Stanfords Travel Podcast

Back by popular demand following his 2018 appearance, Michael Portillo returns to the Stanfords Travel Writers Festival. Since leaving politics we have watched him travel all around the world in his television documentaries. Championing the Bradshaw’s Handbook, Michael has looked in depth at the history of rail travel and how it opened up the world for people … Continue reading Michael Portillo in Conversation: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

The wellbeing of our oceans has never been more important. But to truly understand the vital role they play, we need to first understand how the oceans work, how we explore them and learn about the mysteries they hold, and what our effect is on them. Combining untold history of ocean exploration and personal account … Continue reading Dr Jon Copley: Exploring the Ocean Depths: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

In 2016 Ben Aitken moved to Poland to work in a fish and chip shop. He booked the cheapest flight he could find, to a place he had never heard of – Poznan. Between peeling potatoes and boning fish, Ben spent time on the road travelling the country and learning about its history. Talking to … Continue reading Ben Aitken: An Unlikely Year in Poland: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Dreaming of your next adventure? Whether you’re looking for festivals and culture, an unforgettable journey, natural wonders, rest and relaxation, or active adventures, Lucy Richards talks to Paul Blezard about the most amazing places in the world and the best time of year to visit them. Discover when to explore Costa Rica’s rainforests, journey into … Continue reading Lucy Richards: Where to Go When: Stanfords Travel Writing Festival 2020

John Hudson talks to Paul Blezard about how strategies for life or death situations can help us excel in our everyday lives. Through gripping first-hand accounts of survival stories from across the extreme world you can develop the skills that allow you to make better decisions under pressure, which are as equally applicable to your … Continue reading John Hudson: How to Survive: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

At a time of deteriorating relations between Russia and the West, Sara Wheeler talks to Julia Wheeler about a Russia not in the news – a Russia of humanity and daily struggles. Taking us across eight time zones, from rinsed north-western beetroot fields and far-eastern Arctic tundra to the cauldron of ethnic soup that is … Continue reading Sara Wheeler: Travels Through Russia: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Dom Joly talks to Julia Wheeler about his book The Hezbollah Hiking Club, in which he writes about hiking across Lebanon, from the Israeli border in the south, along the spine of the country’s mountain range, all the way to the Syrian border in the north. It is a big-hearted, witty and affectionate love letter … Continue reading Dom Joly: A Short Walk Across the Lebanon: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

Stylish travel—on a budget? It’s possible: today’s best hostels are stylish, affordable and more fun and open-minded to boot. Join us as Kash Bhattacharya (aka Budget Traveller) talks to Phoebe Smith about how it’s possible to stay stylish while still on a budget. Not just the journey but the place you choose to stay should be an adventure. The … Continue reading Kash Bhattacharya: Grand Hostels, Style on a Budget: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

From Mappa Mundi to modern election maps, the United Kingdom has evolved rapidly, along with the ways in which it has been mapped. During this time, cartography has not only kept pace with these changes, but has often driven them. In his beautiful book, Philip Parker talks to Julia Wheeler about some of these maps … Continue reading Philip Parker: History of Maps in Britain: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020

The prospect of travelling with children can be daunting: long flights, unfamiliar food, the absence of the home comforts and helpful grandparents. But more parents are venturing away from all-inclusive resorts with kids’ club entertainment on tap in favour of immersive real-world experiences. In doing so they discover the joys that family travel can bring, … Continue reading Travelling with Children: Stanfords Travel Writers Festival 2020