After recent scandals in China and constant flip-flopping by decision-makers in India, is trade with Asia really worth the hassle?

Richard starts off his 2012 speaking tour next month with a thought-provoking lecture date in Coventry. Go here if you want to book him for an event near you.

Here's a great set of pix to get the new year under way for all travel fans. Called 'Amazing Paths' go here for some of the most spectacular highways and walkways you have ever seen. We don't know who to credit with capturing such a spectacular set of images, but we do want to thank Paquita for sending them to us. Visit her site here www.discover-interesting-places.com

More details of the India trip announced go here [Powerpoint]

Richard is off on another adventure in the New Year. With a former Indian Air Force pilot, he plans to lead an Indo-British team on an expedition across India raising international attention to the plight of the tiger. Estimates say only 3200 are left in the world with the majority in India. For more info go here

Never let it be said that we shy away from any aspect of travel - even the less savoury ones. This piece, entitled Poo, Pills and Parasites, comes from a friend who calls himself The Unorthodoc and gives some not-so-obvious health tips for global travellers Go here

How appropriate! This year's prestigious international conference in driver behaviour is to be held in Paris, home of the Rue Peripherique, one of the busiest and most dangerous roads in Europe, it has been announced. Go to www.icdbt.com

Daniel Noll and Audrey Scott are two American kids, turned mid-career professionals, turned travel junkies. More than four years and 65 countries ago, they began travelling the world and they're still going...and still married. Richard was fortunate to meet them in Turkmenistan. Their travelog is up there with the very best for anyone bitten by the wanderlust bug. Read more...

Strapped for cash, Richard decides to put his unique collection of automobilia from the record-setting first crossing of the new Asian Highway up for sale. Go here for catalogue www.mercurybooks.co.uk/AHDcatalog and a Press Release.

Early birds. Among this New Year's first road trippers are Yang Jia and Anand Vassappanavara who set off from Kuala Lumpur to Delhi in a two-year-old Toyota Vios simply, they said, to highlight the improving cultural ties across six countries along Asia's 'friendship highway'. Wish you were there? Then catch the amazing photoblog of Adam Lai - Go Here

High-speed trains are in the news. After frenetic efforts to join up 'missing' sections of the Asian Highway network between East and West, now China is pumping $billions into improving its rail connections with the 'Stans of central Asia and then through Iran towards the Med. It predicts a two-day journey for the 5000-miles between Beijing and London within the next decade.

All forms of travel get featured on this site - cars, boats, bikes, and now planes. We love this YouTube vid on the pitfalls of flying with one of those cut-price, no-frills (or should that be no thrills?) airlines. See if you agree go here

Saddle sore: Brighton UK enjoyed its fifth annual World Naked Bike Ride in June in protest against oil dependency and in celebration of cycling and the human body. A friend who attended reckoned there were about 1000 entrants 'tho his inspection to assess male or female numbers was inconclusive. Go here for a pic

Every eight minutes one person dies in a road accident in India, and 10 are injured. For those of us who have driven there, the figures are not surprising - but truly alarming nonetheless. India overtook China as top of the world in road fatalities in 2006 and continues to pull ahead. But what's being done about it? Go here

This year's Newport Muster, an annual walking event in Richard's home town that raises thousands of £'s for charity, is to be held on Saturday, September 11, it is announced. Go here for more info - http://www.newportmuster.org

Richard is asked to advise a team planning to traverse the Pan-American highway by electric car!

The 11-man team of (mostly) engineering students from Imperial College, London, want to tackle the often-treacherous route from Pategonia to Alaska in a modified 'Radical' car from Peterborough next May. Go here: www.racinggreenendurance.com

US President Barack Obama has banned text messaging among the Federal Government's near three million civilian employees while driving on official business or while using Government-supplied equipment.

His edict comes after recent deadly crashes involving drivers distracted by text messaging in the UK. It's a growing danger on our roads, according to Dr Will Murray, research director of Interactive Driving Systems MORE

Shake the tree hard enough and even the most obstinate apples will start to fall...

As the anniversary of Richard and Phil's historic drive across the new Asian Highway draws near, news has arrived that China's government is finally putting in some effort to reduce its horrendous toll of road deaths... MORE

Personal appearance diary of signing and speaking events for the coming year have been posted. MORE

Planning begins for the 'Newport Muster' a major charity event to be held in September. MORE

Move over Schumi: Feedback from reviewers of my new book 'DRIVEN TOGETHER' has ranged from almost praiseworthy (highly unusual from journalists!) to downright jealousy. The book raises serious issues about international travel and poor driving standards - especially in Asia - as well as the glamour of powering halfway across the world in an Aston Martin. But one question seems on all of their lips: Did it make you feel like James Bond? Here is my answer... MORE

Citizen Newspapers begin 4-part series by Richard on secret wartime work by Bond author Ian Fleming with Bletchley Park code-breakers. Click Here for a personal view of Part One.

Publishers announce full-length book of the Asian Highway journey will be available by end November. Here is what they are saying:
"This far-reaching and thought-provoking book weaves in their first-hand account of an historic journey with a glimpse into the future that is of profound importance to us all."
"How appropriate they should drive it in an Aston, it is almost the stuff of James Bond himself with back-handers in cash and women in foreign hotel bedrooms."
The event has so far raised more than £80,000 for UNICEF to help save young lives on the roads of China. July 2008

Asian Drive operational team nominated in Prince Michael's international road safety awards for 'improving public education'. Results scheduled December. www.roadsafe.com

"Make Roads Safe" campaign hails victory as UN General Assembly agrees to call first-ever global conference on Road Safety. Agenda will demand action plan and finance from international community. To be held in Russia next year.

Charity proceeds of 83,000 euros from the Asian Highway trip were presented to UNICEF at twin ceremonies in the UK and China. The money will help educate parents, community leaders and school children on road safety issues in Beijing and three eastern provinces. MORE

The record-breaking Aston Martin was sold at auction at Bonhams for £34,000 - with all proceeds going towards efforts by the China office of UNICEF in saving young lives on the roads.

Aston Martin - Driving Home Road Safety 2007 Richard and travel specialist Phil are to set off on the 25th June from Tokyo driving to London in a journey to promote the UN-backed Road Safety Is No Accident and the Make Roads Safe campaigns across the new Asian Highway. The achievement was marked with a civic award presentation in September. MORE

There was a song on one of those 'golden oldie' shows the other day that went something like this: "Keep your eyes on your driving, keep your hands on the wheel, and keep your snoopy eyes on the road ahead". Now OK, I'm no Jack Kerouac, but when I go travelling I certainly do a lot of it by road. Car, bus, truck, tuk-tuk; you name it. So I care a lot about what happens on the highway. And right now I don't much like what I see (or, rather, what I don't see). MORE

It could only happen in Denmark ... or could it? The Road Safety Council in Copenhagen has come up with a brilliant way of making motorists think hard about keeping their speed down (Mmm, well at least the male half of the population).
They've launched a spoof news bulletin showing how topless models jiggling their bits can get men to drive more slowly. You betcha! Go here to catch some nifty pix of a couple of great danes on the move: Click here.
Enjoy the ride!

Street-life danger in Bangkok. As all travellers know, the Thai capital of Bangkok is famous for its ..er ..colourful street-life. But there's another kind of traffic in town these days that isn't so appealing... MORE

So you think your roads are bad? Well try India's. After a short trip to the land of maharajas, Goa, call-centre mania and a squillion look-alike Mohatma Gandhis, I am this week safely back in the UK, but still trembling. Here's why: MORE

Kim Woo-choong, founder of the Daewoo Group of companies in South Korea is taken from court to hospital with heart and severe medical problems. He has just been sentenced to 10 years in jail and fined $22.6m for fraud and illegal financing (later reduced on appeal). MORE