Travel Secrets

Recorded live at the HoT Podcast Festival in Henley 🎙️

Tanya Rose is joined by acting couple Lucy Fleming and Simon Williams for a wonderfully entertaining conversation filled with extraordinary travel stories, family history and adventures around the world.

Lucy, daughter of Brief Encounter actress Celia Johnson and writer and explorer Peter Fleming, shares stories from her remarkable family history. Her uncle Ian Fleming created James Bond, and Lucy recalls visiting his Jamaican home, GoldenEye, where she sat at the desk where he wrote the Bond novels. She also reveals how she entered a competition to sail around the world, despite not really wanting to, and ended up spending five and a half weeks at sea from Cape Town to Boston, celebrating her 50th birthday along the way.

Simon, best known for his role as James Bellamy in Upstairs, Downstairs, shares why his first visit to New York completely blew his mind, memories of travelling through China and eating oysters straight from the rocks in Oman, and why meeting the people who live in a destination is one of the greatest pleasures of travel.

Together, Lucy and Simon take Tanya from the tea country and wildlife of Sri Lanka to leopard spotting in Rajasthan and a magical New Year’s Day watching the sun rise over the Himalayas.

Plus, Lucy reveals how her father became known as “Professor Nitpick” when Ian Fleming sent him his James Bond manuscripts to read and make notes on, and the couple share the travel advice they’ve picked up from a lifetime of adventures. 

CHAPTERS

00:00 Peter Fleming: traveller, adventurer & wartime deception

00:23 Welcome to Travel Secrets

LIVE00:52 Introducing Lucy Fleming & Simon Williams

02:06 Posting Letters to the Moon & Lucy’s extraordinary family

04:40 Travel Secret #1: New York

06:07 Arriving in New York by sea

07:05 Lucy’s most unexpected adventure: sailing the Atlantic

09:58 Simon’s experience filming in China

11:49 Ian Fleming, Naval Intelligence & the origins of James Bond

12:47 Oysters on the beach in Oman

13:54 The Savoy Grill, The Ivy & Noel Coward

16:18 Lucy & Simon’s top travel tips

17:25 Why they love Sri Lanka

18:54 Leopard spotting in Rajasthan

20:04 The wartime letters behind Posting Letters to the Moon

23:39 Lucy’s poignant visit to GoldenEye in Jamaica

27:31 The photograph that sums up travel for Lucy & Simon

28:02 New Year’s Day in the Himalayas

29:06 Watching their children leave on their gap years

List of places mentioned:

• New York, USA

• Cape Town, South Africa

• Boston, USA

• China

• India

• Oman

• Sri Lanka

• Galle, Sri Lanka

• Rajasthan, India

• Jamaica

• GoldenEye, Jamaica

• The Himalayas

Listen to Travel Secrets wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to the channel for more conversations with some of the world’s most fascinating travellers.

With special thanks to Hot Podcast Festival and Good Full Media for such a wonderful evening, Gillan Williams for capturing it all, and Lara Shardlow for the wonderful photographs.

Recorded live at the HoT Podcast Festival in Henley 🎙️

For Travel Secrets’ very first live recording, Tanya was joined on stage by someone who really needs no introduction: actor, national treasure, king of the jungle and one of the greatest storytellers around, Christopher Biggins.

Christopher is also a dear friend of Tanya’s, a former Travel Secrets guest and someone she has been lucky enough to travel with herself, making him the perfect person to bring Travel Secrets to life in front of an audience.

And he certainly didn’t disappoint.

From flying to New York on Virgin Atlantic’s first flight and taking a rather unconventional military plane to see China’s Terracotta Warriors, to an unforgettable party in St Petersburg, meeting Hillary Clinton in full Austrian costume and encountering a professional mermaid on a cruise around Japan, Christopher takes us around the world in his own completely inimitable way.

He also shares why he still loves the Maldives, his memories of sailing to Easter Island on an unforgettable world cruise and the very different side of travel he has experienced through his work with the HOPE Foundation in Kolkata.

Funny, outrageous and occasionally rather moving, this was such a special evening and we’re delighted to finally be able to share it with you.

Chapters:

00:00 Christopher Biggins’ travel stories

01:00 Welcome to Travel Secrets LIVE at the HoT Podcast Festival

03:20 How travel changes as you get older

05:17 The joy of travelling by private jet

07:12 Christopher’s childhood holidays at Butlin’s

09:14 China, the Great Wall & an unforgettable flight to Xi’an

11:41 The Peace Hotel in Shanghai

12:09 The unfortunate story of the terracotta horse

13:11 Travel Secret #1: New York

16:31 Most unexpected experience: the Maldives

18:30 Overrated or underrated: the Isle of Man

19:34 Cruising the Mekong & arriving in Saigon

21:30 An extraordinary party in St Petersburg

24:05 Meeting Hillary Clinton in Austria

25:07 Christopher’s top travel tip

25:58 Meeting a professional mermaid in Japan

27:28 Sailing to Easter Island on an unforgettable world cruise

29:19 The photograph that sums up travel for Christopher

29:28 Kolkata & the HOPE Foundation

31:15 Private jets, first class & the other side of travel

Places mentioned:

• New York, USA

• Great Wall of China, China

• Xi’an & the Terracotta Warriors, China

• Shanghai & the Peace Hotel, China

• The Maldives

• Isle of Man

• Mekong River, Vietnam

• Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam

• St Petersburg, Russia

• Japan

• Easter Island, Chile

• Tonga

• Tahiti, French Polynesia

• New Zealand

• Sydney, Australia

• Kolkata, India

• Dubai, UAE

Listen to Travel Secrets wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe to the channel for more conversations with some of the world’s most fascinating travellers.

What happens when a life of travel begins with a modelling trip to Acapulco at 16 and goes on to include touring the world with The Rolling Stones, climbing to 17,000ft in Tibet and even spotting a UFO in Brazil?

This week, Tanya is joined by Jo Wood, model, entrepreneur, writer and founder of Jo Wood Organics, whose extraordinary life has taken her all over the world.

Jo started travelling as a teenage model, but when she met Ronnie Wood at 22, she began joining him on tour and, as she tells Tanya, thinks she has now been to “most places in the world.” 

In this episode, Jo shares:

From rock ’n’ roll tours to remote pilgrimages, this is a life very well travelled.

Subscribe to Travel Secrets for a new episode every week, as Tanya asks her guests to reveal their six travel secrets and the holidays and adventures that surround them.

And remember: this podcast might not change your life, but it might just change your plans.

Chapters:

01:20 How has travel impacted the person you’ve become?

05:44 What’s the one destination everyone should visit once in their lifetime?

08:38 What’s your most unexpected travel experience?

10:52 What’s your most overrated or underrated destination?

20:36 What and where do you love to eat and drink when you travel?

24:39 What’s your top travel tip?

27:58 What’s your most poignant travel memory?

31:51 What photograph sums up travel for you?

34:33 Where are you going next?

Places mentioned

Award-winning broadcaster, travel writer and disability rights advocate Sophie Morgan joins Tanya Rose to share the journeys that have shaped her extraordinary life.

At just 18 years old, Sophie was paralysed in a car accident. In the months that followed, she believed the adventurous life she had imagined was over. Then one unforgettable trip to Canada helped her realise it wasn’t. It reminded her that adventure was still possible and marked the beginning of a lifetime spent exploring the world.

In this episode, Sophie shares:

Chapters:

00:00 Highlights

00:35 Introduction

02:05 How travel helped Sophie rebuild her life after paralysis

05:39 Visiting the White House & campaigning for disability rights

06:40 Why everyone should visit Scotland at least once

10:52 The Canadian adventure that helped Sophie believe she could still live boldly

16:18 Nicaragua, adventure, resilience & knowing your limits

20:40 Sophie’s most memorable meal

30:35 Why you can’t trust the word “accessible”

44:13 Learning to scuba dive in the Maldives & why luxury travel should be for everyone

46:21 Sophie’s favourite travel photograph

49:20 What’s next: painting, television… and going to space

Places:

Scotland • India • Canada • Toronto • Nicaragua • South Africa • Kruger National Park • Maldives • Washington D.C. • The White House • Los Angeles • Yellowstone National Park • Grand Teton National Park • Oregon • Pacific Coast Highway • London

Celebrity stylist Elizabeth Saltzman joins Tanya Rose to share her Travel Secrets.

Having dressed some of the world’s most celebrated women, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jodie Comer, Sandra Oh, Julia Garner and Saoirse Ronan, Elizabeth has travelled the world for decades. Along the way, she’s come to believe that travel is the greatest education of all.

In this episode, Elizabeth shares:

Chapters

02:00 How travel became Elizabeth’s greatest education

10:04 Secret #1: The one place everyone should visit

12:58 Secret #2: Her most unexpected travel experience

16:36 Secret #3: Most overrated (and underrated) destinations

21:40 Secret #4: Favourite food, restaurants and hotel bars around the world

29:13 Secret #5: Elizabeth’s best travel tip

41:54 Secret #6: Her most poignant travel memory

Places mentioned

New York City

The Carlyle Hotel, New York

London

Russia

Poland

India

Las Vegas

Grand Canyon

Costa Rica

Maui, Hawaii

Palm Beach

Los Angeles

Wisconsin

Mexico

Venice

Paris

Hemingway Bar, Paris

Harry’s Bar, Venice

River Cafe, London

Croatia

Kenya

Hydra, Greece

St Barths

East Hampton

The Hamptons

California

Shanghai

London Hampstead Ponds

Serpentine, London

Award-winning interior designer Kelly Hoppen CBE joins Tanya Rose to reveal the travel experiences that have shaped both her life and her extraordinary career.

From spending every Christmas in South Africa as a child to designing some of the world’s most beautiful homes, hotels, yachts and private jets, Kelly explains why travel has been her greatest source of inspiration.

In this episode, Kelly shares:

Chapters 

01:32 How travel shaped Kelly’s life and career

06:20 Secret #1: The one destination everyone should visit

10:18 Secret #2: Her most unexpected travel experience

13:49 Secret #3: Most overrated (and underrated) destinations

19:36 Secret #4: Favourite food and restaurants around the world

24:18 Secret #5: Kelly’s best travel tip

31:02 Secret #6: Her most poignant travel memory

35:25 Designing cruise ships, yachts and hotels

37:16 What’s next for Kelly Hoppen?

Places mentioned

South Africa

Asia

China

Hong Kong

Beijing

Shanghai

Japan

Bhutan

Finland

Antwerp

The Cotswolds

Capri

Ravello

Lake Como

Sicily

Mallorca

Ibiza

Puglia

British singer, songwriter and actress Pixie Lott joins Tanya Rose to reveal the travel experiences that have shaped her life.

From writing music in New York and Los Angeles as a teenager to touring across Japan, performing in Brazil, discovering hidden gems through local recommendations and falling in love with Italy, Pixie shares the places that continue to inspire both her life and career.

She also talks about why she never plans her holidays too far in advance, why Tokyo completely changed her perspective on travel, and the emotional trip to Brazil that she’ll never forget.

In this episode, she talks about:

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe to @TravelSecretsThePodcast and listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapters

03:44 Number one destination everyone should visit: Tokyo or Rome?

08:29 The unexpected Brazil trip that changed everything

13:26 Why Pixie thinks holidays in the UK are underrated

18:52 Favourite food, restaurants and cocktails while travelling

23:36 Pixie’s best travel advice: trust the locals

26:58 Her most poignant travel memory in Zambia

28:26 Writing Encino in California

30:54 Why New York and Nashville will always inspire her

34:29 The travel photographs that mean the most to her

Places Mentioned

American actress and Gossip Girl star Kelly Rutherford joins Tanya Rose to reveal the travel experiences that have shaped her life.

From growing up in California to building a life between New York and Monaco, Kelly reflects on family heritage, the cities she called home and the destinations she returns to time and time again. Together, they discuss everything from her favourite cafés and travelling with children to life in Monaco and the Italian road trip she hopes to repeat with her daughter.

In this episode, she talks about:

🎧 Don’t forget to subscribe to @TravelSecretsThePodcast and remember you can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts.

Places mentioned

The wonderful TV presenter, model and actress Laura Whitmore joins Tanya Rose to share her travel secrets this week.

In this episode, Laura unpacks her first work trip flying to Los Angeles to interview Coldplay, recalls her epic 14-day road trip across America and shares her hack for booking cheap 5* hotel rooms…

Plus, Laura discusses her love of her home country of Ireland and tells the story of how she found her favourite restaurant ever in Bali during monsoon season!

Don’t forget to follow @travelsecretsthepodcast and remember, you can watch all of our episodes on YouTube.

Places mentioned:

London, England

Dublin, Ireland

Wicklow, Ireland

Kerry, Ireland

The Merrion Hotel, Dublin, Ireland

Ballyfin, Laois, Ireland

The K Club, Kildare, Ireland

Niagara Falls, Canada

Pale Hall Hotel, Snowdonia, Wales

San Francisco, California, United States

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Reno, Nevada, United States

Lake Tahoe, Nevada, United States

Mount Rushmore, South Dakota, United States

Wyoming, United States

Bali, Indonesia

Mozaic, Ubud, Indonesia

Cape Town, South Africa

Majorca, Spain

Marrakesh, Morocco

Thailand

Los Angeles, United States

Chapters

00:00 Intro

03:53 Secret 1: Number 1 travel destination everybody should go to

08:10 Secret 2: Most unexpected travel experience

11:13 Secret 3: Most Over or Underrated travel experience

15:04 Secret 4: Best Food & Drink while travelling

21:16 Secret 5: Number 1 travel tip

28:28 Secret 6: Poignant memory from a trip

31:11 Secret 7: Special travel photograph

34:37 Outro

Travel expert and co-founder of the award-winning Black Tomato tour operator Tom Marchant joins Tanya Rose to divulge his travel secrets this week.

In this episode, Tom shares why he believes everyone must visit Iceland, his poignant experience working with charities in Morocco and takes us behind the scenes of his hit James Bond-inspired travel tours…

Plus, Tom discusses why he thinks Mykonos is overrated and reveals his top tip for getting the best service when on holiday.

Don’t forget to follow @travelsecretsthepodcast and remember, you can watch all of our episodes on YouTube.

Places mentioned:

Birmingham, England

The Pantanal, Brazil

Reykjavik, Iceland

Smokey Valley, Iceland

Cochrane, Chile

Ljubljana, Slovenia

Belgrade, Serbia

Mykonos, Greece

Kefalonia, Greece

Zante, Greece

Paros, Greece

Monaco

Austria

Paris, France

Lake Como, Italy

Matera, Italy

The Corinthia, London

The Oberoi, India

Delhi, India

Ethiopia

La Coupole, Paris

La Fontaine de Mars, Paris

Williamsburg, New York

The Ear Inn, New York

Cherry Tavern, New York

La Bomboniera, New York

Nashville, USA

Morocco

Kyoto, Japan

Chapters

00:00 Intro

07:59 Secret 1: Number 1 travel destination everybody should go to

15:22 Secret 2: Most unexpected travel experience

18:32 Secret 3: Most Over or Underrated travel experience

25:33 Secret 4: Best Food & Drink while travelling

34:07 Secret 5: Number 1 travel tip

39:00 Secret 6: Poignant memory from a trip

44:33 Secret 7: Special travel photograph

45:42 Outro