sids.campfire

David McMahon and I both came to social media through tour guiding, but that’s really just where this conversation begins.

We talk about what years of guiding and travelling can teach you about people, Country and culture; the strange world of social media; the way humans relate to landscapes and to each other; and some of the bigger questions about how we understand the world and our place in it.

It’s a wide-ranging conversation about guiding, storytelling, philosophy, human nature and the things you start thinking about after spending a lot of your life moving through different places and talking to different people.

This is sids.campfire — conversations about people, places, ideas and the world around us.

Ep 6. The Soul of Beijing: An Uncut Walk Through the Hutongs (with Fred / Li Yan)

Welcome back to Sid’s Campfire. This episode comes straight from the archives. Following a temporary visa roadblock with a recent shoot in Bali, Sid digs into the vaults to share his first-ever on-camera interview, captured during a project in China.

Sid meets up with Fred (Li Yan), a revered Beijing tour guide who grew up inside the city's labyrinth of historic alleyways, known as Hutongs. While millions of travelers flock strictly to the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, Fred argues that the true pulse and soul of Beijing can only be found rubbing shoulders with locals in these ancient neighborhoods.

Recorded completely raw and uncut as they dodge electric scooters and walk the banks of the Grand Canal, this conversation delves into the deep layers of Chinese history, natural science, and local philosophy. Discover how a 13th-century Daoist scholar influenced the layout of the city under Kublai Khan, the hidden architectural symbols that reveal a family's historical social class, and what it truly means to experience a city through its people.

While this episode features great visuals of the city if you are watching the video version, the continuous banter and deep historical tracking make it a perfect listen for the audio-only format.

For the personal, nitty-gritty details on the production delays and upcoming travel projects, join the community on Patreon.

• Support the Podcast: https://www.patreon.com/c/sidsventures

• Explore Tours & Media: https://sids.ventures

From his home in Wyndham, Western Australia, Tom Forrest - better known as Outback Tom - joins me for a conversation about creativity, storytelling and building a life around doing what you love.

Tom is a journalist, pilot and filmmaker whose work captures everyday life across the Kimberley. Together we explore the creative journey, the pursuit of meaningful work, family, grief, social media, and the unexpected moment when you realise you're no longer chasing the dream - you've started living it.

There's no script, no agenda and no destination. Just two storytellers talking about life.

I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Follow Tom:

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/outbacktom/

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@outbacktom

TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@outbacktom

Joining us from a dry creek bed in Alice Springs, Madi Ambrose becomes the first guest in the Tour Guide category of the podcast - the first of many, but the perfect person to start with.

Founder of Wild Women Journeys and an old guiding friend from my days in the Outback, Madi was also one of the people who encouraged me to start my own tour company.

Pull up a chair and join Madi and me around the fire for a conversation about guiding, adventure, business, and life on the road.

https://www.wildwomenjourneys.com/

https://www.instagram.com/wildwomenjourneys

https://sids.ventures

In this episode, I sit down with Wylie J. Miller - a musician, storyteller, and long-time friend whose life has taken him from the streets of Ohio to stages, communities, and cultures across the world.

Wylie shares stories from his journey through music, including connections with artists like Stevie Wonder and George Clinton, as well as the unexpected story behind a viral street performance that reached hundreds of millions of people.

We also explore his work with Indigenous communities in Australia, his involvement with youth and rehabilitation programs, and his philosophy of using music as a way to bring people together.

This is a loose, unstructured conversation - moving through stories, ideas, and moments that reflect a life shaped by creativity, culture, and connection.

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/wylie2990/

Grand WaZoo Profile:
https://www.grandwazoo.com.au/Grand_Wazoo/WylieJMiller.html

Performer / booking-style profile:
https://www.dogsonamission.com/profile.html

In this episode, I sit down with Rick J Petersen - a former SAS soldier, survival expert, and mentor working with people across Australia.

Rick shares his story growing up on a remote island in Tasmania, the breakdown of his family, and the path that led him into the military at 17. From there, we explore his time in the SAS, his connection to bushcraft and nature, and the lessons he’s carried into his work today.

We also get into deeper territory - fatherhood, absence, masculinity, and the role of strong male guidance in shaping the next generation.

This is a grounded, honest conversation about resilience, responsibility, and finding direction through adversity.

Rick's Website:

https://rickjpetersen.com/

Rick's 1-day Workshop.

https://rickjpetersen.com/event/1-day-workshop/

Rick's Online Survival Course

https://sf.rickjpetersen.com/

Episode 1 of sids.campfire kicks things off with a long-form conversation with Damian Kennedy aka Cuzzybra.

This is a relaxed, unfiltered campfire-style chat about life, Australia, culture, and the strange paths people take to end up where they are. Sid and Cuzzy dive into stories from the road, personal experiences growing up in Australia, perspectives on identity and belonging, and the lessons that come from navigating different worlds.

Nothing is scripted - just two people talking honestly about life, community, and the experiences that shape who we become.

Sid’s Campfire is a podcast built around real conversations with interesting people from all walks of life - the kind of discussions that would normally happen sitting around a fire somewhere out in the bush.

Watch, listen, and join the circle.

More from Cuzzy:

⁠https://www.instagram.com/cuzzybra/⁠

More from Sid:
https://sids.ventures