down the road from where I am (yeah, where you ate all those cakes, remember!) in Turbo Island. I don’t know who named it that but it’s a triangle of grass and concrete at the junction of Stokes Croft and Jamaica St in central Bristol. Because it’s private property (it obviously used to be a house, though now there’s only a billboard fixed to the end wall of the next building and a mural behind it depicting – true fact – my son’s schoolfriend, though not in a recognisable form!) the local drunks are legally able to sit there intoxicated, though in practice they usually sit on the wall – could be a legal edge case there (sorry!). But the whole area is more scruffy bus station than Google-client bistro anyway, which is doubtless why it survives in this form.

]]> Comment on We, the disposable by Susie Alexander http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/05/we-the-disposable/#comment-8026 Susie Alexander Mon, 13 May 2013 20:14:42 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2788#comment-8026 I think, but obviously it's only my opinion, that we're ALL disposable and we're all in the position where we are uniquely forgettable. I work in social care, where we euphemistically call some deaths 'lonely'. By which, take it that we mean people who die and whose death goes either unremarked by people to claim the body, or whose death goes unnoticed for days and sometimes weeks. Those deaths are not the preserve of just the poor - often those deaths are of people who are by all accounts 'well to do' or middle class, socially reasonably active people, but who just aren't CLOSE to anyone. Where is appropriate, if we can't get our concern for our neighbours right in a Council Block or a Mansion flat block, or the street where each of us live? I think, but obviously it’s only my opinion, that we’re ALL disposable and we’re all in the position where we are uniquely forgettable. I work in social care, where we euphemistically call some deaths ‘lonely’. By which, take it that we mean people who die and whose death goes either unremarked by people to claim the body, or whose death goes unnoticed for days and sometimes weeks.
Those deaths are not the preserve of just the poor – often those deaths are of people who are by all accounts ‘well to do’ or middle class, socially reasonably active people, but who just aren’t CLOSE to anyone.
Where is appropriate, if we can’t get our concern for our neighbours right in a Council Block or a Mansion flat block, or the street where each of us live?

]]> Comment on Revisions by Emily Chappell http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/revisions/#comment-7964 Emily Chappell Sat, 11 May 2013 10:23:37 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2764#comment-7964 Thanks for your comment. In response to your questions: 1. I manage my safety the same as I would anywhere else - by being aware of the dangers, and by avoiding high-risk situations. Most of the time travelling alone isn't any more inherently dangerous than staying at home - in fact, sometimes it's safer, because everyone assumes a solo female is particularly vulnerable, and wants to protect and help her. I know of male cyclists who've been robbed and beaten up, and female cyclists who have come to grief even when travelling with their husband or boyfriend. So far I've been fine, and fear and danger have been a much smaller part of my experience than I assumed before I left. 2. I don't often take flights or stay in hotels, and I tend to just go for the cheapest option, whatever I'm doing. I used an agency to apply for my Iran visa (it's compulsory), and the rest of the time I manage things myself, and get information from travellers' forums, other people's blogs, etc. 3. Internet connections are surprisingly frequent these days! I'm also able to email from my Kindle, which has been extremely useful. Most of the time I just have to be organized, and make sure I sort out all my admin on my days off, so that I can enjoy myself when I'm on the road, but occasionally I've had to ask friends or family to sort something out for me, if I can't get to a computer for a while. Thanks for your comment. In response to your questions:

1. I manage my safety the same as I would anywhere else – by being aware of the dangers, and by avoiding high-risk situations. Most of the time travelling alone isn’t any more inherently dangerous than staying at home – in fact, sometimes it’s safer, because everyone assumes a solo female is particularly vulnerable, and wants to protect and help her. I know of male cyclists who’ve been robbed and beaten up, and female cyclists who have come to grief even when travelling with their husband or boyfriend. So far I’ve been fine, and fear and danger have been a much smaller part of my experience than I assumed before I left.

2. I don’t often take flights or stay in hotels, and I tend to just go for the cheapest option, whatever I’m doing. I used an agency to apply for my Iran visa (it’s compulsory), and the rest of the time I manage things myself, and get information from travellers’ forums, other people’s blogs, etc.

3. Internet connections are surprisingly frequent these days! I’m also able to email from my Kindle, which has been extremely useful. Most of the time I just have to be organized, and make sure I sort out all my admin on my days off, so that I can enjoy myself when I’m on the road, but occasionally I’ve had to ask friends or family to sort something out for me, if I can’t get to a computer for a while.

]]> Comment on Observations by James http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/observations/#comment-7917 James Thu, 09 May 2013 15:50:51 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2779#comment-7917 Inspiring :-) Inspiring :-)

]]> Comment on Revisions by Ted http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/revisions/#comment-7814 Ted Mon, 06 May 2013 08:18:44 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2764#comment-7814 Hi, I just found your blog. Its amazing what you have been achieving. You are an inspiration. I have so many questions for you! Hopefully if you write a book with your experiences many of those questions will be answered. However, I was wondering about a couple of things: how do you manage issues such as safety? you are, after all, a woman travelling solo in some dangerous parts of the world. The other is question is, do you have a particular airline or agency you book your flights or hotels with to make your life easier? I mean like Travel Republic or similar? how do you manage to arrange so many things when you are far from home and in places with hardly any internet connections? I hope you recover soon. Looking forward to reading more posts about the UK Hi, I just found your blog. Its amazing what you have been achieving. You are an inspiration. I have so many questions for you! Hopefully if you write a book with your experiences many of those questions will be answered. However, I was wondering about a couple of things: how do you manage issues such as safety? you are, after all, a woman travelling solo in some dangerous parts of the world. The other is question is, do you have a particular airline or agency you book your flights or hotels with to make your life easier? I mean like Travel Republic or similar? how do you manage to arrange so many things when you are far from home and in places with hardly any internet connections?
I hope you recover soon. Looking forward to reading more posts about the UK

]]> Comment on Observations by Kathy Gabriel http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/observations/#comment-7730 Kathy Gabriel Thu, 02 May 2013 18:22:40 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2779#comment-7730 Great catching up with you again Emily ! Ride away and hide away when you like, but you'll be back and so will I! :) Take care now ... Great catching up with you again Emily !
Ride away and hide away when you like, but you’ll be back and so will I! :)

Take care now …

]]> Comment on Observations by zero http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/observations/#comment-7719 zero Thu, 02 May 2013 07:03:12 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2779#comment-7719 "continual aghastment " - it's a struggle, I know. “continual aghastment ” – it’s a struggle, I know.

]]> Comment on Observations by Terr http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/observations/#comment-7681 Terr Tue, 30 Apr 2013 18:52:30 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2779#comment-7681 It's been a while since I've read your blog but today, after uni, I ventured over to Soho for a wander and saw someone who looked strikingly similar to that Emily Chappell sitting outside Rapha. Of course the first thing I do when I get home is hop online and check up on your blog. Nice to see you are still doing what you love. :) It’s been a while since I’ve read your blog but today, after uni, I ventured over to Soho for a wander and saw someone who looked strikingly similar to that Emily Chappell sitting outside Rapha. Of course the first thing I do when I get home is hop online and check up on your blog. Nice to see you are still doing what you love. :)

]]> Comment on Back in my (dis)comfort zone by Tom Allen http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/back-in-my-discomfort-zone/#comment-7644 Tom Allen Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:37:06 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2770#comment-7644 I absolutely love your blog — as a reader because it's a joy to digest, and as a writer because it reminds me how far I still have to go... I absolutely love your blog — as a reader because it’s a joy to digest, and as a writer because it reminds me how far I still have to go…

]]> Comment on Observations by jacqueline http://thatemilychappell.com/2013/04/observations/#comment-7639 jacqueline Mon, 29 Apr 2013 08:12:08 +0000 http://thatemilychappell.com/?p=2779#comment-7639 Hi Emily, good to read your thoughts on visibility, it reminds me of insoiring the facebooksite fearless, you might want to add a great visual? http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151168726207653.437898.12053182652&type=1 Hi Emily,
good to read your thoughts on visibility, it reminds me of insoiring the facebooksite fearless, you might want to add a great visual?
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151168726207653.437898.12053182652&type=1

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