The Travel Diaries

On today’s episode I’m joined by Mr Blue Eyes himself, our favourite judge from the Great British Bake Off, and making a very rare podcast appearance, I’m thrilled to be joined by Paul Hollywood.Paul began his career as a baker, quickly ascending to become Head Baker in some of the world’s most exclusive hotels. His talent caught the eye of TV producers who snapped him up for cooking shows and before long, he was cast as a judge on one of TV’s most successful shows of all time - the Great British Bake Off. Paul has taken part in every season of the show and when he isn’t filming he’s most likely working on other TV series that combine his two loves - food and travel, and he has travelled the world over.He’s probably the guest this season that a lot of you have been most curious about, maybe because of his tough love and penetrating stare on the Bake Off. As you’ll here, Paul was an absolute delight, very unaffected and genuine, and clearly really passionate about travel. I really enjoyed this one and I hope you will too. So let’s get started. Destination Recap:MexicoEnsenada, Mexico Baja, Mexico Chablé Yucatán, Chocholá, Mexico Conwy, North WalesIbiza, SpainSt Lawrence Gap, BarbadosCliveden, Hampshire, EnglandLondon, EnglandCyprusAnnabelle Hotel, CyprusAnassa Hotel, CyprusJerusalem, IsraelRome, ItalyThe Great British Bake Off Tent, EnglandCafes near the Coliseum, Rome, ItalyVerbier, SwitzerlandCasablanca, Morocco AustraliaNew ZealandBAKE by Paul Hollywood, published by Bloomsbury on 9 June 2022 (£26.00 RRP, Hardback)With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today. Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas - The resort is currently offering 30% off with a Best of Maldives offer, which includes a complimentary four course lunch in SEA for stays of four to seven nights and a complimentary manta ray snorkelling or dolphin cruise for stays over 8 nights, available for stays until 23 December. Head to anantara.com or check out @anantarakihavah on Instagram to find out more. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by one of the world’s most successful adventure and nature photographers, Chris Burkard. Nearly 4 million people follow Chris’s work throughout the year on Instagram as he travels to some of the world’s most remote destinations and extreme environments, often requiring Chris to take on immense challenges to capture his work. His stories inspire us to consider our relationship with nature, and the importance of the preservation of wild places everywhere. His travel diaries take us from Greenland to the Kuril Islands, and from remote Iceland to the beaches of California, with some great photographs tips at the end, too. Destination RecapPismo Beach, California, USAYosemite, California, USAIcelandKuril IslandsÍsafjörður, IcelandGreenlandNicaraguaLake Baikal, RussiaMongoliaFaroe IslandsSvalbardChris' new book, Wayward, is out now.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today. CV Villas - Book your dream villa holiday at CVVillas.comIf you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by Raven Smith, the best-selling author and Vogue columnist who’s been hailed as the funniest man on Instagram and dubbed London’s fashion world philosopher. His first book, Raven Smith’s Trivial Pursuits, captured readers as a witty and irreverent guide to modern life and he’s back with a new book, part memoir part commentary on masculinity, called Raven Smith’s Men.As you’ll soon hear, Raven is also an avid traveller and has written for numerous travel titles about his experiences around the world. He takes us from the pyramids of Egypt to the nightclubs of New York, from Greek island tavernas to the hidden beaches of Barbados, with lots of laughs along the way.So fasten your seatbelts and let’s get started. Destination Recap:Crete, GreeceKos, GreeceMilos, GreeceO Hamos, Milos, GreeceBrighton, EnglandBarbadosJapanSea-U Guesthouse, Barbados Berlin, GermanyCairo, EgyptAdrére Amellal, Siwa, EgyptOld Cataract Hotel, Aswan, EgyptL'Avant Comptoir de la Mer, Paris, FranceBrasserie Zedel, London, England Rochelle Canteen, London, England Quo Vadis, London, England Duck Soup, London, England CubaFinca Paradisa, CubaHawaii, USAThat was the fabulous Raven Smith. His new book Raven Smith’s Men is out now. With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today. Airbnb - Whether you’re looking to live anywhere, or become a Host yourself, visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is one of the UK’s most loved chefs, Gennaro Contaldo. A key player in bringing his native Italian cuisine to British shores over recent decades, Gennaro’s written over a dozen best-selling Italian cookbooks and is the mentor to his protege Jamie Oliver, who credits Gennaro with teaching him everything he knows about Italian cooking, and Gennaro calls him his sixth child. You’ll have seen on numerous TV shows with Jamie, on Saturday Kitchen and on Two Greedy Italians, with the late great Antonio Carluccio. This episode is a real love letter to Gennaro’s homeland of Italy, bringing to life with such passion destinations like the Amalfi coast, Puglia, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands. So, fasten your seatbelts, and let’s get started.Destination Recap:Minori, Amalfi Coast, ItalyMonte Gargano, Puglia, Italy Monte Sant'Angelo, Italy: Saint Michael's CaveSalina, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalyCatania, Sicily, ItalyStromboli, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, ItalyLipari, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy Signum Hotel, Aeolian Islands, Sicily, Italy Naples, ItalyIndia Gennaro is an ambassador for Citalia and his latest recipe book Gennaro’s Limoni: Vibrant Italian recipes celebrating the lemon is out now.With thanks to…Clinique UK - Discover Clinique at World Duty Free today. Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialistsVilla D’Este Hotel - Experience one of Europe’s grandest hotels, on the shores of Lake Como in Italy, for its 150th season. Visit villadeste.com to find out more.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Stanley Tucci and Raymond Blanc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re being transported to an island paradise. An archipelago of nearly 700 coral islands, 100,000 square miles of the world’s clearest turquoise ocean, secret sandbars, private coves, secluded pink sand beaches, and undisturbed wildlife. We’re heading to The Beautiful Bahamas. There are 16 main islands in the Bahamas, and no two islands are alike with their own culture, history, cuisine, diving, fishing - there is something for every type of traveller, and I'm joined today by two fabulous guests who will be bringing these different islands to life.First I’m joined by someone who has called The Bahamas their home for over 25 years, the designer, entrepreneur and former model, India Hicks. India is the daughter of famed interior designer David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks. She is the granddaughter of Lord Mountbatten who was Prince Philip’s uncle and whose assassination by the IRA was most recently depicted on the The Crown on Netflix. India was thrown into the spotlight as a teenager when was a bridesmaid to her godfather, Prince Charles and Princess Diana at their wedding. So it may seem somewhat of an unusual decision that India has settled and raised her five children on a tiny Bahamian island. She speaks to me from her home on the picture postcard Harbour Island.And later we’ll be joined by the acclaimed travel writer and editor Alicia Miller. Alicia has written extensively about the Bahamas and is full of tips and recommendations about so many different islands.Destination Recap:India HicksHarbour IslandThe Dunmore Beach ClubThe Landing HotelQueen ConchCocoa Coffee HouseWindermere IslandAndrosKamalame Cay, AndrosNew ProvidenceRosewood Baha Mar, New Providence Blue Holes divingGrand BahamaTiger Shark divingAlicia MillerHarbour IslandThe Landing Hotel The Dunmore Hotel New ProvidenceNassauParadise IslandAtlantis HotelBaha MarRosewood Baha MarCafé Boulud The BahamasMarcus at Baha MarDowntown NassauThe Graycliff Hotel Fish FryFrankie Gone Bananas BREEF Coral Reef Sculpture Garden & Coral NurseryThe Poop Deck restaurant The ExumasSpanish WellsAndrosKamalame CayGrand BahamaCoral Vida ProjectEleutheraThe Other SideThe CoveIf you would like find out more about the Bahamas, check out bahamas.com.To hear future episodes of the podcast as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re heading to a mountainous island nation in the Pacific Ocean, with two main islands, the North and the South. A land of mammoth national parks, epic biodiversity, dynamic Māori culture and world-class adventure sports. One of the most popular destinations to be picked by my guests as top of their travel bucket list. It is of course, New Zealand.Today’s episode is a bumper celeb guest double bill, representing both the North and the South Island, kicking off with the comedian, writer and actor Rose Matafeo, who grew up in Auckland on the North Island. Rose’s critically acclaimed show Horndog won the award for Best Show at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, setting her on a trajectory to international stardom. Her sitcom, Starstruck, which she writes and stars in was commissioned by the BBC and HBO Max. Season One became the BBC’s best performing new comedy of last year. Rose is particularly passionate about NZ’s food and cultural scenes, and she shares her must dos, her must eats, and all her insider North Island knowledge, from its magnificent coasts and beaches, to geothermal wonders, sprawling farmlands and Māori rich culture.And then we head to the South Island, where we are joined by arguably the greatest rugby player of all time, Richie McCaw. Richie captained the New Zealand All Blacks for 15 years in the 00s and 10s to two world cup wins. He achieved an astonishing 148 caps, a record only just beaten and was named World player of the year 3 times. From wildlife to wineries, glacial valleys to star-filled skies, its no wonder the other-worldly mountainous South Island was the destination where the Lord of the Rings films were set. It’s been Richie’s home all of his life, and he shares his expert knowledge on the island he knows so well.Destination Recap:Rose MatafeoAuckland, North IslandAuckland Live, North IslandCivic Theatre, Auckland, North IslandThe Basement Theatre, Auckland, North IslandThe Classic Comedy Club, Auckland, North IslandPiha Beach, North IslandHerne Bay, North IslandPonsonby Food Court, Auckland, North Island K Road, Auckland, North IslandPeach Pit, K Road, Auckland, North Island Bestie Cafe, K Road, Auckland, North Island Mount Maunganui, North Island Rotoroa Island, North Island Waitomo Caves, North IslandTaranakiNew PlymouthWellington Te Papa gallery, Wellington Tanuki’s Cave, AucklandRichie McCawKura, South Island Wānaka , South IslandCentral Otago, South Island Southern Alps, South IslandBay of Islands, North Island Terminal Lake, South Island Taranaki, New Plymouth, North Island Poor Knights Islands, North Island Stewart Island, South Island If you’re ready to find out more about planning your trip to NZ, head to newzealand.com and check out your favourite travel magazines and newspaper travel sections, which have plenty of handy guides.And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to The Travel Diaries Season 7! I’m starting this season with a Destination Special mini series - three incredible destinations, all on my travel wish list, with some great celeb guests and destination experts helping us bring them to life, and today is no exception. We are heading on a journey to South East Asia, to a small but mighty thirty mile long tropical island, surrounded by sixty two smaller islands, with Malaysia to its north and Indonesia to its South. It is of course Spectacular Singapore. Beyond Singapore’s picture-perfect skyline and bustling city centre, there’s so much about this country to explore and I have two fabulous guests who will help us do just that. First, Michelin-starred chef, tv presenter and author Tom Kerridge returns to the podcast. When he joined me be back on Season 2, he picked Singapore as his all time favourite destination, and so I thought who better to come back? Food is so important in Singaporean culture that a common greeting is "Have you eaten?” And then we’ll be joined by novelist, editor and travel journalist Annabelle Thorpe. Annabelle spent six years on the Times Travel desk, before becoming deputy travel editor for Express Newspapers, and then taking the same role at the Observer. She has a particularly spot for Singapore which she has visited and written about many times. She shares her insider tips and expert knowledge, and so many recommendations if you are planning a trip to Singapore - which I hope after listening to this episode you will be inspired to do. I know I certainly am!Destination Recap:Tom KerridgeMarina Bay Sands HotelHawker food stallsRestaurant ZénAnnabelle Thorpe Singapore Botanic GardensGardens by the BaySentosa IslandJurong LakeBukit Timah Nature ReserveAnn Siang HouseRaffles SingaporeCapella SingaporeNational Museum of SingaporeFort Canning ParkFullerton RoadIf you’re inspired to start planning your trip to Singapore, head to visitsingapore.com and check out your favourite newspapers and travel magazines which often have detailed destination guides.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first six seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s destination special we’re travelling far away to the warmer climes of South East Asia. To a country renowned for its opulent monuments, ancient ruins, floating markets, palm-fringed tropical beaches, turquoise seas, lush jungle, sumptuous cuisines and a people so friendly that the country is nicknamed The Land of Smiles. Of course, today we’re heading to Amazing Thailand.I’m thrilled to say that chef and TV presenter John Torode returns to the podcast, having been so passionate about his extensive travels in Thailand back in Season 5 to share his Thai travel diaries, from Bangkok the bustling capital in the middle of the country, to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the mountainous north, to its famous jungle-topped tropical islands that lie off its two golden sand coastlines in the south.And then, I am joined by the wonderful Kay Plunkett-Hogge. Kay is a cookery writer, travel journalist and broadcaster who is Thai, she was born and raised in Bangkok, bi-lingual, and she now lives in the mountains of Chiang Dao, which is in the Chiang Mai province of the country, and she spoke to me from her home there.I have never been to Thailand - it's somewhere I've always wanted to go, and so I ask Kay, as someone who has lived in Thailand most of her life, where I should go and what I should do on my first trip there. She takes us through a fantastic two week round trip itinerary for first timers, beginning and ending in Bangkok, as well as sharing some of her favourite spots and hidden gems. John Torode's Destination Recap:Pak khlong talat (Flower Market Bangkok)The Thai House, BangkokPeninsula Hotel, BangkokChiang MaiChiang RaiKing’s Project, Chiang RaiHyatt, Chiang MaiSouthern Thai islandsKay Plunkett-Hogge’s Destination Recap:Chiang Dao BangkokChakrabongse Villas, BangkokOld Chinatown, BangkokChiang RaiPhu Chaisai, Ching RaiChiang DaoChiang MaiPhuong Tong Restaurant, Chiang MaiOld day train, Chiang Mai to BangkokPhuketBaan Bayan, Hua HinAksorn Restaurant, Bangkok100 Mahaseth (Si Phraya), BangkokMadrid Bar, BangkokIsanPhanom Rung Historical ParkWhat an incredible flavour of an incredible country, thank you so much to both John and Kay for sharing their knowledge and passion for Amazing Thailand. If you’re inspired to find out more about Thailand, visit fanclubthailand.co.uk and check out your favourite travel magazines and newspapers who will no doubt offer some comprehensive destination guides.And come and follow me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein. Have a very Happy New Year and thanks so much for listening.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re embarking on a journey to the far north of Europe. To a place of summer midnight sun and the magical northern lights of the winter. The Land of a Thousand Lakes. A place where saunas are as common as cafes. And, with just a few days to go until Christmas, I imagine it’s a hive of activity given that Lapland in the north of the country is the home of Santa Claus and his elves. Of course, I’m talking about Fantastic Finland.And I’m joined by two wonderful guests today to help bring this diverse and beautiful country to life. First, we’ll hear from the actress Tracy-Ann Oberman. You’ll know Tracy-Ann from shows like EastEnders, Friday Night Dinner, It’s A Sin and Ridley Road. She has a special connection to Finland, which she'll tell us about when she shares her Finnish travel diaries, coming up.And then, we’re joined by Finland Destination Expert, and food and travel writer, Bre Graham, who has travelled extensively around the country, and shares so many brilliant different recommendations and tips, for places to visit, stay, eat, and what to bring home in your suitcase. Tracy-Ann Oberman’s Destination Recap:Temppeliaukio Church, HelsinkiRestaurant Nasinneula, TampereMuseum Centre Vapriikki, TampereSuomenlinna, HelsinkiMoomin World, Naantali Bre’s Recap: Löyly Helsinki sauna, HelsinkiGoodio Chocolate Factory, VantaaNolla Restaurant, Helsinki Finnish LaplandLake Inari, SápmiAlbina Ravintola & Viinibaari, Kallio, HelsinkiSt George Hotel, Helsinki Lapland Hotel, HelsinkiIf you would like to read more about Finland head to visitfinland.com. If you enjoyed today’s episode don’t forget to subscribe. And come and follow me on Instagram - I’m @hollyrubenstein. Have a very Happy Christmas and thanks so much for listening.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is the co-founder and CEO of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, an interview that has been years in the making, and a real honour.For billions of us, including myself, Airbnb has completely changed the way we travel. It opened up people’s homes, creating an army of Superhosts in the process, bringing tourists and locals far closer together. It’s no short of lie that Airbnb created a travel revolution. So you could say today’s episode is both Brian’s and Airbnb’s. For a CEO of his magnitude, it’s clearly hard for him to separate the two. The story of how Airbnb came to be, is not what you’d expect. Brian went to design school, he’s an artist, and came from humble beginnings. In fact, it was cereal boxes that first got Airbnb off the ground - you’ll have to stay tuned to hear Brian explain more about that, as part of the fascinating and surprising twists and turns on the path to Airbnb’s global domination. Brain’s answers are very philosophical and a goldmine of both travel and business wisdom. As he says himself, he was a host before he was a traveler and many of his answers reflect that mindset. Travel for him is about getting into a locals POV. You won’t get luxury hotels, you’ll get stories of people and experiences. We also hear at the end how Airbnb are pivoting to drive the next revolution in travel.I hope you enjoy it.Destination Recap:St Louis, Missouri, USARhode Island School of Design (RISD), USALos Angeles, California, USASan Francisco, California, USAFlatbush, Brooklyn, New York, USATokyo, JapanThe Walt Disney Family Museum, San Francisco, California, USAIf you want to follow in mine and Brian's footsteps and become a host on airbnb you can go to airbnb.com/host to sign up, and try out airbnb.co.uk/askasuperhost to speak to other UK hosts for advice.Thank you to today's sponsor, DK Eyewitness. Find their guides on special offer at wordery.com - simply enter the code DKEYEWITNESS at checkout for a 10% discount.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by a legend of the culinary world, the chef, restaurateur and broadcaster, Michel Roux Jr. Michel was practically born in a kitchen when his mother went into labour during service at his father’s restaurant. He’s the son of Albert Roux and the nephew of Michel Roux, brothers who revolutionised the restaurant business in the UK when they opened Le Gavroche in 1967, famously becoming the first establishment in this country to gain one, two and then three Michelin stars. When his father retired in 1993, Michel Jr took over the world-famous restaurant, quickly becoming a household name on TV shows like Masterchef The Professionals, Remarkable Places to Eat and he now has a new TV show, set in Provence, which he’ll tell us all about. Chefs tend be very well travelled, and Michel is no exception. His travel diaries take us on a delectable journey from Lyon to Hong Kong, The Seychelles to Las Vegas.Destination Recap:ScotlandShipbourne, Kent, EnglandFairlawne Estate, Kent, EnglandParis, FranceLyons, FranceHong KongAberdeen, Hong KongWest Coast of USASpago Restaurant, San Francisco, USAChez Panisse, San Francisco, USAThe Seychelles Bird Island, Seychelles Marie Antoinette restaurant, Mahe, SeychellesLas Vegas, Nevada, USAMacauArdèche, France Pont Sant Espirit, France IndiaSouth America Watch Michel Roux's French Country Cooking as a boxset exclusively on Discovery+.Thank you to my sponsors - The Tourism Authority of Thailand welcomes you to join them for Visit Thailand Year 2022 - Amazing New Chapters. Find the A-Z of amazing things to see and do in Thailand and the latest travel advice at www.fanclubthailand.co.uk Naladhu Private Island, an exclusive luxury island resort in the Maldives. Visit naladhu.com to find out more and book that trip of a lifetime.To find out who’s joining me next week, follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin to Heston Blumenthal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by the much loved comedian, musician and actor, Bill Bailey. Known for his hugely inventive stand up, he’s of course such a familiar face on our TV screens, spending several years as team captain on the long running music and comedy BBC panel show, Never Mind The Buzzcocks, making regular appearances on QI and Have I Got News For You, and most recently being crowned the champion of Strictly Come Dancing with partner Oti Mabuse, last year. Bill kicks off his travel diaries having just returned from an incredible trip to Iceland, so he tells us all about; he shares his love of Indonesia where he spontaneously eloped with his wife, and travels back to each year; as a gigging comedian he has discovered every corner of the UK, so he reveals some British hidden gems that could be on your doorstep, and he shares his tips for Strictly this year. He joins me from his West London family home, which he shares with a menagerie of pets, including five rescue dogs, a cat, a parrot, a snake, ducks and hens, which you will occasionally hear laying an egg in the background. This is a really fun one!Destination Recap:Reykjavik, IcelandAkureyi, Iceland Bubble Hotel, Iceland Weston-super-mare, England Bath, England Saunder’s Foot, South WalesMarseilles, FranceArgentinaIndonesiaSumatra, IndonesiaWest Papua, IndonesiaThe Ridgeway National Trail, England BarbadosBaqueira Beret, Spain Sitges, SpainBarcelona, Spain PatagoniaNamibiaKamchatka Peninsula, RussiaBill Bailey’s En Route To Normal tour kicks off in Plymouth on Sun 12 December and runs through to mid January. All the tickets and dates can be found at www.BillBailey.co.ukIf you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone to Heston Blumenthal and Nadiya Hussain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Giovanna Fletcher is one of the UK’s most successful women’s fiction authors. She's the host of Happy Mum, Happy Baby, the chart-topping podcast which sees her interview celeb guests about the highs and lows of parenting. She and her husband Tom Fletcher, from the band McFly have a huge YouTube presence where they perform together; and she’s I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here’s reigning champion, the Queen of the Castle. To say Giovanna is multi-talented, is quite the understatement.Giovanna has been travelling since a very young age as her dad is Italian, so she tells us about her annual trips to visit her family in Italy, she and Tom are a kind of obsessed with Disney and she brings to life the magic and joy of holidays at the Disney parks, and much of her new book is inspired by travel, by the country of Peru. We also chat about her love of trekking; her advice about travelling with three young kids; and what is was like to interview Kate Middleton and the whirlwind of press that came after. Giovanna’s Destination Recap:Valva, Campania, ItalyParis, FranceDisneyland Paris, FrancePeruWalt Disney World, Florida, USAJade Mountain, St LuciaWatergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall, EnglandThree Mile Beach, Cornwall, EnglandTenerife, SpainMt Kilimanjaro, TanzaniaMadagascarAppalachian Trail, USAHolly’s Destination Recap:Belmond British Pullman trainGiovanna’s new novel, Walking on Sunshine, is out now in hardback, priced £14.99If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Jo Malone, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Raymond Blanc . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Backshall is a BAFTA-winning presenter, writer, explorer, naturalist and all round daredevil. His big break as a broadcaster arrived when National Geographic offered him the post of Adventurer in Residence and he’s been taking on some of the toughest challenges on earth ever since, gracing our TV screens with shows like Deadly 60, Expedition, and The Lost Land series. On this episode you’ll hear that Steve’s great passion is discovery. Discovery of new places and new animal species - whether that’s uncovering never before seen ancient human art work in a Borneo cave, tracking snow leopards in the mountains of Kyrgyzstan, coming extremely close to death while kayaking in Bhutan or diving with sharks in his new show, Shark with Steve Backshall. Holly’s Destination Recap:No. 15 Great Pulteney, Bath, EnglandThree Mile Beach, Cornwall, England Steve’s Destination Recap:ZimbabweColombiaWest Papua BhutanWales - Gower, Pembroke, Snowdonia, Breacon Beacons Scilly Isles, Cornwall, EnglandCoastal Pembroke, WalesCoastal Penzance, Cornwall, EnglandBimini, The Bahamas Kyrgyzstan BorneoBrazilSurinameShark With Steve Backshall continues on Sunday at 8pm on Sky Nature, Sky Showcase and is streaming on NOW TV. Thank you to today’s sponsors:Freddie’s Flowers - Get your first two boxes half price, at just £12.50 each with the code TRAVEL50The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort and Spa To hear future episodes as soon as they’re released, don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow”. Follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. And there’s always the first 5 seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Rick Stein, to Jo Malone to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Nabongo is the first black woman in history to have visited all 195 countries in the world. On top of that, she travelled to 89 of these countries solo. All by the age of 35. She’s an influencer, photographer and businesswoman, and shares with us what she learnt throughout this epic journey. From Tuvalu and Eritrea to Turkmenistan and Djibouti, Jessica’s travel diaries literally take us all over the world.Destination Recap:Punta Mita, Mexico UgandaQueen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda,Lamu, KenyaJapanMt Fuji, JapanHiroshima, Japan Bali, IndonesiaNamibia Islamabad, PakistanLahore, PakistanIran especially IsfahanColombiaCubaMerowe, SudanSenegalEritreaMasawa, EritreaTuvalu Lake Assal, Djibouti The Door to Hell, Turkmenistan South SudanMoldovaBelarusTashkent, Samarkand & Termez, UzbekistanVenice, ItalyGreenlandSantiago de Cuba, CubaFor more of Jessica’s adventures you can pre-order her first book on Amazon. It will be published by National Geographic and is out in May 2022. In the meantime, you can follow her on Instagram @jessicanabongo. Jessica's new project, The Nabongo List: is a new luxury, travel membership that gives you the best in local, luxury and unique experiences all around the world, curated by JessicaA big thank you to today’s sponsors for their support of the podcast.DK Eyewitness - What better way to find that next adventure than with a DK Eyewitness book? Get new editions of their award-winning DK Eyewitness and Top 10 travel guides, or for the intrepid explorer, there’s Outdoor Europe. Click the link, or visit your local bookshop.COMO Hotels and Resorts - COMO's collection of 14 luxury boutique hotels and resorts are in some of the world's most desirable destinations. A new hotel has been announced for 2022, COMO Le Montrachet in Burgundy, France. Find out more about COMO's beautiful hotels and resorts by visiting Comohotels.comAdnams - The home of premium gins. Get 10% off your first purchase with Adnams using code TRAVEL10.Freddie’s Flowers - Get your first two boxes half price, at just £12.50 each with the code TRAVEL50 at freddiesflowers.comBritish Airways x Visit Florida - Book your trip with confidence at BA.com/FloridaAnd to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a broadcasting legend. Whether it’s the Olympic Games, Paralympics, horse racing, Crufts, Wimbledon or so much more, Clare Balding has risen to national treasure status. She’s also a best-selling author, radio presenter and podcaster, in case you didn’t think she was busy enough!Covering so many major TV events has taken Clare around the world, and then some. Her travel diaries take us from Mauritius to Costa Rica, Italy to Iona. She tells us how she once won her weight in champagne as a horse jockey; as a dog lover like me she shares her favourite dog friendly spots in the UK; we hear her take on the future of Emma Raducanu, and about the time the Queen turned up at her house for breakfast. All that coming up on The Travel Diaries.Destination Recap:Chamonix, FranceAspen, Colorado, USAMauritius Four Seasons Hotel, Mauritius Sydney, AustraliaMelbourne, AustraliaRio de Janeiro, BrazilAustraliaNew Zealand Costa RicaHotel Punta Islita, Costa RicaCubaLewa, KenyaGalana, Kenya Tofauti charityLucknam Park, Bath, EnglandWhatley Manor, Wiltshire, England Holbeck Ghyll, Lake District, EnglandRosa Alpina, The Dolomites, ItalyPuglia, ItalyUmbria, Italy Iona, ScotlandNorthumberland, EnglandWigton, Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway Elephant Corridor, Sri Lanka Banyan Tree Mayakoba, MexicoBaltic Sea CruiseFjord CruisePanama Canal CruiseThe Amazon CruiseSouth Pacific CruiseAlaska, USAA big thanks to Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London for hosting us for our interview. Book your winter or Christmas staycation and enjoy Magical Mandarin Moments of delight from £740 per night.To book your dream villa holiday visit The Thinking Traveller. The Thinking Traveller's collection of luxury villas across Italy, The Greek Islands, Corsica and Mallorca are some of the best properties out there for a villa holiday and come in all sizes, whether you're travelling as a couple or for a big family reunion.Freddie’s Flowers - Get your first two boxes half price, at just £12.50 each with the code TRAVEL50 at freddiesflowers.comBritish Airways x Visit Florida - Book your trip with confidence at BA.com/FloridaTo find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back for Season 6 (how did that happen?!) and what an honour to be joined on our first episode by the Oscar-nominated actor and writer, Stanley Tucci. You’ve seen him in The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, Julie and Julia, Supernova, Fortitude, and The Lovely Bones. He’s directed four movies, and recently won an Emmy for his new food and travel TV series, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. As a foodie he’s written two delectable cookbooks, and his new memoir, Taste, is just as delicious. This episode is a love letter to Italy, and of course to food. So let’s get started. Season 6, Stanley Tucci. Here we go!Destination RecapHolly:- Vaison La Romaine, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France- Airelles Chateau de la Messardiere, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, France Stanley Tucci:Vermont, USARome, ItalyFlorence, ItalyNew Paltz, Upstate NY, USA, Shonagun Mountains The CotswoldsWatergate Bay Hotel, Cornwall, EnglandMawgan Porth, Cornwall, EnglandCirencester, The Cotswolds, EnglandThe Lake District, England Zermatt, SwitzerlandLake Como, ItalyRome, ItalyEmilio Romagna, Italy Ischia, ItalyIcelandScandinaviaStanley Tucci’s memoir ‘Taste’ is out now.A huge thank you to today’s sponsors, Citalia, Freddie’s Flowers and British Airways x Visit Florida.Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialistsFreddie’s Flowers - Get your first two boxes half price, at just £12.50 each with the code TRAVEL50 at freddiesflowers.comBritish Airways x Visit Florida - Book your trip with confidence at BA.com/FloridaIf you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or “follow” on your podcast app of choice.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, we’re embarking on a journey to the east of Africa, to a country of spectacular wild and natural landscapes, where the wildlife is abundant, the famous Big 5 roaming free. A country of great plains, mountains, lush forest, and white sand beaches. It has captivated and travellers adventurers the world over. It is of course, Kenya.On today’s episode, we’ll be hearing first from some of my previous podcast guests who have chosen parts of Kenya in their travel diaries, wildlife cameraman Gavin Thurston returns to the podcast to share his experiences having spent so much of his career travelling around and working in Kenya, and we’ll hear from one of my guests coming up on Season 6, too. We’ll be heading on a tour of the country, starting in its capital Nairobi and ending in Samburu National Park in the north. It’s in Samburu that my final guest, Saba Douglas-Hamilton, has lived for the last 6 years. Saba is a conservationist and award-winning TV presenter. Born and raised in Kenya, you might recognise Saba as the presenter of the BBC’s hugely successful Big Cat Diaries, The Secret Life of Elephants and This Wild Life. She’ll be joining us later to reflect on our tour of Kenya, sharing her tales of living and working in the country and her own Kenyan travel diaries.Kenya is now on the travel green list for UK travellers, so I hope this episode inspires you to think about a bucket list experience like travelling to Kenya and experiencing all that it has to offer.Destination Recap: *No hotels or safari camps paid to be part of this destination special.Giles Coren:Giraffe Manor, Nairobi  Diani Beach, MombasaJessica Nabongo:Lamu, Lamu IslandGavin Thurston:Tsavo East National Park Maasai Mara National ReserveGovernor’s Camp, Masai Mara National ReserveLewa DownsWilderness Camp, Lewa DownsSamburu National ParkElephant Watch Camp, Samburu National ReserveGeoffrey Kent:Masai Mara National ReserveAberdare HighlandsMalindi BeachLucy Williams:Sasaab, Samburu National ReserveSaba Douglas-HamiltonNairobiElephant Watch Camp, SamburuMount KenyaLewaKalepo Camp, SamburulandMike's Camp, Kiwahu IslandIf you would like to read more about Kenya or get some more inspiration about where you should go and what you can do there head to www.magicalkenya.com or follow them on social media, or check out the websites of your favourite travel magazines, who normally offer compressive guides.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe or to “follow” the podcast if you’re using Apple Podcasts.To find out who’s joining me on Season 6, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Sir Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're going Completely Caribbean here on The Travel Diaries this week. On today's bonus destination special, we’ll be heading on a sun-soaked tour of the Caribbean islands, in partnership with the British Airways American Express Credit Card.Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the most popular destinations to be picked each week on the pod, and in today’s episode lots of my lovely guests from the last five seasons will be recounting their favourite Caribbean travel memories - the islands they love - of course the islands are so diverse, each with their own distinct history, culture and landscape - as well as the best hotels, places to visit and hidden gems, taking us on a tour from the north to the south of the Caribbean.And later we’ll be joined by Caribbean destination expert Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon aka Jet Set Sarah. Sarah is a Caribbean travel expert, award-winning travel journalist, and self-described “Carivangelist”, having visited and written about nearly all of the Caribbean islands. She'll take us through the destinations chosen by my guests, as well as sharing her own Caribbean travel diaries.Destination Recap:David Loftus: The BahamasJamie Laing and Jo Malone: Turks & CaicosFred Sirieix: JamaicaJacqui Gifford: AnguillaAinsley Harriott: DominicaRichard Branson and Ella Eyre: Necker Island, BVIsJet Set Sarah's Destination RecapTurks & Caicos: Parrot Cay, Providenciales, Andros, Long IslandBahamas: Harbour IslandDominicaAnguillaJamaica: Kingston, Trench House, Devon House, Negril, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, Port Antonio, KFC Montego Bay!BequiaPetit St VincentGrand CaymanBelizeBonaireMustiqueThank you so much to  the British Airways American Express Credit Card for supporting today's episode. Search BA Amex for more details and check out the world. Representative 24.5% APR Variable, Applicants must be 18 years old or older, Subject to approval - Terms, conditions and exclusions apply. All information including Representative APR is correct as at 14th September 2021.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on future episodes, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first five seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Season 5 Finale, I’m joined by one of the UK’s leading broadcasters and most recognisable voices, Jeremy Vine. Jeremy began his journalism career as a BBC reporter for the Today show before becoming the BBC’s political correspondent at Westminster, and the BBC’s Africa correspondent based out of Johannesburg. He worked alongside Jeremy Paxman as a presenter on Newsnight and back in 2015 he donned his dancing shoes becoming a hugely popular contestant on Strictly Come Dancing - although his first dance with partner Karen Clifton was scored a ‘2’ by judge Craig Revel-Horwood. These days, Jeremy’s based back in the UK, and along with his eponymous daily topical programme on Ch5, his daily BBC radio 2 programme is the most listened to news show on UK radio. He’s also an accomplished author and tells us about his latest novel, which is set in Spain. Given his day job involves chatting to anyone and everyone, it’s no surprise that Jeremy had no shortage of conversation today and we have a great time dashing around the world today with his travel diaries, from the Channel Islands to an island off Canada, Siberia to Oman. This is a fun one, I really hope you enjoy it. So, Let’s get started. Destination Recap: - Jersey, England - Alderney, England - The Blonde Hedgehog, Alderney, England - Johannesburg, South Africa - Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA - Siberia, Russia - Oman - Appledore, Devon, England - Glasgow, Scotland - Dali Museum, Figueres, Spain - Cadaques, Spain - Sitges, Spain - Fogo Island Inn, Newfoundland, Canada Jeremy’s novel The Diver and The Lover is out now in paperback - a great read for a summer holiday. A huge thank you to today’s sponsors, DK Eyewitness and The Thinking Traveller. September sees the launch of DK Eyewitness’s new series Like A Local, travel guides to the world’s biggest cities featuring the best local hangout spots, hidden haunts and independent businesses. Listeners to The Travel Diaries can now get 10% off the books over at wordery.com. Simply enter the code 'LIKEALOCAL' at the checkout to receive your discount. To book your dream villa holiday visit The Thinking Traveller. The Thinking Traveller's collection of luxury villas across Italy, The Greek Islands, Corsica and Mallorca are some of the best properties out there for a villa holiday and come in all sizes, whether you're travelling as a couple or for a big family reunion. And with that, it’s a wrap for Season 5. Thank you so much to all my lovely guests for transporting us all around the world. And most importantly, thank you, my incredible listeners, for tuning in each week, for taking the podcast over one and a half million downloads, across 160 countries - what a dream come true. If you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review or five star rating is the best way to show your support, on your podcast app of choice. All the destinations mentioned by my guests are always included in the episode show notes, on my website thetraveldiariespodcast.com and also on my Instagram page @hollyrubenstein where I publish and save weekly guest guides, which plot out all the locations that have been discussed. And it’s not long until I’m back - we’ve got a couple of wonderful destination specials coming up, the first in a couple of weeks celebrating all things Caribbean, so keep an eye out for that. I’m off to Cornwall, again, and then to Provence in France. You can follow my travels on social media and as ever I’d love to hear from you. Season 6 will return in the autumn. Have a wonderful rest of your summer, and I’ll be back soon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this Inspiring Ireland Destination Special where, alongside legendary Irish DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac, we celebrate all things island of Ireland. Annie’s been in the news a bit recently, because after 17 years as one of BBC Radio 1’s most loved DJs, she has left the station, and the video of her playing her final song went viral online, I think simply because she is such a legend in the industry, and a big part of the lives of so many music lovers, so this farewell was a huge deal. We talk about how she became a DJ and presenter, and her illustrious career and what that involved - and then her travel diaries chapters are all focussed on destinations across Ireland - the place where she grew up, travels back to as much as she can, and knows so well. And then later, I’m joined by travel writer and Ireland expert, Aoife O’Riordain who shares some really brilliant tips, in particular some amazing foodie recommendations and a hotel that I’d never heard, on an Irish island that I’d also never heard of, of that has gone straight to the top of my hotel wish list. Oh and Aoife’s husband was actually the producer of Normal People (you know the show we all watched last summer) so she gives us a little insight into the making of that too!DESTINATION RECAPAnnie Mac’s Destinations:Dublin, Rep. of IrelandRasharkin, Co. Antrim, Northern IrelandBelfast, Northern Ireland Roundstone, Co. Galway, Rep. of Ireland Wild Atlantic Way, Ireland The Burren, Co. Clare, Rep. of IrelandThe Gaeltacht, Co. Galway, Rep. of Ireland Dog’s Bay, Co. Galway, Rep. of IrelandDingle, Co. Kerry, Rep. of IrelandDingle Benners Hotel, Co. Kerry, Rep. of IrelandThe Blasket Islands, Co. Kerry, Rep. of IrelandLoch Na Fooey, Co. Galway, Rep. of Ireland County Donegal, Rep. of IrelandInishmore, Rep. of IrelandAoife O’Riordan’s DestinationsWest Cork, Co. Kerry and Coastal Donegal parts of Wild Atlantic Way driveDublinDublin and Wicklow MountainsGlendalough, Co. WicklowSandycove, DublinForty foot, DublinBray, County WicklowThe DART commuter trainCo. KerryRing of Kerry driving routeDede at the Custom’s House, West Cork, Co. CorkMisunderstood Heron, Leenaun, Co. Galway Paddy Bawn Brosnans Bar, Dingle, Co. KerryBally Bia, Co. CorkGreat Western Greenway, Co. Mayo The Royal Canal GreenwayThe Aran Islands: Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer, Co. GalwayInis Meáin, Restaurant & Suites, Co. GalwayThanks so much for listening today. If you’ve enjoyed the episode, leaving a review or five star rating is the best way to show your support, on your podcast app of choice. And to find out who is on next week’s episode, the Season 5 finale, come and find me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubensten and as ever, I’d love to hear from you. To find out more about visiting the island of Ireland, head to ireland.com and check out the travel pages of your favourite newspapers and travel magazines which are always great resources for the latest travel news, new openings and must see spots. Have a great week and I’ll be back on Tuesday.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by the UK’s leading hotel critic, Fiona Duncan. Fiona has been writing about and reviewing hotels for 35 years. She began her career writing travel guides before launching her own book series with her husband The Charming Small Hotels Guides back in the 1980s.In the late 90s she was asked to write about hotels for the Telegraph, which she continues to this day, with a weekly hotel column in the Sunday Telegraph. They call her the Hotel Guru, Country & Town House Magazine call her the Hotel Wizard, for which she is also travel editor and the editor of their great British hotels guide.I spoke to Fiona last week in London, and it was so lovely to reconnect with her - Fiona has been a real mentor to me as a travel writer, which has been life changing to be honest, and I’ve learnt so much from her, so this episode means a lot to me. It also means a lot to finally have a female guest on this season, I wanted to have a completely gender balanced season this time, and just the way things have panned out annoyingly with people’s availability and covid, that just hasn’t been possible. But next week also we have fantastic female guest joining us which I’m really looking forward to as well. This is an episode for hotel lovers, Fiona has visited well over 600 of them just for her column alone, and if you’re looking for recommendations here in the UK and in Europe, she has some great tips to share, and ones that won’t break the bank too.DESTINATION RECAP:Orient Express to Venice Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy Seaview, Isle of Wight, EnglandMallorca, SpainAntigua and the CaribbeanFormentera, SpainGecko Beach, Formentera, SpainHambleton Hall, Rutland, EnglandGravetye Manor, West Sussex, EnglandLangar Hall, Nottinghamshire, England The Lamb at Shipton-Under-Wychwood, Oxfordshire, EnglandGlebe House, Devon, EnglandThe Goring Hotel, London, England Howtown Hotel, Ullswater, England Santa Catarina, Amalfi Coast, ItalyLocanda Cipriani, Venice, Italy Limewood, New Forest, England Lake Nagin, Kashmir, IndiaGulmarg, IndiaVilla Mahal, Kalkan, Turkey The Fish Shack, Kalkan, TurkeyKathmandu, NepalTiger Tops, NepalMexicoRavenna, Italy GeorgiaTransylvaniaKoufonisia, GreeceAmorgos, Greece Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the world's most prominent wildlife filmmakers and presenters, Gordon Buchanan has been filming wild and wonderful creatures in remote areas of the planet for over 30 years, capturing film across every continent apart from Antarctica. His numerous captivating and award-winning wildlife documentaries, from The Cheetah Family and Me and Snow cats and me, to Animals with Cameras and Into the Wild, are ubiquitous on our TV screens, here in the UK. I spoke to Gordon last week, the sound is a little bit echoey - we joked he could say he was talking to us from a cave somewhere in the wilderness but he was actually in his home in Glasgow!And this episode is one of my very favourites - I’m often asked who is the nicest person I’ve interviewed for the podcast and to be honest all my guests have been truly lovely but Gordon is just so delightful, I’m his new biggest fan. His travel diaries take us from his childhood, growing up on the remote Scottish island of Mull, to his first job in Sierra Leone; close encounters with wolves in the arctic and discovering a new species of giant rat in Papua New Guinea. That and so much more, coming up.Destination Recap:Isle of Mull, ScotlandIsle of Lunga, Treshnish Isles, Scotland Ellesmere Ireland, Canadian Arctic Sierra LeoneSanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai, IndiaGreat Bear Rainforest, BC, CanadaRiver Kelvin, Glasgow, ScotlandLoch Lomond, Scotland Mt Bosavi, Papua New GuineaRussiaYala National Park, Sri LankaAntarcticaGordon will be on tour in January and February 2022. Buy tickets for “Gordon Buchanan - 30 years in the wild - The Anniversary Tour” here.A big thank you to Visit Estonia for their support of today’s episode. This ad is in co-operation with Visit Estonia and funded by the European Union European Regional Development Fund. To find out more about head to Visit Estonia.Another big thank you to the British Airways American Express Card for their support of today’s episode. Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by one of the most influential photographers of all time, David Loftus. I first got to know David’s work through reading Conde Nast Traveller magazine, for which he has shot numerous breathtaking travel editorials, taking him all around the globe. But he’s perhaps best known for bringing food to life for millions of people, photographing for the books of Gennaro Contaldo, Nathan Outlaw, previous podcast guest Rachel Khoo and his long time collaborator, and close friend, Jamie Oliver. His work with Jamie alone has resulted in international book sales in excess of 30 million copies, and not only has he now photographed over 100 books, David is also a published author himself, with books like Around the World in 80 Dishes and more recently his memoir, Diary of a Lone Twin, an account of love and grief following the untimely death of his identical twin, something which frames a lot of our conversation today.I spoke to David in his beautiful London home last week on the hottest day of the year, in a room full of memories from his extensive travels. And as well as bringing to life some of the incredible destinations in which he’s worked and travelled - looking through the destination recap there’s a strong theme of islands, David says he loves to be surrounded by water - we also benefit from David’s expertise with some brilliant tips for taking the best photos on our phones while we travel. So from Paros to The Bahamas, the Lofoten Islands to the Orkneys, let’s get started. Destination Recap:Lake Grundlsee, Austria Lake Toplitzee, AustriaThe Orkney Islands, UKOld Man of Hoy, Orkney, UKLofoten Islands, NorwayParos, Greece Windermere, The Bahamas Kefalonia, GreeceIthaca, Greece Fivizanno, Tuscany, ItalyNorth West AustraliaNew Orleans, USAJapanDavid’s memoir, Diary of a Lone Twin, is out now. Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram or Twitter, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville.A big thank you to Citalia for their support of today’s episode. Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists.And thank you to the British Airways American Express Card for their support too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I feel very privileged to be joined by a legend of the broadcasting world. John Simpson has been reporting for the BBC for 51 years, and its World Affairs Editor since 1982, covering in person more major world events than many of us could recount, from the Iranian Revolution and Tianamen Square massacre in Beijing, to the Kosovo War, and the US led invasion of Afghanistan, interviewing the majority of the world’s leaders along the way.Having broadcast from the front line in over 30 war zones, today’s episode features so many tales of courage, and if you read up on John’s career, really we are only scratching the surface.We’ll hear about what it was like being smuggled into Afghanistan dressed as a woman, the time he was physically assaulted by a British Prime Minister and his very close shave with the IRA. It’s clear that John also adores travelling and I love that he’s picked really unusual destinations that weren’t necessarily on my radar before, and he’s totally sold me on them.So from Paris to Iran, Uzbekistan to Argentina, let’s get started. Destination Recap:Suffolk, EnglandCasablanca, Morocco Belfast, N. IrelandAngolaParis, France Rue de Rivoli, Paris, France Baghdad, IraqAfghanistanTehran, IranIsfahan, Iran Persepolis, Iran Bukhara, Uzbekistan Khiva, Uzbekistan QatarBuenos Aires, ArgentinaAnd I spoke about:Bruton, Somerset, EnglandNumber One Bruton, Somerset, England Osip, Bruton, Somerset, EnglandHauser & Wirth, Somerset, EnglandAt the Chapel, Somerset, England John’s novel Our Friends in Beijing is a great read. It’s published by John Murray and is out on Thursday July 22.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville.A big thank you to the British Airways American Express Card for their support of today’s episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by one of the food world’s most recognisable faces, John Torode. John grew up in Melbourne, Australia, embarking on his culinary career when he was 16 years old, having learnt to cook from his grandmother, who raised him after his mother passed away. After apprenticeships at some of Melbourne’s best restaurants he moved to the UK, quickly making a name for himself as one of the finest chefs out there, opening restaurants like Smiths of Smithfield and The Luxe. It wasn’t long before he also caught the attention of the TV world, and since 2005 he became a household name as the co-host of Masterchef which is soon to enter its 18th season, as well as hosting Celebrity Masterchef too. He’s written numerous best-selling cook books and made lots of TV shows about culinary road trips in destinations with vibrant food cultures like Malaysia, Argentina and Korea.From the streets of Thailand to the markets of Mumbai, the islands of Malaysia and the wilderness of Australia, I predict you might be adding some places to your travel wish list after this.Destination RecapAustraliaSingapore to Bangkok via Penang Orient ExpressGrand Canyon, Nevada, USASan Francisco, California, USABangkok, ThailandThe Thai House, ThailandThe Peninsula Hotel, Bangkok, ThailandThe Kimberley, AustraliaThe Bungle Bungles, The Kimberley, Australia The Great Wall of China, China Buenos Aires, Argentina Bombay (Mumbai), IndiaThe Taj Hotel, Mumbai, IndiaPanang and Langkawi, MalaysiaTasmania, Australia Marrakech, MoroccoChinaMongoliaTransiberia ExpressMallorca, SpainNorwegian Arctic circleAlaska, USAAnd I chatted about Watergate Bay Hotel and Watergate Bay in Cornwall.Celebrity Masterchef is back this summer on BBC1 for its 16th series. John continues to present Masterchef on BBC1 and John & Lisa’s Weekend Kitchen on ITV1Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would be wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, with guests from Michael Palin and Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville.A big thank you to the British Airways American Express Card and Western Australia for their support of today’s episode.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Season 5! Today’s guest was on the original Travel Diaries dream guest wish list. He’s a broadcasting legend and has presented some of my favourite travel series. It is, of course, Sir Trevor McDonald. Sir Trevor was born and raised in the West Indies, on the island of Trinidad and so the Caribbean is of course a big feature in his Travel Diaries today. He began his ascent to journalistic stardom over there, working as a radio reporter and news presenter, before moving to London in the late 1960s to work for the BBC. He went on to join ITN and became a household name as the first sole presenter of the News at Ten and the first black news anchor in the UK. Now at 81 years old, he tells us about interviewing some of modern history’s most revered and reviled figures, from the pressure of being the first person to interview Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison, to travelling to Baghdad to grill Saddam Hussein in his palatial home. It’s no surprise that Trevor became the most accoladed news broadcaster in British history.We’re heading today on a journey across North America, Australia, The Middle East, Europe and Africa. Destination Recap:TrinidadGrenadaSydney, AustraliaBelfast, Northern Ireland, UKSouth AfricaShutters on the Beach, Santa Monica, California, USABaghdad, IraqMadeiraBarbadosAntiguaSt LuciaLas Vegas to Grand Canyon plane ride, USANapa Valley, California, USACarmel Valley, California, USAAnd I chatted about my stay at The Cary Arms in Babbacombe, Devon.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’ve enjoyed today’s episode please subscribe on your podcast app, it’s very easy to do that, although on Apple they’ve changed it so that you “follow” now rather than subscribe by pressing the plus sign in the top right of the app. I would also be so grateful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really helps other people to discover the podcast, which in turn allows me to keep making more.Don’t forget all the destinations mentioned each week across all five seasons are included in the episode show notes. Follow me on Instagram @hollyrubenstein to find out who is joining me next Tuesday. I’d love to hear from you. And if you can’t wait until then, there’s all of Season 4 to listen to. Thank you to the wonderful Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi for their support of today’s episode. Follow them on Instagram here.And a big thank you to The Kensington Hotel for hosting today’s episode recording.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s July 1 which means it’s Canada Day and we are going to be celebrating Canada with this bonus destination special episode. Canada has been mentioned so many times as a favourite destination on the podcast by everyone from Ben Fogle and Dan Snow to Nadiya Hussain and Ella Eyre, and today, in celebration of Canada Day, I thought it would be a great opportunity to shine a light on a region of Canada that has historically been somewhat overlooked by tourists but is now gaining a real hype with in the know travellers, and that is the region of Atlantic Canada.Today I’m joined by writer and adventurer Hugh Francis Anderson, who has written extensively about Atlantic Canada, and he’s here to share his travel diaries from the region.Destination RecapThe Alexander Murray Hiking Trail, Newfoundland & LabradorCabot Trail, Cape Breton Island, Nova ScotiaBar Kismet, HalifaxKouchibouguac National Park, New BrunswickThe Inn at Bay Fortune, Prince Edward IslandGros Morne National ParkThank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review on your podcast app - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. And to hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe.To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Heston Blumenthal, to Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Hugh Bonneville.For more information and inspiration to plan your holiday to Canada or Atlantic Canada visit here and here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to this Awesome Australia Destination Special. Together with much loved guests including Rick Stein, John Torode and Dynamo, we’ll be heading on an Australian adventure across the country, revealing favourite spots, hidden gems and top tips. It’s wanderlust, guaranteed! It’s June 2021 right now, and unfortunately that means that for most of us travel is currently extremely restricted. So now’s the time to plan your next big bucket list trip - and for me, Australia is top of the list. From the wilderness of The Kimberley, to the red rock of Uluru, Kangaroo Island, Sydney, Melbourne and more, I hope this episode inspires you to visit when we are all able to travel easily again. Destination Recap:The Kimberley, WAThe King George Falls, The Kimberley, WAAdelaide, SACoober Pedy, SAAlice Springs, NTTorres Strait Islands, QLDSydney, NSWWolgan Valley, The Blue Mountains, NSWMelbourne Lane Ways, VICFederation Square, Melbourne, VICQueensland Coast, QLDWestern Australian wildlife trifecta, WANingaloo Reef, WAKangaroo Island, SAUluru, NTThank you to John Torode, Rick Stein, Rachel Khoo, Peter Grunert, Tony Wheeler, Dynamo and Phoebe Smith for being a part of today’s episode. For more information about planning your own trip to Australia head to australia.comIf you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first four seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thanks so much for listening, and I’ll be back in a couple of weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I'm joined by one of the most famous and successful chefs in the world and in history - Heston Blumenthal. It was an unforgettable travel experience that inspired Heston to become a chef. He’s entirely self taught, and was working other odd jobs all the way until his late twenties, when he bought a small pub in Bray in Berkshire. He called it The Fat Duck, and it went on to be award three Michelin stars and to be named The World’s Best Restaurant. A food pioneer, he’s been dubbed the Willy Wonka of cuisine, fascinated by the science behind the cooking. He’s become the king of experimental cuisine which has led to world famous dishes like snail porridge, parsnip cereal, and bacon and eggs ice cream. Oh, and did you know it was Heston who invented one of my favourite things to eat - the triple cooked chip.This is definitely an unusual episode. Yes we cover travel, it’s a fundamental part of Heston’s food, and it was so fun to hear about some of the weird and wonderful things he’s eaten on his travels - not all of them happy memories, I should add! But honestly, I really felt like I was speaking to a true genius in this chat, it’s hard to find another way to describe it, and so we also cover off the meaning of life and philosophy, quantum physics and scientific theory. He is determined to push himself and others to think beyond the confines of our small minds, when it comes to both food and life. I really hope you enjoy it.Destination Recap:Praa Sands, Cornwall, EnglandRegent’s Snack Bar, Edgware Road, London, EnglandBaumanière, Hôtel Restaurant, Les Baux-de-Provence, FranceLes Alpilles, FranceMonastery Epiphany, Les Baux-de-Provence, FranceTurkeySiberia, RussiaIcelandGalapagos Islands, Ecuador KoreaThe AmazonPeruIndonesiaPolynesiaTune in to Heston’s own podcast, Heston’s Journey to the Centre of Food which is available on all podcast apps and is great fun, it’s a must for foodies.Well, that’s a wrap for Season 4, thank you all for joining me along the way, wherever you are in the world. Thank you for spreading the word about the podcast, sharing your favourite episode on your social media, telling your friends, leaving lovely reviews and sending me the most amazing messages, it has been amazing, especially to feel so connected and part of our little travel diaries community, that you’ve all created, during a time where we often otherwise feel quite disconnected. If you’ve enjoyed listening to the podcast, remember to press subscribe on your podcast app, it’s free, and you’ll then get notified when Season 5 begins in the summer.In the meantime, do stay in touch, I’m @hollyrubenstein on Instagram and Twitter.Remember there’s all four seasons to keep you going until then, from Rick Stein and Sir Ranulph Fiennes, to Jo Malone and Raymond Blanc. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by the multi-Grammy winning singer, Gregory Porter. Gregory’s was originally set to become an American football player, and it wasn’t until he turned 40 that his rich jazz baritone caught the attention of industry bigwigs and subsequently, jazz heads around the world. His major label debut Liquid Spirit went on to become the most streamed jazz album of all time. He's played Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, sung for the Queen and prior to Covid was travelling over 200 days a year, playing to his adoring fans around the world. So with all that travel and all those miles covered, it’s no surprise that today’s episode is a long haul, feature length episode. Gregory joins me from his home in California, and this is a really touching, personal, evocative episode. Gregory says it’s like therapy - he remembers his travels so vividly, and each destination is full of emotion as he describes it to us. We’ll go on a journey from the West to the East coast of the United States, across Russia on the Transiberian Express and to a secret French island that I’d never heard of, which is now firmly added to my travel wish list. Oh and he serenades us not once but twice on this episode, so prepared to be soothed by that velvety voice!Destination Recap:Bakersfield, California, USAYosemite National Park, California, USASanta Monica, California, USASan Diego, California, USABrooklyn, New York, USAHarlem, New York, USASiberia, Russia Tokyo, JapanKanazawa, JapanPorquerolles, FranceUkraineIstanbul, TurkeyTel Aviv, IsraelJakarta, Indonesia South Africa Sierra LeoneGhanaGregory Porter’s album All Rise is out now.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe on your podcast app of choice. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by one of the most well travelled people I have ever spoken to. Geoffrey Kent is the founder, chairman and CEO of the luxury travel company, Abercrombie & Kent, and a titan of the travel industry. Before researching and recording this episode, I didn’t know that much about Geoffrey himself, and now, here in this intro, it’s hard to convey what an extraordinary life he’s led, but I’ll give it a go. Raised in rural Kenya, Geoffrey’s said that his whole childhood was like a safari. He tells us about living among leopards and elephants and riding horses when he’d barely even learnt to walk. And from there, during a military career where he served in Bahrain, Oman, Yemen, Cyprus, Libya and Malta, he founded Abercrombie & kent - a travel company best known for inventing the photographic safari, changing wildlife travel forever with the ethos “shoot with a camera, not with a gun”. A born explorer, he’s credited with pioneering “experiential travel” so along with telling us about some of the 156 countries he’s already visited, Geoffrey brings to life the experiences that he’s had along the way, and how we can best enjoy some of the world’s most beautiful countries. We don’t really touch on the fact that he’s also a world renowned polo player, he was the Captain of Windsor Park’s polo team which he played on with Prince Charles; or that he took Prince Harry to Botswana after the death of Princess Diana and sparked Prince Harry’s love of Africa. Even so, this is still a long haul feature length episode, there was so much to cover, it’s a love letter to Africa, and one that I hope you’ll really enjoy. So, here’s Geoffrey Kent. Destination Recap: MonacoFlorianópolis, BrazilZambiaKenyaNairobi, Kenya to Cape Town, South Africa motorcycle trip Masai Mara, KenyaThe Aberdare Highlands, Kenya Malindi, Kenya Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, EnglandSouth PoleBotswana Mauritius Chief's Camp, Okavango Delta, BotswanaBazaruto Channel, Mozambique One & Only Le Saint Géran, Mauritius Gorilla trekking, UgandaDiving in Palau, PhilippinesHelicopter to Base Camp, Mt EverestMadagascarGreenlandAntarcticaFinlandHelicopter tour of EthiopiaCocos Islands, Costa RicaJuba, Southern SudanNorth West Passage Cruise You can follow Geoffrey on Instagram here.Thank you so much for listening today. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they’re released don’t forget to hit subscribe on your podcast app of choice. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m joined by one of the most established names in British luxury - the designer and businesswoman, Anya Hindmarch. Anya started her accessories business as a teenager, inspired by the leather bags she saw on her travels in Italy. Within a few short years, her designs were stocked by some of the most prestigious fashion outlets around the world. She is known for using fashion as a force for good. Back in 2004, her £5 white tote bags, with the slogan “I’m not a plastic bag” written on them, graced the shoulders of A-listers around the world, sparking a global frenzy with queues of over 80,000 people outside Sainsbury’s shops, trying to get their hands on the canvas bags. More recently, during the pandemic, she’s worked with University College London to design a special holster for frontline NHS workers to wear, along with thousands of PPE gowns. Just as fashion takes inspiration from cultures and destinations all around the world, so too does Anya, whose travel diaries take us from Morocco and Myanmar to Japan, Italy and glamorous Mustique.Destination recap:Marrakech, Morocco El Fenn, MoroccoKasbah Beldi, Morocco Cap Ferrat, France Florence, Italy Mustique Park Hyatt, Tokyo, JapanTokyo, JapanPatagoniaEthiopiaBeirutEgyptIndia Inle Lake, Myanmar This episode is in memory of my beloved uncle, Anthony Lean. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Thank you to ancestry.co.uk for their support for today’s episode. And thank you also to Fujifilm. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today's guest is one who is sure to put you in a good mood. His infectious enthusiasm most recently led him to the Strictly Come Dancing final. He’s a chart-topping podcaster himself, and the star of the reality TV show Made in Chelsea. And he’s a businessman, the founder of the sweetie empire Candy Kittens. It is of course, Jamie Laing. With a father who runs a travel agent, and family all around the world, it’s no wonder that Jamie has an insatiable appetite for travel. So much so that this is a long haul, feature length episode. So from Peru to Japan, and Turkey to Turks & Caicos, let’s hear Jamie's travel diaries. Destination Recap:Turks & CaicosTurkeyNew York, USADylan’s Candy Bar, New York, USASouth America travelling - Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina Buenos Aires, Argentina Cape Town, South Africa JapanSix Senses Laamu, Maldives Paraty (?) Northern PeruBiarritz, France Notting Hill, London, EnglandIsle of Mull, Scotland Eilat, Israel Tel Aviv, Israel The Grand Canyon, USANew ZealandJamie's podcast Private Parts is available wherever you get your podcasts.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. And thank you to Fujifilm for their support too. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by the much loved actor and comedian, Sanjeev Bhaskar. Following a late arrival into comedy, Sanjeev was catapulted to stardom in the comedy series Goodness Gracious Me, and later The Kumars at No. 42, both bringing the British Asian experience to the masses to international acclaim. This success, which has led to decades of movie and TV roles, has taken Sanjeev all over the world. India, of course, is a big feature today - Sanjeev has filmed documentaries and written books about the country, where some of his family still live. From Delhi and Rajasthan to Shimla and Darjeeling, Sanjeev paints a wonderful picture of such a diverse and exciting country. He transports us to the American city he first fell in love with, his European all time favourite and we chat about the new season of his hit ITV show Unforgotten, which is back for its fourth season.Destination Recap:Delhi, IndiaKarnal, IndiaNew York, USAAmalfi, ItalyRajasthan, India Shimla, India Darjeeling, India Ellora, India Vesuvius, ItalyPompei, ItalyRome, ItalyAustralia Paris, France New ZealandUnforgotten Season 4 airs on Monday nights on ITV at 9pm. If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week.Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

He’s the star of Downton Abbey, Paddington, Viceroy’s House and W1A. Today, I’m joined by one of Britain’s best loved actors - and part-time vaccine volunteer - Hugh Bonneville. Hugh stars in a new film called To Olivia where he plays the celebrated author Roald Dahl. We talk about that later on in the interview - and he was just so lovely to chat to on a very rainy gloomy lockdown day. I’ve interviewed Hugh a few times in the past and he never fails to make me laugh. He’s travelled so extensively both through his work and through being a really keen traveller himself, so we cover a lot of ground. He transports us to the deserts of Utah and to pockets of serenity among the chaos of India. We visit the pristine coves of the Costa Brava and the campsites of France. And he reveals what is on the cards for Downton Abbey and Paddington, if you’re a fan of either (or both like me) you’ll be very happy with what Hugh has to say!Destination Recap:France Tamariu, Costa Brava, SpainAigua Xelida, SpainAigua Blava, Spain Sherbourne, Dorset, England Road trip through Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and KenyaNile River Boat, SudanJuba, SudanIndiaFour Seasons Landaa Giraavaru, MaldivesAmangiri, Utah, USAMihir Garh, Jodphur, IndiaGrand Canyon, Arizona, USASouth AmericaTo Olivia, a Sky Original film, is out on Sky Cinema and NOW TV right now. If you’re enjoying the podcast, don’t forget to hit subscribe on your podcast app so that you’re updated with a new episode each week. And if you can't wait til next week, remember there's the first three seasons to catch up on from Michael Palin and Rick Stein to Dev Patel, Richard Branson and Poppy Delevingne. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. Share your own travel diaries using the hashtag #thetraveldiaries I’ll be re-sharing your own hidden gems, recommendations and all time faves on my Instagram and here on the podcast. Thank you to Fujifilm for their support for today’s episode. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here.Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I'm joined by the nation’s favourite maitre d’ and TV personality, Fred Sirieix. Having worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in both France and the UK, Fred rose to fame back in 2013 on Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning matchmaking show First Dates, greeting nervous daters with his warmth, charm and philosophical musings (of which you’ll hear many coming up), putting them at ease before they sit down to eat in the First Dates restaurant. Now, he’s become known for his TV globetrotting too, as the presenter of Remarkable Places to Eat on the BBC, and spending months at a time travelling with his pals Gordon Ramsay and Gino D’Acampo on ITV’s Gordon, Gino and Fred’s Road Trip series.Fred’s travel diaries take us from Italy to Monaco, and Paris to Peru. He reminisces about life growing up in Limoges, France and how he became the ultimate Anglophile. He reveals which Caribbean island he escapes to every year, what it felt like plunging into an ice well in Lapland, and he uncovers what goes on behind the scenes with the making of First Dates - how do they match these couples so perfectly? I really wanted to know. All that and more coming up on The Travel Diaries. Destination RecapLapland Limoges, FranceEymoutiers, France Massif-Central, France Monte Carlo, MonacoMacchu Pichu, PeruSandals, Negril, JamaicaParis, France Le Sirenuse, Positano, Italy Chez Black, Positano, italy Hilton, DubaiAustraliaThailand Teen First Dates starts on 22nd Feb 10pm on E4.Thank you Fujifilm for their support for today’s episode. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here. And thank you to Lanserhof at The Arts Club for their support for today’s episode. Find out more about that, and the rest of Lanserhof’s fantastic hotels here.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. Share your own stories using the hashtag #thetraveldiaries - I’ll be re-sharing your own hidden gems and all time faves on my Instagram and here on the podcast. And there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Raymond Blanc, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Rick Stein. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I’m so excited to say that business mogul and perfumer Jo Malone makes a return to the podcast, transporting us to the Middle East in this Dubai Destination Special. For avid listeners you might remember that back in Season 2 when Jo joined me as a guest, she talked about Dubai with such love, picking it as one of her all time favourites, she spends about a month each year out there, so I could think of no one better to join us today as we uncover her Dubai travel diaries, her favourite spots, hidden gems and recommendations as someone who knows the city so well. And later, we’ll be joined Dubai-based travel journalist Sarah Hedley-Hymers, who has her finger on the pulse of everything that is worth knowing about Dubai, and together they both really evoke the sights, the scents, and vibrancy of this Emirati city, and really get under its skin - beyond its glamorous and shiny first impressions, they really reveal its heart and heritage too.So, from desert nights under the stars to the heady aromas of the spice market, abra boat rides across the historic Dubai creek to its beaches and luxury hotels, let’s head to Dubai. Destination Recap: Jo MaloneDubai desertSatwaDubai CreekSpice MarketThe One & Only The Residence Fish Beach Taverna, Le Meridien W HotelMusandam Peninsula, Oman Six Senses Zighy Bay, OmanSarah Hedley-Hymers Perfume HouseAbra rides at Dubai CreekDubai Fountain Burj KhalifaDubai Mall AquariumThe Pointe Fountain Food District, The PointeJumeriah Beach Residence Jumeriah Lake TowersStreetery, Dubai Vietnamese Foodies, Dubai Pitfire Pizza, Dubai Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve Al Maha Desert Resort Sonara CampFor more information and inspiration to plan your holiday to Dubai visit www.visitdubai.com or follow them on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by the chef, broadcaster, food writer and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. We first got to know Hugh through his much loved River Cottage TV series and books, filmed at his River Cottage Estate on the Devon-Dorset border. His uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment, inspired a vast and loyal fanbase.Alongside more than 20 cookery shows, he’s also tackled powerful issues in his documentary campaigns, like obesity, illegal wildlife trade, fishing and the war on plastic. He’s the author of numerous best-selling cookbooks and he’s back with a new one - Eat Better Forever. We talk about that, his life-changing trip to Africa which shaped his food philosophy; what it was like travelling around India for 4 months with his young family; how a close shave while filming nearly left him in a Vietnamese jail, the power of wild swimming throughout the freezing winter months, and his favourite staycation spots . All that and more coming up on the travel diaries. Destination Recap:Aegina, GreecePort Quin, Cornwall, England Epphaven Cove, Cornwall, England Southern AfricaGloucestershire, England IndiaBharatpur bird sanctuary, Rajasthan, IndiaWest End Hotel, Mumbai, India River Cottage, Devon, EnglandThe Bull Inn, Totnes, England VietnamHugh’s new book Eat Better Forever is out now. Thank you Fujifilm for their support for today’s episode. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here. And thank you to Lanserhof at The Arts Club. Find out more about that, and the rest of Lanserhof’s fantastic offerings here.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by multi BAFTA & Emmy-winning wildlife cameraman, Gavin Thurston. Over the last 37 years, Gavin has worked on some of the most famous nature documentaries ever made, like Planet Earth and Blue Planet, most often with his long time collaborator, Sir David Attenborough. Gavin, ordinarily, spends most of the year travelling, and he’s covered every corner of the globe - its deserts, polar ice caps and deepest sea.He’s a fantastic raconteur, so this had to be a “long haul” feature length episode. We talk about his incredibly close shave while filming gorillas in the Congo, what it’s like to be the very first person to see and film previously undiscovered new species of wildlife and film them, the terrifying time his submersible failed at 1000m deep below sea level, and what it’s like spending so much time working with the legend that is Sir David Attenborough.Destination Recap:Durdle Door, Dorset, EnglandDevon Coast, EnglandNouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of CongoHallo Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USASumatra, IndonesiaCosta RicaAntarcticaTurkmenistanEnglandGavin’s book ‘Journeys in the Wild - The Secret Life of a Cameraman’ is out now. You can follow him on Instagram @thegavinthurston. Thank you to The Nautilus Maldives, your luxury bohemian hideaway in the Maldives, for their support today. A highly personalised, immensely private ultra-luxury island resort with just 26 beach and ocean houses and residences, where every experience is tailored to you. Where nothing is fixed and anything is possible. Where you are free to set your own beat; free to do – and to be – as you please.You can find out more about The Nautilus Maldives here.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Poppy Delevingne to Raymond Blanc. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back for Season 4 with the award-winning author, writer, and documentary maker, Jon Ronson. Jon is the author of many best-selling books, including So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Them: Adventures with Extremists, The Men who Stare at Goats which was adapted to become a movie starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, and The Psychopath Test which is the first book of Jon’s that I read, and was hooked ever since.He’s an acclaimed screenwriter, most recently co-writing the 2017 Netflix film, Okja, with Bong Joon-Ho, the South Korean director of Parasite, last year’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars. And if you’re not already familiar with Jon’s work, I’d suggest checking out one of his recent podcast series, which have been huge hits around the world - The Butterfly Effect and The Last Days of August both look at the effects of the porn industry. Both are fascinating, disturbing and addictive to listen to.Jon’s now based in the US, so we spoke online as per usual these days, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.Destination Recap:Marlborough College, Wiltshire, EnglandAvebury, Wiltshire, EnglandCardiff, WalesSouth AfricaQE2 shipQueen Mary shipRhodes, GreeceManhattan, New York, USAUnion Hall, Brooklyn, New York, USAThe Bell house, Brooklyn, New York, USAGrand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant, New York, USABarney Greengrass, New York, USAInns of Aurora, Fingerlakes, New York, USAHudson, New York, USAForte Village Resort, Sardinia, ItalyForte dei Mami, Tuscany, Italy Pacific High Way One, California, USALos Angeles, California, USAFlorida, USANew ZealandIceland A big thank you to Citalia for their support for today’s podcast. You can discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they’re available just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Simon Reeve. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buongiorno and welcome to this bonus Destination Special of The Travel Diaries, in partnership with the British Airways American Express® Credit Card*. Today, we’ll be heading on a tour of Incredible Italy. Italy is one of the most popular destinations on the podcast, and with the help of some of my favourite guests from the past three seasons, I’ve created a special itinerary that covers some of the country’s ultimate highlights - my guests’s favourite cities, best hotels, hidden gems and much more, from Puglia and Positano in the south, to Venice and Trieste in the north. *Terms and conditions apply. Representative 22.2% APR Variable. Destination Recap:Merrion Charles:Lunigiana, TuscanyVal D’Orcia, Tuscany Ponza, Pontine Islands SicilySimon Calder: Syracuse, SicilyTravel Leisure’s Jacqui Gifford: Borgo Egnazia, Puglia Poppy Delevingne: Positano, Amalfi Coast - Le Sirenuse; Da Adolfo; Conca del SognoRome - Residenza Napoleone IIIMr & Mrs Smith’s James Lohan: Florence, Tuscany - Il Latini; JK PlaceYotam Ottolenghi: Florence, TuscanyRick Stein: Bologna, Emilia-RomagnaLonely Planet Founder, Tony Wheeler: Ravenna, Emilia-RomagnaSir Michael Palin: Venice, VenetoLonely Planet Magazine’s Peter Grunert: Cannareggio, Venice, VenetoRick Stein: Trieste, Friuli Venezia GiuliaHolly Rubenstein: Capri, Bay of NaplesCitalia tour operator Ascona, Lake MaggioreThank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To hear all about our podcast news, future guests and destination specials come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. Visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.Grazie mille! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by one of travel’s most familiar faces. Known for his TV series tracing the Equator, the Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn, following the world’s sacred rivers and pilgrimages, travelling the length of the Americas, and deep diving into destinations like Burma, Russia and Colombia, visiting over 130 countries along the way. It is of course the adventurer, author and broadcaster, Simon Reeve. Now, if you’ve watched Simon’s shows, you’ll know they’re not your typical travel programmes. He’s known for digging beneath the surface of a place, and telling the stories - both good and bad - that need to be told. What you may not know is that Simon is really very experienced when it comes to digging a little deeper as he began his career as an investigative journalist, and went on to become a NY Times best-selling author, all before he even appeared on our TV screens. Simon has undertaken numerous extraordinary journeys, but none of them are quite as extraordinary as the journey his own life has taken. I think you’ll be both amazed and inspired by it. Destination Recap: Studland Bay, Dorset, England Istanbul, Turkey Hagia Sophia Grand Turkey, Istanbul, TurkeyGabonMadagascarBangladesh Somaliland West Country, England JapanNew ZealandSenegalMali The ArcticThe AntarcticParaguay Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.For a boutique Cotswolds escape, head over the Barnsley House and their Instagram account to find out more.If you’re looking for a spectacular private hire home in Cornwall, check out Barford Beach House nr Bude.And for a splash out escape in the New Forest, there’s nowhere better than Chewton Glen.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by world renowned chef, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author, Yotam Ottolenghi.Yotam had always been expected to follow his parents into the world of academia, and it wasn’t until he turned 30 that he decided to follow his true passion for food, enrolling in the prestigious Cordon Bleu culinary school in London.From there, he became a pastry chef in some of London’s top restaurants before meeting Sami Tammimi, a Palestinian chef who became his business partner. They created a small deli in Notting Hill called Ottolenghi. The rest, you could say, was history. Yotam’s signature mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours, showcasing mainly vegetables, soon became a sensation, sparking what can only be described as a culinary movement - plates were now about sharing and the rising popularity of ingredients like pomegranate seeds, sumac and tahini in British supermarkets was dubbed “the Ottolenghi effect”. Now, he’s the owner of six delis and restaurants, a Guardian columnist, TV presenter and he’s back with his 8th cookbook, Flavour. As you’ll hear in this episode, Yotam won’t visit a destination unless it has great food, and his food is continuously inspired by his extensive global travels. And so, his travel diaries are also food memory diaries, and they’re sure to make your mouth water. From Israel and Bali to Greece and Mexico, here are the travel diaries of Yotam Ottolenghi. Destination Recap:Jerusalem, Israel PalestineSinai Desert, formerly in Israel and now, Egypt Florence, Italy Amsterdam, HollandUbud, BaliRoyal Pita Maha, Bali MalaysiaVietnamFolegandros, GreeceGreek Islands Guangzhou, ChinaMexicoThank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.Yotam’s new recipe book, Flavour, is out now. Head over to TheThinkingTraveller.com/traveldiaries to book your dream villa holiday.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by sustainable luxury travel writer, and the Sustainability Editor of Condé Nast Traveller magazine, Juliet Kinsman. Juliet has been an authority in the travel world for over two decades, as a renowned hotel expert. She’s the former Editor-in-Chief of the boutique hotel guide, Mr & Mrs Smith, and went on to found Bouteco, a platform that helps design lovers find the best eco-conscious design-led hotels. And now she’s releasing a book, The Green Edit: Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller. All of which couldn’t feel more relevant in our current global climate crisis. I really hope you enjoy Juliet’s insight into the future of travel, as well as the wonderful array of unusual destinations that she picks for her travel diaries. Destination Recap:AlgeriaAtlas Mountains, Morocco New York City, USABali, IndonesiaGreen School, BaliSumba, Indonesia Nihi Sumba hotel, Indonesia Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada Uxua Casa, Brazil Potato Head, Bali, Indonesia Budapest, Hungary Brody House, Hungary Treviso, Italy Transylvania, Romania NorwayScotland inc. Alladale Wilderness Reserve JapanPeruvian AndesThank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.The Green Edit by Juliet Kinsman is out on September 10.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by Jacqui Gifford, the Editor-in-Chief of America’s biggest travel magazine, Travel & Leisure. With a circulation of almost two million and an online readership of nine million, the magazine has always inspired me with its incredible covers, breathtaking photography and moving features, and Jacqui will absolutely inspire you with this episode. Having lived all over the world, and specialising in travel and lifestyle content for two decades, she has so many wonderful destinations in her travel diaries for you to add to your travel wish list. From Anguilla and Mexico to Bermuda and Puglia, speaking to me from NYC, these are the travel diaries of Travel & Leisure’s Jacqui Gifford.Destination Recap:Long Island, New York, USAKauai, Hawaii, USAJapan: Tokyo, Peninsula Hotel Tokyo, Okinawa, and SetouchiSaudi ArabiaIreland: West Coast and DublinMorocco: Marrakech and Dar Ahlam, Atlas MountainsParis, France: Le Meurice, Shangri-La Paris and Park Hyatt ParisBorgo Egnazia, Puglia, ItalyGritti Palace, Venice, ItalyBermudaMexico: Oaxaca and San Miguel de AllendeAnguilla: Belmond Cap Juluca, Four Seasons Anguilla, Malliouhana and Zemi Beach HouseRiga, LatviaRwandaSouthern India including Goa and Kerala, and Varanasi Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.And If Jacqui has tempted you to visit the West Coast of Ireland, one of the most magnificent places to stay is Adare Manor - found out more, here. This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by legendary ethologist and conservationist Dame Dr Jane Goodall, known best for her groundbreaking research of wild chimpanzees.When Jane moved from England to Gombe in Tanzania, at the age of just 26, virtually nothing was known about chimpanzees in the wild. Her findings, in particular observing them using tools to get food, changed our understanding of animal behaviour and the natural world, and propelled Jane to international fame. What makes this even more astounding is that at the time, she had no formal scientific qualifications. Still running today, the study is the world’s longest running continuous wildlife research project.Jane has since been named a United Nations Messenger of Peace and was invested as a dame of the British Empire. Now at the age of 86 she remains a dedicated activist, travelling 300 days of every year (before covid), becoming equally well known as a conservationist and a champion of human rights.Destination Recap:Bournemouth SerengetiGombe GermanyCape Town TanzaniaNebraskaMalaysia Tendaguru, Tanzania Lubbock ,TexasAuschwitz Haiti Death Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that you receive a new episode each week.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.If you want to get involved or find out more about Jane’s work, visit www.janegoodall.org.uk and www.rootsnshoots.org.ukThe documentary, Jane, is currently available on Netflix and is a fantastic watch.Book your stay at the spectacular Gleneagles hotel at https://gleneagles.com/This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by the sportsman, adventurer and double Olympic gold medallist, James Cracknell. We first got to know James as part of the coxless four rowing team, alongside Steve Redgrave, that won gold at the Sydney Olympics. Several world titles later, James went on to take part in countless feats of endurance, from becoming the highest ever placed Brit to run the Marathon des Sables, the hottest hardest race in the world, to rowing the Atlantic in a two man boat, and racing to the South Pole with his friend Ben Fogle, who you might have heard on the podcast earlier this season. Then, in 2010, James’s life was turned upside down. While cycling in a race across America, he was struck by a lorry and experienced a serious brain injury that left him in a coma. As we discuss, his journey to recovery has been anything but straightforward, but his story is one of sheer determination and resilience, ultimately leading him to return to university - Cambridge, no less - where he became the oldest ever winner of the famous Oxbridge boat race. Travel has been hugely important to James. Of course he’s spent a lot of time on some of the world’s most beautiful lakes and rivers - and I love being by the water, so I really enjoyed hearing about those. And his Slovenian hidden gem is a spot that I’ve now added to my travel wish list, and I’m sure you might do too. Destination Recap:Biarritz, FranceLac d’Aiguebelette, FranceGaltür, AustriaRio De Janeiro, BrazilAnnecy, France South Pole, AntarcticaRowing the Atlantic OceanLake Bled, SloveniaLake Maggiore, Italy / SwitzerlandGrand Canyon National Park, USAThe AmazonTepui Table Top Mountains, Venezuela Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.To find out more about Lanserhof at the Arts Club and Lanserhof Sylt, visit https://www.lanserhof.com/enThis episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by Lyn Hughes, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of one of the UK's best-loved travel magazines, Wanderlust. In the early nineties Lyn and her late husband were bored on a flight to South America, so they schemed out their dream travel magazine on the back of a sick-bag. The idea stuck and, returning to the UK a few months later, they launched Wanderlust magazine from their spare bedroom, with Lyn as editor and her husband, Paul, as publisher. The magazine gradually grew through word of mouth, and now, years later, it’s one of the UK’s leading travel magazines. Of course, through her work with the magazine, Lyn has travelled all around the world, and has her finger on the pulse of what’s hot and what’s not when it comes to travel. I particularly love her hidden gem in this episode and along with her travel diaries we cover wildlife travel, future travel trends, and of course a little bit of travel during Covid - it’s hard to escape it at the moment. As usual, though, the plan is to transport you far away from all those worries, so from New Zealand and Borneo, to Macedonia and Morocco here are the travel diaries of Lynn Hughes. Destination Recap:Southport, Merseyside, EnglandExmoor, Devon, EnglandBodmin Moor, Cornwall, EnglandThailand, Malaysia and Singapore tripTaman Negara National Park, MalaysiaAfrican safaris including ZambiaCaiman Lodge, The Pantanal, BrazilKaikoura, New ZealandMarrakech, MoroccoNumber 43, Cumbria, EnglandLake Ohrid, North MacedoniaSt Naum Monastery, North MacedoniaJapanSumatra, IndonesiaSabah, BorneoWanderlust Magazine is available in all good newsagents as well as online at wanderlust.co.uk Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.To find out more about Lanserhof at the Arts Club and Lanserhof Sylt, visit https://www.lanserhof.com/enThis episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, I’m joined by the food writer and TV presenter, Giles Coren. Giles has been a restaurant critic and columnist for The Times for 17 years and alongside chef Monica Galetti, he is the presenter of Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, which sees him travel the globe, visiting some of the world’s most incredible hotels, rolling up his sleeves to work alongside their staff. As well as some fabulous hotels, stay tuned for some fab foodie recommendations too.I loved chatting to Giles - his take on travel amused me from start to finish. I hope you enjoy it too!Destination Recap:MGM MacauKenyan safariAndalucía, SpainLa Petite Maison, London, EnglandChewton Glen, Hampshire, England Le Gavroche, London, EnglandThe River Cafe, London, England Min Jiang, London, EnglandGymkhana, London, EnglandPalmers, London, EnglandScott’s, London, EnglandJ Sheekey, London, EnglandInter-railing around EuropeTourettes-sur-loup, France Corsica, France Giraffe Manor, Kenya Marina Bay Sands, SingaporeGrand Resort Bad Ragaz, SwitzerlandSchloss Elmau, GermanyThe Brando, French Polynesia The Bell Inn, Langford, EnglandKerala, India CubaAmazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby is out now on BBC 2, and is also available on BBC iPlayer. Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.To find out who’s on next week’s show, come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.