Episode 174: Helen Watson

Glasgow to China via the Silk Road

In 2009 Helen Watson and her husband Ed did something that most people would never even consider. They got married and instead of booking a honeymoon to a resort, they clipped into their pedals in Glasgow and cycled east. Fifteen thousand kilometres east to be precise. Their route took them through countries such as Syria, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and into western China. They were following the ancient Silk Road through countries the western media at the time was calling the Axis of Evil at the time.

Helen’s reason behind the journey wasn’t not purely adventure for adventure’s sake. Rather, Helen and Ed wanted to see the world beyond the headlines. They wanted to ride slowly through the countries, observe the culture and drink tea with strangers. To see the world for what it was and figure out for themselves what life actually looked like in places the news had already decided were dangerous and unknowable.

Once they made it to China it was eventually time to come home. Sadly, within months of their return, the places they had ridden through started burning. The Arab Spring took hold and Syria descended into civil war. Cities Helen had eaten dinner in, asked directions in, been invited into homes in, were suddenly appearing on the news in ways that were almost unrecognisable.

Initially Helen had started to write out her book about her journey. But reeling from what was occurring, she initially couldn’t see the point. Who would want to read about places that no longer existed the way she had known them?

Helen admitted she fell into depression. Eventually, what pulled her through was taking action and she got involved in the campaign to bring more refugees to the UK. Eventually she helped sponsor the first Syrian family into Scotland through the country’s brand new community sponsorship scheme. Every cup of tea received on the road, being paid forward in the most tangible way possible for her.

I’m glad to say that eventually Helen did write the book. It’s called Tea and Grit: A Bicycle Journey Along the Silk Road. I definitely encourage you to seek it out, read it and then come back and listen to the episode.

The Seek Travel Ride podcast