Dickie Arbiter began his broadcasting career in Zimbabwe (Southern Rhodesia) in the mid-1960s.

Following a return to the United Kingdom in the early 1970s he joined LBC News Radio/IRN (Independent Radio News) as a newscaster and program presenter.

During late Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee he was asked to report on the British royal family.

In 1981 he was responsible for organizing the UK’s commercial radio coverage as well as taking on as lead commentator of the wedding of Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer.

With the success of the Royal wedding coverage, he was appointed IRN’s Court Correspondent with accreditation to Buckingham Palace – being only one of two such correspondents with continuous and unfettered access to the Palace.

His new role meant travelling extensively both at home and abroad, covering the British monarchy, his area of expertise.

In 1988, he joined the Buckingham Palace Press Office, serving not only as press spokesman to the late Queen Elizabeth II but also spokesman for The King, when he was The Prince of Wales and his late wife, Diana Princess of Wales.

In addition to his role as Royal press spokesman, Dickie was responsible for the media management of ceremonial occasions.

These included all major state events inside Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle inward State Visits, the late Queen’s major UK engagements and the operational media requirements for royal funerals, including that of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.

For his service to the crown, In the 1996 Birthday Honors, he was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO).

Since retiring from Royal duty, Dickie went back to his broadcasting roots as a television commentator.

Having spent going on fifty years covering royalty, heads of state, and other globally recognized figures, his knowledge qualifies him to bring his own personal insight into the public forum as a royal analyst and international lecturer.

On this episode, Dickie shares his one way ticket to Whitefish, Montana to horseback ride and enjoy a cowboy lifestyle.

In our conversation, we also cover a wide swath of topics including:

1. The role of the Monarchy

2. A window into the late Queen’s personality

3. The Republican movement in the UK and 13 realms where the Sovereign is Head of State

4. His tea with then Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spencer three days before their 1981 wedding…and what their relationship was really like

5. Lovely anecdotes of time spent with Diana during royal engagements

6. Behind the scenes look at managing the press for Diana’s funeral

7. The painstaking details that go into an overseas royal tour

8. How the King is navigating his relentless schedule despite his cancer 

9. The U.S. President the late Queen tolerated and the U.S. First Lady with which she had a frosty relationship

10. The drama surrounding Harry and Meghan

11. The late Queen’s last days

12. What he really thinks of the Netflix series “The Crown”.

Born and raised on the West Coast of the US, Lucas Peters now makes Tangier his home. He’s a travel writer and photographer and the author of the Moon Guide Book for Morocco. Together with his very accomplished wife, Amina, they own and operate Journey Beyond Travel, one of Morocco’s most successful, sustainable tour companies. 

Lucas’ expertise isn’t limited to Morocco though. He also wrote Moon Guide Book’s Grand European Journeys: 40 Unforgettable Trips by Road, Rail, Sea & More.

In November 2024, Lucas is releasing the Moon Guide Book for Sevilla, Granada and Andalusia.

When he’s not writing or planning remarkable journeys for his clients, Lucas, together with Amina and their two kids, spends time traveling around Morocco, exploring the small towns dotting the national roads, difficult-to-access mountain villages and crumbling kasbahs of the Sahara.

On this episode, Lucas shares that in 2009, he bought a one way ticket to Morocco and never left – so he’s truly on a one way ticket journey!

Also in the conversation, Lucas and Host, Steven Shalowitz, touch on each of the destinations Steven visited on his recent four and a half week journey through Morocco which Lucas orchestrated. They included: Rabat, Tangier, Tetouan, Chefchaouen, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss, Meknes, Fes, Ifrane, Erfoud, the Sahara, the Atlas Mountains, Essaouira, Marrakech and Casablanca. 

Plus, the two highlight everything from riads to hammams, Morocco’s rich Jewish heritage to Moroccan cuisine, the method to Moroccan aesthetic madness to the proliferation of cats throughout the country, and more.

For further information on Lucas, visit: http://lucasmpeters.com.

And for curated, bespoke visits to Morocco, Andalusia and select other destinations, visit: http://journeybeyondtravel.com 

Sophie Ibbotson is a Central Asia specialist who has worked in the region since 2008, focusing on economic development — in particular tourism development — and water security. Through her company Maximum Exposure, she is a consultant to national governments and to the World Bank, and is Uzbekistan’s Tourism Ambassador to the UK. 

Sophie is the author of six guidebooks for Bradt Travel Guides, and has written for Lonely Planet, National Geographic Traveller, and Culture Trip, amongst many other publications. 

She is also Chairman of the UK’s Royal Society for Asian Affairs, founded in 1901 as the Central Asia Society. 

On this episode of the show, Sophie shares her one way ticket destination is to Samarkand in the early 1420s, when Ulugbek - a grandson of Amir Timur (Tamerlane) - was governor. Sophie points out that at this point, before he became the Timurid Emperor, Ulugbek had just finished constructing his madrassa and astronomical observatory, solidifying Samarkand as one of the great intellectual and cultural centers of the Islamic world. 

In our conversation, Sophie also highlights:

• What surprises most visitors to Uzbekistan
• Why the Registan (central square) in Samarkand is one of the top 5 places in the world to visit along with Angkor Wat and the Taj Mahal
• Tashkent’s dazzling subway
• Bukhara's unique Jewish community and the city as the most beautiful on the Silk Road
• The backstory behind suzani textiles
• The world’s second largest collection of Russian avant-garde art is housed in the Savitsky Museum in the Karakalpakstan capital of Nukus (thus making it known as the Louvre of the Steppe!)
• The gem that is the walled city of Khiva
• What makes Sudan such a fascinating destination – apart from it having more pyramids than Egypt.

We wind down the conversation with Sophie sharing her philosophy on travel which is: “If you have the opportunity, go”! 

Follow Sophie on Instagram & X: @uzambassador

For more on Sophie, visit: www.uzbekistan.travel/en &

www.maximumexposure.co

A multiple Emmy Award-winning investigative reporter and producer, Peter Greenberg is America’s most recognized, honored and respected front-line travel news journalist. Known in the industry as “The Travel Detective,” he is the Travel Editor for CBS News, appearing on CBS Mornings, CBS Evening News, and Sunday Morning, among other broadcast platforms.

Greenberg produces and co-hosts an ongoing series of acclaimed public television specials, “The Royal Tour,” featuring personal, one-on-one journeys through countries with their heads of state. Along with such figures as the King of Jordan, Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Israel and Presidents of Mexico and Peru, and Tanzania.

The consummate insider on reporting the travel business as news, Greenberg also hosts the television show, “The Travel Detective with Peter Greenberg,” airing on Public Television. The series offers more than 50 half-hour episodes with cutting-edge travel information and insider tips you need to know before you ever leave home, plus in-depth reports on the good, bad, and yes, even ugly aspects of travel.

Greenberg also has launched a series of one hour specials called HIDDEN, revealing special destinations and unique experiences that you won’t find in the guidebooks or brochures. Destinations include Turkey, Poland, and Canary Islands, just to name a few.

On radio, he hosts the nationally syndicated “Eye on Travel,” broadcast each week from a different remote location worldwide, and is heard on hundreds of CBS radio stations across the U.S.

Greenberg is also author of The New York Times best- selling Travel Detective series. His most recent book, The Best Places for Everything, comes in the wake of such titles as Don’t Go There! and The Complete Travel Detective Bible.

He has also been a featured guest on CNN, NewsNation, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” “The Rachael Ray Show,” and “The View.”

Travel Weekly named him one of the most influential people in travel, along with Bill Marriott and Richard Branson. In 2012, he was inducted into the U.S. Travel Association’s Hall of Leaders for his contributions to the travel industry. Among his other honors, Greenberg received a News & Documentary Emmy Award as part of the “Dateline” team for outstanding coverage of a breaking news story, “Miracle on the Hudson.”

Greenberg began his career in journalism as West Coast correspondent for Newsweek in Los Angeles and San Francisco. He won a national Emmy Award (Best Investigative Reporting) for his ABC “20/20” special on the final orphan flight out of Vietnam, “What Happened to the Children?” Greenberg also received an Emmy Award for “Miracle on the Hudson” for NBC Dateline.

Greenberg is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin, and an Excellence in Broadcasting Award from the Aviation Space Writers Association of America.

His website, PeterGreenberg.com, is one of the leading travel news resources for consumers and industry insiders alike. When he is not traveling the globe, Greenberg also serves as an active volunteer firefighter.

Our guest on episodes 109 and 287, Peter returns to the program where he confirms his one way ticket destination is still to Fire Island. After which he shares:

1.   

·      Why with very few exceptions, the best time to go anywhere is immediately after political insurrection, a civil war, or a natural disaster

·      The state of the airlines today – who’s really running them, how if at all they’re preparing for another software glitch, etc.

·      Overtourism and how destinations are handling it

·      The many treasures of Egypt, including the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Grand Egyptian Museum aka “GEM” (plus he recounts exploring the inside of a pyramid that was only just discovered)

·      Some of what makes Uganda and Rwanda so special

·      Why every American needs to buy an atlas

·      How the cruise industry is changing rapidly when it comes to technology and sustainability

·      Why he’ll only travel to a place where he knows who’s in control

·      Why he has a bone to pick with US State Department Travel Advisories

·      Why the worst four-letter word that starts with “f” when it comes to travel is “fear”.

Mildred Kirschenbaum, a centenarian with a zest for life, is known for her viral life advice as a social media influencer, sharing her simple yet profound guidance for a fulfilling life. 

Mildred came from humble beginnings, born to immigrant parents in Brooklyn, NY. She excelled in school but needed to work. By 19 she was married and began a family when her husband returned from the service after WWII. She held volunteer leadership positions in non-profit organizations. With a passion for travel, she started a travel agency and traveled the world.

Mildred wrote her first book, MILDRED'S MINDSET: WISDOM FROM A WOMAN CENTENARIAN, when she was 100 years old, to share her tips on longevity and living life to the fullest. Her positive attitude and love for socializing have endeared her to many, and her approach to life reflects her belief in enjoying every day. Mildred’s daughter, Gayle Kirschenbaum, has been instrumental in sharing her mother's wisdom with the world.

Mildred's remarkable journey and her unique perspective on life inspire and uplift readers of all ages.

On this episode, Mildred shares her one way ticket to the South of France which she describes as her logical answer (her illogical answer is to a place where there’s no cancer, no illness and where people can enjoy life).

Apart from exploring her destination, with her signature humor and candid character, we also spotlight a few keys to living a long and zestful life, as featured in her book. They include: Attitude, learning new things, the need to foster a sense of community, and the importance of forgiveness.

We also cover travel – her philosophy on it, dressing for it, and changes in it – and more!

This is a delightful conversation which you’ll surely enjoy and be inspired by.

Tom Marchant is Co-Founder of award-winning, tailor-made luxury travel company Black Tomato. Described by Harper’s Bazaar as “having a finger on the pulse of travel that is incomparable” his experience shaping the business in the US and the UK has enabled a deep understanding of different markets and his innovative mindset has been lauded across the luxury sector, notably as a Game Changer in the 2021 Walpole Power List and for the past six years as a Conde Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist. 

Recognized as a leading authority in the travel industry, Black Tomato’s world-renowned approach to bespoke travel, alongside pioneering travel products, like Get Lost, Blink, Bring it Back and See You in the Moment reflect the company’s unique ability to uncover rare ways in which to experience destinations and address burgeoning client needs. Their discerning clientele are inspired by handcrafted experiences designed to reflect every passion, obsession and desire, with an acute prowess in the family market – Black Tomato’s center of gravity – with immersive collections including Field Trip and Take Me on a Story, driving the company’s exceptional success in this sector. 

This creative ethos has led to Tom and the brand being consistently named best in class, including Conde Nast Traveller Readers' Choice Awards 2023; a Travel + Leisure World’s Best Tour Operator 2023; and 2023 Travel Brand of the Year as the Challenger in the industry at the Travel Marketing Awards. And most recently, Black Tomato was awarded as a Master of Luxury, Travel – in the Robb Report Travel Masters Awards 2024.

An entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for travel was instilled in Tom from a young age, and it was channeling this that allowed Tom and co-founder James to identify a gap in the travel market for trips that were centered around experiences, and the pursuit of feeling, rather than destinations. With this in mind, in 2005, they founded Black Tomato, their aim being to create a business that reflected the needs and personalities of clients for whom the existing travel market had become moribund.

Their innovative travel products and services began with - groundbreaking at the time - diving tectonic plates in Iceland, and this philosophy has fueled consistent growth of the business and has led to collaborations with leading global brands. These include fashion and automotive powerhouses, and in 2023, a first of its kind partnership with EON Productions (producers of the James Bond franchise) to create trips centered around the iconic history of 007, with the launch of James Bond-inspired European travel itineraries.

Tom is regularly asked to provide commentary and thought pieces within the media and as a result he is regularly sought by brands, agencies and conference organizers (from the Financial Times Business of Luxury Summit to Bloomberg's Future of Luxury) to speak on the luxury and travel sectors. This has steered him to take a number of influential board positions at leading companies targeting UHNWs/HNWs.

Taking oversight of the creative direction, product innovation, customer experiences and business development strategies, he continues to work with his co-founder James on driving the successful growth of Black Tomato and he is now regarded as one of the leading voices and authorities within the luxury travel space.

Tom’s accolades and awards are numerous including:

·      Named ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ by the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame

·      Conde Nast Traveler - Named World's Best Travel Specialist in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

·      Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice Awards 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

·      Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2021, 2022, 2023

·      The Guardian Future 500 List

·      Winner of Pure’s ‘Contribution to Experiential Travel’ Award 2019

On this episode, Tom considers two one way ticket options. The first is to Belle Époque Paris, where his great-grandfather was a noted gallerist. The second is to Iceland where he'd embrace the landscape, culture, attitude, light and adventure of the island.  

Apart from his one way ticket journeys, Tom covers the unique services that Black Tomato offers. We focus on: Get Lost, Bring it Back, Blink and the Journey into the World of James Bond. Tom also highlights where luxury travel is today and where it’s headed. 

I just returned from a magical week on the rivers of Germany as a guest of Transcend Cruises. Our stops and excursions included: Koblenz, Cochem, Boppard, Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Wiesbaden, Wurzburg and Frankfurt. And I loved every second.

As for Transcend, it’s a charter-only river cruise line with a fleet of its own purpose-built vessels. The company offers truly customized river cruise journeys with tailor-made itineraries and experiences for any kind of group.

So for example, you can hold a destination wedding, or a corporate retreat, or celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends, or really just about anything! On my sailing, the ship was chartered by the Porsche Club of North America with tailored experiences for car enthusiasts. And of course, there were plenty of cultural options to enjoy for the likes of yours truly.

The ship I was on was the Advance and was 5 stars all the way – from the suite to the dining to the staff. Frankly, I didn’t want to leave!

For more on Transcend, visit: https://www.transcend.cruises/ or tune in to episode 301 of  The One Way Ticket Show where our guest was Matthew Shollar, Founder & Chief Visionary of Transcend Cruises.

While on board, I had the chance to sit down and chat with the ship’s Captain Rob Jager, Head Chef Mihai Tuca, and Transcend’s General Manager, Carmen Mladenovic. You can listen to each of those conversations here on The One Way Ticket Show. 

On this episode, we’re featuring our conversation with Chef Mihai. We cover how he plans for a journey, how local cuisines impact menus on the ship, his favorite foods to prepare, what makes Transcend’s offering so unique, plus, it being the one way ticket show, of course I had to ask Chef Mihai where he’d go on his one way ticket journey of choice (if you’re new to the show, that’s the premise of the podcast).

Enjoy!

I just returned from a magical week on the rivers of Germany as a guest of Transcend Cruises. Our stops and excursions included: Koblenz, Cochem, Boppard, Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Wiesbaden, Wurzburg and Frankfurt. And I loved every second.

As for Transcend, it’s a charter-only river cruise line with a fleet of its own purpose-built vessels. The company offers truly customized river cruise journeys with tailor-made itineraries and experiences for any kind of group.

So for example, you can hold a destination wedding, or a corporate retreat, or celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends, or really just about anything! On my sailing, the ship was chartered by the Porsche Club of North America with tailored experiences for car enthusiasts. And of course, there were plenty of cultural options to enjoy for the likes of yours truly.

The ship I was on was the Advance and was 5 stars all the way – from the suite to the dining to the staff. Frankly, I didn’t want to leave!

For more on Transcend, visit: https://www.transcend.cruises/ or tune in to episode 301 of  The One Way Ticket Show where our guest was Matthew Shollar, Founder & Chief Visionary of Transcend Cruises.

While on board, I had the chance to sit down and chat with the ship’s Captain Rob Jager, Head Chef Mihai Tuca, and Transcend’s General Manager, Carmen Mladenovic. You can listen to each of those conversations here on The One Way Ticket Show. 

On this episode, we’re featuring our conversation with Captain Rob. We cover the highlights one sees on the larger and smaller rivers of Europe, the allure of river cruising, his philosophy on leadership, what makes Transcend’s offering so unique, plus, it being the one way ticket show, of course I had to ask Captain Rob where he’d go on his one way ticket journey of choice (if you’re new to the show, that’s the premise of the podcast).

Enjoy!

I just returned from a magical week on the rivers of Germany as a guest of Transcend Cruises. Our stops and excursions included: Koblenz, Cochem, Boppard, Rudesheim, Heidelberg, Speyer, Wiesbaden, Wurzburg and Frankfurt. And I loved every second.

As for Transcend, it’s a charter-only river cruise line with a fleet of its own purpose-built vessels. The company offers truly customized river cruise journeys with tailor-made itineraries and experiences for any kind of group.

So for example, you can hold a destination wedding, or a corporate retreat, or celebrate a milestone birthday with family and friends, or really just about anything! On my sailing, the ship was chartered by the Porsche Club of North America with tailored experiences for car enthusiasts. And of course, there were plenty of cultural options to enjoy for the likes of yours truly.

The ship I was on was the Advance and was 5 stars all the way – from the suite to the dining to the staff. Frankly, I didn’t want to leave!

For more on Transcend, visit: https://www.transcend.cruises/ or tune in to episode 301 of  The One Way Ticket Show where our guest was Matthew Shollar, Founder & Chief Visionary of Transcend Cruises.

While on board, I had the chance to sit down and chat with the ship’s Captain Rob Jager, Head Chef Mihai Tuca, and Transcend’s General Manager, Carmen Mladenovic. You can listen to each of those conversations here on The One Way Ticket Show. 

On this episode, we’re featuring our conversation with Carmen. We cover the enchanting stops we made on our journey, the allure of river cruising, what makes Transcend’s offering so unique, plus, it being the one way ticket show, of course I asked Carmen where she’d go on her one way ticket journey of choice (if you’re new to the show, that’s the premise of the podcast).

Enjoy!

Marcus Samuelsson is the renowned chef behind many restaurants worldwide including Red Rooster in Harlem (NYC) and Overtown (Miami); Hav & Mar in Chelsea (NYC); Metropolis at PAC-NYC; Marcus Bar & Grille in Atlanta and its Live! flagship at American Dream (NJ); and several MARCUS locations including the Bahamas, Montreal and most recently Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

Samuelsson was the youngest person to receive a three-star review from The New York Times and was the guest chef for the Obama Administration’s first state dinner. He has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards and recently won a 2023 Emmy Award for the Short Form Program “My Mark.” Samuelsson hosted the critically acclaimed No Passport Required on PBS. Additionally, Samuelsson has won numerous competition shows including Top Chef Masters and Chopped All-Stars and appears regularly on those franchises as a Judge. He also recently appeared as an Iron Chef on Netflix’s Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Samuelsson also hosted and produced the Seat at the Table on Audible and co-hosted This Moment podcast with Swedish rapper Timbuktu on ACAST. 

A committed philanthropist, Samuelsson is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on helping underserved youth. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Samuelsson converted his restaurants Red Rooster Harlem and Red Rooster Overtown into community kitchens in partnership with World Central Kitchen, serving well over 280k meals to those in need. In Newark, Samuelsson’s Marcus B&P partnered with Audible and World Central Kitchen to create Newark Working Kitchens, which has engaged 37 local restaurants to provide 1.5 million meals to those in need. Samuelsson also co-produces the annual Harlem EatUp! Festival, which celebrates the food, art, and culture of Harlem. 

He is the author of several cookbooks, the New York Times bestselling memoir Yes, Chef: A Memoir and his latest book, The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food.

Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @MarcusCooks and on TikTok at @Marcus_Cooks.

On this episode of The One Way Ticket Show, Samuelsson offers his one way ticket destination is a toss-up between Rio de Janeiro and space!

In the course of the conversation, Samuelsson shares:

1.     The allure of both Rio and space

2.     The role soccer great, Pelé, played in his life

3.     The link between memory and food and how that’s carried out in his work

4.     How he draws on his Ethiopian and Swedish heritages

5.     What Harlem means to him

6.     His community and charity work

7.     Inspiration for his unique sartorial sense

8.     Why his happy space is to go into a small restaurant in Japan and watch the chefs go to work.