Roger Gilboy is travelling the silk road, the ancient trading route from China across some 17 countries to Eastern Europe, in aid of Sobell House Hospice Charity.

In February 2006, Gilboy set off on an eight-month journey from Beijing, China, to retrace the silk road across Central Asia and the Middle East to Italy.

As the 'silk road' is a series of roads traversing the continent, this journey will be a hybrid of these roads, he says. Some of the highlights will be crossing deserts, mountain ranges and glaciers, witnessing man’s impact on and adaptability to the environment, archaeology from past civilizations, and modern monuments.