Flight of Fancy

Flight of Fancy episodes:

• 08.29.2022

  The most inspiring trip of my life

  Sadly, this will be the final episode of Flight of Fancy. However, we're going out with a bang, bringing back some of your favourite guests - including Rob McFarland, Ute Junker and Flip Byrnes, along with host Ben Groundwater -...

  
• 08.15.2022

  What's so special about the Basque Country?

  This area of northern Spain might just be the greatest food destination on the planet, with its mix of pintxos culture and Michelin-starred brilliance. However, there's a lot more to the Basque Country than meets the eye, and on this...

  
• 08.01.2022

  How to travel with your partner (and survive)

  Planning to travel with a partner or significant other? Hoping to survive the experience not just with your relationship intact, but also your sanity? Then you need to listen to this episode. Today, we're discussing the highs and lows, the...

  
• 07.18.2022

  How to manage your money overseas

  Is cash king when you're travelling? Or should you always use cards? And if so, debit cards, or credit? And how do you avoid all those overseas transaction fees? What's a dynamic conversion? And what about travel money cards? If...

  
• 07.04.2022

  How to have the best craic in Ireland

  It's one of our favourite destinations on the planet, Ireland, and yet for so long we haven't been able to visit. On this episode we're taking a deep dive into the Emerald Isle, looking at all of the latest developments...

  
• 06.20.2022

  Slow travel: why this is the future

  You've heard of the Slow Food movement, but how about Slow Travel? This is the ultimate way to see the world, allowing full cultural immersion and eliminating many of travel's stresses. Today, our expert panel talks you through how to...

  
• 06.06.2022

  From onsens to saunas: the world's best bathing experiences

  These are some of the most interesting, historic and immersive cultural experiences you can have while you're travelling, and they take place in a bath. From Japanese onsens to Finnish saunas, Turkish hammams to Korean jimjilbangs, on this episode we're...

  
• 05.23.2022

  The big travel mistakes that everyone makes

  It doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time traveller or an absolute expert, all of us make mistakes on the road. And in fact, all of us make the same mistakes. Or at least the same sorts of mistakes. On today's...

  
• 05.09.2022

  Europe, but not as you know it

  On this episode, we're going deep into the Europe you may not know: the off-the-beaten track destinations, the affordable, quiet countries, regions and cities that have so much to offer intrepid travellers. From Georgia to Bulgaria, Albania to the Alentejo,...

  
• 04.25.2022

  Airport disasters: when it all goes wrong

  Travel really is back – the good bits, but also the bad. The airport delays. The flight cancellations. The monumental disintegrations like we saw in Sydney over Easter. It’s not what we missed, exactly, but it does get you thinking,...

  
• 04.11.2022

  The new rules of international travel

  International travel is back, but everything has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic: how you plan your trips, what you pack, what you do at the airport, what you do at your destination, even how you get home. On this episode,...

  
• 03.29.2022

  Join the K Wave: it's time to go to South Korea

  South Korea is having a moment. Not only is this the country responsible for the "K Wave", the cultural juggernaut that is sweeping the globe, but this is also the latest country to open to international tourism after closing its...

  
• 03.14.2022

  Your guide to the highlights of the Middle East

  Let us take you on a journey today to a place you may never have visited, to an ancient place, a historic place, a place of amazing cultures and traditions, a place of artists and poets, of foodies and coffee...

  
• 02.28.2022

  The new world for travellers to explore

  If you're only exploring the world above ground level, you're missing out. You're missing out on wildlife, on scenery, on history, on wonder. This episode is dedicated to exploration of the underwater world, and how it can change your travelling...

  
• 02.14.2022

  Travel inspiration: Why now is the time to see Australia

  With almost all state borders now open and the Omicron wave passing, 2022 might just be the perfect time to travel in Australia. On this episode we're hitting you with 40 minutes of solid Oz travel inspiration, from the reef...

  
• 01.31.2022

  The perks and the pitfalls of Airbnb

  So, you've chosen to stay in a home-share property. What should you bring with you: clothes? Food? How about your own bed linen, garbage bags, toilet paper and detergent? Do you have to clean at the end, or is that...

  
• 01.17.2022

  What can travellers expect from 2022?

  This is the big question: what will the next 12 months hold for Australian travellers? Will this be the snap-back we've been hoping for? Will domestic travel be key, or is now the time to plan an overseas trip? Is...

  
• 12.26.2021

  2021 in review: Was this year even worse than 2020?

  To wrap up Flight of Fancy for 2021, we're taking a look back at the year that was for travellers, from vaccine "stroll-outs" to burst bubbles, from border restrictions to a very gradual and timid reopening - plus, you know,...

  
• 12.06.2021

  Antarctica travel: What does the future hold?

  It’s impossible to be unaffected by Antarctica: there’s something mystical about this vast continent, something primal, something that taps you straight into the spirit of explorers and adventurers and seekers of the unique. And now, it's opening to travellers once...

  
• 11.22.2021

  What you can learn from Australia's most experienced travellers

  Getaway host Catriona Rowntree and Antarctic explorer David McGonigal join us to share hard-won wisdom accumulated over two lifetimes of incredible travel experiences. From riding a motorbike around the world to navigating cultural norms to realising that we're all brought...

  
• 11.08.2021

  What really happens on European bus tours

  For so many young travellers, a bus tour of Europe is a rite of passage, a formative and occasionally drunken escapade in which sights are seen, friends are made, and innocence is lost. But what happens behind the scenes on...

  
• 10.25.2021

  Everything you need to know about the return of travel

  For Australians, travel is back on. However, there are still a lot of questions that need answering. What will the experience be like now? What do you need to take? What will you be covered for? What if borders close?...

  
• 10.11.2021

  The Trans-Siberian: dream travel on the world's greatest rail journey

  Have you ever dreamed of riding the Trans-Siberian or the Trans-Mongolian? This is your ultimate guide to one of the world's truly great adventures: when to go, where to go, where to stop, what to eat, how to book, and...

  
• 10.04.2021

  Bonus episode: The future of cruising

  On this special bonus episode, brought to you by Celebrity Cruises, we're taking a look at the future of cruising. How is one of the most popular forms of travel bouncing back? Where are passengers going to be heading next?...

  
• 09.27.2021

  Why travel is more difficult for the LGBTQI+ community

  It shoudn't make a difference, of course, to your travel experience. How you identify, whether you're part of the LGBTQI+ community or not, shouldn't alter the way you see the world. The trouble, however, is that it does. It can...

  
• 09.13.2021

  Travel boycotts: where would you refuse to go?

  Where do you draw the line on travel? Which countries or regions would you refuse to visit as a form of protest? Which experiences would you turn down because they're just plain wrong? On this episode we're delving into the...

  
• 08.29.2021

  The things we miss (and the things we really don't) about travel

  Long-haul in economy? Airport coffee? Hotel mini-bars? Dodgy cab drivers? There are some things we really miss about travel in this COVID-enforced down time - and some things we really, really don't. In this episode we're taking a long, hard...

  
• 08.15.2021

  How to lift your travel photography game

  Ever wondered how the pros take such amazing travel photos? Ever wanted to transform your own holiday snaps into Instagram-friendly, wall-worthy masterpieces? Then this is the episode for you, as we chat to two professional photographers to get their tips...

  
• 08.02.2021

  Guide to WA: Everything to experience in Western Australia

  It's not always easy to get into WA right now, but this is one huge state that is certainly worth the effort, with incredible beaches, iconic wilderness areas, great food and wine, and so much more. Join the Flight of...

  
• 07.18.2021

  Tokyo: Everything to eat, drink, see and do

  With the Olympic Games upon us, Ben Groundwater presents an unashamed love letter to one of the world's truly great travel destinations: Tokyo. Ben is joined by a host of Japanophiles, including TV host Adam Liaw and author Jane Lawson,...

  
• 07.04.2021

  Travel with kids: Can you still have adventures when you're a parent?

  Here's the question so many of us ask ourselves: can you still be a hardcore traveller once you have kids? The answer, as we discover on this episode, is yes, and no. It's all about how you approach your holiday....

  
• 06.20.2021

  How to have a big, dumb, crazy travel adventure

  Have you ever dreamed of going on a serious adventure, of veering way outside your comfort zone and throwing all caution to the wind? Travel writers Flip Byrnes and David McGonigal live for these experiences, and on this episode they...

  
• 06.13.2021

  Bonus episode: What's it like to travel in Europe right now?

  Travel in Europe is on. For international visitors and domestic guests. It's happening right now, and one of Flight of Fancy's favourites, Germany-based travel writer Flip Byrnes, is calling in from the cobbled streets of Rome to tell us what...

  
• 06.07.2021

  How to travel the world without leaving Australia: food

  Now more than ever, it's so nice to feel like you're in another country, even if you aren't. And the great news for Australians is we can do just that through the humble meal, through local restaurants, cafes and markets...

  
• 05.24.2021

  The best things to see and do in the NT

  Now is the perfect time to book a trip to the Northern Territory, but the big question is, what do you do once you get there? In this episode we look at everything from Kakadu to Uluru, from Litchfield to...

  
• 05.10.2021

  Winter is coming: All the best cold-weather experiences

  Whether you want to hit the snow for some ski action, curl up by a fire with a glass of red, or head north for some sunshine, winter is almost upon us in Australia, and now is the time to...

  
• 04.26.2021

  Why the A380 superjumbo is the world's greatest plane

  As the last-ever A380 takes off from the Airbus factory in Toulouse, we're taking a special deep-dive into every traveller's favourite aircraft: what's it like to pilot an A380, what's it like to work on one, and why has this...

  
• 04.21.2021

  Bonus episode: Special guest Jacinda Ardern talks travel in NZ

  As the trans-Tasman bubble opens and overseas travel resumes, we welcome a very special guest - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - to hear about her favourite destinations in her homeland, as well as her take on how the...

  
• 04.11.2021

  Living overseas: The greatest adventure in travel

  Have you ever dreamed of moving overseas? Have you fantasised about picking up your life and shifting it to a foreign country, immersing yourself long-term in a completely different world? These two travellers have done it - albeit in vastly...

  
• 04.07.2021

  Bonus episode: the NZ travel bubble

  International travel is back! Following the announcement of the New Zealand travel bubble with Australia, this bonus episode examines what the bubble is, what it means, how it will work, and which countries could be opening up next.  See omnystudio.com/listener...

  
• 03.28.2021

  Overseas experiences you can have in Australia

  How do you capture the overseas travel experience right here in Australia? How do you have the same excitement, the same bewilderment, the same cultural clashes and wild experiences? Host Ben Groundwater is joined by Rob McFarland and Sue Williams...

  
• 03.15.2021

  Two women who conquered the world

  Imagine visiting every country on Earth. Every single nation. It's only been done by a few hundred people in human history; and only by a handful of women. On today's episode we're meeting Marty and Rach, who have almost achieved...

  
• 03.01.2021

  #vanlife: The travel trend taking over Australia

  Who knew that the daggy holidays of our childhoods would suddenly be dominating our social media feeds in the 2020s? That caravans and campervans would become THE travel accessory of the COVID age? Join Ben Groundwater, Kerry van der Jagt...

  
• 02.15.2021

  Outrageous Australia: The wildest experiences at home

  You might think you know what to expect in Australia. You might think this country is maybe a little predictable. But there are some wild, wild experiences to be had here, some fantastic experiences, some outrageous experiences, and some experiences...

  
• 02.01.2021

  The best things to see and do in Victoria

  Last year was a rough one for Victoria, but this great state is once again open for business, and its residents are ready to welcome visitors. Now is the time for tourists to head back to Victoria, to experience everything...

  
• 01.18.2021

  How will we travel in 2021?

  Instead of looking at where to travel this year, we're going to take a look at how to travel this year. How to travel safely and affordably, how to plan ahead and how to help build a better world of...

  
• 12.27.2020

  The international destinations we will always love

  They’re long-time favourites of Australian travellers, and they’re sure to be just as popular when we can pack our passports and head overseas once again. The question is, where to first? And what are you going to do when you...

  
• 12.16.2020

  Plane nerds: Why are we so obsessed with geeky plane stuff?

  There comes a time in every traveller’s life when we have to admit that we're a bit of a plane nerd - we all have our favourite aircraft, secret or not. So what's with our weird obsession for this airborne...

  
• 12.01.2020

  Things that'll surprise you about New South Wales

  Australians haven’t always looked at NSW as a holiday spot but it's actually one of the world’s premier tourist destinations - and it’s ours for the taking. From white-sand beaches to lush green valleys and ruggedly beautiful ranges, these are...

  
• 11.25.2020

  Bonus episode: New Zealand cuisine

  What is New Zealand food all about? Join Ben Groundwater and Angela Clifford, chef executive of Eat New Zealand, as they navigate the big questions - who invented the flat white and pavlova, and the influence of Maori cuisine on...