The Travel Diaries

This week, I’m so excited to say that business mogul and perfumer Jo Malone makes a return to the podcast, transporting us to the Middle East in this Dubai Destination Special. For avid listeners you might remember that back in Season 2 when Jo joined me as a guest, she talked about Dubai with such love, picking it as one of her all time favourites, she spends about a month each year out there, so I could think of no one better to join us today as we uncover her Dubai travel diaries, her favourite spots, hidden gems and recommendations as someone who knows the city so well. And later, we’ll be joined Dubai-based travel journalist Sarah Hedley-Hymers, who has her finger on the pulse of everything that is worth knowing about Dubai, and together they both really evoke the sights, the scents, and vibrancy of this Emirati city, and really get under its skin - beyond its glamorous and shiny first impressions, they really reveal its heart and heritage too.So, from desert nights under the stars to the heady aromas of the spice market, abra boat rides across the historic Dubai creek to its beaches and luxury hotels, let’s head to Dubai. Destination Recap: Jo MaloneDubai desertSatwaDubai CreekSpice MarketThe One & Only The Residence Fish Beach Taverna, Le Meridien W HotelMusandam Peninsula, Oman Six Senses Zighy Bay, OmanSarah Hedley-Hymers Perfume HouseAbra rides at Dubai CreekDubai Fountain Burj KhalifaDubai Mall AquariumThe Pointe Fountain Food District, The PointeJumeriah Beach Residence Jumeriah Lake TowersStreetery, Dubai Vietnamese Foodies, Dubai Pitfire Pizza, Dubai Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve Al Maha Desert Resort Sonara CampFor more information and inspiration to plan your holiday to Dubai visit www.visitdubai.com or follow them on Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by the chef, broadcaster, food writer and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. We first got to know Hugh through his much loved River Cottage TV series and books, filmed at his River Cottage Estate on the Devon-Dorset border. His uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment, inspired a vast and loyal fanbase.Alongside more than 20 cookery shows, he’s also tackled powerful issues in his documentary campaigns, like obesity, illegal wildlife trade, fishing and the war on plastic. He’s the author of numerous best-selling cookbooks and he’s back with a new one - Eat Better Forever. We talk about that, his life-changing trip to Africa which shaped his food philosophy; what it was like travelling around India for 4 months with his young family; how a close shave while filming nearly left him in a Vietnamese jail, the power of wild swimming throughout the freezing winter months, and his favourite staycation spots . All that and more coming up on the travel diaries. Destination Recap:Aegina, GreecePort Quin, Cornwall, England Epphaven Cove, Cornwall, England Southern AfricaGloucestershire, England IndiaBharatpur bird sanctuary, Rajasthan, IndiaWest End Hotel, Mumbai, India River Cottage, Devon, EnglandThe Bull Inn, Totnes, England VietnamHugh’s new book Eat Better Forever is out now. Thank you Fujifilm for their support for today’s episode. Book in your free trial with the Fujifilm X-S10 here. And thank you to Lanserhof at The Arts Club. Find out more about that, and the rest of Lanserhof’s fantastic offerings here.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Dev Patel. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by multi BAFTA & Emmy-winning wildlife cameraman, Gavin Thurston. Over the last 37 years, Gavin has worked on some of the most famous nature documentaries ever made, like Planet Earth and Blue Planet, most often with his long time collaborator, Sir David Attenborough. Gavin, ordinarily, spends most of the year travelling, and he’s covered every corner of the globe - its deserts, polar ice caps and deepest sea.He’s a fantastic raconteur, so this had to be a “long haul” feature length episode. We talk about his incredibly close shave while filming gorillas in the Congo, what it’s like to be the very first person to see and film previously undiscovered new species of wildlife and film them, the terrifying time his submersible failed at 1000m deep below sea level, and what it’s like spending so much time working with the legend that is Sir David Attenborough.Destination Recap:Durdle Door, Dorset, EnglandDevon Coast, EnglandNouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Republic of CongoHallo Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USASumatra, IndonesiaCosta RicaAntarcticaTurkmenistanEnglandGavin’s book ‘Journeys in the Wild - The Secret Life of a Cameraman’ is out now. You can follow him on Instagram @thegavinthurston. Thank you to The Nautilus Maldives, your luxury bohemian hideaway in the Maldives, for their support today. A highly personalised, immensely private ultra-luxury island resort with just 26 beach and ocean houses and residences, where every experience is tailored to you. Where nothing is fixed and anything is possible. Where you are free to set your own beat; free to do – and to be – as you please.You can find out more about The Nautilus Maldives here.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they are released just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Poppy Delevingne to Raymond Blanc. Thank you so much for listening, and I’ll be back next week. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re back for Season 4 with the award-winning author, writer, and documentary maker, Jon Ronson. Jon is the author of many best-selling books, including So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Them: Adventures with Extremists, The Men who Stare at Goats which was adapted to become a movie starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, and The Psychopath Test which is the first book of Jon’s that I read, and was hooked ever since.He’s an acclaimed screenwriter, most recently co-writing the 2017 Netflix film, Okja, with Bong Joon-Ho, the South Korean director of Parasite, last year’s Best Picture winner at the Oscars. And if you’re not already familiar with Jon’s work, I’d suggest checking out one of his recent podcast series, which have been huge hits around the world - The Butterfly Effect and The Last Days of August both look at the effects of the porn industry. Both are fascinating, disturbing and addictive to listen to.Jon’s now based in the US, so we spoke online as per usual these days, and I hope you enjoy our conversation as much as I did.Destination Recap:Marlborough College, Wiltshire, EnglandAvebury, Wiltshire, EnglandCardiff, WalesSouth AfricaQE2 shipQueen Mary shipRhodes, GreeceManhattan, New York, USAUnion Hall, Brooklyn, New York, USAThe Bell house, Brooklyn, New York, USAGrand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant, New York, USABarney Greengrass, New York, USAInns of Aurora, Fingerlakes, New York, USAHudson, New York, USAForte Village Resort, Sardinia, ItalyForte dei Mami, Tuscany, Italy Pacific High Way One, California, USALos Angeles, California, USAFlorida, USANew ZealandIceland A big thank you to Citalia for their support for today’s podcast. You can discover the real Italy with Citalia, the UK’s leading Italian holiday specialists.If you’re enjoying the podcast, then it would wonderful if you could leave a rating or a review - it really makes a big difference because it helps other people to discover the podcast. To hear future episodes as soon as they’re available just search for The Travel Diaries on your podcast app of choice, and hit subscribe. To find out who’s joining me on next week’s episode, come and follow me on Instagram, I’m @hollyrubenstein - I’d love to hear from you. If you can’t wait until then, there’s always the first three seasons to catch up on, from Michael Palin to Rick Stein, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes to Simon Reeve. Today’s episode was recorded during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown. It was produced by Holly Rubenstein. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Buongiorno and welcome to this bonus Destination Special of The Travel Diaries, in partnership with the British Airways American Express® Credit Card*. Today, we’ll be heading on a tour of Incredible Italy. Italy is one of the most popular destinations on the podcast, and with the help of some of my favourite guests from the past three seasons, I’ve created a special itinerary that covers some of the country’s ultimate highlights - my guests’s favourite cities, best hotels, hidden gems and much more, from Puglia and Positano in the south, to Venice and Trieste in the north. *Terms and conditions apply. Representative 22.2% APR Variable. Destination Recap:Merrion Charles:Lunigiana, TuscanyVal D’Orcia, Tuscany Ponza, Pontine Islands SicilySimon Calder: Syracuse, SicilyTravel Leisure’s Jacqui Gifford: Borgo Egnazia, Puglia Poppy Delevingne: Positano, Amalfi Coast - Le Sirenuse; Da Adolfo; Conca del SognoRome - Residenza Napoleone IIIMr & Mrs Smith’s James Lohan: Florence, Tuscany - Il Latini; JK PlaceYotam Ottolenghi: Florence, TuscanyRick Stein: Bologna, Emilia-RomagnaLonely Planet Founder, Tony Wheeler: Ravenna, Emilia-RomagnaSir Michael Palin: Venice, VenetoLonely Planet Magazine’s Peter Grunert: Cannareggio, Venice, VenetoRick Stein: Trieste, Friuli Venezia GiuliaHolly Rubenstein: Capri, Bay of NaplesCitalia tour operator Ascona, Lake MaggioreThank 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.To hear all about our podcast news, future guests and destination specials come and find me on Instagram. I’m @hollyrubenstein and I’d love to hear from you. Visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.Grazie mille! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m 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. Now, 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, TurkeyGabonMadagascarBangladesh Somaliland West Country, England JapanNew ZealandSenegalMali The ArcticThe AntarcticParaguay 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 and I’d love to hear from you. And visit TheTravelDiariesPodcast.com for everything else podcast-related.For a boutique Cotswolds escape, head over the Barnsley House and their Instagram account to find out more.If you’re looking for a spectacular private hire home in Cornwall, check out Barford Beach House nr Bude.And for a splash out escape in the New Forest, there’s nowhere better than Chewton Glen.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by world renowned chef, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author, Yotam Ottolenghi.Yotam had always been expected to follow his parents into the world of academia, and it wasn’t until he turned 30 that he decided to follow his true passion for food, enrolling in the prestigious Cordon Bleu culinary school in London.From there, he became a pastry chef in some of London’s top restaurants before meeting Sami Tammimi, a Palestinian chef who became his business partner. They created a small deli in Notting Hill called Ottolenghi. The rest, you could say, was history. Yotam’s signature mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours, showcasing mainly vegetables, soon became a sensation, sparking what can only be described as a culinary movement - plates were now about sharing and the rising popularity of ingredients like pomegranate seeds, sumac and tahini in British supermarkets was dubbed “the Ottolenghi effect”. Now, he’s the owner of six delis and restaurants, a Guardian columnist, TV presenter and he’s back with his 8th cookbook, Flavour. As you’ll hear in this episode, Yotam won’t visit a destination unless it has great food, and his food is continuously inspired by his extensive global travels. And so, his travel diaries are also food memory diaries, and they’re sure to make your mouth water. From Israel and Bali to Greece and Mexico, here are the travel diaries of Yotam Ottolenghi. Destination Recap:Jerusalem, Israel PalestineSinai Desert, formerly in Israel and now, Egypt Florence, Italy Amsterdam, HollandUbud, BaliRoyal Pita Maha, Bali MalaysiaVietnamFolegandros, GreeceGreek Islands Guangzhou, ChinaMexicoThank 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.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 else podcast-related.Yotam’s new recipe book, Flavour, is out now. Head over to TheThinkingTraveller.com/traveldiaries to book your dream villa holiday.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s episode, I’m joined by sustainable luxury travel writer, and the Sustainability Editor of Condé Nast Traveller magazine, Juliet Kinsman. Juliet has been an authority in the travel world for over two decades, as a renowned hotel expert. She’s the former Editor-in-Chief of the boutique hotel guide, Mr & Mrs Smith, and went on to found Bouteco, a platform that helps design lovers find the best eco-conscious design-led hotels. And now she’s releasing a book, The Green Edit: Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller. All of which couldn’t feel more relevant in our current global climate crisis. I really hope you enjoy Juliet’s insight into the future of travel, as well as the wonderful array of unusual destinations that she picks for her travel diaries. Destination Recap:AlgeriaAtlas Mountains, Morocco New York City, USABali, IndonesiaGreen School, BaliSumba, Indonesia Nihi Sumba hotel, Indonesia Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada Uxua Casa, Brazil Potato Head, Bali, Indonesia Budapest, Hungary Brody House, Hungary Treviso, Italy Transylvania, Romania NorwayScotland inc. Alladale Wilderness Reserve JapanPeruvian AndesThank 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.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 else podcast-related.The Green Edit by Juliet Kinsman is out on September 10.This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by Jacqui Gifford, the Editor-in-Chief of America’s biggest travel magazine, Travel & Leisure. With a circulation of almost two million and an online readership of nine million, the magazine has always inspired me with its incredible covers, breathtaking photography and moving features, and Jacqui will absolutely inspire you with this episode. Having lived all over the world, and specialising in travel and lifestyle content for two decades, she has so many wonderful destinations in her travel diaries for you to add to your travel wish list. From Anguilla and Mexico to Bermuda and Puglia, speaking to me from NYC, these are the travel diaries of Travel & Leisure’s Jacqui Gifford.Destination Recap:Long Island, New York, USAKauai, Hawaii, USAJapan: Tokyo, Peninsula Hotel Tokyo, Okinawa, and SetouchiSaudi ArabiaIreland: West Coast and DublinMorocco: Marrakech and Dar Ahlam, Atlas MountainsParis, France: Le Meurice, Shangri-La Paris and Park Hyatt ParisBorgo Egnazia, Puglia, ItalyGritti Palace, Venice, ItalyBermudaMexico: Oaxaca and San Miguel de AllendeAnguilla: Belmond Cap Juluca, Four Seasons Anguilla, Malliouhana and Zemi Beach HouseRiga, LatviaRwandaSouthern India including Goa and Kerala, and Varanasi 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.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 else podcast-related.And If Jacqui has tempted you to visit the West Coast of Ireland, one of the most magnificent places to stay is Adare Manor - found out more, here. This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, I’m joined by legendary ethologist and conservationist Dame Dr Jane Goodall, known best for her groundbreaking research of wild chimpanzees.When Jane moved from England to Gombe in Tanzania, at the age of just 26, virtually nothing was known about chimpanzees in the wild. Her findings, in particular observing them using tools to get food, changed our understanding of animal behaviour and the natural world, and propelled Jane to international fame. What makes this even more astounding is that at the time, she had no formal scientific qualifications. Still running today, the study is the world’s longest running continuous wildlife research project.Jane has since been named a United Nations Messenger of Peace and was invested as a dame of the British Empire. Now at the age of 86 she remains a dedicated activist, travelling 300 days of every year (before covid), becoming equally well known as a conservationist and a champion of human rights.Destination Recap:Bournemouth SerengetiGombe GermanyCape Town TanzaniaNebraskaMalaysia Tendaguru, Tanzania Lubbock ,TexasAuschwitz Haiti Death 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 you receive a new episode each week.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 else podcast-related.If you want to get involved or find out more about Jane’s work, visit www.janegoodall.org.uk and www.rootsnshoots.org.ukThe documentary, Jane, is currently available on Netflix and is a fantastic watch.Book your stay at the spectacular Gleneagles hotel at https://gleneagles.com/This episode was produced by Holly Rubenstein Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.