Five Thousand Kilometres Through France

In the trail of the Young Lawrence of Arabia

THis Project

This project - Five Thousand Kilometres through France - in the trail of the young Lawrence of Arabia - is a piece of contemporary travel writing, which retraces the cycle journeys made by the young TE Lawrence and uses the lens of his letters home and some of his original photographs to look at the France of today. It revisits many of the places mentioned by Lawrence and refers to his thoughts and impressions. Ultimately though, it is about a cycle journey through France as seen through the eyes of a British travel writer, James Henderson, in the 21st Century.

Where TE Lawrence sent postcards and Sunday letters home to his family, I post journals and reviews from my cycle trips to give snapshots of travelling in France; I write reviews of hotels and of restaurants and sites that I visit. I post on Twitter, Facebook and occasionally Linkedin. And for the intellectually bereft I post photos on instagram.

There are of course references to the young Lawrence’s journeys and I highlight - literally, in blue text - any mentions in his letters showing his interest in physical endurance and his cycling.

But how far do you take a thing like this, for authenticity’s sake? Should I have become a vegetarian, like Lawrence…? And given up wine with my meals..? In France? You’re joking… Perhaps I should have ridden a three-speed sit up and beg bicycle made of steel while dressed in plus 4s and brogues? No, that was for his age, and it’s certainly not me. Besides I ride a lovely titanium touring bike, made by J.Laverack, see link below, and for comfort’s sake, I am quite prepared to wear lycra.