Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage episodes:

• 04.28.2012

  The point and the pleasure of travel

  In the last Excess Baggage, John McCarthy talks to three inveterate travellers: Sara Wheeler, who has written on Africa and the Antarctic, explorer Benedict Allen who has travelled in Siberia and New Guinea and documentary maker Simon Reeve who has...

  
• 04.21.2012

  Africa - Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan

  John McCarthy discusses travel to the African countries of Rwanda, Uganda and to the world's newest country, South Sudan. With his guests, doctor Rob Summerhayes, paramedic Franz Opitz and forensic accountant Benedict Jenks - John finds out what attracts people...

  
• 04.14.2012

  Lake Titicaca - Manchester, Bolivia - Malaysia

  John McCarthy meets the former debutante Meriel Larken who fell in love with Peru and rescued and restored a Victorian steam ship on Lake Titicaca. He is also joined by Chris Smith and Liz Peel who went by canoe through...

  
• 04.07.2012

  Wildlife travel

  John McCarthy explores wildlife travel with naturalist and tv presenter, Mark Carwardine, who has spent thirty years travelling around the world to observe and aid conservation of a huge range of species including whales, tigers, gorillas and sea birds. He...

  
• 03.31.2012

  Iceland

  Sandi Toksvig goes to Reykjavik to look at aspects of tourism in Iceland and discovers that the volcanic eruptions and the financial crash there may not have been so bad for the country. As well as reminding the world of...

  
• 03.24.2012

  Family Travel

  John McCarthy takes a look at family travel with novelist Gill Lewis, who has taken her daughters spotting wildlife both abroad and in Scotland and Cornwall and Ben Hatch who toured Britain with his young children. And holiday lettings agent...

  
• 03.17.2012

  Black Prince - Wine trade in Medieval Europe - Lourdes

  John McCarthy meets a writer who followed in the 14th century footsteps of the Black Prince through SW France; an historian who has followed a medieval wine trail through Gascony and a novelist who was seduced by the lure of...

  
• 03.10.2012

  Russia - Crimea - Ukraine

  Sandi Toksvig discusses the 'Wild East' - Russia - with the BBC's former Moscow correspondent, Martin Sixsmith. Actor Michael Simkins relates his adventures on a rail journey from London to Kiev and on to Crimea to visit the former site...

  
• 03.03.2012

  Medics abroad; The Oscars

  Sandi Toksvig hears about medical work abroad from Dr Marie Charles who runs an organisation which places volunteer doctors and nurses in developing countries to impart their skills to local medical workers. She tells of her experiences travelling the world...

  
• 02.25.2012

  Ashoka's India; Undesirable Places

  Sandi Toksvig hears about a lost Emperor of India: Ashoka ruled the subcontinent about 2,200 years ago and left many pillars and rocks carved with his edicts. Historian Charles Allen went in search of the legacy of this once great...

  
• 02.18.2012

  Israel

  John McCarthy discusses the diverse attractions of Israel as a destination. It's a land whose tumultuous existence often overshadows a rich, cultural life. The very word 'Israel' is often synonymous with conflict and religious tension, but John looks beyond the...

  
• 02.11.2012

  Stone - Sacred sites - Crazy River

  John McCarthy talks to artist Emily Young about her travels to find stone for her sculpture, to travel writer Martin Symington about his venture in search of Britain's sacred places both ancient and modern and to Richard Grant about his...

  
• 02.04.2012

  Antarctica

  John McCarthy visits 'The Heart of the Great Alone' an exhibition of polar photography at The Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace and, before an audience, introduces a discussion of Antarctica with the explorer David Hempleman-Adams and his daughter Amelia who has...

  
• 01.28.2012

  Overland To Mongolia - Wild West - The Calgary Stampede

  John McCarthy discusses the 'Wild West' with former documentary film-maker Tim Slessor who has just written a book called 'More than Cowboys'. He is also joined by travel writer, Kieran Meeke, who, as a keen horse-rider, also loves the cowboy...

  
• 01.21.2012

  The Occupied territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank

  John McCarthy looks at the delights and difficulties of visiting the occupied territories of East Jerusalem and the West Bank with writer Sarah Irving who has published the first new guide to Palestine for many years, circus performer China Fish...

  
• 01.14.2012

  Swimming - Land Art - Sicily

  John McCarthy discusses Art and Travel with leading art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon explaining his abiding passion for the raw art of Sicily which has been drawing him back to the island for over twenty years. He talks about his latest...

  
• 01.07.2012

  Hitchhiking veteran - Butterflies - Burma

  John McCarthy meets three intrepid women travellers who cross the generations as well as the continents. Naomi Molten is a veteran of many adventures through south-east Asia, India and Afghanistan as well as Europe and the Far East, travelling mostly...

  
• 12.31.2011

  England

  John McCarthy looks at the changing nature of the traditional attractions of England with historian John Julius Norwich, curator Lucy Worsley and journalist Martin Wainwright. Together they discuss the appeal of English places from Kensington Palace to Watford Gap and...

  
• 12.25.2011

  Christmas Quiz

  Peter Curran presents an Excess Baggage special quiz for Christmas from the Radio Theatre with Sandi Toksvig, John McCarthy and their special guests Caroline Quentin and Arthur Smith answering questions on the world of travel and travelling the world. Producer:...

  
• 12.24.2011

  Travel Biography from The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival

  John McCarthy discusses travel biography at October's Cheltenham Literature Festival with eminent writers in the field; Sir Christopher Ondaatje, Sara Wheeler and Alexander Maitland. Producer: Harry Parker.

  
• 12.17.2011

  Animal welfare - Plant hunting

  John McCarthy meets Phillip Cribb, a botanist and orchid specialist at Kew Gardens who's spent thirty years plant hunting in Western China. Along with Christopher Grey-Wilson, he's just produced a Guide to the Flowers of Western China and he regularly...

  
• 12.10.2011

  Historic walks - Fast and slow trains

  John McCarthy takes a look at historic walks in the company of archaeologist Bill Bevan who selects Britain's top prehistoric sites best approached by foot and walks webmaster David Stewart who tells how you can follow ancient pathways all over...

  
• 12.03.2011

  Gambian elections - Nepal - Himalayan rafting

  John McCarthy meets scriptwriter Edward Canfor-Dumas who has just returned from Gambia where he was acting as a Commonwealth observer in the recent Presidential elections. He describes how even with a scrupulously correct voting process in the remote bush the...

  
• 11.26.2011

  Storytelling in Japan and Morocco - Coastal Stations

  John McCarthy explores storytelling in Japan with charity founder Nicola Grove who visited the country recently to learn about the heritage of folk tales there and in particular the depiction and involvement of those with learning difficulties. Journalist Richard Hamilton...

  
• 11.19.2011

  Mitteleuropa - Escape from Hong Kong - A272

  John McCarthy looks at Eastern Europe with broadcaster Dennis Marks who visited many of the places described by the author Joseph Roth who wrote between the wars about the declining years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and often depicted Jewish life....

  
• 11.05.2011

  Panama - North Korea

  John McCarthy meets foreign correspondent Nicholas Wood who has turned his hand to running tours of some of the world's politically sensitive spots. They are joined by playwright Sam Holcroft and economist and playwright Alastair Muriel who recently accompanied Nicholas...

  
• 10.29.2011

  Transoceanic Rowing - Tango

  John McCarthy hears about the transoceanic rowing experiences of Roz Savage who has just completed a crossing from Australia to Mauritius making her the first woman to row solo across the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. John also goes cheek...

  
• 10.22.2011

  Congo - Rodrigues

  John McCarthy hears about Congo in the early days of independence in the 1960s from Veronica Cecil who had to flee from the civil war with her young family and about the country after it had become Zaire a decade...

  
• 10.15.2011

  Natural Navigation - Snow Shoeing - Borneo Sunbear - Bulgaria

  John McCarthy looks at natural navigation with Alison Steadman who has been learning from the adventurer Tristan Gooley how to find and follow directions using only the signs provided by the weather and the landscape. Leading guide Kevin Albin talks...

  
• 10.08.2011

  Travel Biography

  John McCarthy discusses travel biography at the Cheltenham Literature Festival with eminent writers in the field; Sir Christopher Ondaatje, Sara Wheeler and Alexander Maitland. Producer: Harry Parker.

  
• 10.01.2011

  Italy

  John McCarthy gets a flavour of rural Italy and its food in conversation with writer Tracey Lawson who investigated the surprising longevity of an Italian village's residents by going to live there and learning all about their diet; their great...

  
• 09.24.2011

  Burma - Egypt - World's longest climb

  John McCarthy asks the historian Thant Myint-U, who visits Burma regularly, about the recent political developments there and its role in south east Asia. Thant reflects on the how the country's relationship with tourism might also change. The author and...

  
• 09.17.2011

  Rowing to the North Pole - Malta - Tidal islands

  John McCarthy talks to adventurer Jock Wishart about his recent expedition rowing to the North Pole. He and his team were the first to achieve this feat made possible this year by global warming melting the ice. They were under...

  
• 09.10.2011

  Maine - Tour d'Afrique - Fallowell's travels

  John McCarthy introduces businesswoman Alice Morrison who took time off from the recession to ride from Cairo to Cape Town on the Tour d'Afrique cycle race, braving bandits and wildlife for a life changing experience. Best selling crime novelist John...

  
• 09.03.2011

  Bus trip from Brighton to Eastbourne

  Sandi Toksvig takes a bus trip along the south coast of England from Brighton to Eastbourne in the company of the listener who suggested it, Veronica Groocock. Together they discover the delights to be had on an ordinary scheduled bus...

  
• 08.27.2011

  Istanbul - Part 2

  Sandi Toksvig in the second of two programmes continues her exploration the ancient and modern city of Istanbul which straddles the border between Europe and Asia. She looks at the its richness both in history and the fusion of eastern...

  
• 08.20.2011

  Istanbul - Part 1

  Sandi Toksvig in the first of two programmes begins to explore the ancient and modern city of Istanbul which straddles the border between Europe and Asia. She gets an overview of the city from the tops of two very different...

  
• 08.13.2011

  Phoenician ship voyage - The British seaside

  Sonia Deol hears about the re-enactment of a historical voyage round Africa from marine explorer Philip Beale. He built a replica of an ancient sailing boat to recreate the Phoenician circumnavigation of Africa. He and his crews sailed clockwise round...

  
• 08.06.2011

  Independent countries - Kashmir

  Sonia Deol looks at Kashmir with the author Rosie Thomas, who went there to learn about the production of cashmere shawls, and journalist Tim Hannigan who toured the region investigating the murder of the Victorian explorer George Hayward. They discuss...

  
• 07.30.2011

  Holy places in Britain, Antarctica

  Sandi is joined by Nick Mayhew Smith who has undertaken a pilgrimage to every "holy place" in England, Scotland and Wales. Nick has compiled a travel guide which not only details where sacred treasures can be found, but also tells...

  
• 07.23.2011

  Hawaii - Buskers

  Sandi Toksvig is joined by country singer Hank Wangford to hear about life on the ranch with paniolo cowboys in Hawaii. There is music from cellist Li Lu who is accompanied by artist Johan Andersson, her rival in a televised...

  
• 07.16.2011

  South Africa - InterRail

  Sandi Toksvig explores Cape Town in the company of two very different experts. Lindsay Johns has family connections to the city and visits regularly. Bryan Tully is a forensic psychologist and has recently led a 'forensic tour' to South Africa....

  
• 07.09.2011

  Somali Pirates - Montserrat - Languages

  Sandi Toksvig meets journalist Colin Freeman who was kidnapped by pirates in Somalia whilst investigating them. He tells Sandi about how the total breakdown of law and order has led to piracy on the high seas and poverty on the...

  
• 07.02.2011

  Rites of Passage - Mexico

  Sandi Toksvig looks at rites of passage with Anders Ryman who spent seven years photographing the ceremonies associated with key events in human life; birth, coming of age, marriage and death from Micronesia to Madagascar and Norway to Nepal. They...

  
• 06.25.2011

  Cycles

  Sandi Toksvig looks at the simplicity and versatility of the bicycle as a travel machine with three very different cyclists. Susie Wheeldon rode 22,000 kilometres around the world, crossing deserts from Tunisia to Arizona, as she and her companions were...

  
• 06.18.2011

  Catalonia - Cornish Coast

  Sandi Toksvig meets novelist Richard Gwyn and translator Peter Bush to discuss Catalonia and its relationship with Spain. She hears how life is changing there, not just in the big city of Barcelona but in the more rural areas near...

  
• 06.04.2011

  Greek islands - Ireland by Kayak

  John McCarthy talks to travel journalist Harry Bucknall about his journey round the Greek islands which vary from the crowded to the deserted and novelist Meaghan Delahunt reveals her love of Naxos an island less frequented by tourists. They discuss...

  
• 05.28.2011

  Afghanistan, Libya, Chechnya

  John McCarthy talks to three writers who have reported as freelancers from conflict zones. Lucy Morgan Edwards worked in Afghanistan both during and after the Taliban regime as an aid worker, journalist and election observer. Despite the risks she grew...

  
• 05.21.2011

  Australia - Art galleries in Britain & Ireland - Iceland

  John McCarthy meets poet and author Lavinia Greenlaw who tells him about the designer William Morris's journeys to Iceland in the 1870s and how what he saw informed his radical socialism. She also compares his experiences with her own trip...

  
• 05.14.2011

  Nagaland - Kosovo - Skiing in Iran

  John McCarthy hears from architectural journalist Jonathan Glancey about the little visited state of Nagaland in north east India. Although concerned with buildings in his profession, Jonathan has returned several times to a land that has little of the built...