Unfolding Maps

Two friends, two motorcycles and epic adventures all around the world. In episode 4 of Unfolding Maps, Charley Boorman talked about some of his most memorable travel experiences, many of which he has made with his best friend, the actor Ewan McGregor, known from movies such as Star Wars.

These trips resulted in two hugely successful TV series: “Long Way Round” in 2004 and “Long Way Down” in 2007. Now, they have finally done it again!

Their new show “Long Way Up” depicts their ride from Patagonia in Argentina through South America and North America all the way up to Los Angeles. It will be available on Apple TV+ from 18th September 2020 globally as an Apple Original Adventure Series.

In this episode of Unfolding Maps Charley shares memories from the “Long Way Up”, from the majestic Andes to the rainforests of Central America. He also reveals some of the unique challenges Ewan and he faced because of making the whole trip – 21.000km through 13 countries! – on electric motorcycles.

http://www.charleyboorman.com/

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What is lost when a whole culture disappears? Award-winning journalist Doug Bock Clark has written an epic book about the Lamalerans, a tribe that lives on a remote, eastern Indonesian island. For half a millennium, they have fed themselves by hunting sperm whales, using small, handmade boats and handmade harpoons. And until this day, this is the way they hunt and live. But how much longer? How does an endangered tribe face the challenge to navigate between ancient traditions and modern civilization?

This is the story of Doug Bock Clarks bestselling book “The Last Whalers” – and it is what this episode is about.

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Being the daughter of one of the Afghanistan’s most influential and prosperous persons, Nahid Shahalimi grew up in the country’s high society. However, the life of her family took a dramatic turn when her father died and Nahid had to flee to Canada with her mother and sisters in the 1980s. Since then, she has lived in Pakistan, India, the USA, Spain and Germany and – and became actively involved in many humanitarian projects.

In this episode she talks about both her remarkable childhood in Afghanistan and her humanitarian work today as an artist, author, activist and filmmaker, with which she shines a spotlight on the women of Afghanistan.

https://nahidshahalimi.com/ 

Note: The interview was already conducted in early 2020. In some respects, the political situation in Afghanistan has developed significantly since then.

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Known as 'the flying photographer', George Steinmetz is the natural world’s leading aerial artist, being famous for his trademark low altitude aerial photography, a special technique that he has invented and perfected. He has done much of his work with a foot-launched motorized paraglider, which he pilots while taking pictures, as well as using drones to document climate change and the global food supply.

His exploration and science photography has been featured in more than 40 National Geographic photo essays, The New York Times, Smithsonian, TIME, The New Yorker and many others, and in 2008, he was named National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. His numerous awards for photography include three prizes from World Press Photo.

Most currently, he has published a book titled “The Human Planet”, a sweeping visual chronicle of the Earth today, considering issues such as climate change, sustainable agriculture, and the ever-expanding human footprint.

https://georgesteinmetz.com/

https://www.instagram.com/geosteinmetz/

You want to support Unfolding Maps? Then please leave a review and rating in the Apple Podcast App HERE. That way you can help our show to be found by other travelers. Thanks a lot!

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

A passionate adventurer, author and film maker: Alastair Humphreys' explorations of the earth are manifold.

He has spent over four years cycling round the world, a journey of 46,000 miles through 60 countries and five continents. He walked across southern India, rowed across the Atlantic Ocean, run six marathons through the Sahara Desert, completed a crossing of Iceland, busked through Spain, participated in an expedition in the Arctic, close to the magnetic North Pole, and has trekked 1000 miles across the Empty Quarter desert.

When he was named as one of National Geographic’s Adventurers of the year for 2012 however, it was for a much humbler endeavor: for creating and promoting the philosophy of microadventure.

In this episode of Unfolding Maps, Alastair talks about great and small adventures – and how they can enrich our lives.

Alastair on the web:

www.alastairhumphreys.com

Facebook

Instagram

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A fascinating journey into the power that the cold, deep breathing and commitment can unleash together: Wim Hof is known as the “Iceman”, the reason being that he is able to endure the cold to an extend that was believed to be physically impossible before.

Wim Hof has climbed Mount Everest to an altitude of 7.200 meters, dressed in nothing but shoes and shorts. He ran across the Namibian desert without water. And he has set up 26 official Guinness World Records, for example for

• the farthest swim under ice, with a single breath
• the farthest half marathon barefoot on ice and snow
• the longest time in direct, full-body contact with ice, spending 1 hour and 53 minutes in ice water – while feeling good about it!

He has combined breathing exercises, mediation and ice baths into what he calls the Wim Hof Method, which he teaches all over the world. 

In this episode of Unfolding Maps, Wim talks about how he has discovered the power of the cold and why he believes, his method can help with things from strengthening physical health to fighting depression.

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Adventurer, motorbike enthusiast, travel writer and TV presenter: Charley Boorman has explored the world for the past few decades. It all started in 1997 on a film shoot, when Charley met Ewan McGregor, known from Star Wars, Moulin Rouge, Trainspotting, Doctor Sleep and other films. Resulting from their shared love for motorbikes, they became friends and eventually set off to the first of several great adventures together: Going around the world from London to New York – via the long way – via Europe and Asia.

This trip has been turned into a bestselling book and a hugely successful TV series named “Long Way Round”. After that, Charley did TV shows like Race to Dakar, By Any Means, Right to the Edge, Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers, and Charley Boorman’s USA Adventure.

In this episode of Unfolding Maps, Charley talks about some of his greatest travel adventures during and after “Long Way Round” – and about the impact that continuously exploring the world off the beaten paths has had on his life.

www.charleyboorman.com

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Laura Dekker is the youngest person ever to sail around the world solo – an impressive success for which she had to overcome many obstacles, at sea and on land.

She has accomplished that some years ago, at the age of 14 to 16. In this episode of Unfolding Maps, Laura looks back to her upbringing, to all the things that let her to the point of feeling ready for such an adventure. She also talks about how this experience has shaped her and how she wants to use her learnings from it in the sphere of education. And she remembers the most magical moments alone on the wide open ocean.

http://www.lauradekker.nl/

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In his first book, the now iconic “Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-term World Travel”, Rolf Potts promoted the ethics of independent travel. It was released in 2003 and – after more than 20 editions and many translations worldwide – had a huge impact on the global traveler scene.

In this episode of Unfolding Maps, he talks about how he tried to infiltrate the set of the movie “The Beach” (starring Leonardo DiCaprio), how travel itself has changed in the past decades, and how we can best overcome misconceptions that threaten to lessen our travel experience.

Rolf also wrote for National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian, The New Yorker, and New York Times. He has taught writing at Yale University, University of Pennsylvania, and the Paris American Academy.

www.rolfpotts.com

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