Digby's Journal
Gasoline, Grit and the Great Escape
Field notes, reflections, and insights gathered over decades of exploring Asia’s backroads. Browse our motorcycle touring journal and see where the trail has taken us.
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UXO in Laos remains a major hazard after extensive bombing. Around 80 million unexploded devices still impact land use, agriculture, and daily safety across the country.
The benefits of joining a motorcycle tour include reduced planning stress, supported routes into remote regions and more time spent riding instead of managing logistics.
One of the world’s most popular shows teamed up with Explore Indochina to make TV magic. Top Gear: Vietnam Special was absolutely legendary.
The most heavily bombed areas of the Ho Chi Minh Trail include Mu Gia Pass, Phanop Valley and Ban Laboy Ford. Dense karst terrain concentrated strikes into confined target zones.
We've spent more than 20 years exploring and the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos, and have compiled this set of images comparing what it looked like then with now.
Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation is a Hanoi-based charity. It helps children escape slavery and forced labour, and provides housing, employment and education.
Cluster bombs, shell casings, and original cobblestoned sections of the Ho Chi Minh Trail can still be seen in Laos. Explore our massive Ho Chi Minh Trail image gallery.
Since its foundation in 1996, COPE Laos has assisted thousands of people with mobility-related problems, including UXO (unexploded ordinance) survivors.
For Gordon's Great Escape, great Gordon Ramsay cooked up a storm, was polite as a bluebell, and wanted to buy our 650cc Ural motorcycle.