Today, we're embarking on a special adventure – a voyage through the enchanting world of train travel. Our guest today is a true connoisseur of locomotion, travel writer Monisha Rajesh. In 2010, Monisha spent four months travelling around India by rail recounted in her debut book, Around India in 80 Trains. After India, Monisha took on the world, over seven months and 45,000-miles, on an adventure through the global rail networks, which later became her next book, the brilliant Around the World in 80 Trains.

Today, we’ll hear Monisha’s train travel diaries, from her earliest train travel memory being carried across the train tracks in Switzerland by her parents, to falling in love with train travel on a journey from Mumbai to Goa and her all time favourite journeys, to suit all budgets. From journeys that last just a few hours to those that last several days, Monisha brings to the life the unique perspective that travelling on a train can give us as travellers, the romance, the camaraderie, the excitement, unparalleled vistas, and a deep connection to the world around us. She evokes it so beautifully in our episode today. I think this is one you’re going to love.

So, all aboard, and let’s get started, with Monisha.

Destination Recap:

• Switzerland
• India
• Mandovi Express, from Mumbai to Goa, India
• US Amtrak
• Delhi, India
• Cannes to Ventimille Train, France to Italian border 
• Canadian railway Vancouver to Toronto
• European Sleeper Brussels, Belgium to Berlin, Germany
• Rome to Palermo, Italy train 
• Norway midnight sun train Oslo to Trondheim and Trondheim to Bodø
• Skeena Train, Jasper to Prince Rupert, Canada
• Transmongolian Railway
• The Santa Claus Express from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, Finland 

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Threads and TikTok, I’m also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s very special guest is not only a seasoned sailor but also a true legend of the high seas. She's the captain that keeps it all together on the hit TV series, "Below Deck: Mediterranean”. That's right, today we're setting sail with none other than Captain Sandy Yawn!

Now, if you're a fan of the show, you already know that the show chronicles the lives of the crew members who work and reside aboard a super yacht during charter season and Captain Sandy brings more than just nautical expertise to the table. She's a force to be reckoned with, with a heart of gold and a personality that shines as bright as the sun over the Mediterranean. Today, we're going to delve deeper into her world, beyond the decks and the drama, to get to know more about Sandy. She has been on quite a voyage herself, a voyage of sobriety, a voyage of self discovery, and a new voyage lies ahead as just the day before we spoke, she proposed to her girlfriend, Leah.

Destination Recap:

Holly speaks about Porto Zante Villas & Spa on Zakynthos island, Greece 

Captain Sandy: 

• The Florida Keys, Florida, USA
• Little Palm Island, The Florida Keys, Florida, USA
• Disneyworld, Florida, USA
• Suwannee River, Florida, USA
• Stepping Stones, Ft Lauderdale, Florida, USA
• Barcelona, Spain 
• Barceloneta Spanish and Mediterranean Tapas Restaurant and Bar, Spain
• Siesta Key, Florida, USA
• St Petersburg, Florida, USA
• The Don CeSar, St Petersburg, Florida, USA
• The Bahamas
• Aspen, Colorado, USA
• Denver, Colorado, USA
• Ouray, Colorado, USA
• Thunderball Cave, Staniel Cay, The Exumas, Bahamas
• Treasure Cay, The Abacos, Bahamas
• Long Island, Bahamas
• Cote D’Azur, France
• Alabama Jack’s, Key Largo, Florida
• Miami, Florida
• Portofino, Italy 
• Alaska, USA

Watch Captain Sandy on the brand-new season of Below Deck Mediterranean on Hayu, now. 

With thanks to my sponsors today …

Airbnb - Visit Airbnb.com and find out more. Prospective Hosts can learn more about how much they can earn sharing their space through the What’s My Place Worth Tool.

Sunweb - Use my promo code TRAVEL50 for £50 off your booking and your ski pass included.

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We’re kicking off Season 10 by diving into the world of one of the most iconic figures in the music industry, a Grammy-winning artist whose distinctive voice and reggae beats have seen him top the charts over the past 30 years. That's right, we’re joined today, Shaggy. “Oh Carolina”, Shaggy’s debut single, was his big breakthrough into the music industry, all the way back in 1993. It became a chart-topping hit around the world and subsequent mega-hits like “Boombastic”, "It Wasn't Me” and “Angel” all further propelled him to global superstardom.

From Kingston, Jamaica where he spent his childhood and lives now, to the global stage, today we’re going to be getting to know the man behind the hits and the destinations in his life that have played a part along the way, from Japan to Italy, New York to North Carolina.

Destination Recap:

• New York City, USA
• Jamaica
• Kingston, Jamaica
• Japan
• North Carolina, USA
• Iraq
• Italy
• Sardinia, Italy
• Port Antonio, Jamaica
• Zimbabwe

Shaggy’s In The Mood EP is out now

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Threads and TikTok, I’m also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s season finale we're joined by a national treasure, and a name synonymous with travel, Dame Joanna Lumley. Joanna's appetite for adventure was deeply engrained from childhood. She was born in Kashmir in the last days of British India, the daughter of an army officer who served with the Gurkhas. Throughout her childhood her parents lived in Asia, moving to Hong Kong and Malaysia, while she spent term times at school in England.

From her early days as a fashion model, gracing the covers of magazines and strutting down runway, Joanna Lumley was destined for greatness. But it was her iconic role as Patsy in the hit TV series "Absolutely Fabulous" that truly catapulted her into the hearts of millions. I love Wikipedia’s description of Patsy - “an alcoholic, a chain smoker, and a frequent recreational drug user. She carries drugs with her at all times, storing joints in her trademark beehive."

After surviving solo on a desert island, on the groundbreaking show Girl Friday, Joanna soon became as synonymous with travel as she was with Ab Fab, setting off on epic journeys that would make even the most seasoned globetrotter green with envy, from Japan and India to the Caribbean and the Silk Route. What makes her so remarkable is not just her fearless spirit but her genuine love for the people she meets along the way. She champions causes close to her heart, advocating for the rights of the Gurkhas, supporting endless charities, and shedding light on the important issues affecting our world.

So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready as we embark on a journey through the extraordinary life and awe-inspiring travels of Joanna Lumley, from Malaysia to Uzbekistan, Italy to Indonesia.

Destination Recap:

• Kashmir, India 
• Hong Kong
• Malaysia
• Batu Caves, Selangor, Malaysia 
• Madagascar
• Delhi, India
• Uzbekistan 
• Tash Rabat, Kyrgzystan 
• Sienna, Italy
• Banda Islands, Indonesia
• Sudan
• Romania

Joanna Lumley’s Spice Trail Adventure starts on 5th July at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next season come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first nine seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we’re uncovering another favourite episode from The Travel Diaries archive, now that we have over 100 episodes to pick from, as we build up to our big season finale with Joanna Lumley next week. It was so hard to choose, but when I reflected on the episodes that sparked the most wanderlust in me, from the most seasoned travellers, I thought it had to be Ben Fogle. Ben’s episode was recorded back in the Covid days, during season three, when no one really knew what was going on with the future of travel, and his tales of epic physical feats, wilderness living , going to the most remote parts of the planet, really inspired me at the time.

Ben is an award-winning broadcaster and one of the UK’s most prolific adventurers. He has rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, swam from Alcatraz to San Francisco, run the Marathon Des Sables (a 6 day ultra marathon across the Sahara Desert), raced across the Antarctica to the South Pole and most recently climbed Mount Everest. 

He’s written nine best-selling books - many about travel - and has the enviable title of the United Nations Patron of the Wilderness. And speaking of the Wilderness, he has travelled to every corner of the globe while filming his long-running hit TV series, New Lives in the Wild, a notion that feels particularly relevant right now during lockdown. 

Get ready to be transported to Guatemala, the top of Mt Everest, Ethiopia, the Canadian Wilderness and…Ayia Napa.

Destination Recap:

• Taransay, Outer Hebrides, Scotland
• Lake Chemong, Ontario, Canada
• British Columbia, Canada
• Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada
• Latin America 
• Quito, Ecuador
• Antigua, Guatemala
• Bolivia 
• Pitcairn Island, South Pacific
• Pleistocene Park, Siberia
• The Atlantic Ocean
• Mt Everest, Nepal 
• Cornwall, England
• Ethiopia
• Lalibela, Ethiopia
• Ayia Napa, Mallorca, Spain
• Haiti
• The Great Wall of China, China
• The North Pole
• The South Pole

Thank you so much for listening today. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. 

Don’t forget you can listen on Spotify, Apple podcasts, Castbox, Stitcher and pretty much all other podcast apps. Hit subscribe and every week a new episode will appear in your library.

To find out who’s on next week’s show come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything podcast-related.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're revisiting one of the podcast's favourite episodes today, from back in Season 3, and we're joined by one of travel’s most familiar faces. Known for his TV series tracing the Equator, the Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn, following the world’s sacred rivers and pilgrimages, travelling the length of the Americas, and deep diving into destinations like Burma, Russia and Colombia, visiting over 130 countries along the way. It is of course the adventurer, author and broadcaster, Simon Reeve. 

If you’ve watched Simon’s shows, you’ll know they’re not your typical travel programmes. He’s known for digging beneath the surface of a place, and telling the stories - both good and bad - that need to be told. What you may not know is that Simon is really very experienced when it comes to digging a little deeper as he began his career as an investigative journalist, and went on to become a NY Times best-selling author, all before he even appeared on our TV screens. 

Simon has undertaken numerous extraordinary journeys, but none of them are quite as extraordinary as the journey his own life has taken. I think you’ll be both amazed and inspired by it. 

Destination Recap: 

• Studland Bay, Dorset, England 
• Istanbul, Turkey 
• Hagia Sophia Grand Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey
• Gabon
• Madagascar
• Bangladesh 
• Somaliland 
• West Country, England 
• Japan
• New Zealand
• Senegal
• Mali 
• The Arctic
• The Antarctic
• Paraguay 

Thank you so much for listening. If you haven’t yet left a rating or a review, why not do so now? Your support is so greatly appreciated and most importantly, helps others to discover the podcast. 

Don’t forget to hit subscribe so that every week a new episode will appear in your library.

I’m @hollyrubenstein on Instagram, and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.

This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Megan Hine is a survivalist and wilderness guide who has carved her path in the fiercely competitive world of adventure travel, producing some of the biggest adventure and survival shows on TV around the world. Her big break came working alongside Bear Grylls on his hit show Man vs Wild, and from there, she’s led talent and film crews in the world’s toughest environments for over 20 years. 

A seasoned adventurer, Megan also possesses an insatiable hunger for exploration. Armed with her unwavering spirit and an arsenal of survival skills, she’s led expeditions around the world, from the arid deserts of the Sahara to the icy tundras of the Arctic. Her remarkable ability to adapt to the harshest conditions and think on her feet has earned her the admiration of both novice adventurers and seasoned experts alike. Whether it's scaling treacherous cliffs, navigating dangerous waters, or braving bone-chilling temperatures, Megan continues to push boundaries.

She is also a qualified resilience coach, and combines intimate knowledge of wilderness survival, a degree in psychology and a fascination with the psychology of survival to help clients overcome mental health struggles. Many of these techniques feature in her best-selling book 'Mind of a Survivor’, which we talk about today.

So, fasten your seatbelts, and ready to embark on an unforgettable journey with us today, full of heart-stopping adventures, invaluable life lessons, and the transformative power of travel. From Panama to Tibet, New Zealand to Mongolia, let’s get started.

Destination Recap:

• Pearl Islands, Panama 
• The Maldives 
• Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, China?
• Scotland
• Iceland
• New Zealand
• Snowdonia, Wales
• Newborough Beach, Wales
• Black Rock Sands, Wales
• Mongolia
• Llŷn Peninsula, Wales
• Tibet
• Antarctica
• Alaska, USA

You can follow Megan on her adventures on Instagram at @Megan_hine and read her book, Mind of a Survivor. 

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight episodes to catch up on, that's over ninety episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest is a familiar face to millions all over the world as a BBC newsreader and foreign correspondent, with a career spanning three decades. He’s covered some of the biggest stories of our time from Hurricane Katrina, to 9/11; reported fro the front lines of conflicts in Africa, the Middle East and covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and most recently, Ukraine, reporting for BBC News from the roof of a hotel in the capital of Kyiv when the war broke out in February last year. He’s the host of Mastermind, and most recently swapped the BBC studios for sun-drenched Italian countryside, with his first travel show, Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip, a 15-part series, which follows Clive as he embarks on a captivating journey around the country, immersing himself in its culture, rich history and local cuisine from its heel to its top. We of course chat about this as well his hugely varied career which has taken him to over eighty countries in itself. 

Destination Recap:

• Jamaica
• Italy
• Verona, Italy
• Puglia, Italy
• Matera, Italy
• Tokyo, Japan
• Hokaido, Japan
• Ukraine
• West Coast of USA
• East Coast of USA
• Home Counties, England
• Cape Town, South Africa
• Venice, Italy
• Washington DC, USA
• Afghanistan
• St Petersburg, Russia
• Sri Lanka

A huge thank you to Clive. What an interesting life he has led. Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip is available on BBC iPlayer.

With thanks to today's sponsor, Citalia - Discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists. Let the Italy Experts craft the perfect holiday for you and experience Italy like a Citalian.

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s guest will reignite your sense of adventure and reaffirm your love of nature. I’ve had over 100 guests now and I can safely say that this guest is up there in terms of the passion and love he shows for travel - the power of it, the importance of it and its symbiosis with nature and our planet.

Sam Branson is a very busy man indeed. He’s one of those people where the list of things that they do in their bio goes on for so long you question what you’ve done with your own life! Adventurer, Film maker, Singer/Songwriter, Charity Founder, Business Leader, Social Entrepreneur and much more. 

As an adventurer - his feats match some of the greatest names in the field. He’s spent 3 months crossing the arctic on a dog sled, he’s climbed epic peaks, he’s kayaked treacherous stretches of water, he’s set numerous world records, including - curiously - running the London Marathon attached to 33 other people. None of it was done without a wider cause though with the primary charitable focus - Big Change - which he also founded! He’s raised several million pounds to date. 

He’s also hugely passionate about our planet and many of the challenges he’s undertaken have been to raise awareness and create action around climate change. He speaks with such warmth about nature. This has transcended to his new venture - music. He’s just released his debut album - Under the Static - which is a love letter to mother nature under his musical name Waves Rush In. The perfect soundtrack to summer. 

Alongside all of this - which is making me exhausted just thinking about it - he’s found time to co-found and run a documentary production company alongside Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.

Now - obviously - a lot of this opportunity has come from being born into the Branson family - being the son of Sir Richard Branson - and we discuss this privileged upbringing in the episode and how he’s strived for his own self identity since. 

All of this makes it a really fascinating listen. I hope you enjoy it. 

Destination Recap:

• British Virgin Islands 
• Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
• Menorca
• Anegada, British Virgin Islands
• The Willy T, Norman Island, British Virgin Islands
• Australia
• Byron Bay, Australia
• Arctic expedition
• Bali, Indonesia
• Uluwatu, Bali, Indonesia
• Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
• Komodo Island, Indonesia
• Sri Lanka
• Chamonix, France
• Mont Blanc, France
• Mentawai Islands, Sumatra, Indonesia

Under the Static, Sam’s debut album which is released under his musical alter ego Waves Rush In, is out in June. 

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. Don't forget that all the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome our first ever Family Travel special. I had my first child back in October last year, and it’s been you the listeners who have reached out to me in such overwhelming numbers asking for a dedicated family travel episode because there isn’t a ton of advice out there for new parents travelling with a baby, where to go what to pack - it can be quite overwhelming. So here we are! 

Obviously, this episode might not appeal to everyone. So if you’re one of those regulars, please tune in next week, we’ll be back with a great celeb guest.

So how’s this going to work? My current plan is to release a family focussed episode each season that loosely tracks my own experience as a mother. Today we’ll be chatting with a bit of a focus on travelling with a baby up to around 6 months. Next season will then probably focus on 6 months to the toddler phase and so on. It won’t follow the usual 7 chapters but focus on things like travel tips, the best recommendations and bucket list destinations for that specific age group. 

I’m delighted to be joined by two seasoned family travellers to guide me through this. Kate Leahy is an acclaimed travel journalist who spent ten years working in-house at The Sunday Times and now contributes to The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, and much more. Prior to a career in journalism, Kate spent five years working as British Airways cabin crew, often observing the logistics of parents travelling with children. Now mum to two-year-old twins, she's putting everything she has learned along the way into making her own family travel memories.

Joining her is Frankie Collinson, who is the co-founder of the family travel start-up Tiny Travelship which provides vetted recommendations across all price ranges for both family specific and family friendly spots across the globe. They’ve just launched a new booking website and their Instagram has inspired a lot of my own Family Travel Bucket List!

Destination Recap

• Greece
• Monastery Estate Retreat, Crete, Greece
• Caserio del Mirador, Alicante, Spain
• Almyra, Cyprus
• Daios Cove, Crete, Greece
• Puglia, Italy 
• Ikos Resorts
• Martinhal, Sagres, Portugal
• Martinhal, Lisbon, Portugal 
• Marbella Club, Spain
• Cretan Malia Park, Crete, Greece
• Costa Rica
• Casa Pineta, Elba Island, Italy
• Australia

With thanks to...

Roarsome - Head to roarsome.com and use the code TRAVELDIARIES for 20% off all clothing, events and adventures in 2023.

Forte Village, Sardinia - Forte Village is the perfect place for your holiday in Sardinia, a beautiful corner of paradise 

Thanks so much for listening today. If you'd like to hear more from the podcast don’t forget to hit subscribe, or if you use Apple Podcasts to press follow so that a new episode lands in your podcast app each week. If you want to be the first find out who is joining me on next week’s episode come and follow me on Instagram I’m @hollyrubenstein, and you’ll also find me on Twitter and TikTok as of a few weeks ago, also @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. And if you can't want until then remember there’s the first eight seasons to catch up on, that's over 100 episodes to keep you busy there. All the destinations mentioned by my guests are included in the episode show notes here on your podcast app, and listed on my website, thetraveldiariespodcast.com

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.