Boat of Garten traveller who got hall talks rolling comes full circle
Boat of Garten winter talks founder Chris Carter will come full circle - on his bike travels - this evening.
He will be delivering the final Boat Talks of the winter session at the village hall.
Mr Carter will recount his unforgettable journey cycling through Vietnam and Cambodia, exploring vibrant cultures, stunning landscapes and poignant history.
He gave the very first Boat Talk 21 years ago to help raise funds for the then proposed hall venue.
Mr Carter will take his audience through the highlights of his cycling adventure from the temples of Ho Chi Minh City to the breathtaking Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
Along the way, he will share stories of local cultures, the aftermath of the Vietnam War and the legacy of the Khmer Rouge regime.
The overall length of the trip - part of a group of 15 - was 15 days with 10 of those in the saddle.
Boat Talks spokesman Mike Martin said: “This is a truly special finale event - come celebrate an incredible journey and Chris’s 28 years of involvement with the Boat of Garten community.
“This talk will bring us ‘full circle’ and almost back to where it all started with Chris and his travels.”
Mr Carter is a geography graduate of Birmingham and Glasgow universities. He first visited Boat of Garten in 1964 and has now lived here for nearly 28 years.
In 2003 he offered to give four talks on some of his travelling experiences in an effort to help raise money for the then proposed new community hall.
The first of the four talks was “A walk to the bottom of the Grand Canyon”.
Little did he think, at the time, that he would continue organising talks - and giving over 20 himself.
‘Cycling in Vietnam and Cambodia: Mekong Delta to Angkor Wat’ is this evening (Monday) starting at 7.30pm at Boat of Garten Community Hall. Entry is £6 and under-16s are free with an adult.
