Armchair Explorer

In this first episode of our seven-part road trip through Arizona, we walk among the ancient cactus forests of Saguaro National Park. Then we saddle up at White Stallion Ranch for legendary guns, dusty arenas and a campfire under the stars with a cowboy poet. It's a journey into the heart of one of the most remarkable deserts in the world, and into the mythology of the American West that this landscape helped shape.

This is Arizona - the Wonder of the Desert.

Episode Highlights:

The Desert Miracle

Hear why Ranger Jordan Camp from Saguaro National Park calls the giant saguaro a "miracle of the desert," and discover the extraordinary biology behind one of nature's most remarkable survivors.

The Symbol of the West

Find out how a cactus that grows only in the Sonoran Desert became Hollywood's defining image of the Wild West, and why the real desert is nothing like the movies.

Guns of the Wild West

Step into the armory at White Stallion Ranch as the resident gunslinger and raconteur lays out some of the most legendary weapons in American history, from the Colt revolver made famous by Wyatt Earp to Billy the Kid's fast-draw pistol.

Team Penning

Get into the heart of the action as Aaron, mic'd up and in the saddle for the first time, attempts to herd cattle on horseback at White Stallion Ranch. Spoiler: the cows were not impressed.

The Keeper of the Fire

As the sun drops behind the Tucson Mountains and the saguaros turn to silhouettes on the horizon, gather around a campfire with cowboy poet and musician Buck Helton, and hear a song about memory, tradition and what it means to keep a flame alive.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a road trip you can take. Recorded entirely on location over two extraordinary weeks, Wonders of Arizona follows a new, bookable itinerary designed and road-tested by presenter and award-winning travel writer Aaron Millar (The Times, National Geographic Traveller and more), told through the voices of the people who know these places best. Hear it first, then make the journey your own.

To find out more go to:

USA and Worldwide Listeners: wondersofaz.com (https://www.wondersofaz.com)

UK Listeners: search up Wonders of Arizona at HaysTravel.co.uk (https://www.haystravel.co.uk/destinations/americas/rest-of-usa/arizona/wonders-of-arizona/wonders-of-arizona/) ... Or phone: 0800 408 4048.

FOLLOW VISIT ARIZONA:

Instagram: @visit_arizona

Facebook: @arizonatravel

CREDITS:

Thank you to our guests:

• Ranger Jordan Camp, Saguaro National Park
• The whole team at White Stallion Ranch (WhiteStallionRanch.com)
• Cowboy poet and musician Buck Helton (BuckHelton.com)

The Wonders of Arizona podcast is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Field recording and audio production by Jason Paton. Pre-production and itinerary by Brian Thacker. Produced by Armchair Productions

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

At the start of every season, host Aaron Millar and producer Jason Paton preview what’s coming

up on Armchair Explorer, play some of their favorite clips, and reveal the stories they’re most

excited to share. A cross between a highlight reel, an interview, and two people telling travel tales down the pub, our Pathways episodes are your guide to choosing your adventures with us.

Season five episodes:

SEVEN WONDERS: Join us On Location for a 2,000-mile road trip in search of the Seven Wonders

of Arizona. Play cowboy at White Stallion Ranch beside Saguaro National Park, stand on the rim

of Meteor Crater, the best-preserved meteorite impact site on Earth, and hike down into the

Grand Canyon to touch rocks 1.8 billion years old.

SIBERIA INVASION: Explorer Charlie Walker sets out to walk the frozen rivers of Arctic Siberia

and meet the people who live in the coldest inhabited places on Earth. Then, just as he lands,

Russia invades Ukraine, and his months-long journey becomes a story nobody saw coming.

ICE AGE TRAIL: We hike the Ice Age Trail, one of America’s least-known long-distance footpaths.

It follows the edge of the last Ice Age across Wisconsin, where a glacier up to a mile thick

carved out kettle lakes and forested hills. Plus, we paddle by canoe into the wild North Woods.

UNWILDED: Aaron hangs out with adventurer Alastair Humphreys in the UK to talk about his

new book, Unwilded, and why adventure is about your mindset, not your geography. It’s also

the reason Aaron climbed a tree.

PLUS: Our first ever game show, Two Travel Truths and One Travel Lie. Can producer Jason spot

the fake fact about Japan, Iceland and Finland?

ALSO COMING UP IN SEASON 5:

Hiking in Slovenia, an igloo festival in Quebec, long-distance trekking in Japan, a tapas safari in

Spain, a night in a former asylum that’s now a hotel, and Providencia, Aaron’s secret Caribbean

island.

***

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you’re reading this on right

now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the

algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.

Reviewing the show helps other people discover it and helps us continue to produce it. If you

like episode, please consider a quick review on your favorite podcast platform. You don’t have

to write anything just click those five (hopefully) stars!

Following the show on socials will definitely maybe bring you good travel karma!

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Aaron Millar and Jason Paton

presented the show, Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Rising over 1,000 feet straight from the red desert of Australia's Northern Territory, Uluru is one of the great wonders of the world. At sunrise it glows pink, gold, and amber. At dusk, it forms the backdrop to one of the most spectacular sunsets you will ever see. But that's just scratching the surface. What most visitors never discover is that the real wonder of Uluru lives in the stories, and culture, of the people for whom it is not just a wonder - but a part of them.

In this Bucket List episode, Kylene Randall, a traditional custodian of Uluru and member of the local Anangu people, takes us deep into the Aboriginal heart of this extraordinary and sacred place.

We'll discover the ancient creation law of Tjukurpa, hear the story of the Stolen Generation and how Kylene's grandfather found his way home, walk the stories at the base of Uluru, learn hands-on bush skills and traditional culture, and find out what the four pillars of Anangu wellbeing might teach us about how to live our lives too.

This is a journey into the soul of Uluru and the people who have kept watch over it for more than 30,000 years.

Episode Highlights:

• Walk the Stories at the Base of Uluru
• Travel with Kylene on an indigenous-led walk around Uluru, hearing the story of the Mala people, their ceremony, their fight, and the lessons it contains.
• Hear the Story of the Stolen Generation
• Learn how Kylene's grandfather was forcibly removed as a small child, spent his life searching for his mother, and ultimately found his way back to his culture - and how that extraordinary act of resilience changed her life and continues to inspire her work today.
• Experience Culture Hands On
• Discover what it's like to make traditional tools, learn bush medicine from native plants, dig for honey ants, cook kangaroo tail on a fire, and spend a night on country beneath a sky full of stars.
• The Four Pillars of Holistic Wellbeing
• Hear Kylene's grandfather's teaching on the four things that make us complete - family, country, spirit, and law - and why, when we are disconnected from any one of them, we cannot truly thrive.

FIND OUT MORE

This Bucket List episode is the second in our series on Australia's Northern Territory. If you missed the first - Into the Wild: A Road Trip Through Australia's Northern Territory - go back a few episodes in the feed. Together they make an extraordinary two-week itinerary that finishes right here at Uluru.

To experience Uluru with Kylene and her family, visit talikatu.com or follow on Instagram at @talikatu

PLAN YOUR TRIP

We designed this itinerary with a company called Down Under Endeavours, who specialise in authentic Australian adventures — wide open spaces, real wilderness, and the kind of local characters you'll be telling stories about for years.

Armchair Explorer listeners get $500 off any trip. Head to downunderendeavours.com/armchair and use the code ARMCHAIR at checkout.

You can literally book this exact trip or design something entirely your own. You can book from anywhere in the world, and even if you're just dreaming right now, the website is worth a visit. The dream is half the fun.

Know Someone Who Needs This?

If this episode moved you - and it will - do us a favour and send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little wonder in their life right now. Hit the share button in your podcast app, it takes about ten seconds, and it makes a genuine difference to the show.

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com

CONNECT WITH US:

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you're reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It helps us grow the show and continue to bring these stories to you.

Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Theme music by Sweet Chap. Produced by Armchair Productions.

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Wayfinding is an ancient Polynesian way of navigating by reading the ocean, stars and wind. No compass, no map, just deep observation, and experience passed down through generations. But because of that, wayfinding is more art than science. It's about trusting your instinct and using all your senses - and it's exactly the kind of travel Daniel Scheffler believes in, and exactly what this conversation is all about.

Daniel Scheffler is one of the world's most successful travel writers, and in today's episode he and host Aaron Millar swap tales like a couple of mates having a laugh down the pub. Expect scorpion bites in Angola, voodoo ceremonies in Benin, Berber festivals in Morocco, and lots more.

But between the wild stories, this episode is about something much deeper too. If you want to be inspired about not just what to see, but how to see - and how to make travel more than just Google reviews and ticking off lists - this is the episode for you.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hear how Daniel survived a scorpion bite in Angola, three minutes from death, and the tribal leader who saved his life by sucking out the venom.
• Travel with Aaron to a Festival Fantasia in the foothills of Morocco's Atlas Mountains, the biggest culture shock he's ever experienced, and why that discomfort was exactly the point.
• Discover what it's like to sit inside a voodoo ceremony in Benin, a belief system entirely outside Daniel's own, and why he calls it one of the best things he's ever done.

FIND OUT MORE

Daniel Scheffler writes regularly on Substack at Without Maps find more of his writing and adventures there.

And don't miss his own podcast, Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel - if you enjoy Armchair Explorer, we think you'll love it too.

Listen to Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, the iHeartRadio app, or wherever you get your podcasts: Wayfinder: Life-Changing Travel on Apple Podcasts

PASS IT ON:

If this episode lit something up in you, do me a favor - send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little wayfinding inspiration in their life … Or go old school and tell someone about it over a cheeky pint! Every single share genuinely moves the needle. Thank you for whatever you can do.

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Newsletter: armchair-explorer.com

CONNECT WITH US:

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you're reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It helps us grow the show, and continue to bring this content to you.

Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Theme music by Sweet Chap. Produced by Armchair Productions.

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

There is a state in New England where ancient mountains rise above the treeline into bare Arctic tundra, where sheer granite summits look out over oceans of forests, and where one of the fastest wind speeds ever recorded was once clocked here at 231 miles per hour.

But New Hampshire is also the place where Thoreau came to reflect, Thornton Wilder was inspired to write his seminal play Our Town, and the oldest summer stock company in America stills performs in an 18th century barn.

New Hampshire is art and adventure, natural wonders and quintessential charm. But most of all, like the state’s nickname suggests, it is a place to live free and to the fullest.

In today’s episode we set off on a seven-day road trip through three of the state’s most rugged and fascinating regions - from backpacking in the White Mountains and scrambling up waterfalls to discovering art inspired by nature, and nature infused with an artistic eye.

Get ready for the Live Free Road Trip.

Highlights include:

• Hiking the Presidential Traverse - three days, and four peaks above 5,000 feet, including Mt Washington, the highest (and windiest) summit in New England.
• Discovering the ‘business class of backpacking’ staying in the Apallachain Mountain Club’s backcountry huts - three-course dinners, epic views, and cosy beds.
• Finding out about the MacDowell Institute, a legendary artists' residency founded in 1907, whose past guests include Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, James Baldwin, Thornton Wilder and hundreds of other world-class artists.
• Hiking Mount Monadnock - reputedly the second most climbed mountain in the world after Mount Fuji, with views across New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Hear why this was one of Thoreau’s favorite hikes!

FIND OUT MORE

Produced in collaboration with Lonely Planet: LonelyPlanet.com

Find inspiration, itineraries and everything you need - including how to book this exact road trip - at visitnh.gov (Visit New Hampshire) or follow them on social at @VisitNH

Thank you to our guests:

Marielle Fibish, senior outdoor guide at the Appalachian Mountain Club.Find out more at: outdoors.org

Ben Cote, Newport local and outdoor fanatic. Connect with him at tracylibrary.org

Michelle Stahl, Executive Director at the Monadnock Center for History and Culture. Find out more at monadnockcenter.org

Know Someone Who Needs This?

If this episode lit something up in you, do me a favour — send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little wonder in their life right now. Or go old school and tell someone about it over a cheeky pint. Every single share genuinely moves the needle.

FOLLOW US:

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

CONNECT WITH US:

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you're reading this on right now. It helps us grow the show, and continue to bring these stories to you.

Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Produced by Armchair Productions

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

There is a place at the top of the world where the land runs out, a sheer thousand-foot cliff rising straight from the Arctic Ocean, and nothing beyond it but open sea all the way to the North Pole. This is the North Cape - the northernmost point of continental Europe and getting there means sailing one of the most spectacular coastlines on Earth.

From Oslo, we travel north through towering fjords and fishing villages so remote the ship is their only connection to the outside world. We pass the Lofoten Islands rising like a mountain range planted in the middle of the ocean, Alta - nicknamed the Northern Lights City - and on into the deep Arctic silence of Finnmark. Norway's coast is not just beautiful. It is staggering.

The Northern Lights wait for us there too. The Sami called them Govsov - the light you can hear, the light that speaks. Science calls them solar particles colliding with the earth's atmosphere. But standing beneath them, none of that matters. What you are seeing is the invisible touch of our sun, raining down in colour all around you - and it is unlike anything you have ever experienced before.

Join host Aaron Millar, and two expert guests, as we set sail on the North Cape Line with the legendary adventure ships of Hurtigruten. This is more than an expedition cruise, it is a journey to the edge of the world along one of the most awe-inspiring coastlines in the world in search of the Aurora at its most breathtaking.

Produced in Armchair Explorer's signature documentary style, this immersive audio adventure is designed not just to let you hear what it's like to chase the Northern Lights along the Norwegian coast - but to feel it.

Highlights include:

• Sailing the Trollfjord - a fjord so narrow it feels like you could reach out and touch the mountains on either side, sheer walls of rock and snow rising straight from the water around you.
• Standing at the North Cape - the northernmost point in Europe where beyond the cliff edge there nothing but the Arctic Ocean, all the way to the North Pole.
• Sitting inside a Sami Lavvu - warm with firelight and wood smoke - hearing stories, sharing food and listening to yoik, the ancient song form where every melody carries the spirit of a specific person, animal or place.
• Husky sledding into the Arctic wilderness - the moment the dogs stop barking, set off, and everything goes utterly silent. Just you, the animals, and the snow.
• The food of Norway's coast - fresh Arctic cod from the world's largest cod fishery in Lofoten, king crab hauled from the icy waters of Finnmark and cooked within the hour, cheese from a family farm whose recipes are 300 years old, and wild herbs foraged from cliff edges above the fjords.
• The Aurora itself - the crowning corona, where the lights rain down in every direction around you - “like taking a dream out of your head and placing it into the sky”

FIND OUT MORE

Produced in collaboration with Lonely Planet: LonelyPlanet.com

This journey is run by expedition cruise company Hurtigruten, whose ships have sailed this coastline for generations. This is what they promise: If you're on one of their 11-day or longer voyage during the Auroral season and the Lights don't appear, they'll give you another chance on a future sailing at no extra cost.

Find out more at hurtigruten.com

Connect with expert Aurora chaser Tom Kerss at TomKerss.com or follow him on Instagram at @tomkerss

Thank you also to Andre Pettersen, the man behind Hurtigruten's extraordinary food and community connections along the Norwegian coast.

Know Someone Who Needs This?

If this episode lit something up in you, do me a favour - send it to just one person. One friend, one family member, one person who needs a little wonder in their life right now. Or go old school and tell someone about it over a cheeky pint. Every single share genuinely moves the needle.

Hit the share button in your podcast app - it takes about ten seconds, and helps us continue to bring these stories to you.

FOLLOW US: Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

CONNECT WITH US: If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you're reading this on right now. Go on, do it! It helps us grow the show, and means you won’t miss an episode (we’ve got some good ones coming up!).

Armchair Explorer is written and presented by Aaron Millar. Audio editing and sound design by Charles Tyrie. Theme music by Sweet Chap. Produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at Armchair-Productions.com

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

“You stand at the edge of the boat - and you take a giant stride into the unknown.”

Today we’re chatting with Pier Nirandara, a bestselling author, film producer, SCUBA diver and underwater photographer. She's dedicated her life to sharing the beauty and importance of this marine world about which we still know so little. With her work in photography, writing, and more, she's also helping to shape a new generation of divers and ocean advocates from all corners of the world.

In the episode, you’ll hear about the dive that changed her life and stopped her career path in its tracks; how it feels to share the water with some of the world’s rarest, most ancient sea creatures; and why exploring the ocean and encountering marine wildlife is more important than ever. This episode will inspire and move you to consider all the life that exists beneath the water's surface - and what we owe to it.

FIND PIER

Follow Pier on Instagram (@piersgreatperhaps) and Facebook, or visit her website at piernirandara.com to find her amazing photography, articles, books, TED Talk, and more. She also leads snorkeling and diving expeditions all around the globe, so if you want to experience some of the adventures you heard in the episode firsthand, you can find those on her website too.

SPONSORS

THANK YOU to our amazing sponsor, The North Face, for supporting this episode! When you wear The North Face, it’s more than a jacket…it’s the calling to get out there and explore. Find your next fleece, parka, or winter jacket at thenorthface.com.

And thank you to our other sponsor, Juggernaut Wines! Get four bottles of their delicious wines delivered to your home for only 1 cent in shipping costs. Just head over to juggernautwines.com and use code ARMCHAIR21.

SOCIAL

Share the show with your friends! Follow @armchairexplorerpodcast across Instagram and Facebook, and check out Armchair Explorer (www.armchair-explorer.com) for background videos, photos and more on each episode. And please hit that follow button to support the show!

CREDITS

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions. Find our other shows at armchair-productions.com. Jenny Allison wrote and produced this episode, along with host and producer Aaron Millar. Charles Tyrie did the audio editing and sound design. Theme music written by the artist Sweet Chap.

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

Follow travel author Oscar Scafidi on his world-record paddle down the Kwanza River in

Angola. Stretching 600-miles from its source in the Angolan Highlands, in the center of the

country, to the Atlantic Ocean on the country’s west coast, Oscar and his partner Alfie

Weston kayaked the entire length and hiked an additional two hundred miles to circumvent

rapids, waterfalls and dams.

The going was tough and they were unprepared for the dangers and hardships ahead. But,

that’s also part of what’s so inspiring and unique about this story – Oscar and Alfie aren’t

professional adventurers, explorers or African bush experts. They’re just two young guys

with a crazy idea and a lot of guts.

They faced man-eating crocodiles, angry hippos and even angrier police. But over 33 hard

days, camping beside the banks of the river and in small settlements along the way, they

reached the ocean and in doing so did something no one else had ever achieved before,

which has since been recognised as an official world-record by Guinness World Records

This is a story about that adventure, but it’s also a story about dreaming big, taking risks and

achieving something extraordinary. If two ordinary guys, with very little kayaking

experience, can paddle the entire length of one of the longest rivers in Africa, why can’t you

achieve your travel dreams too?

Highlights:

• Facing 600-miles of man-eating crocodiles, deadly rapids and pods of angry hippos
• Kayaking the entire length of one of the least explored rivers on the planet – an official Guinness World Record
• Discovering Angola, one of Africa’s least visited and most misunderstood countries,still reeling from the aftermath of a brutal civil war.
• But one that’s also filled with incredible wildlife, surfing, hiking and more
• Getting arrested in the middle of the night at gun point by the security forces
• Being inspired to follow your own dreams of adventure and hearing what it takes to get it done

If you want to connect with Oscar directly his Instagram is @oscarscafidi and his twitter is

@scafiditravels. He also has an awesome YouTube channel which charts this trip and his

other adventures www.youtube.com/c/ScafidiTravels

The book of this journey is called Kayak the Kwanza: Source to Sea Along Angola’s Longest

River - www.amazon.com/Kayak-Kwanza-Oscar-Scafidi/dp/1789650127

Oscar and Alfie were raising money for the HALO Trust who are removing landmines from

Angola and other war-torn countries around the world. Their goal is a landmine-free wolrs

by 2025. Help them get there at www.halotrust.org

Follow @armchairexplorer podcast on Instagram and Facebook or head over to

www.armchair-explorer.com to find more background information on this episode

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is the biggest two-wheeled party in the world drawing hundreds of thousands of riders each year to the Black HIlls of South Dakota.

Join presenter Brian Thacker on location as he gets right in amongst it - riding Main Street on a Fat Boy Harley-Davidson, taking in the stunts, burnouts and live rock at the legendary Buffalo Chip, meeting a Hall of Famer, a Sturgis veteran and a 100-year-old rider who still hasn't stopped.

Whether you ride a motorcycle or not, this is a wild ride into one of the loudest festivals on the planet.

You'll hear from:

• Rod "Woody" Woodruff, founder of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, the legendary concert and events venue at the heart of the rally
• Michael Lichter, photographer and chronicler of motorcycle culture for over four decades
• Milton "Mac" McKinney, Sturgis veteran and keeper of the rally's spirit
• Gloria Struck - centenarian rider, still on two wheels at 100 years old
• Cris Sommer-Simmons - Sturgis Hall of Famer and one of the great figures of American motorcycle culture

FIND OUT MORE

Our on-location Immersion documentaries are designed so that you can experience everything we did in this episode.

Visit travelsouthdakota.com for inspiration, ideas and everything you need to plan your own South Dakota adventure

SHARE THE RIDE

If this episode fired something up in you - please send it to just one person, one friend, one family member who's ever dreamed of hitting the open road. Hit the share button in your podcast app, it takes about ten seconds, and helps us continue to tell stories like this.

CONNECT WITH US

If you enjoy the show, please subscribe on whatever podcast player you're reading this on right now. Go on, do it. It means you get to choose what episodes you listen to, rather than the algorithm guess (wrongly) and kick us off your feed.

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

CREDITS

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions. Brian Thacker wrote and presented this episode. Jason Paton did the field recording and production. Aaron Millar was executive producer.

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.

Check out the new Smart Travel Podcast

This episode is supported by Smart Travel a new podcast from Nerd Wallet. Travel smarter — and spend less — with help from NerdWallet. Follow Smart Travel wherever you get your podcasts.Smart Travel Podcast

In today’s Discover Destination guide, we’re taking a road trip across the Northern Territory of Australia, from crocodile close-encounters and aboriginal rock art to a wonder of the world that’s been drawing people to it for more than 30,000-years.

The Top End, as it’s known, is ancient, vast, deeply spiritual, and unlike anywhere else on Earth. This is a journey into its heart to discover one of the wildest and most

fascinating places in the country.

Highlights include:

• Exploring Arnhem Land, a 200,000 acre wilderness home to the largest collection of Aboriginal rock art on Earth..
• Sitting by the campfire with Peter ‘Fingers’ Taylor of Finnis River Lodge hearing stories of wildlife close-calls and the greatest animal rescue story you will ever hear (spoiler: it involves giving CPR to a possum).
• Seeing Uluru for the first time: more than 1,000ft tall, and nearly six miles around, this giant stark red sandstone monolith is one of the great wonders of the natural world, and infused throughout with aboriginal history stretching back to the Dreamtime.
• Walking in Kata Tjuta, Uluru’s less-visited but equally sacred neighbour - 36 ancient domes of rock, and a Valley of the Winds hike that might just be one of the most beautiful in Australia.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

We designed this itinerary with a company called Down Under Endeavors, who specialize in authentic Australian adventures: wide open spaces, real wilderness, and the kind of local characters you'll be telling stories about for years.

Armchair Explorer listeners get $500 off any trip. Downunderendeavours.com/armchair and use the code ARMCHAIR at checkout.

You can literally book this exact trip - with these exact guides - or design something entirely your own. You can book from anywhere in the world, and even if you're just dreaming right now, the website is worth a visit, and the dream is half the fun.

GOT 30 SECONDS?

If this episode made you want to book a flight to Australia, do us a favour and send it to just one person who you think might need an escape too. It helps us continue to build this community of travelers who want to protect the outdoors, learn from different cultures, and celebrate the pure joy of exploring this beautiful planet. We think that’s a message that’s worth sharing. If you do too, please leave a review or pass it on.

FOLLOW US

Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast

Facebook: @armchairexplorerpodcast

CREDITS

Armchair Explorer is produced by Armchair Productions, find out other shows at armchair-productions.com. Aaron Millar writes and presents the show. Charles Tyrie does the audio editing and sound design. Theme music by the artist Sweet Chap.

This podcast is part of the Voyascape Network, a collection of some of the world’s best travel podcasts. Explore more at Voyascape Podcast Network For advertising or sponsorship opportunities on this show and across the network, email [email protected] or you can find more information at Voyascape Advertising.